Online Update

Index
Annual SCLS Survey available online
Registration deadline is March 22 for ‘Hollywood Librarian’
New to SCLS Professional collection
CCBC Choices 2004 is now available
Wisconsin Reads book discussion series
DPI announces new BadgerLink resources
National Library Week features National Library Workers Day
Smithsonian creates database of online exhibitions
WebJunction online workshop is March 30
Dynix Institute Web Seminars slated March 24 & May 19
Top Technology Trends Web site updated
Shakespeare headlines April Surf Report
Upcoming CEs

 

Annual SCLS Survey available online

It's nearly time again for the South Central Library System annual meeting, and one of the first steps in the process of preparing for the meeting is completing our annual survey.

This year’s survey asks you to share any questions you might have about our SCLS library community, raise any issues of concern to you, or share any ideas you may have about our future. To respond to the survey, please go to www.scls.info/about/annualmeeting/survey.html. We would appreciate your input prior to March 22.

There will be opportunities at the annual meeting to address your questions and issues as a group. Thank you in advance for your participation.

The 2004 South Central Library System Annual Meeting will be held Monday, May 4, at Olbrich Gardens in Madison from 9:15 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

 

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Registration deadline is March 22 for ‘Hollywood Librarian’

Librarian characters have appeared in more than 300 American movies, and on April 1 there will be an opportunity to learn more about those portrayals and the stereotypes they often perpetuate. But Monday, March 22, is your last opportunity to reserve your spot at the event.

Through her presentation "The Hollywood Librarian," Ann M. Seidl (MLIS) explores the film librarian as approachable, educated, helpful, friendly, intelligent, and attractive, then compares these to the stereotypes of the librarian as inaccessible, elitist, unfriendly, sneering, rude, malevolent, and downright criminal."

Seidl's April 1 appearance is hosted by the South Central Library System Multitype Advisory Library Committee (MALC), Wisconsin Chapter of Special Libraries, and Law Librarians Association of Wisconsin. Her hour-long presentation includes film clips, humorous analysis, and insightful examination of the librarian image, stereotype, and profession. She is currently in the process of developing a feature length documentary about her research.

The presentation at the American Family Insurance corporate headquarters in Madison will include a 6-7 p.m. reception and a 7-8 p.m. program. Attendance is limited to the first 200 people that submit a registration form and fee. Attendees are encouraged to dress for a gala event, or as their favorite film librarian. Corporate sponsors for the event are American Family Insurance Corp., C. Berger Group Inc., and Thomson West.

To register, visit www.scls.info/pr/hollywood.html. Registration information and the $15 fee per person must be submitted to the South Central Library System office no later than March 22. There can be no refunds after March 25.

 

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New to SCLS Professional collection

The following titles were recently added to the SCLS Professional Collection.

• Berg, Janis, and Judith Ecker. Souped-up Story Times. Cranesbill, 2004
• Gnehm, Kurstin Finch, ed. Youth Development and Public Libraries: Tools for Success. Urban Libraries Council, 2002
• Hage, Christine Lind. The Public Library Start-Up Guide. American Library Association, 2004
• Herring, Mark Y. Raising Funds With Friends Groups. Neal Schuman, 2004
• Honnold, RoseMary and Saralyn A. Mesaros. Serving Seniors: A How-to-do-It Manual for Librarians. Neal Schuman, 2003
• Lewis, Marguerite D. Keep ‘em Reading Crossword Puzzles. Upstart, 2004
• McCabe, Gerard B., and James R. Kennedy, eds. Planning the Modern Public Library Building. Libraries Unlimited, 2003
• Pearl, Nancy. Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason. Sasquatch Books, 2003
• Smith, Laura J. H. The Book Bunch: Developing Book Clubs for Beginning Readers. Upstart, 2004
• Walter, Virginia and Elaine Meyers. Teens and Libraries: Getting it Right. American Library Association, 2003

Professional Collection holdings are included in LINKcat but do not appear in the public access catalog. To recommend titles for the collection, contact Cheryl Becker at (608) 246-7973 or by email.

 

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CCBC Choices 2004 is now available

The 2004 edition of CCBC Choices, the Cooperative Children's Book Center's annual best-of-the-year list, includes annotated entries for 216 books for children and young adults published in 2003 and recommended by the CCBC staff. Stop by the CCBC in person to pick up a free copy of CCBC Choices 2004. Copies of CCBC Choices 2003 are also available.

The CCBC has sent a copy of CCBC Choices 2004 to each public library in Wisconsin through the youth services liaisons and the statewide delivery system. Public libraries in Wisconsin that would like additional copies should contact Megan Schliesman (schliesman@education.wisc.edu). Public libraries are encouraged to consider requesting and distributing copies to schools in their area.

CCBC Choices 2004 will also be distributed at CCBC speeches and exhibits throughout Wisconsin. For a listing of these events, go to http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/thisseas.htm.

To obtain a copy of CCBC Choices 2004 by U.S. mail, Wisconsin residents should send $2.50 and out-of-state residents should send $7.00 to the Friends of the CCBC Inc., P.O. Box 5189, Madison, WI 53705. All orders should indicate the request for a copy of CCBC Choices 2004.

 

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Wisconsin Reads book discussion series

Wisconsin libraries and their patrons are encouraged to use the discussion series “A More Perfect Union: Wisconsin Reads” to share ideas and opinions. Available in support of this program are grant opportunities for the book discussion series, a reading discussion guide, promotional brochures, and bookmarks.

The series includes In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien, Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph Ellis, The Oresteia by Aeschylus (translated by Ted Hughes), and The Children’s Story by James Clavell. These books and the companion discussion guide explore the nature of political campaigns, the consequences and necessity of partisan politics, the rhetoric of the public good, and the responsibility of an educated citizenry to critique and understand our governmental ideals.

The discussion guide for “A More Perfect Union: Wisconsin Reads” helps bring out the themes and makes connections between current events and the works of literature. The guide is available from the program Web site (http://www.wisconsinhumanities.org/ethics/bookdiscussion.html) or from the Wisconsin Humanities Council office at (608) 262-0706.

 

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DPI announces new BadgerLink resources

The Department of Public Instruction recently announced the addition of two new resources to the BadgerLink Web site -- LitFINDER from Roth Publishing, and TeachingBooks.

LitFINDER incorporates Poem Finder, Story Finder, and Essay/Speech/Play Finder, each of which provides a search interface to thousands of full-text documents, literary excerpts, and citations. Wisconsin residents and organizations already registered with BadgerLink should authenticate to these resources automatically via IP detection.

TeachingBooks.net generates enthusiasm for books and reading by providing easy access to authors, illustrators, and exceptional book resources all in one place. Included are original, in-studio movies of authors and illustrators, thousands of book guides with activities for the library and classroom, and hundreds of audio excerpts of book readings for grades PreK-12. TeachingBooks requires that you sign-up for a user profile, which essentially involves registering your e-mail address and choosing a password for log-in. From the TeachingBooks homepage, simply click the purple "sign in" button in the upper right-hand corner, and once on the sign-in page click the link for new subscribers and provide the requested information.

You can access BadgerLink at http://www.badgerlink.net. If you encounter any problems or have any questions, contact James Leaver, BadgerLink coordinator, at (888) 542-5543 or (608) 224-5389 (james.leaver@dpi.state.wi.us).

 

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National Library Week features National Library Workers Day

National Library Workers Day, April 20, was created to recognize all library workers, including librarians, support staff, and others who make library service possible every day.

The message of National Library Workers Day is "Libraries Work Because We Do," and libraries are also encouraged to use the slogan "We work @ your library®" to tie into ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries. Libraries may customize the first slogan by adding the library’s name to the beginning -- e.g., Freedom Public Library Works Because We Do.

Libraries are encouraged to use National Library Workers Day to focus on individuals or units responsible for the number of materials selected, acquired, cataloged, checked out and back in, and shelved; for handling requests and sending them to other libraries; for answering reference questions; for planning, publicizing, and presenting programs; for developing and maintaining the library's Web site; and for other elements of library service.

Customizable tools and materials to help libraries promote National Library Workers Day, including a proclamation, radio PSAs, and sample letter-to-the-editor, press release and newspaper editorial, are available at http://www.ala-apa.org/nlwd/index.htm. Library worker recognition ideas also are available at the Web site.

 

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Smithsonian creates database of online exhibitions

The Smithsonian Institution libraries have created a database of over 2,900 online exhibitions covering a variety of subjects. The "Library and Archival Exhibitions on the Web" database is searchable by title, institution, and subject. Find it at http://web4.si.edu/sil/onlineexhibitions/oe_search2.cfm.

 

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WebJunction online workshop is March 30

Sign up now for WebJunction’s free online workshop "Building Rural Connections," which will explore the barriers and opportunities for sustaining public access computing in rural and small libraries. The workshop will be held March 30 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. To register, visit http://webjunction.org/do/Home.

The community at WebJunction is currently focused on the special needs and interests of Rural and Small Libraries. If you work in a rural or small library, be sure to check out the following:

• WebJunction's report on the recent Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation workshop on sustainability for rural libraries -- http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=1005213;
• special discussions of the needs of rural and small libraries with other WebJunction members on All Aboard -- http://webjunction.org/do/MessageBoard?method=getMessages&forumId=2141&topicId=51044; and
• links to all of WebJunction's resources for Rural and Small Libraries on the current focus page -- http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=1005239.

WebJunction is an online community supporting technology and training for library staff. The home page is at http://www.WebJunction.org.

 

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Dynix Institute Web Seminars slated March 24 & May 19

The Dynix Institute provides free access to industry-leading speakers and events, with the mission to support librarianship and advance the work of librarians around the world. Two upcoming Dynix seminars will give librarians an opportunity to hear from compelling speakers selected from among leaders in librarianship and information technology.

On March 24 (10-11 a.m. CST) is the seminar Reverse Strategic Planning. Join Pat Wagner, president of Pattern Research, who has consulted with hundreds of libraries on marketing and strategic issues. She will teach participants how to improve the performance of their libraries through an effective process of Reverse Strategic Planning, a simple, structured method for finding out who is doing what at your library or institution, and how they prioritize their work. It provides a snapshot of reality versus what the strategic plan, organizational chart, or job description says should be happening.

Andrew Sanderbeck, president of PeopleConnect, will present “Five Minutes to Team Excellence in Your Library” on May 19 from 10-11 a.m. (CST). Learn how to keep the feeling of “team” alive and well in your organization without spending tightly budgeted dollars and give your employees valuable “team experiences” in meetings and staff development days. Sanderbeck will show participants:

• the three-step approach to successful facilitation of initiatives that will accelerate team unity, trust, and collaboration skills;
• how to guarantee a successful team session by avoiding the two things facilitators do to destroy team participation; and
• the facilitation of one "5-Minute Team Initiative" you can use immediately with your teams.

Register for either of these online sessions at http://www.dynix.com/institute/seminars.asp.

 

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Top Technology Trends Web site updated

For all those technology experts in our libraries, or those who are just interested in practical applications of the technology around us, take a look at the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) Web site. Part of the American Library Association, LITA helps libraries keep ahead of technology trends.

The Top Technology Trends Web site from the LITA Midwinter discussion is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/lita/litaresources/toptechtrends/midwinter2004.htm. The site features a section on RFID -- radio frequency identification tags – including papers on the application of the technology in libraries.

 

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Shakespeare headlines April Surf Report

The April Surf Report from the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board (ECB) is now online and includes a slate of Shakespeare sites for your perusal. The majority of resources are appropriate for middle or high school English, drama, or social studies classes, and sites that include materials designed for younger students are noted.

To access the Shakespeare resources, as well as other Surf Report topics, visit http://www.ecb.org/surf/.

 

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Continuing Education --