Northern Waters Library Service

In This Issue: August 2009

When Committees Work • Children's Book Conference • Spotlight on New Baderlink Databases • Public Library Statistics • Library Accessiblity • Energy Efficiency Grants • United We Serve • Web Workshops • Links • Tips • Reflection

C A L E N D A R

An Introduction to Technology Gadgets (NWLS Workshop)
• September 1 Manitowish Waters - Library
• September 2 Hayward - Library
September 19 NWLS Board Meeting, NWLS, 10:00
September 24-25 Northwest Children's Book Conference, Telemark Resort, Cable
UW-Madison, School of Library and Information Studies - Fall Session Online Courses :
• September 14 - October 4 Library 2.0: 101
• September 14 - November 6 Adult Readers' Advisory
• September 21 - December 11 Basic Public Library Management
• September 21 - December 11 Collection Development
• October 5 - November 13 Understanding Library Technology
• October 5 - November 13 What's New in Children's Books?
• November 2 - 27 Creating Dynamic Pathfinders

C U R R E N T E V E N T S

When Committees Work

From Jim Trojanowski, NWLS Director - In mid August the Vilas County Board in Supervisors is expected to approve the Vilas County Plan for Public Library Service. I have been a member of the work group that wrote the plan and it has been among the better committees on which I have served. Several others who participated in the process have said the same is true for them.

The fact that everyone who worked on the plan found it such a rewarding experience has led me to wonder why that is. What made this group work so well? Here are my thoughts:

The group was diverse. Participants included county board members, local elected officials, trustees, patrons, and school and academic librarians in addition to public library directors. Because many Vilas County residents use Minocqua Public Library, that library’s director was invited to participate as well.

Every member participated. While the chair of the work group was careful to give everyone a chance to speak, this was seldom necessary. Each of us spoke when we had an idea or an opinion to share.

Every member listened. Only one person spoke at a time and there were no side conversations. As a result, ideas never needed to be repeated and we felt our ideas were heard by others.

We began and finished on time. The chair of the work group was careful to follow the agenda and keep the group focused on the task at hand. It never felt as if our time was being wasted.

We understood our roles. While several members of the group were outspoken, no one dominated the discussion. Each of us respected opinions that differed from ours and sought compromise.

Disagreement was never personal. Work group members took ownership of their opinions and never claimed to speak for another individual or group. When we disagreed we said, “I disagree. This is what I believe” without making accusations. This made accepting criticism easy.

We had fun. While we stuck to the agenda, we had time to laugh and enjoy ourselves. We allowed our work to be enjoyable, not burdensome.

The Vilas County work group was a model, I believe, for effective work in a small group. Disagreement was not only accepted, but encouraged. Differences were set aside and compromise was a common goal. Everyone took turns speaking and listening. All members of the group were fully engaged in the task at hand. I share my experience so that others might learn as much from it as I did.

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Northwoods Children's Book Conference

On September 24-25, Librarians, educators and aspiring writers can explore the best of children's literature and fresh ideas in programming at the Northwoods Children's Book Conference at the Telemark Resort & convention Center in Cable, Wisconsin. Over a dozen speakers are scheduled for presentations on effective storytelling, story-writing recipes, and children's book recommendations. On Friday at noon join keynote speaker Debra Frasier, award winning author of On the Day you Were Born, as she takes a look at the picture book from the inside, out. For more information on sessions, the speakers, and registration visit telemarkeducation.com.

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Spotlight on New Badgerlink Databases

From Linda Bailen, NWLS - The additional content added to BadgerLink in 2009 gives us access to many useful databases. You can find links to the following databases on the BadgerLink home page (http://www.badgerlink.net/) in the EBSCO section - or by clicking on the EBSCO "Service List".

Auto Repair Reference Center - Once you select a vehicle from 1945-2009, a choise of repair topics narrows your search. The special features tabs at the top of the page will give you access to "Auto IQ" and "Care & Repair Tips" to learn more about your vehicle. Use the "Troubleshooting" tab to diagnose problems with the engine, drive train, brakes, wheels, suspension, accessories or climate control.

Coin Career Library (CCL) - This comprehensive resource for career and college research includes five user-friendly components to help users match their interests to occupations and education prospects. You can explore occupations or assess skills - create resumes or planning checklists for college and careers. The "Resource Center" section provides links to web sites, videos, and state data. The "Activity" Center is designed to help prepare students for standardized tests that are required for graduation from high school or college admission.

Consumer Health Complete - Search a wide range of topics from more than 170 reference books and encyclopedias using quick links or a keyword search box. Find a disease, condition, injury or procedure quickly by clicking on a letter of the alphabet. The visual icons help you find a specific type of material or browse a reference book.

Novelist - This readers' advisory database includes over 150,000 fiction titles, and over 4000 custom created articles and lists. Readers can access Feature Articles, BookTalks, and Book Discussion Guides along with Author Read-alikes, Readers' Advisory training content and a variety of other reader and staff materials.

Novelist K-8 - Anyone involved in helping kids locate age-appropriate books in the library will appreciate the features and depth of content in this database. Just type in an author, title or key words in the Find box, or browse the database by age group, and you’ll access a collection of titles, BookTalks, Recommended Reads book lists and more.

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Public Library Statistics

The preliminary 2008 statistics for Wisconsin public libraries, compiled from annual reports data, is available in Excel spreadsheet format: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/xls/08prelimpublib.xls.

The preliminary data may be useful for budget or planning purposes. The final Wisconsin data, including county and library system summaries, will be available this fall. The statistics are based on information submitted on the 2008 Public Library Annual Reports. Errors should be reported to John DeBacher, john.debacher@dpi.wi.gov.

Library Accessibility

A series of tipsheets is now available to help librarians understand and manage patron access issues such as physical disabilities, cognitive, mental, or emotional illnesses; learning and/or developmental disabilities; patrons with service animals; and patrons needing assistive technologies. The tipsheets are created through the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies.

Energy Efficiency Grants

Communities in Wisconsin under 35,000 population will be eligible for competitive grants that fit one of two statewide priorities: 1) retrofitting of municipal buildings (insulation, windows, HA/VC, and related) and 2) lighting (for municipal facilities, including interior and exterior lighting). Approximately $37,100,000 will be available for funding Energy Efficience and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) to local governments in Wisconsin through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Application deadline is August 10, 2009. For more information visit http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/

United We Serve Campaign

Libraries nationwide are encouraged to take part in United We Serve, a national campaign launched by President Barack Obama to get more Americans involved in volunteerism this summer, through September 11, a national day of service and remembrance. The American Library Association (ALA) and the White House are encouraging libraries to post volunteer opportunities at www.serve.gov. Visit www.ala.org/unitedweserve for more information.

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W E B - W O R K S H O P S

Technology Policies in Your Library
August 26, 2-3pm Eastern Time. - WebJunction presents a technology policies webinar on trends and strategies to consider when creating, maintaining and updating technology policies, and examples of policies in place at libraries around the country.

Resources for the Elderly
South Central Library System is offering a series of online workshops focused on helping libraries find and collect authoritative information related to health, financial, and legal needs of the elderly. Each will be approximately one hour in length:
• August 18, 10 a.m. - Drug/Medication Information Resources for the Elderly
• September 30, 1:30 p.m. - Finding Regional Resources for the Elderly
• October 29, 10 a.m. - Your Library and Health Information for the Elderly

Blogging Basics for Nonprofits and Libraries
August 6, 11 am Pacific time - TechSoup will discuss what's involved and best practices for getting started on a blog that can help you reach and communicate more directly with your supporters and community.

OverDrive Online Training
Throughout September OverDrive will offer free online training programs for library staff covering required software, portable devices, and resources for assisting patrons with browsing, checkout and downloading titles.

Security of Social Networking Sites
August 19, 2-3 pm Eastern Time - While the convenience and real-time communication has made social networking tools very popular, there are potential security risks that all users must understand. This webcast will examine cyber security issues and steps users and organizations can take to mitigate security risks. Offerred by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security division and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

Page up

L I N K S

What's Next: Library Trends
A planning project for the future of public libraries, developed by an influential team of scenario planning consultants and trainers, is currently being drafted at What's Next: Top Trends, a blog about current and future trends. Scenario planning is a valuable tool for aligning long term vision with current strategic planning and operations. The team has developed 2 framing questions:

1. What professional skills and attitudes will public library staff be demonstrating in 2030 in order to be successful in the alternative futures in which they might operate?

2. Where will the leadership and funding that drives this success come from?

Four timeline scenarios (2010 to 2030) and a list of key influences have been drafted. Comments or contributions from libraries are welcome. To follow the project, visit the Libraries category of What's Next: Top Trends.

Yebol Search Engine
Yebol.com is a new knowledge search engine built to automatically cluster and categorize search terms, Web sites, pages and content. Your page of listed search results include a list of related topics, a list of subcategories, a section with expanded searches which rephrases your search to a more precise query, alternative search queries as you write your keywords into the search form, relevant twits from twitter, a scroll bar to reveal even more entries, a news section, and links to refine your search to News, Images, Video and Semantics.

First-Aid Guide
Mayo Clinic provides a guide to medical emergencies covering over 50 topics.

Page up

T I P S

Screenshot Program
Shutter is a feature-rich open-source program that allows you to capture a screenshot of a specific area, window, your entire screen, or of a website. It also allows you to apply different effects to your screenshot such as drawing, highlighting, numbering, etc. The screenshot can then be uploaded to an image hosting site, all within one window.

Customized Library Toolbar
Conduit is a free open source programs that allows you to provide a custom browser on your computers linking to your library website, news, weather, community websites, etc.

Page up

R E F L E C T I O N

“Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.”

- Salman Rushdie (Indian born British Writer, b.1947)

Contact NWLS for subscription services or to submit an article for publication.

NWLS: 3200 E. Lake Shore Dr. • Ashland, WI 54806 • Phone: (715) 682-2365 • Web: http://nwls.wislib.org • Serving libraries in Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, Vilas and Washburn Counties.

	Northern Waters Library Service

	In This Issue: August 2009 When Committees Work • Children's Book Conference • Spotlight on New Baderlink Databases • Public Library Statistics • Library Accessiblity • Energy Efficiency Grants • United We Serve • Web Workshops • Links • Tips • Reflection C A L E N D A R An Introduction to Technology Gadgets (NWLS Workshop) • September 1 Manitowish Waters - Library • September 2 Hayward - Library September 19 NWLS Board Meeting, NWLS, 10:00 September 24-25 Northwest Children's Book Conference, Telemark Resort, Cable UW-Madison, School of Library and Information Studies - Fall Session Online Courses : • September 14 - October 4 Library 2.0: 101 • September 14 - November 6 Adult Readers' Advisory • September 21 - December 11 Basic Public Library Management • September 21 - December 11 Collection Development • October 5 - November 13 Understanding Library Technology • October 5 - November 13 What's New in Children's Books? • November 2 - 27 Creating Dynamic Pathfinders C U R R E N T E V E N T S When Committees Work From Jim Trojanowski, NWLS Director - In mid August the Vilas County Board in Supervisors is expected to approve the Vilas County Plan for Public Library Service. I have been a member of the work group that wrote the plan and it has been among the better committees on which I have served. Several others who participated in the process have said the same is true for them. The fact that everyone who worked on the plan found it such a rewarding experience has led me to wonder why that is. What made this group work so well? Here are my thoughts: The group was diverse. Participants included county board members, local elected officials, trustees, patrons, and school and academic librarians in addition to public library directors. Because many Vilas County residents use Minocqua Public Library, that library’s director was invited to participate as well. Every member participated. While the chair of the work group was careful to give everyone a chance to speak, this was seldom necessary. Each of us spoke when we had an idea or an opinion to share. Every member listened. Only one person spoke at a time and there were no side conversations. As a result, ideas never needed to be repeated and we felt our ideas were heard by others. We began and finished on time. The chair of the work group was careful to follow the agenda and keep the group focused on the task at hand. It never felt as if our time was being wasted. We understood our roles. While several members of the group were outspoken, no one dominated the discussion. Each of us respected opinions that differed from ours and sought compromise. Disagreement was never personal. Work group members took ownership of their opinions and never claimed to speak for another individual or group. When we disagreed we said, “I disagree. This is what I believe” without making accusations. This made accepting criticism easy. We had fun. While we stuck to the agenda, we had time to laugh and enjoy ourselves. We allowed our work to be enjoyable, not burdensome. The Vilas County work group was a model, I believe, for effective work in a small group. Disagreement was not only accepted, but encouraged. Differences were set aside and compromise was a common goal. Everyone took turns speaking and listening. All members of the group were fully engaged in the task at hand. I share my experience so that others might learn as much from it as I did. Page up Northwoods Children's Book Conference On September 24-25, Librarians, educators and aspiring writers can explore the best of children's literature and fresh ideas in programming at the Northwoods Children's Book Conference at the Telemark Resort & convention Center in Cable, Wisconsin. Over a dozen speakers are scheduled for presentations on effective storytelling, story-writing recipes, and children's book recommendations. On Friday at noon join keynote speaker Debra Frasier, award winning author of On the Day you Were Born, as she takes a look at the picture book from the inside, out. For more information on sessions, the speakers, and registration visit telemarkeducation.com. Page up Spotlight on New Badgerlink Databases From Linda Bailen, NWLS - The additional content added to BadgerLink in 2009 gives us access to many useful databases. You can find links to the following databases on the BadgerLink home page (http://www.badgerlink.net/) in the EBSCO section - or by clicking on the EBSCO "Service List". Auto Repair Reference Center - Once you select a vehicle from 1945-2009, a choise of repair topics narrows your search. The special features tabs at the top of the page will give you access to "Auto IQ" and "Care & Repair Tips" to learn more about your vehicle. Use the "Troubleshooting" tab to diagnose problems with the engine, drive train, brakes, wheels, suspension, accessories or climate control. Coin Career Library (CCL) - This comprehensive resource for career and college research includes five user-friendly components to help users match their interests to occupations and education prospects. You can explore occupations or assess skills - create resumes or planning checklists for college and careers. The "Resource Center" section provides links to web sites, videos, and state data. The "Activity" Center is designed to help prepare students for standardized tests that are required for graduation from high school or college admission. Consumer Health Complete - Search a wide range of topics from more than 170 reference books and encyclopedias using quick links or a keyword search box. Find a disease, condition, injury or procedure quickly by clicking on a letter of the alphabet. The visual icons help you find a specific type of material or browse a reference book. Novelist - This readers' advisory database includes over 150,000 fiction titles, and over 4000 custom created articles and lists. Readers can access Feature Articles, BookTalks, and Book Discussion Guides along with Author Read-alikes, Readers' Advisory training content and a variety of other reader and staff materials. Novelist K-8 - Anyone involved in helping kids locate age-appropriate books in the library will appreciate the features and depth of content in this database. Just type in an author, title or key words in the Find box, or browse the database by age group, and you’ll access a collection of titles, BookTalks, Recommended Reads book lists and more. Page up Public Library Statistics The preliminary 2008 statistics for Wisconsin public libraries, compiled from annual reports data, is available in Excel spreadsheet format: http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/xls/08prelimpublib.xls. The preliminary data may be useful for budget or planning purposes. The final Wisconsin data, including county and library system summaries, will be available this fall. The statistics are based on information submitted on the 2008 Public Library Annual Reports. Errors should be reported to John DeBacher, john.debacher@dpi.wi.gov. Library Accessibility A series of tipsheets is now available to help librarians understand and manage patron access issues such as physical disabilities, cognitive, mental, or emotional illnesses; learning and/or developmental disabilities; patrons with service animals; and patrons needing assistive technologies. The tipsheets are created through the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies. Energy Efficiency Grants Communities in Wisconsin under 35,000 population will be eligible for competitive grants that fit one of two statewide priorities: 1) retrofitting of municipal buildings (insulation, windows, HA/VC, and related) and 2) lighting (for municipal facilities, including interior and exterior lighting). Approximately $37,100,000 will be available for funding Energy Efficience and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) to local governments in Wisconsin through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Application deadline is August 10, 2009. For more information visit http://www.eecbg.energy.gov/ United We Serve Campaign Libraries nationwide are encouraged to take part in United We Serve, a national campaign launched by President Barack Obama to get more Americans involved in volunteerism this summer, through September 11, a national day of service and remembrance. The American Library Association (ALA) and the White House are encouraging libraries to post volunteer opportunities at www.serve.gov. Visit www.ala.org/unitedweserve for more information. Page up W E B - W O R K S H O P S Technology Policies in Your Library August 26, 2-3pm Eastern Time. - WebJunction presents a technology policies webinar on trends and strategies to consider when creating, maintaining and updating technology policies, and examples of policies in place at libraries around the country. Resources for the Elderly South Central Library System is offering a series of online workshops focused on helping libraries find and collect authoritative information related to health, financial, and legal needs of the elderly. Each will be approximately one hour in length: • August 18, 10 a.m. - Drug/Medication Information Resources for the Elderly • September 30, 1:30 p.m. - Finding Regional Resources for the Elderly • October 29, 10 a.m. - Your Library and Health Information for the Elderly Blogging Basics for Nonprofits and Libraries August 6, 11 am Pacific time - TechSoup will discuss what's involved and best practices for getting started on a blog that can help you reach and communicate more directly with your supporters and community. OverDrive Online Training Throughout September OverDrive will offer free online training programs for library staff covering required software, portable devices, and resources for assisting patrons with browsing, checkout and downloading titles. Security of Social Networking Sites August 19, 2-3 pm Eastern Time - While the convenience and real-time communication has made social networking tools very popular, there are potential security risks that all users must understand. This webcast will examine cyber security issues and steps users and organizations can take to mitigate security risks. Offerred by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Cyber Security division and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Page up L I N K S What's Next: Library Trends A planning project for the future of public libraries, developed by an influential team of scenario planning consultants and trainers, is currently being drafted at What's Next: Top Trends, a blog about current and future trends. Scenario planning is a valuable tool for aligning long term vision with current strategic planning and operations. The team has developed 2 framing questions: 1. What professional skills and attitudes will public library staff be demonstrating in 2030 in order to be successful in the alternative futures in which they might operate? 2. Where will the leadership and funding that drives this success come from? Four timeline scenarios (2010 to 2030) and a list of key influences have been drafted. Comments or contributions from libraries are welcome. To follow the project, visit the Libraries category of What's Next: Top Trends. Yebol Search Engine Yebol.com is a new knowledge search engine built to automatically cluster and categorize search terms, Web sites, pages and content. Your page of listed search results include a list of related topics, a list of subcategories, a section with expanded searches which rephrases your search to a more precise query, alternative search queries as you write your keywords into the search form, relevant twits from twitter, a scroll bar to reveal even more entries, a news section, and links to refine your search to News, Images, Video and Semantics. First-Aid Guide Mayo Clinic provides a guide to medical emergencies covering over 50 topics. Page up T I P S Screenshot Program Shutter is a feature-rich open-source program that allows you to capture a screenshot of a specific area, window, your entire screen, or of a website. It also allows you to apply different effects to your screenshot such as drawing, highlighting, numbering, etc. The screenshot can then be uploaded to an image hosting site, all within one window. Customized Library Toolbar Conduit is a free open source programs that allows you to provide a custom browser on your computers linking to your library website, news, weather, community websites, etc. Page up R E F L E C T I O N “Literature is where I go to explore the highest and lowest places in human society and in the human spirit, where I hope to find not absolute truth but the truth of the tale, of the imagination and of the heart.” - Salman Rushdie (Indian born British Writer, b.1947) Contact NWLS for subscription services or to submit an article for publication. NWLS: 3200 E. Lake Shore Dr. • Ashland, WI 54806 • Phone: (715) 682-2365 • Web: http://nwls.wislib.org • Serving libraries in Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, Vilas and Washburn Counties.