The Library Connection
The Monthly Newsletter of the Eastern
Shores Library System
www.esls.lib.wi.us
Volume 26 Number 7 July 2006
| Ozaukee County Fair--August 2-6, 2006 |
| Wisconsin State Fair--August 3-13, 2006 |
| Sheboygan County Fair--August 31-September 4, 2006 |
Click here for the Summer 2006 Bookmobile Schedule
Delivery Services "Best Practices" Website
The Delivery Services Advisory Committee has recommended that all library system websites provide delivery information for their member libraries. The ESLS website now has this page: http://www.esls.lib.wi.us/van/delivery.html
The page contains information about the Wisconsin Delivery System, an explanation of how the ESLS delivery system works, how to label and package items for sending items on the van, shipping guidelines, and how to report problems with delivery items.
Staff at ESLS libraries who place items into the bins for delivery to other libraries are encouraged to bookmark this site for information about packaging and labeling.
Contact Ann at ESLS if you become aware of changes or additions that are needed on this page.
Farm Technology Days
Sheboygan County hosted Farm Technology Days this year, giving the libraries of the Eastern Shores Library System an opportunity to show visitors what they have to offer. We had a booth in the Family Living Tent and we were visited by Governor Doyle, Jerry Apps, Alice in Dairyland, and many, many visitors from all over the state (and other states as well). Preliminary attendance figures show that as many as 65,000 to 75,000 people attended the event.
Member libraries sent us books about tractors, farming, slow cooker recipes, canning, apple growing, and many other subjects. They also included videos, books on CD, magazines, and CD-ROMs that they thought would be of interest to farm families. All of the materials generated a lot of interest.
We had Internet access so we were able to demonstrate EasiCat and BadgerLink. We also were able to check online catalogs from other Wisconsin libraries to determine if a display book was available at the person's local library. We handed out EasiCat magnets, pencils from wisconsinlibraries.org, bookmarks from BadgerLink, AskAway, and the DNR. We also had a word search, a temporary tattoo, and hand stamps for the young visitors and a list of "52 Ways to Use Your Library Card" for everyone.
Staffing the booth in the official ESLS navy t-shirts, with the white embroidered logo, were: Linda Pierschalla from Saukville, John Hanson from Grafton, Darla Jean Kraus from Random Lake, Martha Suhfras from Plymouth, Nancy Van Voorhis from Elkhart Lake, Darci Kraus and Harriet Debbink from Cedar Grove, and Paula Siefert, Alison Hoffman, Susie Rahn, David Weinhold, and Ann Krueger from the ESLS office. ESLS Board Member Bill Jens was a member of the Executive Committee that coordinated the event. Linda Bosman, also on the ESLS board, was a member of the Family Living Committee.
A good time was had by all--in spite of the heat, the rain, and the fact that the Cow Pie cheesecake was gone before everyone had an opportunity to indulge!
H.W. Wilson Announces a Free Service for Librarians
www.standardcatalogs.com
H.W. Wilson, the publisher of the Wilson Standard Catalogs for the last century now have a free service for librarians to help with collection development and maintenance.
The site is a free clearinghouse for these tools for collection development: "Best" lists, Editors' picks, hot topics, periodical lists, best professional books, librarian home pages and blogs, profiles of editors (and others) who shape the Wilson Standard Catalogs, and more.
The Hot Topics list currently includes Global Warming, Hurricanes, New Orleans, New Media: Blogs, Pandemics, and Soccer. Lists of recommended books (including review citations) appear with each topic. There are lists of best professional books for librarians, periodicals for school libraries, and a list of blogs and listservs. You can also get to a site that will help you learn to create your own blog.
Children's
Librarians Corner
A Cheap and Easy Program Idea
Kelly Allen, W.J. Niederkorn Library, Port Washington
Last summer, I was completing my practicum requirement at the Children’s Room of the Sun Prairie Public Library. One of the special events of the Summer Reading Program was the Ice Cream Reading Challenge. This summer I did the program at Niederkorn because it was an easy, inexpensive in-house program.
The program was quite simple. Kids came to the library and read quietly for 30 minutes. If they completed the task, they got an ice cream sundae. Also, they entered their name into a drawing for prizes. I raffled off three books: Usborne World of Animals, Bunnicula In-A-Box, and How to Eat Fried Worms. At the Sun Prairie program, the new Harry Potter book was one of the prizes.
The program was only opened to readers. We had the program in our Meeting Room. Next year, I would advertise for kids to bring pillows or blankets to make the room more comfortable for reading. The kids had to bring the books that they were going to read. Some kids forgot but they just got a book from the library.
The attendance for the Challenge was 34 kids. The total cost was about $55, but that amount is not reflective of the true cost. I bought three gallons of ice cream and lots of topping, but we only used one gallon. There was no pre-registration for the program, and I can’t remember why I didn’t do it. Having kids register for the program would obviously make it easier to plan how much ice cream you need. Next year, I will have kids register for it. At Sun Prairie, the cost was $100 for 140 kids. The book prizes, which I ordered through Baker &Taylor, were about half the cost. I did have two staff members and one volunteer make the sundaes for the kids.
The program was a success. I had no problems. The kids were great, and all of the 34 kids read for the 30 minutes. They were happy that they earned a sundae and that they also got to mark off 30 minutes in their reading logs. A few parents were surprised that their child sat quietly for 30 minutes.
Hopefully, this program idea is useful for those of you who have tight budgets, which is all of us.
Library Card Sign-up Month is Coming
September is Library Card Sign-up Month--a time to remind parents and kids that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Click here for ideas to promote this month at your library.
"Invisible" Wins Burr/Worzella Award
The Children's Book Award Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association's Youth Services Section recently selected Pete Hautman's fiction title, "Invisible," as the winner of the 2006 Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award. The story, written for adolescents, is a haunting combination of mystery and psychological thriller that readers will remember long after they turn the final page. Mr. Hautman lives in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and was the recipient of the 2004 National Book Award for his novel, "Godless."
Five Honor Books were selected for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Literature:
"Crackback" by John Coy
"Leaf Man" by Lois Ehlert
"Leonardo Da Vinci" by Kathleen Krull
"The Lioness & Her Knight" by Gerald Morris
"White is for Blueberry" written by George Shannon and
illustrated by Laura Dronzek
The winner of the 2006 Notable Wisconsin Author/Illustrator for her contribution to the world of children's literature is Betty Ren Wright. For 55 years, Ms. Wright has been a prolific and popular writer of quality literature for young people.
Members of the Children's Book Award Committee are Sonja Ackerman, Marathon County Public Library; Roxane Bartelt, Kenosha Public Library; Geri Ceci Cupery, E.D. Locke Public Library (McFarland); Leah Langby, Indianhead Federated Library System; Pamela Penn, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and Chair, Maryann Owen, Racine Public Library.
An Online Bible
Bulletin Board - Newsletter of the Wisconsin Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
If you want a Bible to use online (not downloaded to your computer), you may go to www.biblegateway.com. Eighteen different English translations of the Bible are there. A powerful "Advanced Search" allows you to look up a verse or passage, or to search for specific words, phrases, or something you vaguely remember. Several audio versions are available by clicking the "Listen to This" button. In addition, the site offers commentaries and other resources that also work extremely well with screen readers.
At the Reference Desk
from the University of Tennessee website
The Top 10 list of things to remember when working with library customers:- Never assume anything about anyone
- Get off your duff [don't point, but go with the customer]
- Attempt to answer the original question [even if the original need leads to another question]
- Never take anything interesting to read with you to the desk [give your attention to the floor and likely customers]
- Make it a practice to follow up on unresolved questions
- Keep in mind you may have heard the question a thousand times, but it's the first time the customer has ever asked it
- Dress comfortably
- Avoid library jargon like the plague
- Be prepared to drop all conversations with colleagues the instant a customer appears
- Always pass along any useful information you encounter in a search
Remember the WORF method during the reference interview to discover the customer's needs.
 | W = welcoming, open attitude and body language
| O = open-ended questions that cannot be answered with yes or no
| R = rephrasing and not repeating the customer's query to clarify and
confirm
| F = follow up to insure customer is satisfied [begins with "if
this isn't satisfactory, please come back and we'll try something
else" and ends by checking with customer to insure satisfaction] | |
For more hints and suggestions about the reference interview: http://web.utk.edu/~wrobinso/531_lec_interview.html
Another source: "Conducting the Reference Interview" (book and video) available through interlibrary loan.
Get Active @ Your Library
The web site associated with Teen Read Week 2006 has been launched. "Get Active @ your library®," the theme for Teen Read Week 2006, seeks to encourage teens to read for the fun of it and use the resources at their libraries to help them lead active lives and find books on sports, fitness, volunteerism, activism, college preparation, career direction, and more. This year's celebration will be held October 15-21, 2006.
The Teen Read Week Web site, www.ala.org/teenread, includes annotated lists of recommended reading for teens; tips for planning and promoting Teen Read Week events locally; Teen Read Week products available for purchase; links to the Teens' Top Ten, a list of book favorites chosen by teens; resources to help generate publicity about library events and more. This year, participants who officially register for Teen Read Week on the Web site can download the Get Active @ your library logo.
Privacy and Confidentiality Question
from the ALA website on Privacy and Confidentiality
How does the library’s responsibility for user privacy and confidentiality relate to the use by library users of third party services in accessing their own circulation records?
Free third-party services are now available that remind library users of due dates and circulation fines via e-mail or RSS feeds. Libraries should advise users about the risks associated with providing library card numbers, passwords, or other library account information to any third party. These risks include changes in the privacy policies of the third-party service without customer notification, and disclosure of the user’s library circulation records or other personally identifiable information, whether such disclosure is inadvertent or purposeful. Third parties are not bound by library confidentiality statutes or other laws protecting the privacy of user records. For these reasons, neither the library nor the library user can be certain that confidentiality will be adequately protected.
