The Library Connection

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

Volume 28 Number 10   October 2008

Click here for the Fall 2008 Bookmobile Schedule

Roadmap to the Future of Wisconsin Libraries

The Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) would like your feedback on the “Roadmap to the Future of Wisconsin Libraries.”

Read the Beginnings Report on the Future of Wisconsin Libraries and post comments on the blog.  This report contains the results of a Visioning Summit sponsored by the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) in cooperation with Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster last May.  The Summit was an invitational event attended by 100 key library leaders and library advocates from across Wisconsin.  In developing the vision for libraries, Summit participants took into consideration Superintendent Burmaster’s 21st century education initiatives as well as Governor Doyle’s Grow Wisconsin plan.

The Beginnings Report on the Future of the Library (https://blog.uwgb.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/coland/coland-draft.pdf) documents the main outcomes of the Visioning Summit.  Everyone is encouraged to get involved in creating the future of Wisconsin libraries.  Please respond to the ideas in this report through this blog, implement these ideas in your communities, or volunteer to work on action items. Working together libraries and their communities will continue to sustain and transform the educational vitality and economic prosperity of Wisconsin.

 Additional opportunities for discussion and input will be:

Local Support  for Bookmobile Service

On November 4 residents in non-libraried areas will see a referendum question on bookmobile service.  The non-binding advisory referendum is asking residents in non-libraried municipalities if the Ozaukee and Sheboygan Counties should continue to provide bookmobile service after 2010.  The results of the vote will be information used by a county library service planning committee for a 2011 - 2015 plan for county library service in Sheboygan and Ozaukee County. 

The Bookmobile service is funded by the county library tax, which is included in the county’s overall tax in the non-libraried municipalities.  The annual cost of the service on a property valued at $132,000 is $6.34 in Ozaukee County and $5.01 in Sheboygan County.   

The Bookmobile serves residents of all ages and abilities, including stops at assisted living facilities and child care centers.  It provides popular materials in various formats for recreation, information and education needs.  Last year the Bookmobile circulated over 80,000 items in the two counties. 

Bookmobile users have been campaigning on behalf of the service by writing letters to their local newspapers and printing and distributing flyers about the bookmobile. The Sheboygan Press recently had an editorial in support of the service. Go to  http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20081030/SHE06/810300417/1110  to read it. 

In Ozaukee County, Linus R. and Maddie W., pictured below, and their families made and distributed yard signs urging people to vote for the service.    

Children's Librarians Corner

Mother-Daughter Book Club

Cindy Beyer, W. J. Niederkorn Library Children's Services

This past spring I had several parents inquire about the formation of a Mother-Daughter Book Club, so I decided to try and get one rolling this fall.  We had our first meeting, a kick off social, in September to get a feeling of how many families would be interested and how they would like to proceed.  I was very excited when a room full of moms and daughters all showed up excited about this new venture.  In total we had nine moms with thirteen daughters. The daughters were all strong readers between third and seventh grade.  As a collective group we decided to meet once a month on Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:00.  I helped the group select the first three book choices and then the families thought that they would be able to take turns making the additional book options.  We will plan two months ahead  and the library will obtain the copies to be handed out at our monthly meetings.  We decided to try to read one book from different genres, ensuring that we keep expanding our comfort zones.

Our first book was The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate Di Camillo.  We had our first discussion on Thursday, October 16^th.  Seven families showed up for the group.  I had questions written on pieces of paper.  Each daughter drew a slip and led the discussion based on her question.  We used a talking stick to ensure that everyone had a chance to talk.  The discussion was fantastic and thought provoking.  It was a great success and everyone seemed to enjoy the format.  All the moms agreed that having the questions written out ahead of time helped keep the discussion moving smoothly.

For November, we will be reading Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz Ryan.   We will bring in refreshments for that meeting, highlighting the foods that were harvested in the book.  I also plan to teach the families how to make a yarn doll as we have our discussion.  In December we plan to go a little lighter and read The Lemonade War, by Jacqueline Davies.  During Christmas break we plan to go to the theatres as a group to see The Tale of Despereaux.  In the new year we will start with a work of science fiction or fantasy.  If anyone has some favorites that they would like to share with me, I would love to hear your suggestions.

I look forward to the months ahead.  I hope this group can keep the enthusiasm it began with.  Book groups can be a very special way for mothers and daughters to spend some quality time together.   

Gaming Day

Saturday, November 15, 2008, hundreds of libraries, including  Lakeview Community Library in Random Lake and Mead Public Library in Sheboygan,  will showcase gaming programs and services in support of National Gaming Day @ your library.  Gaming of all types at the library encourages young patrons to interact with a diverse group of peers, share their expertise with others (including adults), and develop new strategies for gaming and learning.  Plus, it's a way for traditionally underserved groups to have fun in the library and interact with other members of the community. 

According to Karin Menzer, Youth Services Manager at Mead, they will celebrate National Gaming Day between 1 and 4 p.m. in the Rocca Meeting Room.  All ages are welcome.  Both Wii video gaming and board games will be available.  For anyone who wants to help set the record for the most people playing the same board game on the same day Pictureka! will be available.  There will also be chess, checkers, Clue, Sorry, Trouble, and other board games to play.  Wii games will include Wii Sports like bowling and baseball as well as the Mario Kart racing game.

Interesting Items

* Wisconsin. State Law Library newsletter

Converting Documents to PDF

For a couple of years now, our library has been using CutePDF, a free tool to convert documents (Word, HTML, WordPerfect, etc) to PDF format.  CutePDF works very well when converting a single document.  However, sometimes there’s a need to merge several documents together.

Another free tool, PDF ReDirect, offers a way to do that.  With PDF ReDirect, users can select a variety of documents in several formats, enter them into a “print queue”, arrange files in the desired order and then save them all as one PDF document.

The PDF ReDirect download process is easy and straightforward.  Once installed, users will see PDF ReDirect listed among their printer choices.  To start the program, simply display a document and choose PDF ReDirect from the printer choices.  Open the next document, choose the PDF ReDirect printer again, and the document is added to a merge list.  A preview window allows you to keep track of each document.  After you’ve assembled all your documents, click Save to create the PDF file.

The program comes with an easy to follow, step-by-step Help file which explains basic use as well as more advanced options.

* Do men and women think about time differently?  Do people on your staff react differently to time?  According to Dr. Philip Zimbardo, author of The Time Paradox: the psychology of time that will change your life,  we do.  We each have our own time bias.  Some of us are more oriented to the past, some to the present and some to the future.  This also helps to shape our personalities.  Check it out in EasiCat.

* Upcoming College of Du Page Web-Conferences 
All teleconferences are 90 minutes in length. They will be hosted by ESLS in its Meeting Room and will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm.  Registration sheets will be sent out prior to the conference.

Reversing the Ratchet: Basic Technology Adoption Strategies for Library Workers on Friday, November 7, 2008. 
Presenter: Steven Bell from Temple University
This presentation addresses the challenge of the technology ratchet and how to keep it from tightening its grip on library workers. 

Information Literacy for Life on Friday, November 21, 2008.
Alex Hodges, Instruction Coordinator at American University in Washington, and other experts will explore how school librarians, public librarians, and academic librarians can collaborate to create comprehensive information literacy programs that span a user’s lifetime.  You’ll get the foundation for starting a local dialogue based on national principles.

Targeting the Ages: Programming that Hits the Mark  on  Friday, February 13, 2009.
Presenter: Kelly Watson

Diversity Beyond the Obvious on Friday, April 3, 2009.
Karen E. Downing, Foundation & Grants Librarian & Doctorial Candidate at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan and other experts will discuss how diversity in all its manifestations can make the library profession stronger and more vital.  Our panel will investigate and discuss the following questions: How can we create inclusive library environments in which all types of learners and types of people feel a part?  How do we foster an environment within our profession to include representatives of all of our constituencies.

An Ounce of Prevention: Health Reference Basics on Thursday, April 16, 2009. 
Presenter: Debra Kakuk

* ProhibitionRepeal.com 
And now for some really interesting news.  It will be seventy five years since Prohibition ended on December 5, 2008.  For more information go to the website honoring this anniversary.  Be sure to check out the cocktails at http://www.prohibitionrepeal.com/history/cocktails.asp 

* The DNR has agreed to a $200,000 grant to assist with the Library Bay Project in Random Lake.  The Village Board has agreed to commit to the project. The major components of the plan include stabilizing the lake shoreline, which has been eaten away by erosion, adding a concrete walkway along the lake (which is accessible to the disabled), and other amenities such as a gazebo, decorating lighting, tree plantings, and more.  A new east entrance to the lower level of Lakeview Community Library has been included in the concept plan.  The Library Bay plan was drawn up by HNTB Architects of Milwaukee.  

* December 1, 2008 is the deadline for personal members of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) to apply for a collection of books from the Bookapalooza program.  Three collections each worth an estimated $10,000 are given annually to libraries that will use the material in a way ‘that creatively enhances library service to children and families.”

The collections are comprised of books, videos, and audiobooks received by the ALSC office from children’s trade publishers.  They are submitted to ALSC award and media evaluation selection committees for award and notables consideration.  The Bookapalooza Program was created to find new homes for the material.  The material is suitable for children age birth through fourteen. 

* Wisconsin's Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Advisory Committee will meet in Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 11 and 12, at the Crowne Plaza 4402 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, to discuss grant proposals and make award recommendations for LSTA projects to take place in 2010. 

As a part of the meeting, there will be a public hearing beginning at 10:00 a.m. on November 11 for interested persons to make suggestions on the LSTA program for 2010.  Final guidelines for the 2010 LSTA program will be developed in April 2009.

If you are unable to attend the public hearing, written comments may be submitted by letter, fax or e-mail to Terrie Howe, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841; fax 608-266-2529; email Teresa.howe@dpi.wi.gov. Testimony must arrive by 4:00 p.m., Monday, November 10th for inclusion in the hearing.

* Geography Awareness
Since 1987 the third week of November has been celebrated as Geography Awareness week. The purpose of Geography Awareness Week is to "promote geographic education in schools and among the public". Each year Geography Awareness Week has a specific theme. This year the theme is - The Americas. Go to  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geography-action/index.html for more information.

* Check out http://cdrecyclingforfree.com/ . According to the website: Free CD Recycling and free hard drive recycling are services offered by Back Thru The Future Technology Disposal, to consumers with a desire to improve their environmental footprint. CDs and hard drives are made of high value recyclable material - polycarbonate plastic and aluminum respectively. The recycling of CDs and hard drives saves substantial amounts of energy and prevents significant amounts of both air and water pollution attributed to the manufacturing of these items from virgin material.

* This weekend brings daylight saving time. Fall behind on Saturday night to gain an hour Sunday morning. 

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