The Library Connection
Volume 24 Number 2 February 2004
At the December 2003 ESLS Board meeting trustees Mary Huenink and Kathleen Goedde were recognized for their years of service on the board. Mary Huenink, Sheboygan County member-at-large, served one three-year term. Kathleen Goedde, Sheboygan County participating library board member, has been on the board for eleven years. Goedde served as Treasurer and Chair for the budget committee for the past eleven years. TAC Advisor for 2003 was Nancy Van Voorhis, director of the Elkhart Lake Public Library. Nancy was thanked for her diligent monthly reporting.
The January 26 meeting was delayed until February 2, 2004 because of a snow storm. The ESLS board held an election of officers on February 2. Nominated and elected were Nancy Lewis, President; Richard Rupert, Vice President; and Bill Jens, Treasurer.
At the February 23, 2004 meeting trustees reviewed and approved the 2003 Public Library System Annual Report. This report is due to the Department of Public Instruction by March 1, 2004. The 2004 TAC Advisor, Linda Pierschalla , director of the Oscar Grady Public Library in Saukville, was introduced.
Five residents of Ozaukee County have been appointed to the Ozaukee County Library Planning Committee. During the year, the committee will meet regularly and will review and revise the current plan for county library service, which expires in 2005. The plan provides for library services to non-libraried residents and specifies methods and levels of county funding to implement the plan. Using funds obtained through a LSTA grant, the committee will also study and make recommendations on a county district library. A final report will be presented to the county board in December.
Members appointed by the Ozaukee County Board are: Cathy Urness and Richard Rupert, citizen members; Marie Zirbes, a public library board member, and County Board Supervisors Jack Eckert and Elizabeth Brelsford. David Weinhold, ESLS Director, is an advisory member of the committee.
Carol Edler Baumann, a member of the Eastern Shores Library Board, will be one of two recipients of the World Citizen of the Year Award from the International Institute of Wisconsin. The award recognizes individuals who have promoted understanding, either through business and/or personal endeavors which have had a positive effect on Milwaukee and Wisconsin communities.
Carol is director emerita of the Institute of World Affairs headquartered in Milwaukee and a member of the Institute's board of directors, is professor emerita at UW-Milwaukee, and is a former deputy assistant secretary for assessments and research for the U.S. State Department. She is the author of several academic books and two novels.
She has traveled worldwide and has met and talked with Yassir Arafat, the late Deng Tsao Peng, Henry Kissinger, and Al Gore. In 1997, Mayor John Norquist of Milwaukee signed a proclamation commending her for promoting the international outlook through a variety of programs she initiated at the Institute of World Affairs.
A native of Plymouth, Carol and her husband Richard (the author of several books on cookery) currently reside on Lake Ellen in rural Sheboygan County.
A new award from ALA honors an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. The award was donated by Dr. Katherine Schneider.
The award for the best illustration for young children was given to Glenna Lang, author and illustrator of "Looking Out for Sarah," a picture book that describes a day in the life of a seeing eye dog.
The middle school award went to Wendy Mass for "A Mango Shaped Space," a book about a 13-year-old girl who comes to terms with a rare neurological condition called Synethesia, which causes her to perceive letters, numbers, and sounds as colors.
The teen award honored Andrew Clements, author of "Things Not Seen," the story of an adolescent who wakes up one morning invisible. A new friend, Alicia, empathizes with him because she experienced a loss of vision following a head injury.
All of these books are available at Eastern Shores Library and can be requested through EasiCat, the shared automated catalog.
Teachers and librarians looking for materials for Black History month are reminded that BadgerLink includes two full-text resources with a wealth of information. The African American Biographical Database (AABD) brings together in one resource the biographies of thousands of African Americans, including activists, business people, former slaves, performing artists, educators, lawyers, physicians, writers, church leaders, homemakers, religious workers, government workers, athletes, farmers, scientists, factory workers, and more--both the famous and the everyday person.
Biographies are taken from dictionaries, obituaries, slave narratives and other sources published before 1950, so prominent figures from the second half of the twentieth century are not included.
For information on current newsmakers and events, Ethnic NewsWatch may be accessed through the ProQuest Newspaper databases. Ethnic NewsWatch is an interdisciplinary, bilingual (English and Spanish) and comprehensive full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. Selected full text titles offer additional viewpoints from those of the mainstream press.
For information on searching these databases, contact James Leaver, BadgerLink coordinator, at badgerli@dpi.state.wi.us or phone toll-free 1-888-542-5543.
Librarians spend their days assessing, organizing, culling, cataloguing, maintaining, and expanding their libraries. Now you can go home and perform the same activities on your day off! A cataloger at the New York Public Library has designed a database program that will help you keep track of all the books in your home library. The software is accompanied by a 130-page book "Guide to Organizing a Home Library, which explains the basics of arranging, cataloging, and maintaining a private collection. Go to http://www.thelibraryshop.org/yoholi.html for more information and how to purchase
Ten of the thirteen libraries in Eastern Shores currently have DVD collections. Due to consumer demand, there has been a marked increase in DVD production and variety of content. A year end report from the Horizon circulation system shows 7,808 DVDs currently owned at ES libraries.
Libraries around the country are discovering that DVDs are more subject to damage and can have a significantly shorter useful life in circulation than CDs. Patron education in DVD care may be a good way to keep your DVD collection in good shape and add shelf life to your collection.
The Library Media & PR website (www.ssdesign.com/librarypr) has a lot of handouts and helpful information about DVD care. You can download bookmarks, inserts for DVD cases, and a counter sign.
Four articles about DVD care are also available as links from this site. One suggests baking soda toothpaste or car wax as an alternative to costly commercial DVD cleaners. If your DVDs are beyond repair, you might want to look at the article on crafts from CDs, diskettes, and jewel cases for kids and grownups. You can find everything from making a locker magnet to a coaster to (if you really plan ahead) a banner for celebrating New Year's 2005.
The Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC) has a new address for its web site. Users going to the old site will be redirected to the new address. The site continues to be hosted and maintained by the Winnefox Library System.
WPLC is a cooperative group of public libraries and library systems throughout Wisconsin. It was created and exists to pool the resources of libraries and to undertake projects that might otherwise be unavailable. Libraries and systems benefit because they can share both the costs and the knowledge and resources acquired through the consortium.
The most visible project of WPLC has been netLibrary--the collection of electronic materials purchased and made available to customers of the participating libraries. Another recent project was a survey of library users and non-users, which studied the perceptions of the population of Wisconsin toward libraries and library use.
The website contains information about the consortium and its members, statistics about netLibrary usage, the bylaws of the organization, descriptions of current projects, as well as proposals for future projects.
Even casual remarks can enhance your professional image or harm it. So, think before you speak and make statements that highlight capabilities, not weaknesses. Let's look at some phrases to avoid: I'm just swamped." Although you may be telling the truth, no one wants to hear about your backlog. You'll come across as someone who can't control his or her time. Solution: Consult your calendar and say, "Let me reserve a time to take care of that."
"I'm having one of those days." Other people are under pressure too and are more concerned about what they need than reasons why you can't deliver. Solution: Resist the urge to complain. And, again, offer a reasonable time line to get the work done.
"You didn't hear this from me." This implies you are about to provide information that you should keep to yourself...hardly a professional image. Solution: Assume that anything you say will be attributed to you. And remember, people respect those who keep confidences.
"I'll try my best." No matter how earnest you sound, this sounds like you're leaving yourself an out. Solution: Commit to what you know you can deliver with a strong statement: "I'll take care of that for you."
I know that you are all aware of this simple truth about working with children. We, who are lucky enough to do this, get more out of it than the children who come in contact with us.
Like most libraries, Plymouth has classes regularly scheduled for a library visit once a month. The morning for one of the visits arrived and a found I was out of my morning wake up juice (orange), the sweater I was going to wear had a spot on it, my one pair of clean socks didn't quite match, and to top it off the garage door didn't open when I pressed the button on the remote. To quote one of my favorite authors, I was afraid I was in for " a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day".
At work, I checked the book bag that I keep ready for classes and story times. The bag was all ready for the theme I was using that day. Then, I checked the book collection that I get ready for them. I was short a few books.
As I was adding books to the collection, the class arrived. Sometimes, they come tiptoeing in with their hands over their mouths holding back giggles as they try to surprise me. That day, they came in calling out "Hi, Mrs. Carol!"
We headed down to the steps, which has come to unflatteringly be known as "the pit". I pulled one of my favorite books and a stuffed animal from my bag and we began.
As I started to read this favorite story of mine (I have many), I looked around at their faces. Their eyes were wide and attentive looking at the pictures. Sometimes, they would interrupt to add their own perspective on the story. I can tell they are hooked on this book.
I had an awesome, wonderful, great, very good day!
A British teacher has spent one year of his life translating the first Harry Potter book into classical Greek.
Andrew Wilson, from Bedford, told the BBC it is the longest text in 1,500 years to have been translated into the ancient language.
He began the project after reading an article in Britain's Daily Telegraph that the publishers were seeking a translator.
Said Wilson: "On a whim, I wrote to the
publisher and said `I can do that' as a kind of joke. I think what the official line is, is that it can be used in schools to encourage people to learn Greek. Having got kids reading English, JK Rowling is quite keen to have them reading Latin and reading Greek."
The translation had its challenges -- especially finding Greek words for Quidditch, bludger and snitch and other J.K. Rowling word inventions.
The book will be published later this year, with "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in Irish Gaelic.
The Children's Science Book Review and East Asian Children's Books are now located at www.librarians.info Children's Science Book Review has reviews by Librarians, MLS students, and Scientists. The March 1 issue will focus on books about dogs. East Asian Children's Books introduces books about Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and Korean Americans. There are topics for books talks such as adoption, manga and anime, biographies, WWII, and folklore. Additionally, there is a section on multi-racial families. Included are links to folklore and storytelling resources as well. There is a link to a great resource that discusses Books for Military Children. Current miscellaneous topics are What's a YA anyway?, Tea Time for Book Lovers, and Librarian's in Children's Books.
A recent discussion on ALA's listserv about library services for serving senior adults resulted in a number of good suggestions for improving the area where the library's large print books are shelved. This article summarizes the suggestions, some of which may be helpful at your libraries.
You may want to try to not use the top and bottom shelves for your large print collection and try to have the shelving close to the main entrance of the library. There should be plenty of lighting and unblocked windows. Include some large print items in your "staff pick" area. Shelve the large print Reader's Digest and large print New York Times with the large print books. An end of range stack for new large print books helps those who don't want to search the entire collection just to see what's new. Try as much face forward marketing as possible--reading spines can be a problem for those with limited vision. You can try approaching individuals who are browsing the large print collection and ask how you are doing. That will help you do a better job of selecting titles and may also give you the opportunity to do a little readers' advisory.
Straight back wooden chairs (with arms and a seat as high as possible) are good, as is a small table to set books on while browsing. Some libraries provide small basket carts--seniors can put their selections in the basket and the cart helps those who are quite frail by giving them something to hold on to while walking.
If you offer home delivery or have a collection of audio books, display signs for those services in the large print area. Or, better yet, shelve the audio books close to the large print books. If you have space, include an information center for seniors, with brochures from agencies that serve seniors. Are there free newspapers in your community for seniors? Request multiple copies and encourage seniors to take them. You could create colorful flyers to advertise programs that would appeal to seniors and post them near the large print books.
Print flyers and brochures in at least 14 - 16 point type with a clear, simple font. High contrast in printing and signage is important. Black and white is very easy to read.
Other areas of the building are important as well. Restroom stalls with steel support bars are a necessity. Support bars in elevators and near check-out desks are helpful also. Have magnifying glasses available for those who need them.
For more tips about serving older adults, go to http://www.ala.org/ala/olos/outreachresource/quicktipsolderadults.htm
The newest titles added to netLibrary include a number of publications that might be of interest to your library's Spanish-speaking customers. Approximately half of the 84 new titles are in Spanish. The subject matter of the books written in English might appeal to this audience or to others who work with the Hispanic population.
Some of the titles are bilingual. For example, Spanish-English Housekeeping has drawings of each room in a typical house with the Spanish and English words for each item in the room. Particularly helpful might be a bilingual list of agencies to call in the event of an emergency with space for the telephone number. Emergencia! : Emergency Translation Manual is written for emergency caregivers who must communicate with Spanish speakers.
Teatro! Hispanic Plays for Young People is a collection of folktales, animal fables, and holidays plays in English, but with Spanish themes. It inclues a glossary of Spanish words used in the plays. Also included in the collection are: The Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook, Fiance and Marriage Visas, Becoming a U.S. Citizen, Library Service to Spanish Speaking Patrons, and Meeting the Needs of Second Language Learners.
Since Eastern Shores participates in the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium, all of the netLibrary titles are available to residents of Sheboygan and Ozaukee Couties at www.netlibrary.com
NetLibrary titles are also available as links from EasiCat.
The Department of Public Instruction first sponsored BadgerLink in 1998. At that time, the Department worked with two vendors, EBSCO and ProQuest to provide access to 4,000 magazine titles, 2,000 of which were available in full text and 13 Wisconsin and 28 national newspapers. A great deal has changed since then. The actual full text content has increased five times during the last five years. The number of newspaper titles has expanded seventeen times.
The new contracts with EBSCO and ProQuest will provide access to over 11,000 full text magazines and reference materials and nearly 700 full text newspaper titles. Citations and abstracts are provided for an additional 2,000 titles.
The total full text offerings include 4,400 health reports, 2,300 pamphlets, 91,000 biographies, 85,000 primary historical documents and other materials. There is also an image file with 106,000 entries.
There are materials for all age groups from children to adults. While materials cover many subject areas, the Department has emphasized education, business, and medicine.
New materials from EBSCO include a database for educators called the Professional Development Collection, Regional Business News, additional newspaper titles. ProQuest is providing access to Ethnic NewsWatch which makes available many small ethnic, native, and other specialized journals and newspapers
The Eastern Shores Library System is the recipient of three grants through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) program. During 2004, the funds will be used to improve library services through the use of technology, to encourage libraries to establish concortia and share resources, and to target library services to persons having difficulty using a library.
The funds received from the technology grant will be used to support telecommunications and network access at the public libraries in Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties. The technology grant will be administered by Paul Onufrak, Automation Librarian.
During 2004, the two counties in Eastern Shores will each have a planning committee to review and revise the current plans for county library service. A component of each plan will be a study of whether public library districts are feasible in the county. The study will be funded by one of the LSTA grants. David Weinhold, Director of ESLS, will administer this grant.
The third grant, which targets customers with special needs, will have several components geared to helping libraries improve their services to Latinos/Hispanics who reside in Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties. The system and the Literacy Council of Sheboygan County will be offering a 20-hour conversational Spanish course for library staff. The course will emphasize library phrases and terminology. Brochures and policies that promote and explain library services will be translated into Spanish and distributed at the libraries. Each library will be given funds to purchase Spanish or bilingual books, videos, magazines, music, and other materials suitable for English language learners. To help Hispanic families gain pride in their heritage and to help non-Hispanic families gain respect for another culture, each library will have the opportunity to provide a family program on Hispanic heritage for their customers. The grant will be administered by Ann Krueger, Library Services Manager.
This month's idea from the publication "Adults with Special Needs: A Resource and Planning guide for Wisconsin's Public Libraries" by Barb Huntington and Coral Swanson is from the chapter on Literacy.
"If the library has materials in a language other than English, gather them on one shelf or area and put up reproductions or small flags of the countries that use that language to give patrons a visual reference."
On Thursday, April 1, 2004, Mark Zehfus, the ESLS reference liaison and journeyman Cyber Sleuth offers a workshop to ESLS librarians on improving Google searching skills. The session, held in the Rocca Room at Mead Public Library, will include a quick spin around Cyber Space in a couple new search engines. All skill levels of Google searching are invited to attend. Novices are welcome and advanced searchers will be asked to kindly share some of their favorite tricks and strategies.
Librarians can bring along a tough question that has eluded you or a prize cyber `trophy' that you caught, to brag about and share how you found the elusive jabberwocky.
Also, David Weinhold, ESLS Director, will discuss a proposal from the ESLS Cooperative Collection Management Committee for the evaluation and recommendation of system-wide electronic resources. As EasiCat grows in popularity, it can become a vehicle that makes electronic information available to all system residents
Recertification contact hours: 1.5 Contact Mark Zehfus at Mead Public Library, 920-459-3400, for more information.
Hablo muy poco Espanol. Many staff members at Eastern Shores libraries can probably make this statement--I speak very little Spanish. Would you like to be able to say How may I help you?, One moment please, You are welcome, or There is no charge for a new card to your Spanish-speaking customers?
Eastern Shores Library System has received a grant to help libraries better serve their Hispanic population. Part of this grant is a 20-hour conversational Spanish course for library employees. Those who attend will become more comfortable communicating with and giving information to customers who speak Spanish. You will learn some general phrases, as well as phrases specific to a library setting. You will also learn the correct pronunciation of Spanish words and will have the opportunity for some role-playing to try out your new language skills.
The instructor for the class will be Enid Swingen. She has a degree from UW-Madison with a Spanish major, as well as a degree from Lakeland College with an English emphasis. She has taught English as a Second Language classes through LTC and is currently a tutor at the Sheboygan County Literacy Council.
Classes will be held at the ESLS Office, on Wednesday and Thursdays from 9 - 11 a.m. April 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29, May 5, and 6.
Contact Ann Krueger at Eastern Shores Library System, phone: 920-208-4900 x 13 for more information.
The Sheboygan Press would like to tap into readers who want to share a great page turner. "The Last Good Book I Read Was..." lets you share a recommendation for a good book to read.
It doesn't have to be a best seller or hot off the presses. Just a book you enjoyed and want others to enjoy as well.
To participate, all you need to do is tell them about the last good book you read in a couple of paragraphs (between 150-250 words), include your name and the city, village or town in which you live and send to: "The Last Good Book I Read Was..." c/o Features Editor Bob Farina, 632 Center Avenue, Sheboygan, WI 53081 or e-mail to rfarina@sheboygan.gannett.com or fax to 457-3573.
It is that simple. Book recommendations will run every week in the Sunday section.