volume #3 issue#28

July 20, 2006

Prairie Views: the newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

System News

PALSGROUP Timeline
The timeline for implementation of our merged consortial migration project was shared at the Delegate’s Assembly on July 12. Monthly timeline highlights and a detailed timeline can be found on the LLSAP merger page, www.palsnet.info/services/ts/merger/default.asp. The former document is color-coded to permit members to more easily see which items will directly affect them. Major timeline milestones to come are as follows:

Jul 2006: Platform migration to new PALSGROUP Unicorn production server (moving Quad-LINC to new server in Shorewood). Beginning on July 29th, we will move all Quad-LINC data en masse to the new server in Shorewood. Quad-LINC members will be down during the move and we will keep affected members apprised of any and all related issues.
Aug 2006: Review of first test data load begins on 8/25.
Sep 2006: Review of first test data load complete on 9/18.
Oct 2006: Prepare Demand Management and Display solutions (SirsiDynix must complete these upgrades for demonstration by January).
Oct 2006: Begin extraction / conversion for second test data load (begins 10/16).
Dec 2006: Review of second test data load (12/4 – 12/25).
Jan 2007: Confirmation of “Go Live” to proceed as scheduled based on Demand Management/Display solutions.
Mar 2007: Final bib/item data load/consolidation on new PALSGROUP server.
Apr 2007: GO LIVE! Final user and circ loads on production Unicorn server beginning April 2. PrairieCat live on or around April 8.
Jun 2007: Review of final data load completed.

If you have any questions concerning any aspect of this project, please contact Len (x4472), Paul (x2715) or Mary Anne (x3254).

Upcoming Public Library Trustee Training
We still have a few public libraries which have not met the upcoming Per Capita requirement of having at least one trustee attend training before the October grant application deadline.

We currently have programs scheduled on:
Monday, July 24 at Cherry Valley
Wednesday, August 2 at Stockton
Monday, August 21 at Tiskilwa
Thursday, September 21 at Rock Falls.

Even if your trustees have been to one of the training programs, they are perfectly welcome to attend another! To register for one of these programs, visit http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Calendar. If you have trouble registering, contact Shirley Grasty at shirleyg@palsnet.info or x2706.

Events/Continuous Learning
CLeO: All continuous learning events sponsored by PALS are open to all staff or representatives of member libraries. Registration is required for all PALS continuous learning programs. To register, visit the PALS CLeO at http://www.palsnet.info/events/

Information on registration, how to set up a CLeO account, and PALS procedures for continuous learning can be found on the PALS website at: http://www.palsnet.info/services/cl/default.asp

PALS Events by Month

Member News

Fairmount’s Fabulous Family Fun Night
Davenport Public Library’s last Family Fun Night of the year is Tuesday, July 25, from 5-7 p.m., at the Fairmount Street location, and will feature rock and roll music for all ages at a special event entitled, “Rock Around the Clock.” Meet players from the Swing baseball team, see cars from River Valley Classics, and listen to great blues music from Generations of Blues as we celebrate favorite American pasttimes! All Family Fun Night activities are FREE and will be held outside weather permitting. For more information visit our website at http://www.davenportlibrary.com; or call us at 563-326-7900.

Joliet Library and Historical Museum To Again Co-Sponsor Youth Programs
The National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association Public Programs Office have again selected Joliet Public Library to receive the We the People Bookshelf. The 2006 shelf theme Becoming American encourages young people to read classic books and explore themes in American history, culture, and ideas.

Librarian Jane Kauzlaric has again partnered with Joliet Area Historical Museum Educator, Kim Shehorn-Martin, to develop a free three-program series featuring games and crafts for students in Grades K-4 based upon book titles featured by the grant. All programs will be held at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, 204 N. Ottawa Street, in the Joliet City Center. An adult caregiver must remain with the child during an entire program. Program participants will find free parking in the museum lot located at Webster and Cass Streets on program days.
• Saturday, August 26 10-11:30 AM: Rip Van Winkle
• Saturday December 2 10-11:30 AM: Watch the Stars Come Out and Immigrant Kids
• Saturday February 24 10-11:30 AM: The People Could Fly

During the August 26 program, we’ll read excerpts from Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle. We’ll participate in hands-on activities to try and imagine just what it might be like to fall asleep and wake up 20 years later! What would Joliet look like? Would we still use the same things we use today? Would we feel like strangers in our own land? Participants will also play games and make a craft to take home. For complete information about the programs and to register, check the library website (www.joliet.lib.il.us) or call 815-740-2663. All programs are free but registration is required to ensure sufficient seating and supplies for all attending. Children may be registered via the library website or by calling 815-740-2663.

Meet Local Author Gina Warner-Sturdy!
Iowa author, Gina Warner-Sturdy, will be at the Davenport Public Library Fairmount Street on Saturday, August 12, from 1-3 pm, to discuss and sign her latest book, Friends, Neighbors and the Psychotherapist. The novel will be available to purchase for $15 on the day of the event, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the FRIENDS of the Davenport Library.

Missing Books - we've added a new section to Prairie Views where members are welcome to post information about materials that are missing in transit. As with all Prairie Views submissions, please send to prairieviews@palsnet.info.

The rise and fall of ECW:
Extreme Championship Wrestling ID#32889001897568 Call # 796.81209 LOV.
This is an HDBB book that was in transit from LKBB to PTWB since 6/29/06.

Freebies/Exchanges/For Sale/Wanted

Prairie Area Library System offers a means for members to share discarded items to needy libraries. Procedures are outlined in the Reference Member Services Guide http://www.palsnet.info/services/reference/reference_guide.asp They are also outlined below.

Libraries wanting to offer up materials are to notify Brenda Roman (brendar@palsnet.info or x3152) or Judy Hutchinson (judyh@palsnet.info or x3150), or you can email to Prairie Views (mailto:prairieviews@lists.palsnet.info), providing the following information:
*Library's name and phone number
*Title(s) of the items discarded

A list will be compiled for inclusion in the weekly Prairie Views newsletter. Anyone interested in freebies are to contact the library directly, (no earlier than Monday following the listing). Members are responsible for making their own arrangements. The PALS van delivery may be available for transporting items, as space and time permits. Contact your Service Center Delivery Manager to arrange for delivery of large shipments.

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 a chance to see the message and request the materials if they are interested. Thanks for your cooperation - we have had several complaints in recent weeks about items being released before Monday.

Davenport Public Library
* Credit Union Journal Registry of Credit Unions July-December 2005 (1 book)
* Dealers Cost American Car and Foreign Car Price Guides for 2005 (2 books)
* Iowa Phonebook - Dex Official Directory: - Waterloo/Cedar Falls (1 book)
* Library Resource Guide 2005-2006 -
* Information Today, Inc (1 book)
* Sequels 3 - Vancouver Public Library (1 binder)
* 2005 Sports Market Place Directory - Grey House Publishing (1 book)
*Thompson Bank Directory June-November 2005 (5 books total)
United states - (2 volumes)
World - (2 volumes)
Worldwide correspondents and resource guide - (1 vol.)
* U.S Congress Handbook 109th Congress First Session 2005 (2 copies)
* Weiss Raitings' Guide to Common Stocks Winter 2005-06

If interested please contact:
Brenda Ross
Phone : 563-328-6835
E-mail : bross@davenportlibrary.com

Northern Illinois University
The NIU Libraries would like to offer the journals on the attached lists to any of the PALS libraries. We are willing to break up runs, so if you only need one issue, several issues or the entire run, please contact: Jane Farmer, NIU Libraries, by August 10th, 2006. All the issues are in good condition. Thank you.
jfarmer@niu.edu
815-753-9869

Psychology Journals List
Other Journal Offerings

Kaplan University
Kaplan University has multiple copies of the following titles available:
Heavy Hands: An Introduction to the Crimes of Family Violence, 2nd ed. By Denise Kindschi Gosselin (ISBN 0-13-094096-8)
New Perspectives on Microsoft Office 2003-Brief published by Course Technology (ISBN 0-619-20657-8)

Please send requests to jsmith@kucampus.edu

Jennifer Smith Director, Academic Resource Center/Library
Kaplan University
1801 East Kimberly Road, Suite 1
Davenport, IA 52807
(563)441-2467
jsmith@kucampus.edu
http://student.kucampus.edu/library/

Job Openings
Jobs can be submitted on the PALS website at http://www.palsnet.info/jobs/ or by sending them to prairieviews@palsnet.info. All jobs submitted by either method will be included in Prairie Views for one week and will be posted for 120 days on the PALS website unless the library posting the job requests that it be removed before 120 days. Visit http://www.palsnet.info/jobs/ to views all the job ads that PALS currently has posted.

Cataloging Librarian
(Full time) Responsible for performing original and copy cataloging of print and non-print materials in English and other languages, maintaining local cataloging practices documentation, and serving as resource to cataloging clerk. May oversee department in absence of department head.
* Requirements: MLS from ALA accredited institution. Knowledge of Dewey decimal classification system, LC subject headings, AACR2, MARC formats, and OCLC. Experience cataloging library materials in a variety of formats. Attention to detail, strong service orientation, ability to handle a fast paced work environment, and ability to foster a cooperative working environment. Bibliographic knowledge of a foreign language (Spanish, Italian, Polish, or Albanian) and experience with Innovative Interfaces' Millennium system desired. Significant directly related public library experience and/or enrollment in an ALA accredited library science graduate program may be considered in lieu of degree requirement.
* Competitive salary begins at $33,540, commensurate with experience.

Send cover letter, resume, and three references to:
Yabin Liu
Head of Technology Services
Addison Public Library
Two Friendship Plaza
Addison, IL, 60101.
For more information, call 630/458-3302 or email at liu@addison.lib.il.us.

Readers Services Librarian
(F/T): Seeking an experienced MLS for the Adult Services Department in the fastest growing community in metro Chicago. The Plainfield Public Library District now serves 60,000 people from several diverse communities. This Reference team member has a specific focus on Readers Services. In addition to collection development and reference desk duties, tasks include: conducting book discussions, planning winter/summer reading programs, developing readers’ advisory tools and much more. Candidates must have demonstrated customer service and multitasking skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to function positively and effectively as a team member. Experience in fiction collection development or a strong fiction background is highly desired and a minimum of two years’ experience in Reference/Adult Services is also preferred. Hours include evenings and weekends. Salary negotiable from $34,000.00, with IMRF and generous benefits.

Send cover letter, resume and names of three references to:
Lisa Pappas
Adult Services Manager
Plainfield Public Library
705 N. Illinois Street
Plainfield, IL 60544
or to lpappas@plainfield.lib.il.us

Head of Adult Services
The Sycamore Public Library seeks an energetic, community-oriented, flexible, creative professional to manage the Adult Services Department. This individual will coordinate, administer, and analyze library services, recruit, supervise, and train departmental staff, and manage the public computers. The Sycamore Library has a wonderful staff, and a beautiful building, filled with history, fun, enthusiasm and a very exciting future.
* Minimum experience: ALA/MLS and relevant experience or 4+ years in public libraries and relevant experience. Computer skills and Salary range $30,000 - $33,000 plus benefits.

Interested applicants may send their resume and three references to:
Sarah Tobias
Director
Sycamore Public Library
103 E. State Street
Sycamore, Illinois, 60178.
Email to: saraht@sycamorelibrary.org. Applications accepted until position is filled.

Librarian
The City of Moline seeks a Librarian. A Librarian performs a variety of professional library services in conjunction with the selection, maintenance, and collection management of Moline Public Library services to meet the educational, recreational, and informational needs of the community. Promotes library services to the community through education and outreach.
* Requires Masters degree in library science from an ALA accredited school or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Ability to speak Spanish desirable. Valid driver’s license required. Compliance with City Residency Policy within prescribed time required. *Annual salary starts at $43,998.66.

* For more details on this position or to obtain an application visit the:
City of Moline HR Office
619 16th Street
Moline, IL 61265
or http://www.moline.il.us. Deadline 08/03/06, 5:00 PM. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Library Director
C. E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District is located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, a small urban southern community of 17,000. The library service population of 39,013 includes fifteen of the sixteen townships comprising Jefferson County, Illinois. The 2006 budget and appropriation levy was $900,324 with 7 FT and 13 PT employees.
* Candidate will have a Master’s degree in library science from an ALA-accredited college or university and a minimum of 4 years public library experience, including 2 years in a supervisory capacity. The Library Director manages and directs the operation and activities of the C. E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District and provides the general public with educational and recreational resources and services to all members of the District. Work activities include planning, organizing, budgeting, staffing, directing and coordinating the activities of the library.
*The starting salary range is $38,030 - $43,686. Management benefits package provided. Qualified candidate must pass pre-employment background check, reference check, drug screen and have a valid driver’s license. Initial review of applications will begin October 1, 2006 and continue until filled.

To assure full consideration, submit letter, resume, and names of 3 references by September 30, 2006 to:
Linda Page
Board President
C. E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District
101 S. 7th Street
Mount Vernon, IL 62864
or electronically to lpage@shawls.lib.il.us.

Reference and ILL News

Field Trip
On August 4th PALS library staff are invited to participate in a field trip to the Field Museum. We will visit one of the premier natural history reference libraries in the country. The Field Museum Library's collection began in 1894 with a transfer of books from the World's Columbian Exposition. The library's main research collections now hold 275,000 volumes on biology, anthropology, archaeology, museology, and related subjects. Our "Field trip will also include a special visit to the Tutankhamun and Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit.

The schedule is as follows:
7:45 am Bus leaves the Shorewood Service Center
9:30 am Tut exhibit
11:30 am Library Tour
12:30 pm Free time, lunch on your own
2:30 pm Bus leaves Field Museum
4:00 pm Bus returns to Shorewood Service Center

While the event is free, a $45.00 fee will be charged for any no-shows. Registration is limited to 30 participants (limit of 3 from a single library). Contact Brian Smith of the Homer Township Public Library bsmith@homerlibrary.org or Karen Becker karenb@palsnet.info

Please sign up for the event on CLEO http://www.palsnet.info

Youth Services and School Library News

Jonesborough, TN Storytelling Festival
If you're interested in the transportation/lodging package for the National Storytelling Festival in October, sign up now! Currently, we have only twelve reservations for the 2006 trip. Generally we are at 25 participants by mid-July. So, we are seeking at least 13 more full package participants. A minimum of 25 full package participants are needed to prevent cancellation of the trip. The Guild will make the decision towards the end of August. We have until August 31 to cancel without incurring fees.
Full package for 2006 includes transportation by motor coach with two pickup points, lodging at the Days Inn Motel in Johnson City, and festival admission with local transportation. Estimates for double occupancy: v $601 with 25 participants v $557 with 30 participants v $527 with 35 participants. Partial packages also available: transportation and festival, transportation only, or hotel, local transportation, and festival. Register NOW for $135. Cost for an individual will depend on the number of participants on the trip. Personal expenses and additional events at the festival are not included in the estimate.

To register, please contact A. Denise Farrugia Evenings at 630-556-4771 Days at 630-584-0076 ext. 236 festivaltrip@earthlink.net

Public Library News

LIMRiCC Participation Health Insurance Program (PHIP) Offers New Programs
With the 7/1/06 renewal, PHIP now offers a high deductible PPO plan in addition to the current PPO and HMO plans. This was done to provide an option for employees looking to lower the cost of coverage for dependents and/or family coverage. PHIP now offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Compsych. Basic service is free to all members of PHIP. Each member library also has the option to buy additional services of legal, child/eldercare information, and financial services at a very minimal charge per employee. PHIP is now providing all PHIP members with the services of Cobra Source, Inc at no charge. This service will handle all areas of cobra including notices for the member library. It is anticipated this service will especially assist our smaller library PHIP members when there is turnover to ensure that cobra issues are handled appropriately and timely. If you have any questions regarding about the new programs listed above, how to become a PHIP member, or the current rates for health, dental, life, and vision insurance please contact Scott Remmenga, Director of Finance/Deputy Director of LIMRiCC at 630-734-5127 or remmengas@mls.lib.il.us.

Academic Library News
No Academic Library News this week.

Special Library News
No Special Library News this week.

Support Staff News
No Support News this week.

Technology Services News
No Technology Services News This Week

New Books at PALS
No New Books at PALS this week.

Library News Around the State & Nation

Nearly 1,400 libraries "Step Up to the Plate @ your library"; incentives available for participating libraries
Libraries across the country are celebrating an all-American summer pastime and the role libraries play in building 21st century literacy skills by participating in the Step Up to the Plate @ your library program, developed by ALA and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Since the program began in April, nearly 1,400 libraries have registered for the program at www.ala.org/baseball to gain access to free tools to help promote the program locally. Tools include a toolkit with programming ideas and customizable media relations materials, downloadable audio and print PSAs featuring Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and more.

Libraries that bring in the most number of entries are eligible to win special incentives. The library that brings in the most entries will get a $100 bookstore gift certificate, a copy of Lawrence Hogan's "Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball" (published by National Geographic Society) and three copies of "Satch and Me" by Dan Gutman (published by HarperCollins). The next three libraries will receive a $50 ALA Graphics gift certificate, a copy of "Shades of Glory" and three copies of "Satch and Me." Here are some examples of how a few libraries have gotten involved: -- The Craft Memorial Library in Bluefield, W.Va., brought fans and players together at the library when it hosted players from the Bluefield Orioles, a local minor league team. After fans met with the players, they used the reference materials and computers set aside for the event to find the answers to the Step Up to the Plate trivia questions. All completed playbooks were collected by the library to mail on the players’ behalf. Refreshments and door prizes were available to all who attended.

Within PALS, the Davenport Public Library brought the program to the ballpark by teaming up with the local minor league baseball team, the Swing of the Quad Cities, to promote the program with announcements on the Jumbotron during the game.

Step Up to the Plate @ your library encourages people of all ages to improve their 21st century literacy skills by using the library’s resources to look up the answers to a series of baseball trivia questions. Available in English and Spanish, the trivia questions are organized by age group (10 and under, 11-13, 14-17 and 18 and older). One grand-prize winner will win a trip to the Hall of Fame's World Series Game One Gala event in Cooperstown, N.Y., in October and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum. The grand prize also includes an Ozzie Smith autographed baseball. Twenty first-place prize packages also will be awarded, including a commemorative hardbound copy of the Hall of Fame Yearbook, Hall of Fame t-shirt, commemorative set of 20 Hall of Fame baseball cards and more. All of the program’s baseball trivia questions are posted on the Step Up to the Plate Web site, and answers can be submitted in electronic form or by mail.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a founding partner of The Campaign for America's Libraries. The Step Up to the Plate @ your library program is supported by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), the Public Library Association (PLA), REFORMA, and the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum.

New CE Management Courses
As an addition to our expanding continuing professional development programs, which are open to all library and information science professionals, the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is pleased to announce two new, non-credit, short courses on management topics in library and information science. The courses are designed to offer training in essential management issues and are valuable to all types of librarians seeking to reach a higher level of practical professional experience or improve career opportunities. The courses are approved by ALA-APA and will meet the needs of library professionals pursuing the CPLA certification. Registration is open for the first course, Budget and Finance, which will start August 23, 2006.

GSLIS is the first library school to offer courses in support of the American Library Association - Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) Certified Public Library Administrator (CPLA) program. The CPLA program is a voluntary post-MLS certification program for public librarians with three years or more of supervisory experience. GSLIS will be offering 6-week online courses in two core areas: Budget and Finance, starting August 23, 2006 and Organization and Personnel Administration, starting February 7, 2007. These non-credit courses will be held online via a combination of live, synchronous sessions and asynchronous discussion boards. Students will meet online for two hours on Wednesdays from 2:00 - 4:00 CST. Both classes will be taught by Robert. H. Burger, Ph.D., CPA, who is the Associate University Librarian for Services at Illinois. The cost of each course including registration and materials is $300. While these courses are approved by ALA-APA for CPLA certification, they are open to anyone interested in these topic areas. Illinois school librarians are eligible to receive CPDU credit for completion and should contact Marianne Steadley by e-mailing steadley@uiuc.edu or calling 217-244-2751.

For additional information and to register, visit http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/programs/cpd/CPLA/.
Marianne Steadley, Continuing Professional Development Program Director, GSLIS
217/244-2751
Fax: 217/244-3302

LibraryU News
How are the First Amendment rights of your library patrons impacted by CIPA, the USA Patriot Act and other challenges to information access and privacy? Do your personal beliefs ever come into conflict with your library's intellectual freedom philosophy? As library staff on the front lines, we protect the intellectual freedom of our patrons by ensuring their access, not by defending the content of what is accessible. "Ensuring Access: The Rights and Responsibilities of Intellectual Freedom" will challenge and excite you to learn more about the vital topic of intellectual freedom. Now available on LibraryU, after completing "Ensuring Access" you will have a greater understanding of the foundations for intellectual freedom in American libraries, and how this core library value is protected by your own library's policies and procedures. Go to LibraryU to register and enroll.

News from Vendors

New Address
Effective immediately, Baker & Taylor has a new mailing address for all Book Orders.
Baker & Taylor
Attn: Order Dept. 3584
Old Maysville Road
Commerce, GA 30529

Legislative/Advocacy News

Guest Readers
From Inara McGroarty, PALS Advocacy Coordinator:
In creating READ posters and arranging for a presentation of their poster to the legislators, I've had conversations with them in the last few days. Uniformly, they've said they'd love to be invited to be a guest reader during the summer reading programs, but they're not being invited or contacted to go the library or participate or attend the summer programs. They're ready, willing and able, and, it's my impression, pretty excited about the possibility. Many of our legislators have a bit of "ham" and welcome an opportunity to be creative. They love the thought of being able to say "arrrgh" or "ahoy matey!" Their summer schedules make them more readily available now than they will be once the fall session starts after the November elections.

Take advantage of this to build those relationships. Show off your library. Show off how the community uses the library and that all ages can be seen using various programs and resources available to them. Build a closer relationship with your legislators. Call them and invite them. Or give me a call with times and programs and I'll make the contact and arrangements for you. inaram@palsnet.info. Don't wait until there's a hot legislative issue and then expect the legislator to support your needs and your view if he's never heard from you or has little reason to know just how important your library is to his community. Be proud and show off what you have and what you offer!

New READ Posters Added
Some new READ posters have been added to those previously available of PALS legislators through the PALS poster service at a very low cost. Currently available are posters of:

Congressman Don Manzullo - 16th congressional district reading Theodore Rex (Rise of Theodore Roosevelt)

Senators:
Brad Burzynski, "Tomorrow's leaders are today's readers!" reading Speaker , Hastert's book
Mike Jacobs, "Read and live big dreams" reading :Lyndon Johnson, Master of the Senate
A.J. Wilhelmi, "For Illinois Libraries"

Representatives:
Mike Boland, "Today's Reader's are Tomorrow's Leaders" reading Skeleton Hiccups to his grandson
Tom Cross, "For Illinois Libraries" reading to children
Careen Gordon, "Reading is something that can change the world" reading To Kill a Mockingbird
Frank Mautino, "For Illinois Libraries" reading Harry Potter
Jerry Michell, "It's more than a library. It's a community center!" reading The Horse Whisperer
Bob Pritchard, "Libraries expand your possibilities and enjoyment" reading Making Things Happen
Patrick Verschoore, "If you can't read, you can't do anything" reading Illinois Jurisprudence
Ron Wait, "Power up to reading" sitting on tractor, reading The American Farm Tractor
Dave Winters, "Learn how to interact with your government through reading" reading The Fair Tax Book

If you prefer to print your own, request the file from Inara McGroarty at inaram@palsnet.info and you can print your own posters/fliers and bookmarks. The project continues and other posters will be made available over the summer months.

Just So You Know

Financial Resource Guide for Illinois Women
The Financial Resource Guide for Illinois Women, a free booklet containing web sites, telephone numbers and other information on a variety of financial topics, is available from the Office of State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka. The Guide was developed by the Treasurer and her Advisory Board on Women’s Issues to help women from all social and economic backgrounds reach their full economic potential.
The Guide includes more than 100 websites, agencies, books, articles and other resources. It is divided into four parts: Life Scenarios, Fast Facts on Woman and Finances, Resources, and a Glossary of Financial Terms. In the Resources section, information is organized under more than 20 topics, such as Bank Accounts, Consumer Credit Cards & Credit Card Debt, First Time Homebuyer, Retirement Planning, and Teaching Children about Money.
The Financial Resource Guide for Illinois Women can be downloaded from http://www.state.il.us/treas, and hard copies (individual copies or larger quantities) can be requested through that web site or by calling the Treasurer’s Office at 312/ 814-1700.

Website suggestion for cool sites
http://www.thebeehive.org/Templates/National/Default.aspx
Provides basic information on topics like health, jobs, housing, immigration, and family at a sixth grade reading level in English and in Spanish.

Grant News

FY06 LSTA Grant Final Reports Due October 1
FY06 LSTA grant final reports are due by email to the Illinois State Library by October 1st. Instructions can be found on the State Library's website.Contact Karen Egan at kegan@ilsos.net with any questions.

Honor your Community's Humanities Hero with a Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award
If you know a humanities hero in your community--someone who reads books to kids after school, teaches his or her neighbors to read, or keeps the doors to the historical society open--please contact your mayor and ask that your "hero" be nominated for an Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award. Nomination forms are being mailed to Illinois mayors now, and nominations are due September 1, 2006. Only mayors can make nominations. Nominations will be certified by the IHC in September. If nominated individuals meet the criteria stated in the packet, they will receive the handsome bronze medal we are striking for this award in local ceremonies this fall. For more information on this award, please contact the IHC at 312.422.5580, send us an e-mail, or visit http://prairie.org.

The Dollar General Grants Eligibility
Nonprofits in areas in which Dollar General operates Deadline: September 5, 2006 Funds: Up to $2,500 Contact: Dollar General Corporation, Charitable Contributions, 100 Mission Ridge, Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Info: http://www.dollargeneral.com

Ezra Jack Keats Minigrants Eligibility
School and public libraries Deadline: September 15, 2006 Funds: $350 Contact: Ezra Jack Keats Minigrants, 450 14th St. Brooklyn, NY 11215-5702
Info: http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/programs/minigrants.htm

Illinois State Library Construction Grants for Public Libraries
Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has announced that public libraries with infrastructure improvement needs may apply for a Live and Learn construction grant being offered by the Illinois State Library. White said the FY07 budget for the Secretary of State's office contains approximately $600,000 to make grants to public libraries for capital improvements. "These grants are designed to help public libraries pay for the cost of projects such as remodeling for handicapped accessibility, new carpeting, interior or exterior painting, and in some cases new construction or additions to existing buildings," White said. "I am especially pleased that this year the budget for my office contains an additional $250,000 over last year to make more construction grants to libraries. Many of our public libraries simply don't have sufficient financial resources to pay for essential capital improvements on their own. I am delighted that we can award these grants to help maintain our public libraries as cornerstones of their communities."

White said three types of grants are available under the program:

* Remodeling for Accessibility. These grants are designed to help libraries meet state and federal requirements that libraries be accessible to persons with disabilities. Grants range from $2,500 to $50,000. The State's share shall be 50 per cent of the project's total cost, for a maximum of $50,000.
* Mini-grants. These grants are limited to public libraries with limited funds. This category is based upon the taxing base of the library and the income available to the library. The per capita income rate for eligible public libraries has been increased from $10 to $12. Mini-grants are typically used for carpeting, painting, minor repairs, heating and air conditioning and other similar projects. The grants range from $2,500 to $25,000 and do not require a match by the public library. Libraries should contact their regional library system or the Illinois State Library to determine if they qualify for this grant.
* New construction, additions to and/or remodeling of existing buildings, and conversion of buildings not currently used for library services. The State's share shall be a maximum of 50% of the project's total cost, for a maximum of $125,000. Grants start at $25,000.

Libraries must submit a letter of intent to the State Library indicating they wish to apply for a grant by Tuesday, August 1. All applications must be postmarked or delivered to the State Library by September 1, 2006. Applicants must be members of one of the state's regional library systems, and only public libraries that have not received construction grants since July 1, 2003 are eligible. Complete information about the grant program and all forms can be found at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/what_we_do/constructgrant.html.

On the Internet
Our website picks of the week are supplied by Marylaine Block, Writer, Internet Trainer and "Librarian Without Walls," http://marylaine.com/.

NEAT NEW STUFF July 14, 2006

Artopia
"a comprehensive Web-based arts experience designed for middle school students, covering the visual and performing arts." Click on Teacher Resources for lesson plans and classroom activities, subject-specific glossaries, curriculum standards, and more.
http://cfmedia.scetv.org/artopia/

Being an American
Numerous printand video features from MSNBC explore what being an American is all about. Among them: a slide show on "the most American place," an interactive history of American immigration, and a chance to see how well you might do on the citizenship test.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13441693/

Best Cities for Doing Business
"Inc. studied 393 population centers across the nation, identifying job creation and other signs of business vitality." The result is this "searchable database, the full 2006 rankings broken down by small, medium, and large cities, an interactive map, stories explaining why -- and where -- companies are flourishing today, and much more."
http://www.inc.com/bestcities/

Child Welfare Information Gateway
Consolidates information from the previous web sites for the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse. Resources here include the National Adoption Directory, statistics, a State Statutes search, a series of user manuals, and a searchable library of research reports.
http://www.childwelfare.gov/

ConsumerLab.com:
independent tests of herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements. Since Congress refused to let the FDA study the efficacy and safety of supplements, ConsumerLab has stepped in to do testing to provide reliable information for consumers. The site includes lab test results, recalls and warnings, and a Natural Products Encyclopedia featuring "unbiased, evidence-based monographs on alternative therapies." Your users can access a fair amount of content free, but they'll have a lot more useful information if your library subscribes.
http://www.consumerlab.com/

Index Translationum
"an international bibliography of translations... books translated and published in about one hundred of the UNESCO Member States since 1979 and totalling more than 1.600,000 entries in all disciplines." Search by author to find books from one language translated into specific target languages. Check out the top 50 authors (sadly, Barbara Cartland ranks ahead of Shakespeare).
http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=7810&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

The National Budget, Debt, and Deficit
MarkTAW.com. If you have a hard time making sense of the figures that get tossed around about the US budget, the deficit, and the national debt, maybe these visualizations of the data and the accompanying explanations will be helpful.
http://www.marktaw.com/culture_and_media/TheNationalDebt.html

NextBillion.Net
Development through Enterprise. This blog is a knowledge repository and a place for discussion for anyone interested in "sustainable business models that address the needs of the world's poorest citizens." Browse through topics (Business Development, Microfinance, successful models, etc.), or through Resources (case studies, publications, initiatives, etc.) or search the activity database of innovative enterprises.
http://www.nextbillion.net/

Open Questions
"designed to organize scientific information, both on and off the Web, around a number of fundamental 'open questions' - the questions that motivate leading edge basic scientific research." Use the site index to access all the site's features, including the topics index, the glossaries, and best science and science news sites. Not all topics are fleshed out with introductions yet, but they all have excellent resource lists to begin your explorations.
http://www.openquestions.com/

Rural Library Director's Jobs
This chart is a little hard to read, but is a nifty device for showing people the variety of work that librarians do.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iamthebestartist/184890308/

Youthink!
The 2006 Webby Award winner for activism. "We give you information about the global issues you said matter to you. Check out the research, knowledge and experience gathered by World Bank experts on international development." Among the issues: AIDS, debt relief, gender, globalization, trade, etc.
http://youthink.worldbank.org/

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