In This Issue: 06.13.08
Observations on a Library Expansion • 2008 Library Education Scholarships • Certification Course Scholarship • Marketing Your Library • YALSA Online Courses • Popular Merlin Holds • Microsoft Word Tips and Tricks • Useful URLs • Reflection
C A L E N D A R
July 1 Eary Bird registration deadline for Northwest Wisconsin Children’s Book Conference
July 19 NWLS Board of Trustees Meeting, NWLS, 10:00
July 25 Merlin Consortium Meeting, NWLS, 10:00 - 1:00
August 20 Directors Meeting, NWLS, 10:00 – 2:30
UW-Milwaukee SOIS Professional Development Institute
• June 23 Developing a Game Plan: Finding and Writing Successful Grants, 1:00 - 4:00, Bolton Hall Rm: 531, Program #: PDI 104, Fee $39
UW-Madison SLIS Continuing Education Summer Camp by the Lake at the Heidel House Resort in Green Lake, WI:
• July 21-25 Collection Development
• August 4 - 8 Basic Reference
C U R R E N T . E V E N T S
Observations on a Library Expansion
From Jim Trojanowski, NWLS Director - One of the joys of my work as a library system director is following the progress as a community builds a new library or expands its existing library. During nearly twelve years as a library director, I was never involved in a building project, so I’ve lived vicariously through other directors as they tell me about the ups and downs, the sudden turns, the often painfully slow progress, and the sometimes frightening speed of the rollercoaster ride that is a library building project.
Last year, the Vaughn Public Library Board began to explore the possibility of an expansion of the library in Ashland. The library has been located in the same facility since it opened in 1888, and the board has wondered whether the facility meets the needs of 21st century library patrons.
I was director of the Vaughn Public Library from 1993-2004; I still live in Ashland, and I use the library. I understand the strengths and weaknesses of the library building and the needs of the community in a way that I do not understand them in the other communities served by the Northern Waters Library Service. I regularly read coverage of the proposed expansion in the local newspaper, and Ashland residents often ask my opinion about the needs of the library. As a result, I am following the project in a way that I am unable to follow library building projects in other communities. I have also learned a lesson that applies to any community considering a similar project.
Recently, the library board and two facilitators provided library patrons a five-hour opportunity to comment on the proposed project. While I was unable to attend the session, I did read about it in the newspaper. Based upon the coverage, there appears to be quite a bit of interest in the project, and patrons seem to want additional meeting space, quiet study areas, more computers, and additional parking.
I found it dismaying, however, to read that some community members are ready to select a site for an expanded library. Two popular choices are: to remain in the current building or to move to the Soo Line Depot. Neither choice is particularly surprising. The Vaughn building is attractive, historic, and it is centrally located on Main Street. The library currently occupies the first two stories of the three-story building, and some in the community believe the most economical choice is simply to expand the library to the third floor and to the basement.
The Depot is also historic. It has recently been renovated after it was gutted by fire eight years ago, and the community is anxious to see it occupied again. It looks out on a park, and it offers plenty of off-street parking, something the current library lacks.
Proponents of both locations are, I believe, putting sentiment and economics ahead of library services. How can anyone determine whether either location, whether any location, is appropriate without knowing what Ashland wants its library to be? Do the proposed sites permit the ample meeting space some requested at the comment session? Are they capable of meeting the electrical demands for additional computers? If Ashland residents determine that a drive-up service window is an important feature of a new library, can one be offered in the Depot or the Vaughn building? Are there other service demands yet to surface that will dictate what the community needs from its expanded library?
The library board, the city council, and the community are considering a decision we will have to live with for a long time. The library has been in the Vaughn building for 120 years, and any new location is likely to serve the library for at least 20 years and, perhaps, 50 years or more. To make a long-term decision based upon sentiment or short-term economic thinking is extremely short-sighted.
What I believe Ashland needs to do, what I believe any community considering development of a new library or expansion of an existing library needs to do, is to plan for the future. What role should the library have within the community? What unmet needs in the community should the library meet? What services does the community expect the library to provide? Until it answers these fundamental questions and others like them, I believe Ashland is ill-prepared to decide where to house an expanded library.
2008 Library Education Scholarships
WLA members and prospective library school students are eligible to apply for the scholarships for library education and library continuing education sponsored by the Wisconsin Library Association Foundation. The six scholarships are funded by the WLA Foundation through generous charitable contributions. Applications are due September 15, 2008. Details on the scholarships and copies of the application forms are available by following the links on the scholarship Web site at www.wla.lib.wi.us/scholarships/.
Library Continuing Education Scholarships:
• George Bauer Continuing Education Scholarship ($800) - Available to a person employed in a library in Wisconsin, or someone who works with library employees in those communities, to attend a conference or other continuing education program within or outside Wisconsin.
• Gloria Hoegh Scholarship for Rural Librarians ($1,050) - Available to a person employed in a library in a Wisconsin community with a population of 5,000 or less, or someone who works with library employees in those communities, to attend a conference or other continuing education program within or outside Wisconsin.
Library Education Scholarships:
• Library Education Scholarship ($1,300) - Available to a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to a master's degree program in library and information science or in library media at a Wisconsin school as a part- or full-time student.
• Diversity Scholarship ($1,200) - Available to a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to a master's degree program in library and information science or in library media at a Wisconsin school as a part- or full-time student and who is African-American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, of Native American/Alaskan Native descent, or physically challenged.
• Sally Davis Scholarship ($1,250) - Available to a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to the master's degree program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison SLIS as a part- or full-time student.
• Vida Cummins Stanton ($1,400) - Available to a current or permanent Wisconsin resident admitted to the master's degree program at the UW-Milwaukee SOIS as a part- or full-time student pursuing a library media or youth services program.
Certification Course Scholarship
From Anna Palmer,
SLIS Outreach Specialist - UW-Madison SLIS Continuing Education Services will offer a scholarship this Fall for a public library director certification course. The award is limited to directors currently pursuing their certification in Wisconsin. The winner may take one online certification course free of charge during the Fall 2008 semester. That's a $415 award! Eligible courses this fall are:
• Collection Development
• Basic Public Library Management
The scholarship will be repeated in Spring 2009 for the following online courses:
• Fundamentals of Cataloging
• Public Library Administration
• Basic Reference
August 15 is the deadline. The application may be emailed or mailed to Anna Palmer, ahpalmer@wisc.edu or Room 4285 Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park Street, Madison, WI 53706. Visit the SLIS website for complete scholarship information. Questions? Contact Anna Palmer, ahpalmer@wisc.edu or 608-263-4452.
Marketing Your Library
From Marsha Sorensen, NWLS - In today’s economic climate, libraries face increasing pressure to prove their value to the community. Marketing the library in the community can increase public awareness of valuable services provided by tax contributions. The most effective marketing tool is word of mouth. Establishing a strong relationship with the community begins with quality customer service.
Showing people how to use the library and how to search for information is an important marketing opportunity. The community’s experiences with a library will influence how the library is perceived, making the service desk a valuable marketing resource. Library staff often has access to public feedback. Marketing that doesn’t work at the service level undermines other promotional efforts.
Libraries can expand awareness of library services by taking advantage of community programs and events. Local newspaper ads running special features can include what the library has to offer. Libraries can distribute small flyers promoting library materials, programs or databases that enhance the focus of other community resources such as legal services, medical services, business development, childcare services and recreational interests. Integrating library services into people's daily lives strengthens the library's role in the community. Even the non-user's perception of library services and how its conveyed to others can impact the library's image.
Encouraging and welcoming public participation in the development of the library can enhance service satisfaction and library resources. Involving agencies and individuals in the library planning process reinforces the sense of commitment between the community and the library. Interacting with the community fuels satisfaction, and as service improves and the word spreads, the library becomes well-known as an essential community asset.
A library builds an image of success when it is receptive and interested in the needs of the community. Service is successful when the community knows they can find the right information at the library, and the service is good. Service is successful when the community has a sense of pride in their library.
YALSA Online Courses
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has three summer e-courses taking place July 7 through August 18. Registration is now open! Contact Nichole Gilbert with questions, 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4387. More details can be found by visiting YALSA online.
1. Making the Match: Finding the Right Book for the Right Teen at the Right Time
Become an expert at connecting teens with books! In a recent survey by Smartgirl.org and YALSA, the majority of teen respondents said that they would read more if they knew about more good books to read.
You will learn how to make a successful match between library materials and your teen library users. Course participants will explore adolescent development and teen reading preferences. You'll take part in an active discussion about specific books and library materials that meet the varied needs and interests of teens.
This is a six-week course. The cost is $149 for YALSA members, $195 for ALA members, and $215 for nonmembers. Instructor: Teri Lesesne.
2. Reaching Teens with Gaming
The main focus of this course is to educate non-gamers about what video games are, to eliminate stereotypes and fears about video games, and to introduce librarians to a medium that engages the free time of more than 80% of their teen clientele.
• Learn why video games matter in terms of entertainment, culture, learning, literacy, child/adolescent development, world economy, business.
• Discover the platforms, genres, ratings, and brief history of video games
• Discuss the controversies of games: violence, gender bias and more
• Play video games to gain first-hand knowledge of what they are and how they function
• Develop a library program for the gamer generation
This is a six-week course. The cost is $149 for YALSA members, $195 for ALA members, and $215 for nonmembers. Instructor Beth Gallaway.
3. Tech Tools for Teen Leadership
Let's face it, learning and using new technologies can seem overwhelming. However, many of the technologies that spring up every day can help you be a better leader in your library and a better manager of teen library services. You can also use many tech tools to help teens gain leadership skills. In many cases these technologies give you a chance to trade traditional ways of doing things for new and improved methods of accomplishing various tasks.
• Find out about free easy-to-use technologies that can facilitate teen library services.
• Discuss how to use technology to plan and implement TAG projects, meetings, and programs
• Learn how to use technology to manage your daily teen services tasks.
• Brainstorm methods for keeping up with technology that can improve teen services.
This is a six-week course. The cost is $149 for YALSA members, $195 for ALA members, and $215 for nonmembers. Instructor: Linda Braun.
Popular Merlin Holds
(Holds/Merlin copies)
14/30 . . . 7th heaven / James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
45/8 . . . . 27 dresses [videorecording(DVD)]
28/35 . . . The appeal / John Grisham
12/9 . . . . Atonement [videorecording(DVD)]
25/16 . . . Audition : a memoir / Barbara Walters
16/3 . . . . Before the devil knows you're dead [videorecording(DVD)]
13/3 . . . . Breaking Dawn / Stephenie Meyer
13/4 . . . . Brisingr / Christopher Paolini
13/8 . . . . The broken window : a Lincoln Rhyme novel / Jeffery Deaver
50/4 . . . . The bucket list [videorecording(DVD)]
38/13 . . . Charlie wilson's war [videorecording(DVD)]
17/2 . . . . The diving bell and the butterfly [videorecording(DVD)]
94/9 . . . . Fearless fourteen : a Stephanie Plum novel / Janet Evanovich
23/2 . . . . Fool's gold [videorecording(DVD)]
34/22 . . . The front / Patricia Cornwell
18/10 . . . The golden compass [videorecording(DVD)]
20/7 . . . . The great debaters [videorecording(DVD)]
18/21 . . . Hold tight / by Harlan Coben
12/11 . . . The Hollow / Nora Roberts
13/12 . . . The host / Stephenie Meyer
17/4 . . . . I'm not there [videorecording(DVD)]
12/2 . . . . John Adams [videorecording(DVD)]
21/3 . . . . Jumper [videorecording(DVD)]
28/16 . . . Juno [videorecording(DVD)]
21/13 . . . The last lecture / Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
13/2 . . . . Lions for lambs [videorecording(DVD)]
23/6 . . . . Mad money [videorecording)DVD)]
64/12 . . . National treasure 2. Book of secrets [videorecording(DVD)]
16/20 . . . A new earth : awakening to your life's purpose / Eckhart Tolle
20/13 . . . Nothing to lose / Lee Child
12/1 . . . . Now that's what I call music! 27 [sound recording(MusicCD)]
35/3 . . . . The other Boleyn girl [videorecording(DVD)]
37/8 . . . . P.S. I love you [videorecording(DVD)]
78/26 . . . Phantom prey / John Sandford
15/9 . . . . Plague ship : a novel of the Oregon files / by Clive Cussler ; with Jack Du Brul
12/23 . . . Quicksand / Iris Johansen
38/12 . . . Sail / James Patterson and Howard Roughan
13/12 . . . Shadow of power : a Paul Madriani novel / Steve Martini
16/1 . . . . The Spiderwick chronicles [videorecording(DVD)]
18/2 . . . . Stolen innocence / Elissa Wall with Lisa Pulitze
29/21 . . . Sundays at Tiffany's / James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
16/4 . . . . TailSpin / Catherine Coulter
16/17 . . . Twenty wishes / Debbie Macomber
15/4 . . . . Untraceable [videorecording(DVD)]
43/21 . . . The whole truth / David Baldacci
18/34 . . . Winter study / Nevada Barr
T E C H N O L O G Y
Microsoft Excel Tips and Tricks
From Linda Stobbe, NWLS -
Add a picture to an Excel Spreadsheet header/footer
A good way to jazz up a simple spreadsheet for your board or local government is to add your library’s logo to the spreadsheet header. It’s not difficult and can give your spreadsheet something special that could help to get it noticed.
For Excel versions before 2007:
1. From the file menu, select Page Setup.
2. Select the Header/Footer tab.
3. Select Custom Footer.
4. Select Left section.
5. Click the Picture icon (the second icon from the right).
6. In the Insert Picture dialog box, search for and select the logo or picture you want to add.
7. To format the picture, click the Format Picture icon (the first icon from the right).
8. Click OK.
For Excel 2007:
1.Open the spreadsheet you wish to add a header or footer.
2.Click on the Insert tab.
3.From the Insert Tab, click on header & footer in the Text ribbon.
4.The spreadsheet will be displayed in Page Layout View.
5.Choose the left, middle or right text box in the header or footer.
6.Click on the picture icon in the header & footer elements ribbon and choose the file that contains your desired picture.
Moving and Copying Formulas
Cells containing formulas can be moved or copied like cells that contain data. However, the reference to particular cells in a formula is important. In order to build error free worksheets, it is important to understand what happens to cell references in formulas as they are moved or copied to new locations in a worksheet.
Understanding Relative References:
When cells are moved or copied, all cell contents are also moved, including any cell references used in a formula. The cell reference in a formula automatically adjusts to reflect its new location. This type of changeable reference is called a relative reference.
Absolute References:
There are times when a formula contains a cell reference which should always remain the same. This is called an absolute reference; the contents of this specific cell will always be used in several formulas and copied to other cells. An absolute reference is identified by $ in front of the column and row headings. For example, $C$8 is an absolute reference and C8 is a relative reference. The difference comes when the cell is moved or copied. A formula using the absolute reference $C$8 tells Excel to always use the contents of cell C8 no matter where the reference is located in the worksheet. A formula using the relative reference C8 instructs Excel to adjust the cell reference to new locations.
Mixed References:
A formula may also contain a mixed reference. This is a reference in which either the column or the row is absolute. The cell reference $B3 is a mixed reference; the reference to column B; the row reference adjusts to a new location. The reference B$3 is also a mixed reference. In this case, column B adjusts to reflect the new location and the reference to row 3 remains constant.
U S E F U L . U R Ls
CareerOneStop
A U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored Web site that offers career resources and workforce information to job seekers, students, businesses, and workforce professionals to foster talent development in a global economy. Includes information about employment trends, occupational requirements and salary expectations.
URL: http://www.careeronestop.org/
GardenWeb
Links to gardening resources, discussion areas, botanic gardens, Cooperative Extension Services, etc.
URL: http://www.gardenweb.com/vl/
R E F L E C T I O N
"I have lost all sense of home, having moved about so much. It means to me now -- only that place where the books are kept."
- John Steinbeck
Contact NWLS for subscription services or to submit an article for publication: email Marsha at newsletter@nwls.lib.wi.us or call 715-682-2365.
NWLS: 3200 E. Lake Shore Dr. • Ashland, WI 54806 • Phone: (715)682-2365 • Web: http://nwls.wislib.org • Serving libraries in Ashland, Bayfield, Burett, Douglas, Iron, Sawyer, Vilas and Washburn Counties.
