The Library Connection
The Monthly Newsletter of the Eastern
Shores Library System
www.esls.lib.wi.us
Volume 32 Number 11 November 2012
Click here for the Winter 2013 Bookmobile Schedule
|
In This Issue: |
|
| Next Step in the Merger Inquiry | There's Still Time for Seniors to Learn the Internet |
| Common Core Curriculum | Thank You to the Kohler Company |
| News From the Area | Interesting Items |
Next Step in the Merger
Inquiry
Interim Director, David Weinhold has created a chart comparing the services offered by the four library systems that could potentially be involved in a merger with Eastern Shores. The chart has been received by the Board of Trustees and reviewed by the member library directors.
Some of the differences in system services offered include:
Winnefox Library System acts as a clearing house for ILL requests and they use WorldCat instead of WISCAT.
Winnefox and Waukesha have staff dedicated to continuing education.
Waukesha uses a private vendor for delivery service throughout their system. Winnefox does not do delivery to all member libraries everyday. They also have a delivery hub for sorting.
Waukesha has a homebound delivery service.
Winnefox coordinates the booking of summer library performers.
Waukesha and Manitowoc-Calumet provide grants to member libraries for summer library program materials and Waukesha provides funds for three performers at each library.
Winnefox has a graphic artist on staff who designs and produces all printed and promotional materials for the member libraries and programs, including the Summer Library Program and National Library Week.
Winnefox provides cooperative purchasing and physical processing of library materials. They barcode and enter data for the processed materials into the shared catalog. Three of the counties participate in this service.
Waukesha organizes group purchases of databases and Ebooks for member libraries funded by per capita assessments on member libraries.
Winnefox has a mascot.
Waukesha does not offer tech support for local pc's. Manitowoc-Calumet and Waukesha do not offer centralized cataloging of material. Winnefox provides catalog database maintenance under a contract with the Oshkosh Public Library.
From the information gathered in the chart, for services to be provided in 2013 it showed that Winnefox will have a FTE staff of 18.5 providing system services: http://www.winnefox.org/staff.html ; Waukesha will have a FTE staff of 7 providing system services: http://www.wcfls.org/staff.php and Manitowoc-Calumet will have a FTE staff of 3.26 : http://www.mclsweb.org/mclsweb/about-2/staff/ . Eastern Shores Library System will have 9.25 FTE system staff members, 2.8 FTE staff are for the providing bookmobile service, this leaves 6.45 FTE staff to provide the other system services.
The ESLS member library directors decided they would like additional information and would like to meet with the directors of Manitowoc-Calumet, Waukesha, and Winnefox Library Systems. The meeting will be on Tuesday, December 18 at the Oostburg Public Library.
These are some of the questions the library system directors should be prepared to answer:
Based on your current services and structure, please
develop a list or chart which shows what a member library would receive as
cash grants. What fees would a library pay for system services and Integrated
Library System (ILS) service; and describe specific services libraries
receive.
Based on your current county library service plan
and/or library system plan, please describe how your system reimburses or
compensates libraries for crossover borrowing within a county and/or
within the system. (Crossover
borrowing is the borrowing of materials from Library A by residents of
libraried community B). Does
net lending and net borrowing factor into the reimbursement/compensation?
Do you coordinate or negotiate countywide library service plans and payments? Please describe your ILS participation formulas, and provide examples of fee calculations. What is your system's role in providing centralized ILL service to your member libraries? What is the ILS policy for local holds going to local patrons first before being available to other libraries' patrons?
There's
Still Time for Seniors to Learn the Internet
Kim Dalhaimer, Reference Liaison
Although the Internet is almost 20 years old, librarians can’t assume
that everybody knows how to use it. This
is especially true of American adults who are 65 years of age and older.
As of April, 2012, 53% of this group was using the Internet or
email. Though these individuals are still less likely than all other age
groups to access the Internet, the latest data represent the first time
that over half of American seniors are going online. After several years
of very little growth among this group, these gains are significant.(1)
But what about the other 47% of older Americans who do not participate
in the digital age? That
percentage represents a large number of Americans who still do not have
access to important information, and this omission presents an opportunity
for librarians to teach them the basics of the Internet.
How can librarians reach the part of this 47% who still want to
bridge the digital divide?
In this age of very tight budgets it’s not very likely that library
personnel will be able to teach computer classes to the public, especially
in smaller libraries. But
fortunately, there is another way that public libraries can participate in
this important process.
Library personnel can contact local high school administrators to
determine which students would be willing and able to offer weekly
individual instruction during the school year at the library.
For example, an early dismissal day at the local high school would
furnish a perfect opportunity for this kind of interaction.
An hour could be set aside after dismissal with high school
students offering one-on-one computer sessions for seniors needing
assistance. The customer would
be free to ask any question related to computers and the Internet.
Hopefully the library could earmark some computers for this
program. Moreover, whether the
instructor comes from the library staff or from the local high school,
it’s essential that the teacher be totally patient with any student.
Why should librarians care if more seniors become familiar with the
Internet? Many everyday
services have migrated there, with great impacts felt in banking, mail
delivery, retail, newspapers, and libraries.
People enjoy using the Internet to access e-mail, Facebook,
the glories of Google, digital photography, genealogical searching,
travel sites, and for many other reasons.
Seniors without Internet skills will be unaware of these
life-enriching tools.
Just offering these classes will not guarantee that these seniors will
come for needed computer instruction, since multiple barriers exist in
getting them to the keyboard. Many
don’t understand the relevance of the Internet and what it offers.
This group needs convincing that the Internet has essential life
information. This group also
has other obstacles to effective Internet use: lack of awareness; fear of
technology; problems with vision, hearing, or manual dexterity; limited
finances or learning options; and privacy concerns.
But with the proper training by instructors the above obstacles can
be mitigated or even eliminated in some cases.
These problems are being addressed by certain organizations that are
trying to decrease the digital divide for older Americans: government
agencies like the National Institute on Aging and the National Network of
Libraries of Medicine; organizations like public libraries, senior centers
and residences; YMCAs and AARP; and individuals who are starting small
businesses which provide services to help people become comfortable with
the Internet and completing health care information forms chiefly located
on the Internet.
Once seniors start to master the keyboard and search engines,
librarians can encourage them to be aware of even more important
information on the Internet. Does
anyone really need to be told how important excellent health is to leading
a happy life? We know that
medical books are popular at our libraries, and it’s our duty to promote
to our customers even the most up-to-date medical information available on
the Internet. We can do this
by writing newspaper articles for our local newspaper, displaying posters
in the library with medical web site information, creating flyers for
distribution, creating displays, and offering programs by medical experts
on health information available on the Internet.
In addition, with excellent searching skills the individual can
find the following and more health information on the Internet:
·
learn more about your health problem and how to manage or
eliminate it
·
become an informed and active participant in decisions
regarding your health
·
stay independent and in your own home for the rest of your
life
·
keep an electronic personal medical record for easy access
·
enhance emotional health and longevity by remaining socially
connected to friends and relatives
·
communicate directly with your doctors by e-mail and Skype
·
find and facilitate access to medical specialists
·
choose the best Medicare options for your needs
·
order prescriptions and groceries online
·
develop an at-home fitness program tailored to your needs
and limitations
·
find recipes and menus suited to your tastes, availability
and nutritional requirements.(2)
By making these efforts for our senior customers, we will help to connect them digitally, either personally or through caregivers, so that they can experience a higher quality of life.
- Brody, Jane. "Not too late to go digital." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel [Milwaukee] 16 Oct 2012, 3E. Print.
- Brody, Jane. "Not too late to go digital." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel [Milwaukee] 16 Oct 2012, 3E. Print.
Children's Librarians Corner
Common Core Curriculum
Sue Potter, ESLS Bookmobile Librarian
If you have worked with public school teachers this summer or fall you have heard of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) which was adopted by our state on June 2, 2010. According to the FAQ of the CCSS website, "The federal government was NOT involved in the development of the standards. This has been a state-led and driven initiative from the beginning. States have voluntarily adopted the standards based on the timelines and context in their state." This effort was coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
The standards address skills and knowledge in English language arts and Mathematics.* Five states, Alaska, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia have not adopted them. This is the Mission statement , "The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy".
These are examples of skills and knowledge that should be learned by the specified grade level :
Grade 2: Compare and contrast two or more versions of
the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from
different cultures.
Grade 2: Recount stories, including fables and
folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message,
lesson, or moral.
Grade 5: Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.
We asked some of the teachers we work with how libraries might be of more assistance in teaching the CCSS. These are their responses:
Second grade teacher: Our biggest need are materials on the same subject, but different text levels....for example, reading selections that have a Lexile level. We do a lot of our common core stuff on line.
Fifth grade teacher: There has been a great deal of concentration on having the students read and be exposed to all the different genre's. I guess what I would look at doing is making sure there are a lot of books in all the different genre's. I don't know if multiple copies would be the answer because students can reserve them and receive them in a fairly short period of time. The concentration is to read-read-read. A lot of students do check out the Playaways from our IMC. They have this option on quite a few books.
Our IMC is pretty up to date. They are using a program called Destiny which the kids can log into from home and check out if a book has an AR test or even if the IMC has a certain book. For the common core we are concentrating on the students reading and writing in all areas - not just literacy and language arts. They need to read and write more in Social Studies, Math and Science. Always interesting and yet challenging, which is good.
Teacher Grades 6-8: Our district has purchased a program called Curriculum Companion. This program unpacks the Common Core for us and essentially writes our curriculum for us. It tells us what standards we will be covering and the time frame we have to cover them in. While it is great from a planning standpoint, it has caused some difficulties, especially in acquisition of materials. For example, the second 3-5 week "module" of the year in middle school revolved around book clubs. The problem was that every single language arts teacher was trying to run book clubs at the same time, and so needed multiple copies of multiple books. If you were the last teacher to get into the book room, you (and your students) had to scrape the bottom of the barrel as far as books that would interest the kids. So one thing that libraries can do is to be prepared for situations like that. Have sets of 4-6 high-demand books (i.e. recent popular books, like The Hunger Games or the Percy Jackson books) that teachers can check out, and have them leveled according to Lexile or some other difficulty scale so teachers can choose the appropriate books for their students.
We also have an upcoming unit at the middle school that revolves around reading biographies. The same theory would apply there - all the teachers are going to be checking out biographies at the same time. Have high-interest biographies at the ready and have them leveled in some way. It is more difficult to find nonfiction materials that reach different levels of readers.
I spoke to another teacher. Her comment was, "Why do teachers have to reinvent the wheel?" Her suggestion was that libraries have almost a separate collection for Common Core resources for each grade level. I don’t know how it works at the elementary or high school, but at least at the middle school we all work on the same standards and benchmarks, just at different levels of complexity. So, for example, when we get to the unit on poetry, have separate materials for poetry for each grade level.
We only have one librarian for the entire district, so we don't have our media specialist do as much as we had in the past. In the past, we had our librarian teach lessons on citing sources, using EBSCOHost and online databases, etc. and the teachers don't really have the time to teach the Common Core and everything else. Librarians could be a great visiting resource for that.
Librarians know learning is a collaborative responsibility and responsive environments engage learners. This is why we do the summer reading program. Responding to the needs of educators to teach the common core standards will be a natural extension of those ideals.
For more information on the Common Core Standards watch the Common Core in School and Public Libraries on Tuesday, December 11 from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Hosted by Barb Novak, DPI Reading Specialist; Nancy Anderson, DPI School Library Consultant and Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Youth and Special Services Consultant ,Wisconsin DPI. It is suggested you do some pre-webinar homework and review your basic understanding of CCSS . You do not need to register, just "click on the link on the scheduled meeting day and time". You will be able to view the webinar at a later date.
*According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website: Wisconsin is also participating in two multi-state projects to develop new common standards for science and social studies. Each is following a slightly different process from the Common Core State Standards initiative.
Thank
you to the Kohler Company
The Eastern Shores Library System would like to thank the Kohler Company for generously donating a generator through their Charitable Contributions Program for the Bookmobile Service. Tim Jahnke, Senior Area Manager of Kohler Power Systems worked with Roger Neeb, our generator expert, to configure a 15kW generator with air mounts and remote start. This is the third generator that has been has donated for the service. The first came with the new vehicle in 1990 and the second one was donated in 2001.
The diesel generator provides the power for the lights, heating/AC and computers on the vehicle. This summer the generator was only able to produce enough power for the lights, computers and one air conditioning unit to work, the other unit could not be on at the same time. The new unit provides enough power for everything to be running and the air mounts make it quieter. The estimated retail value of the generator is $15,000.
Our thanks to Roger, Mr. Jahnke, the Kohler Company and the Kohler Charitable Contributions Program for their time and effort in support of our service.
News From the Area
The W. J. Niederkorn Library of Port Washington reported that their video surveillance helped catch a woman that had been stealing DVDs.
Mead Public Library will be starting "1000 Books Before Kindergarten" on December 3rd.
The Director, Sharon Winkle, also reported at the November Board of Trustees meeting that the library has received a grant from the Kohler Foundation, Inc. for digitization of local history materials.
Interesting Items
*Christina Manz, Library Science Collection,
Texas State Library & Archives Commission
*Job Seekers Networking Group Meetings this December . These free meetings are from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesdays at the United Way Building in Sheboygan. The focus of the group is to help underemployed and unemployed people achieve the next step in their career. Meetings consist of idea sharing, group presentations, open discussions, and group activities....all geared toward equipping people with tools to meet their new challenges.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Topic: Strategic Job Searches
Guest Presenter: John Ziemann (J. Ziemann Associates, Inc.)
Learn unique and effective ways to enhance your job search to go beyond looking through the job ads in newspapers or online. This session will also discuss ways to make contact with potential employers, how to present yourself, and how to avoid spinning your wheels.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012 Topic: Dealing with
Rejection…How to Learn from It
Guest Presenter: Amy Myska (Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development)
The job search process can be frustrating!
And hearing over and over again "Thank you, however..."
can
be tough. Learn some positive
ways to deal with being rejected by technology and how to overcome the
frustrating process.
