volume #3 issue#49

December 21, 2006

Prairie Views: the newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

System News

The Board and staff of PALS wishes you and yours a happy and health holiday season!

PALS Holiday Schedule
The three PALS Service Centers will be closed on Monday, December 25 and Monday, January 1 in observance of the holidays. There will be no deliveries made either of those two days. Prairie Views will also not be published on December 28.

PALS Offers Group Purchase of USB Headset with Microphone
PALS has organized a group purchase of a USB headset with microphone. This Plantronics DSP-400 Headset will be a good one to use with our OPAL presentations, and, of course, you can use it for many other things as well. Please do note that your PC must have a USB port in order to use it. Our price on this unit is $37.00 per headset with a flat $7.99 per order shipping charge. So, if you place an order for three headsets, you would pay $118.99 ($37 x 3 plus $7.99) If you are interested in ordering, please contact Kacy Kelly at kacyk@palsnet.info and include the following information:
Library Name and Delivery Address (i.e. shipping address)
Delivery Code
Quantity Desired
Orders will be processed as they are received, and you will receive a bill directly from PALS. Deadline for the group purchase is Friday, January 5, 2007.

Update on Financial Info
The IRS recently announced that the standard business mileage reimbursement rate for 2007 will be 48.5 cents per mile. Employers typically reimburse employees at the IRS standard business mileage rate for business use of a personal vehicle. Other information pertinent in 2007 is as follows: Social Security wage base: $97,500 (increased from $94,200 in 2006) Medicare tax rate: 1.45% with no maximum wage base (same as 2006) 401(k) contribution limits: $15,500 (increased from $15,000 in 2006) 401(k) catch-up contribution for those over 50: $5,000 (no increase from 2006)

Website Reminders
2006 is nearly over, and that gives us an opportunity to remind you of a few services that PALS offer because of recent updates on the PALS website.

Vendor Discounts - PALS negotiates discounts for our members with a number of vendors each year. We have recently been updating those agreements for the new year. Check out the vendor discount area of the website for the complete list. You do need a CLeO account to be able to login to this area.

Houchen Bindery - PALS facilitaties pick-up and delivery of materials to/from Houchen Bindery for member libraries whose volume doesn't warrant direct delivery from Houchen. The 2007 schedule for the Shorewood delivery hub has recently been updated, and the Coal Valley and Rockford schedules will be updated later. this month.

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

PALSGroup Training
Numerous PALSGroup training sessions have been scheduled for the coming months and are available for registration in CLeO. Please contact Rhonda Krahl at ext. 3151 or rhondak@palsnet.info if you have any questions.

Member News

Accolades
to the following Library Technical Assistant Certificate graduates from Joliet Junior College's Ninety-First Year December Commencement Ceremony held on Friday, December 15, 2006:
Jamie Lauren Chochola
Susan Marie Hartman
Judith Hodges
Linda J. Holloway
Bonnie L. Lewandowski
Janet Judith Lingier
Linda I. McNicholas
Kathlyn Mary Poole
Victoria Lin Wayne
Carol L. Wroblewski
JJC is so very proud of all these graduates for their dedication and hard work!

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.

Lost?
PALS Coal Valley has 3 CD's that have shown up on delivery with no library markings or barcodes. One is a new CD with the wrapping still on it, the other 2 look used.
*The new CD is:
Great Pianists by Maruizio Pollini
*The other 2 are
First Impressions of Earth by the Strokes
This is not a Test by Missy Elliott

If they sound familiar please give me a call and I will send them back to you.

Thanks,
Brenda Roman
Ext. 3152
brendar@palsnet.info

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 can email to Prairie Views, 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.


Joliet Junior College
1995 Rev. ed. English Book 5 v. ; 29 cm. New York : Macmillan Pub. Co. : Simon & Schuster Macmillan ; London : Prentice Hall International, ; ISBN: 0028973550 (set) 0028973534
(vol. 1) 0028973542 (vol. 2) 0028973569 (vol. 3) 0028973577 (vol. 4) 0028973526 (vol. 5)

If interested contact:
Catherine E. Suchy
815.280.6604
cperry@jjc.edu

Coal City Public Library District
Free 18th Edition of Children’s Catalog and 4 supplements.

If interested contact:
Karla Welch
815-634-4552
kwelch@coalcity.lib.il.us

Kaplan University
is offering the books in the attached list free of charge.

If interested contact:
Jennifer Smith
jsmith@kucampus.edu

Matson Public Library
has a 6 volume set of the 32nd Edition (2005) of the College Blue Book to give away to any interested party.

If interested contact:
Jill Van Acker
email: jmvanacker@matsonpubliclibrary.org

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.

Assistant to the Executive Director
Prairie Area Library System
Individual needed to assist Executive Director with agendas, minutes and other communications for Board and Librarians' Advisory Committee. Also help with other reports, scheduling, membership issues, communication and duties as assigned. Individual will primarily work at the Coal Valley Service Center. Position is 15 to 20 hours per week. Weekly schedule may vary.

Requirements: familiarity with Microsoft Office suite of software; very good written and oral communication skills; Associate degree or two years college and minimum of four years workplace experience required. Library experience preferred. Position qualifies for IMRF retirement and prorated paid time off. Salary range $12.69 to $19.03.

Visit www.palsnet.info/jobs/application.doc for application form. Please submit cover letter, resume and application to Brenda Roman, Prairie Area Library System, PO Box 125, Coal Valley, IL, 61240 or brendar@palsnet.info. Review of applications will continue until position is filled.

PALS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Adult Services Librarian
This is a professional Library position. The Adult Services Librarian performs advanced and complex Library services in conjunction with selection, maintenance, reference, and circulation of Library materials to meet the educational, recreational, and information needs of the community.
*Minimum Requirements: Education: Masters Degree in Library Science (MLS) with an emphasis in reference course work from an American Library Association accredited Library school Experience: Library experience. Skills: Demonstrated ability in interpersonal and communication skills to satisfy positive interaction with patrons, staff, and others. Public speaking skills helpful..
*Salary Range: Salary range is $31,450 to $47,175 annually, based upon qualifications and experience. This position is full-time, 36 hours per week, including evenings and weekends.

FOR DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION, SEE OUR WEBSITE: http://www.westchicago.lib.il.us
TO APPLY SUBMIT YOUR RESUME TO:
Maureen Bajor
Administrative Assistant – HR/Facilities
West Chicago Public Library District
118 W. Washington Street
West Chicago, IL 60185-2803
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING RESUMES: January 15, 2007

Business Assistant
(Part time) Serves as purchasing agent for supplies and equipment; organizes workflow; prepares accounts payable and processes invoices; maintains vendor invoice files for the library; prepares cash drawers and posting of daily receipts according to recommended audit procedures; and gathers projected cost information on service contracts, supplies, and equipment.
* Requirements: High school diploma; three or more years of related office experience; skilled in word processing and spreadsheet software; ability to perform detailed work with numerical data, and to perform computations rapidly and accurately.
* Salary from $10.83 (17 hours/week) DOQ.

Please send cover letter and resume to:
Mary Medjo Me Zengue
Library Director
Addison Public Library
2 Friendship Plaza
Addison, IL 60101
email: medjo@addisonlibrary.org.

Library Clerk
Due to an internal promotion, our reference department has an opening for the position of Library Clerk. This is an entry level position for roughly 10.5 hours per week/average (includes alternating Saturdays and two 4 hour shifts during the week), ideal for a student, or anyone with computer skills wanting a part-time position. *Duties include troubleshooting very basic problems in the Computer Technology Center and providing basic reference assistance. Great opportunity for library science student to gain valuable reference experience. Excellent communications skills and interpersonal skills essential. Familiarity with Microsoft Office and/or other computer programs/software necessary.

To be considered for this position please send a resume by e-mail or US post to:
Colleen Waltman
Head Adult Services
New Lenox Public Library
120 Veterans Parkway
New Lenox, IL. 60451
cwaltman@newlenoxlibrary.org

Information Specialist
(Part-time) Due to relocation of a staff member, the Addison Public Library is seeking an enthusiastic and service-oriented professional to join our Adult Services Department. Responsibilities include providing reference service using a variety of print and digital resources, collection development, and providing Internet and other computer training courses to the public.
* The ideal candidate will have excellent people and communication skills and the ability to deal with the pressure of public service work in a busy and diverse environment.
* An MLS from an ALA-accredited institution is preferred. Directly related library experience and/or enrollment in an ALA-accredited library science graduate program may be considered in lieu of degree requirement.
* 17 hours per week, including some evening and weekend hours.
* Minimum starting salary is $17.20 per hour.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Send resume to:
Uma Mirmira
Head of Adult Services
Addison Public Library
Two Friendship Plaza
Addison, IL 60101.

Computer Trainer
Bourbonnais Public Library is seeking a dynamic trainer to teach basic patron computer classes and/or staff a patron computer tutoring station for an LSTA grant funded project January-June 2007, primarily during morning and afternoon hours, approximately 2-3 hours per week. May also involve teaching some staff in-service sessions. Strong computer skills, small group presentation skills, customer service orientation, and interpersonal skills are essential.
* Salary: $25/hour.

To apply, send letter of application, resume detailing computer skills and training experience, days and times available to teach and tutor (Monday – Saturday), and 3 references with contact information by January 10, 2007:
Jeni Venker Weidenbenner, MLIS
MAT Public Services Supervisor
Bourbonnais Public Library
250 W. John Casey Rd
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Tel:(815) 933-1727 Fax:(815) 933-1961
Email: jvweidenbenner@bourbonnais.lib.il.us

Librarian
Part-Time
At Waubonsee Community College, innovation is what drives our every move. We deliver superior educational opportunties as well as an enhanced quality of life within our community by combining visionary professionals with advanced resources.
* Join us in the following role: PT Librarian Reporting to the Dean for Social Science, Education, and Library Services, the Librarian provides reference and library instruction services and participates in collection development activities.

To complete an application and learn more about these and other opportunities, visit our website at: http://employment.waubonsee.edu
Equal Opportunity Employer

Head of Reference
Full-Time
The Glenview Public Library seeks an energetic, creative, people-oriented individual with strong personnel skills to lead its newly reorganized Adult Services Reference Department. Successful candidate will provide leadership to a top-notch team of Reference Librarians, and should be flexible in adapting to change.
* The Head of Reference is responsible for all aspects of administration and management of Adult Services Reference Department, including personnel, budget, and long range planning, and is an active member of the Library’s Management Team. Oversees planning and implementation of library programs and computer training. Exciting opportunity to participate in new building project (2007) and in planning/developing new reference area. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
* Requirements: MLS from ALA-Accredited Institution. A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience including the administration and management of a library unit, preferably in an Adult Services public library environment.
* Salary: $50,300 - $62,850 annually (DOQ)

To apply, send cover letter and resume to:
Jane D. Berry
Assistant Director
Glenview Public Library
1930 Glenview Rd.
Glenview, IL 60025
*OR Vickie L. Novak
Executive Librarian
same address as above
Email to: jberry@glenviewpl.org OR vnovak@glenviewpl.org
Fax to: 847-729-7558

Reference and ILL News
No Reference and ILL News this week.

Youth Services and School Library News

"Power up with Print"
Institute Coming to Starved Rock State Park Lodge! Thanks to an LSTA grant from the Illinois State Library, the Prairie Area Library System is please to offer this wonderful Institute on Monday, March 5th for anyone who works with tweens or teens in 6th through 12th grade in either a school or public library setting. The YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association of ALA) Institute will give participants ideas on encouraging young adult reading, exploring what teens/tweens read and why, booktalking tips and techniques, discovering the latest recommended materials for teens,/tweens and promoting the library collection through effective programming. Participants will receive a 200 page resource handbook. Also, the live announcement of the Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award winner will be made here!
The cost is just $10 per person.
Go to http://www.palsnet.info/events to register. Spots are limited, so don't delay! If you would like a hotel room at the Lodge the night before, PALS has reserved a block. See the CLeO entry for details.

Mystery Writing Contest for Children and Teens
The Mystery Writers of America is sponsoring a Mystery Writing Contest whose winner will receive the 2007 Joan Lowery Nixon Award. The Joan Lowery Nixon Award mystery writing contest is a skill-based contest in which students use their imaginations and their language arts skills to create their own unique mystery stories.
The contest has two Categories: Grades 2-5 and Grades 6-10. There will be two $250 cash prizes awarded, one for the Winner in each Category. Stories from students in public and private schools must submitted through their teachers. Only one story per teacher will be accepted. (Exception: Teachers with students in two Categories can submit one story for each Category.) Home-schooled students can submit stories through their supervising parent, guardian, or tutor. Only one story per parent/guardian/tutor will be accepted. (Exception: Home-school parents, guardians, or tutors who have students in two Categories can submit one story for each Category.) Proof of home-schooling will be required if requested by Mystery Writers of America and MWA:Reads. Only one story per student will be accepted.

Submissions for the Joan Lowery Nixon Award mystery writing contest will be accepted via email beginning February 3, 2007 and ending February 28, 2007.
See http://www.mysterywriters.org/pages/news/nixon.htm for details.

Public Library News
No Public Library News

Academic Library News
No Academic Library News this week.

Special Library News
No Special Library News this week.

Support Staff News
No Support Staff 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

American Libraries Celebrates Its First 100 Years
CHICAGO - More than 29 million copies of American Libraries - the American Library Association’s (ALA) flagship news magazine and the chief perquisite of membership in the association - have been published since 1907, helping library workers do their jobs better for 100 years. Sharing best practices, offering updates and debates on the library profession’s hot issues of the day and bringing every member the latest news of the association’s work have all contributed to the magazine’s century-long popularity. A number of anniversary events and articles, including an official commemorative issue in June/July, will culminate in the new ALA pavilion in the exhibit hall at the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. in June. Innovations including the ‘Hectic Pace’ blog and a relaunch in January of the Web site at www.ala.org/alonline reflect a greater emphasis on technology, as requested by readers in a 2006 survey. Also coming in January is the CentenniAL Blog, providing a forum open to all to share memories, stories, questions and suggestions for American Libraries’ future, present and past.

News from Vendors
No News from Vendors this week.

Legislative/Advocacy News
No Legislative/Advocacy News

Just So You Know
No Just So You Know this week.

Grant News

National Endowment for the Humanities and Institute of Museum and Library Services Invite Grant Applications for New Digital Innovation Program, “Advancing Knowledge”
Washington, DC--The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) invite applications to a new digital humanities grant competition sponsored by the two federal agencies. The new grant program, “Advancing Knowledge: The IMLS/NEH Digital Partnership,” seeks applications for innovative, collaborative humanities projects using the latest digital technologies for the benefit of the American public, humanities scholarship, and the nation’s cultural community. The two federal agencies together will dedicate $1.5 million to Advancing Knowledge.

Through this new partnership, NEH and IMLS will help teachers, scholars, museums, and libraries take advantage of developing technology. Successful projects funded through this partnership will explore new ways to share, examine, and interpret humanities collections in a digital environment and develop new uses and audiences for existing digital resources. Grants awarded through Advancing Knowledge will bring together museum, library, archives, and IT professionals with humanities scholars to use innovative approaches in digital technology to provide new perspectives on humanities collections, offer new interpretive contexts, and allow existing resources to be widely shared. Nonprofit institutions interested in applying can find guidelines online at www.neh.gov. The deadline for applications to the Advancing Knowledge grant program is March 27, 2007, and applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. The first awards will be announced in early summer.

We the People Applications Due January 31st
In spring 2007, ALA and NEH will be awarding a Bookshelf - 15 classic books for young readers on the "Pursuit of Happiness" theme - to 2,000 (Note the number) school (K-12) and public libraries. Selected libraries will also receive four of the titles in Spanish translation, a bonus CD, bookplates, bookmarks and posters to promote local programming. For more information and the application go to http://www.ala.org/wethepeople.

Grant Workshop at Rockford Public Library
The Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) invites potential grant applicants to meet with IHC program officers at a Major and Mini Grant workshop on Friday, January 5, 2007, from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM. This workshop will be held at the Rockford Public Library (Main Branch, 215 N Wyman St) in Rockford. Any non-profit organization or institution is eligible to apply to the IHC for financial support of a public project in the humanities. IHC's Director of Programs and Partnerships will field questions about guidelines for Major and Mini Grants, as well as about grant support for various kinds of projects-- local and community history projects, oral history projects, documentary film projects, and reading/ discussion programs, for example. Registration is required. When registering, please provide your name, the name of the organization you will be representing, and the organization's address and phone number.

You may register on-line
via e-mail ihc@prairie.org
or by calling the IHC at 312.422.5580.

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 December 15, 2006

Advice for Desperate Men
Once again as a public service I link to my column explaining to men the secret of buying gifts for women. (Come to think of it, maybe you should bookmark it, because Valentine's Day is, would you believe, only two months away.)
http://marylaine.com/myword/advice2.html

Charitable Giving Guide for the end-of-year
[Boing Boing]
A nice round-up of charities that support preservation, privacy, open access, the first amendment, and other causes dear to librarians' and libertarians' hearts. Did you know you could support the Internet Archive?
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/12/11/charitable_giving_gu.html

Decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa
[Home and Garden Television]
A variety of decorating suggestions, some of them simple enough for those of us who didn't inherit the decorating gene.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_occasions_december/0,1792,HGTV_3472,00.html

ESL Resource Guide
A useful guide to books, AV materials, websites, and databases for ESL instructors and students.
http://www.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/esl_research_guide.htm

How Your Library Transforms Community
[FOLUSA]
Tell FOLUSA by January 2 how your library is doing it and you might just win $1000 for your library.
http://www.folusa.org/resources/libraries-transform-rules.pdf

The Mystery Reader
Hundreds of lengthy reviews, with rating, searchable and browsable by author or genre - Police/Detective, Suspense, Thrillers, Cozy Mysteries, and Romantic Suspense.
http://www.themysteryreader.com/

Overlawyered
A regular source of news and jaundiced views of some of America's more questionable regulations, lawsuits and court decisions.
http://www.overlawyered.com/

State of the Blogosphere
[Technorati Weblog]
Nobody's in a better position than Technorati, which tracks more than 57 million blogs, to give us a statistical report on new blogs added, daily posting volume, blog authority, posts by language, etc.
http://technorati.com/weblog/2006/11/161.html

Turn the Page
What do you have when your librarians' blog is illustrated with cartoons? A clog, maybe. Check out this "day in the life of a library."
http://librarycartoons.blogspot.com/

Vaudeville!
Offers a little of everything: the history of vaudeville, audios of "sketches, songs and recitations," films of "stupendous acts of the stage," and a bibliography/webliography.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ma02/easton/vaudeville/vaudeville.html
See also the Library of Congress' multimedia exhibit, Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870- 1920, a repository of playbills and programs, sound recordings, motion pictures, and playscripts in both English and Yiddish.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/vshtml/vshome.html

Prairie Views will be published weekly on Thursdays on the PALS website. PALS member libraries are encouraged to send items for inclusion to prairieviews@palsnet.info by Tuesday of the week you would like your information to appear.

We will send an email reminder each week when the new issue is available on the PALS website. If you do not currently receive email reminders, please send a message to prairieviews@palsnet.info to have your email address added to the reminder mailing list or visit http://mailman.palsnet.info/mailman/listinfo to subscribe or unsubscribe yourself.