1. Biennial budget bill approved by legislature
2. Wisconsin participates in 2007 National Book Fest
3. Chicago Public Library hosts Library Journal's '07 Design Institute
4. Free art books from the DUC Library Program
5. Website of the Week - American Writers
6. Calendar
1. BIENNIAL BUDGET BILL APPROVED BY LEGISLATURE
On October 23, both houses of the Wisconsin legislature approved a budget bill for the 2007-2009 biennium. The budget bill approved by the legislature includes funding for many library budget initiatives proposed by State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster to the Governor and approved earlier by both the Senate and Assembly. In addition, the bill exempts from county levy limits payments counties make to public libraries under s. 43.12 ("Act 150 payments" and "Act 420 payments"). The bill retains the maintenance of effort requirements for public library system membership.
Funding for these items is at the levels recommended by the Governor:
* Public library system funding increases of approximately 4% for each year of the biennium (annual increases of $616,800 for 2008 and $645,500 for
2009) to maintain funding at the current 8.1% index level. Total library system funding as recommended by the committee is $16,138,000 for 2008 and $16,783,500 for 2009. This compares to 2007 funding of $15,521,200.
* Library service contract funding for the Wisconsin Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (WRLBPH), the Milwaukee Public Library, Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS), and the Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) totaling $1,134,200 for 2008 and $1,097,200 for 2009. This compares to 2007 funding of $876,900. The recommended funding would improve contracted service levels and allow the WRLBPH to upgrade their technology to allow for the delivery of digital talking books.
* BadgerLink funding of $2,061,700 for 2008 and $2,111,000 for 2009. This compares to 2007 funding of $2,030,500. The proposed funding would allow for maintenance of the current BadgerLink resources.
* Library service contract funding for the Wisconsin NFB-Newsline funding to support newspapers accessible by telephone for blind and physically handicapped people, annual increases of $38,500 for 2008 and $40,500 for 2009. This includes funds for the Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for provision of technical support and registration of users.
The bill also includes language allowing the Department of Administration TO use funds received under the federal E-Rate program to help subsidize library and K-12 school bandwidth. Use of the E-rate funds is designed to address insufficient bandwidth reported by some libraries and schools that are connected to the BadgerNet network. In addition, the bill provides that school library aid (from the common school fund) may be used by school districts to purchase library-related computers and software that will be housed in the school library. However, the bill requires that, at most, 25% of a school district's school library aid can be used for such purposes, and that the school district's library media coordinator would have to be consulted before making these expenditures.
The budget bill is expected to be signed into law by the Governor on October 26.
2. WISCONSIN PARTICIPATES IN 2007 NATIONAL BOOK FEST
The Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning (DLTCL) collaborated with the Wisconsin Center for the Book to set up a Wisconsin booth at the National Book Fest in Washington D.C., on September 29, 2007. The Center for the Book sent three people to Washington to staff the booth in the area reserved for states.
Mary "Casey" Martin chaired the group and reported that the event was a huge success. She reported that attendance appeared to be double that of last year. The people in the booth worked non-stop from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. greeting people and talking with them about Wisconsin's many authors and illustrators. Many items were given away to the booth's visitors.
DLTCL coordinated the production of the items distributed to children. The featured Wisconsin children's author this year was Lois Ehlert, and the featured title was Ehlert's newest book, "Wag a Tale," published by Harcourt in 2007. Harcourt gave permission to DLTCL to develop an activity sheet based on the book, featuring cut outs of some of the dogs in the book. Children were encouraged to create their own dogs to play with the dogs featured on the page. Harcourt also provided posters featuring the book and stickers of the various dogs, which were distributed at the booth. Each year, children attending the National Book Fest received a map of the U.S. and go from one state booth to another to get their map stamped with an image representing each state. This year the image on the Wisconsin stamp was the face of one of the dogs from the Ehlert book.
More information and photographs from this year's National Book Fest can be found at http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/100107b.shtm.
3. CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY HOSTS LIBRARY JOURNAL'S '07 DESIGN INSTITUTE
The Chicago Public Library's Harold Washington Center will host Library Journal's (LJ) December 11, 2007 Design Institute with a theme of "Going Green." The free all-day seminar is open to librarians considering a new building project or renovation, in the fundraising or pre-bond stage, or in the early building process. Registration is limited to 100 participants who will break out into smaller groups led by architects to focus on specific design challenges based on real-life projects submitted in advance by attendees. Join architects, designers, vendors, and LJ editors for new building solutions. Additional information and registration can be found at http://www.libraryjournal.com/info/CA6482954.html.
4. FREE ART BOOKS FROM THE DUC LIBRARY PROGRAM
The Distribution to Underserved Communities Library Program (DUC) announces the launch of its 2007-08 inventory of art books.
The DUC, a program of Art Resources Transfer, Inc., is a nationwide program that distributes books on contemporary art to rural and inner-city schools, libraries, and alternative reading centers free of charge. The program aims to further access to contemporary art by fostering partnerships between publishers, non-profit organizations, librarians and readers to enrich and diversify library collections. The program offers over 550 titles by more than 70 different publishers and has placed well over 170,000 free books in public libraries and public schools.
With the intention of serving as many schools and libraries as possible,
participants are restricted to one order per year. Please note that due to
the large volume of orders receive, it may take up to three months to process and ship requested books.
You may learn more about the program, browse the selection of titles from new and returning publishers, and place an order for books on their website, http://www.ducprogram.org/. All orders are shipped free of charge. Questions about the program or the ordering process can be directed to info@ducprogram.org or (212) 255-2919.
5. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
American Writers -- http://www.americanwriters.org/ -- This C-SPAN series examines the lives and works of 45 selected American writers and explores their influence on Americans today. On the companion web site, you'll find detailed biographical and historical background for each featured author. Among the selections included are the journals of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the works of Harriet Beecher Stowe, and the Declaration of Independence and other documents written by founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
6. CALENDAR
November 8, 2007 - System Continuing Education and Certification Consultants annual meeting, Madison
November 9, 2007 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, Cross Plains
November 14-15, 2007 - Library Services and Technology Act Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
January 11, 2008 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, by video conference
January 31, 2008 - Delivery Services Advisory Committee, via WisLine
February 1, 2008 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
April 6-8, 2008 - Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association spring conference, Milwaukee
April 16-18, 2008 - Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians annual conference, Manitowoc
May 19, 2008 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
October 10, 2008 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
For more details about these and other meetings, see the WISDOM calendar at http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/wisdom.html and the BadgerLink and WISCAT training site at http://dpi.wi.gov/rll/wiscat/training.html.
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For information about Channel Weekly or to submit article ideas, please contact:
Roslyn Wise, Editor, at (608) 266-6439
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn M. Wise (608) 266-6439
Last updated on 11/9/2007 1:02:50 PM
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