May 15, 2009 issue

Prairie Views: Newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

PALS Board Meeting

The PALS Board will meet on Tuesday, May 19, 2009, at the LaSalle Public Library. Several committees will also meet, following this schedule:
9:30-10:15am - Executive Director Search Committee
10:15-11am - Personnel & Finance Committees
11am-3:30pm - Board Meeting
The agendas are available on the PALS website.

Voting for Librarian's Advisory Committee Is Open!

The Librarians Advisory Committee online voting form is available for electing four persons to two-year terms of office for four PALS neighborhoods. Terms of office begin July 1, 2009.

- The library director of each member library may cast one ballot. (The Login for the ballot enables the library director to cast the library's ballot, but may be reset at the request of the library director for a designee.)  .
- Please select one candidate for each open seat. There are four open seats. Some seats are uncontested.
- The election closes Thursday, May 28, 2009.
- The ballot is available at http://www.palsnet.info/about-pals/librarians-advisory-committee/lac-voting
- The Librarians Advisory Committee typically meets five to six times each year. It serves as an avenue of input from member libraries on membership issues and system policies and procedures. The 15 person committee is comprised of elected  and appointed library staff members who represent the geographic spread and library types of PALS membership. The current Chairperson is Jim Johnston, Director, Joliet Public Library.

If you have any questions (or want to designate a elector other than the library director), please contact Rhonda Krahl, ext. 3151 or rhondak@palsnet.info.

School Deliveries

The last “regular” week for school deliveries this year will be the week ending on May 22nd.  If this date is too early or late for your library, please call your delivery supervisor at their service center and we will be happy to make different arrangements.  And just a reminder to mark your calendar - the date to resume delivery for the new school year will be the week of August 24th.

Directors:  Update Your Library's Information

The Illinois State Library is asking all Illinois library directors to please log into L2 using your L2 accounts to certify your library's information. Data is collected through a webform and includes: basic library demographic information, LLSAP/ILS system, delivery schedule, hours, director information, staff member review and (for public libraries) library trustees. Please click on the Certify link/icon on the L2 site from May 4 through May 29.

Member News

Best Wishes!

On May 30, 2009 from 12pm to 2pm, the Maple Park Public Library will host a library open house honoring Mrs. Sukey Blake's nine years of service as library director. Please join us for cake and punch! Maple Park Public Library is located on the lower level of Maple Park Civic Center 302 Willow Street in Maple Park.

PALS Members Please Join Us!

The Moline Public Library is pleased to announce a book signing by New York Times Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Berg on Wednesday, June 3rd at 1 p.m.   She will read from her latest novel, Home Safe.   Berg’s Open House was an Oprah Book Club selection.  For more information on this program, please contact the Moline Public Library at 309-736-5737.

Continuous Learning

Bus Rides to ALA

Registration is now open in L2 for PALS buses to the ALA Conference in Chicago. Rides are offered on Saturday, July 11 and on Monday, July 13 with two different routes:
Sat, July 11 - I-80 Bus with stops as needed in the Quad Cities, Annawan, LaSalle, PALS Shorewood Service Center
Sat, July 11 - I-39/I-88 Bus with stops as needed at PALS Rockford Service Center, Rochelle, Aurora
Mon, July 13 - I-80 Bus with stops as needed in the Quad Cities, Annawan, LaSalle, PALS Shorewood Service Center
Mon, July 13 - I-39/I-88 Bus with stops as needed at PALS Rockford Service Center, Rochelle, Aurora
Visit L2 for more details and to register.

Playing with The Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War and a Field of Broken Dreams

Looking for an inspiring speaker or a book for discussion with teens or adults? On Tuesday, June 16th, PALS is sponsoring a free videoconference program with Gary Moore, author of the book, Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War and a Field of Broken Dreams. Gene Moore was headed for baseball stardom with the Brooklyn Dodgers when his destiny was interrupted by Pearl Harbor. After playing ball for the Navy in the Azores and North Africa, Gene and his team were sent to the States for a special—and top secret—mission: guarding German sailors captured from U-505. Unable to field a team, Gene convinced his commander to allow him to teach the enemy how to play baseball while he and his teammates waited for the war to end so they could be called up into the Major Leagues.

Inspired by true events, Playing with the Enemy is the riveting story of a depression-era youth and his brush with destiny. Author Gary Moore, Gene’s son, did not learn of his father’s remarkable odyssey through World War II and the hardships of minor league baseball until the day before Gene’s death. Gary lives in Bourbonnais, IL and his father, Gene, was from Sesser, IL.

Playing with the Enemy was featured as a selection for “Naperville Reads”, Naperville’s community reading program and “Great Read 2008-2009”, a joint reading program sponsored by Plainfield Public Library, Plainfield School District, Joliet Public Library, and Fountaindale Public Library, and “One Book, One School” for 2009-2010 at Lemont High School. It is appropriate for reading and discussion for junior high students through adults. A movie is currently in pre-production.

The videoconference will be available at all eight of our neighborhood sites-- Coal Valley, Elizabeth, Kankakee, LaSalle, Rockford, Shorewood, Sterling, and Sycamore so please register for the one most convenient for you. This program is a part of PALS' LSTA grant to update the videoconference equipment at the three service centers.

If you have any questions, please contact Dawn DiVenti (dawnd@palsnet.info) or Jane Lenser (janel@palsnet.info). Please register in L2 for this event. http://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=6839

A Thousand Words: Taking Better Photos for Telling Stories in Your Library

Presented by: Helene Blowers, Michael Porter, and Cindi Trainor, Friday, July 10, 2009, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in Chicago

If you want to learn how to capture library events more effectively and artistically, don’t miss this hands-on workshop in Chicago this July.  Learn the Who, What and Why of shooting, sharing and reusing your library photos, and see how to use widgets and other tools to tell stories and engage your users in your digital space.  Learn techniques for shooting and editing better photos, camera settings that make for the best photos, and the basics of editing an image.  Privacy policies and Creative Commons will also be covered.  The hands-on portion of this workshop will involve using flickr, getting to know your camera, and using desktop and online image editing tools. 

Participants should bring a camera and laptop. Be sure to bring your camera's cable or a card reader for downloading photos to your computer.

More information is available at the LITA Web site: http://www.lita.org

You do NOT need to attend Annual Conference to register for a LITA preconference. Visit the 2009 ALA Annual Conference registration page to register for these events.
http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/annual/2009/registration.cfm

To add a workshop to your existing Annual Conference registration:
Call ALA Registration at 1-800-974-3084
OR
use your log in and password to access your existing registration using the online registration form: http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/upcoming/annual/2009/registration.cfm
Add events in the “Your Events” section; check out and pay for the events you’ve added.

The Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is pleased to announce the following non-credit continuing education course for librarians and information professionals.

COURSE TITLE: Current Issues in Libraries
Dates: May 21 – June 25, 2009 (Thursdays)
Times: Online synchronous sessions from 3:00-5:00pm. Central time.
Note: Students may participate in this course either synchronously by attending live sessions or asynchronously by reviewing text chat and audio logs.
Cost: $300
Instructor: Rose M. Chenoweth, MLS, Alliance Library System

Intended audience: Librarians and information professionals interested in current issues in libraries; CPLA program candidates needing an elective course for certification. Note: While the course has a public library focus, the issues covered are relevant to other types of libraries. The course syllabus is available for review upon request.

Course description: Utilizing information about international, federal, state, and local issues, trends, and legislation and community demographics, readings on current library management issues, case studies, and assignments, students will apply what they have learned to their own library. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify at least five current issues or trends that affect library management and apply new skills to develop related services. They will analyze their current long range plan and services in the light of this new knowledge and apply their new skills to develop a new service response for the library in its changing community, goal, objectives, and one new service development plan. The service plan will address relevant activity steps, gap analysis, and resource allocation to show the full development and implementation of the service.

If you have questions, contact Marianne Steadley, 217.244.2751 or steadley@uiuc.edu.
To register visit http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/programs/cpd/CPLA/Current_Issues.html 

Freebies/Exchanges/For Sale

PALS members - please remember that you are asked to not request or release any items whether they are Free or For Sale until Monday following the publication of the announcement in Prairie Views. This gives library staff an equal chance to see the message and request the materials if they are interested. Thanks for your cooperation. 

Need a Good Library Home!

 PALS staff is doing spring cleaning, and we have some furniture and equipment available to a good library home. All items must be picked up. We would be willing to negotiate getting them to your nearest Service Center if you are interested. 

Coal Valley Service Center items - all these items are free to a good library home:
TV cart
AV cart
Printer stand

(contact Brenda Roman, ext 3152 or brendar@palsnet.info if interested or to ask questions)

Shorewood Service Center has like-new book trucks for sale.  Two different types of carts. One style is a 3 tier, double sided truck with graduated shelves;  the dimensions are 28 x 41.  There are 8 of these type. The price is $65.00 each. The other book truck has 4 sloped shelves and one flat bottom shelf.  The dimensions are 32 x 38.  There are 5 of this type.  The price for these is $75.00.  All are in excellent condition and can be seen at the Shorewood Service Center. 

Please call or email Shirley Grasty at ext 2706 shirleyg@palsnet.info  if you are interested or to ask questions.

Byron Public Library

Free 70 vol. set of War of the Rebellion by Marcus A. Hanna.  These “Records of the Union and Confederate Armies” have their original bindings, but are dry rotting and in a state of disrepair.   

Interested party would be responsible for arranging pick-up of these books.  E-mail, library@byron.lib.il.us  for more information.

Joliet West HS

Class set – 32 paperback copies – The Hidden Persuaders  by Vance Packard – pages “yellowed” but never used or processed.  Contact:  Barb Peterson  Joliet West HS,  815 727 6952,  bpeterson@jths.org

School & Youth Services News

Legal Issues Facing Today’s Librarians

  ILA’s Youth Services Forum/Young Adult Forum workshop is coming up on Thursday, May 28th at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook.  The topic is “Legal Issues Facing Today’s Librarians” with attorney Phil Lenzini.  Phil will discuss various legal issues that face librarians (especially youth services issues) such as Internet and child safety, privacy of patron records, and visits to libraries by law enforcement agents.  Group discussion of current legal issues for librarians will follow.  The workshop is from 9:30 a.m.-noon and the cost is $25 for ILA members and $30 for non-members.

Register online at www.ila.org/events by May 18th

Public Library News

 Keeping the Public Informed: the Administrative Ready Reference

The Illinois State Library is pleased to announce the long-awaited update of Keeping the Public Informed:  the Administrative Ready Reference.  The update can be found on WebJunction Illinois.

When the Administrative Ready Reference CD product was released in 1999, it was considered a valuable support resource for public libraries and trustees. The new 2009 edition includes updates of key resources and introduces a new interactive platform for exchange of information, ideas and practice within the Illinois library community.

In addition to the documents (which are available in various file formats for ease of use and adoption in your library) this new version of the Administrative Ready Reference resides within the larger WebJunction Illinois repository of documents and services. 

One of the requirements for public libraries to receive a FY2010 Public Library Per Capita Grant from the Illinois State Library is for library staff and trustees to review the Administrative Ready Reference.  Libraries that have already reviewed the former ARR as part of the grant process do not need to review the update.

Please share your comments and input about the ARR update with Steve Johnson, Project Director at stevej@shawls.lib.il.us. 

Reference & ILL News

Sign up for Wilson Select Plus for 2009/2010

We are pleased to announce the Illinois Library Systems and OCLC have secured pricing information for Wilson Select Plus for 2009/2010. We are also pleased to announce that libraries don’t have to wait to start a subscription—you can begin right away at a pro-rated amount!

Illinois Library Systems have arranged very competitive pricing for this highly-valued database. If you would like to purchase access to this database, please see www.illinoislibrarysystems.info/si_Wilson.html. The pricing is the most competitive offer available, showing once again that when Illinois libraries work together, we can accomplish more than we could on our own. Interested libraries should complete and sign the agreement prior to September 14, 2009 to ensure uninterrupted access to this resource.

If you would like further information, please contact Amanda McKay, Special Projects Coordinator, Illinois Library Systems, at 618.656.3216, ext. 143 or by email at amandamckay@lcls.org.

Wilson Select Plus provides online indexing and abstracting of a wide range of high-quality periodicals with all records pointing to full text articles. It is updated weekly and has coverage from 1994 to the present. There are over 1.5 million records from 2,393 sources. We know that for many libraries, the Wilson Select Plus database is the only access patrons have had to full-text articles, making this resource vital to the people of Illinois in meeting their information needs

 Around the State & Nation

 Library Appreciation Night at the White Sox

The Chicago White Sox have designated Wed., July 8th as Library Appreciation Night for the 7:11 p.m. game at U.S. Cellular Field.  They are offering specially priced tickets to librarians, library staff, trustees, and their families and friends.  Tickets that are normally $38 and $23 are available for $19 and $11.50.  See the flyer for ordering information.  Go Sox!  If you have any questions, please contact Jane Lenser at janel@palsnet.info.

President Requests $265,556,000 for Institute of Museum and Library Services

(IMLS, Washington, DC) —President Obama has requested $265,556,000 for fiscal year 2010 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The request, which was transmitted to Congress on May 7, represents an increase of $1,453,000 over the FY 2009 enacted level for the Institute’s programs and administration. The proposed budget will support museums and libraries as they provide unparalleled value to the public, fuel knowledge sharing, and energize our economy, creativity, and competitiveness. Read more.

IOUG Annual Meeting

Saint Xavier University in Chicago is the location for this year's Illinois OCLC Users' Group (IOUG) Annual Meeting on Friday, June 19. The theme for this year's event is "The Future is Now: Cooperation in the Bibliographic and Information Commons."

Registration and continental breakfast will start the day at 8:30 a.m. Opening remarks will begin at 9 a.m. and the day's activities will end at 2:30 p.m. The $45 registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch. Register at L2 and find out more detailed information about the day's activities.

A limited number of hotel rooms is available for the night of June 18, 2009, at a rate of $119 plus tax. Rooms are at the Hilton Oak Lawn, located at 9333 South Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn. Be sure to mention the IOUG Annual Meeting when you call 708-425-1665 to reserve your room. Deadline for this rate is May 28, 2009.

Attendees will receive a flash drive and other goodies, and have the chance to win a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook, a Creative Zen Media Player and other great prizes. We look forward to seeing you in June!

 Advocacy News

 ALA State Library Fact Sheets

These updated fact sheets for the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA ) and and the Improving Learning Through School Libraries (ILTSL) program are helpful when communicating with your members of Congress as they craft the FY 2010 budget.

You may view the latest post at
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=2736

New Books at PALS

 Serving our public 2.0 : standards for Illinois public libraries / Illinois Library Association, 2009.  PROF. COLL. 027.4773 SER

There are copies at each service center.

Prairie Views is the weekly newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System