The Library Connection

The Monthly Newsletter of the Eastern Shores Library System
www.esls.lib.wi.us

Volume 31 Number 4   April 2011

Click here for the Winter 2011 Bookmobile Schedule

Meeting with State Senator Leibham 

State Senator Joe Leibham met with ESLS directors, staff, Board members and other members of the community on Monday, April 18 at the Eastern Shores Library System offices.  Senator Leibham is a member of the Joint Finance Committee and the Committee is considering the proposed state budget bill.  ESLS Director David Weinhold reviewed the library issues affected by Governor Walker's proposed State Budget.  They are a 10% reduction in state aid for public library systems, 10% reduction in funding for Badgerlink, 10% reduction in funding for state level library service contracts and the elimination of the minimum membership support requirement for participation in the library system (also known as MOE).

ESLS Director David Weinhold felt these were important points brought out in the discussion:
1.a. The MOE issue is not an unfunded mandate but a condition of membership in the state funded library system. This condition requires a funding level of the average of the previous three years for the library.  This condition assures other members that each library is participating in good faith in the sharing of resources.  If the citizens of a libraried municipality wishes to take advantage of the sharing of library resources and cost saving services of library systems, then the municipality must meet the conditions set by the state for such sharing.

1.b. A compromise position on MOE would be considered by the Senator.  These are some of the proposed options:
   1. Remove this from the Budget Bill because it is not a fiscal issue and have it considered as separate legislation.
   2. Reducing the MOE requirement by 10% for 2011-2013 biennium thus allowing municipalities to meet a lower threshold for the two years.  This is similar to the reduction in funding for shared revenue.  This would sunset at the end of 2011-2013 biennium.

2.  State funding for state level library services - systems, Badgerlink, and contracts - comes from the Universal Service Fund (USF) which is not affected by the state's income and sales tax.  The USF is a segregated fund, so these library services could be funded at the current level.  Thus, shared services and resources that help libraries respond to needs of their patrons could be maintained even though their local funding may be reduced.

WLA has an information page on the The Universal Service Fund.  These funds provide specific library services: Badgerlink, Public Library System Aids, and Statewide Service Contracts for the Wisconsin Regional Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, Wisconsin Interlibrary Services, Milwaukee Public Library and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC).  This is a link to WLA paper #562 which gives background about library funding issues.

According to the April 28, 2011 WLA e-newsletter "Having completed public hearings on the 2011-13 state budget, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance has begun deliberating in executive session.  On Tuesday, May 3, the committee will discuss the budgets of the DPI (including library issues), the Wisconsin Historical Society and a few other agencies". The Legislative Fiscal Bureau analyses on library-related items has has just been published.  

Time remains to contact your local legislators about budget concerns.

Lakeview Community Library Receives Federal Grant to Expand Services to English Language Learners

Darla Jean Kraus, Director of the Lakeview Community Library

The Lakeview Community Library, Random Lake, has been awarded a Library Services and Technology Act grant to expand library and literacy services to English language learners.  The LSTA grant will provide funding for bilingual library materials and fund programming that will include computer-assisted learning and bilingual story times.  The amount of the grant is $2,768.

The “Opening Doors for English Language Learners” project at the Lakeview Community Library is being developed in partnership with the Literacy Council Project of the Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County, Our Lady of the Lakes School, the Random Lake School District, St. John’s U. C. C., Lakeshore Technical College, UW-Extension Sheboygan County, and Partners for Community Development/Hispanic Information Center. 

To learn more about the “Opening Doors for English Language Learners” services and programs, please contact Darla Jean Kraus, Lakeview Community Library at 920-994-4825 or email at raref@esls.lib.wi.us.  To find out more about volunteering opportunities with this project, please contact Jo Ann Dent, Literacy Council Project of the Family Resource Center at 920-457-1888 or frcliteracy@excel.net.

Children's Librarians Corner

A.T.L.A.S. CLUB (at the library after school)

Cindy Franke, Children’s Services at the Oscar Grady Public Library 

Our library has had an after school book club for a few years now, and although the attendance isn’t always what we expect we will continue to offer this extended library experience.

We must keep in mind it’s not always lack of interest by the kids but simply having a way to get to the library that remains to be part of the attendance issue. The kids that are faithful in attendance are so excited that it’s worth every minute we spend with them.  We have evolved from a club of K-4^th graders to a club geared toward 2-4^th graders.

We have a few kids disappointed they won’t be able to make it once they’re in 5^th grade. We may have to come up with a new plan! So with that being said, here is what our book club has evolved into over the years. We meet once a month October through April on the same day of the week and same time for about an hour. We begin our first meeting together having the kids give their input on what they want their book club activities to be. Our favorite choices are and have been: a Book to Movie (proof the book is always better), Design Your Own Book Cover, based on one of your favorite books (we display these in the library), Vote for Your Favorite Book (this introduces the voting and campaign process), Library Scavenger Hunt (using the computer catalogue and finding materials on their own), Library Lingo (this teaches library terms in a fun way and plays like Bingo), Creative Games (new, fun ideas from our last Children’s Workshop in Waukesha) and Book Parties (parties based on a particular book). We encourage the kids to bring a light snack and drink and of course a friend or two! We do not require registration. For advertising we made a very large colorful poster for the elementary school that we change the monthly information on. We also place the information in the school newsletter and on our website www.oscargradylibrary.org

There is a good article in Publisher’s Weekly, January 31, 2011 titled, What Do Children’s Book Consumers Want? The library still comes out at the top.

Remember, each year brings a new group of kids that you’re giving this fun opportunity to, so keep positive and excited about all the awesome things that your library has to offer!

Exploring EasiCat Participation by Fond du Lac Public Library

The Library System Board authorized library system staff to undertake formal discussions with Fond du lac Public Library Director Ken Hall on the conditions by which Fond du lac Public Library (FDLPL) would participate in EasiCat - the library system's shared library automation system.  Due to 2012 budget concerns, FDLPL is exploring methods by which it could reduce costs.  The FDLPL Board of Trustees requested consideration in a letter to the ESLS Board.

The Technical Advisory Committee met with FDLPL Director Hall in early April to review the issues of a non-system library joining EasiCat.  Hall spoke of his desire to cooperate with the ESLS member libraries and to fund those costs that are necessary to be part of the shared library automation system.  For example, the TAC members were concerned about the delivery service to and from FDLPL since ESLS would incur additional costs to undertake that additional distance.  Hall replied that FDLPL will provide delivery service to and from the ESLS offices for FDLPL materials.  It was also stated that as a non-system library, FDLPL would need to reimburse the Library System for the value of ESLS support of their EasiCat participation, so that ESLS member libraries are not short-changed.

Discussions with FDLPL Director are underway.  If discussions are successful, then it is likely that FDLPL would be participating in EasiCat by early 2012.

Library Media Specialists to Retire

Four of the five Sheboygan Area School District library media specialists will be retiring at the end of this school year: Sue Dennis, Judy Geisler, Sue Kuck and Kris Wiegerling.   These women have given many years of service, some over 35, to their profession and taught students library skills they will have for a lifetime.  We salute their accomplishments and wish them well in their retirement.  

At this time it is uncertain how the district will staff the library media centers next year.

If we have missed other media specialists that will be retiring from the ESLS area we apologize but also wish you the best in your future endeavors. 

Improving Broadband Capacity in ESLS

At the April 25 System Board meeting Automation Librarian Paul Onufrak reported that the loss of the federal Broadband Grant has setback the improvement of Internet service in the Library System.  The grant would have paid for the equipment that the libraries and the library system needed to increase broadband capacity at the libraries and the central site in the ESLS offices.  

Although the grant was lost, the TEACH program was not reduced in Governor Walker's proposed budget, so funding is available for some increase in capacity in ESLS.  However, before that capacity can be increased, the Library System must find funds to replace the central site equipment to handle the increase in that capacity.  Onufrak is working with the Library System's network support team to find a cost effective solution for both the library system and the member libraries.

Read Some Good Teen Lit Lately?

Monona Public Librarian Toni Streckert has started a Teen Lit for Adults book club.  According to Toni in an article on Madison.com “They have some of the most exciting, concise writing,” she said. “Teens don’t have a long attention span, so your writing has to be so crisp, so polished.”  

If you haven't tried any here are a few suggestions: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Cardturner by Louis Sachar. 

No ChiliFresh after May

At the recent SLAC meeting on April 19 questions about ChiliFresh were raised.  The subscription to the ChiliFresh database was purchased with system funds, individual libraries had not contributed to the purchase.  However, due to a possible $64,000 budget reduction in system funding the majority of ESLS library directors felt that the $3030 spent on the database should be used to help offset any possible funding reductions.  

Eastern Shores Library System did not contribute many new valid reviews. A total of 202 were registered from May 2010 - March 2011, but over 14,500 reviews were viewed during that same time period.  ChiliFresh reviews will no longer be available to EasiCat patrons by the end of May 2011.  

Times ChiliFresh Reviews were Viewed:

What Happening at Member Libraries

* At the W. J. Niederkorn Library in Port Washington customers have been given the ability to respond to their annual survey online. They could fill it out with each visit to the website or when visiting the library.  Besides the basic questions on library staff and services, customers will be asked about ebook readers, mp3 players and material sources for these devices.

According to Director David Nimmer the survey is usually done in April.  Until this year it was only an in house paper survey and they receive from 100 to 200 responses each year. Question number 3 on the survey, asked yearly, "Did you find what you were looking for today" has never had a negative response.  The Library Board does look at the responses and any comments are addressed by the Board and staff.

* The Saukville Public Library is offering three new services for their customers: Notary Public Services, Fax Services and Payment by Credit Card.  Director Jen Gerber noted that these are all things the staff had been asked for repeatedly by the patrons and they have been very positively received.  Director Gerber has addressed the execution of each service below:

Notary Public Services: This service was relatively easy to implement, I became certified through the State of Wisconsin through an online state exam.   There is a small fee to take this exam, but the commission lasts four years before renewal, we do not charge patrons for this service.  We have had a very positive response to this service; many patrons have told us that we are the only place in town where Notary Services are offered after 5pm.  I try to accommodate appointments after hours, but most people have come in during library hours.

Fax Services: We implemented this service through a company called FAX 24.  There is no charge to public libraries participating in this program and the fax machine and all hardware are free; the library even receives a small commission for participating and housing the machine in the building.  The FAX 24 machine requires no staff involvement, in fact we have it housed in a private room, the patron lifts the handheld receiver on the machine and an automated voice walks them through the steps of sending a fax.  The patron enters their credit card information right on the keypad to pay the $1.50 per page charge.  Patrons love it and it was very easy to implement.

Payment by Credit Card:  We implemented this service through a non-profit organization called GOV-PAY.  And again, there is no charge to the library to host this service.  Patrons can pay their library fines via our website.  There is a charge that goes directly to GOV-PAY of $3.50 per transaction but this does not seem to have swayed anyone in using it.  We’ve had several payments via credit card since we implemented this service, but whether patrons take advantage of it of not, it at the very least gives them another option besides cash or check.

Check out their website for more information on each service.

* The Kohler Public Library has their new website up and running. 

Interesting Items

* To Google or not to Google, that is the question.  Here's the answer at Lifehacker.com.  In a related article by BMC Medical Education 10, no. 17 (2011), an assignment designed for first-year dental students to evaluate their information literacy skills " revealed a significantly higher percentage of students who provided incorrect responses (n = 53/70 or 75.7%) reported using Google as their preferred online search method".

* Do you have a designated refuge area in your building in case of tornados? FEMA has created Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings that can help you determine that area based on three main steps, check Chapter 4 for more details.  The National Weather Service has these suggestions: 

* Check out this short but interesting article. On April 17, 2011 the Chronicle of Higher Education published an article by Robert Darnton, 5 myths about the 'Information Age'.   Two of the myths are that the book is dead and libraries are obsolete. 

* Items that are worn out or outdated are just part of the "cost of doing business".  What about lost and stolen items, which according to a recent article in the Dayton Daily News is on the rise?  In fact you may not know how many items are missing unless you have recently done an inventory. 

Read about the protections some libraries are using to combat these thefts, including hiring a collection agency, Unique Management Services.  Mead Public Library utilizes their services in our area. 

* Under stress lately?  These are some stress busters from the Aurora Employee Assistance Program (the EAP for ESLS) and WebMD online that you can do on the job: 

Practice deep breathing.  This is the single most important component of a stress management program.  
Avoid excessive caffeine and nicotine.
Delegate tasks that you can, to others.
Schedule important tasks during your most productive time of the day.
Learn to let go of things you cannot change.
                        Laugh!!!

* Still want to listen to Paula Kiely, Director of the Milwaukee Public Library on the At Issue with Ben Merens show from Wisconsin Public Radio (90.7 in Milwaukee) then click here and scroll down to 5:00 PM.

* How well would you or your staff do on the mental_floss short quiz on the Dewey Decimal System.  Give it a try.

* Kindle users will soon be able to download Overdrive materials.  Check it out at the OverDrive blog .

www.esls.lib.wi.us