1. LSTA meeting and public hearing scheduled
2. Public library impact study awarded to NorthStar Economics
3. Libraries encouraged to complete technology survey
4. OCLC Report: Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World
5. Beginning in 2008 Children's Book Week will move to May
6. Idaho Commission for Libraries releases report on "Digital Natives"
7. Library of Congress offers information on fire recovery for collections
8. Website of the Week - The Encyclopedia of Television
9. Calendar
1. LSTA MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED
Wisconsin's LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) Advisory Committee will meet in Madison on Wednesday and Thursday, November 14 and 15, at the Crowne Plaza, 4402 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, to discuss grant proposals and make award recommendations for LSTA projects to take place in 2008.
As a part of the meeting, there will be a public hearing beginning at 10:00 a.m. on November 14 for interested persons to make suggestions on the LSTA program for 2008. Final guidelines for the 2008 LSTA program will be developed in March 2008.
If you are unable to attend the public hearing, written comments may be submitted by letter, fax, or e-mail to Mike Cross, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841; fax number (608) 266-2529; email address michael.cross@dpi.state.wi.us. Testimony must arrive by 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 13 for inclusion in the hearing.
2. PUBLIC LIBRARY IMPACT STUDY AWARDED TO NORTHSTAR ECONOMICS
NorthStar Economics, Inc., a Madison-based consulting firm, will conduct a study to determine the economic benefit of public libraries for Wisconsin residents.
The company has been awarded a contract with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to complete the study, funded through the federal Library Services and Technology Act, focusing on the economic benefits that libraries bring to a global, knowledge-based economy. Public libraries increasingly have to compete with other municipal services for funding, and need to be better prepared to articulate their contribution and economic impact in their respective communities.
NorthStar will work with a steering committee to prepare a study detailing the economic impact and return on investment in the public libraries and library systems in Wisconsin. Survey data will be collected throughout the state, combined with at least 27 regional group interviews. Library systems will help to identify local libraries representing a diverse demographic range that might serve as regional data collection sites. NorthStar will conduct an analysis of library activities and services that contribute to the success of public library involvement in economic development and the benefits the libraries confer upon individuals, families, students, businesses and organizations, whether they are library users or not.
NorthStar expects to complete the project in spring of 2008, and results will be announced at the Wisconsin Public Library Association annual conference in May. The Wisconsin Library Association Foundation has funds earmarked for disseminating the results of the study once it has been completed.
3. LIBRARIES ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
The Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning and the American Library Association (ALA) encourages public library staff to complete the 2007-2008 Public Library Funding and Technology survey. This survey provides an important opportunity for libraries to share information on computer and Internet infrastructure, funding, and training. The survey is at http://survey.pnmi.com. It will be available through November 25, 2007, and takes about 30-40 minutes to complete.
All public libraries can complete the survey. However, a statistical sampling of 215 Wisconsin libraries has been specifically requested to do so. Thus far of these 215 libraries, only 8% (17 libraries) have actually completed the survey. In the near future, Wisconsin library systems will send to their libraries a list of the libraries specifically requested to complete the survey.
The survey, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA, continues the surveys done since 1994. It provides important information for policymakers, the ALA, and library advocates regarding public library Internet and public computing needs and issues. More information, including links to previous studies, is at http://www.ala.org/plinternetfunding.
4. OCLC REPORT: SHARING, PRIVACY AND TRUST IN OUR NETWORKED WORLD
OCLC has published a third in a series of research reports to its members, "Sharing, Privacy and Trust in Our Networked World." This report summarizes the findings from an international study on online social spaces, including social networking attitudes and habits of both end users and librarians.
OCLC Market Research staff developed the project and commissioned Harris Interactive Inc. to survey over 6,100 information consumers ages 14 to 84 from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, 382 U.S. library directors were also surveyed. As with its two previous reports on the global information environment and public perceptions of libraries, its findings and conclusions offer both public and academic librarians an opportunity to assess their policies and services.
The report summarizes four primary areas:
-- The use of social networking, social media, commercial, and library services on the Web,
-- How and what users and librarians share on the Web,
-- Opinions on privacy online,
-- Libraries' current and future roles in social networking.
A free copy of the report may be downloaded or a printed copy ordered for purchase from OCLC at http://www.oclc.org/reports/sharing/.
5. BEGINNING IN 2008 CHILDREN'S BOOK WILL WEEK MOVE TO MAY
While Children's Book Week has traditionally been celebrated in November, next year the celebration will move to May 12-18, 2008. This decision was made by the Children's Book Council, Inc. (CBC), after much discussion with teachers, librarians, and booksellers from around the country. While the CBC recognized that moving the dates might inconvenience those people who have celebrated CBW in November for years, they had also received complaints about the November dates for many years, with teachers and librarians finding the timing impossible due to Thanksgiving and other holiday interruptions.
According to Michelle F. Bayuk, Marketing Director of the CBC, there really was no perfect time when looking for alternative dates, and early May provided the best opportunities for promotion and activities within all constituencies. Also, many of the teachers and librarians contacted by the CBC noted that this will be a great way to culminate the school year and to link Children's Book Week to local summer reading programs, perhaps even making Children's Book Week the launch of summer reading.
The 2007 Children's Book Week will be celebrated November 12-18, 2007. Visit http://www.cbcbooks.org for more information.
6. IDAHO COMMISSION FOR LIBRARIES RELEASES REPORT ON "DIGITAL NATIVES"
The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICFL) has released a report, "Perceptions of Idaho's Digital Natives on Public Libraries," examining strategies for reaching "Digital Natives," identified by the ICFL as the generation (12-25 years old) growing up with computers since infancy, who currently use the state's libraries at below-average rates. The report, which can be viewed at http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/default/2007-digital-native-rpt.pdf,
includes a description of the project design, methodology, and implementation of focus groups, along with focus group findings, including both key findings, which are presented at the beginning of the report, and detailed findings.
The ICFL contracted with Corona Research to produce the LSTA-funded study using focus group research with the target age group to identify themes and trends related to the "Digital Natives'" needs and desires in local library services.
7. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OFFERS INFORMATION ON FIRE RECOVERY FOR COLLECTIONS
The Library of Congress has updated its preservation Web page on emergency care in response to the fires in Southern California and the resulting damage to personal and public collections. The new information, "Fire Recovery for Collections," includes resources and guidance on how to protect and salvage collections, can be found at http://www.loc.gov/preserv/emergprep/fire.html.
Fire can damage collections in many ways. If not burned completely, collections can be scorched, singed, embrittled, discolored, or soiled by soot and smoke. Staining, discoloration, and ink or color "bleeding" can result from water used to put out fires. Water from hoses and sprinkler systems can also cause some materials to stick together, as well as lead to mold growth.
The Library of Congress's general preservation page, http://www.loc.gov/preserv/, includes information on a broad range of topics from de-acidification of historic materials, to protecting family treasures, digital preservation, and emergency preparedness.
In addition, the Library of Congress engages in training and research projects to advance emergency mitigation. The Library's Web site has video demonstrations of collection salvage techniques for water-damaged materials.
For more information, consult the Library of Congress Preservation Directorate's site at http://www.loc.gov/preserv/.
8. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
The Encyclopedia of Television -- http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/index.html -- The Encyclopedia of Television includes more than 1,000 original essays from more than 250 contributors and examines specific programs and people, historic moments and trends, major policy disputes and such topics as violence, tabloid television and the quiz show scandal. It also includes histories of major television networks as well as broadcasting systems around the world and is complemented by resource materials, photos and bibliographical information. (Web site courtesy of refdesk.com)
9. 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 1:11:30 PM
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