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November 2008 |
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New Library Technology
Coordinator at WVLS
Hello everyone. My name is Patty Curthoys, the new
WVLS V-Cat Administrator / Technology Coordinator. I look forward to working
with all of you in resolving your network, automation technology, and PC
concerns. You can contact me at 715-261-7253 or send me an e-mail at
pcurthoys@wvls.lib.wi.us
My past experience includes BA degrees in English and Psychology and a Masters Degree in Library Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. I also owned my own computer technology consulting firm - Fox Valley Computer Services, Neenah, Wisconsin. In addition, I have managed computer systems and system development for small business customers and worked as a Systems Analyst for the Kimberly Clark Corporation. Before that, I worked in libraries as the Electronic Library Development Specialist for the Library of Michigan and Technology Coordinator for the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System in Jamestown, New York. I also have experience in grant writing, working collaboratively with a variety of community and library groups, and have worked with the E-rate and Gates Grant programs in my early years.
On a personal note, I am an active community volunteer and enjoy playing with my two Labradors, swimming and spending time with my family and friends. I am in the process of relocating to the Wausau area. I welcome the opportunity of getting to know and working with all of you.
Annette
Miller Wins Frances De Usabel Outreach Services Award
Congratulations to Annette Miller, who is the
Children’s Librarian at the Tomahawk Public Library, on being awarded the 2008
Frances De Usabel Outreach Services Award.
When the Tomahawk School District initiated their 4-year old Kindergarten program, this created a problem for the library and the school because of conflicting schedules for story times. It was Annette’s idea to start an “Outreach” program visiting the various schools and performing a story time.
In addition to providing story-time programs, reference & research information and bibliographies to the Home School Co-op, she also helped initiate a Book Club for their advanced readers. Because of all these wonderful partnerships, Annette was asked to be a conference speaker at the Early Childhood Education Conference hosted by St.Mary’s Catholic School.
Annette’s enthusiasm has influenced many young readers and their families to visit the Tomahawk Public Library, which is evident in the high number of participants in the children’s summer library reading program.
Congratulations, Annette!
Rediscovering the Lost
Art of Customer Service
Wessler Scholar Mike Hartkopf,
(Customer Service Manager at the Marathon County Public Library), attended the
“Back in Circulation” Conference and shares the following report with us:
Linda Bruno, who has been helping people grow, both professionally and personally for more than ten years, talked about how excellent customer service is provided when you address basic needs, such as: listening effectively and then providing options for the customers. As customer service professionals, we must understand that customers ask for what they want and then it is our job to provide them with what they need.
Next, she asked the question “Is our Service a Process or a Procedure”? Linda’s answer was: A procedure handles each incident individually; a process creates a long-term relationship with a goal of delight, not just customer satisfaction. This is accomplished by exceeding expectations and anticipating needs.
She mentioned that a satisfied customer will be likely to tell 1-3 people about their experience, but a dissatisfied customer will likely tell 9-10 people. As a group, we decided that with today’s technology, dissatisfied people have the opportunity and the means to convey their message to even more people.
Linda talked about the five steps to reinventing your customer service department:
Linda talked about 20 ways to Improve Listening Abilities:
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Resist distractions, stay alert |
Determine whether the person is expressing facts or feelings |
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Develop note-taking skills |
Respond to their feelings, before responding with facts |
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Judge content, not delivery |
Listen “for” ideas, not “to”
people
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Learn to listen actively |
Listen at least twice as much as you speak. That is why we have two ears and one mouth |
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Listen for ideas |
Avoid defensiveness |
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Delay evaluation |
Don’t interrupt |
| Keep from speaking except to draw out the other person’s thoughts |
Keep an open mind |
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Use open-ended questions |
Avoid egocentric thoughts |
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Notice non-verbal clues |
Respond, so that they know you are there |
| When responding, use short responses when the speaker is saying something important to you |
Summarize what they have said |
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Remember that 2 monologues do not make a dialogue!!! |
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Next she talked about the 30+ Ways to Nurture your Customer Relationships:
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Give them your full attention |
Listen actively and empathetically |
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Do not play the blame game |
Apologize when appropriate |
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Be a human being |
Be honest, even if it hurts |
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Do not treat them like an interruption |
Go the extra mile |
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Make sure customers are glad they came to you |
Be glad to accept constructive criticism |
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Do not ever talk over their heads |
Respond in a timely manner |
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It would be difficult to overuse “thank you”: Thank you for – your time, your patience, visiting our Library, bringing that to our attention, your business, making my job more pleasant, and for understanding. |
Avoid using your organization’s jargon (OPAC, OCLC, Circ, ILL) |
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A handwritten thank you will make a lasting impression |
Find options |
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Call to give them advance notice of a product/service they may be interested in |
Follow up when appropriate |
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Learn about personality styles and use what you learn to better interact with customers |
Take responsibility for satisfying your customer |
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Avoid mediocrity |
Be sure your tone of voice is enthusiastic |
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Be knowledgeable about your organization and its offerings |
Do not make demands of your customer |
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Watch your language (Avoid “can’t” and “won’t”) |
Always make time for your customer |
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Under promise and over deliver |
Find ways to make your customer feel special |
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Be positive about your organization |
Understand what is important to them |
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Always remember that customers NEVER FORGET! |
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The Wisconsin
Valley Library Service presents
Book Clubs, NoveList
and Children’s Dreams
WHERE:
Northcentral Technical
College –
1000 W. Campus Drive,
HSC (Health Sciences Center) Room 4011,
Wausau, Wisconsin
WHEN: Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
AGENDA
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Coffee and Conversation
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Linda Gau, of Northcentral Technical College Library and coordinator of various book clubs and community READS, will speak about how to start, re-energize, and enjoy book clubs. She will cover topics such as: great books for discussion groups, resources for group leaders, Nancy Pearl titles, and various websites. Linda will also talk about problem solving for book discussion leaders, such as books with no questions! She will also share information about great book gift ideas for Christmas giving.
Jane Janke Johnson, co-owner of the Janke Book Store, will have a display table of all the latest and greatest books for Christmas giving and these will be available for purchase.
10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Amanda Winseck from EBSCO Publishing will present a short training session on how to use NoveList, which is a fiction database that provides subject heading access, Author Read-alikes, What We're Reading, Book Discussion Guides, and much more for over 135,000 fiction titles. This is a great book club tool.
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch on your own
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Susan Santner, Outreach Program Manager, Continuing Education, School of Library and Information Services, University of Wisconsin, Madison, will offer training stressing the importance of storytimes in the development of early literacy and how to enhance storytime with puppets. She will share information on how to coordinate your voice and movements to make an articulated mouth puppet speak to the children in your library or day care center.
Certification contact hours for this workshop are: 3 CEUs for the A.M. and 2 CEUs for the P.M.
To register for Book Clubs, NoveList, and Children’s Dreams, mail completed registration form to Inese Christman, Wisconsin Valley Library Service; 300 N. First Street, Wausau, WI 54403.
The Wisconsin Valley Library Service Presents . . .
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Thursday, December 4, 2008 |
Antigo Public Library |
Bandwidth and Beyond:
Technology Network Fundamentals
John Pederson, Maddy Covelli, and Don Kasprzak of WiscNet will provide an overview of how this nonprofit, membership-based association of public and private organizations provides access to worldwide information and computing resources. They will talk about bandwidth in Wisconsin libraries and share with us the nuts and bolts of network equipment and what impact this has on our Internet connectivity.
(Scheduled right after the V-Cat Council Meeting and Potluck Lunch)
12:30 am - 3:00 pm
Space is limited! Please register by Wednesday, November 26, 2008. Certified public library directors will be able to receive 2.5 contact hours. If you have questions or comments about this event, please contact: Inese Christman at 715-261-7256 or fill out the form on our workshop page: http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/workshop.htmlOverview of WiscNet
The Big Picture of Big Networking
The “How-to” Types of Things & Troubleshooting Tips
Questions & Answers and Sharing of Information
The Wisconsin Valley Library Service Presents . . .
Wisconsin Open Meetings Law
Online via OPAL @Your Computer (with Headset and
Microphone)
Thursday, December 18, 2008
9:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Bruce A. Olsen is an Assistant Attorney General in the State Programs, Administration, and Revenue Unit of the Wisconsin Department of Justice. He received his undergraduate degree from the Univ. of Minnesota-Twin Cities, his master’s degree from Princeton University, and his law degree from the Univ. of Wisconsin Law School. His practice emphases include administrative law, constitutional litigation, and the open meetings law. Prior to joining the Dept. of Justice in 1981, he served as a law clerk for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Paul C. Gartzke.
· What entities are “governmental bodies” subject to the open meetings law?
· What communications are “meetings” subject to the requirements of the open meeting law?
· What is required if the open meeting law applies?
· When is it permissible to convene in closed session?
· Who enforces the open meetings law and what are its penalties?
Please register by Monday, December 15, 2008. Certified public library directors will be able to receive 1.5 contact hours. If you have questions or comments about this event, please contact Inese Christman at 715-261-7256 or fill out the form on our workshop page: http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/workshop.html
National Gaming Day @ your library
On November 15, 2008, libraries across the country will participate in the largest, simultaneous national video game tournament ever held! Kids will be able to compete against players at other libraries and see their scores in real-time online while playing at their local library.
But gaming in libraries isn’t just about video games. Hasbro is donating a copy of its game Pictureka to every public library and branch in the U.S. so that we can set a record for the most number of people playing a board game at once! The goals of this event are to:
Why is the American Library Association promoting gaming in libraries?
1. Aren’t libraries about books and reading?
In the
21st century, libraries are about much more than books! In fact, libraries work
very hard to provide patrons of all ages with a rich and current menu of CDs and
DVDs, as well as electronic and online resources. Video game resources and
programs at the library actually complement these existing services. Featuring
this new gaming media helps the library expand its reach while meeting community
expectations.
2. Aren’t video games
just a passing fad?
Actually,
video games have been popular for more than 30 years. In fact, three generations
have grown up with video games - Generation Xers, Generation Y, and Millennials.
It’s not only the digital natives who are playing video games. The average age
of today’s gamer is 35-years old, and Baby Boomers and seniors are playing them
more than ever before! Libraries across the country are offering
family gaming nights that bring the generations together for a gaming experience
they can’t share anywhere else.
3. Why should kids play
video games at the library?
Lots of
kids play video games at home – alone, with siblings, or with friends. The
library is a safe and non-commercialized space. At the library, kids socialize
with their friends and play video games while surrounded by books, librarians,
and knowledge. Video gaming at the library encourages young patrons to interact
with diverse peers, share their expertise with others (including adults), and
develop new strategies for gaming and learning.
4. How do librarians
choose video games that are appropriate for our kids?
The
Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) has established criteria for rating
video games. In 2007, 85% of the video games sold were rated “EC” (Early
Childhood), “E” (Everyone), “E10+” (Everyone 10 and older), or “T” (Teens ages
13 and older).
These games are available to libraries and are considered “family
friendly.” In addition to using the ESRB to guide game selection, librarians do
extensive research about the recommended games and play them before they are
introduced to kids. Games recommended for use in libraries often have a more
social component that brings people together around the content, making the
whole experience more fun when played with others.
5. What do kids learn
when they play games at the library?
Video
games give kids a chance to practice reading, writing, and computing in the
library’s safe environment. Popular video games, the ones that kids really like
to play, are immediately engaging and make them work hard to succeed and ‘level
up’. While playing these games, kids are constantly developing new strategies,
predicting possible outcomes, managing multiple resources, reading and
deciphering maps, tracking complex statistics, and adapting to increasingly
difficult levels within the game. They learn a range of media literacies beyond
basic reading that give them models for navigating our information-rich world.
Additional Resources:
· Libraries Got Game (PDF) -http://sls.gvboces.org/gaming/sites/sls.gvboces.org.gaming/files/files/LibrariesGotGame.pdf
· Libraries Lure with Video Games -http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2620&u_sid=10315461
·
Why Games Belong
in Libraries -
http://librarygamer.wordpress.com/2008/08/08/why-games-belong-in-libraries/
To learn more on how
your library can participate in National Gaming Day@ your library, go to this
website:
http://gaming.ala.org/resources/index.php?title=Ngd2008
(School Library Journal’s Extra Helping, October 7, 2008)
Wikipedia and the Meaning of Truth
With little notice from the
outside world, the community-written encyclopedia Wikipedia has redefined the
commonly accepted use of the word "truth."
Why should we care? Because
Wikipedia's articles are the first- or second-ranked results for most Internet
searches. Type "iron" into Google, and Wikipedia's article on the element is the
top-ranked result; likewise, its article on the Iron Cross is first when the
search words are "iron cross." Google's search algorithms rank a story in part
by how many times it has been linked to; people are linking to Wikipedia
articles a lot.
This means that the content of these articles really matters.
Wikipedia's standards of inclusion--what's in and what's not--affect the work of
journalists, who routinely read Wikipedia articles and then repeat the wiki
claims as "background" without bothering to cite them. These standards affect
students whose research on many topics starts, and often ends with Wikipedia.
Many people, especially academic experts, have argued that
Wikipedia's articles can't be trusted, because they are written and edited by
volunteers who have never been vetted. Nevertheless, studies have found that the
articles are remarkably accurate. The reason is that Wikipedia's community of
more than seven million registered users has organically evolved a set of
policies and procedures for removing untruths. This also explains Wikipedia's
explosive growth: if the stuff in Wikipedia didn't seem "true enough" to most
readers, they wouldn't keep coming back to the website.
Unlike the laws of mathematics or science, wikitruth isn't based on
principles such as consistency or observability. It's not even based on common
sense or firsthand experience. Wikipedia has evolved a radically different set
of epistemological standards--standards that aren't especially surprising given
that the site is rooted in a Web-based community, but that should concern those
of us who are interested in traditional notions of truth and accuracy. On
Wikipedia, objective truth isn't all that important, actually. What makes a fact
or statement fit for inclusion is that it appeared in some other
publication--ideally, one that is in English and is available free online. "The
threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth," states
Wikipedia's official policy on the subject.
These policies have made Wikipedia a kind of academic agora where
people on both sides of politically charged subjects can rationally discuss
their positions, find common ground, and unemotionally document their
differences. Wikipedia is successful because these policies have worked.
(Technology Review,
November 2008, by Simon L. Garfinkel)
List of Libraries
Eligible for Gates Grant Finalized
As you may
have been waiting to see what is next from the Gates Foundation, DPI has posted
a list of libraries eligible for the Gates Foundation's Online Opportunity
personal computer (PC) grant program and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) at
the DPI's grant Website at:
http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/gatespcgrant.html
One requirement for the grant is that libraries must have at least
some public access PCs that are more than four years old and they must have a
sufficient number of PCs as defined by the foundation. The age of a library's
PCs is determined by running the TechAtlas PC inventory program. WVLS, along
with other systems in the state, will be contacting their libraries about
running this program.
If you have any questions, please contact Patty Curthoys at
715-261-7253 or
pcurthoys@wvls.lib.wi.us; or
contact Bob Bocher, DLTCL technology consultant, at 608-266-2127 or
robert.bocher@dpi.wi.gov
(Edited from
the Channel Weekly, Vol. 11, No. 6 -- October 16, 2008)
Books to Read
to Children During a Financial Crisis
–
http://www.slate.com/?id=2201710
This site provides a review
of several American children's books that deal with tough economic times for
families (posted by Erica S. Perl).
(WISPUBLIB-Youth Services Posting, October 2008)
Futurist Top 10 Forecasts -
http://www.wfs.org/Sept-Oct08/Nov-Dec%20FUTURIST/topTen.htm
Each year since 1985, the editors of THE
FUTURIST have selected the most thought-provoking ideas and forecasts appearing
in the magazine to go into their annual Outlook report. Here is the executive
summary of the editors' top 10 forecasts from Outlook 2009.
Special Needs
Guide to Tech Products -
http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.php?articleID=196605474
Exclusive T&L supplement can be your guide to
the tools available to help meet the needs of all of your students with special
needs.
Picture
This Puzzle by Ann Mroczenski
With Autumn comes the harvest of pumpkins. Can you find the 8
differences between these two pumpkin patches?
(hint: You may want to print them out
for easy viewing.)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| a |
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Answers to the above Picture This Puzzle are below.
NOVEMBER
American Diabetes Month,
Nov 2 Daylight Savings Time Ends
Nov 4 Election Day – Don’t forget to VOTE!
Nov 4 – 7 Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference, Madison Marriott West, Middleton, details at: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/conferences/2008/index.htm
Nov 7 College of DuPage Online Workshop – “Reversing the Ratchet: Basic Technology Adoption Strategies for Library Workers” 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register with Inese Christman for Login information or to reserve the DVD at ichristman@wvls.lib.wi.us
Nov 11 Veteran’s Day
Nov 13 WVLS Workshop on “Book Clubs, NoveList, and Children’s Dreams”.
Nov 15 WVLS Board of Trustees Meeting at the Marathon County Public Library, 9:30 a.m.
Nov 21 College of DuPage Online Workshop – “Information Literacy for Life” 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register with Inese Christman for Login information or to reserve the DVD at ichristman@wvls.lib.wi.us
Nov 27 Thanksgiving Holiday- WVLS Office closed
Nov 28 WVLS Office closed
DECEMBER
is a month of Multicultural Holiday Celebrations, find more information at: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson246.shtml
Dec 4 WVLS V-Cat Council Meeting – Antigo Public Library, 9:30 a.m.
Fundamentals” – Antigo Public Library, 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Dec 13 WVLS Executive Committee Meeting - at the Marathon County Public Library, 9:30 a.m.
Dec 18 WVLS Workshop on “Wisconsin Public Records and Open Meeting Laws” online via OPAL, at your computer, 9:50 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Dec 24 & 25 WVLS Office closed
Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.
-
General George S. Patton
A3: Did someone hit the telephone pole - it's missing.
B1: The gentleman browsing has changed shirts.
B2: The sign on the tree has fallen down.
B5: The light in the window has gone out.
C4: I don't think this pumpkin is ripe.
D1: The stem on the pumpkin grew.
E1: Did someone leave the gate to the chicken coop open?
E2: Buffy is hiding from the chicken.
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.)
| EDITOR: Inese Christman Phone: 715/261-7256 FAX: 715/261-7259 ichristman@wvls.lib.wi.us |
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Contributions are welcome!
News items should be submitted by the fifteenth of the month. When the most recent issue becomes available, readers are alerted by a notice
posted to WISPUBLIB, or sent an email. 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. |
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