2003 LSTA Grant Abstracts

(January-December 2003)

Abstracts for the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) projects approved for funding in Wisconsin in 2003 are available below. These abstracts were included as part of the online grant applications submitted by grant applicants in September 2002. The abstracts are arranged in alphabetical order by project number within the LSTA grant categories. A complete list of LSTA projects for 2003 is available.

CONTENTS

Statewide Delivery Services

Public Library System Technology Projects

Shared Automated Library Systems

Department of Corrections Library Services

Literacy Projects

Statewide Delivery Services

03-110 Northern Waters Library Service $15,000 Delivery Service

Delivery continues to be both a highly praised and highly valued element of the NWLS service program. A combination of federal, state, county and local library funds support the continuation of this program. The number of interlibrary loans grew by 75.35% in 2001 and delivery is the means by which these items are efficiently transported throughout our 8,343 square mile service territory.

Patrons expect and deserve to receive materials in a timely manner while library staff require a delivery method that takes the least amount of time as the volume of business grows.

The statewide Delivery Service Study Committee and the LSTA Advisory Committee have authorized this non-competitive LSTA category for NWLS delivery because of the fact that the NWLS service area is not included in the statewide delivery backbone.

It is essential for a statewide delivery service that all public libraries are included. If an area such as NWLS did not participate, additional work of utilizing the United States Postal Service would be required for those libraries sending interlibrary loans to our area.

NWLS staff will continue to monitor statistics four times per year and a representative of NWLS will continue to be a participant in the Delivery Service Study Committee. Evaluation of the delivery service including the fact that LSTA has been responsible for a percentage of its costs will be conducted by NWLS librarians and staff.

03-112 South Central Library System $45,200 Delivery Services

South Central Library System (SCLS) provides the backbone portion of the statewide delivery service. During the transistion period from the current funding arrangement to the new postalized funding formula, South Central Library System will use the grant funds to pay for the increasing vehicle expenses resulting from higher fuel and service costs.

Public Library System Technology Projects

03-114 Arrowhead Library System $9,500 Technical Service

This grant will allow the Arrowhead Library System to continue to partially fund a 40-hour per week computer Systems Technician position. The technician is provided by contract with the Hedberg Public Library to provide technical support to the Arrowhead Library System and member libraries. The technical support will be provided on site, by telephone, e-mail and other electronic means.

03-116 Eastern Shores Library System $11,200 Internet Access for Eastern Shores

In 1998 Eastern Shores Library System (ESLS) and the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System (MCLS) started a project to connect the libraries in both Systems to the Internet via T1 data lines. The Central Site is located in the ESLS offices, and ESLS staff are the primary administrators of the site. This LSTA grant will be applied toward ESLS' support of the Central Site hardware, software, telecommunications, and Internet access through WiscNet. As part of the project with MCLS, ESLS submitted the required information to TEACH for E-rate discounts on the TEACH T1 data lines. All of the libraries in the two Systems have T1 connections.

The support for the Central Site includes the following, with the note that all expenses for the Central Site are shared 2/3 and 1/3, respectively, by ESLS and MCLS:

Internet Access: ESLS will pay its share for Internet access on behalf of its member libraries with LSTA funds. Access is through WiscNet. Central Site Hardware: If hardware upgrades are necessary in 2003, System funds will be used toward the upgrade. Central Site Software: If software upgrades are necessary in 2003, System funds will be used toward the upgrade. E-mail Support: In 2000, ESLS purchased e-mail services for its member libraries from WiscNet. LSTA funds will be used to support this expense in 2003, which includes updated e-mail functions from WiscNet. TEACH T1 Line to ISP: The T1 line for Internet access to WiscNet will be funded by the grant. The TEACH T1 Line from Ameritech frame-relay cloud to Central Site: The T1 line from the cloud (member libraries) to the Central Site will be funded by the LSTA grant. In 2000 the Systems were told by TEACH that more than one T1 line from the frame-relay cloud would have to be paid for. iPAC Server: It may be necessary in 2003 for the System to purchase a new server to run the web-based catalog software for EasiCat, the shared automated system of the Eastern Shores libraries. System and/or member library funds will be used for this purchase, with some support of LSTA funds.

03-118 Indianhead Federated Library System $32,800 System Technology Project

The Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS) is a geographically large system spread across 10 counties in west central Wisconsin. Our membership is made up of 53 mostly small public libraries and 4 county library services.

It has always been the goal of IFLS to help member libraries provide quality library service to all residents of the area. In 2001 IFLS adopted the goal to provide leadership in identifying new technologies and implementing them in a way that all member libraries benefit. Safeguarding the IFLS Wide Area Network (WAN), funding Internet access for libraries connected to the WAN, and assisting libraries to acquire adaptive software and devises for computers to be used by people with disabilities are steps on the path to achieving this goal.

To help fund the increasing cost of WiscNet for Internet access for 50 member libraries, IFLS will use some of its LSTA technology funds to pay a portion of our WiscNet fee.

Computers and the WAN can be vulnerable to hackers, viruses, and spammers. We have taken a number of steps to keep our WAN secure. However, we have found some vulnerabilities and more must be done. As a result we plan to purchase 50 small routers with wireless capability. These will be used in each library to separate public access traffic from staff traffic.

IFLS libraries have made strides in remodeling or building new facilities in part to meet the needs of children and adults with disabilities. Since 1991, 31 of our member libraries have completed building projects. However, only 3 of our libraries reported that they have a computer that has software and equipment that makes it accessible for youth and adults with disabilities.

We plan to use some of the System 2003 LSTA Technology Funds to help libraries select, purchase and market adaptive software and devises to people with disabilities in their service areas.

IFLS staff will assist staff from member libraries select the adaptive devises and software. We will place the orders to get the best price. The IFLS Technology Manager will install the devises and software. IFSL staff will train local staff on how to use the software and equipment and on how to assist library customers who want to use it.

03-120 Kenosha Public Library $8,600 Statistical Report Writer Training for Staff

The Kenosha Public Library is applying for this 2003 LSTA Library System Technology Project Grant on behalf of the Kenosha County Library System (KCLS). This is a non-competitive grant category and KCLS is eligible to receive $8,600 in funds, if approved.

Statistics and record keeping are a large part of how we show what we've been doing, how large a collection we own, and who uses our collections (demographic information). The need for accurate, up-to-date statistics has become more of a priority for the library system. We produce monthly statistics for the Library Boards of Kenosha Public Library and the Community Library and also annual reports to the state for both libraries. Statistics on who is checking out materials (demographic info) and the kinds of materials in demand are used for collection development.

KCLS has few staff trained to access and interpret these statistics and to write reports reflecting them. Currently there is only one staff member who is proficient in report writing. When a report is requested by system staff, this person does her best to get the report written, but it may not always be a priority task. I propose that we work with Geac our automated library system vendor, to provide training for a maximum of six (6) library staff members in basic and advanced statistical report writing.

03-122 Lakeshores Library System $14,300 Maintaining the WAN and the Shared Automated System

Lakeshores Library System proposes to support its existing wide area network (WAN). The WAN makes use of 15 TEACH T1 lines to provide Internet access to 14 libraries plus the Lakeshores Library System office by means of a frame relay network. Lakeshores' remaining member also has a TEACH T1 line and a separate connection to WISCNET.

Funds are needed to pay for 2 TEACH T1 lines that connect the WAN to the Internet and another that connects each library to the first, using a frame relay network. Funds are also needed for router service contracts and for computer technicians that troubleshoot problems.

Lakeshores now has a portable wireless lab provided with grant money from TEACH. Some computer technician time may be needed to keep this lab in good repair. If other grant funds are not available from TEACH, funds may also be needed for repair and replacement of lab components.

Funds from this grant may also be needed for software for the SIRSI automated system contracted for in 2002 but paid for in installments. If funds remain from the WAN project and the SIRSI shared system project they will be used for the purchase of assistive devices for member libraries to assist patrons with disabilities to use technology.

03-124 Manitowoc-Calumet Library System $8,400 Direct Internet Access

This project will help maintain direct Internet access for all six public libraries in the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System through a high-speed wide area network that is supported cooperatively by MCLS and the Eastern Shores Library System.

LSTA funds will be used to pay for T1 lines for the six MCLS member libraries at the TEACH-subsidized annual rate of $1,200 per library. The grant also will pay for MCLS's share of two T1 lines that serve the network's central site, and for part of Manitowoc-Calumet's share of WiscNet Internet service. MCLS system state aid funds will pay the balance of Manitowoc-Calumet's share of WiscNet service costs and for Manitowoc-Calumet's share of central site costs, including administration and technical support, through a contract with the Eastern Shores system.

The six MCLS member libraries currently have a total of 77 Inernet workstations for the public and 66 for libray staff. To address public demand and increasing staff needs, the libraries plan to add at least 18 more public workstations and 15 more staff workstations by the end of 2003, all of which will be supported by this project. MCLS and all of its member libraries have Web pages which are hosted on the central site server, and which offer links to a wide variety of information resources over the Internet. Four MCLS member libraries participate in a shared automation system, with a fifth coming online in September of 2002 and the sixth scheduled to join in 2003. The wide area network supported in part by this grant provides the telecommunications backbone for this shared service.

As a small public library system that does not have a technology coordinator or other technical positions on its staff, Manitowoc-Calumet has been challenged to meet the technology needs of its member libraries. Providing high speed, reliable Internet access through the Eastern Shores/MCLS wide area network is one way for MCLS to offer a valuable and much-needed service without adding costly personnel. MCLS member libraries have repeatedly confirmed that they want the System to continue to provide Internet access as a system service. By paying for a substantial portion of the cost of that service, this grant will help assure that Manitowoc-Calumet libraries and their users continue to have ready and reliable Internet access.

03-126 Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System $17,000 WAVE Linked Automation System

On April 30,2002 Mid-Wisconsin entered an agreement with Lakeshores Library System to provide the SIRSI automation system to the following libraries: Brownsville, Fox Lake, Horicon, Hustisford, Juneau, Lomira, Randolph, and Theresa. A portion of these costs were paid, at that time, and proceeds from LSTA 02-125 were used to help offset those costs. In May 2003 the second portion of the initial start up costs will be due to Lakeshores (upon implementation of the system). Monies from this grant will be used toward those costs.

03-128 Milwaukee County Federated Library System $38,000 Licensing Enhanced Software

MCFLS plans to utilize the 2003 LSTA shared systems technology funds toward the licensing of enhanced Innovative Interfaces application software. This will include the following:

Z39.50 Broadcast Search - $ 4,500; WebBridge (Allow multiple web links off any single record) - $ 19,500; the remaining $ 14,000 allocated to the purchase of additional Innovative User Licenses (Simultaneous Sessions) at $850 each.

03-130 Nicolet Federated Library System $27,900 Automation Telecommunications Support

NFLS will contract with OWLS to continue to act as agent to provide automation services to all NFLS libraries involved in OWLSnet. As a part of this contractual agreement between the two systems, NFLS will continue to provide subsidies for its member libraries, in order to keep the automation costs affordable for the member libraries. One of the significant costs that both systems continue to subsidize is telecommunications access for all libraries. Every library in the OWLSnet consortium has T-1 access, which is necessary in order to provide fast service to users to the OWLSnet automation system. This system also includes access to database content, either state-subsidized (BadgerLink) or system-subsidized (Gale databases), which requires substantial bandwidth and high speed telecommunications links. Over a year ago, NFLS and OWLS added 17 new T-1 lines to the system infrastructure, lines which were not TEACH subsidized. This required an extended contract with AT&T. This contract must continue to be supported through 2003, until the switch can be made to TEACH subsidized lines. The LSTA funds made available to NFLS will be used to continue to support the telecommunications infrastructure necessary to deliver automation services and enhanced content to all member libraries.

03-132 Northern Waters Library Service $23,600 Technology Expansion and Support

These technology funds will allow NWLS to continue a basic level of technology support for libraries through: Contracting for editing, consulting and trouble-shooting the NWLS website; participating in the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium ebooks project; enhancing the NWLS shared automated system through a hardware upgrade; supporting the NWLS T1 lines; supporting the NWLS dial-in cooperative cataloging lines; supporting the WISCNET ISP costs; contracting additional tech support for member libraries.

Member libraries were involved in the development of this application in two ways.

1. The elements of this project are included in the NWLS Technology and Resource Sharing Plan draft which was sent to libraries on August 30, 2002.

2. The libraries were sent a technology planning communique for the purpose of assessing their technology needs. These were incorporated into the plan and into this project.

03-134 Outagamie Waupaca Library System Award: $13,500 Network Virus Protection

A significant problem affecting OWLSnet has been how to effectively protect the computers in member libraries from virus infection. All computers connected to the network are required to be protected with antivirus software. Unfortunately, many member libraries are not able to do an adequate job of keeping their antivirus software up to date, resulting in major virus infections over the past several years. Because many viruses experienced by member libraries have come via infected email, software that scans all incoming and outgoing email messages would add an additional layer of virus protection to the network.

Because of these needs, OWLS proposes to use LSTA funding to acquire server-based antivirus software that will automatically scan all incoming and outgoing email and will automatically update virus signatures on member library personal computers without staff intervention. This project will provide a significant enhancement to the services and infrastructure of the OWLSnet shared automation network.

03-136 South Central Library System $40,600 Technology Projects

The LSTA 2003 funds in the Library System Technology Projects noncompetitive grant category will be allocated to the following SCLS projects:

I. Virtual Reference $10,000 of the LSTA funds will be used to cover the costs for the first year of a virtual reference service. The service will provide at-home reference service over the Internet to all patrons of SCLS libraries.

II. Online Training Facilities: As we prepare to rollout an updated Integrated Library System, the ability to do online training will allow staff to train more libraries without as much travel. $4000 of the LSTA funds will be used to experiment with WebEx, an online training facility, for three months with a maximum of 5 concurrent learners at any one time.

III. Digitization: $2000 will be used to digitize a county history title from Sauk County. The volume will be digitized and available through the SCLS web server. This will be the third county history title we have digitized with LSTA funds.

IV. Training For Reference USA Business Database: Next year, SCLS member libraries will most likely be purchasing the ReferenceUSA Business database. This database includes extensive information about businesses and non-profits throughout the country. Since this database is new to our libraries, we will be devoting $3400 of LSTA funds for training on this resource.

V. Workstation And Printing Management Software: A group of SCLS libraries are purchasing a product for workstation and print management. This product will alleviate the need for libraries to spend large amounts of time booking and monitoring Internet workstations by hand on paper, and will also allow for some cost recovery for printing. $11,200 of the LSTA funds will be used to cover a portion of each library's software and start-up costs for this project.

VI. Fiber Optic Internet Connection: SCLS has the opportunity to increase the bandwidth from the LINK network to the Internet to 96 Mbps from our current 3 Mbps by replacing two T1 lines with a fiber optic connection. The connection would be part of a fiber ring being created by the city of Madison. $10,000 of the LSTA funds would be used for a portion of the installation costs for this connection.

03-138 Southwest Wisconsin Library System $14,000 Internet access

This project relates to Internet access. It continues the effort to provide Internet access to the SWLS member libraries. All of the $14,000 will be used to provide Internet access over the SWLS T-1 network.

The funds for this project will pay all of the cost of Internet access through the SWLS T-1 network to 23 of the 27 SWLS member libraries.

03-140 Waukesha County Federated Library System $17,100 Virtual Reference and Wireless Technology

This project will fund two technology projects, virtual reference and providing wireless access in all Waukesha County Federated Library System (WCFLS) member libraries.

The virtual reference project will allow the WCFLS libraries to experiment with offering a virtual reference service for all count residents. The reference committee will look at various software packages and determine which meets the needs of the county residents. The committee may choose to join a cooperative, like Reference 24/7, in which reference service would be available live, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The grant would cover the monthly costs for 2003, WCFLS funds would cover the start up costs.

The wireless project would provide each library with a wireless access point and a wireless access card for one device or computer. Currently WCFLS has 3 mobile training labs, which utilize wireless technology. This project would allow the access device to remain in the building and could be used as the library saw fit, for training, opac access, public Internet access, etc. The libraries would have the option for an access card for a desktop, laptop or handheld device. This will allow the libraries to further experiment with wireless technologies. Some libraries may choose to purchase handheld devices and use them for web and opac acces away from service desks, other libraries could place desktop machines where there isn't wiring, allowing for more flexibility.

03-142 Winding Rivers Library System $22,100 WAN Development and Maintenance

The WAN Development and Maintenance project addresses issues relating to both Internet Access and Shared Automation Systems, by providing support for the central site capabilities of WRLSWEB, our shared technology network, which delivers both Internet and library automation services to member libraries, the resource library, and WRLS staff. The majority of the grant funds will be used to enhance the central site databases and cover the licenses that provide access to these resources for sharing among member libraries. There will also be funds expended for training of staff to optimize use of the information technology capabilities, and a small amount used for supplies related to training and database support. Finally, about 9% of the funding will be set aside to allow the System to upgrade some hardware and resource sharing software to assure that we can fulfill our obligations to members in regard to promoting Internet access and shared technology. By the end of 2002, ten members (29.4%) will be full participants in WRLSWEB; another fifteen libraries (44.1%) will be receiving Internet services via the WRLSWEB wide area network. This means that nearly three quarters of WRLS' member libraries are dependent in some fashion on the WRLSWEB network. Continued development and maintenance of that network is, therefore, crucial.

Specific steps in the project will include:

1) Contract with La Crosse Public Library (LPL) for training services for WRLS and member library staff ($3,524);

2) Contract with LPL for database enhancement services and maintenance of hardware and software licenses for the central site infrastructure ($14,013);

3) Contract with LPL for the provision of training and database supplies needed to fulfill obligations encompassed by one (1) and two (2) above ($2,563);

4) Acquire necessary computer hardware and software to update WRLS staff capabilities relating to Internet and resource sharing services for member libraries ($2,000)

With thirty-four public libraries as members of WRLS and twenty-five of them connected to WRLSWEB for some level of service, this leaves just nine libraries which have chosen other methods than the TEACH T1 for connectivity. Of those nine, five have other higher speed, dedicated connections, either DSL, cable, or T1 service. Only four public libraries remain in our region which are using dial-up service for Internet. While WRLS will continue to work with these institutions to improve their service, it is unlikely that they will be convinced to commit to dedicated service within the next five years. In three of the cases, the fear is that funding on an ongoing basis will be a problem; in such a situation, system block grant funding cannot address the concern because it is inappropriate to fund this service over the long haul using LSTA funds. In the fourth case, the library has adequate funding but not the motivation or vision to enhance their telecommunications.

Notwithstanding these four holdout libraries, WRLS feels that the system technology category has been a great success and has allowed many people to obtain significantly improved service within an environment that has not traditionally been supportive of new technologies or commitment to the future.

03-144 Winnefox Library System $18,800 System Technology Projects

These funds are being requested under the noncompetitive Library System Technology Projects category. Funds are being spent for two projects.

In 2002 we used this grant to fund assistive technology for libraries in the Winnefox Library System. Unfortunately, not every interested library was able to benefit from this grant. In 2003 we will be using $7,700 of this grant for additional assistive technology for 4 more libraries.

The remaining $11,100 will be used to help upgrade our shared automation system. The current DRA system is nearing the end of its lifespan and we are migrating to the SIRSI system. As part of that migration, the catalog interface will be upgraded to allow more outside content than is provided with the current catalog. The current catalog provides cover graphics, reviews and tables of content. The LSTA grant would be used to pay for part of the licensing for enhancement of that content.

03-146 Wisconsin Valley Library Service $26,800 Remote Training, Troubleshooting, Adaptive Devices

There are two parts to this project. In the first part, the Wisconsin Valley Library Service (WVLS) proposes to contract for licenses for software which will enable WVLS staff to more efficiently and effectively troubleshoot computer issues in local libraries. This software will also enable staff at one location to train staff at one or more locations in an unlimited variety of software programs. By using this software WVLS staff will be able to respond much more quickly to the specific needs of any individual library in the WVLS area. It will save staff travel time to the library and at the same time staff will be more immediately responsive to the needs of the libraries.

The second part of this grant involves the purchase of a 19 inch monitor along with screen reading software and headphones for a public computer workstation that is adapted for use by patrons with disabilities. These are the expensive items which libraries need to be able to provide this availability to special needs patrons. Individual libraries have indicated that they area willing to purchase the input device which is an alternative to the mouse and they are willing to purchase a keyboard which is longer that 3 feet. In some cases these pieces are already available in the libraries. They have also indicated that due to the high cost and extremely low demand for the large monitor and screen reading software (including headphones), these pieces are near the bottom of the priority list for local purchase.

There will not be enough funds to provide this package for every public library in the WVLS area. There is one public library which already has this package and two more libraries will be acquiring this package as a part of another grant. The packages purchased with this grant will be divided among the member counties so that each county has at least one library with a public computer workstation that is adapted for use by patrons with disabilities. The counties which have several public libraries will receive proportionately more of these packages for their libraries. The county library board in each county will determine where the adaptive package will be placed.

The V-Cat Council, comprised of one representative from each V-Cat member library, has discussed this proposal and endorses the use of LSTA funds for both purposes. The WVLS Library Advisory Committee (LAC), comprised of 15 librarians from all types of libraries, has also discussed this grant proposal and agrees with it. Although there is some overlap, the membership of these two groups is different. The WVLS Board of Trustees has also agreed with the use of these funds for these purposes.

The implementation of this grant will be on two tracks. The grant administrator will contract for the training and troubleshooting software in January 2003. The contract will include training of all staff who want to receive the training. The software will then be used throughout the year for training and troubleshooting purposes. Staff will evaluate the software in terms of ease of use, whether it has the functionality it says it has, frequency of use, etc. Library staff with whom the WVLS staff uses it will also be asked for their evaluation of the software from their point of view.

The grant administrator will also be investigating the purchase of the 19 inch monitors and the screen reading software and headphones. Each county library board will be asked what library(ies) they want the package to be installed in. The hardware and software will be purchased and installed in the libraries during the first quarter of the grant year. WVLS staff will provide training to the libraries in how to use the software. Each library will publicize the availability of this workstation for patrons with special needs and provide training on the software to patrons. Library staff will evaluate the package based on ease of use, useage by the public, feedback from those who use it, etc.

Shared Automated Library Systems

03-148 Indianhead Federated Library System $30,000 Expanding Shared System

The Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS) is a geographically large system spread across 10 counties in west central Wisconsin. Our membership is made up of 53 mostly small public libraries and 4 county library services. Forty-one of our member libraries are in communities of less than 3,000. Community size ranges from Eau Claire with a population of 62,000 to Deer Park with a population 227

In 2001 the FLS Board of Trustees adopted the goal that the system will provide leadership in identifying new technologies and implementing them in a way that all member libraries benefit. Shared automated information systems are one step on the path to achieving this goal.

By the end of this project, 32 libraries and IFLS will be members of the MORE shared automated system.

While libraries not in shared systems have expressed interest in joining a shared system, costs have been a major drawback.

IFLS is submitting this LSTA grant application on behalf of the Hazel Mackin Community Library in Roberts, the Fall Creek Public Library and the Spring Valley Public Library so that the libraries can join the MORE Shared System. Grant funds will be combined with IFLS and local funds to cover the costs of joining MORE. MORE membership costs are allocated to members by the number of access points for the shared system that the library has.

The Hazel Mackin Community Library is located in western St. Croix County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The library's current service area population is almost 3,000. However, the village is projecting that the service area population will grow to 7200 by 2020. The library will be replacing a SIRS Mandarin stand-alone system. The Fall Creek Public Library in western Eau Claire County serves 3,300 people. The library will be replacing a Winnebago stand-alone system. The Spring Valley Public Library in Pierce County serves 2,000 people. The library will be replacing a Winnebago stand-alone system.

This grant will also fund a 19" (or larger) monitor, an input devise as an alternative to a mouse and software that will both magnify and read text for each of the libraries.

The library will market the MORE system and the computer with software and equipment for people with disabilities to the community.

IFLS will assist the libraries to complete tasks to join the shared system, to select, install, and use the adaptive software and equipment, and to market MORE and the adaptive computer station.

03-150 Lakeshores Library System $50,000 Implementing a Shared Automated System

This project will involve the implementation of a shared library automation system for the fifteen member libraries of Lakeshores Library System. This means that the total population of Racine and Walworth Counties will have access to all public library materials in one catalog. The population of the two counties is 283,000 as of the 2000 Federal Census.

In December 2001, the Librarians' Advisory Committee for Lakeshores voted to choose SIRSI as the vendor from which Lakeshores Library System should seek a contract to begin a shared automated system.

A contract was negotiated and signed with SIRSI. To date equipment has been purchased and a payment has been made for the software but the project is not scheduled to be active until late May or early June 2003.

All of Lakeshores member libraries have signed onto the project, as have Burlington schools and eight members of the Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System. Seven of the Mid-Wisconsin consortium members use the Athena system as a standalone system. The eighth library is not yet automated.

Bibliographic records and holdings will be made available to the rest of the state in extractions loaded into the state of Wisconsin's catalog, WISCAT. The new catalog will be available on the Internet and will be Z39.50 compatible.

The consortium members have agreed to call themselves the Wave Consortium.

03-152 Manitowoc-Calumet Library System $10,000 Shared Automation: Adding Brillion to LARS

This project will help the Brillion Public Library to join the Manitowoc-Calumet Libraries Automated Resource Sharing Consortium (LARS) which operates a shared automation system within the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System area. Brillion, which is located in Calumet County, now has a stand-alone NSC AARCS computer system. Brillion is the only Manitowoc-Calumet library left to be added to LARS. The grant will pay for migrating Brillion's data to the LARS Dynix system and for Dynix receipt printer software for Brillion. Other project costs will be covered by the local municipality, a library trust fund, and an automation incentive grant from the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System.

LARS was established in 2000. Current members are the Chilton, Kiel, Manitowoc, New Holstein, and Two Rivers public libraries and MCLS as an agency. LARS members share a database of 476,000 holdings and 71,000 patron records. Brillion will add 37,000 more holdings, giving Manitowoc-Calumet residents ready access to more than half a million items in the immediate system area. Adding Brillion to LARS will also extend the benefits of shared automation to the people in Brillion's service area (6,712 according to the Wisconsin Library Service Record, or 8,279 by a more accurate tabulation that takes into account Brillion's large circulation to Manitowoc County residents). With Brillion joining LARS, all MCLS residents will enjoy access to the shared system.

LARS is governed by a Participants Council and is funded proportionately by the participating libraries. The Brillion Public Library has already endorsed the LARS Bylaws; the Brillion City Council supports the project; and the LARS Participants Council has approved the addition of Brillion as a new member.

LARS operates with epixtech Dynix software running on a server maintained at the Manitowoc Public Library, over a high speed wide area network. Manitowoc Public Library's Automation and Technology Coordinator serves as the LARS network administrator and will lead implementation of this project. Major activities to be accomplished include data conversion and migration, database cleanup, local site preparation, and staff training. These activities will be undertaken on a fairly conservative schedule between January and September, with Brillion's transition to the shared system targeted for October, 2003. Brillion will not need to rebarcode its collection nor re-register all patrons, but the library will need to install and market an adaptive workstation to assure that patrons with disabilities can use the new system, as required by grant guidelines. The library will use local funding for the adaptive workstation.

By most measures including state aid, Manitowoc-Calumet is the smallest of Wisconsin's seventeen public library systems. And by most measures such as collection size and number of staff, Brillion is the smallest of Manitowoc-Calumet's six member libraries. Maximizing access to resources through shared automation, as this project will do, is especially important in this context. Both MCLS and Brillion, as well as the other LARS libraries, have planned carefully and have made substantial commitments toward expanding LARS to serve the entire MCLS area. Additional assistance through this grant will help assure that this goal can be achieved.

03-154 Northern Waters Library Service $40,000 Merlin Expansion Continued>

The purpose of this application is to provide the necessary start-up costs for 4 additional NWLS libraries to join the Merlin Consortium, the NWLS shared automated circulation system. Grant funds will be used for start-up costs including software and hardware. As required, all libraries will have at least one computer workstation that is adapted for use by persons with disabilities. Therefore this project is planned in full compliance with the DLTCL's LSTA Information and Guidelines for Wisconsin 2003.

The following libraries are participating in this application for implementation in 2003: 1. Forest Lodge Library, Cable --service population 1374; 2. Land O' Lakes Library --service population 1242; 3. Eleanor Ellis Library, Phelps--service population 1321; 4. Madeline Island Library, La Pointe--service population 182.

In addition, these libraries serve several times this population because of tourist use of NWLS libraries which is encouraged and welcomed.

The Merlin system is unique because the OPAC includes the holdings of all member libraries. Each NWLS library collection is fully scoped on the OPAC which is Z39.50 compliant.

Merlin was implemented after a thorough planning process, support from several grants--LSTA and foundation plus a loan and grant from the Rural Development Association, a federal agency supporting the growth and vitality of rural areas.

The NWLS Merlin Team made up of the network administrator, database manager and circulation coordinator is responsible for the implementation of this project. Libraries receiving this LSTA funding participate in the evaluation of the project.

Our challenge is to continue to ensure that the Merlin system adds new members with the goal of eventually having 100% of NWLS libraries circulating their materials and sharing resources via this efficient and up-to-date method.

This project is another step toward fulfillment of the NWLS Technology Plan and moves us closer to realizing the vision of the state's technology plan: Access for anyone, From anywhere, At any time.

03-156 Waukesha County Federated Library System $35,000 Shared Automation for Brookfield and Muskego Libraries

This project will assist the Brookfield and Muskego Public Libraries to migrate their collections into a shared automation system with the Waukesha Public Library. This will be a new, shared system in the Waukesha County Federated Library System and will involve the resource library vending its services to these libraries. The grant funds will supplement local funds to enable this process.

The Brookfield Public Library has a collection of 140,145 items and circulates 538,726 items per year. Its library service area is 44,335. The Muskego Public Library has a collection of 88,426 books and circulates 106,533 items per year. Its library service area is 21,832. Both libraries are currently automated with a system from NSC, which runs on an AS400 server. The NSC software has not been updated in many years and both libraries have not been able to offer services to their users that they would like. The City of Muskego will no longer support the AS400 platform after 2003.

In 2002, the Waukesha Public Library upgraded their Inlex system to SIRSI Unicorn. It is Z39.50 compliant. The library also offers patron renewals, holds and enhanced content in the form of jacket art, book reviews, etc. When the Brookfield and Muskego libraries have joined this system, it will contain a collection of 498,000 items and serve a 170,000-population area. The shared system will also help WCFLS with resource sharing, and with the Constellation shared system, twelve of the sixteen member libraries will be in a shared system.

03-158 Winding Rivers Library System $50,000 WRLSWEB Expansion

The LSTA Guidelines for 2003 state that, with the Shared Automated Library Information Systems category, "Funds will assist public library systems ... in ... adding libraries to existing shared systems." One of the types of eligible requests is "Grants to enable public libraries to join an existing shared automated system." The WRLSWEB Expansion, 2003 project consists of precisely these objectives. Winding Rivers coordinated the development of a shared automation consortium in 1998-99, bringing together the Black River Falls Public Library, Taylor Memorial Library, La Crosse Public Library, and WRLS. Libraries in Coon Valley and Wonewoc joined in 2000; libraries in Ettrick, Galesville, Kendall, Mauston, and Viroqua are joining in 2002.

WRLSWEB is designed to serve the information technology needs of public libraries throughout Buffalo, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon Counties in west central Wisconsin. Except for La Crosse County, the area is predominantly rural with the majority of the public libraries in communities with fewer than 1,600 people. The sharing of resources is a crucial matter for regional library users. The desire to foster cooperative ventures to accomplish this sharing is a hallmark of this region. Therefore, the WRLSWEB Expansion, 2003 project is designed to 1) enhance the availability of materials and resources for local library users through a collaborative venture and 2) move the consortium towards the ultimate goal of having all public libraries in this seven county region participating in the shared technology network. This project will allow the libraries in La Farge, Necedah, Ontario, Sparta, and Wilton to become full participating members in WRLSWEB by the end of 2003. The project is seeking the maximum $10,000 for each of the five libraries.

Funds from this grant will be administered by Winding Rivers Library System but will be utilized exclusively to provide hardware, software, and membership eligibility for the local libraries. None of the requested funds will be used to enhance capabilities or infrastructure at the central site which is founded on the epitech Horizon platform. While the needs and priorities of each library differ, overall the grant funds will be devoted to the following categories of expenditure: peripheral hardware such as barcode readers, uninterruptible power supplies, adapted equipment for ADA stations (monitors, trackballs, headphones, keyboard cables), and furniture to accommodate stations; initial and first year participation fees; software needed to assure network security and ADA compliance; conversion supplies (such as item barcodes and barcode protectors).

Technical support for installation and training will be provided to the participating libraries through consortium contracts by staff from the Technical Services department of La Crosse Public Library and Winding Rivers Library System. These same staff will also provide guidance in performing the conversion process, though the primary responsibility for conversion will rest with the local public library.

By the end of this project, fifteen (44%) of the thirty-four libraries in Winding Rivers will be full members of WRLSWEB. Because of the REACH grants of 2002, another ten libraries are receiving Internet services from WRLSWEB and are directly connected to the regional WAN. The expectation is that they will also pursue full membership in the future.

03-160 Winnefox Library System $45,000 Adding Libraries to Automated Library Services

This project will pay for a portion of the automation costs for three Winnefox Library System member libraries to join WALS (Winnefox Automated Library Services), a member-funded Winnefox program.

The participating libraries are the Fond du Lac Public Library, the Mill Pond Public Library in Kingston, and the Packwaukee Public Library.

Kingston and Packwaukee have already installed Teach T1 lines and are currently offering public Internet access. Both libraries are members of Winnefox Cooperative Technical Services (WCTS) the cooperative technical services program of Winnefox. WCTS uses the shared automation system to catalog and barcode items for its member libraries. Packwaukee is also barcoding the older part of its collection in preparation for automation. LSTA funds paid for the telecommunication equipment for the two libraries, and REACH funds were used for cabling and the first-year T1 costs for Kingston.

The Fond du Lac library currently shares a T1 line with the city of Fond du Lac for Internet access. It operates its own stand-alone library automation system.

To fully automate the libraries need to pay automation startup charges-included in the WALS membership fee. Fond du Lac also needs to move onto its own T1 line and convert its collection and patron records.

The costs to automate with WALS are a significant hurdle for the libraries, although all have worked hard to obtain the funds. All three libraries are committed to joining WALS as soon as funding permits.

03-162 Wisconsin Valley Library Service Award $20,000 Expanding V-Cat Membership

The Wisconsin Valley Library Service (WVLS) proposes to add two member public libraries to its shared library automation system - V-Cat. The Edith Evans Community Library, Laona and the Withee Public Library have decided that with the help of this grant, they will be able to join V-Cat and sustain continued membership. The help that this grant will provide by covering most of the initial costs is significant. These libraries already have the TEACH T1 line in place and it is connected to the WVLS central site.

By joining V-Cat, these libraries will have access to over 570,000 holdings attached to over 300,000 bibliographic records in a total of 21 member libraries. Individually, Laona owns about 18,000 titles and Withee owns about 10,000 titles according to their 2001 annual report. The patrons of Laona and Withee will also be able to place holds on the V-Cat holdings without staff assistance and receive the materials within 2 or 3 days via the WVLS courier. The staff at each public library will be relieved of such mundane tasks as cataloging, follow-up on overdues, counting circulation statistics, etc., thus enabling them to focus more attention on the needs of their patrons. The V-Cat is also available on the Web so their patrons will be able to search the database from home, school. office, etc. and will be able to place holds on materials from those remote locations as long as they have a valid borrowers card.

This grant will also enable Laona and Withee to better meet the needs of patrons with disabilities. They will each establish a public workstation which can be used by patrons with disabilities, including access to those in wheelchairs. This workstation will have a large monitor (at least 19"), an input device that is an alternative to a mouse, a long keyboard cord, and screen reading software with headphones. The grant administrator will work with the system special needs consultant to insure that the workstation meets the needs of the patrons with disabilities. Staff at each library will be trained in using the hardware and software so that they can then provide training to patrons. Each library will publicize the availability of this workstation.

Department of Corrections Library Services

03-202 Department of Corrections $25,000 Coordination of Institution Library Services

This grant application seeks LSTA funds in the amount of $25,000 to partially cover the salary of the Library Services Coordinator position and certain position related costs: travel, training materials, professional books and subscriptions, and training and workshops for institution librarians. The Departments of Corrections (DOC) and Health and Family Services (DHFS) will fund $67,648 (DOC $43,971; DHFS $23,677) towards the Coordinator's salary and fringe, and the Department of Corrections will absorb position related office overhead costs of approximately $260.

The position of Institution Library Services Coordinator was established in 1985 in the Department of Health & Social Services. In 1989 the Coordinator position was transferred to Corrections from the Department of Health and Social Services and is now administratively placed within Corrections' Division of Correctional Programs (DCP). When Corrections and Health and Social Services became separate agencies in 1990, an inter-agency agreement was drawn up confirming the unchanged nature of the Coordinator's job responsibilities and continued services to institutions in both departments.

The Library Coordinator has responsibility for planning, developing, coordinating, and evaluating all library services in DOC and DHFS institutions. The position reviews current policies and practices, develops and recommends alternative policies and programs to department heads, division administrators, institution wardens and directors, and the institution librarians. The Coordinator administers library grants and acts as consultant on all aspects of library planning and management, facilitates management decisions, and serves as liaison person with outside organizations and agencies on library related issues. The position seeks to accomplish both long- and short-term objectives, some of which are outlined in Section VI of this application. Most functions are of a continuous nature, but responsibilities and work assignments change as specific objectives are achieved and new needs arise. (See also attached position description).

Literacy Projects

03-204 Arrowhead Library System $19,320 Literacy Coalitions to Aid Spanish Speaking Families

This grant will focus on library and literacy service to Spanish speaking families in Rock County. The grant will allow the Arrowhead Library System and member libraries to renew a coalition between the public libraries and the literacy councils working in Rock County to integrate Spanish speaking families into the community and promote library service to this rapidly growing population.

Cooperation between the literacy councils and the Arrowhead Library System was strong in the 1980s and when the LSTA special needs funding shifted to programs for youth, the link between the literacy councils and the library system weakened, as our service focus diverged. The grant will fund bi-lingual programs, staff training, literacy materials and cooperative literacy programs that will renew this once strong alliance. As Dan Scroggins, head of the Stateline Literacy Council in Beloit stated, Libraries and literacy councils are natural allies in reaching the Hispanic community and promoting family literacy.

03-206 Vaughn Public Library $62,446 Statewide Prime Time

This proposal is for seven libraries across Wisconsin to conduct Prime Time Family Reading Time, a family literacy program developed by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH). Prime Time is intended to serve low-income, low literacy families.

Youth programming, particularly for preschool and elementary school-age children, is an important service priority for Appleton Public Library and Vaughn Public Library (Ashland), much as it is for other public libraries in Wisconsin. Vaughn Public Library and Appleton Public Library have histories of steadily increasing attendance at youth programs, and each has established a strong rapport with agencies that serve children and families in their communities.

Despite their success with children's programming, the libraries share a concern that low literacy children-such as at risk children, children from low-income families, or children from families that speak English as a second language--may not be getting served despite the libraries' best efforts. As a result of this concern, staff at both libraries looked for programming to reach these underserved children.

In 2000, both libraries discovered Prime Time Family Reading Time, a humanities-based family literacy program developed in 1991 by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. Prime Time has a successful record of reaching low-income, low literacy families, the audience both the Appleton and Ashland libraries wanted to target for services. In the words of LEH, Prime Time "is a reading, discussion and storytelling series based on illustrated children's books designed specifically for under served families with children aged 6 to 10. Prime Time helps low-income, low literate families bond around the act of reading and learning together. It teaches parents and children to read and discuss humanities topics and aids them in selecting books and becoming active public library users." Both libraries applied for grants and became Prime Time sites in 2001.

Ashland had 15 families participating in the series, 13 of which had not previously used the library. Appleton had 30 families participating in its series, of which 25 were from ESL (English as a second language) families. Since the initial Prime Time programs, more than half of the families at each library have continued to borrow books, attend programs, or use reference services'a figure staff at both libraries considered a good start in their shared goal of reaching out to under-served children. It was, however, only a beginning, and both libraries sought to make Prime Time a centerpiece of their youth services programming. As a result, both libraries used LSTA grants to continue as Prime Time sites. Appleton completed its 2002 program in the spring, with 34 families participating, 25 percent of whom returned from the first year. Families who never visited the library before attending Prime Time are now attending Appleton public library programs and making visits to the library a part of their regular schedule. Ashland is scheduled to conduct a fall 2002 program and does not have second year results yet.

With successful Prime Time programs established in Appleton and Ashland, staff at both libraries agree it is time to expand Prime Time in Wisconsin. The public libraries serving Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Marathon County, New Berlin, and Oshkosh have agreed to be sites in 2003. Upon demonstration of successful Prime Time series across the state, the libraries plan to persuade the Wisconsin Humanities Council to adopt it as a Wisconsin program.

03-208 Brown County Library $22,955 "Come Read With Me" Bringing Books and Babies Together

"Every hug. Every lullaby. Every kiss. Every peek-a-boo. Every word. Every touch. Every warm blanket. Every giggle. Every smile. Everything you do in these first three years becomes a part of them." - New York Times, April 1997

The importance of reading to babies as a vital link to literacy has been recognized for several years. Brown County Library has been actively encouraging this link with Baby and Toddler Storytimes at several of its branches. While these programs have had much success, efforts must still be made to reach the populations of families who are not already library users and who would benefit most from such information. These are parents who speak English as a second language, teen parents, and parents who fall below the poverty line. Brown County Library seeks funding for this project to include activities beyond storytimes that some families cannot afford to do because of cost restrictions. We want to stress to parents and teachers they do not need to teach their children to read by age three, buy the latest "brain boosting" toy, nor do they need to enroll in every toddler music class in order for their child to succeed in school. Rather, we want them to know how easy and effective it is to introduce them to literature and build their little brains simply by talking, reading, and playing with them in everyday situations, and at no cost.

With this "Come Read With Me" project the BCL will:

*Host Toddler Playdays and Baby's Day Out programs at the library to encourage parents to interact with their children in developmentally appropriate activities. Some programs will feature guest speakers or samples of classes that would normally be offered for a fee through other agencies.

*Circulate "Booster PAKs"; theme based kits with board books, a puppet, and fingerplays so parents can recreate a storytime at home for their child. Also, we will increase the collections of board books in English and Spanish throughout the library system as this is an area that has seen an increase in circulation.

*Visit local agencies and their programs that serve teen or at-risk parents, such as W.I.C. New Baby classes, Teen Lamaze, and Adolescent Parenting Coalition Baby Safety Showers, and stress the importance of their role as their child's first teacher and encourage them to get library cards for themselves and their child.

*Print and distribute fingerplay booklets in English and Spanish for parents to use with their child at home.

*Offer a "Caregivers Workshop" for teachers, parents, and librarians to provide additional training and information on effective ways of sharing books, rhymes, and songs, with infants and toddlers.

*Offer Baby Storytimes in Spanish at the East Branch to introduce new immigrants with young families to the library.

*Add an Early Childhood Center to the children's department at the Central Library. This will be a designated area for families, infants and toddlers that offers developmentally appropriate toys and activities as well as toddler size furniture.

Through the efforts of BCL children's librarians and other agencies that care for young children and their families, we will do our part to encourage parents to read to their babies and increase future literacy and success in the community.

03-210 Dane County Library Service $24,000 Library Outreach to Hispanic families

The Hispanic population in the Dane County area has grown dramatically in the last decade, and will continue to grow. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Hispanics in Dane County increased 150 percent between 1990 and 2000, from 5,744 to 14,287. Need among many of these families is great, The Capital Times reports. The number of Hispanic families receiving economic assistance through the county rose nearly 43 percent between 1995 and 2000. 32.6% of the Wisconsin's Hispanic American children live in povert. This is a population that struggles with both literacy and poverty issues. An additional struggle in working with this population is that there is no strong tradition of free public library service in many Latin American countries. There is a strong need to make the public library more relevant and useful resource for this population.

The goals of the Library Outreach to Hispanic Families grant are: 1. To encourage independent reading amongst Hispanic children and their families. 2. To enhance the library's image and ability to be a relevant and inviting place for Hispanic children and their families. To achieve our goals this grant will support development of the bilingual/Spanish collection for Madison Public Library, Marshall Community Library and Dane County Library Service. The grant will also support bilingual/Spanish storytimes at Madison Public Library and Marshall Community Library. Special Hispanic programming will be offered at Madison Public Library, Marshall Community Library and a Dane County Library Service bookmobile stop. By offering more Spanish and bilingual materials and programming, we hope to make libraries a relevant and useful resource for the local Hispanic population.

Motheread/Fatheread classes will also be offered at Madison Public Library and Marshall Community Library. Motheread/Fatheread which was initially funded in a 2001 LSTA grant is a Family Literacy initiative. By using picturebooks as the core of it's curriculum, Motheread/Fatheread allows parents to improve literacy and parenting skills. Dane County Library Service has Motheread/Fatheread as a successful programming tool with Hispanic Even Start families and looks forward to increasing the number of classes to this population.

An important aspect of this grant will also be promoting our new materials and programming to the Hispanic population. We will have brochures and fliers translated into Spanish. These fliers and brochures will be distributed at locations that Hispanic families frequent such as local Hispanic markets and businesses. We will also update the Madison Public Library, Marshall Community Library and Dane County Library Service's web pages with library information in Spanish.

This grant will receive strong support from many collaborative agencies. Madison Public Library, Marshall Community Library, Madison Area Literacy Council, Centro Hispano, and Lopez's Mercado. Each of these agencies has a vested interest in building a strong connection between the Hispanic community and public library.

03-212 DeForest Area Public Library Award: $14,878 Early Brain Research, Story Hour Redesign, Busy Baby Bags

This project will use early brain research to re-evaluate current practices at the ten preschool story hours offered weekly at the DeForest Area Public Library. Early brain development research will also be used to assess the outreach services currently being offered to twenty-nine child care providers. Early brain development research indicates that there are ideal times for very young children, ages 0 - 3, for specific kinds of learning to occur. Using this information, story hours for very young children and their parents will be designed by project staff in conjunction with library staff.

Parents and care givers of very young children are not always aware of what best practices based on early brain research are. The second purpose of this project is to provide that information to parents and care givers by providing information in traditional library formats as well as in kits that are designed to be used with very young children and preschoolers. These kits, called "Busy Baby Bags", will include sheets of information about the research (such as the flyers available through the PLA's Early Literacy Initiative), suggested activities, audio and visual materials, and age-appropriate hard-surfaced toys. Approximately 50 kits will be created by this project.

The DeForest Area Public Library (DAPL) has created and circulated multi-part and multi-media kits for a number of years. However, these kits were geared to children from the age of 5, all the way up to 8th graders. The DAPL staff has developed activities for inclusion in kits distributed to parents and child care givers for children in these age ranges. This project would provide time for project staff to develop similar activities for very young children and to assess current activities and kits in light of the early brain development research.

The project coordinator will work with the school district to identify a cohort of children who have participated in the newly-designed story hours. This cohort will be compared to children who have not attended the story hour. This cohort will be tracked longitudinally after the end of the project by library staff. It is hoped that a positive impact can be determined from looking at the aggregated data over time. These outcomes will also, eventually, be reported.

This project will document the changes made in preschool story hours. It will also detail how story hours for very young children could be designed to maximize learning by basing the activities on the early brain development research. A manual will be created as part of this project with this information. The manual will also include copies of the information sheets and the suggested activity sheets. A copy of the manual will be distributed to each of the library systems in the state.

In order to perform the tasks of this project a quarter-time project coordinator will be hired. Materials will be developed and a collection of books, AV materials, toys, etc. will be purchased and made into Busy Baby Bags, which will be circulated to parents and child care givers.

03-214 Department of Corrections $11,800 Family Literacy Behind Prison Walls

The Department of Corrections is seeking LSTA funds to:

1) Enhance two existing family literacy programs: "Breaking Barriers with Books" at the Oshkosh Correctional Institution (OSCI) and "Fathers Sharing Books" at Jackson Correctional Institution (JCI);

2) Establish a new family literacy program at Racine Correctional Institution (RCI), based on the model of the two existing programs.

These family literacy programs are all based on a model developed by Dr. Margaret Genisio, Professor of Reading at UW-Oshkosh.

The goals of the program are: 1) promoting positive relationships between inmates and their children through literacy; 2) encouraging fathers to serve as positive role models and preserving family bonds; 3) providing opportunities for fathers to engage in positive cognitive and affective activities with their children; 4) providing inmates and their children with literacy and lifelong learning skills and the opportunity to apply them.

The program has four main components:

1) A five-week classroom course that teaches incarcerated fathers how to read to their children, how to tell a good story, how to draw and engage in other age appropriate activities with their children, as well as how to write poetry, keep a journal about their relationship with their children, and create their own books.

2) Weekly group meetings with other fathers to share experiences with using their newly acquired parenting and literacy skills.

3) Visits between fathers and children with planned activities using a variety of age appropriate resources.

4) Video and audiotaping for those program participants whose children cannot come to visit on a regular basis. The fathers can record themselves reading to their children and can send the tapes home.

Various studies have found, and actual experience substantiates, that valuing and supporting responsible fatherhood is a positive way to combat the weakening sphere of influence beginning during incarceration. Mentoring, teaching, and talking is part of active parenting, leading to closer bonding and father-child intimacy. Numerous studies have documented how children benefit from being read to, with this activity forming a bridge to literacy, success in school, and well adjusted behavior.

Some of the most important factors in whether or not a prisoner returns to prison are related to strong family ties and literacy. At the same time, a child who enjoys a healthy relationship with his/her parents and receives guidance through constructive and loving interaction, is much less likely to commit criminal activity later in life. A combined parenting and literacy program that addresses the needs of both the parent and the child is therefore a win-win situation for all parties involved, including society as a whole.

The grant money will be used to purchase children's books, puppets and storytelling kits, miscellaneous art supplies, and children's furniture -- to be used by inmates in a class when they learn reading aloud to children, storytelling skills, and appropriate activities to share with their children, as well as by the fathers and their children during visiting hours. Grant money will also be used to pay an outside vendor for a cartooning class, that is an integral part of the learning activities for the participating fathers.

One of the institutions will partner with Carthage College in Kenosha to provide education students with field experience in the prison, while the inmate fathers will participate student conducted workshops on reading aloud skills, storytelling, poetry and journal writing. The program will also use an outside vendor to provide drawing classes.

The participating institutions will contribute local funds for additional children's materials, as well as in-kind resources and staff time.

The family literacy programs will be managed by institution librarians and teachers.

Evaluation methods will include pre- and post class questionnaires, book usage by the visiting children, evidence of skills learned and applied through entries in personal journals, the production of a "memory book", and observation by program and security staff.

03-216 Eager Free Public Library $16,057 Community Early Literacy Outreach Project

This project will provide library services to children ages three and under in the Evansville area in collaboration with twelve local agencies that serve these children as well as their parents and caregivers. It is closely aligned with the goals and objectives outlined in "Public Library Services for Youth with Special Needs: A Plan for Wisconsin." The goals of the grant are that parents and caregivers will have an increased awareness of the importance of reading to young children and of its implications for a child's brain, that children age 3 and under, especially those who experience barriers to library use due to their family's educational, cultural, or socio-economic background, will become library users, and that young children (ages three and under) and their parents and caregivers will have increased access to library materials and services throughout the community.

A coalition of agencies including Eager Free Public Library, Evansville Mercy Clinic, Dean Clinic, Evansville Care Closet/Food Pantry, Headstart, Birth to Three, Rock County Low Cost Immunization Clinics, First Time Parents, Magic Moments Daycare, Small Wonders Daycare, Brighter Beginnings Daycare, Kid's Corner Daycare, and the Exchange Family Resource Center will all work together to achieve these goals. Library materials appropriate for very young children will be made available though rotating collections at many of the agencies, and storytimes for babies, toddlers and young preschoolers will be held at the library and at other locations. There will also be three programs for parents and caregivers that demonstrate reading skills and highlight the importance of reading to young children. Local physicians will give written prescriptions advising parents to read to their children daily, the local newspaper will feature articles and advertisements promoting reading throughout the year, and community agencies will distribute promotional materials supporting the campaign. Both library materials and promotional items will be in English and in Spanish to reflect the needs of the community.

03-218 Kenosha Public Library $13,105 Library Services for Latinos

Kenosha Public Library is applying for this grant on behalf of the Kenosha County Library System, for which Kenosha Public Library acts as an administrative and fiscal agent. Kenosha County Library System is a single-county library system comprised of two multi-branch public libraries. The Kenosha Public Library is located in the city of Kenosha and consists of four branches and a Bookmobile, while Community Library serves the western part of the county with libraries in Salem, Twin Lakes and Silver Lake.

The Hispanic population in the Kenosha County Library System service area has increased significantly from the 1990 census to the 2000 census, with a 93% increase in growth. The majority of the Spanish speaking population lives in the City of Kenosha, where the Hispanic population increased 90% from the 1990 census to the 2000 census. The purpose of this project is to promote literacy among the Hispanic population by providing Kenosha Public Library's services and materials, by which they may learn English. Kenosha Public Library staff will work closely with the Kenosha Spanish Center and the Kenosha Literacy Council in the planning and implementation of this project. Kenosha Public Library's 'Library Services for Latinos' project will include the following services and programs to better serve the Hispanic population.

This project includes the following:

1. Translation of library card application, resource brochures and pages of Kenosha Public Library website into the Spanish language. 2. Purchase of bilingual and ESL print and multimedia (video, audio and CD-ROM formats) materials. 3. Purchase an electronic Spanish language periodicals database that will be available to member library patrons. 4. Purchase of electronic hand-held translators and pens for staff at circulation and reference desks to use to communicate with non English-speaking Latinos. 5. Contract with performers to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and National Literacy Month in September. Programs to be held in libraries. 6. Contract with the Kenosha Spanish Center to conduct library staff training workshops centering on Hispanic cultural awareness. 7. Market services to Latinos through agencies such as the Spanish Center that Latinos use, as well as through the system libraries and other community agencies.

03-220 Lakeshores Library System Award $25,025 Services to Latinos: Libraries and Literacy

The Hispanic population in the Lakeshores Library System service area has grown significantly from the 1990 census to the 2000 census. In Racine County, the number of Spanish speaking residents has increased by 66%, while in Walworth County the Hispanic population has increased 204%. The Lakeshores Library System's Services for Latinos: Libraries and Literacy project will provide programming and literacy services for Spanish speaking youth and their families at the 15 member libraries in Racine and Walworth Counties. This project continues and enhances the library services provided to Hispanics by previously funded LSTA grants, including 2000's Usa la Biblioteca and 2002's Library Services for Latinos.

Services for Latinos: Libraries and Literacy includes the following components:

1) Hiring a bilingual Storywagon series performer for summer library programs in 2003. 2) Maintaining access to a Spanish language periodical database that is currently available to member library patrons and statewide. 3) Hosting a workshop on volunteer literacy tutor training for library staff. 4) Hosting a workshop on beginning and leading a book discussion group for library patrons for whom English is a second language. 5) Compilng a list of independent literacy providers in Walworth County, where there is presently no formal literacy organization. 6) Purchasing the Sirsi iBistro Spanish language toggle for WAVE, the Lakeshores Library System shared automation consortium. 7) Purchasing several copies of Rosetta Stone language learning software in English for patrons who wish to learn English as a second language. 8) Marketing services to Latinos through the member libraries and community agencies. 9) Purchasing professional collection materials to benefit member libraries and their Spanish speaking patrons.

This is a great opportunity for Lakeshores Library System member libraries and the Racine Literacy Council to promote library services to Latinos in their individual communities.

03-222 Manitowoc-Calumet Library System $13,415 Literacy: Reaching Out to Latino/Hispanic Farm Families

This project will help the six public libraries in the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System to improve their family literacy resources for Latino/Hispanic parents in Manitowoc and Calumet counties, particularly those working on dairy farms.

The Latino/Hispanic population in Manitowoc and Calumet Counties has grown substantially, with census data showing a 131% increase here from 1990 to 2000 compared to 107% for the state's Latino/Hispanic population as a whole during that period. The current Manitowoc-Calumet Latino/Hispanic population is estimated to number about 1,825 people, many of whom are parents with young children.

With the exception of a small collection at the System Resource Library, Manitowoc-Calumet member libraries currently have no bilingual or Spanish language materials, so there is a great need to expand resources and services. However, MCLS has decided to target its initial efforts very specifically for this first outreach effort. Instead of trying to initiate programs for all the Latino/Hispanic families in the area, MCLS will partner with the Manitowoc County UW-Extension to develop small bilingual and Spanish language family literacy collections in all six libraries, and market these materials in particular to Latino/Hispanic families in which one or both parents are employed on area dairy farms. This approach was recommended by the UW-Extension Family Living Educator who in 2001 completed a focus group study to identify problems and needs of the Latino/Hispanic residents of Manitowoc County. Her findings showed that within Manitowoc County there are 20 to 30 dairy farmers employing Latino/Hispanic workers (with another 10 similar farms in Calumet County). Many of these farmers are trying to help their employees learn English. A number belong to the Manitowoc County Hispanic Consortium, and UW-Extension staff maintain mailings and direct contacts to support these efforts. MCLS will work within these established lines of communication to inform the farmers, and their Latino/Hispanic workers and their families, about library resources and services.

MCLS will use project funds to provide a training workshop for MCLS librarians, establish small family literacy collections in each of the six libraries, contract with a local translator to translate library card applications and policies for each library into Spanish, collaborate with UW-Extension in both counties on outreach and promotional efforts to this target group, and contact and meet with other area literacy providers to plan for expansion of library resources and services for Latino/Hispanic residents in future years.

Although this is a very limited, modest project, it is a reasonable first effort for Manitowoc-Calumet, which has a very small staff and which by most measures including state aid is considered to be the smallest of Wisconsin's seventeen public library systems. With this grant, MCLS will be able to carry out objectives from its annual System Plan as well as model a very specific project to demonstrate the role of public libraries in providing adult and family literacy services, as called for in the LSTA Five-Year Plan for Wisconsin.

03-224 Milwaukee Public Library $29,620 Books2Go -Libros para Llevar

Books2Go - Libros para Llevar is an outreach program for Latino children 0 - 3 years old, their parents, and childcare providers in the Forest Home Library service area. The Forest Home Library was chosen as the target library because 60 % of Latinos living in the city of Milwaukee reside in this neighborhood. This program builds upon the award winning Books2Go Outreach to Milwaukee Preschoolers program, which was started as an LSTA project in 2000 and has continued as an LSTA project through 2002. The Books2Go Libros para Llevar program will specifically target the Latino population to develop pre-reading skills in children 0 - 3 and educate their families and childcare providers on the benefits of the library.

A key component of the Books2Go - Libros para Llevar program is a bilingual outreach educator. The Outreach Educator will be the main promoter of the program and will distribute most of the marketing materials. The Outreach Educator will be responsible for contacting and visiting Latino childcares in the Forest Home Library service area, registering them as members of the Books2Go Libros para Llevar program, distributing library cards, library materials, and promotional items. The Outreach Educator will model read-aloud techniques, schedule the first story time at the Forest Home Library, and maintain statistics for the program. The Outreach Educator will also present to parents and childcare providers information on the importance of reading to infants and how this helps develop pre-reading skills. The library will partner with three community agencies: La Causa, Esperanza Unida, and Guadalupe Head Start Day Care Center. These agencies' missions all include a focus on providing children and their families with quality services to nurture healthy families, enhance community stability, and maximize personal development and self-sufficiency. Library staff and the Outreach Educator will give presentations to these community groups about the program and on the importance of reading to young children. These community groups are also invited to hold their meetings in the library meeting rooms, receive library tours, and have a librarian or the Outreach Educator speak at these meetings.

Additional materials will be purchased for use with children 0 to 3. Items will include wordless board books, and Spanish and bilingual materials to meet the needs of a growing community of non-English speaking families.

The main promotion of the program will be in person by the Outreach Educator through meetings at childcare centers or through training programs with the community partners. In addition to the Outreach Educator, community partners and the library staff will also be promoting the program. Through this multiple approach to repeating the message, the target audience will receive information about the program in a variety of different settings, such as at festivals, training sessions, Hispanic newspapers, etc. It is thought that the message will need to be repeated many times for providers to take action and embrace the program and the library.

The marketing materials will include using some of the promotional items from the already established Books2Go program for 3 to 5 year olds, including the backpacks with the Books2Go logo, window clings, library cards with logo, Spanish teacher resource book, and bilingual reminder postcards for story times. New items and public relation plans include creating a bilingual alphabet poster with the tag line "Books2Go - Libros para Llevar @ your Milwaukee Public Library." This would be used for promotion at childcare centers, and displayed in community meeting places, such as grocery stores and laundromats. These posters would also be given to parents of children who are participating in the program to make them aware of the program and remind them of the library and the program.

Throughout the year, the library will work closely with the community partners to reach the target audience and help guide the progress of the grant.

03-226 Shell Lake Public Library $17,692 Traveling Librarian

With this grant, the Shell Lake Public Library and the Spooner Memorial Library, the only libraries in Washburn County (857 square miles), propose to strengthen and expand outreach library services to children by providing Traveling Librarians who will enable additional programming to be offered such as; rotating collections and story hour visits to Head Start, Preschools and home based daycare providers residing within the county. The libraries plan to target children from birth to three years old and their caregivers, where they gather, in order to meet the rising educational, literate, social and socioeconomic needs. There are many children who don't have access to a library because they live in a remote location. Thus, the libraries must reach out to these children and bring library services to where they gather. The library's focus will be on home based daycare providers who do not have the means to bring groups of children to the libraries and Preschools and Head Start, who concentrate on serving socio-economically disadvantaged children.

Major activities include weekly (for 10 weeks) site visits to at least 13 home based daycare providers by the Traveling Librarian who will provide each visit with a rotating tub of materials and a story hour. Site visits to the Preschool in Birchwood by the Traveling Librarian with a story hour and rotating tub once a month during the school year. Provide monthly story hours and material rotations to the Head Start and Salem Lutheran Preschool in Shell Lake at the Shell Lake Public Library during the school year because they reside within 2 blocks of the Library. The Spooner Memorial Library will offer two evening programs at their Library to promote literacy in the context of family and multi-generational units at appropriate times when families usually spend time together.

If the libraries hope to reach at-risk children, they need to go out into the community where children gather and provide the same level of excellent service to them as to the ones who can access the library.

03-228 Southwest Wisconsin Library System $17,796 Babywise

Grover Whitehurst, Psychology Dept. at the State University of New York, says during a child's first two years, the most important thing that can be done to foster reading is fill the child with warm interactions around age appropriate books that teach the equation: books = love + fun. Children who experience repeated interactions with books and a caring adult learn to value literature as an intrinsic part of their lives. Unfortunately, there are children who are not exposed to repeated, age appropriate experiences with books due to their family's socio-economic or educational disadvantages. Below are the goals set for this grant to help address this need in the SWLS communities.

1) Through a hands-on early childhood brain development display unit which will rotate through the 27 SWLS libraries, educate parents/caregivers about the importance of early childhood brain development. The display will be promoted through Day-care centers and other agencies working with families with educational or economic disadvantages.

2) Enable parents/caregivers to re-create the activities demonstrated at the brain development display by providing interactive book/toy kits to check out from the libraries and use in their own homes.

3) Provide a role model for parents/caregivers on how to offer appropriate experience with books to their children ages 0-3 through toddler storytimes presented by trained, knowledgable librarians.

4) Enable all SWLS libraries to offer quality toddler programs by providing ready to use program kits.

5) Provide a digital camera to help librarians create flyers, posters, pictures for web pages, bulletin boards, power-point presentations, newspaper photos, etc., to reach socio-economically or educationally disadvantaged families, and give them the opportunity to know about and use the public library.

03-230 Waukesha County Federated Library System $18,750 Reaching Out to People for Whom English is a Second Language

According to the U.S. Census, in 2000 there were 13,017 foreign-born residents in Waukesha County. Those speaking a language other than English at home (age 5 and older) totaled 5.9% of the population, or 21,285.

While the majority of adults for whom English is a second language consider themselves to be Hispanic or Latino (2.6% of the population, or 9,380), the number of people from non-Spanish speaking countries is growing. According to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, during the period 1991-1998, the number of immigrants to Waukesha County from India and China exceeded those from Mexico. In addition to these three countries, Canada, the Soviet Union, the UK, Germany, Korea, Philippines and Pakistan constituted the top ten countries of immigrant admissions during that time period.

Because these populations have settled in "pockets" or within mini-communities throughout Waukesha County, several, but not all, WCFLS libraries have indicated a need to increase services and outreach to these populations. Libraries expressing an interest in this project are: Brookfield, Delafield, Eagle, Hartland, Muskego, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Sussex-Lisbon and Waukesha.

There are 3 components to the grant: collection development, continuing education and awareness raising for staff of member libraries, and outreach/marketing. Collection development activities will include increasing the resource library's community language collection, establishing an additional collection at one other library as well as establishing a rotating collection. Continuing education activities will include a cultural diversity fair, a workshop on what the resource library and other member libraries have in their collections, and a class offering Spanish to library staff members. In addition to providing posters and bi-lingual promotional materials, the outreach and marketing component will include a partnership with WCTC to offer a Parents as Educational Partners program focused on parents of students for whom English is a second language. This is a unique and exceptional opportunity to target adults already predisposed to learning more about the community by virtue of the fact that they are attending the class while their children are simultaneously taking an English-as-a-second-language class. WCFLS staff will also partner with Waukesha Literacy Council staff to promote use of public libraries to their students and explore opportunities to promote libraries with staff at LaCasa de Esperanza who have expressed interest in participating in grant activities. WCFLS staff will also identify and reach out to other agencies serving ESL constituents.

There are three goals to this project. The first goal is to increase the availability of community language and ESL materials in member libraries. The second is to raise awareness amongst member library staff members regarding Waukesha County's culturally diverse population and what public libraries have to offer, thereby lowering barriers to serving this population. The third is to reach out to those for whom English is a second language to raise their awareness about public libraries.

03-232 Waukesha County Federated Library System $28,000 Waukesha County Ready to Read

The Waukesha County Federated Library System (WCFLS) will partner with the Waukesha County Brain Team (WCBT) and Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) Reading Excellence Program to promote early literacy by targeting children ages 0-3 and their caregivers. Child development experts have identified a critical need, particularly among low-income urban and rural families, to help parents understand the importance of early brain development and offer them strategies to guide their children's development. Without such intervention, poor and low-income children will not be prepared for school and will continue to fall behind. The goal of the Waukesha County Ready To Read proposal is:

a) To develop informational materials to help low-income parents understand their potential effect on the early brain development of their children ages 0-3.

b) To assist them in implementing early literacy activities in the home using additional materials checked out from their local library.

c) To encourage regular library use and attendance at library programs designed for this age group.

There are three major components to this project. The estimated budget is $28,000.

1. WCFLS will encourage library use by families with young children that do not currently use the library by partnering with the WCTC Reading Excellence Program. The program will expand its current scope (children ages 3-6 and their caregivers) to create the Waukesha County Ready To Read and Learn Program which will serve children 0-3 and thier caretakers. In this program volunteer mentors will be be matched with families and work with parents and children in the home on early reading skills. The mentors will introduce the families to their public library, encourage library card sign-up and regular visits to borrow materials and attend appropriate pr

For questions about this information, contact Robert F. Bocher (608) 266-2127

Last updated on 2/25/2008 8:59:25 AM