In This Issue: 05.16.08

PLA Conference Report • Economic Impact of Public Libraries • Books for Children • Bullying Bibliography • YALSA Summer Online Courses • Go Green • Go Fish • Merlin Popular Holds • Caring for CDs and DVDs • Microsoft Word Tips and Tricks • Useful URLs • Reflection

Congratulations to Roberta Menger for receiving her Master's Degree in Library Science this month!
May 17 NWLS Board of Trustees Meeting, NWLS, 10:00
June 9 Directors Meeting, Presque Isle, 10:00 - 2:30
June 10 Directors Meeting, Hayward, 10:00 - 2:30
July 19 NWLS Board of Trustees Meeting, NWLS, 10:00
July 25 Merlin Consortium Meeting, NWLS, 10:00 - 1:00
July 20 Directors Meeting, NWLS, 10:00 – 2:30
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

PLA Conference Report

From Cherie Sanderson, Boulder Junction Public Library - I am so grateful to NWLS for granting me a scholarship to the Public Library Association's 12th National Conference in Minneapolis. Since our library is in the beginning phases of a building plan, I decided to focus on programs that dealt with Facilities and Marketing.

"21st Century Library Design" presented design concepts that "make the library the place to be!" - a community livingroom for life long learning built around the customer. Top ten library design trends include: (1) Comfortable Spaces (2) Meeting Rooms/Quiet Study (3) Supported Service, i.e. self-check (4) Food Service, yes, food in the library (5) Multi-Functional Children's Space (6) Teen Space (7) Retail-Oriented Merchandising (8) Technology (9) Good "Way Finding" (10) Sustainable Environments/Green Space.

Another program I attended - their marketing tactic worked - was "Sexy Senior Programming". They have a blog at sexyseniorprogramming@blogspot.com. Well, there wasn't all that much sexy in this program, but there were a lot of great ideas, such as bringing service out to the seniors and bringing seniors and youth together with "intergenerational" programming at your library. Check out "Laughter Club" at your library by visiting worldlaughtertour.com.

"Making the Yellow Brick Road: Guiding Patrons on the Path of Discovery Through Way-Finding" highlighted concepts that empower people to help themselves. Examples include a color palette of clues to help navigate patrons through the library; OPAC stations throughout the library; a "Million Dollar table" - choice reads in the "Inspire" section; circulation self-check machines; access to food; and separate spaces for children, teens and technology (Internet cafe, tech centers.) The Patron's Path in a library: (1) Welcome (2) Transition - just inside the entry - community info. (3) Inspire - front and forward promotion (4) Orient and Decide - department/destination clues (5) Guide and Suggest - in aisle signage (6) Transaction - checkout area (7) Reinforce - display and inspire relationship. I am very inspired to use some of their techniques when re-designing our library!

"Great Libraries for Dummies! or Been There, Done That, What Now?" featured the Richmond Public Library in British Columbia. Ten years ago, Richmond created the "Library of the Future" and libraries across North America have been using their initiatives ever since. Visit the Richmond Public Library website to access the PowerPoint. The session covered major trends and keys to achieving excellence:

      • 4 major trends in libraries: (1) The Library as a Destination (2) Customer Convenience Is #1 (3) Customer Based Technology, i.e. self-checkouts, email notification, what can we do better than Google? (4) Connecting with the Community.
      • 10 essentials for achieving excellence: (1) Be Open 7 Days a Week (2) Comfortable Spaces (3) Utilize Power of the Customer (4) Merchandize the Collections (5) Walk the Floor (6) Provide Web-Based Services (7) Involve the Community (8) Promote the Library (9) Measure, Compare, Adjust (10) Fully Utilize Staff and Board Commitment.
      • 5 easy steps to excellence: (1) Think Like a Customer (2) Determine Core Function (3) Set Priorities (4) Manage Resources (5) Implement with Urgency and Enthusiasm!

"What Is a Public Library....And Do Public Libraries Still Matter?" The results of recent public library surveys emphasize the 4 P's of library marketing (Product, Place, Price and Promote) and the 18 service reponses (what a library does to meet a set of well-defined community needs.) All of the Service responses (pdf) are listed with more details at the PLA website, or I can send you more info.

My valuable conference experience will guide me in the process of deciding what my community should have in a "new" library and how to design the space once the walls are up. Many ideas came from larger metropolitan-type libraries, but I can see the benefits of thinking "big" in a small space because my customers needs and wants aren't necessarily that different than a customer in a larger city. If anyone wants to know more about the programs I attended, please email me at csanderson@boulder.nwls.lib.wi.us.

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Economic Impact of Public Libraries

From the Department of Public Instruction - A study of the Economic Contribution of Wisconsin Public Libraries was a conducted by NorthStar Economics, Inc. of Madison, WI, from October, 2007 to April, 2008 to determine the economic impact and taxpayer return-on-investment of Wisconsin's 388 public libraries. The Executive Summary (pdf) is available as a nine-page document.

Also available is a slide presentation (pdf) by David Ward, President of NorthStar Economics as keynote address to the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries on May 1, 2008.

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Books For Children

From the Libri Foundation - The Libri Foundation is a nationwide non-profit organization that donates new, quality, hardcover children's books to small, rural public libraries throughout the United States. The goal of The Libri Foundation is to help as many rural libraries as possible through its BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program. The Libri Foundation supports the concept that children who learn to enjoy reading at an early age continue to read throughout their lives. In order to develop a love of reading, children must have access to books that stretch their imaginations, touch their emotions, and expand their horizons.

For many children in rural areas, the local public library is often their primary source of reading material. Many rural schools either have no library or the library is inadequate to meet the needs of the students. At a time when more and more children and their parents and teachers are using the public library, these same libraries are facing increasing financial hardships and are unable to buy the books their young readers need.

The Foundation works with the library's Friends of the Library or other local organizations to support community involvement and to encourage and reward local support of libraries. The Friends, or other local sponsors’ contributions from $50 to $350 can be matched by the Foundation on a 2-to-1 ratio. Thus, a library can receive up to $1,050 worth of new, quality, hardcover children's books through the Foundation's BOOKS FOR CHILDREN program. The next deadline for applications is August 15th.

Libraries are qualified on an individual basis. Application guidelines and forms may be downloaded from the Foundation's website at http://www.librifoundation.org. For more information about The Libri Foundation or its Books for Children program, please contact Ms. Barbara J. McKillip, President, The Libri Foundation, P.O. Box 10246, Eugene, OR 97440; 541-747-9655; libri@librifoundation.org.

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Bullying Bibliography

From Tessa Michaelson, Cooperative Children's Book Center - The CCBC is introducing a new bibliography available on the Web called, "Thick-skinned, Thin-skinned, The Skin I'm In: Books about Bullying, Teasing, Relational Aggression and School Violence." Experiences with bullying, teasing, relational aggression, and school violence are an all too common part of childhood and adolescence. Schools and communities are looking for ways to address these issues, while children, teens, and caring adults deal with the day-to-day fear and misery caused by such behavior.

This selective bibliography offers titles that authentically address the issues of bullying, teasing, relational aggression, and school violence. The titles chosen here reflect themes of conformity, self-perception, and popularity in addition to stories related to school culture and tolerance. While some books describe the difficulties of being different, others emphasize the positives. From books depicting the heartache of gossip and social invisibility to books portraying the struggle of feeling comfortable into one's own skin, these titles will have relevance and resonance with readers.

The titles are grouped according the suggested age range as well as by the main perspective the book offers (being the target, being the aggressor, being the observer, multiple perspectives). A section on difference is also included for each age range.

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YALSA Summer Online Courses

From Amerlican Library Association, May 13, 2008 - The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), has opened registration for three online courses this summer: “Reaching Teens with Gaming” (Beth Gallaway); “Making the Match: The Right Book with the Right Teen at the Right Time” (Teri Lesesne); and “Tech Tools for Teen Leadership” (Linda Braun). All courses last six weeks and meet July 7-Aug. 18. To read course descriptions or to register, please visit www.ala.org/yalsa and click on “Online Courses.”

YALSA’s summer courses cost $149 for YALSA members, $195 for ALA members and $215 for nonmembers. Six-week courses are equivalent to one-and-one-half-day face-to-face workshops. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more.

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Go Green!

From Library Journal, 2/1/2008 - Conservation practices can make a difference at your library. View the article BackTalk: Go Green! By Jane C. Neal for details on the following suggestions for saving energy and resources:

Plan Green
▪ Use regionally sourced building materials to reduce the transportation burden
▪ Recycle building materials when appropriate
▪ Maximize natural light and energy-efficient lighting
▪ Use enhanced water efficiency
▪ Use low-flow plumbing fixtures
▪ Plan for landscape irrigation that uses reclaimed water

Conserve Paper
▪ Purchase paper with a high percentage of recycled content
▪ Use well-marked recycle bins in staff and public locations
▪ Use Fee-based printing to help reduce unnecessary paper use

Conserve Electricity
▪ Purchase Energy Star–compliant equipment
▪ Use all available “power management features” when appropriate
▪ Set your monitors to idle at a low-power usage mode
▪ Choose LCD monitors
▪ Skip the screensavers - some screensavers prevent sleep mode activation
▪ Turn off PCs and monitors when appropriate

Go Fish!

From the Providence Journal, Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - There are libraries that lend toys and those that lend tools, and yes, even libraries that lend fishing gear! Three Rhode Island public libraries lend a range of fishing equipment, including rods, reels, hooks, lures, and sinkers. The equipment is provided and maintained by a nonprofit anglers association dedicated to sharing fishing techniques, fostering marine conservation and educating young and old about the joys of fishing, primarily through school programs and public seminars.

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Popular Merlin Holds

(Holds/Merlin copies)
41/29 . . . . . 7th heaven / James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
57/7 . . . . . . 27 dresses [videorecording(DVD)]
20/12 . . . . . Alvin and the chipmunks [videorecording(DVD)]
54/35 . . . . . The appeal / John Grisham
30/9 . . . . . . Atonement [videorecording(DVD)]
19/7 . . . . . . Audition : a memoir / Barbara Walters
26/11 . . . . . August rush [videorecording(DVD)]
19/3 . . . . . . Before the devil knows you're dead [videorecording(DVD)]
20/1 . . . . . . The bucket list [videorecording(DVD)]
56/12 . . . . . Charlie Wilson's war [videorecording(DVD)]
16/5 . . . . . . Cloverfield [videorecording(DVD)]
19/2 . . . . . . The diving bell and the butterfly [videorecording(DVD)]
16/12 . . . . . Enchanted [videorecording(DVD)]
15/6 . . . . . . Escape / Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer
36/2 . . . . . . Fearless fourteen : a Stephanie Plum novel / Janet Evanovich
13/1 . . . . . . Fool's gold [videorecording(DVD)]
25/5 . . . . . . The front / Patricia Cornwell
27/10 . . . . . The golden compass [videorecording(DVD)]
12/3 . . . . . . The great debaters [videorecording(DVD)]
22/16 . . . . . Hold tight / by Harlan Coben
10/6 . . . . . . The Hollow / Nora Roberts
22/4 . . . . . . I am legend [videorecording(DVD)]
17/3 . . . . . . I'm not there [videorecording(DVD)]
13/4 . . . . . . Into the wild [videorecording(DVD)]
52/15 . . . . . Juno [videorecording(DVD)]
18/11 . . . . . The kite runner [videorecording(DVD)]
15/7 . . . . . . The last lecture / Randy Pausch with Jeffrey Zaslow
13/2 . . . . . . Lions for lambs [videorecording(DVD)]
14/3 . . . . . . Love in the time of cholera [videorecording(DVD)]
12/10 . . . . . Michael Clayton [videorecording(DVD)]
12/7 . . . . . . Mistaken identity / Don Van Ryn ... [et al.]
41/2 . . . . . . National treasure 2. Book of secrets [videorecording(DVD)]
36/18 . . . . . A new earth : awakening to your life's purpose / Eckhart Tolle
17/16 . . . . . No country for old men [videorecording(DVD)]
12/1 . . . . . . Now that's what I call music! 27 [sound recording(MusicCD)]
14/6 . . . . . . Odd hours / Dean Koontz
34/4 . . . . . . P.S. I love you [videorecording(DVD)]
54/19 . . . . . Phantom prey / John Sandford
29/19 . . . . . Quicksand / Iris Johansen
14/4 . . . . . . Sail / James Patterson and Howard Roughan
15/5 . . . . . . Savages [videorecording(DVD)]
45/16 . . . . . Sundays at Tiffany's / James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
15/10 . . . . . Sweeney Todd. The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [videorecording(DVD)]
18/5 . . . . . . There will be blood [videorecording(DVD)]
19/10 . . . . . Twenty wishes / Debbie Macomber
33/23 . . . . . Where are you now? / Mary Higgins Clark
36/19 . . . . . The whole truth / David Baldacci
37/29 . . . . . Winter study / Nevada Barr

[Printing version]

Caring for CDs and DVDs

From Charles LaBelle, labelle@nnex.net - With the increased popularity of CDs and DVD’s, you may have noticed more damaged discs being returned by library patrons. Discs can be damaged in a number of ways causing them to skip or not play. There is nothing more frustrating than watching a DVD or listening to a disc that is skipping or won’t play, or finding out about damage that the previous patron(s) neglected to report.

Audio-visual discs are made using a clear plastic polycarbonate disc with a center hole. Glued to the top is a metallic label that is only 0.0015 inches thick. This is less than half the diameter of a human hair! A laser beam writes to the underside of the disc. The discs are read in a similar manner using a laser beam.

When the underside of a disc becomes soiled by fingerprints or food particles, it can be cleaned if it is washed or run through the polishing machine. When the label on the topside is scratched, torn or peeled off, the disc CANNOT be repaired.

To prevent damage to discs, clear labels are available to protect the label on the topside of a disc. You can contact me for sources I use for purchasing the protective labels. Because discs can be so easily damaged, a warning of “handle with care” may not be sufficient. Perhaps a better warning would be “Discs are easily damaged – Handle by edges only. Report any damage to the library. Do not try to polish the disc yourself."

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Microsoft Word Tips and Tricks

From Linda Stobbe, NWLS - Tip #1: The Zoom Feature - You can use the scroll button on your mouse to zoom in and out of documents quickly. Just hold down the Ctrl key and roll the scroll wheel forward to get a closer view of the document, or roll it back to shrink it.

Tip #2: Using Symbols - The AutoCorrect feature in Office can automatically place symbols in your documents.

• (c) will do this: ©
• (r) will do this: ®
• (tm) will do this: ™
• ==> will do this: Ë
• <== will do this: Á
• --> will do this: →
• <-- will do this: ←

Tip #3: Enlarging Toolbar Icons - Are the toolbar icons in Word too small for you? There's an option to make them much easier to see. Click on the "Tools" menu and choose "Customize". On the multi-tabbed dialog box that follows, select the "Options" tab. Check "Large icons" under "Other" and press "Close".

Tip #4: Create Fancy Underlining - Why underline your text with a simple black line when you can do much more? Select the text to be underlined then right-click and select "Font". Now, underneath the "Underline Style" pulldown, select your desired underline type. You can use a solid line, dashes, waves, and more. Plus, underneath "Underline Color" you can make underlines in a different color than the normal text color. Check out the "Preview" section to see how your underline will look. When you are done, press "OK" to close the dialog box.

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Catch the Reading Bug
The Association of Children's Librarians of Northern California have eleven new themes for "Catch the Reading Bug". Themes are listed at the top of the page. Click on the bug and see a list of books and craft suggestions for that theme.
URL: http://www.bayviews.org/storytime.html

Trustee Tips n' Topics
WebJunction now offers a blog section for trustees featuring three active WebJunction members and nationally recognized trustees: Ellen Miller of the Ellen Miller Group, Jim Connor of the Trustee College Consulting Team, and Pat Fisher of P. Fisher and Associates. The series augments other relevant resources on WebJunction in the Friends and Trustees area and related discussions.
URL: http://blog.webjunctionworks.org/index.php/category/trustees/

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"There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds... There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature - the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter..."

- Rachel Carson

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.