Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Visit with and hear from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Library Services Team presenting at the Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference 2023, October 24-27, 2023. Make sure to stop by the Library Services Team’s booth G318 and say hello to our team, ask questions, hear more about upcoming projects and programs, and pick up some statewide information including posters and bookmarks for your library.
During the 4-day conference, the Library Services Team will be hosting several presentations including looking back and forward after 25 years of BadgerLink, a discussion about PolarVR and its use in the field, highlights of trends from the Annual Report, and learning more about a teen library internship program.
You will want to stay until the end for the DPI’s Assistant State Superintendent for the Division for Libraries and Technology, Dr. Darrell Williams, Closing Keynote on Friday, October 27, from 11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. at Salons D&E.
All programs are located at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton, Wisconsin. Registration for the WLA Annual Conference 2023 is required for attendance. The Library Services Team’s session details are as follows:
Wednesday, October 25
Believing in BadgerLink for 25 Years
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Salon D
Come celebrate 25 years of BadgerLink! Presenters will share a bit of BadgerLink history and a lot of stories on how the resources have made a positive impact on our communities. Join this session whether you are new to the field or a seasoned professional and leave empowered and with ideas to take back to your library.
Speakers:
- Jennifer Champoux - Department of Public Instruction
- Thomas Reich - UW-Stevens Point
- Stephanie Snyder - Milwaukee Public School District - Bay View High School
- Tom Carson - W.J. Niederkorn Library
Libraries, Learning, & Outreach: Stories from the Field of the PolarVR
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Salon D
Since the summer of 2022, a fellowship of programming librarians throughout Wisconsin have been involved with numerous other collaborators in an intersectional project which involves Antarctic research, VR gaming, broader impact studies, and rural/Latinx-specific outreach -- colloquially referred to by many project participants as "VRctica." Officially titled "Virtual Reality Expeditions in your Library: Utilizing the Library System and Virtual Reality Learning Experiences To Engage Rural and Latinx Communities in Polar Research," this long-term, evolving project is funded by a National Science Foundation grant, and involves multiple different organizations and specialists within the sectors of library service, education, STEM, scholarship, broader impact studies, and IDEA -- including a robust Fellowship of librarians from diverse locations throughout the state. Join a panel of 3 Fellowship librarians as they discuss their work and collaborative experience! They will share their program successes and challenges as well as their experience working with intersectional external collaborators.
Speakers:
- Chris Baker - Department of Public Instruction
- Rebecca Van Dan - Eager Free Public Library
- Jeanette Rydberg - Thomas St. Angelo Public Library of Cumberland
Thursday, October 26th
What do the Numbers Say? Trends and reflections from the Annual Report
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Salons G&H
Members of the Library Services Team will identify and highlight trends from annual report data and provide information and suggestions for libraries to be more aware of statewide data trends and how those trends might present at local libraries in the state.
Speakers:
- Ben Miller - Department of Public Instruction
- Melissa Aro - Department of Public Instruction
Teen Internship Pilot Program
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Salon E
Don’t stop believing that you can bring teens into your library. In the summer of 2023, five libraries across the state of Wisconsin did just that. Through a DPI initiated LSTA funded pilot program, these libraries were able to offer paid summer internships to recruit teens that reflected the diversity of their communities. The teen interns were then able to bring their skills, interests, and experiences to the library by working on a connected learning project. Participating libraries learned how to engage and support teens while creating career pathways to increase diversity in the field of librarianship.
Speakers:
- Jeni Schomber - Department of Public Instruction
- Andria Rice - L.E. Phillips Public Library
- Linda Noyce - Kenosha Public Library
- Adriana McCleer - Appleton Public Library
Wisconsin Library Compensation: Looking at the Data
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Salon D
In recent years, Wisconsin public libraries have identified a significant need for a comprehensive process to maintain data on library staff salaries and position classifications. This information would be used to aid library boards in determining appropriate standards and compensation to attract and retain the best possible employees for these positions. In June 2022, the System and Resource Library Administrators' Association of Wisconsin (SRLAAW) sought proposals from qualified consultants to conduct a comprehensive compensation survey and analysis for library staff employed at public libraries throughout the state of Wisconsin. The survey was funded through a Library Services and Technology (LSTA) grant and ultimately facilitated by Carlson Dettmann Consulting. Come join us to learn about the findings from this survey and some discussion about next steps.
Speakers:
- Steven Heser - Milwaukee County Federated Library System
- Alyssa Woltring - Carlson Dettmann Consulting
- Melissa Aro - Department of Public Instruction
- Riti Grover - Monarch Library System