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DPI uses keywords that are used to associate content with major category/topic areas. By using this classification system, you are able to click a keyword and see a listing of DPI content that has been associated with this category.

Please scan over the titles below. If you see a topic that interests you, click the Read More link to access the page.

Update WISCAT & BadgerLink URLs by December 1!

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Do you link to your library’s WISCAT instance or any BadgerLink resources on your library website?

As of September 30th, 2019, all WISCAT & BadgerLink resource URLs changed. Our vendor is currently providing a redirect but that will no longer be in effect as of December 1, 2020.

WISCAT

For reference, the updated URL structure for linking directly to your library’s WISCAT instance is https://www.wiscat.net/home?cid=stwi&lid=XXXX where XXXX = your library’s WISCAT code. If your WISCAT link ends with reset=force, it is outdated and will not work after December 1.

BadgerLink
The updated URL structure for linking to BadgerLink’s authenticated URLs (e.g. Academic Search Premier) is formatted as: https://www.wiscat.net/ext/validateglobal.php?cid=stwi&lid=stwi&dataid=71. As of December 1, 2020, there will no longer be a redirect when using this outdated authenticated URL structure for BadgerLink Resources: https://www.wiscat.net/homepages/CustomerWide/ValidateGlobalIP.asp?cuid=stwi&lid=stwi&dataid=71&term=

Take a look at your WISCAT & BadgerLink URLs and contact us at dpirllill@dpi.wi.gov or badgerlink@dpi.wi.gov with any questions!

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Recommended Materials Quarantine Time Reduced

Monday, October 12, 2020

In response to inquiries received from various sources connected to the Wisconsin library community, the Division for Libraries and Technology (DLT) reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) for guidance on the handling and circulation of library materials during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to contact DHS at this time was based on the recent advice released by the State Library of Oregon, in response to concerns about independent interpretation of the results of the REALM project, whose research has provided information about the viability of the virus on library materials, but has not provided specific recommendations on materials handling.

Upon review of the guidance provided by the State Library of Oregon, advice from the experts at the Oregon Health Authority, and review of the REALM test results, Wisconsin DHS agreed with the Oregon Health Authority’s interpretation that a 24-hour quarantine time would be sufficient as a precautionary measure.

DLT acknowledges that these recommendations are intended to assist libraries in making local decisions about handling and circulating materials safely. Regional and local conditions should be taken into account when considering changes to current materials handling and delivery practices. We strongly encourage local libraries to communicate with their public library systems prior to making such changes, as systems may need time to prepare for logistical challenges brought on by an influx of circulating materials.

Libraries can continue to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by following the safety protocols of mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing, increased cleaning; by avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose, and mouth; and by limiting in-person services and reducing occupancy within their facilities.

The Wisconsin Public Libraries Reopening Guide will be edited to include this updated information this week.

Submitted by the Libraries Team, DLT

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Quarantine Increased to Four Days, per Battelle Test 2 Results

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

On July 21, 2020, scientists at Battelle Labs released the results of Test 2of the REALM Project. Library materials tested included Braille paper pages, glossy book pages, magazine pages, children’s board books, and archival folders, in varying environmental conditions. While most of these results came back acceptable under current recommended quarantine practices, the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 showed a trace amount of virus at four days on certain materials. In light of these results, DPI and the system directors have determined that the recommended quarantine time for library materials be increased to four days.

We realize that an increase in quarantine time may be burdensome to many libraries; this decision was not made lightly. Because the public library is an institution that people trust, honoring that trust by being cautious with protocols involving public safety, particularly when the science supports doing so, is of utmost importance.

We continue to encourage libraries to communicate with their public library systems to make sure they are consistent with regional quarantine practices. For more information, please see the Wisconsin Public Libraries Reopening Guide and the COVID-19 page for Wisconsin public libraries.

Submitted by the Library Team, Division for Libraries & Technology

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Public Libraries Reopening Guide Released - June 3, 2020

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

The latest version of reopening guidelines for public libraries has been released. The Wisconsin Public Libraries Reopening Guide, a collaborative effort between the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Wisconsin public library community, provides a process to help libraries develop their own reopening plans. This reopening guide focuses on the safety of staff and the community and is specific to the needs of libraries and library services during this COVID-19 public health event. The decision about how and when to reopen a library remains a local decision.

The overview document offers an "At-A-Glance” view of the process, presented as steps in decision-making at the local level, while the full Reopening Guide provides a “deep dive” into different aspects of reopening, including an occupancy calculator, which can help a library determine how many people it will allow in the library or a specific space.

Please NOTE these documents replace the previous reopening guidelines. Due to the cancellation of the DHS Safer at Home orders and the Badger Bounce Back Plan, this guide is no longer aligned with such orders. Further, while the Reopening Guide will evolve as additional information becomes available, scaled service levels no longer exist.

We encourage libraries to share this information with trustees to ensure informed decisions when planning future service offerings within the context of the pandemic.

A walkthrough webinar has been scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at 10:30 a.m. This webinar will be recorded and shared promptly. In-depth webinars will follow beginning next week, as needed.

Please contact your public library system if you require additional information.

Submitted by the Library Team, Division for Libraries and Technology

 

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Curbside service webinar recordings

Monday, May 4, 2020

Last week, DPI hosted a webinar in which four libraries shared their procedures and best practices around curbside service. The recordings and procedural documents are now available to view. To allow easier viewing and ease the strain on bandwidth, each library presentation has been separated into its own video. The question and answer section and additional information from DPI has also been broken out.

As a reminder, the decision to offer curbside library service is a local library decision and this blog post and the accompanying webinar recordings should not be viewed as endorsement or encouragement to provide the service.

Introduction and DPI Information

 

https://youtu.be/r_YuZMidgrw

Introduction of the webinar and an explanation of the Guidelines for Reopening Libraries from DPI Library Administration Consultant Shannon Schultz, and a reminder about keeping track of curbside interactions to best tell the library story of the pandemic response.

Brodhead Public Library


https://youtu.be/KjLTWgmZUTE

Angela Noel talked about how the Brodhead Public Library in the South Central Library System is offering curbside service. Angela has also shared a graphic they use on Facebook, the document they use for scheduling, and the opening and closing checklist used by staff.

Contact Angela [] if you have specific questions.

Cedarburg Public Library


https://youtu.be/eEnJrATMk3s

Linda Pierschalla detailed the procedures followed by the Cedarburg Public Library in the Monarch Library System. Linda has made her procedure documents available with pictures or without pictures.

Contact Linda if you have specific questions.

Spooner Memorial Library


https://youtu.be/6UlqKigTu-E

Angie Bodzislaw talked about how curbside service is offered at the Spooner Memorial Library in Northern Waters Library Service. Angie shared their procedures as well as an editable version of their pickup form and a graphic used on their website and social media.

Contact Angie if you have specific questions.

Whitehall Public Library


https://youtu.be/KMKuGL5_bS4

Amanda Hegge discussed how Whitehall Public Library in the Winding Rivers Library System offers curbside service. Amanda shared the library’s Protocols and Guidelines document.

Contact Amanda if you have specific questions.

Question and Answer


https://youtu.be/pIqvPqSzdBM

The panelists then answered questions from the audience. Questions ranged from best practices in placing items in a patron’s car to considering privacy implications of curbside service. Not all questions were able to be answered, but unanswered questions are being integrated into FAQs in Guidelines to Reopening Libraries service level documents.

Thanks to all the presenters for sharing what they are doing for curbside service at their libraries!

Upcoming webinar


Please join us for another webinar on the Guidelines for Reopening on Thursday, May 7, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

The webinar will include an overview of the Guidelines, discussion about the library service levels, and a Q & A session driven by the participants. Questions to be answered during the webinar may be added here. Questions can be submitted in chat during the webinar as well, but we cannot guarantee that we will get to them all.

Here’s the attendee link to join the webinar.

Posted by Ben Miller, Division for Libraries and Technology

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For questions about this information, contact Ben Miller (608) 224-6168

Guidelines for Reopening WI Public Libraries Released

Friday, April 24, 2020

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI), in collaboration with leaders from all 16 Wisconsin regional library systems that represent all 380 public libraries, have developed general guidelines, clarification, and best practices for local libraries to eventually reopen to the public. The principles of personal safety, risk mitigation, transparency, and capacity guide the ongoing development and application of these guidelines.

Every community in Wisconsin is unique and all library decisions are made by local library boards. These guidelines and best practices are intended to allow libraries to make the best possible decisions for their communities. Not all libraries will have the ability to offer curbside service at the same level or along the same timeline as other libraries. The safety of library staff and communities is of paramount consideration while evaluating the services offered.

Each library and system will determine its level of physical item service, handling, and delivery based upon its ability to abide by public health protocols for staff and patrons. We encourage libraries to share this information with trustees to ensure informed decisions when planning future service offerings within the context of the pandemic. Planning for the upcoming service levels, based on the Governor's Badger Bounce Back plan is currently underway.

The Guidelines for Reopening WI Public Libraries is a living document and a work in progress; it will be edited and added to as situations evolve. It serves as the reference point for changes in orders coming from DHS and the Office of the Governor, and will address how those orders impact library services at the public library level.

Contact your public library system for additional information.

Submitted by the Library Team, Division for Libraries and Technology

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Safer at Home Extended, Curbside Pick-up Added to Exceptions

Thursday, April 16, 2020

At 12:51 p.m. on April 16, 2020, the State of Wisconsin issued a press release regarding the extension of Wisconsin’s Safer at Home Order until 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (or until a superseding order is issued) per Emergency Order #28. Order #28 implements some new safety measures and allows certain activities to begin ramping up service and operations. The following sections of Order #28 pertain to public libraries:

Order 4b: Closures: Libraries. Public libraries must remain closed for all in-person services. Library may provide the following services, beginning no sooner than 8:00 a.m. on April 24, 2020*:

  • Libraries may continue to provide online services and programming, as was permitted under the Safer at Home Order.

  • Libraries may begin to offer curbside pick-up of books and other library materials, only if all of the following conditions are met:

    • All operations are performed by one person in a room or confined space (see below for details);

    • Materials are requested online or by phone before pick up;

    • A signature from the patron is not collected;

    • All pick-ups are scheduled, to ensure compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in Section 16 of the Safer at Home Order.

  • Any Essential Governmental Function; and

  • Food distribution, which were both permitted under the Safer at Home Order.

Order 12: Essential Government Functions. Government bodies including the library board should continue to follow the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Office of Open Government guidance regarding holding government meetings, and library boards should continue to convene monthly to audit and approve the payment of all expenditures of the public library, pursuant to Wis. Stat. sec. 43.58(2)(a). The OOG advisory on open meetings is available at www.doj.state.wi.us/news-releases/office-open-government-advisory-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-and-open-meetings.

Other functions exempted under this order could include food distribution and other activities deemed essential by the municipality.

Order 14: Minimum Basic Operations. This order allows the minimum necessary activities to preserve the library facility and equipment, address information technology (IT) issues, ensure physical and cybersecurity, process payroll and fulfill business services obligations, as well as activities that facilitate the ability of staff to work remotely from home.

Curbside service has been added to the list of minimum basic operations for public libraries. As a non-essential business, a public library may continue basic minimum operations by restricting the number of workers in the library to no more than is strictly necessary to perform curbside service, as well as the other minimum basic operations. These added employees can now be considered essential staff, for the purpose of operating the library with limited services.

Curbside service can only be offered by a library if all four conditions outlined in the Order #28 are met. “All operations performed by one person in a room or confined space” implies proper social distancing. It does not mean that one individual must perform all operations involved in running a curbside service; rather, it limits the number of people working in a room or confined space to one person.

Materials must be requested either online or by phone, and all pick-ups must be scheduled to ensure that social distancing requirements are met. Because lobby areas and vestibules provide an increased risk of contagion, they are not acceptable pick-up spaces for curbside service. All transactions should occur outside and away from the doorways, where people can properly socially distance themselves without coming into contact with others and hard surfaces.

Delivery and mailings. More information is needed to determine if this section applies to exchange of materials between libraries. Library staff should not provide home deliveries or offer deposit collections to residence facilities until a determination is made.

Order 16: Social Distancing Requirements. For purposes of this Order, Social Distancing Requirements includes:

  1. Maintaining social distancing of six (6) feet between people;

  2. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer;

  3. Covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands);

  4. Regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces;

  5. Not shaking hands; and

  6. Following all other public health recommendations issued by DHS and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

DLT acknowledges that public libraries are a matter of local control. We encourage you to contact your municipal attorney, county corporate counsel, or independently contracted attorney for advice when interpreting legal issues.

See also: Office of the Governor Safer at Home FAQs

*Added after the original post, per clarification in the "Office of the Governor Safer at Home FAQs" sheet linked above.

Submitted by the Library Team, Division for Libraries and Technology

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Materials Quarantine: No More than 24 Hours Needed, per CDC Epidemiologist

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Please note the date of this article. Information regarding COVID-19 is constantly evolving. We encourage you to review current information in the the Wisconsin Public Libraries Reopening Guide and the COVID-19 page for Wisconsin public libraries.

In a webinar hosted by IMLS entitled "Mitigating COVID-19 When Managing Paper-Based, Circulating, and Other Types of Collections," Dr. David Berendes, phD, MSPH, epidemiologist in the Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch of the CDC focusing on global sanitation and hygiene issues, stated that 24 hours is an acceptable duration for materials quarantine. Dr. Berendes added that the CDC is not concerned about books and other paper-based items (including mail and shipped packages) as a mode of transmission of the virus. As such, either disinfection of hard surfaces that tolerate wiping with the appropriate chemical disinfectants, or a 24 hour materials quarantine will suffice. Dr. Berendes advised using these CDC cleaning and disinfecting instructions, which includes a link to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "List N" disinfectants that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. Hard, nonporous surfaces are the focus of epidemiological concern.

In addition, Dr. Berendes outlined the steps to be taken if you suspect that your work environment has been exposed to COVID-19:

  1. Close off the area that the individual used most for as long as possible, up to 24 hours. Note that stagnant areas such as vehicles would require a longer time, whereas environments with good airflow require less time. A well ventilated space may only need a few hours of quarantine.

  2. After quarantine, clean the space thoroughly:

    • Hard, nonporous surfaces should be cleaned with soap or detergent and then disinfected with a disinfecting agent found on the EPA’s List N. These include all hard, high-touch surfaces and items like doorknobs, tabletops. Etc.

    • Soft, porous surfaces such as carpeting, rugs, and drapes should be laundered or cleaned if possible. Fortunately, these surfaces are of less concern because the ability of the virus to release itself in an infectious state from soft surfaces once it has settled into them is unlikely. (This guidance applies to office and public facility space; plush toys and other soft items should be laundered.)

    • Electronics and such items should be wiped or sprayed with a solution containing at least 70% alcohol.

    • Personal protective equipment used by custodial staff should be put on, taken off, and disposed of correctly. Please see the CDC’s cleaning and disinfecting instructions for details.

  3. Encourage proper hand hygiene at all times, per CDC guidelines. This includes wearing disposable gloves, washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, using hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth.

This information is not comprehensive. For complete instructions, refer to the CDC’s webpage on Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility: Everyday Steps, Steps When Someone is Sick, and Considerations for Employers.

 

Submitted by Shannon Schultz, Division for Libraries and Technology

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Investment in E-content for Wisconsin Library Users

Monday, March 30, 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division for Libraries and Technology is supporting libraries and library users by adapting to new service expectations now that public libraries are closed to the public. The Division awarded a discretionary grant in the amount of $250,000 to the Winding Rivers Library System to provide support to Wisconsin’s Digital Library through the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC).

At the request of the Division for Libraries and Technology, WPLC project managers provided us with a request for funding to meet the needs of all Wisconsin library users during this pandemic. The plan allocates the additional investment in Wisconsin's Digital Library in the following ways:

1. Simultaneous Use Titles: Up to $30,000 for e-book and audio titles available for unlimited, simultaneous use for one year from the date of purchase.

2. Cost Per Circulation Titles: Up to $100,000 for pay-per-use e-book and digital audiobook titles, an amount that would immediately fill 18,182 patron holds.

3. New Titles: Up to $120,000 for new e-book and digital audiobook titles, adding an estimated 2,000 titles to the collection.

The Division for Libraries and Technology reviewed the request, and determined that this is a necessary step to support the Wisconsin library community and library users across the state during this pandemic. The Winding Rivers Library System and WPLC provided integral support to guarantee that this investment would immediately reach Wisconsin library users. Kurt Kiefer, Assistant State Superintendent for the Division for Libraries and Technology said in response to the efforts of the WPLC and the Winding Rivers Library System, "I am incredibly proud of the work our state library community has done on making this resource available to every citizen of Wisconsin. It is truly meaningful."

The investment in Wisconsin's Digital Library was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, LS-00-19-0050-19.

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For questions about this information, contact Michael Dennison (608) 264-6717

Professional Development Opportunity: Recollection Wisconsin Digital Projects Toolkit

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Recollection Wisconsin Digital Projects Toolkit and other professional development opportunities for digitization projects

The Recollection Wisconsin Digital Projects Toolkit is a free online course covering the basics of digitization projects. https://recollection-wisconsin.thinkific.com/ There are 5 modules -- project planning, copyright, scanning, metadata, and storage -- that each take around 30 minutes to complete. The course was created by Recollection Wisconsin in 2016 with support from WPLC, and updated in 2019 to go along with the DPI-funded digitization kits for public library systems.

The Digital Stewardship Curriculum from the Sustainable Heritage Network (Washington State University) covers all aspects of the Digital Stewardship Lifecycle - bringing materials in, managing and organizing materials, preserving materials, and providing access to materials. The curriculum is intended for cultural heritage professionals working in or with Indigenous communities but many of the topics are also replicable for small, non-Indigenous institutions. http://sustainableheritagenetwork.org/digital-stewardship-curriculum-page

The DPLA Service Hubs in Minnesota and Pennsylvania have created great resources for understanding copyright issues and assigning standardized rights statements for digitized cultural heritage materials. The Minnesota Digital Library’s video training sessions offer helpful steps for choosing standardized rights statements. https://mndigital.org/standards-best-practices/rights-statements-resources PA Digital’s recorded webinars include a general overview of copyright as well as specific rights issues for oral histories and newspapers. https://padigital.org/rights-resources/

The Connecting To Collections Care Community (Foundation for Advancement in Conservation) addresses digital preservation in a series of five recorded webinars called “Caring for Digital Materials: Preventing a Digital Dark Age.” https://www.connectingtocollections.org/archivedigital/

The Northeast Document Conservation Center has an archive of free recorded webinars on topics like grant writing for audiovisual digitization projects. They also regularly offer fee-based live and on-demand webinars on preservation and access for both digital and physical archives.. https://www.nedcc.org/preservation-training/training-currentlist

Questions, suggestions? Please contact guest blogger Emily Pfotenhauer at emily@wils.org   Posted by Cindy Fesemyer.

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