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October
2006 |
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October is…pumpkins…acorns falling like big heavy raindrops…reds… yellows…
bursting cattails…mist on the early morning lake… tricks and treats… masks…
SPEAKING OF MASKS, WHO OR WHAT IS HIDING BEHIND WVLS?
The WVLS staff and board were recently discussing the fact that very few
people in the business of funding libraries and/or library systems know what
‘WVLS’ is. That’s not surprising because, over the years, WVLS has chosen not to
spend its scarce state aid dollars for publicity. We have always said that one
of our most important tasks was to help our member libraries ‘look good’ to
their respective patrons … library users didn’t need to know how the service got
to them, it was only important that those users got ever-improving service.
Sometimes we think we may have made a mistake in not tooting our system horn more because now, when it comes to system funding, there are very few folks who know what WVLS does well enough to even write a letter to a legislator to describe the importance of state aid dollars for library systems in the WVLS area. Legislators say they don’t want to hear from system staff about how important their services are…rather, they want to hear from the end-users of system services. That is almost impossible since the end-users rarely, if ever, know that the consultant service or item from the library’s collection or book that was sent on interloan or the summer reading program performer they are enjoying might have come to them through their library’s WVLS membership. It’s probably often the case that the library staff itself forgets how insular life was before library systems came into being.
To help let the world know a bit more about WVLS – about the importance of libraries sharing materials and the state helping to fund the costs of that kind of sharing - the system staff will be trying to do a better job of providing news articles to area newspapers to announce when a member library will be participating in a WVLS project such as joining V-Cat, participating in an upcoming grant (such as the prison service grant), using a summer library program performer scheduled and subsidized by WVLS, sharing some of the interesting statistics that come out of the annual reports, etc.
Individual library staff members can really help in spreading the word, i.e., whenever your library prepares a brochure, writes a news article, writes your own board minutes, etc., please remember to give credit to your library’s (and your county’s) membership in WVLS as the source of these projects. That way, we can share those comments with area legislators on the local, regional and state levels who just might begin to see that the dollars they budget for libraries and library systems are really being used well…the more dollars the state budgets for systems, the more service member libraries will receive. When you have included WVLS in any of your publicity, please send a copy to me. Thanks.
LIBRARY SHARING IS BIG BUSINESS!
The 9/8/06 draft of the COLAND Biennial Report on the Condition and Progress
of Library Services in Wisconsin states that "Wisconsin now has:
- 388 public libraries that serve 5.6 million state residents
- approximately 2,000 public school library media centers serving almost 880,000 students (many of whom increasingly depend on service from public libraries and public library systems – editor’s note)
- hundreds of academic and special libraries serving students, professionals, businesses and others.
All of these libraries make important contributions to the education and quality of life for Wisconsin residents, and to the economic health of the state. A recently completed research study of Wisconsin’s school library media programs shows that high-quality school libraries correlate with high student achievement. Other studies show that investments in public libraries result in positive returns ranging from 30%-1,000%...
The public benefits of library service in Wisconsin are further multiplied through high levels of interlibrary cooperation. Wisconsin’s libraries cooperate through regional library systems and statewide services and organizations. Every year, millions of library items are shared among all types of libraries throughout the state. This sharing of library materials means that everyone in Wisconsin has access to over 7 million titles owned by Wisconsin libraries of all types. Resource sharing is also a cost-effective method of avoiding unnecessary duplication of purchasing…Wisconsin now ranks #1 nationally in per capita public library interlibrary loans. Public library system efforts to develop shared integrated systems have greatly contributed to the accessibility and growth of resource sharing. Currently 83% of Wisconsin residents are served by the 310 public libraries participating in shared integrated systems (like V-Cat)…"
WHO WILL WIN THIS ISSUE’S ‘NAME THE CHARACTER’ QUIZ?
I made up three quizzes for the fall issues of The Lamplighter (Fictional
Characters - Quiz II is in this issue below). If you have ideas for games,
quizzes, etc. that you think your colleagues would enjoy, please submit them to
Marla Sepnafski, Editor of the newsletter.
MATERIAL FOR USE IN YOUR OCTOBER PRESENTATIONS (I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself ;->)
Did you hear about the cannibal who was expelled from school?
He was buttering up his teacher.How can you tell that a vampire likes baseball?
He turns into a bat every night.What do you do with a green monster?
Wait until it ripens.Where does a one-armed man shop?
At a second hand store.Why did the vampire give his girlfriend a blood test?
To see if she was his type.Why don't mummies take vacations?
They're afraid they'll relax and unwind.
-- Heather Eldred
ATTENTION, AREA INTERLOAN STAFF!
Unlike the current system, the new product will use a single integrated user interface for the hybrid union/virtual catalog as well as for the interlibrary loan management system. Search results can be de-duplicated and re-sorted so that records from multiple catalogs are displayed together. In addition the seamless search interface between the union and virtual catalogs is expected to reduce the need to batch upload records to the union catalog for those local catalogs that are Z39.50 compliant.
In addition, the new resource sharing system will allow library staffs and patrons to enjoy other exciting new features. To see a more detailed list of features available with the new system, go to
http://www.wiscat.lib.wi.us/pdf/New_features.pdfAs the WISCAT staff works out the final details of the contract with Auto-Graphics, Inc., they are simultaneously working on an implementation and training schedule for all the libraries in the state who wish to participate in the new system. WVLS has arranged with WISCAT staff to train area interlibrary loan staff on Thursday, November 16th at Marathon County Public Library. There will be 2 sessions provided that day, one in the morning from 9:30-noon, and one in the afternoon from 1:00-3:30.
Libraries must attend a training session before being authorized to participate in the new WISCAT – either as a borrower or as a lender. Training over the telephone will not be available.
Following the training by WISCAT staff, libraries will immediately be able to access the new system. Sometime in mid-December, the current VDX and ZPORTAL systems will be discontinued.
Area interlibrary loan staff will receive more information, through emails, workshop flyers and The Lamplighter, about the November 16th WISCAT training opportunity when all of the details for the day are finalized. If you have any questions about the new WISCAT or the November 16th training sessions, please feel free to contact Leora Young, WVLS ILL Coordinator, at 715/261-7254 or
lyoung2@wvls.lib.wi.usWin a Prize!
- Magnificent lion of Narnia who acts as an unlikely Christ figure
- Prince Valiant’s son
- Girl of Green Gables
- Leader of ‘The Chipmunks’
- Pogo’s alligator friend
- Daddy Warbuck’s orphan
- Stone-age blonde in Auel’s novels
- Name of detective couple, Nick and Nora’s dog
- First name of All in the Family’s leading role bigot
- First name of southern attorney who is the father of Scout and Jem
Jane Pearlmutter, Associate Director of the School of Library & Information Studies, UW-Madison, was the first person to submit all correct answers to Quiz I. Congratulations, Jane!
This is REALLY Cool!
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If you want to be a Badger, just
read along with Bucky!
There’s a NEW small poster and matching bookmark co-sponsored by the UW-Madison Libraries and the Wisconsin Center for the Book. The poster and bookmarks, designed by Senior Artist Daniel Joe of UW-Madison Library Communications, show Bucky standing against a bookcase reading about great moments in the history of Camp Randall Stadium, the home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team. The poster made its Wisconsin debut in the 9/20/06 edition of Wisconsin Week, and its national debut on September 30th in Washington D.C., during the National Book Festival hosted by First Lady Laura Bush. Bucky’s universal appeal among children and adults alike make the poster and bookmarks ideal for any library’s READ campaign. If you are interested in receiving a FREE Bucky Badger posters and bookmarks, please email Marla Sepnafski at the WVLS office at msepnafs@wvls.lib.wi.us by Friday, October 13th. |
What is Library Legislative Day? It's a two-day event in which people who
care about libraries participate virtually or face to face by taking part in
advocacy training sessions, interacting with Capitol Hill
insiders, and visiting congressional member offices to ask Congress to pass
legislation that supports libraries. In 2007, it will be held May 2-3.
Find out more about this event at
Teens ages 12-18 are eligible, and the deadline to participate is October 29, 2006. For more information, including contest announcements, rules and entry forms, visit
http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/nlld/nlld2007contest.htmHELPING MILITARY FAMILIES COPE
According to the Sesame Workshop website, this bilingual kit "will help military families cope with feelings, challenges, and concerns experienced during … pre-deployment, deployment and homecoming." The kit includes a DVD featuring the Muppets from Sesame Street, a parent/caregiver magazine and a children’s activity poster.
To view or download any of the resources in the Talk, Listen, Connect: Helping Families During Military Deployment Kit, or to order your
FREE kit, visit the Sesame Workshop website at http://www.sesameworkshop.org/tlc/CELEBRATE
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL LIBRARY DAY!
For more tips for celebrating International School Library Day, visit the
International Association of School Librarianship website at
http://www.iasl-slo.org/sldsuggested_activities.html
and for online resources visit
http://www.iasl-slo-org/sldresources.html
(from American Libraries Direct; 8/30/06)
THINKING ABOUT BECOMING A LITERACY TUTOR? NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!
This year’s Basic Training will be held on Thursday, November 2nd and Monday, November 6th, from 5:15-8:15 p.m. at the Marathon County Public Library. The MCLC also offers 3-4 in-services a year to all tutors on current, educational topics. The next in-service, which focuses on the "Latest Tips Working with E.S.L. & Low-Level Learners" & "Tutor Networking," will be held on Thursday, November 9th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m., at Marathon County Public Library.
There is no cost to enroll in the Basic Training sessions or the in-services, and anyone interested may attend. For more information about these educational opportunities and/or becoming a literacy tutor, please contact the MCLC at 715/261-7292.
Considering a New Library Building Project or Renovation?
To log into the Building Projects Database, a searcher needs to register at http://projects.libraryjournal.com/login.asp. A subscription to Library Journal is not a prerequisite and registration is FREE. Once a username and password is established, searchers may either add information about library building projects – any information from the earliest planning phases to completion is welcome – or gather ideas from projects nationwide that are underway or at fruition.
Staff at LJ say "Don’t even think about commencing your next building
project without looking here!"
GRAPHIC NOVELS: SUGGESTIONS FOR LIBRARIANS
YOUTH LEADERS FOR LITERACY GRANTS
Lipinski, Thomas A. The Complete Copyright Liability Handbook for Librarians and Educators. Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc., 2006. ISBN 1555705324
Milwaukee native, Tomas Lipinski, a library educator, licensed attorney, and frequent presenter of copyright workshops, offers this comprehensive guide to copyright liability issues specifically aimed at libraries and information centers.
The author discusses three types of copyright liability, including direct copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, and vicarious copyright infringement. He notes penalties and immunities in copyright law for libraries and schools, and three ways they can limit their exposure. He includes information on digital technologies, websites, distance education, and recent legislation. "Real-world examples" which present a situation and legal analysis, are included in each section.
Also included is a copyright compliance audit, sample copyright policies, a subject index, and an index of copyright cases.
The author presents a very in-depth and detailed understanding of this intricate and complex subject.
This WVLS-owned title is on V-Cat and available for loan.
– Ellen Buchberger, WVLS Reference Librarian
how to reduce computer-related energy costs
An article in the September 2006 issue of Computers in Libraries
("High-Tech, Low Power: How to Reduce
Computer-Related Energy Costs" by Marshall Breeding)
offers practical advice on how to reduce the amount of energy consumed by
library computers and save a bit on library budgets. Following are some
strategies:
Turn off PCs at the end of the day. Years ago, one school of thought was that computers would last longer if left on, because the power spike associated with the initial start-up was more harmful to the internal components than the wear associated with longer operation, while others though that turning equipment off when unused would extend the life of a computer. Components in current equipment suffer no ill effects from being powered on and off.
Get rid of the fancy screen saver. Screen savers do nothing to help reduce a computer’s workload. Older generations of CRT monitors were subject to burn-in if the same image remained on the screen for an extended period, so to avoid the problem, people used screen savers that produced constantly moving images when the computer was inactive. Since more recent CRTs are less susceptible to burn-in and flat-panel LCD-monitors do not exhibit it at all, screen savers solve a problem that no longer exists. In fact, a screen saver that has fairly intensive graphics actually requires more computer processing than spreadsheets or word processors, and may disable features that can actually extend the life of a monitor and reduce power consumption.
Program your computer to enter standby or sleep when not in use. In the past, computers were either on or off. PCs manufactured recently include a set of advanced power-management features that can dramatically reduce the amount of power used. To take advantage of this staged step-down activity, you need to configure your computer accordingly since many desktop PCs may not be set to use power-management features by default. "For example, with Windows XP, you can right-click on the desktop, select ‘Properties,’ and click on the ‘Screen Saver’ tab. At the bottom of that panel will appear a button labeled ‘Power,’ which when clicked on will display the ‘Power Options Properties’ page. It is at this page that the computer user can determine a lower power-mode schedule.
Servers are NOT the same as PCs:
 | Servers need to be on at all times. |
| Rack-mounted servers tend to operate more efficiently and use less power than free-standing towers. |
| It is not necessary to connect a monitor to each server. A common configuration consists of a single keyboard, video monitor, and mouse that connect through a KVM switch to multiple servers. |
Rearrange the following words to create a phrase about the given word. For example, the word: DORMITORY When the letters are rearranged, the word becomes: DIRTY ROOM
- PRESBYTERIAN: Best in Prayer
- ASTRONOMER: Moon Starer
- DESPERATION: A Rope Ends It
- THE EYES: They SEE
- GEORGE BUSH: He Bugs Gore
- THE MORSE CODE: Here Come Dots
- SLOT MACHINES: Cash Lost In Me
- ANIMOSITY: Is No Amity
- ELECTION RESULTS: Lies – Let’s Recount
- SNOOZE ALARMS: Alas! No More Z’s
- A DECIMAL POINT: I’m a Dot In Place
- ELEVEN PLUS TWO: Twelve Plus One
WEB SITES OF INTEREST (tourist traps on the information superhighway!)
CRAFTZINE
http://www.craftzine.com/FALL IS SPRING BULB PLANTING SEASON!
http://www.bulb.comFOOD, COOKING AND RECIPES FROM CHEFS.COM
http://www.chefs.com/FLIGHTAWARE
http://flightaware.com/October – NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. Fore more information, visit the American Cancer Society website at
http://www.cancer.org or http://www.nbcam.orgOctober 12 – WVLS V-Cat Council meeting – Minocqua Public Library – 9:30 a.m.
October 15-21 – 2006 Teen Read Week – "Get Active @ your library" – visit the new website at
http://www.ala.org/teenread/ for annotated booklists, a list of favorites compiled by teens, tips for planning TRW events locally and resources to help generate a buzz about libraries’ teen events.October 18 – 9th Annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture – Wisconsin Union Theater, UW-Madison campus – 7:30 p.m. Lois Lowry, guest lecturer, is the author of many acclaimed books for children and teenagers, including the Newbery-award winning Number the Stars (1989) and The Giver (1993). Her most recent book is Gossamer. For more information about the lecture, go to
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/czfaq.aspOctober 21 – WVLS Executive Committee meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m.
October 22-28 – NATIONAL FRIENDS OF LIBRARIES WEEK - Use this time to creatively promote your group in the community, to raise awareness, to promote membership, and to recognize the Friends for their help and support of the library. For more information, visit
http://www.folusa.com/sharing/national-friends-week.phpOctober 29 – Daylight Saving Time ends.
October 31-November 3 – 2006 "Making Connections" WLA Annual Conference – Kalahari Resort and Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells – more information is available at
http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/conferences/2006/. Please make room reservations at the Kalahari by calling 1-877-525-2427 at your earliest convenience. Conference room rates are $99 and there is a deposit policy of one night plus tax at the time the reservation is made. (edited from WLA E-News; 6/9/06)November 16 – Learn the
NEW WISCAT! – a WVLS-sponsored workshop – Marathon County Public Library – details forthcoming.November 18 – WVLS Board of Trustees meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m.
November 13-19 – CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK – for promotional materials and a list of ideas for celebrating this event, check out
http://www.cbcbooks.org/cbw|
"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re probably right." -- Henry Ford (School Library Journal; 9/06)
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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
You may copy, reprint or forward all or part of this newsletter to friends, colleagues or customers, so long as the use is not for resale or profit and the information/article is attributed to this issue of the WVLS newsletter, The Lamplighter.
