Table of Contents
1. LSTA 2009 Information Session archives available
2. System technology managers meet
3. LSTA Forms
4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be Library Card Sign-up Month honorary chair
5. Lois Lenski Covey Foundation grants for children's books
6. ALA Teams with the National Association of Broadcasters to provide DTV toolkit
7. Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy National Grant Program
8.
Website of the Week - Traditions of the Sun: Ancient Astronomy
9. Calendar
1. LSTA 2009 INFORMATION SESSION ARCHIVES AVAILABLE
Information sessions for the LSTA 2009 grants were held on June 4th, June 10th and June 12, 2008 using the South Central Library System's OPAL account. If you were unable to participate on those dates and would like to know what material was covered, visit the LSTA Grant Information sessions ((http://www.dpi.wi.gov/pld/lstainfo.html) to see and hear the archived sessions.
2. SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY MANAGERS MEET
In late June the Department of Public Instruction's Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning sponsored a meeting with technology staff from the state's regional library systems. Among the topics discussed during the morning session were:
- 2009 LSTA technology grant categories
- A review of system technology plans (required by state statute and the E-rate program)
- Results of the public library technology survey
- Review of the Gates Foundation's program on Library PCs
Most of the afternoon was spent reviewing issues with the BadgerNet Converged Network (BCN). The BCN is the statewide telecommunications network used by over 97% of the state's public libraries for Internet access and to connect the 90% of public libraries now in shared integrated library systems. The discussion was held with staff from the state's Department of Administration, which oversees the BCN contract, and AT&T which is the prime vendor. Several key issues were discussed including:
- The need for both libraries and systems to have more bandwidth
- The need to better manage how bandwidth is used
- The need to offer less expensive bandwidth
The BCN Advisory Council and the Department of Administration will hold a full day meeting on August 7 to review these and other BCN issues.
3. LSTA FORMS
The LSTA website (http://www.dpi.wi.gov/pld/lsta.html) has links to instructions and Word document templates for LSTA evaluation and application draft creation. Portions of the draft copy can be copied and pasted into the online grant forms found at FormFinder (http://www3.dpi.wi.gov/FormFinder/). The LSTA grant application form is live. Grant applications are due by September 12, 2008.
Reminder: The 2008 six-month evaluation forms are due by July 31, 2008. Applications and evaluations must be submitted online.
4. KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR TO BE LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH HONORARY CHAIR
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the National Basketball Association's (NBA) all-time leading scorer and a prolific author, has been named honorary chair of Library Card Sign-up Month. Held in September, Library Card Sign-up Month is a time to remind parents and children that a library card is the most important school supply of all.
Abdul-Jabbar led UCLA to three consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles and the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers to six NBA championships. But Abdul-Jabbar's achievements go far beyond the court. He has written several books, including "On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey Through the Harlem Renaissance; "Giant Steps"; "Black Profiles in Courage"; "A Season on a Reservation"; and "Brothers in Arms." Four of his books reached bestseller lists.
Abdul-Jabbar said, "The library has always been my own personal time machine. I can walk through the doors and land in any place, any time period in history. I didn't have to wonder what their worlds were like; I could experience it first hand."
Library Card Sign-up Month was launched in 1987. Since then, thousands of public and school libraries join each fall in a national effort to ensure every child does just that. Free tools to help libraries promote Library Card Sign-up Month are available at http://www.ala.org/librarycardsignup(http://www.ala.org/librarycardsignup).
5. LOIS LENSKI COVEY FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Lois Lenski, the 1946 Newbery medalist for "Strawberry Girl," had a life-long concern that good books be available to all children. In pursuit of this goal, she established a foundation to provide grants to public libraries, school libraries, and non-profit agencies serving disadvantaged populations.
The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Inc. annually awards grants to rural and urban, public and school libraries serving at-risk children. The Foundation gives priority to applications from libraries and agencies with real need and limited book budgets. Funds are earmarked for purchasing books for young people, and are not intended for administrative or operational use. Previously awarded grants have ranged from $500 to $3000. Successful applicants have proposed purchases to update their children's book collections generally or to expand their holdings in specific areas. Additional information and the grant application can be obtained here: (http://www.loislenskicovey.org/GrantApp2008.PDF).
6. ALA TEAMS WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS TO PROVIDE DTV TOOLKIT
As reported in the June 28, 2007, Channel Weekly (http://dpi.wi.gov/channel/chwk0939.html), a law passed by Congress in 2006 will require all full-power television stations to end analog broadcasts as of February 17, 2009. After this date television stations will only be broadcasting exclusively in a digital format (DTV). While DTV will provide certain benefits, millions of households that receive broadcast TV through antennas risk losing reception unless they obtain new equipment or take steps to upgrade to receive a digital signal. The National Association of Broadcasters, with whom the American Library Association (ALA) has joined as a part of the DTV Transition Coalition, has put together an educational toolkit for librarians. The toolkit includes several useful links to informational resources, applications for digital conversion box discount coupons, and other resources available from DTVanswers.com. The DTV Librarians Toolkit site is here: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/woissues/techinttele/dtv/DTVToolkit/DTVToolkit.cfm.
Librarians addressing specific questions from the public on the conversion process may also find the following FAQ useful: (http://www.dtvanswers.com/dtv_faqs.html).
7. BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR FAMILY LITERACY NATIONAL GRANT PROGRAM
The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy's National Grant Program's goal is to develop and expand family literacy efforts, and to support the development of literacy programs that build families of readers. The program provides grants for projects that support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children. Eligible instructional literacy programs must have been in existence at least two years and include one or more of the following components: literacy for adults, parent education, literacy or pre-literacy instruction for children pre-K to grade 3, and intergenerational literacy activities. A total of $650,000 will be awarded for grants of up to $65,000. The application deadline is September 5, 2008. Application guidelines and grant program details are available on the Foundation's website: (http://www.barbarabushfoundation.com/nga.html).
8. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Traditions of the Sun: Ancient Astronomy -- (http://www.traditionsofthesun.org/) -- It is difficult to understate the importance of the Sun. Its light and warmth provide energy for growing plants and ultimately makes life itself possible. This site invites the visitor to explore and to learn about the ancestral Native Americans in New Mexico and the ancient Maya in the Yucatan, while gaining a better understanding of the active Sun, and its importance to them - and, to us. This project is a collaboration between NASA's Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum, the National Park Service at Chaco Canyon, INAH and UNAM in Mexico, and Ideum, a multimedia design firm located in Corrales, New Mexico. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
9. CALENDAR
July 11, 2008 - Council on Library and Network Development, Milwaukee
September 12, 2008 - Council on Library and Network Development, Fennimore
October 9, 2008 - Delivery Services Advisory Committee, WisLine web
October 10, 2008 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
November 14, 2008 - Council on Library and Network Development, location to be announced
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe, go to: http://dpi.wi.gov/channel/chweekly.html
Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning
PO Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 266-6439
FAX: (609) 266-8770
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn M. Wise (608) 266-6439
Last updated on 8/25/2008 12:18:42 PM
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