January 15, 2010 issue

Prairie Views: Newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

SYSTEM NEWS

Please Help!

Illinois' Regional Library Systems are unfunded! No money has been received from the State of Illinois this fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2009.  Money was allocated by the General Assembly, but payments have not been released. Payment decisions are made by the Comptroller, Dan Hynes but Governor Quinn has influence.

Unfortunately, Library Systems are not the only agencies in this situation.  The problem is getting the attention of the Comptroller and the Governor.  On Wednesday January 20, 2010, we will get their attention by filling their e-mail boxes with thousands of messages. 

Here's how it will work.  Mark your calendar now to go to www.saveillinoislibraries.com next Wednesday, January 20.  An easy to use form will pop up on the front page.  Put in your information and send those e-mails. Our goal is 3,000 e-mails each to Comptroller Hynes and Governor Quinn.  This has worked for library funding issues in other states, and it can work here, too.

Make the campaign viral. Have additional email addresses ready to forward the request.  You will have an opportunity to do this after you have sent your messages.

Do you need a reminder?  Sign up on the campaign Facebook page to receive an e-mail reminder message early on January 20.  For a more personal reminder, send an email message now to Judy Hutchinson at judyh@palsnet.info.

Imagine if you or your employer had not received any funding since June 30, 2009.

Also imagine what life will be like without Regional Library Systems in Illinois.  First of all van delivery will go or will have to be replaced at a price and with some effort.  Have training, or professional development programs helped you and your library?  Do you ever make use of or call the System for information?  How will you work collegially with staff at other libraries if the System isn't there?   How will your organize advocacy or wider public relations or marketing initiatives without the System?  Who will tell you about and help you with grants?  These are just some of the ways Systems help the library community.

The impact on the public will be profound, too. With no van delivery, library users will be limited to what they can get on their own---and eventually reciprocal borrowing agreements will break down. 

It's not a pretty picture.  Red-line January 20 on your calendar and set aside 15 minutes that day to send your messages and to encourage others to send messages, too. Without cash and soon, Systems are in mortal danger.

Standards and Administrative Rules for Library Systems

The Library System Standards Committee met this week and released the first complete draft of the revised standards document for review and comment. The draft is available on the Library System Standards blog and includes introductory material, the standards and a glossary. Please take the time to review the draft and add your comments. Your input is very important to the process.

PALS Board Meeting

There will be a PALS Board meeting at 10am on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at the LaSalle Public Library, 305 Marquette Street, LaSalle, IL 61301. The Finance Committee will meet prior to the meeting at 9:15am.

You may view the agenda from the PALS website. If you have any questions about the upcoming meeting, contact Rhonda Krahl at 309-799-3155 ext. 3151 or at rhondak@palsnet.info.

MEMBER LIBRARY NEWS

PALS Members in the News

Yorkville Library Trims Budget

Congratulations!

The ALA Public Programs Office and YALSA have selected 265 libraries to receive Great Stories CLUB grants, which will support book discussion programs targeting troubled teens. Funding was provided for this program by Oprah’s Angel Network. Congratulations to the North Suburban Library District (Loves Park) and the Roosevelt Alternative High School (Rockford) for being grant recipients.

Best Wishes

to Meta Mazur who is retiring after 17 1/'2 years of service to the Galena Public Library. Her last day was Friday, January 15, 2010.

And the Winner of the Creative Essay Contest is…

Leslie Powell-Skinner! Her creative essay “A ‘Cents’ible Resource” praises the Scott County Library System and won the judges over with its humorous rhythm and rhyme. Powell-Skinner will receive a prize of $350, courtesy of American Library Association.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING

OPAL Blitz 2010

Please join us on Thursday, February 4, 2010 for PALS’ Annual OPAL Blitz.  Four sessions will be available. For more information and registration in L2, click on the link after each description.

OPAL Blitz! #1: Social Networking & Your Library (9:00 to 10:15 am)
Libraries of all types are becoming more involved with social networking sites. This program will demonstrate how you can incorporate resources such as Facebook, Twitter, Shelfari and more to promote your library and library programs to users.
https://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=9362

OPAL Blitz! #2: What is your problem? The marketing doctor is in! (10:30 to 11:45 am)
Members of the PALS Marketing Power Team (PMPT) will lead this session to share practical tips/solutions for marketing challenges at your library. Participants are asked to send questions ahead of time to Judy at PALS, judyh@palsnet.info.  Even if you don’t have a problem to share, you’ll learn some innovative approaches other member libraries have used to deal with marketing issues.
https://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=9392

OPAL Blitz! #3: Every Book, Its Reader: Readers Advisory Tools (1:00 to 2:15 pm)
According to Shiyali Ramamrita (SR) Ranganathan in his classic The Five Laws of Library Science (Bombay: Asia Pub. House, 1963), every book has its reader. Join us for a lively presentation of new and interesting titles for adults and young adults and some RA tools that you may find helpful.
https://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=9365

OPAL Blitz! #4: Let your Light Shine! Advocacy for School Libraries (2:30 to 3:45 pm)
Does the word "advocacy" scare you?  It shouldn't. Every time you discuss your library media program (in print, online, or in person), you ARE advocating. These days it is more important than ever to get the message out about the value of your school library media program. Join ISLMA Legislative Advocate Lou Ann Jacobs for an online OPAL presentation on some basics of advocacy planning and presenting to your various audiences. There will be plenty of opportunity for attendees to join in the discussion and share their experiences and suggestions.
https://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=9468

OPAL Practice Session

When: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 (2:30 PM - 3:30 PM)
Where: PALS OPAL (Web conference)
Cost: Free

Please join PALS staff in the PALS OPAL room for a practice session on Wednesday, January 20, 2010, anytime between 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Glen and Jane will be available to assist you with troubleshooting your equipment and testing OPAL features.

Registration is requested. Link to the PALS OPAL room.

What's New @ WJIL: Technology Essentials 2010

On February 9–10, WebJunction is hosting a free two-day online conference, and you are invited to attend. The theme for this inaugural event is Technology Essentials, with a focus on practical and timely strategies for leveraging technology to help you in a wide range of library services and operations including staff training, marketing, outreach and funding, services and programming, technology planning, virtual libraries and your library’s web presence. Read the most recent “What’s New @ WJIL” for more details about the conference sessions and how you can register.

FREEBIES, EXCHANGES & FOR SALE

St. Ambrose University Library has the following to give away:

The College Blue Book, 2008 Volumes 1-6.

If you are interested in the set, please contact Joyce Haack, haackjoycea@sau.edu or (563)333-6247.

Augustana College Library is giving away the following:

Statistical Abstract of the United States : 2009 (128th ed.-paperback)
Physicians’ Desk Reference, 2009 (63rd ed.)

Contact Sally if interested.
Sally Cobert
Phone : 309-794-7641
sallycobert@augustana.edu

Free for the taking:

Minolta microfilm/microfiche reader printer  model RP 606 Z, with automatic film advance and miscellaneous supplies, including lenses and work table.

If interested contact:
Irene Shepkowski
Head of Reference Services
Coal City Public Library District

Phone: 815-634-4552 x 109
imshepkowski@coalcity.lib.il.us

YOUTH SERVICES & SCHOOL LIBRARY NEWS

Family Reading Night Free Materials

The Illinois State Library is once again offering free posters and bookmarks in support of Family Reading Night on Nov. 18, 2010.  Orders must be submitted by Feb. 12th.  Please use this order form.

PUBLIC LIBRARY NEWS

Secretary of State White Reports on Library Construction Needs

Based on the survey conducted late last Fall, Illinois public libraries need more than $804 million to replace or upgrade their buildings.   At least $4 million is needed just to assure accessibility.    Four hundred ninety-nine libraries participated—thanks to those of you in PALS who completed the survey originally and those who responded to a special plea when they needed more participation.

Seventy-five library building have celebrated their first century while 141 are between 51 and 100 years old.   The survey also showed that library cardholders and library attendance continues to increase for Illinois libraries.  
To see the whole report go to
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/whats_new/pdfs/cnas-results.pdf.

AROUND THE STATE & NATION

Computers in Libraries Conference Discount

A group discount is being offered to ILLINET member libraries for the Computers in Libraries 2010 Conference (CIL) in Arlington, Virginia April 12-14th. The rate is $244 for the 3-day event--more than 50 per cent off the regular price. Additionally, the Internet@Schools East Conference 2010 is being held April 12-13 and is being offered at the discounted price of $109. Register to attend the CIL general conference and the Internet@Schools East Conference combined at the discounted price of $244. No discount rates are available for pre or post-conference seminars and workshops.

Go here to find information about conference topics, a preliminary program, hotel information and an exhibitors list.

To receive a registration form with special discounted ILLINET member pricing, contact Jill Heffernan or call Jill at 217-557-3386. To receive the discount, a completed registration form must be returned to Jill by March 10th.

New OCLC Policies Directory now available

The new Policies Directory interface is now available at https://illpolicies.oclc.org.

The Policies Directory is a repository of interlibrary loan policies for WorldCat Resource Sharing libraries and is available to all WCRS  libraries via their OCLC ILL authorization and password.
Policies data is also available:

• Through the WorldCat Resource Sharing interface, either by clicking the Policies Directory link or on the ‘Libraries that Own Item’ screen, by clicking on the red question mark (?) next to the library symbol
• Through the existing links in ILLiad and the WorldCat Services Administrative module.

All existing lending data (policies, deflections, contact data) has been migrated to the new interface.

A complete list of changes and enhancements is located at http://www.oclc.org/info/policies/

GRANT NEWS

NASA Artifacts Available

The Institute of Museum and Library Services invites museums and libraries to apply for free NASA space shuttle artifacts which range from small items such as astronaut boots, helmets, and gloves to larger equipment such as shuttle motion-based simulators.  Public libraries, universities, and schools interested in receiving artifacts must first apply for eligibility.

Recipients are responsible for the cost of shipping. 
See http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm for details.

National Endowment for the Arts—The Big Read

The National Endowment for the Arts is sponsoring The Big Read to encourage literary reading in communities.  Matching grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 are available for community-wide reading programs.  The featured book must be chosen from The Big Read list.  The program should last one month and occur between Sept. 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011. Public libraries are the ideal applicant with partnerships encouraged with schools, universities, and other local organizations.

The application deadline is Feb. 2, 2010. 
See http://neabigread.org/guidelines.php for details.

ADVOCACY NEWS

A Day in the Life of Your Library - Library Snapshot Day!

Mark your calendars and plan to participate in an Illinois-wide Library Snapshot Day!  More specific information will follow in early January.  PALS will be asking you to collect data Wednesday, February 10th on activity taking place at your library. All PALS libraries of all types are asked to participate on this day.

The ILA Advocacy Committee is working to create online forms to assist in collecting statistics, stories and photos on what happens in the library in a single day around the entire state. The attachments for the forms will be provided to all our libraries.  PALS will collect the information and results will be given to our legislators to illustrate the importance and increasing use of libraries, especially during this economy.

This initiative already was used in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. When budgets are cut and demand for funding is greater than ever, we need to be visible, we need to be heard, we need to speak up for ourselves and keep libraries on our legislators’ minds!

To quote Dr Seuss from the Lorax: "unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." We need to be visible, we need to be heard, we need to speak up for ourselves!

Visit these websites for more information:

• Snapshot: One Day in the Life of New Jersey Libraries
• Snapshot: One Day in the Life of Pennsylvania Libraries
• Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese!

What can you do right now?
* Circle Wednesday, February 10th on your calendar for "Snapshot Day;"
* Alert staff that you will be collecting daily statistics and asking patrons to share their stories about the library on that day;
* Arrange for cameras to be available for taking photos around the library; and
* Watch for the Snapshot Day forms which will be distributed shortly.

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

All subscribers are encouraged to submit contributions and suggestions to prairieviews@palsnet.info. Submissions must be received by Tuesday to appear in the upcoming edition. To subscribe to or unsubscribe from this newsletter, please visit the following link: http://mailman.palsnet.info/mailman/listinfo/pviews