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July
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A creature rose up out of the surf and came ashore. Its garments were made of green sea lettuce. "I am the friendly Witch of the Sand," said the creature. "This is a perfect day to sunbathe."
The sun was terribly hot. The creature’s skin began to bake and it turned as red as a ripe tomato!
So, have you ever seen….a baking lettuce and tomato Sand Witch?
;->TO GO OR NOT TO GO…TO COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD MEETINGS
A few weeks ago I surveyed area public library directors to find out how
often county library boards are meeting and to determine the level of
involvement area public library directors have in the county library board
process.
It should be pointed out that of the seven WVLS member counties, one (Marathon) is a formally recognized consolidated county library so the regular library board is the county library board and another county (Langlade) acts as though it were a consolidated library board, i.e., the Antigo Public Library is the only public library in the county so the APL Board functions as the county library board. Responses to this survey were received from 18 of the remaining 23 public libraries.
Survey results indicate that:
It’s obvious that these responses indicate that it is important for local library personnel and county-level library trustees to establish and maintain good relationships because the outcome of doing so is stronger local libraries.
If you are a local public library board member and your board doesn’t require (or at least strongly encourage) your library director to attend county library board meetings, maybe you should ask that the issue be placed on a future board meeting agenda for further discussion. It might be a good thing to establish a formal policy to reimburse your library director for costs associated with attendance at county library board meetings.
If you are a library director who has not been attending meetings of your county library board, maybe you should ask your library board if they would like you to attend and report on county library board meetings.
If you are a county library board trustee, maybe you should discuss the attendance of your county’s public library directors at county library board meetings…if you aren’t getting good attendance now, consider sending a letter to each public library board president requesting that they encourage their director to attend county-level meetings. Perhaps offering to pay travel costs would help.
STATE OFFICIALS MANDATE LIBRARIANS IN MILWAUKEE SCHOOLS
Some three dozen schools in the Milwaukee Public Schools system have been given
14 months to ensure that a licensed librarian oversees each of their libraries.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released the results of an
investigation into a Milwaukee Teachers’ Association complaint that the schools
were violating rules that call for a certified librarian on staff. For more
information, visit
http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2006abc/june2006ab/milwaukee.htm
(AL Direct; 7/5/06)
-- Heather Eldred
NOW AVAILABLE!
2nd
NORTHWOODS CONFERENCE
for
LIBRARY FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS & Volunteers
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September 30, 2006 |
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The Friends of the Marathon County Public Library and the staff of the Wisconsin Valley Library Service are sponsoring a fall conference where attendees can meet with other "friends," share ideas and jumpstart local efforts to support public libraries. We feel that our Northwoods environment provides unique challenges that more urban areas are not required to face. Topics to be covered in this conference include:
What to do BEFORE, DURING & AFTER a Book Sale
– How do they fit in? Do they get treated differently or like every other customer?BOOK DEALERS
BOOK SALE LEFTOVERS
– What do you do with them?LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
–Where is the best place to have a sale? What is the best time to have a sale? How do books get to the location?MARKETING THE BOOK SALE
– How do people learn about your book sale? How do you report book sale revenues – to whom and why?ON-GOING BOOK SALES
– What is involved? Who keeps the shelves filled? What about selling books online?PRIVILEGED ACCESS TO BOOKS
– Who gets privileged access and what are the procedures?SALES TAX ISSUES
– What are the legal requirements?SORTING & PRICING GUIDELINES
– Do you need to sort? How much can you charge? What are others doing?Other Fundraising Suggestions & Ideas
THE COST OF CONFERENCE IS $10.00
This fee includes beverages, snacks and a box lunch.
Please join us and share your ideas with others who are eager to do the best job possible in supporting their local library and its customers.
Please bring sample publicity pieces for the "show & tell" tables.
If you have questions or comments or need special accommodations to attend this conference, please contact Marla Sepnafski at 715/261-7252.
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To register for the NORTHWOODS CONFERENCE for Library Friends, Supporters & Volunteers, mail completed registration and a check for $10.00 (made out to Wisconsin Valley Library Service) to:
Marla Sepnafski; Wisconsin Valley Library Service; 300 N. First Street; Wausau, WI 54403
Name __________________________________ Library ____________________________________
Telephone No. _____________ Email _________________________ Amount Enclosed _________
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: September 15, 2006
FREE!
Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online is hosted by "Bear" from Disney Channel's Bear in the Big Blue House. Bear and other Disney characters lead activities that focus on eight key skill areas including reading readiness, thinking skills, daily living skills, social skills, imagination and self-expression, motor skills, and computer skills. Lessons automatically adjust to each individual child's skill level, keeping preschoolers engaged and challenged. New content is introduced every two weeks, letting each child continue to advance at his or her natural pace.
Disney Online will offer U.S.-based public librarians free access to
Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online, normally a $49.95 annual
subscription fee, beginning June 24, 2006. Librarians can email
library@preschooltime.com to request a free subscription or visit
http://www.preschooltime.com/library
for a guide on how to use Playhouse Disney Preschool Time Online
in the library. Valid credentials must be provided by each applicant.
(Channel Weekly, 6/29/06)
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JUST RELEASED! COMIC BOOK ON COPYRIGHT AND CREATIVITY Duke University Law School’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain recently released Bound by Law, a comic book on copyright and creativity by Keith Aoki, James Boyle, and Jennifer Jenkins. Readers follow the Bound by Law heroine, Akiko, as she films her documentary, and navigates the twists and turns of intellectual property, and learns why we have copyrights, what "fair use" is and how to determine if a work is in the public domain. |
| Published under a Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
license, Bound by Law can be downloaded for free at
http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/. Educational orders
for more than 50 can be purchased from Duke at a subsidized price. "Bound by Law translates law into plain English and abstract ideas into ‘visual metaphors.’ So the comic’s heroine, Akiko, brandishes a laser gun as she fends off a cyclopean ‘Rights Monster’ – all the while learning copyright law basics, including the line between fair use and copyright infringement." –Brandt Goldstein, The Wall Street Journal online (Duke University Law School; http://www.law.duke.edu) |
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INVISIBLE
WINS BURR/WORZALLA AWARD
The Children’s Book Award Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association’s
Youth Services Section recently selected Pete Hautman’s fiction title,
Invisible, as the winner of the 2006 Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award. The
story, written for adolescents, is a haunting combination of mystery and
psychological thriller that readers will remember long after they turn the final
page. Mr. Hautman lives in Wisconsin and Minnesota and was the recipient of the
2004 National Book Award for his novel, Godless.
Five Honor Books were selected for Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Literature:
 | Crackback by John Coy |
| Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert |
| Leonardo Da Vinci by Kathleen Krull |
| The Lioness & Her Knight by Gerald Morris |
| White is for Blueberry written by George Shannon and illustrated by Laura Dronzek |
The winner of the 2006 Notable Wisconsin Author/Illustrator for her contribution to the world of children’s literature is Betty Ren Wright. For 55 years, Ms. Wright has been a prolific and popular writer of quality literature for young people.
Members of the Children’s Book Award Committee are Sonja Ackerman, Marathon County Public Library; Roxane Bartelt, Kenosha Public Library; Geri Ceci Cupery, E.D. Locke Public Library (McFarland); Leah Langby, Indianhead Federated Library System; Pamela Penn, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and Chair, Maryann Owen, Racine Public Library.
SIRSIDYNIX
INSTITUTE NOW OFFERS SEMINAR PODCASTS
The SirsiDynix Institute now offers podcasting as a means of sharing its Web
seminars with library and information professionals. The podcasts are available
for FREE downloads at
http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com
and through a FREE subscription at the iTunes Music Store at
http://www.apple.com/itunes. Each podcast is approximately one
hour and covers topics of interest to librarians.
(Computers in Libraries; July/August 2006)
WEBJUNCTION’S E-LEARNING CLEARINGHOUSE GOES LIVE!
If you are interested in developing new skills, taking continuing education
courses, mastering technology or obtaining your library degree, make sure to
check out WebJunction’s new distance learning site known as the E-Learning
Clearinghouse. The E-Learning Clearinghouse provides a comprehensive
consolidated listing of online courses offered by ALA-accredited graduate
schools, undergraduate schools, community colleges, regional library networks,
and WebJunction for library staff via a web-based, searchable database. Course
and program offerings cover a wide range of topics from Staff Development Made
Easy to Developing a Disaster Plan to Ready Reference. You will find:
See for yourself. For more information, visit
http://www.webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=13651 and search
the E-Learning Clearinghouse at
http://www.webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=11446
(edited from Crossroads, newsletter of
WebJunction; 7/06)
TECHNOLOGY GRANTS AVAILABLE FROM THE SMARTER KIDS
FOUNDATION
The SMARTer Kids Foundation provides grants/discounts for technology
products and are available to all public or private, accredited and
not-for-profit educational institutions, as well as authorized home-schoolers,
museums, science centers and libraries involved in K-12, college, university,
vocational, and technical instruction or administration. Grants are available
for:
For more information, visit the SMARTer Kids Foundation web site at
http://www.smarterkids.org Application deadline is September
30, 2006.
(edited from Online Update, newsletter of the South
Central Library System; 6/23/06)
POST NEAR PUBLIC ACCESS COMPUTERS!
But while the sites can increase your circle of friends, they also can increase your exposure to people who have less-than-friendly intentions. You’ve heard the stories about people who were stalked, sexually assaulted, or murdered by someone they met online, had their identity stolen, or had their computer hacked. According to a study conducted in 2000 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) entitled Online Victimization: A Report on the Nation’s Youth, "one in five kids ages 10 to 17 have received a sexual solicitation through the Internet." According to a teen Internet survey conducted in March 2006, and funded by Cox Communications in partnership with the NCMEC, "almost half of the teens who use online chat systems have replied to messages from someone they didn’t know" and "more than half of the teen survey participants with Internet access said they had placed their profiles on a social networking site, and half of that group reported posting their pictures." ("The Pandora’s Box of Social Networking" by Meryl K. Evans; TechNews World; 5/31/06; http://www.technewsworld.com/story/50812.html)
In spite of the growing concern over Internet safety in general, and social networking specifically, the number of social networking sites and the number of people who use them, continue to grow. MySpace, currently the most popular social networking site with teens and tweens, had 54 million registered users as of February 2006, and 180,000 more register to use the site each day. ("How MySpace Works" by Julia Layton; How Stuff Works; http://computer.howstuffworks.com/myspace.htm/printable).
As a result, the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, is urging Internet users to not post personal information online that you don’t want the whole world to know. Following are some of the FTC’s tips to teens and tweens for socializing safely online:
| Keep your information to yourself. Don’t post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or bank and credit card account numbers – and don’t post other people’s information, either. |
| Make sure your screen name doesn’t say too much about you. Don’t use your name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn’t take a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are and where you can be found. |
| Remember that once you post information online, you can’t take it back. Even if you delete the information from your site, older versions exist on other people’s computers. |
| Consider not posting your photo. It can be altered and broadcast in ways you may not be happy about. |
| Be wary if a new online friend wants to meet you in person. Before you decide to meet someone, do your research: Ask whether any of your friends know the person, and see what background you can dig up through online search engines. If you decide to meet them, be smart about it: Meet in a public place, during the day, with friends you trust. |
| Trust your gut if you have suspicions. If you feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police and the social networking site. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim. |
For a complete copy of the FTC’s suggested tips and a list of organizations that can provide more information about staying safe online, visit Facts for Consumers on the FTC’s web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.htm
IPOD TOPS
BEER ON CAMPUS
As if we needed more evidence that the iPod has achieved world domination,
it seems that the device is popular on campuses – more popular, in fact, than
beer. According to the bi-annual Lifestyle & Media Study by research firm
Student Monitor, 73 percent of college students identify the iPod as the number
one "in" thing on campus. Beer – for years the traditional favorite – tied with
FaceBook, the college networking site, registering with 71 percent of
respondents as "da bomb" on campus.
(School Library Journal; 7/06)
THIS IS SO-O-O YUMMY!
FIRST LAYER:
Beat together 6 egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tarter and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Gradually add 1 and ¾ cups of white sugar. Beat until glossy.
Spread in a greased (use shortening) 13 x 9 inch cake pan and bake in a 275 degree oven for one hour.
Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven for 12 more hours.
SECOND LAYER:
Mix together 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
Fold in 2 cups of miniature marshmallows and 2 cups whipped cream or Cool Whip.
Spread this creamy mixture on top of the first layer of cooled meringue.
THIRD LAYER:
Mix together 1 can of cherry pie filling, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 cups (or more) of sliced fresh strawberries.
Spread on top of the second layer and chill.
(Editor’s Note: I have used Angel Food cake broken into bite-size pieces instead of making the meringue, and serve the whipped cream mixture and cherry-berry topping separately. This works quite well for me when I don’t have time to leave a pan in the oven for 12 hours, and allows for my family of five to put on as much whipped topping and cherry-berry topping as they like. Enjoy!)
WEB SITES OF INTEREST (tourist traps on the information superhighway!)
HOW TO FELL A TREE USING A CHAINSAW
http://forestry.about.com/od/chainsaws/ss/fell_tree.htmPETER’S ONLINE TYPING COURSE
http://www.typing-lessons.org/10th ANNUAL WEBBY AWARDS
http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php?season=10TOP TEN MOST USEFUL [HEALTH] WEBSITES
http://www.mlanet.org/resources/medspeak/topten.htmlJuly 14 – This is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Andreas Carvelas, who moved from Greece to the U.S. and became Tom Carvel, ice cream mogul. He invented the machine that makes soft-serve ice cream, took out a $15 loan, and started a chain of ice cream stores. Coincidentally, Americans also celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 16th, to promote this popular dessert. Sounds like a good time to have an ice cream social at the library! (Adapted from Marketing Library Services; May/June 2006)
July 20 – WVLS Board of Trustees meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m.
July 21 – "Comics in the Classroom: Multiple Literacies through Graphic Novels" – Pyle Center, UW-Madison Campus - .5 CEUs – for more information, including how to register, go to http://www.education.wisc.edu/outreach/workshops/?idMainType=4#WS57
July 26-27 – WiLSWorld 2006 Conference – Pyle Center, Madison - $150 for the full conference. Toted as the premier Midwestern library technology conference, the smorgasbord of sessions will appeal to the technically-minded and those looking for an executive overview of technology (as well as to many of us who lie somewhere in between). For complete information, go to http://www.wils.wisc.edu/wworld/
August 3 – WVLS V-Cat Council meeting – Frances L. Simek Memorial Library, Medford – 9:30 a.m.
August 15 – WVLS Library Advisory Committee meeting – Horace Mann Middle School, Wausau – 9:30 a.m.
August 19 – WVLS Executive Committee meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m.
September - LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH – At the start of the new academic year, organize a campaign to remind parents, teachers, and kids that a library card is an important back-to-school supply. For ideas on promoting library cards, and making them the most valued and used card in every wallet, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/otherinit/card/librarycard.htm
September 20-21 – Northwest Wisconsin Children’s Book Conference – Telemark Resort & Convention Center - $95 (register before July 1st and take $10 off!) – 6.5 CEUs – details are at http://www.telemarkeducation.com/bookconference/invite_sitemap.htm
September 20-24 - The Wisconsin Library Association Foundation is again sponsoring a tour to New York City. The group will fly to New York on Midwest Express on September 20 and return on September 24. The cost, which ranges from $719 to $1,249 depending on accommodations, includes airfare, ground transportation, four nights at the Hotel Edison, one theatre ticket and a $25 gift to the WLA Foundation. For additional information, contact Rebecca Roepke, Director of the Cudahy Family Library, at 414-769-2246 or rebecca.roepke@mcfls.org
September 30 – 2nd Northwoods Conference for Library Friends, Supporters & Volunteers – Rothschild Village Community Room (Rothschild, WI). Details above.
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"The final chapter is hidden away, although it’s now changed very slightly…One character got a reprieve, but I have to say, two die that I didn’t intend to die. We’re dealing with pure evil here." -- J.K. Rowling discussing the final installment of
her Harry Potter series
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ATTENTION: WESSLER SCHOLARSHIPS are available to cover some/all costs associated with attendance at reference and/or interlibrary loan continuing education events. If interested in becoming a Wessler Scholar, contact the WVLS office (715/261-7250) for more information. The application form and more information are available at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/About/wessler.htm
is a monthly newsletter of the Wisconsin
Valley Library Service.
300 N. First
Street / Wausau, WI 54403
Contributions are welcome!
Back issues are available at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Newsletter/newsindex.htm
(Note: Web links in past issues are not checked for currency and may no
longer work.)
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EDITOR: Marla Sepnafski |
Contributions are welcome!
News items should be submitted by the first of the month.
WVLS serves Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, and Taylor counties.
When the most recent issue becomes available, readers are alerted by a notice
posted to WISPUBLIB, or sent an email.
To subscribe to WISPUBLIB, send an email message to wispublib@badger.state.wi.us
In the body of the message (subject line is ignored) type: subscribe WISPUBLIB.
Then send your email. To have The Lamplighter emailed to you without subscribing
to WISPUBLIB, contact Barbara Freimund at 715/261-7252, or email freimund@wvls.lib.wi.us
