volume #4 issue#11

March 15, 2007

Prairie Views: the newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

System News

LSTA Grant Workshops Are Coming to a Location Near You!
There are some wonderful opportunities available to propose exciting new projects for LSTA grants this year. Jane Lenser (janel@palsnet.info) and Nancy Smith (nancys@palsnet.info) are bringing workshops to Sycamore, Morris and Port Byron. There is also an OPAL presentation scheduled-- can't get closer than at your desk...:-). The Emerging Grant Writer category (for library staff that has never had an LSTA grant application funded) and LINCC (Libraries Innovate, Create, Collaborate) offer possibilities for a wide variety of projects that are new to your library or enhance the services for your users. The Safety Grant category presents opportunities to educate your library users and staffs on intenet safety issues, behavior issues (bullying & disruptive behaviors), and unsupervised children as well as more traditional safety and disaster topics. The traditional Digitization and Demonstration grants are also available. Go to http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/what_we_do/servicestechnologygrant.html to look at the offerings in detail. In order to accommodate Letters of Intent meeting the April 2nd deadline, the workshops are scheduled as follows:

Monday, March 19th, 9-11 AM, OPAL
Monday, March 19th, 1-3 PM, Sycamore Public Library
Thursday, March 22nd, 10-Noon, Morris Area Public Library
Friday, March 23rd, 10-Noon, River Valley Library District in Port Byron

Register at http://www.palsnet.info/events. If you have individual questions and/or need help with preparing the application (due May 11th), please contact Jane or Nancy or other PALS staff.

PALS Day 2007
PALS Day 2007 will be held on Friday, April 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Starved Rock Lodge in Utica, IL. Find more information on the PALS website or print off the attached brochure. Registration for PALS Day is limited to 225, and we have more than half that number registered already, so don't delay! Register for the event in CLeO. We have reserved blocks of hotel rooms at Starved Rock Lodge for both Thursday and Friday nights. If interested in staying, please call the hotel and tell them you would like one of the rooms in the PALS block. Rate is $70 single or $80 double occupancy, but deadline to get this rate through the PALS block is March 26. Please ask Judy Hutchinson (judyh@palsnet.info) or Nancy Smith (nancys@palsnet.info) if you have any questions about PALS Day.

An extra feature at this year's PALS Day is that Peggy Barber of Library Communications Strategies will be providing 15 minute one-on-one consultations with member libraries on their promotional materials or questions they have about marketing for their libraries. There are eight of these consultation timeslots, so if you are interested, sign up now! Contact Debbie Fowler (debbief@palsnet.info) to sign up for a consultation.

Register for Rides to PALS Day
PALS will be providing free bus transportation from each of the Service Center areas to Starved Rock Lodge for PALS Day on April 27th. For information and to register go to http://www.palsnet.info/events and find the bus serving the location from which you wish to travel. Please register as soon as you know your plans. Bus seats are limited.
Remember to register separately for the event itself!

New Additions to the Library Supplies Price List
Do you even know that PALS offers library supplies for sale? We purchase some standard library supplies at bulk price to be able to extend discounts to our member libraries. The pricelist/order form is available on the PALS website at: http://www.palsnet.info/services/ba/default.asp

A new addition to the Library Supplies Price List is that PALS is now stocking several types of receipt printer paper and receipt printer ribbons for resale. Rather than ordering larger quantities once a year, you can now order paper and ribbons from PALS whenever you run low! Place your order by faxing the form to PALS. Contact Brenda Roman, brendar@palsnet.info or ext. 3152 with questions.

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

Fall 2007 LTA Classes at Rockford and Coal Valley Service Centers
Attention library support staff! Are you looking for opportunities to learn more about the library world? Are you looking toward advancement in your current position or in your career? Then the LTA (Library Technical Assistant) Program may be for you. In past years, PALS has offered the LTA program from the College of DuPage via videoconference at both the Rockford and the Coal Valley Service Centers. We are considering offering this opportunity again in fall 2007.

If you are interested or for additional information, please contact Dawn DiVenti dawnd@palsnet.info
This is a great way to enter or re-enter the academic environment.
Check http://www.cod.edu/LTA for more information.

What's New in Search + Marketing YourDatabases
Wednesday, March 28, 11:00am - 3:00pm, Starved Rock Lodge, Utica
Fee: $15.00 includes lunch
Register on CLeO.
Join us at beautiful Starved Rock Lodge in the Utica Room for a day of practical workshops for reference librarians and other public services personnel. Lunch is included.
Program: What's New in Search - PALS reference consultant Brian Smith reviews some of the latest free and useful tools for finding information on the Web.
Lunch - Southwestern buffet includes: Chicken Enchiladas, Taco Meat, Spanish Rice, Four and Corn Tortiallas, Ranch Style Beans, Shredded Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions, Sour Cream, Salsa and Tortilla Chips, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, and Churros with Cinnamon Sugar Toppings and Iced Tea.
Marketing Your Online Databases - Lesley Williams from Evanston Public Library shares her successful strategies for increasing public awareness of subcription databases.

Diversity Forum 2007: Continuing the Dialogue!
Lincoln Trail Libraries System will be hosting a free statewide diversity forum to be held at the Hawthorn Suites, 1 Lyon Court, Bloomington, IL on March 27, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We encourage all attendees from libraries to bring a community partner representative with them to the forum. This partner can be someone you currently collaborate with in your community or someone you would like to start a relationship with. Vandella Brown from the Illinois State Library will engage the participants in a cultural vision exam film and a sample of the “White Privilege” assimilation test. The forum's guest speaker will be Christopher Benson, the author of the award-winning book entitled, “Death of Innocence: The Hate Crime That Changed America”. The afternoon will be dedicated to a train the trainer session entitled, “Walking the Talk – How to Think and Act Like an Inclusive Organization.” Susan O’Halloran will take the participants through a real world, sustainable approach to addressing the issues of diversity in organizations of every type. Each participant will receive a free copy of Susan’s Walking the Talk train the trainer manual and a copy of Death of Innocence: The Hate Crime That Changed America! To register for this workshop, go to: http://librarydiversity.info/forumreg2007.html

This workshop is provided by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

Assistance for Elderly Victims of Violence
Videoconference on March 21st After Public Libraries Meeting
Sponsored by the Secretary of State's Office and the Court of Claims, this workshop aims to equip library staff and local police departments with the tools needed to assist elderly victims of violent crimes in applying for resources under the Crime Victim’s Compensation Act. This presentation will help librarians know what type of material to buy to help educate the public about elder abuse, be able to identify agencies who can help with the situation and how to handle a person who has been abused if they come into the library. The program will equip librarians, with the knowledge of crimes committed against seniors and assist them with the tools needed to assist elderly victims of violent crimes in applying for resources under the Crime Victim’s Compensation Act. Assistance for Elderly Victims of Violence is coordinated by the Clerk’s Office of the Illinois Court of Claims and the Illinois State Library. The program is a partnership between The Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, The Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, The Illinois Department on Aging, and the Illinois State Police, Special Victims Division. You must register separately for this program and for the Public Libraries meeting in the morning.

Go to http://www.palsnet.info/events to March 21st and register for each at the location where you plan to attend. If there are other organizations in your community that will find this information useful, please invite them to accompany you but please see that everyone attending is registered. If you need assistance, contact Debbie Fowler (debbief@palsnet.info or x2708).

How Not to be the Library the Press Attacks
When you hear "I demand that you take that terrible book off the shelf!” do you run for cover, get angry, or give in? Are there alternatives? The Illinois Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee invites library staff and boards to a Defending Access Workshop coming soon to your library system. Defending Access with Confidence (by Catherine Lord) is a step-by-step program that takes participants through the history of intellectual freedom and the law, related policies, and approaches to challenges against intellectual freedom in the context of libraries. Utilizing this program, trainers will help participants understand their role in protecting the right to access in library settings and find alternative ways to satisfy patrons whenever possible.
March 22, 2007 Lincoln Trail Libraries System in Champaign
March 29, 2007 Shawnee and Lewis & Clark Library Systems at the Mascoutah Training Center
April 12, 2007 Rolling Prairie Library System in Decatur
May 1, 2007 Prairie Area Library System at the Reddick Library in Ottawa
May 3, 2007 Alliance Library System in East Peoria
May 10, 2007 North Suburban Library System in Wheeling
May 17, 2007 Metropolitan Library System in Burr Ridge

To register for this program go to https://www.ila.org/events/reg_dawc.htm

Member News

Are You Related to Someone Famous?
The Davenport Public Library will offer a nine-week “Introduction to Genealogy” class starting March 22 and ending May 24, 2007. The class will meet in the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center at the Main Street location on Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. There will be no class April 5. Course topics will include the following: getting started; organizing your research; basic reference sources; using federal and state census records; locating and using birth, marriage and death records; and genealogy via the Internet and other electronic resources. Pat Scott, an experienced genealogist and teacher, will be the instructor. Cost for this nine-week course is $30. Pre-registration and prepayment is required. Class size is limited, so sign-up early.
To register, call the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center at 563-326-7902.

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.

DeKalb Public Library reports the following items missing in transit:
In Transit from BL to DK 2/15/07 YA STA Heirs of the force 32065002405533
In Transit from DK to BL 11/17/06 378.1662 MAR 2006 Master the GRE 32065001589116
In Transit from “pr” ?? 6/24/06 B SKO Skorzeny, Hitler’s commando 32065000280193
In Transit to “nl” 2/27/01 CD P-RK DASH DAS Dusk and summer (sound recording) 32065002344732
In Transit from “pr” 2/16/07 DVD 956.7044 HUN Hunt for Zarqawi 32065002404197
In Transit from “pr” 2/15/07 Fic BAS Carved in bone: a body farm mystery 32065002191950

DeKalb Public Library also got a book turned in from “R.A.C.H.E.L.” It has a spine label and a card pocket in the back but no other identification. Can someone help me with where to return it?? The title is “Minding Your Own Business”.

Thanks, Donna, DKLY

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.

For Sale!
Seneca Public Library has 2 library shelves for sale.
The first one is a standing circular shelf for cd's which is 27" Wide 28" Long and 5'2" High for sale for $50.
The other is a long shelf for books that is 15'3" Length, 21" Wide and 34" Tall for sale for $100.

If interested contact:
Keary Dennison
815-357-6566

Rasmussen College
*Buckner, C. D. (2003). 246 solved structural engineering problems, 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Professional Publications. ISBN 1-59126-003-5 “…a comprehensive compilation to help you prepare for the NCEES Structural I and II exams, the California state structural exam, and the structural module of the civil PE exam.” – from the back cover.
*Structural Engineering I Sample Questions & Solutions: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying Official P.E. Exam Preparation Materials. Clemson, SC: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying, 2003. ISBN 1-932613-14-5
*Structural Engineering II Sample Questions & Solutions: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying Official P.E. Exam Preparation Materials. Clemson, SC: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying, 2003. ISBN 1-932613-15-3
*Structural I Engineering Sample Questions & Solutions: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying Official P.E. Exam Preparation Materials. Clemson, SC: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying, 1999.
* Structural II Engineering Sample Questions & Solutions: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying Official P.E. Exam Preparation Materials. Clemson, SC: National Council of Examiners for Engineering & Surveying, 1999.

If interested contact:
Linda Dillner
ldillner@hughes.net

Davenport Public Library
has the following item to give away:
New on the Job - a School Library Media Specialist's Guide to Success by Ruth Toor and Hilda K. Weisburg. 2007.

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

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.

Technical Services Coordinator
Tech-savvy librarian responsible for overseeing cataloging, acquisitions, serials, electronic resources and library technology systems. Master's degree in Library and Information Science from ALA-accredited institution, technical services experience and supervisory experience required. Review of candidates will begin on March 28 and continue until the position is filled.

Applicants should send resume with names, addresses, and phone numbers of three references to:
North Central College
Office of Human Resources
30 N. Brainard St.
Naperville, IL 60540. EOE

Instructional Librarian
Rock Valley College
*Job Summary: Coordinate the planning, development, and implementation of the library’s information literacy and other user education programs and curriculum, in addition to providing reference and participating in the library’s collection development.
* Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree in library science from an ALA accredited institution; prefer two year library instruction/user education experience or equivalent experience and some experience in a academic library setting. Experience with Voyager systems is desired; experience with library technology, course and/or instructional design is desired; some research guide and Web page designing experience is desired.

Complete online application by clicking on the “Apply” link shown at http://www.generalasp.com/rvc/onlineapp/ ; include cover letter, current chronological resume, and unofficial transcripts. Offer to hire cannot be extended without official transcripts.

Adult and Teen Services Assistant
Fountaindale Public Library District, which proudly serves the diverse communities of Bolingbrook and Romeoville, Illinois, is seeking a public service-oriented individual to provide reference services in the Adult and Teen Services department.
* Duties include helping patrons at the readers services and reference desks, interlibrary loan, assisting in the computer labs, and preparing materials for bibliographies and displays. This 25-hour per week, part-time position includes evening and weekend hours.
* LA/LTA certification, plus six months of related of experience required. Spanish language skills are a plus. *Starting salary: $12.16 per hour Closing date: April 15, or until position is filled.

Send cover letter, resume and three references, including contact information, to:
Pris Gotham
Fountaindale Public Library District
300 W. Briarcliff Road
Bolingbrook, IL 60440
personnel@fountaindale.lib.il.us
Equal Opportunity Employer

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

Youth Services and School Library News

Rebecca Caudill Packet Creation Workshop
Tuesday, June 5th Helen Mathes Library, Effingham, IL
Join with fellow librarians and teachers to create a packet of information and activities to accompany the 20 books selected for the 2008 Rebecca Caudill Award. As a participant you will help to prepare a book summary, discussion questions, activities, reading recommendation, book talk, list of related materials, and web sites for each book on the list. Each participant is assigned particular books to read and be responsible for. However, everyone is encouraged to read as many of the books on the list of 20 as is possible before the workshop. Registration and refreshments will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the day will conclude at 3:00 p.m.
To register, go to http://cleos.shawls.lib.il.us/ce
Please contact Ellen Popit at 800-455-4374, ext. 2024 or epopit@shawls.lib.il.us with any questions.

2008 Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award List
The new list for the 2008 Abraham Lincoln IL High School Book Award has been announced. Go to http://www.islma.org/lincoln.htm for the list of 22 titles. A special thanks goes to the Abe Readers from the PALS area, Sue Holmes from Belvidere High School, Denise Ethun from Boylan High School, Leisl Jaberg from Joliet Public Library! Jane

Public Library News

Construction Grant Workshops
The State Library will present four workshops this spring on the FY2008 Live & Learn Construction Grant Program for libraries interested in the program or considering applying for a grant this coming fall. ISL Staff will review the specifics of the program and discuss the application process. Registration is required and can be made through the State Library's CLeO website. The locations, dates and times are:
Tuesday, April 24 1-3 PM Metropolitan Library System, Burr Ridge
Thursday, April 26 10-Noon Alliance Library System, East Peoria
Tuesday, May 1 1-3 PM Illinois State Library, Room 403
Thursday, May 3 1-3 PM Benton Public Library, Benton

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

Barcode Certification Failure
Cataloging standards provide the foundation for achieving reliable online access to the vast information resources contained within the collections of Illinois’ multitype libraries. The Illinois Statewide Cataloging Standards are not intended to serve as a manual of data entry procedures. Rather, the intent is to prescribe adherence to nationally accepted cataloging standards and guidelines that are crucial to the viability of shared bibliographic databases. Selecting the correct record already in the local database, attaching and adding your holding only, with no editing to the bibliographic record, will be tested for in the Barcoding Level of the certification. The Barcoding test is the foundation to the next two levels of certification, Copy Cataloging and Original Cataloging.

PALS has developed the following course of action should a staff member of a PrairieCat Library fail the Barcode Certification Test 3 times. The supervisor will be notified when a staff member has failed the test for the 2nd time. Staff will still have their cataloging privileges in PrairieCat while in the Barcode School program to do their job, provided they follow the course of action outlined below. Upon notification of the 3rd failure, the staff person will have 3 months to attend Barcode School and retake the test. Barcode School is a half day training session that will cover matching and use of the Sirsi cataloging module. The staff member will be required to attend this training at the appropriate Service Center. After they have attended Barcode School, they will have one final opportunity to take the Barcode Certification Test. If they fail the test at this time, they will lose their cataloging authorization and access to PrairieCat. If you have questions please contact Merideth Willett, meridethw@palsnet.info or ext. 3257 or John Slanicky johns@palsnet.info or ext. 2716.

Extended Deadline
In order to allow ample time for member staff to prepare and/or receive training before they take the Barcode Certification test, PALS has extended the deadline for Barcode certification. Those libraries that have been using Sirsi - HAL and QL libraries - now need to be certified by December 31, 2007. Those libraries that are new to Sirsi will now need to be certified by June 30, 2008.
If you have questions, please contact Merideth Willett ext. 3257, meridethw@palsnet.info or John Slanicky ext. 2716, johns@palsnet.info

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

Library News Around the State & Nation

Nominations Being Accepted for Illinois OCLC Users Group Board
The Illinois OCLC Users Group (IOUG) works to promote the usefulness of OCLC products in Illinois Libraries. If this sounds like something you or a colleague would be interested in, consider submitting a nomination for an open seat on the IOUG Board. Available positions include secretary (two-year term), two member-at-large seats (two-year term), and vice-chair/chair-elect (three-year term). IOUG is currently putting together a slate of candidates. Interested? Contact a member of the nominations committee: Debbie Baaske, Lynn Hammerlund, or Donna Schaal. Deadline is Monday, March 26.

Submit a Star for National Library Workers Day on April 17, 2007
CHICAGO - Start the celebration early for National Library Workers Day (NLWD) by submitting information about your favorite worker and what makes him or her special to the NLWD Stars Web site – www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwdstarsform.html. NLWD is celebrated on Tuesday, April 17, during the American Library Association (ALA)-sponsored National Library Week. NLWD is sponsored by ALA-APA: the Organization for the Advancement of Library Workers, which advocates for improving the salaries and status of librarians and support staff. NLWD Stars will be featured on the National Library Workers Day site for one year. Stars will also be honored at the ALA Annual Conference. Download the free NLWD poster from http://www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwd_poster.pdf, which tells patrons, trustees, and colleagues how to submit a Star. Self-nominations are accepted. The deadline for submission is April 17.

NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. Ideas for how to celebrate in your library are here: http://www.ala-apa.org/about/ideas.html and http://www.ala-apa.org/about/NLWDflyer07.pdf (large file). Shop at the ALA-APA NLWD Store on Café Press - http://www.cafepress.com/ala_apa - for “Libraries Work Because We Do” t-shirts, buttons, mugs and posters. A portion of the proceeds supports the activities of ALA-APA.

Libraries are encouraged to use National Library Workers Day to focus on the value of their staff: individuals or units responsible for the number of materials selected, acquired, cataloged, checked out and back in, and shelved; for handling requests and sending them to other libraries; for answering reference questions; for planning, publicizing and presenting programs; for developing and maintaining the library's Web site; for managing the library and for other elements of library service. Customizable tools and materials in English and Spanish to help libraries promote National Library Workers Day in their local media are available on the ALA-APA Web site at www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwd. The list of NLWD Stars, will be updated weekly. Contact the ALA-APA Office if you have any questions or want to tell us how you will be celebrating – 800-545-2433, x2424 or jgrady@ala.org.

View the New State Library Statistics Web Page Today!
The ALA Washington Office has posted a valuable new web page of state library statistics. The web page lists information about library usage, connectivity and funding for each state in one convenient location. You may wish to review information on the web page about your state, so that you can use it as a handout during your conversations with your Members of Congress and their staff during National Library Legislative Day and at other times throughout the year. To view the state library statistics web page go to: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/referenceab/statelibrarystats/statestats.htm or from the ALA Washington Office homepage, select the "Reference" link from the left-side menu and then click on "State Library Statistics."

Sports Illustrated Decides Libraries Don’t Need Swimsuit Issue
Librarians on Publib and other discussion lists discovered in the first week of March that none of them had received the February 14 “swimsuit issue” of Sports Illustrated. Inquiries to Time Warner eventually resulted in a statement from spokesman Rick McCabe that the company had withheld shipment of that issue to libraries and schools because for years the magazine had received complaints that the issue was too risque. “In the past, we have gotten lots of feedback from parents, teachers, and librarians about the content possibly not being appropriate for librarians,” McCabe said in the March 9 Los Angeles Times. Lynne Weaver, serials coordinator at Randolph Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia, told the Times that “everybody’s furious” that the school had no say on whether it could receive the issue. “If for any reason we would choose not to get an issue, that’s up to us,” she said. American Library Association President Leslie Burger called Time Warner’s decision “patronizing and paternalistic in the extreme.” In a March 9 statement she said, “Limiting access to the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in response to alleged, anonymous, and amorphous expressions of concern is an infringement of the First Amendment rights of library users and an unwarranted attempt to censor the materials available in our nation’s libraries.” The Sports Illustrated Customer Service department said in a March 8 posting on the Serialst discussion list that subscriptions to libraries and schools were automatically extended by one issue, but that the swimsuit issue could be requested by calling 800-528-5000 or visiting the magazine’s website.

News from Vendors
No News from Vendors this week.

Legislative/Advocacy News

New Lenox Public Library District Hosts Representative Kosel's READ Poster Presentation
On Monday, March 19 at 10:30 a.m., Representative Renee Kosel will be a guest reader at the Wiggle Worms program at New Lenox PLD. The program is for the younger (birth to 23 months) set and their parents. This will be the official unveiling and presentation of the poster. The representative will be joined by her daughter and granddaughter, Madison. The granddaughter is being read to on the READ poster.

READ posters offer an opportunity to invite your legislators to your library, give them a tour of your building, see the library in action and to see for themselves that their constituents appreciate their library and the value that it adds to your community. Rep. Kosel has also indicated that she'll attend the Library Day Legislative Day in Springfield on April 19th. Be sure to greet her there and thank her for participating.

Rides to Illinois Library Day On CLEO and Other ILD Details
You can now sign up for a ride to Illinois Library Day on CLEO. In order that you can participate in the events, we want to make it easy for you to arrive there! The exact times of departure will be posted later for the three service centers. The departure from the Delegates/OPAC Assembly Meeting will follow the conclusion of the meeting . We'll get you there in time to check in at your hotel prior to the Wednesday evening dinner. So PALS staff knows what size bus to charter, please sign up now . http://palsnet.info/events/ See April 18.

Dinner with Kip Kolkmeier: in addition to being an up to the minute discussion of the 70 some library related bills and which are the most important to us, the dinner will allow you to mingle and sit with your cohorts from around the state. Last year, participants found that in casual conversation with trustees and librarians from other systems, our local issues and concerns were universal. It made for good conversation and exchange of ideas. ILD (Illinois Library Day) packets will also be available so you can look those over for the next day's ILD Registration for the state wide dinner is through DuPage LS, coordinator of the dinner. Register by April 11, 2007. To register, go to the DLS Continuing Education calendar at http://www.dupagels.lib.il.us/calendar/detailpages/1165875762.html. The cost is $30, payable in advance to the DLS.

Lodging: please be sure to make your hotel reservations soon. There is limited availability in Springfield this spring. The PALS block of rooms will be released on March 28 and you might find yourself without any lodging. Hotel rooms at the Northfield Inn where the all state dinner will be held, are already gone, but we've been able to block the remaining 24 rooms at the Ramada Ltd across the street at the state rate of $74 for 2 bed double rooms under PALS (Prairie Area Library System), 217-523-4000. PALS also was able to block 20 rooms at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel, formerly the Renaissance, ( 217) 523-7900 for Wednesday night at $70 for a single and $85 for double occupancy. Tax is not included in the rate. This will be within two blocks of the Lincoln Museum and Library, our gathering place to join the march to the capitol on Library Day. Please mention that you're calling to reserve rooms blocked by PALS. Otherwise, the rooms are $129 plus tax.

CUT OFF DATE FOR ROOM RESERVATIONS Blocked rooms not reserved by March 28 will be released.

Legislative Breakfast Scheduled for Illinois Library Day - This year's Illinois Library Day festivities April 19 will kick off with a breakfast for lawmakers at the State Library. You can sign up for the breakfast and all other ILD activities by logging on to https://www.ila.org/events/reg_ild.htm. There's also a link to at the ILD website at www.illinoislibraryday.info.

To date, PALS legislators who've indicated that they will participate are:
Sen. Bradley Burzynski, R-35
Rep. Lisa Dugan, D-79
Rep. Renee Kosel, R-81
Rep. Donald Moffitt, R-74
Sen. Carole Pankau, R-23
Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-53
Rep. Jim Sacia, R - 89
Sen. Dave Syverson, R-34
Rep. Ronald Wait, R-69
Rep. David Winters, R-68

Other PALS legislators are expected. As of Monday, March 12, a total of 24 Illinois legislators have confirmed their attendance. The breakfast is a new endeavor for ILD. The breakfast will give you an opportunity to chat with your legislators and having done that, give you an opportunity to spend several hours at the Lincoln Museum prior to gathering outside the museum for the joint march to the capitol for our Rally.

President Lincoln Museum & Library: on your own, you can visit the Lincoln Museum. If you were able to visit with your legislators at the Legislative Breakfast, you could head to the Lincoln Museum and Library and have two hours to spend there before stepping outside to join the march to the capitol for the Rally. Even if you've visited the museum before, the exhibits change and there are new things to see. http://www.alplm.org/home.html

Federal Bill Ties Social Networking Site Block to E-Rate Eligibility
New legislation to make libraries and schools block MySpace, H.R. 1120, was introduced Feb. 16th. It would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require recipients of universal service support for schools and libraries to protect minors from commercial social networking websites and chat rooms. Congressman Mark Kirk (R.Illinois, Northbrook area) is the sponsor with PALS congresswoman Judy Biggert (13th congressional district, DesPlaines Valley and Foundtaindale PLD) signed on as a cosponsor. For status and full bill language, see http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-1120. In a conversation Inara McGroarty had with Aaron Lawlor, Congressman Kirk's Deputy District Director, he indicated that the bill was open for modification and the major intent in introducing the bill was to open conversation and have increased awareness of the dangers on the internet. Inara took this as a clear message that IF libraries express their concerns and show what we're doing to address the issue, the bill could be modified. This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process where the bill is considered in committee and may undergo significant changes in markup sessions.

What can we do?
1. Contact your representative to express your concerns so if he has not yet signed on to be a cosponsor, he does not do so. If he already has, you can express your concern and ask for modification of the bill and that he vote against this once it's on the floor.
2. Hold programs at your library geared to parents and children. You can then point to how you're being proactive and that on the local level, the concern is already addressed without a need for federal legislation.
3. You can express that parental control is the issue here.

There are no PALS libraries in congressman Kirk's district.

Time to Mobilize Opposition to House Bill 1727, Mandatory Internet Filters on All Public and School Library Computers
The Illinois House of Representatives Judiciary I, Civil Law Committee determined to advance House Bill (HB) 1727 to the Illinois House of Representatives. We must now mobilize for a full scale House floor debate and vote. It is essential that our elected officials receive many calls, not just from the library community, but also from trustees, friends, and library patrons. The message is, "Vote No on House Bill (HB) 1727, mandatory Internet filters on all public and school library computers." House Bill 1727 could be considered as early as next week or the bill could linger for the next six weeks awaiting action. If the following talking points are unclear, please read the bill (available at http://capwiz.com/ila/issues/). If it is still unclear, ask your library's or school district's attorney or ask your library system's attorney to explain the bill to you.

There are significant provisions regarding annual perjury oaths and liability issues (for example, imposing $100 per day fines) that go well beyond just the filtering issue. In other words, if your school or library currently does filter, this bill will still impact your school or library with additional requirements and potential liability issues. This Bill is Extreme! House Bill 1727 allows any citizen to file a suit to enforce its provisions. For centuries, librarians have had to deal with individuals who objected to some book being on the shelf, and now this bill allows those citizen censors to file perhaps hundreds of lawsuits costing the taxpayers precious dollars and making librarians permanent defendants. House Bill 1727 imposes fines of $100 per day on libraries.

Talking Points:
The Illinois Library Association ("ILA") opposes House Bill 1727 which would require installation of mandatory Internet filters on all public and school library computers. This comprehensive ban on free access to the Internet would apply to even computers used exclusively by adults.

ILA supports local control. Local officials -- library trustees, librarians, and other professional library staff - are the most qualified to decide how Internet access should be provided to their patrons. House Bill 1727 overrules all local decisions and imposes a "one size fits all" approach. In contrast, ILA supports House Bill (HB) 660 and Senate Bill (SB) 1472, which mandates schools to teach Internet safety to students.

ILA opposes mandatory filters because:

Filters Hurt Libraries! This legislation is an unfunded mandate that overrides local control. This legislation even places libraries at risk for civil suits by "any citizen," fines, and perjury prosecutions. Even if the library prevails in all these suits, the library would incur attorneys' fees and costs to defend claims filed under the legislation.

Filters Don't Work! Study after study has demonstrated that filters consistently block important information on science, health, political, and social issues and regularly allow objectionable material to get through. This creates new liability for libraries.

Filters are Expensive! Paying for filters diverts scarce resources from limited technology budgets. Money that could go to buying more computers, and paying for more reliable and faster Internet access. Typical network installation is $10,000, plus about $3,000 per year. This is enough to buy twenty computers and pay for Internet access.

Filters are Inflexible! Filters don't know if the person using the computer is 5, 21, or 65. This "one size fits all" approach treats adults, even senior citizens, like elementary school children. The user doesn't even know what they are being prevented from accessing. We can't expect patrons to ask to unblock computers when they don't know what that particular filter has blocked.

Filters are Biased! Private companies and groups with commercial, political, or religious agendas design filters to block what THEY find objectionable, including political candidates, social causes, basic health information, and even information on their own product's faults.

Filters Hurt the Poor! Less wealthy communities are the most in need of technology because more of their patrons lack these resources at home. This legislation forces less affluent areas to choose between filling this need or spending money just to block access. This is an Unfunded Mandate!

For additional talking points or ideas, see the testimony presented yesterday available on the ILA Web site at http://www.ila.org/about/press.htm. Presenting testimony were: Kip Kolkmeier, ILA legislative consultant; Marilyn Boria, director for the Elmhurst Public Library; Tamiye Meehan, ILA president and director of the Indian Trails Public Library District; and Karen Danczak Lyons, first deputy commissioner, Chicago Public Library.

Finally, the Illinois library community supports the goal of protecting children. One of the primary concerns of the library community is the safety of children. We know, however, that the best way to protect children is to teach them to guard their privacy and make wise choices. To this end, the Illinois General Assembly, if seriously interested in protecting children, can help by funding an educational campaign now. Education, not laws blocking access, is the key to safe use of the Internet.

Just So You Know

The University of Wisconsin/Madison has announced some summer course offerings for 2007.
Please contact the university directly for follow-up and information. Here is your chance to spend a week in Madison this summer! UW-Madison SLIS's summer continuing education courses are listed below. Please see http://www.slis.wisc.edu/continueed for course descriptions and registration information.
Courses in Madison
*Grant Writing Dates: June 4-7, 2007 Instructor: Jane Pearlmutter
*Summer Camp by the Lake: Public Library Administration Dates: June 25-29, 2007 Instructor: Kelly Krieg-Sigman
*Travel Opportunity-Librarians’ Tour to Scotland Dates: July 14-25, 2007 Tour Director: Jane Pearlmutter
*Summer Camp by the Lake: Cataloging Dates: August 13-17, 2007 Instructor: Debra Shapiro
*Puppets in the Library Dates: August 20-24, 2007 Instructor: Susan Santner
*Summer Online Offerings Graduate Credit Courses Dates: June 18 – August 12, 2007
* Cataloging and Classification Collection Management Digital Libraries Online Skills Courses In cooperation with a national network of educational institutions, we offer online courses on a variety of technical topics and a few non-technical topics. While the courses do not have a library focus, they may be useful to anyone who needs to develop these skills.
Please see http://www.slis.wisc.edu/continueed for more information.
Questions? Contact Anna Palmer, ahpalmer@wisc.edu or 608-263-4452.

Grant News

A Unique Illinois State Library Grant Opportunity!
The Illinois State Library (ISL) was created more than 160 years ago to serve the needs of state government. As the official library for state government, we have come a long way since 1839, when the young Secretary of State, Stephen A. Douglas, saw to it that space was reserved next to his new office for a small, fledgling library. Today, the State Library has become a computer-age doorway to worldwide information, providing patrons with an electronic bridge to the collections of universities, public, school and corporate libraries, and new information systems that will continue to develop into the 21st century and beyond. Since 1839, people, societal dynamics, global issues and trends have contributed to the rich history and traditions of the Illinois State Library.

The Illinois State Library is now offering a unique grant opportunity for one successful applicant to compile a comprehensive history of the Illinois State Library. The successful applicant will propose the development of a website and printed resource that documents our history. Appropriate materials might include: photos, video, audio, a descriptive timeline and summary of major ISL events. A listing of all State Librarians and State Library directors, perhaps video and audio interviews with those still living, with images and histories of all the buildings that have housed the Illinois State Library would be appropriate. Major programs that have been offered and how these have impacted libraries, government, and the citizens of Illinois would also be included. To learn more and obtain an application, log on to http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/what_we_do/pdfs/history_of_isl_grant.pdf

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 March 16, 2007

The 50 Most Important People on the Web
PC World
Thumbnail sketches of the contributions of 50 major forces in search, commerce, gaming, politics, technology, and the social web.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,129301-page,1/article.html

Animated Exercise Examples
The TrainingStationInc.com
Select from a wide range of exercises for every muscle group and mouseover for the animation. A good way to learn new exercises or correct bad form on the ones you're doing already.
http://thetrainingstationinc.com/exercises.html

BookShare.org
Provides the blind and visually impaired with legal access to over 31,000 books and 150 magazines and newspapers, in braille, large print, or text-to-print audios.
http://www.bookshare.org/web/Welcome.html

Five Weeks to a Social Library
Some of the library world's pioneers in "Library 2.0" offer understandable explanations of blogs, RSS, social bookmarking, wikis, and other tools, and offer assignments to give you hands-on experience.
http://www.sociallibraries.com/course/

Google Sightseeing Blog
This blog focuses on interesting, odd, amusing, and appealing places as viewed through Google Earth and Google Maps. Searchable, and browsable by most recent posts, locality, and categories (structures, theme parks, mazes, weirdness, etc.)
http://www.googlesightseeing.com/

OpenCongress
"brings together official government data with news and blog coverage to give you the real story behind each bill." Check out the latest votes, and search or browse Bills, Senators, Representatives, Committees, Industries, Issues, or Blog (which is available by RSS).
http://www.opencongress.org/

Panel Study of Income Dynamics
Longitudinal data gathered from 8,000 representative families since 1968 allows an unusually nuanced view of historical patterns of consumer expenditures and economic behavior. Also includes a Child Development supplement. Includes a bibliography of research that has used this data to analyze topics like geographic location/mobility, child support, housing, racial-ethnic differences, family composition, taxes, etc.
http://psidonline.isr.umich.edu/

SustainLane:
Advancing State and Local Government Sustainable Development
Your local officials will appreciate this open-source knowledge base which "speeds discovery, research and networking with more than 85 best practice documents and a secure directory of participating government officials from over 190 cities, counties and states." Registration is required for most info, but you can explore the 2006 US City Sustainability Rankings without it.
http://sustainlane.us/

This I Believe
[National Public Radio]
Americans from all walks of life have shared their core values, in a 1950s radio program, and now again through NPR. Listen to current and archived essays and contribute your own.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138

The Thriving Library
It's official: my book will be out at the beginning of April. You can see the catalog description here and place an order for it.
http://books.infotoday.com/books/TheThrivingLibrary.shtml
My supporting web page for the book is available at http://marylaine.com/thrive.html.

VA Watchdog:
Keeping an Eye on the VA because Somebody Has To
This searchable site includes news, articles, podcasts and videos, VA press releases, and useful information for vets about their benefits and how to claim them - along with a generous dollop of indignation.
http://vawatchdog.org/

World Ice Art Championships
Ice Alaska
Check out the current and past years' photos to see these amazing sculptures as they are constructed.
http://www.icealaska.com/index.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.