1. Survey released for public library economic impact/return on investment study
2. Share your thoughts on the future of Wisconsin libraries
3. November-December issue of Channel now available online
4. Delivery Services Advisory Committee meets via WisLine Web
5. Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meets at Reference and Loan Library
6. DVD showcases importance of professional librarians in the educational process
7. National Library Week 2008 will be April 13-19th
8. Entrepreneurs share role of libraries in their success stories
9. Website of the Week - KIDS COUNT Data Center
10. Calendar
1. SURVEY RELEASED FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY ECONOMIC IMPACT/RETURN ON INVESTMENT STUDY
NorthStar Economics has been retained by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to study the economic impact of public libraries in Wisconsin. To gather information for the study, they are surveying library users and non-users throughout the state. They would like to receive responses from a broad range of Wisconsin residents and are requesting that the survey be widely available. Libraries, systems, and communities throughout Wisconsin are encouraged to make the link to the online survey broadly available and to distribute information about the survey link to local media.
The survey can be found on their home page: http://www.northstareconomics.com or the direct link is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=qyjYazUcsULPwoJ4nWVoHw_3d_3d. The direct link can also be reached from: http://wislibsurvey.notlong.com.
Questions about the survey or the study can be directed to either Alan J. Hart, Vice President & Director of Operations or David J. Ward, President at nstar@northstareconomics.com.
Regional focus groups and data collection will be conducted throughout Wisconsin during February and early March, 2008. The results of the study will be announced at the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries Conference on May 1, 2008 in Stevens Point.
Information on other state and regional studies of the economic impact and taxpayer return on investment of public libraries can be found here: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/econimpact.html.
2. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF WISCONSIN LIBRARIES
What will the library of the future look like? How will it contribute to the quality of life in our communities? What role will the library of the future play in the educational and economic development of the State? Will libraries still be a major player in the preservation of Wisconsin heritage and culture?
The Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction seeks the answers to these and other questions in preparation for a "Strategic Visioning Summit on the Future of the Library," scheduled for May 5-6, 2008. You can participate by going to the COLAND web site http://dpi.wi.gov/coland/vision.html and entering your personal responses to any or all of the seven questions. Your ideas will be considered by members of the Summit Executive Planning Committee as they design Summit activities.
3. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER ISSUE OF CHANNEL NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
The November-December 2007 issue of Channel, the newsletter of the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning, is now available on the web at http://dpi.wi.gov/channel/pdf/chn4302.pdf.
Among the articles in this issue of Channel are:
-- State superintendent approves 2008 LSTA grant awards
-- COLAND, DPI plan library strategic visioning summit
-- Library systems to share $16.1 million in state aid
-- Reference and Loan develops BadgerLink Toolkit
-- Terrie Howe is new LSTA Coordinator and Continuing Education Consultant for DPI
-- Governor Doyle signs Senate Bill 214, applies to disclosure of library video surveillance recordings
-- What's new at the Reference and Loan Library, Part 2
-- DPI named 'Thinkfinity Rollout Partner' for Wisconsin
-- Trustee Corner
-- Best Practices for Public Libraries
-- Changes to Common School Fund now in effect
Previous issues of Channel are available at http://dpi.wi.gov/channel/channel.html. Issues of Channel Weekly are available at http://dpi.wi.gov/channel/chweekly.html.
4. DELIVERY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS VIA WISLINE WEB
The Delivery Services Advisory Committee met January 31, 2008 via WisLine web. The advisory committee is currently working on two important projects which will help streamline how policies and information about the delivery service can be found by participants. A Statewide Delivery Services Manual is being developed which covers a description of the statewide delivery services, best practices for staff who work with delivery services and other policy information. Best practices include materials preparation, layout and use of delivery routing labels, choice of delivery method, local networking with local libraries not directly served, lost materials, special or large shipments, and other items. The second project being undertaken by South Central Library System is a redesign of the delivery service website which will make it easier to identify library participation and find delivery service information. Both are expected to be ready by Spring, 2008. The next meeting is scheduled at the Reference and Loan Library on May 15, 2008.
5. LIBRARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETS AT REFERENCE AND LOAN LIBRARY
The Library Information and Technology Advisory Committee (LITAC) met February 1, 2008 at the Reference and Loan Library. LITAC members discussed four draft issue papers related to library technology. Three related to statewide programs including the Wisconsin Digital Archive, Wisconsin Heritage Online, and Virtual Reference (including Ask?Away and other technologies). The fourth dealt with problems related to consumer-driven technology such as downloadable audio and video and the impact on libraries. The committee agreed to post the final consumer-driven technology paper on the LITAC website for consideration of the issues by the wider library community. The others will be considered again at future meetings in order to complete the recommendations, but draft versions are or will soon be available on the LITAC website at http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/pld/litac.html#background%20papers.
6. DVD SHOWCASES IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
As previously reported in American Libraries Direct (ALA, 1/23/08), the Henrico County (Va.) Public Schools recently produced an informative look at what school library media centers and media specialists can do to teach 21st-century literacy skills. The production remixes a 1940s-era librarian vocational film with interviews with current middle-school and high-school information specialists, teachers, and students from the school district. "Today's Library" is an entertaining showcase of the importance of professional librarians in the educational process.
http://henrico.k12.va.us/hcpstv/vv_library.html.
7. NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK 2008 WILL BE APRIL 13-19TH
This year will be the 50th Anniversary of National Library Week (NLW) to be held April 13-19. The theme for this year is "Join the circle of knowledge @ your library." More information on NLW 2008, including a sample press release and a public service announcement starring Julie Andrews, Honorary Chair of National Library Week 2008, is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/natlibraryweek/nlw.htm.
8. ENTREPRENEURS SHARE ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THEIR SUCCESS STORIES
Continuing a seven-year partnership with the American Library Association's (ALA) Campaign for America's Libraries that has generated millions of dollars worth of editorial coverage on behalf of libraries, four entrepreneurs share their stories of how they started businesses using the library with Woman's Day magazine's 4 million readers this month.
The article appears in the magazine's March issue now on newsstands (pdf of article is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/campaign/sponsorship/womansdaymagazine/small_business_lo.pdf). Featured are the co-owner of a Brooklyn-based children's clothing business who participated in Brooklyn Public Library's "Power Up!" business-plan writing contest, a library supporter who learned about self-publishing, a founder of a home organization business who turned to her library for business seminars, email and Internet access, and a financial advisor who found enthusiastic support from her local librarians.
"When you think of libraries, you think books and magazines, but there's so much more. There's almost nothing you can't find-and no help you can't get-at the library," Jessica Sequinot, the featured winner from Brooklyn, is quoted as saying in the article.
Also included in the article is a sidebar with tips on how to "jump-start your small business at the library," written by reference librarian Celia Ross, a member of the ALA Reference and User Services Association's (RUSA) Business Reference and Services Section.
Woman's Day announced the initiative last March, asking its readers to submit stories of how they used the library to start a business. This is the sixth such initiative Woman's Day has co-sponsored with ALA's Campaign for America's Libraries to promote libraries and librarians. Previous topics have included "how the library has changed my life," "why I would want to be a librarian for a day," and "why I want to research my family tree at the library."
9. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
KIDS COUNT Data Center -- http://www.kidscount.org/datacenter/ -- This website from the Annie E. Casey Foundation brings together data on the well-being of children collected by KIDS COUNT grantees from state and local sources. The system allows users to access state-specific inventories of data from local sources, such as health departments, human services agencies, and schools. The content of state pages is determined by a participating KIDS COUNT partner using data from local jurisdictions, providing a powerful new tool for community leaders, policymakers, service providers, parents, and others who want to take a closer look at the local factors that affect the lives of children and families.
10. CALENDAR
February 22, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, South Central, Madison
February 29, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, South West, Fennimore (Snow date March 7)
March 5, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, Nicolet, DePere
March 6, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, OWLS and Winnefox, Appleton
March 14, 2008 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, Hartford
April 3, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, Winding Rivers, La Crosse
April 6-8, 2008 - Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association spring conference, Milwaukee
April 16, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, Milwaukee and Waukesha, Milwaukee
April 16, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, Eastern Shores and Manitowoc-Calumet, Manitowoc
April 16-18, 2008 - Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians annual conference, Manitowoc
April 24, 2008 - HOLA! Project workshop, Arrowhead, Janesville
April 30-May 2, 2008 - Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries annual conference, Stevens Points
May 5-6, 2008 - COLAND Statewide Library Strategic Visioning Summit, Green Lake
May 19, 2008 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
June 26-July 2, 2008 - American Library Association annual conference, Anaheim, California
June 29-July 2, 2008 - National Educational Computing Conference, San Antonio, Texas
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.
Return to the Channel Weekly Home Page
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 3/6/2008 12:56:42 PM
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