Northwest Bulletin Board

NW LSA Last Board Meeting 6/28/11

2011-06-28T08:47:00.000-05:00

NORTHWEST IOWA LIBRARY SERVICES
Board Meeting

June 28, 2011

Location: Sioux City Public Library Time: 9:30AM NOTE CHANGE OF START TIME

First Floor Gleeson Room

529 Pierce Street (712-255-2939 NWILS office number)

Sioux City, IA.

Agenda:

I. Call to Order

II. Agenda Approval

III. Minutes Approval of 5-24-2011

IV. Bill Approval

A. Checks Dispersed 5-31-2011 / 6-15-2011 / 6-30-2011

V. Public Comment

VI. Correspondence

VII. Unfinished Business

A. Support Service Reorganization / Legislation

1. Report From Mary Wegner

2. Transition Activity-to-Date Northwest LSA

B. Unresolved Transition Issues

1. Office Space—Sioux City PL and Other Locations

2. Health Insurance

3. Employment & Service to Libraries After July 1^st

VIII. New Business

A. Naming Banking Institution

B. Naming Auditing Firm

C. NWILS Budget Development FY2011-—2012

1. Review Current Budget Line Items

2. Review Year-End Projections

3. Service Contract with SCPL

4. Salary Discussion

5. Administrator Employment Contract

6. Provisional Bridge Contracts

7. Adopt New Operating Budget for FY2011—2012

D. Upcoming in Des Moines

E. Calendar Highlights: New Director Orientations / Visits (Cleghorn) Local Board Presentations (Early—hiring process for new director) NWILS Staff & SPC Projects (Laurens and Cherokee—WILBOR presentations for the public) Additional Meetings / Presentations (Transition Team meeting Sioux City; TICL Conference Storm Lake; NWILS Board meeting Sioux City)

IX. Reports: TICL Conference @ Storm Lake

X. Upcoming Meetings: Board typically does not meet in July;

summer/fall meeting dates pending

XI. Adjourn

March LYRASIS Webinars - Mark Your Calendars!

2011-02-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

The following are the live, online classes which will be brought to you in early March by LYRASIS. For class times, fees and other information (including links to registration), please visit http://www.lyrasis.org/Classes-and-Events/Search.aspx to search for any of the below or for another class of interest to you. Please keep an eye out for our weekly discount codes as part of our educational stimulus program and save when you register for certain classes.

LYRASIS Preservation classes are funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Preservation and Access.

Blogs for Libraries

3/01/11

When Do I Need a New Record for a Book?

3/01/11 - 3/02/11

Preservation of Photographic Materials

3/01/11 - 3/02/11

Management 101: Human Resources

3/01/11

Developing a Diaster Plan

3/02/11 - 3/16/11

Introduction to Preservation

3/02/11 - 3/16/11

Host an Awesome Gaming Event

3/03/11

20 Questions: Science Resources

3/03/11

Emergency 911: Decision Making for Managers

3/03/11

Advocacy: Public Officials

3/03/11

Establishing Emergency Response Networks for Cultural Collections

3/08/11

Introducing RDA: 2, Resource Description

3/08/11 - 3/09/11

Management 101: Budgeting and Policy Making

3/08/11

Understanding FRBR for RDA and Beyond

3/09/11 - 3/10/11

Cataloging for Non-Catalogers

3/09/11

Mass Digitization Collaborative Information Session

3/10/11

Archive Preservation

3/10/11 - 3/24/11

Advocacy: The Media

3/10/11

Online Cataloging Resources and Tools

3/11/11

Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data

3/15/11 - 3/16/11

Caring for Originals during Scanning Projects

3/15/11

Status Discarded: The Who, What, and How of Weeding

3/16/11

OCLC Connexion Client Copy Cataloging Skills

3/17/11 - 3/18/11

FRBR, FRAD and FRSAD: A New Model for Cataloging

3/17/11

Preservation and Salvage of Audiovisual Materials

3/17/11

LibraryThing for Libraries and You

3/18/11

Spring 2011 Public Library Management 1 Classes

2011-02-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Spring 2011 Public Library Management 1 class is now in the CE catalog and ready for registration. Click here for info and to register: http://tinyurl.com/4bjfjg4

Sarah Willeford, Director of the Kirkendall Public library in Ankeny, will teach. Class will run April 7 through May 26; the first class will be held in-person at the Pleasant Hill Public Library, and the seven remaining meetings will be online.

Because the majority of classes will be online, headphones and a microphone are required.

PLM 1 will be offered again in Summer 2011, and PLM 2 will be offered in Fall 2011.

Teen Tech Week Coming Up In March

2011-02-16T07:00:00.001-06:00

Time to starting planning how your library might become part of Teen Tech Week, March 6-12. Teen Tech Week is a national initiative aimed at teenagers, librarians, educators, and parents highlighting electronic resources provided by libraries for those same audiences.

This year’s theme is “Mix and Mash @ Your Library.” The idea behind the theme is to encourage teens to express their creativity by combining music, movies, writing, and storytelling to create their own online content. Then share what they create with others using collaborative web tools.

Don’t be daunted by the theme: the smartest way to approach Teen Tech Week programming is to bring teens into the planning. And planning is made easier by using the materials available at the YALSA website (Young Adult Library Services Association) All sorts of graphics, programming ideas, and promo materials are waiting for you there www.ala.org/yalsa to mix and mash!

Teen Tech Week Coming In March

2011-02-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

A Post-Conference Story

2011-02-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

This piece comes from Jennifer Byers at Sibley Public Library. Jennifer attended the Iowa Library Association Conference this past October, having won a travel stipend from Northwest LSA. Jennifer relates one of her favorite sessions was about Google Tools. “…I didn’t realize how many different programs and features are associated with Google. Besides the search engine that everyone knows about, there’s also Google Calendar, Docs, Sites, Talk, and so much more…”

And as a direct result of attending this ILA program, Jennifer added a Google Calendar to Sibley Library’s website. “…it’s color coded for each staff member and also includes a reservation schedule for our meeting room—very cool.” The power of conferences past, present, and future—it’s lifelong learning! Thanks to Jennifer for contributing this piece to EYE-OPENER!

Northwest Library Director Wins Conference Scholarship

2011-02-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

Sac City PL Director Brandie Ledford has won a scholarship to attend a library technology conference in St. Paul. “LibTech2011” is a 2-day event held March 17-18 at Macalester College. Boasting over 60 breakout sessions, this conference centers on many of today’s technologies affecting how users interact with libraries—and how libraries are using technology to create new and better ways to manage resources. Here’s a sampling of some of the programs that Brandie and conference goers will enjoy:

· Blurring the Line: Using Blogging Software as Communication and as Website

· Creating Virtual Book Displays and Collections

· Creating Web Videos: An Introduction to iMovie

· Don’t Make Them Think: Create Easy-to-Use Websites and Catalogs

· The Face of Facebook: How Teens are Using Social Networking

In sharing this good news, Brandie has already offered to share her LibTech2011 Conference experience with Northwest libraries, which means there will likely be a JAMBOREE session in her future. (she knew I would ask her anyway!) Congratulations, Brandie, on receiving this scholarship!

American Libraries Article "When Small Is All"

2011-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Jan/Feb 2011 issue of *American Libraries* contains a feature article called *“When Small is All: The Successful Public Library Director Wears Many Hats Smartly.”* Jane Pearlmutter and Paul Nelson wrote the article, an excerpt from their upcoming book Small Public Library Management, coming from ALA Publications this spring. The articles opens by pointing to some statistics worth noting: there are 9,214 public libraries in the U.S. 88% of those are located in small cities and villages serving populations less than 50,000. Half of those serve populations less than 10,000.

“…these library directors wear many hats: liaison to the board of trustees, policy drafter, staff supervisor, budget director, collections and program manager. When those hats sit smartly on the chosen head, library operations run more smoothly…” The importance of directors maintaining healthy relationships figures prominently in the article, along with tips for being an effective boss. “…personnel issues are often the first management test of a new library director…” *American Libraries Magazine* comes with an ALA membership. But get this: you can read *American Libraries* online via EBSCO—in full text! I never get tired of saying that…

Tena Hanson Appointed to ARSL Board

2011-01-31T11:44:00.002-06:00

Milford Public Library Director Tena Hanson has been appointed to fill a 1-year term on the ARSL board. The acronym ARSL stands for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, a national organization with the interests of small libraries at heart. The association’s mission is to “…provide a network of people and materials to support rural and small library staff, volunteers, and trustees, and to integrate the library thoroughly with the life and work of the community it serves…”

From the website: “…the Association for Rural & Small Libraries is a network of persons throughout the country dedicated to the positive growth and development of libraries. ARSL believes in the value of rural and small libraries and strives to create resources and services that address national, state, and local priorities for libraries situated in rural communities…”

ARSL holds an annual conference each fall in some pretty great locations like Sacramento, Gatlinburg, and Denver; this year, the conference heads to Texas. One perk of association membership is a discount off conference registration fees. Membership levels vary based on library staff salary ranges. Find all the scoop about membership on the ARSL website here: http://www.arsl.info/

One more note: check out the photo gallery on the website. ARSL always welcomes photos of small libraries from around the country, so why not contribute some pictures of Iowa libraries?! Again, congratulations to Tena for being appointed to the ARSL Board—thanks for agreeing to represent small libraries in a big way!

Good List of Google Search Tricks

2011-01-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

In late 2009 I published a short ebook containing 15 tips and tools for helping students improve their Internet search results. Then in late 2010 I shared with you a good presentation developed by Mark Moran and Shannon Firth about teaching search strategies. Today, I'd like to share with you a list of 100 Google Search Tricks. The list, compiled by Online College Courses, includes tips for refining searches using the tools built into Google and some tips for using operator words. Not all of the tricks are "new" or "secret" tricks, but I'm sure most readers will find something new to them on the list.

....Click HERE to Read More

Any Day - Love Your Library

2011-01-27T07:00:00.000-06:00

     With Valentine's Day fast approaching, why not steer library fans everywhere to I Love Libraries.org. A new public awareness campaign is underway there, a campaign that recruits authors as spokespeople for our nation's libraries. The campaign theme is "Our Authors, Our Advocates".

   From the I Love Libraries.org website "....authors are natural allies of libraries in these challenging times. They understand the key role that libraries and library staff play in the economic, social, and educational fabric of our nation. They are passionately speaking out on the importance of not only sustaining, but increasing, support for libraries..."

     Read about his new campaign endorsed by the American Library Association, watch video clips, and meet the authors who have signed on thus far - like Scott Turow and Sara Paretsky - at www.ilovelibraries.org

Northwest LSA's "For Results" Series is Back

2011-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Northwest LSA presents a series of 3 online classes in February based on books from the Public Library Association. From PLA's "For Results" books, these classes will feature planning, policies, and facilities, proving valuable for directors and trustees alike.

Feb. 10 - Planning For Results - lean the steps involved in this strategic planning model from PLA; discuss the many services that public libraries can deliver based on expressed community needs; and discover an easy formula for writing fresh mission statements, goals, and objectives.

Feb. 17 - Policies For Results - learn about the 4 parts of a policy - the philosophy, the regulations, the guidelines, and the procedures. Apply the 4 parts of a policy to sample topics and discuss the board's role in policy development.

Feb. 24 - Facilities For Results - the third in this series looks at the library's physical facility in terms of structure, furnishings, service spaces, and signage. Plus policy discussion carries over when looking specifically at facility issues like inclement weather and safety.

These classes land on 3 consecutive Thursdays in February - online 9:30-11:30am each time. Registration is open in the CE CATALOG. Register there to receive all correspondence for the classes, like the reminder emails, power point slides and the link to the classroom. Join 1, 2, or all 3.

Friends of Libraries USA Merges with ALA

2011-01-25T08:36:00.000-06:00

     Speaking of advocacy, library friends groups are great advocates, working alongside staff and trustees to bolster awareness, service, and funding for libraries. A long-standing national advocacy group, Friends of Libraries USA merged with ALA's trustees division to become ALTAFF = Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends, and Foundations.

   ALTAFF is 5,000 members strong and boasts comedian Paula Poundstone as their national spokesperson. She is featured in a public service announcement on their website, which is rich with articles, fact sheets, promo materials, and ideas for strengthening local Friends Groups.

   Check out the ALTAFF website and come away with wonderful advocacy ideas to try at your library. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/index.cfm

Afternoon ISLOC Session - Presentation ZEN with Brandie Ledford

2011-01-20T13:46:00.000-06:00

ISLOC 2011 - George Needham - Keynote Speaker

2011-01-20T10:07:00.002-06:00

George's presentation was AWESOME!

ISLOC 9:00am - Here We Are!

2011-01-20T08:55:00.000-06:00

Bonnie Geared up and ready for ISLOC 2011

Janie is Ready!

ISLOC Is TODAY!

2011-01-20T08:19:00.000-06:00

This year's ISLOC conference has a great lineup of speakers, poster sessions, and virtual exhibits. From the keynote speakers, George Needham (we got a sneak peek at his slides and the presentation is going to be terrific) and Jim Connor (his enthusiasm and humor are infectious--don't forget to tell your trustees about his session in the evening) to guest presenters from around the country, and our own local Iowa library stars, we know it will be great day, with something for everyone.

The conference is free and online, and thank-you to everyone who plans to attend! See you in the room!

Children's Program Potential: No Name-Calling Week

2011-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Next week January 24-28 is the annual No Name-Calling Week. The concept is based on an idea from James Howe's book The Misfits. The book tells the story of four best friends trying to survive the seventh grade in the face of all too frequent taunts based on their weight, height, and intelligence. This line from The Misfits reveals Howe's idea "sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit."

No Name-Calling Week originated by GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Deivision. Now with over 40 corportate sponsors nationwide, including Barnes&Noble, the project seeks to focus national attention on the problem of name-calling in schools, and to provide students and educators with tools to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate name-calling in their communities.

So for potential children's programs that week - and nice partnerships between public and school libraries, too - look at these resources:

From Barnes&Noble website, you'll find 17 video clips presented by authors and illustrators who talk about bullying; James Howe is one of the featured speakers.

Here's the link:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/no-name-calling-books-childrens-books/379002621/

Also, look to the website itself dedicated to No Name-Calling Week.

www.nonamecallingweek.org A great site to bring into school or public libraries any time of the year, but especially next week.

Newbery and Caldecott Winners Announced

2011-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Last week, the American Library Association announced the top books, video, and audio books for children and young adults. Taking top honors in this year’s annual contest is Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool; this title won the prestigious John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. The Caldecott Medal for the most outstanding illustrations in a children’s picture book goes to A Sick Day for Amos McGee, illustrated by Erin Stead and written by Philip Stead.

Other winners include

· Ship Breaker by Paolo Baciagalup, winning the Michael Printz Award for excellence in young adult literature

· One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, winning the Coretta Scott King Award for an African American author of outstanding books for children / young adults

· Dave the Potter illustrated by Bryan Collier, winning the Coretta Scott King Award for an African American illustrator of outstanding books for children / young adults

Knowing these award winners helps library youth departments with collection development and with children’s readers advisory, so they’re good lists to know about.
Find the entire list of winning titles and those receiving honorable mention at this webpage from ALA http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6048

It's not too late to stay in your PJ's! ISLOC is coming.

2011-01-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

This year's ISLOC conference has a great lineup of speakers, poster sessions, and virtual exhibits. From the keynote speakers, George Needham (we got a sneak peek at his slides and the presentation is going to be terrific) and Jim Connor (his enthusiasm and humor are infectious--don't forget to tell your trustees about his session in the evening) to guest presenters from around the country, and our own local Iowa library stars, we know it will be great day, with something for everyone.

The conference is free and online, and you can register in the CE catalog. There is one registration, whether you plan to attend just one session, or spend the day with us. We hope to "see" you there!

Series of 3 online classes "For Results"; Planning, Policies & Facilities

2011-01-15T07:00:00.004-06:00

This series of 3 online classes features books from PLA's "For Results" publications; Planning, Policies, and Facilities.

Session #1, 2/10/11 - Planning - In this class, you'll learn about the major steps in a planning process as prescribed by "Planning For Results." Discuss the many services that public libraries can deliver based on expressed community needs, and discover an easy formula for writing new mission statements, goals, and objectives.

Session #2, 2/17/11 - Policies - This class is 2 in a series of 3 that explores books from PLA's "For Results" publications. In this particular class, "Creating Policies for Results," learn about the 4 parts of a policy: the philosophy statement, the regulations, the procedures, & the guidelines. Understand how to apply the 4 parts of a policy to sample topics. And discuss the board's role in policy development, along with the roles played by the library director and staff.

Session #3, 2/24/11 - Facilities - This program is 3 in a series of 3 that explores books from PLA's "For Results" publications. In this particular class, "Managing Facilities for Results," look at the library's physical facility in terms of these common elements: * Structural (entrances, floors, windows, lighting, etc)
* Service spaces (children's dept, meeting rooms, computer labs, etc)
* FFE: furniture, equipment, and shelving
* Signage

These classes take place online in Northwest LSA's Adobe Classroom.
To view information for these classes and to register, please Click Here.

For Results Series 2011 - Online Classes

2011-01-14T07:00:00.001-06:00

This series of 3 online classes features books from PLA's "For Results" publications; Planning, Policies, & Facilities.

Session #1, 2/10/11 - Planning - In this class, you'll learn about the major steps in a planning process as prescribed by "Planning For Results." Discuss the many services that public libraries can deliver based on expressed community needs, and discover an easy formula for writing new mission statements, goals, and objectives.

Session #2, 2/17/11 - Policies - This class is 2 in a series of 3 that explores books from PLA's "For Results" publications. In this particular class, "Creating Policies for Results," learn about the 4 parts of a policy: the philosophy statement, the regulations, the procedures, & the guidelines. Understand how to apply the 4 parts of a policy to sample topics. And discuss the board's role in policy development, along with the roles played by the library director and staff.

Session #3, 2/24/11 - Facilities - This program is 3 in a series of 3 that explores books from PLA's "For Results" publications. In this particular class, "Managing Facilities for Results," look at the library's physical facility in terms of these common elements: * Structural (entrances, floors, windows, lighting, etc)
* Service spaces (children's dept, meeting rooms, computer labs, etc)
* FFE: furniture, equipment, and shelving
* Signage

These classes take place online in Northwest LSA's Adobe Classroom.

To view the list of locations for this event and to register, please Click Here.

Display Idea - Authors With January Birthdays

2011-01-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Let’s say you have an empty display case or table, here’s an idea to fill the space.

A book display by these famous authors, all born in January. And their works are classics, so it’s likely every library will have something by these authors on hand.

Isaac Asimov

JRR Tolkien

Jakob Grimm

Carl Sandburg

Lewis Carroll

A.A. Milne

Jack London

Award-Winning Books Discounted Through IEC

2011-01-12T07:00:00.002-06:00

Perfection Learning won the bid to supply the Iowa Children’s Choice and the Iowa Teen Award books at greatly discounted prices. The Iowa Educators Consortium (IEC) negotiates these bids each year; this is the 9^th year that Perfection Learning has won the bid. School and public libraries are eligible to receive discounts when purchasing these award-winning books. A free color poster is included with each book set ordered by February 18—and shipping is free.

Among the titles that made the 2010-2011 Iowa Children’s Choice list are:

· The Year 100- Old Secret by Tracy Barrett

· Trading Faces by Julia DeVillers

· Stolen Children by Peg Kehret

· The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

· Paint the Wind by Pam Munoz Ryan

Among the titles that made the 2010-2011 Iowa Teen Awards list are

· Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham

· The Compound by S.A. Bodeen

· Waiting For Normal by Leslie Connor

· Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell

· Elephant Run by Roland Smith

From the IEC website, you’ll also find this year’s Goldfinch Awards and Iowa High School Book Awards. Find an order form, with complete titles and pricing, here http://www.iec-ia.org/ From the left navigation, choose MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY, then BOOKS & LIBRARY SUPPLIES.

I Love My Librarian! 2010 Award

2011-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to the 2010 Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award winners! Each winner receives $5,000 and is honored at an award ceremony in New York.

Thank you to the 2,000 library supporters who nominated a librarian.

The award is administered by the American Library Association with generous support from Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times.

WINNERS

Public LibrariansPaul Clark, Clay County Library System, Fleming Island, Fla.
Ellen M. Dolan, Shrewsbury Public Library, Shrewsbury, Mass.
Melissa McCollum, Co. of Los Angeles Public Lawndale Library, Lawndale, CA
Christina Wagner, Goodman South Madison Branch Library, Madison, WI

School Librarians
Kelley I. McDaniel, Helen King Middle School, Portland, Maine
Patricia J. Updike, Webb Street School, Gastonia, NC
Doug Valentine, McKillop Elementary School, Melissa, TX

College, Community College & University Librarians
Laura Farwell Blake, Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
Jeff Dowdy, Bainbridge College Library, Bainbridge, GA
Stefanie Wittenbach, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, San Antonio, TX

For more information and to see the complete list of winners;
http://www.ilovelibraries.org/lovemylibrarian/2010/10winners.cfm

10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Technology

2011-01-10T10:01:00.000-06:00

The New York Times
By: SAM GROBART
Published: December 29, 2010

Your gadgets and computers, your software and sites — they are not working as well as they should. You need to make some tweaks.

But the tech industry has given you the impression that making adjustments is difficult and time-consuming. It is not.

And so below are 10 things to do to improve your technological life. They are easy and (mostly) free. Altogether, they should take about two hours; one involves calling your cable or phone company, so that figure is elastic. If you do them, those two hours will pay off handsomely in both increased free time and diminished anxiety and frustration. You can do it.

GET A SMARTPHONE Why: Because having immediate access to your e-mail, photos, calendars and address books, not to mention vast swaths of the Internet, makes life a little easier.

How: This does not have to be complicated. Upgrade your phone with your existing carrier; later, when you are an advanced beginner, you can start weighing the pluses and minuses of your carrier versus another. Using AT&T? Get a refurbished iPhone 3GS for $29. Verizon? Depending on what’s announced next week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, get its version of the iPhone, or a refurbished Droid Incredible for $100. Sprint? Either the LG Optimus S or the Samsung Transform are decent Android phones that cost $50. T-Mobile users can get the free LG Optimus T.

STOP USING INTERNET EXPLORER Why: Because, while the latest version has some real improvements, Internet Explorer is large, bloated with features and an example of old-style Microsoft excess.

How: Switch to either Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. Both are first-rate, speedy browsers, and both are free. It remains a tight race between the two, but Chrome has had the lead lately in features and performance. Both browsers include useful things like bookmark syncing. That means that your bookmarks folder will be the same on every computer using Chrome or Firefox, and will update if you change anything.

UPLOAD YOUR PHOTOS TO THE CLOUD Why: Because you’ll be really sorry if an errant cup of coffee makes its way onto your PC, wiping away years of photographic memories. Creating copies of your digital photos on an online service is a painless way to ensure they’ll be around no matter what happens to your PC. It is also an easy way to share the photos with friends and family.

How: There are many good, free choices. To keep things simple, use Picasa, Google’s service. After your initial upload — which may take a while, so set it up before you go to sleep — you will have a full backup of your photo library. And by inviting people to view it, privately, with passwords, you will not have to e-mail photos anymore. Anytime you have new pictures, upload them to Picasa, send a message to your subscribers, and they can view your gallery at their leisure.

GET MUSIC OFF YOUR COMPUTER Why: Because music bought digitally wants to be freed, not imprisoned in your portable player or laptop. It wants to be sent around the home, filling rooms like good old-fashioned hi-fi.

How: Using iTunes for your digital music? Buy Apple’s Airport Express for $99 and connect it to your stereo. When you play music on your computer, you can stream it to the Express and, therefore, your stereo’s speakers. Have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad? Download Apple’s free Remote app and you will be able to control your music from anywhere in the house.

BACK UP YOUR DATA Why: Because photos are not the only important things on your computer. With online backup services, you do not have to buy any equipment; you just install software, which sits on secure servers and runs in the background, regularly updating a mirror image of all your files while you spend time on more important things, like confirming that Ben Gazzara really was the bad guy in “Road House” (he was).

How: Go to sosonlinebackup.com. Pay $80 a year. Install the software. Sleep easy.

SET UP A FREE FILE-SHARING SERVICE Why: Because while e-mailing yourself files is a perfectly decent workaround, there are easier, more elegant ways to move files around — and they do not cost anything, either.

How: Go to dropbox.com and set up a free account. You will then get an icon that sits on your desktop. Drag and drop files onto that icon, and they are immediately copied to the cloud. The free account gives you up to two gigabytes of disk space; 50- and 100-gigabyte are also available, but they cost $10 or $20 a month.

Set up your account on all your other computers, and they all have the access to the same files. You can set up shared, private and public folders, and apps for iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android mean you can gain access to shared files from anywhere.

GET FREE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE Why: Because attacks on unwitting users are more widespread and tactics are growing more advanced.

How: Windows users should download Avast Free Antivirus. Mac users can download iAntiVirus Free Edition. Both applications will provide a basic level of security against a variety of so-called malware. And they cost zero.

GET A BETTER DEAL FROM YOUR CABLE, PHONE AND INTERNET PROVIDER Why: Because it does not take much to get them to give you free (or cheaper) services. These companies are generally indifferent to customer needs, but they are quick to cough up discounts — if you ask.

How: Just call and ask — they will probably give you something. Other tactics: Measure your Internet speed, using dslreports.com/speedtest; if it is less than what you are paying for, ask for a free upgrade. Or ask to speak to the cancellation department. That usually scares them.

BUY A LOT OF CHARGING CABLES Why: Because you should never have a gadget’s battery die on you, and they are cheap. Smartphone user? Have a charging cable at the office, one in the car, and a couple at home. Laptops? Have enough chargers in the house, so you are not tethered to the den when the power runs low.

How: eBay. Search for what you need with terms like “original” or “oem” (original equipment manufacturer). You will often see accessories for as little as one-tenth their normal retail price. Buy them by the gross.

CALIBRATE YOUR HDTV Why: Because that awesome 1080p plasma or LCD TV you bought has factory settings for color, brightness, contrast and so forth that are likely to be out of whack. They need to be adjusted.

How: Order Spears and Munsil High Definition Benchmark: Blu-ray Edition, a DVD, for $25. Its regimen of tests and patterns will help you adjust your TV’s settings to more natural levels. After you use it, you may want to fine-tune the TV some more, but you can do so knowing you are getting the most out of your display.

10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Technology - NYTimes.com: http://nyti.ms/gVgwHe

Still More on E-Book Readers

2011-01-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

It’s safe to say that eBooks surged into mainstream popularity in 2010. Making the debut of eBooks in the WILBOR collection especially significant.

     We’ve heard so many stories about your patrons’ interest in eBooks—and fielded many questions, too. Consider that 7 Northwest libraries are standing by to join WILBOR in the spring enrollment and I think we can also say that interest in eBooks continues unabated. For all of us lifelong learners of new technology, here’s more information on eBook readers, thanks to Jet Kofoot at Central LSA.

     This link takes you to an article in PC World called “Top E-Readers”
http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/collection/1985/top_e-readers.html This link takes you to an article from Publishers Weekly http://bit.ly/aZiR4s .

     And if you turn to EBSCO, there’s an article from the December 2010 issue of Consumer Reports called “Ebook Readers: They’ve Never Been Better or Cheaper.” Aahh...another reason to love and subscribe to EBSCO: literally thousands of magazines and journals at your command!

     You could print these articles to share with inquiring customers, use them as handouts for library computer classes, or link to these on your library’s website. In any case, more timely information on eBook readers—thanks again to Jet for sharing her sleuthing.

The Boardroom Newsletters

2011-01-05T10:00:00.001-06:00

On behalf of the Iowa Library Service Areas, we welcome you to read all issues of “The Boardroom,” a monthly newsletter for Iowa’s public library trustees!

Trustee Troubles is a DVD containing 12 video clips to use in your local board meetings throughout the year. This DVD package is intended to provide a context for discussing library board responsibilities. And “The Boardroom” is intended as a reminder to allow time on your meeting agendas to watch one segment each month.

Find all 12 installments and the discussion questions for each episode on Northwest Library Services Website; https://sites.google.com/site/northwestiowalibraryservices/home/boardroom-newsletter

Next Library101 Scheduled for January 14

2011-01-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Library101 is an orientation for newly hired public library directors, sponsored by the Library Service Areas four times each year. The next session, scheduled for Friday January 14 (9:30AM-11:30AM) is aimed at introducing new personnel to library support systems and services in Iowa. Revised standards for public libraries will be discussed, along with explanations of popular statewide programs. People new to staff positions, as well as new trustees, are encouraged to attend.

Registration will soon be available in the c.e. catalog. We urge you to register there, because doing so ensures that you receive follow-up emails confirming date, time and the classroom link. Setting up an account in the c.e.catalog is easy—ask your LSA office if questions. You’ll be able to login 30 minutes prior to start time. At the login page, please type your full name in the GUEST box so we’ll know who’s who. And by all means, share this message with anyone at your library who would benefit from the Library101 orientation!

Get Acquainted with Adobe Live Classroom

2011-01-04T10:00:00.000-06:00

In the years that Northwest LSA has been leading online classes, our Number1 conclusion is this: virtual workshops and conferences are greatly enhanced if people attend a classroom orientation prior to the event. This practice has proven itself time and again. So join this classroom orientation on Tuesday, January 11 - 10:00am or 2:00pm then make plans to attend ISLOC on January 20—you’ll be so ready!

Use this link to login:

http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/nwilsmeetingroom/

At the login page, type your FULL NAME in the guest box. Directors, staff, or trustees with little or no exposure to a virtual classroom environment are encouraged to join this orientation...especially since we’re ramping up for the 4th annual ISLOC Conference (Iowa Small Libraries Online Conference).

Advocacy Article From American Libraries

2011-01-04T09:24:00.000-06:00

For many library directors and trustees, budget presentations to city councils and county boards are looming. When prepping your remarks and handouts, how about including this article from American Libraries Online “12 Ways Libraries are Good for the Country.”

Originally published as a cover story for American Libraries in 1995, this piece was recently updated by Leonard Kniffel, who writes. “…advances in technology have multiplied the ways in which libraries enrich the quality of life in their communities. Whether they are in an elementary school or a university, a museum or a corporation or a community…our nation’s libraries offer a lifetime of learning…”

A glimpse of the “12Ways” reveal that libraries

Sustain Democracy
Nourish Creativity
Return High Dividends
Support Families
Build Technology Skills

Again, pretty great material to use at budget time—or anytime you need to send a message about the enduring value of libraries. Find the entire article here: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/12212010/12-ways-libraries-are-good-country

NWILS 2010 TOP 10 LIST

2010-12-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

It’s been a tradition at Northwest LSA for several years now to share our picks for the Top10 Stories From Around the Region. Drum roll…

Our Top 10 List for 2010:

10...Northwest Elves Have Been Busy All Year: The year past shows some proud statistics

• 3,037 interlibrary loan requests processed

• 2,000+ contacts with member libraries

• 39 workshops, both solely and jointly sponsored, including online classes

• 1,035 people in attendance at workshops and training

• 60 libraries visited on-site

We’re so ready for our long winter’s nap!

9…Jamboree’s New Format: You asked for it, you got it. C.E. Jamboree, Northwest LSA’s popular spring workshop, switched to a fresh format, thanks to your suggestions. General sessions bookended the day; in between, fewer breakout sessions allowed everyone in attendance to attend every session. Everyone loved the new format, so we’ll do it again come Jamboree 2011.

8...Dewey Comes Back: Vicki Myron and publishers released two more Dewey books in 2010. A second adult title called Dewey’s Nine Lives and a second children’s title called Dewey’s Christmas at the Library. Proving that Dewey’s magic continues to inspire and endure. Congratulations to Vicki on another great year.

7...The Boardroom Debuts: To accompany the Trustee Troubles DVD, Northwest LSA began a monthly newsletter called The Boardroom. The newsletter followed each segment on the DVD, intended to serve as a reminder for boards to watch the next segment. Remember, you can find all copies of the newsletter on our website, along with discussion questions. We’ve received so many good comments about The Boardroom, so thank you for that and for your continued interest in watching good ‘ole Dan starring in Trustee Troubles!

6...Career Reading Roundtable Scores: Ahh…the power of blogging! A few weeks ago, Jean posted a news piece on our blog about January’s Career Reading Roundtable, our online book discussion group. The next book up for discussion on January 26 is Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun. Well, a Christmas miracle occurred when the author emailed Jean asking if he could attend the program.

To which Jean answered “Attend, sure—but how about leading it?!” To which Scott Berkun answered “Lead it? Sure!” CRR scores the author—very cool !!

5...ARSL Conference in Denver: Thanks to approval from NWILS Board, I attended the annual ARSL (Association for Rural and Small Libraries) Conference in Denver in October. In this “top 10” vein, I presented a breakout session entitled “A Top 10 List for Trustee Training.” Fun and lighthearted program, in case this sounds good to Northwest Iowa—Colorado said they liked it :-)

4...Welcome New Directors: Join us in welcoming these new directors hired in 2010. Sarah Weiss @ Pomeroy and Amy Zevenbergen @ Doon. We’re looking forward to working with you!

3...eBooks Come to WILBOR: Just in time for the holidays, the WILBOR Consortium introduced eBooks into the collection on December 1. And a surprising number of eBooks, too: we launched with 690 titles and already the eBook collection has grown to over 900. A very exciting year for WILBOR!

2...13Things: And an equally exciting—and may I say ambitious—year for online education in Northwest LSA. We sponsored 13Things, a 13-part online series stretching from August through November. 13Things urged attendees to make a true change in the way we work by making deliberate use of web-based tools. Great guest stars, great attendance, and all-around big fun. Once we get some sleep, we’ll decide if we have the moxie to repeat this in the spring...

1...Reorganization Committee: Not a happy highlight by anyone’s account, but certainly the most talked-about library news story this past year swirled around the work of the Reorganization Committee. This committee was formed in the spring to help configure a new model for providing library support services, those services you’ve come to know from the LSAs and the State Library. All this following a drastic winter of budget cuts: in 2010, the LSAs saw the deepest single-year budget reduction in the agency’s 37-year history. The Reorganization Committee’s work culminated in a report submitted to the legislature on November 1. Now we wait…stay tuned...

Online Storytimes at Barnes&Noble.com

2010-12-21T07:00:00.007-06:00

Here’s a delightful discovery that’s new to me and might also be new to you. From the Association for Rural and Small Libraries came this post on their listserve:

When you visit Barnes& Noble’s website, click the KIDS tab, and you’ll find online storytimes—popular children’s stories read aloud by authors and celebrities. And fittingly for this month, the online storytime features Polar Express, read by the author Chris Van Allsburg. Here’s the link—enjoy!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/storytime/index.asp

Mischievous Elves Surprise Elementary Students

2010-12-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Albert City Public Library elves “Jingle” and “Belle” raided the library shelves and surprised the AC/T students at
the elementary school in Albert City on Monday, December 6^th at 1:30pm. Library Director, Mary Johnson, aka “Jingle” and Board President, Ebba Youngberg, aka “Belle” enthusiastically presented many new books to enhance the children’s love of reading. Since it is the Christmas Season, they performed to Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells from the Michael W. Smith “Christmastime” CD encouraging the audience to sing along. They brought more new books than they could possibly introduce, but presented some of their favorite holiday children’s picture books as well as chapter books for advanced readers plus graphic novels and fiction for the upper elementary. One of the library’s new Christmas books, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas”, was shared. Jingle led the audience in singing this classic traditional Christmas song. “Mrs. Claus Takes a Vacation” is Belle’s favorite Christmas book and she enjoyed entertaining the children by reading some of the pages. Jingle got a charge out of “When the Cows Come Home for Christmas” and brought the house down with “The PS Brothers”. She reminded the children that even though school would be closed through Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the library will be open most weekdays for them to choose books, magazines, puzzles and movies to fill their time.

Jingle and Belle were excited about all the computers available to use and the comfortable seating provided for reading. Those fun-loving elves are hopeful that children of all ages will continue to come to the Public Library for education, entertainment and fun! "When you open a book you open a world of fantasy, mystery, reality, romance and laughter. At the Albert City Public Library you just never know what great things you’ll find until you come in a check it out! ", says Jingle.

The elves wish each and everyone a very Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year.

Adult Programs + Recipes at Milford Public Library

2010-12-15T07:00:00.001-06:00

Here’s a neat, sweet idea from the staff at Milford Public Library. Attendees at the library’s adult programs always enjoy the goodies on the refreshment table. And invariably, people will ask for the recipes. So staff has started posting the recipes on the library’s website.

If you visit this week, you’ll find two delicious-sounding holiday recipes, one for chocolate cupcakes and one for jam thumbprint cookies.

Photos of the chefs are there, too :-) Thanks to Tena for sending this idea—find the recipes here http://www.milford.lib.ia.us/library-information/friends/recipes

Join In the Discussion

2010-12-14T11:00:00.000-06:00

** Exciting Update!**
Scott Berkun the author of “Confessions of a Public Speaker” has agreed to facilitate the discussion on January 26th!
Space is limited so register now in the CE catalog.
The next Career Reading Roundtable is Wednesday, January 26th, 9:30 – 11:30am in the Northwest Online Classroom. The book is “Confessions of a Public Speaker” By Scott Berkun.

“In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen, Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. You'll get new insights into the art of persuasion, based on Scott's 15 years of experience speaking to crowds of all sizes.”

Now’s the time to get your copy and start reading! You can register in the CE catalog.

Future of the Book - Part 2

2010-12-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

      Last week we shared the findings of a national survey from the Library Research Service (LRS) The 60-Second Survey: The Future of the Book asked people what they thought of paper books vs eBooks, the comparative costs, advantages, etc.

      The survey was advertised on several listserves, the LRS website and blog, and in ALA’s weekly e-newsletter. More than 1,300 people participated, with 71% commenting on the blog.

     Today, a summary of answers to part 2 of the survey, Beyond the Bathtub: Personal Preferences Among Many Factors Influencing Format Choice.

When asked about their prediction for the future of the paper book, 63% believed that books would never disappear, while 11% thought there would no longer be paper books 100 years from now.

46% of respondents felt that multiple formats would continue to coexist successfully in libraries and in the retail world, seeing eBooks as a techie reading alternative—but not a replacement—of paper books

1-out-of-4 people commented on the unique emotional and aesthetic appeal of paper books, comments that revealed heartfelt, personal attachment to paper books. People noted the experience of reading also involves touching, holding, smelling, being moved by illustrations; there were common references to “curling up with a good book…”

And these quotes on both sides of the paper VS eBook issue: “...who wants to read their kid a bedtime story using a Kindle? And what e-reader can simulate the experience of looking at a coffee table art book with high-quality reproductions? I just don’t see how e-readers supplant the paper book in these areas…”
And…

“...electronic materials will continue to rise in popularity and will eventually take on some format we can’t even imagine now. Regarding a timeframe, it won’t happen overnight. We’ll have time to prepare and adapt, so relax…”

Wouldn’t all this make an interesting adult discussion program? You can read this LRS study, The Future of the Book Part1-Part2 on the LRS website http://www.lrs.or/g In the right-hand navigation box, click on Fast Facts...

Kid-Friendly Recipes from School Library Monthly

2010-12-13T11:14:00.001-06:00

Neat article in the October issue of School Library Monthly (vol27.no2. Oct2010) “Recipes and Resources” includes easy recipes that little kids can make; the treats are connected to favorite books.

Like so many hundreds of journals, you can read School Library Monthly in full text via EBSCOHost. Why not try some of these recipes in future storytimes—here’s a taste!

Cat in the Hat Cookies, based on…well sure…The Cat in the Hat
Pumpkin Pie in a Cup. Featured book Miss Fiona’s Stupendous Pumpkin Pies by Mark Kimball Moulton
Little Mouse Cookie. Featured book If You Take a Mouse to School
Gingerbread Cake in a Cup. Featured book The Gingerbread Man retold by Eric Kimmel
Valentine’s Day Rice Crispy Lollipops. Featured book The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
Turkey Treats. Featured book The Silly Turkey Party by Steve Metzger

IA Dept. of Revenue asking for Library Help

2010-12-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Librarians - The Iowa Department of Revenue is once again asking for your help. Their message is below. If you want to make posters from this information and put them by public computers, please feel free to do so. Or, you can just print the message as is and make it available. IDR thanks you for your help.

eFile For a Fast Income Tax Refund!

Receive your Iowa income tax refund in 10 days or less when you electronically file your tax return(s). You can eFile through the Iowa Department of Revenue Web site, file through a tax professional, or purchase income tax software. Last year, 78% of Iowa income tax returns were eFiled.

Beginning January 14, click the eFile logo on the Iowa Department of Revenue Web site (www.iowa.gov/tax/) for links to income tax software for online filing of federal and Iowa income tax returns, and to find out if you qualify to file for free. Then, follow the simple instructions to eFile! Online filing is fast, easy, and secure.

File electronically. Good for the environment. Good for you.

Iowa Small Libraries Online Conference 2011

2010-12-10T07:00:00.001-06:00

The fourth annual ISLOC conference, "Exploring the Possibilities, Embracing the Future" offers keynote speakers, concurrent sessions on a variety of topics, an evening session just for trustees, poster sessions, and an exhibit hall--all online in Adobe Connect classrooms, so librarians and trustees can attend from their home or libraries. Participants can "come and go" from the conference, attending the sessions in which they're interested. (Up to 5 hours CE credit, depending on number of sessions you attend; certificates given at end of each session.)
Keynote speakers are George Needham (morning) and Jim Connor (evening trustees session)

Sessions include:

The Bookstore Model

Library Districts in the Code...and a County Reality

Small Steps to Big Change: Enliven Your Work with Webtools

Tech Trends for Small Libraries

Presentation Zen: Making Memorable PowerPoint Slide Shows

Recruiting and Managing Volunteers

Youth Outreach

Reader's Advisory and eBooks

Staff Incentives on a budget

Poster sessions:

"Dirty Thirties" Video History Project at Shenandoah PL

Library Ark: Freddy Frog and Grant the Dog: Library Mascots

QR/Two Dimensional Codes

Ereaders

Finding Newsworthy Content

Trustee Trouble Videos: How Are Libraries Using Them?

Vendors will be available in the Virtual Exhibit Hall to talk with participants and show them their products.
Schedule and other information, including links to enter the classrooms can be found on the conference website: http://www.swilsa.lib.ia.us/isloc (Please note: the links to the classrooms will not be "live" until the day of the conference.)

SWILSA - Online Thursday January 20th, 2011 09:00AM - 07:30PM

To view details for this event and to register, please Click Here

All Are Invited * Staff Development Day *

2010-12-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Le Mars Public Library hosts their annual staff development day. This year's program highlights "a few of our favorite things": web-based applications from Northwest LSA's 13Things online series.

This class includes demonstration and hands-on practice in using these web applications:

** Today's Communication = instant messaging, Skype, and Adobe Classrooms

** Doodle Poll and Survey Monkey

** Wow-Factor Websites

Sponsored by Le Mars Public Library, this staff training day is open to surrounding area libraries.

LeMars Public Library is wireless; please bring a laptop computer if you have one available.
________________________________________

Le Mars Public Library Thursday January 06th, 2011 09:00AM - 12:00PM
________________________________________

To view details for this event and to register, please Click Here

Future of the Book - Part 1

2010-12-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

             The Library Research Service (LRS) recently conducted a national survey. The 60-Second Survey: The Future of the Book asked people what they thought of paper books vs eBooks, the comparative costs, advantages, etc. The survey was advertised on several listserves, the LRS website and blog, and in ALA’s weekly e-newsletter. More than 1,300 people participated, with 71% commenting on the blog.

          LRS has published a 2-part article of the findings on their website http://www.lrs.org/ Part 1 is titled The Future of the Book: Perception of Cost and Technological Advantages of Paper and Electronic Formats. Part 2 is titled Beyond the Bathtub: Personal Preferences Among Many Factors Influencing Format Choice. Just a sampling of the survey results show that:

• 2-in-3 respondents (63%) believe that paper books will never disappear

• Much smaller percentages (11%) believe paper books will disappear in 100 years; 11% say 50-100 years, 15% say within the next 50 years.

• Regarding what respondents say libraries will circulate 10 years from now, 48% predict an equal amount of paper vs electronic materials; 53% predict that library circulation of electronic materials will surpass physical materials in 10 years; 16% predicted libraries will circulate more physical materials.

         From Part 1 of the LRS survey, here are some great quotes on both sides of the issue: “Books are a cheap, simple, durable, transferable, and persistent technology. Most eBooks I have seen so far meet none of these criteria…”
And
“Books will always have a place, but I find the eBook format has made me a convert…I foresee vast educational uses for this format—easy access to references and background information, plus it would be helpful for an array of special education reading problems…”

Next week...a summary of Part2. In the meantime, read The Future of the Book study on the LRS website.

News to Peruse on NWILS Blog

2010-12-06T15:25:00.000-06:00

     Have you checked in lately to peruse that news? Northwest LSA has a blog - NWILS Bulletin Board. It’s loaded with library news stories and trends, photos from workshops around the region, and the content of each week’s Monday Morning Eye-Opener.

     The Eye-Opener’s format and length is limited to only a few stories at a time. But the Bulletin Board Blog has more to see. NWILS Bulletin Board recently had an article about the newest ALA Celebrity Read posters featuring the Harry Potter stars. You can find library management books and oversize storybooks available for borrowing from NWILS professional collection. Read about opportunities for for deep discounts when purchasing paper for your library’s photocopier and printers, along with reminders about workshops and webinars.

     And the reading is easy: just click the FOLLOW button to subscribe to an RSS feed. NWILS blog uses Google Friends Connect as the feed to send you email notices when new stories are added. The blog is refreshed often—and we’re anxious for more followers—thus this reminder from us “...follow us on NWILS Bulletin Board Blog!” http://www.nwilsblog.blogspot.com/.

In Other WILBOR News

2010-12-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

Ebooks will appear in the WILBOR collection this week—just in time for the holidays! So for all WILBOR libraries ramping up for this exciting development, here are a few policy points, promotional info, and training opportunities:

• Checkout period for ebooks will be 14 days; checkout period for audiobooks will remain at 7 days

• Maximum number of items for any individual to have in their account remains at 3 items; whether 3 audios, 3 ebooks, or any combination, the maximum items that can be checked out at any one time is 3.

• For those libraries fully participating in the ebook side of WILBOR (meaning those paying in via the cost-sharing formula) look for promotional materials including posters, flyers, bookmarks, and business cards to be shipped to your library soon.

• Also, for those libraries fully participating, you should have already received a sample press release to help spread the good news

• As for training opportunities: Overdrive is offering an online program this very afternoon at 2:00PM. These details were emailed to you last week. No need to pre-register; the program will be recorded. If you can’t make the Overdrive show today, Southwest and East Central LSA offices will offer an orientation to ebooks as they apply to WILBOR. Catch that Dec1 @ 2:00PM and Dec2 at 9:00AM. That’s online in Southwest LSA’s Adobe Classroom http://iowaec.na4.acrobat.com/swilsa

Library Looking for GREAT deal on paper?

2010-12-02T13:00:00.001-06:00

Is your library looking for a good deal on paper for copiers, printers, and faxes?

You can order paper through the IEC with significant discounts.

Click on the link below to download order forms and contact IEC representatives about your paper order:

http://www.iec-ia.org/vnews/display.v/ART/456cab49e7e8b

Top Tech Trends for the Non-Technical

2010-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

     When it comes to technology, the gap between "I can't believe the library has that!" and "I can't believe the library doesn't have that!" is getting shorter and shorter. Even if you're not a techie at heart, you probably agree that staying abreast of new tech tools and techniques is an important part of providing relevant library service. But isn't there some easy way to keep up with all the changes without bogging down in impenetrable details or permanently ruining what's left of your work/life balance?

     The answer, of course, is yes! Just spend an hour with Joan Frye Williams, Infopeople's own trend spotter and tech explainer extraordinaire. Joan will bring you up to speed on what's hot, what's not, what you can just ignore, and what you need to know to stay in the mainstream. She'll describe the technologies that are most likely to change the way you work, and how you can prepare for those changes. She'll also point you towards the best technology investments for people with limited time and dollars.

     Joan promises to deliver a technology update that is both painless and practical. Don't miss it!

This one-hour webinar will be of interest to staff in all types of libraries

For More Information and to Register CLICK HERE.
Start Time: Pacific - Noon, Mountain - 1:00 PM, Central - 2:00 PM, Eastern - 3:00 PM

Celebrity READ Posters Create International Buzz!

2010-11-30T11:44:00.000-06:00

Stars of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" join ALA to promote reading - and the Internet is abuzz. Individual posters are now available.

Click HERE for more details.

Shopping for E-Book Readers

2010-11-29T13:17:00.000-06:00

      We’re hearing from many libraries about the surging interest among patrons in ebook readers. News that ebooks are coming to WILBOR no doubt has something to do with that. But so does Christmas right around the corner. People of all ages are putting ebook readers on their Santa list this year!

     So how are ebooks rated? And which devices are compatible with WILBOR?

     Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2011 includes a lengthy section called “Electronics: A World of Choices.” Ebook readers are talked about, along with smart phones, DVD players, and GPS systems.

     But WILBOR libraries, take note: there are some ebook readers that are compatible with the ebook format available through the WILBOR Consortium—and some that are not. For instance, the Nook from Barnes & Nobel is compatible, the Kindle from Amazon is not. Read more at OverDrive’s website http://www.overdrive.com/

     Also, Southwest LSA has compiled a handy one-page listing of ebook readers that are compatible with WILBOR; this makes for a nice handout to give inquiring patrons. Let me know if you’d like that list, it’s in a Word document. And happy shopping!

Mark Your Calendar! Iowa's Online Conference

2010-11-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

          Iowa’s virtual conference in January. Protect your calendars for January 20, 2011 for the 4th annual ISLOC: Iowa Small Libraries Online Conference. Sponsored by the LSAs and the State Library, ISLOC offers fun and effective online learning from the comfort of home.

          This year’s ISLOC theme is “Exploring the Possibilities, Embracing the Future.” Planning begins ‘roundabout August; the team has been busily loading up the schedule with topics, speakers, poster sessions, and a virtual exhibit hall. Familiar Iowa speakers will be on hand, along with speakers from other states.

         While we’re still working on the conference website, here’s a sneak peek at some of the topics on tap—from early morning to early evening:

The Bookstore Model

Tech Trends for Small Libraries

Presentation Zen

Recruiting and Managing Volunteers

Youth Outreach

Staff Incentives on a Budget

          And much more. There’s a keynote presentation in the morning to kicks things off and a closing keynote in the evening especially for trustees. Details will be posted on this website http://www.swilsa.lib.ia.us/isloc/ and registration will be available in the c.e. catalog soon...we’ll let you know when that’s ready.

         When venturing out to workshops often poses problems in January, staying tucked inside attending ISLOC is a warm alternative. Mark your calendars and join the fun for ISLOC 2011!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn't until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

WebJunction Online Conference in December

2010-11-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

As we all become increasingly accustomed to online learning, here’s news about a 2-day virtual conference from Web Junction. On December 1-2, WebJunction sponsors its second annual all-day online conference. This year’s theme is “Serving the 21st Century Patron,” which sounds like the perfect capper to our 13Things series!

Sessions run 1-hour with ample breaks built in. To piqué your interest, here are just a few of the program sessions throughout the 2 days:

· Staying Committed to Great Customer Service When Your Library is in Chaos

· 21 Ideas for 21st Century Libraries

· 2-1-1– and Library Partnerships

· TechSoup for Libraries

· Morale Issues @ Your Library

Register at www.webjunction.org where you’ll find the full 2-day schedule, session descriptions, and more. Also note: Pacific and Eastern times are listed throughout, so be sure to make those adjustments for Central Time—see you there!

Last Hurrah for 13Things

2010-11-22T11:57:00.000-06:00

     Tomorrow is our last hurrah with 13Things - the 13th and final episode in Northwest LSA's online series of classes aimed at changing the way we work by more deliberately using web tools in everyday life.

     Tomorrow November 23 wraps things up with "Wow-Factor Websites," a tour through some of our favorite sites for library management, advocacy, programming......and a whole lot of sites just for fun. Can't reveal our favorite picks here - no spoiler alerts! It's sure to be big fun, with our highest attendance yet = 45 people! See you there!

New ILA Interim Director/Treasurer Named

2010-11-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

The ILA Executive Board is pleased to announce that retired Central Iowa Library Service Area Administrator Roy Kenagy has been hired to be the interim ILA Executive Director/Treasurer to officially begin his duties on Friday, December 10, 2010. Congratulations Roy!

FREE 2-Day Online Conference - Serving the 21st Centry Patron

2010-11-19T13:00:00.000-06:00

Serving the 21st Century Patron

December 1 – 2, 2010

Register Now for this free online event!

WebJunction's second free online conference will be held December 1–2. Topics will focus on the changing needs, approaches, challenges and opportunities related to customer service in your 21st-century library.

Registration is required to join this event. If multiple individuals from your organization are attending and viewing sessions together, please register just once under a single name.
The archived recordings of the conference sessions can also be viewed by a group of colleagues who wish to discuss a common topic or project. See Best Practices for Cohorts attending Online Conferences.

21 Ideas for 21st-Century Libraries

2-1-1 and Library Partnerships

Changing Reference Services to Meet Patron Expectations

Morale Issues in your Library

Museums, Libraries, and 21st-Century Skills

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Next Career Reading Roundtable

2010-11-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

          If you’ve been a fan of Career Reading Roundtable, you’ll be a fan of the next book up for discussion. The title is Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America by Patrick J. Carr. From Publisher’s Weekly “…with a massive youth exodus from heartland America, small towns face extinction. Thousands of small towns in rural America are being depopulated, or “hollowed out.” Iowa figures into the storyline, where researchers interview 275 graduates of an Iowa high school. Deft and detailed case studies bring the population to life, making a poor prognosis heartrending. While the authors insist that ‘with a plan and a vision’ smalltown America can be revitalized, evidence to the contrary seems overwhelming…”

          Career Reading Roundtable (CRR) is an online book discussion group, co-managed by Central and Northwest LSA. We read nonfiction titles in the areas of business, leadership, customer service, and cultural trends, and apply those concepts to library service. Plus, there are nice spinoffs from this program: you can include these titles for local reading groups, booktalk these titles for presentations to Kiwanis or Rotary. Plus you come away with a pretty awesome collection development list!

          Speaking of which...in a trendy move, Jet Kofoot with Central LSA has created an Amazon Wish List which stores all the CRR titles suggested, read, or upcoming. Check that out; again, it’s a very good collection development list for nonfiction purchases. And consider joining the next CRR discussion when we talk about Hollowing Out the Middle: Monday Nov29, 9:30AM-11:00AM online in NWILS Adobe Connect classroom. Registration is open in the c.e. catalog.

Sioux City Library's New Music Collection

2010-11-16T07:17:00.000-06:00

You know that the WILBOR Consortium allows participating libraries affordable access to downloadable audio books—and very soon, downloadable ebooks too. But Sioux City Public Library is providing yet another downloadable collection: music. SCPL has invested two thirds of its music budget in downloadable music, giving patrons access to hundreds of thousands of songs in the Sony Music Catalog. Free + Legal = Freegal Music, “your new music library.” This DRM-free music service provides an incredible increase in choices for music-loving patrons—plus nice advantages for library staff. Because staff will order and process fewer physical CDs, there’s less time needed to clean and maintain the collection. Freegal Music is available to anyone with a full service library card from SCPL via http://www.siouxcitylibrary.org/. And you can learn more about the Sony Music Catalog at http://www.sonymusic.com/.

Sue Kroesche Named New ISLA President

2010-11-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

          Congratulations to Sue Kroesche, Le Mars Public Library Director. At the ILA Annual Conference in Coralville, Sue was elected the new president of ISLA (Iowa Small Library Association)

ISLA is a subdivision of ILA; its mission is to advocate for the interests of small libraries. “…“The Iowa Small Library Association is an active networking organization that strengthens and advocates for public libraries serving small and rural communities.”

          As part of her presidential duties commencing in 2011, Sue will organize ISLA’s winter planning meeting, preside at spring membership meetings, and help plan ISLA-sponsored sessions at next year’s ILA conference in Council Bluffs.
        Once you’re an ILA member, membership into ISLA is only another $5.00. So there’s no time like the present! After all, Northwest Iowa boasts 114 public libraries, most of which meet the population definition of small :-)

          So visit the Iowa Small Library Association website to learn more http://www.iowalibraryassociation.org/ And join me in congratulating Sue Kroesche from Le Mars Public Library as ISLA’s incoming president!

'Tis the Holiday Policy Season

2010-11-13T07:00:00.004-06:00

          Every year as Thanksgiving approaches, IOWALIB is lively with chatter about holiday closings. The typical query asks how many libraries close the Friday after Thanksgiving…what about Christmas Eve…New Year’s Eve?

          Holiday closings would seem a simple thing, but instead proves to be a continually vexing problem. It’s really not so much which dates to choose—there are only a finite number of holidays and the same ones roll around each year! The deeper problem, I believe, is personnel-related.

          The majority of small town libraries operate on part-time hours with part-time staff. And in most cases, part-time staff receive few, if any, benefits. So when the library closes on a holiday, staff isn’t paid for that day—the crux of the problem.

          Library boards should answer this as a matter of personnel policy. Remember library boards have the authority to determine staff salaries and benefits, like holiday pay. Boards can opt to follow city HR policies—in whole or in part; they could choose to allow holiday pay for library staff apart from what the city allows. These are important discussions that come into sharp relief each year as Thanksgiving approaches.

          Granted, HR issues are harder to wrestle with and can’t be readily answered in this space. But let’s come back to the easier question—the dates themselves. What about the Friday after Thanksgiving…Christmas Eve…New Year’s Eve? All good questions, and there is a way to avoid this angst each year.

          Simply do what Storm Lake Library Board does. Every October, Storm Lake PL Board places “holiday closings” on its agenda. With next year’s calendar in hand, the board targets all the major holidays that the library and/or city offices will close. And then—they write it down! The list of the coming year’s holiday closings are posted for the staff and public, and a copy is provided to the board at its next meeting.

          Now that it’s November, it’s a perfect time to follow suit and put this item on your upcoming agendas. With policy deliberations, boards are well advised to follow the 3 Ds: discuss, decide, and document. Holiday closing decisions are similar to inclement weather decisions. Document what’s decided and try it for a year. Make adjustments as needed. But putting the decision in writing is the best way to “pay it forward” for next year, for new staff and new trustees coming on the scene.

More E-Book Info

2010-11-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

          Hey WILBOR libraries, as you anticipate e-books coming to the collection in December—just in time for the holidays—learn more about e-books while you wait.

       Did you know there’s a listserve on the subject? To subscribe, simply send an email to ebooks@neilsa.org and type subscribe to ebook listserve in the subject line. This is a great way to hear from other libraries offering this dynamic new service.

       Plans to bring e-books to the WILBOR collection has caused a lot of buzz—happy buzz! And several good questions about compatible e-book readers. For answers, look to OverDrive’s website at www.overdrive.com Also, check out OverDrive’s Digital Library Blog at http://overdriveblogs.com/library/ another good way to keep current.

       Speaking of compatible e-book readers, one such reader is the Nook from Barnes & Noble (the Kindle, not so much J) Read about the Nook in all its features, and now in all its color, at B&N’s website: www.barnesandnoble.com

       And, in the November 1, 2010 issue of Library Journal hot off the press comes this feature article: Our E-Book Challenge: “...whether their arrival daunts or inspires, e-books are poised to affect how patrons read and how libraries serve those readers, help patrons access digital information, and foster a literate culture. These top take-aways from Library Journal / School Library Journal e-book summit illustrate that the hurdles abound, as do the strategies for how to approach them…”

       Remember EBSCO libraries, you have access to Library Journal in full text via EBSCO—read and ponder the advent of e-books @ your library!

Next Career Reading Roundtable

2010-11-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

       If you’ve been a fan of Career Reading Roundtable, you’ll be a fan of the next book up for discussion. The title is Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What it Means for America by Patrick J. Carr. From Publisher’s Weekly “…with a massive youth exodus from heartland America, small towns face extinction. Thousands of small towns in rural America are being depopulated, or “hollowed out.” Iowa figures into the storyline, where researchers interview 275 graduates of an Iowa high school. Deft and detailed case studies bring the population to life, making a poor prognosis heartrending. While the authors insist that ‘with a plan and a vision’ smalltown America can be revitalized, evidence to the contrary seems overwhelming…”

       Career Reading Roundtable (CRR) is an online book discussion group, co-managed by Central and Northwest LSA. We read nonfiction titles in the areas of business, leadership, customer service, and cultural trends, and apply those concepts to library service. Plus, there are nice spinoffs from this program: you can include these titles for local reading groups, booktalk these titles for presentations to Kiwanis or Rotary. Plus you come away with a pretty awesome collection development list!

       Speaking of which...in a trendy move, Jet Kofoot with Central LSA has created an Amazon Wish List which stores all the CRR titles suggested, read, or upcoming. Check that out; again, it’s a very good collection development list for nonfiction purchases. And consider joining the next CRR discussion when we talk about Hollowing Out the Middle: Monday Nov29, 9:30AM-11:00AM online in NWILS Adobe Connect classroom. Registration is open in the c.e. catalog.

November Milestones

2010-11-08T16:26:00.000-06:00

     November is obviously about Thanksgiving. And some good Packer games, like last night! But if you’re in the market for a book display, website content, or newsletter articles minus the turkeys, you can draw lots of ideas from historic November milestones.


     Most every remembrance of JFK is the anniversary of his death (November 22, 1963) But 2010 marks the 50th anniversary of JFK’s election to the Presidency. A wonderful destination in person and on the web is the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

     An especially intriguing feature of the website is White House Diaries, a day-by-day calendar of JFK’s appointments. Eleanor Roosevelt died in November 1962; you can read President Kennedy’s tribute to Mrs. Roosevelt in the diary’s November 7, 1962 entry.

For more November milestones:

Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel was revealed to the public November 1, 1512.
Edwin Hubble, astronomer and inventor of the Hubble telescope, was born Nov20, 1889
Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis died in England, coincidentally on the same day that JFK was assassinated in Dallas; C.S. Lewis’ death was barely covered in international news until much later.
John and Abigail Adams were the first “first couple” to move into the White House, November 1800.
November 1940, the Warsaw Ghetto was sealed off from the rest of the city as the war in Europe intensified.
Before he became known to the world as Pope John Paul II, he was Karol Wojtyla and a newly ordained priest on November 1, 1946.

All Things Halloween

2010-10-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

It’s a creepy week for sure—Happy Halloween! Trick-or-Treat around the world on the web with a stop at Halloween.Com. This is a neat site, complete with links to costumes, decorations, movies, and crafts. Even links here to haunted houses and attractions.

Other spooky sites:

From Universal Studios: Halloween Horror Night @ http://www.halloweenhorrornights.com// (labeled too intense for children)
From Readers Digest, Top10 Kid Friendly Halloween Movies @ http://www.rd.com/
Halloween Is Here @ http://www.halloweenishere.com/
Halloween Ghost Stories @ http://www.halloweenghoststories.com/
Short Halloween Stories @ http://www.shorthalloweenstories.com/ (suitable for kids)

For a bewitching book & movie display, you might have these to contribute from your collection:

Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Frankenstein
Dr. Jeckyll and Mr.Hyde
Dracula
Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe
Twilight Series
Do Dead People Watch You Shower?
Do Dead People Walk Their Dogs?
Amityville Horror

The Shining
Psycho
The Exorcist
Ghost
Young Frankenstein
Silence of the Lambs

And this repeat of a neat fundraising idea from Mitchellville Public Library. This year marks their 5th annual Fall-O-Ween Party. For a $5.00 admission, people enjoy a campfire with hot dog roast and marshmallow toast, beverages, hay rides, straw jump, face painting, and a corn maze. All activities are sponsored by Friends of Mitchellville Public Library. Sounds like great fun—and a great program to replicate @ your library this or any Halloween season!

2011 All Iowa Reads Title Announced

2010-10-28T07:00:00.001-05:00

     Attendees at the ILA Conference learned about the next All Iowa Reads title. The 2011 selection is Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos. This review comes from Publishers Weekly:

“…this enthralling second novel takes the reader by storm as Hope Jones, Nebraska mother of three, is whisked away by a 1978 tornado, her body never found. The novel opens 25 years later, when Hope's children—grown but not grown up—gather for their father's funeral after he's killed by a lightning strike.

Llewelyn's death is one of many quandaries haunting his children: daughter Larken, an overweight professor beset by fear of flying; son Gaelan, a television weatherman with too many women in his life; and the youngest, Bonnie, who stays in Emlyn Springs working odd jobs. Alvina Viney Closs, Hope's best friend, also has issues to resolve.

Themes of family bonds and conflicts, secrets and sorrows also marked Kallos's debut novel (Broken For You) and this time she weaves in an idiosyncratic view of the role of the dead in the lives of the living, sharp takes on business, academic and sexual politics, and a palpable empathy for small Midwestern towns. This novel will find a welcome audience in anyone who has experienced grief, struggled with family ties or, most importantly, appreciates blossoming talent..”

      Sing Them Home is the second novel from Kallos. At the Iowa Center for the Book website, you can read more about the author and very soon, you’ll find discussion questions for Sing Them Home to aid your local book groups.

     The book is currently available in paperback, CD, and downloadable audio versions; a large print edition is expected by January 1st. As in years past, NWILS office should receive multiple copies of Sing Them Home in various formats to lend to Northwest libraries—we’ll let you know when those arrive!

Funding Webinar For Rural Libraries

2010-10-27T09:18:00.000-05:00

The ALA Washington Office will host a webinar to assist rural libraries with pursuing funding opportunities from the U.S. Dept of Agriculture (USDA)

The webinar happens this Friday Oct29 at 1:00PM central time. Reps from the USDA and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, along with the CEO from e-Copernicus, a Washington consulting firm with expertise in broadband connectivity, will all participate.

Presenters will discuss 3 USDA programs that have funds available expressly for rural libraries to tap: (a) Distance Learning & Telemedicine (b) Community Facilities and (c) Community Connect. iLink Communications powers this online program. To learn more about this webinar—and to register—click here: https://ala.ilinc.com/perl/ilinc/lms/register.pl?activity_id=xyvbmfs&user_id

Summer Library Workshops Start Next Week

2010-10-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

As winter approaches, it can be comforting to turn our thoughts to spring—and certainly summer—when a new Summer Library Program kicks into gear. Two themes will be in play for 2011: “One World, Many Stories” for the children’s program and “You Are Here” for the teen program.

Workshops this fall are coordinated by Merri Monks, newly hired Youth Services Consultant at the State Library. This year’s presenters are Missy Mayfield-Cook (Winthrop P.L.) and Cathy Shaw (Edgewood P.L.) Workshops get underway next week and continue around the state through November 5. Some locations might be closer than others, so here’s a look at the complete schedule:

• Week of October 25…
Tuesday Oct26 = Marshalltown
Wednesday Oct27 = Oelwein
Thursday Oct28 = Coralville
Friday Oct29 = Oskaloosa

• Week of November 1…
Tuesday Nov2 = Red Oak
Wednesday Nov3 = Johnston
Thursday Nov4 = Cherokee
Friday Nov5 = Clear Lake

Find all location details and times in the c.e. catalog—register there, too!

E-Books Coming to WILBOR

2010-10-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

In late September, WILBOR libraries received a survey asking about your interest in adding e-books—and more importantly—asking about your library’s ability to contribute additional money to make it happen.

The votes are in. With over 100 libraries in the WILBOR Consortium, 85 answered yes to e-books. Now it’s a matter of securing additional money.

This is taking time because it’s complicated: we don’t want to jeopardize the strength of the audio book collection to bring in a new format. Plus, this move to e-books will cost participants more money. So...our next steps...

We’re writing an addendum to the current contracts for WILBOR libraries. Essentially, the contract addendum will outline an e-book pricing model for those libraries that can pay extra. All other libraries not contributing extra money via the formula should still expect to pay a very modest $1.00-per-circ fee for each e-book downloaded by their patrons. The coming contractual addendum will explain; look for that in late October.

Once WILBOR participants sign and return the contracts, e-books will magically begin to appear in the collection by December. Just in time for Christmas! Are e-book readers on anyone’s shopping list this holiday season? Look for more after ILA…call with questions.

Geek The Library Goes National!

2010-10-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

About 1 year ago, a public awareness campaign called “Geek the Library” aimed to raise awareness of the public library’s value in the community—and to raise support for library funding. It started as a pilot project, targeting selected libraries in Iowa and Georgia. Sponsored by OCLC and fueled by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Geek the Library has gone national. Which means that any public library in the country can tap into professionally developed campaign resources to use locally.

In this context, the word “geek” is used as a verb and meant to convey something you love doing, something you’re really passionate about. The campaign website shows library users and high-profile celebrities in ads and posters declaring their favorite things. Actor Brian Dennehy, for example, geeks schooners. I geek the Packers (although not lately!)

Geek the Library campaign website is rich with images, social networking features, promo materials, video clips and more. There are also quizzes that reinforce the state of funding for libraries, demonstrating how tax dollars spent on library service proves such a smart investment. And it’s all available to use @ your library. Spend some time here and begin using these materials for your own PR purposes! It’s all here http://www.geekthelibrary.org/

Monday Morning Eye-Opener 8/16/10

2010-08-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

1) Early Bird Award to Spirit Lake

2) Annual Report Tip Regarding WILBOR Titles

3) 13Things Class #3 Favorite Blogs

4) Announcements / Office Hours This Week

1) Early Bird Award to Spirit Lake

Annual report season is officially open—hooray for that time of year, right?! Electronic filing via WebCollect opened a few weeks ago. And it’s safe to say that Spirit Lake Library wins the 2010 early bird filing award. At least Spirit Lake’s is the first report our office received in paper copy. If only we had a prize—I guess knowing yours was the first annual report completed is its own reward!

This should come as no surprise for a library that has benefited from the dedication of Linda Bolluyt as director. This month, Linda celebrates 30 years at Spirit Lake Library. Congratulations, Linda, on an impressive career milestone!

2) Annual Report Tip Regarding WILBOR Titles

Back to annual reports—if you are among the WILBOR libraries, you’ll be glad for this tip. When filling out the annual report, WILBOR libraries can count WILBOR audio books as part of your collection only if you have added the MARC records to your own catalog.

Here are the numbers to report:
WILBOR audio book holdings of 3,962. WILBOR audio book titles of 2,910.

Every WILBOR library can count downloaded audio book circs in the circulation section of the report. For your library’s circ stats, check your account information via Content Reserve. Thanks to Karen Burns on the WILBOR Team and Scot Dermont with the State Library for relaying these stats!

3) 13Things Class #3 Favorite Blogs
Northwest LSAs new online series called “13Things” is underway—2 sessions complete, 11 more to go. So there’s still plenty of opportunities to join our conversation about using web tools in the library to change the way we work.

Class #3 is this Thursday August 19. The focus is blogs, but not in the way you might think. No expectation here that you’ll begin your own blog—unless you want to! While we will make quick mention of some blog builders, the real focus is on finding favorite blogs to read to stay current and connected on the job.

Two speakers this week help you get started with finding favorite blogs: Sue Kroesche with Le Mars P.L. and Becky Bilby with Orange City P.L. Both Sue and Becky are blog lovers, writing their own but reading many more. They’ll share their favorites and open a discussion about this technique to keep current and find enjoyable, valuable, professional reading.

For 13Things or any other online class, we truly urge you to pre-register in the c.e. catalog. Registering ensures that you receive follow-up emails with important class information, as well as the link to the Adobe classroom. In addition, we’ve created a dedicated website to help wrangle everything associated with this series, from the schedule to background reading, homework assignments, and speaker biographies. Attendees will be directed to this website in each class.

Join us Thursday for “Finding Favorite Blogs,” episode 3 of 13Things!

4) Announcements / Office Hours This Week

The Reorganization Committee meets again on Wednesday August 18 at Pleasant Hill Public Library. This committee is studying ways to redesign library support services in Iowa, those services you’ve come to know from the LSAs and the State Library. 9:30AM start time.

Episode #3 of 13Things is this Thursday August 19, online in NWILS Adobe Classroom, 9:30-11:00AM. Please pre-register in the c.e. catalog.

And with a lot of road-tripping this week, office hours are shortened nearly every day: Office hours for the week of August 16:

Monday 8:00—1:00
Tuesday 8:00—1:00
Wednesday 8:00—1:00
Thursday 8:00—5:00
Friday 8:00—5:00

Monday Morning Eye-Opener 6/28/10

2010-06-28T12:36:00.002-05:00

Good Morning and Happy 4th of July! In EYE-OPENER …

1) Input Sought for Reorganization Study
2) Time Well Spent @ AEA Tech Conference
3) Schaller Library Wins Grant
4) Meetings / Announcements This Week
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1) Input Sought for Reorganization Study

Work is well underway for the Reorganization Committee, a study group called by the legislature to restructure the delivery of library support services. These are the services you’re familiar with from the LSAs and the State Library.

The Reorganization Committee met on June 8 in Pleasant Hill and will be back there again on July 7. Leading up to the next meeting, the Committee is seeking input from the larger library community into what you consider to be essential support services critical to retaining in a new service model. Late last week, you should have received an email with this explanation, along with a link to a Survey Monkey. The survey link is http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H7TDY3Q

You may have received this message a few times and if so, excuse the duplication. But this is an important effort and your opinion will be a valuable part of this process. Despite duplicate messages, answer the survey only once; it will remain open until July 2. From Northwest LSA, thank you for completing the survey!

2) Time Well Spent @ AEA Tech Conference

Jean and I could only attend one day, but without question, it was a day well spent! Last week’s Technology Integration Conference, sponsored annually by Northwest AEA and Prairie Lakes AEA, brings in national educators like Scott McLeod, Annette Lamb, and Elliot Soloway as keynote speakers. K-12 faculty from Iowa schools, along with AEA staff, fill in dozens of breakout sessions over the 3-day conference in Storm Lake.

We found so many applications to public libraries! Here are some websites we learned about in connection to the various sessions we attended. Most were new to us…are you aware of:

www.p21.org Partnership for 21st Century Skills developed by educators and business partners to prepare students for a 21st century workforce.

www.readwritethink.org Read-Write-Think includes podcasts that engage kids with books about silly subjects. Also instructs kids about what to say in their online profiles—and what NOT to say.

http://www.greatachievements.org/ Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century. Given my thing for historic milestones, this is a cool discovery for me. And a neat site to visit when you’re in the need for displays, bulletin boards, programming ideas, newsletters, or website news.

www.funbrain.com Part of the Family Education Network, Fun Brain packages teacher resources, parenting advice, homework help, and educational games galore for kids ages K-8.

www.iwaswondering.org A project of the National Academy of Sciences, I Was Wondering is an especially great website for girls, promoting women’s achievements in science.

www.generationcures.org This site is pretty amazing. “…Generation Cures is a kid-led, parent-enabled community all about kids helping other kids. Through original animation, games, and kid-produced videos, children learn how they really can make a difference. Families then turn ideas into action by gaming for good or creating their own fundraiser through this site. Money raised supports Boston’s Children's Hospital in world-changing research, helping kids across the globe…”

3) Schaller Library Wins Grant

In early May, Schaller Public Library learned it had received a $1,000.00 grant from Wal-Mart in Storm Lake. The grant was awarded in conjunction with the Storm Lake store’s reopening ceremony. Library Director Barb Jorgensen says the library will spend the money on 2 new tables and a new computer for kids. Thanks to Barb for sharing this story—and congrats on the grant!

4) Meetings / Announcements This Week

Northwest LSA Board meets tomorrow June 29 at NWILS office in Sioux City. The meeting begins at 10:00AM; the agenda is posted here
http://www.nwils.lib.ia.us/Archive/folder/juneflder/junebrdmtg

The next Career Reading Roundtable is this Wednesday June 30. The title up for discussion this time is The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Pat Dawson is leading the discussion from 9:00—11:00AM. It’s online in Northwest LSA’s Adobe Classroom.

NOTE: Because July 4th lands on Sunday, NWILS office takes Monday July 5 as the holiday. The following Monday July 12 is a furlough day, so on both July 5 and 12, NWILS office will be closed. Which also means the EYE-OPENER goes on hiatus; EYE-OPENER will be back again on July 19. Have a great 4th of July bash!

Questions or comments? E-mail us at bmckewon@siouxlan.net or call 712-255-2939.