volume #4 issue#38

September 20, 2007

Prairie Views: the newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

System News

Welcome!
Congratulations to Silver Cross Hospital Medical Library who was approved for full membership in PALS at the September 18, 2007 Board of Director’s meeting.

Milestone for Testing for Barcode-Level Cataloging Certification
PALS has now been doing barcode certification testing for 1 year. Approximately 210 people have taken the test and 2 people have gotten perfect scores. 67% of the people that take the test the first time pass. For those who fail and have to come back a 2nd time, the percentage goes up to more than 90 percent that pass it the 2nd time.

Just a reminder that staff who add items to PrairieCat are required to pass barcode certification to retain their authorization to add items. For staff from former HAL or Quad-LINC libraries, the deadline to pass the test and be certified is December 31, 2007. For staff from former NIC or new PrairieCat libraries, the deadline is June 30, 2008. Practice test information is available on the PALS website at: http://palsnet.info/services/ts/palsgroup/.

If you have questions about the Barcode testing or Certification testing in general, please contact Merideth Willett (ext. 3257 or meridethw@palsnet.info) or John Slanicky (ext. 2716 or johns@palsnet.info) at PALS.

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

PALS to Offer Two CPLA Courses
In partnership with the Public Library Association, PALS has been selected to offer two Certified Public Library Administration courses. For information about the Certified Public Library Adminstrator program: http://www.pla.org/ala/pla/plaevents/cplacourses/CPLAcourses.cfm

*On October 24-25, 2007, PALS will host "Serving Diverse Populations."
The event will be held at the Rockford Public Library Main Auditorium at 215 N. Wyman St, Rockford IL 61104.

*On April 1-2, 2008, PALS will host "Current Trends."
The event will be held at the Moline Public Library at 3210 41st St, Moline IL 61265.

For more information about these events, please contact Dawn DiVenti, Library Services Coordinator, Continuous Learning,
dawnd@palsnet.info

Panel Discussion on Referenda
The PALS Service Centers and 4 neighborhood sites will host the panel discussion portion of the Is There a Referendum in Your Future? series via videoconference at 1pm on Tuesday, September 25th. Six PALS member library directors who have experienced referenda on tax increase or annexation or bond issue will participate--
Carol Bird of Princeton Public Library
Lisa Ford of River Valley Library District
Eve Kirk of Cherry Valley PLD
Peggy Wogen of Malta Township Public Library
Jo Ann Potenziani of New Lenox PLD
Sarah Skilton of Oswego PLD.
Register at www.palsnet.info/events . Please be sure to pick the location where you plan to attend.

Serving Diverse Populations in the Library
The Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is pleased to offer a new online, non-credit continuing education course - “Serving Diverse Populations in the Library.”

Intended audience: Librarians and information professionals in all types of libraries. CPLA program candidates needing an ALA-APA approved elective course for certification. The purpose of this course is to create an awareness of and sensitivity to diverse information needs of multiethnic/multicultural/multilingual populations served by libraries. It focuses on developing skills for planning, implementing and evaluating programs for addressing the information needs of diverse communities through information needs assessment and analysis; program planning, public service, outreach and collection development. It explores multicultural resources and services using a framework that focuses on: People, Collections, and Services as they relate to diversity.

Dates: October 4 - November 15, 2007 (no session on November 8)
Times: Online synchronous sessions Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:45 p.m. Central
Cost: $300
Instructor: Lori S. Mestre, Ed.D.
Registration closes September 25.

For additional information and to register http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/programs/cpd/CPLA/diverse.html

Marianne Steadley, Continuing Professional Development Program Director
501 E. Daniel St.
Champaign IL 61820
217/244-2751
Fax: 217/244-3302

Member News

Naomi Shihab Nye: Coexistence
The Bettendorf Public Library is pleased to arrange for the visit of this fabulous author to the Quad-City Area. Nye's father was Palestinian and her mother American. She grew up in St. Louis, Jerusalem, and Texas, where she now lives. She has used her experiences traveling in Asia, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Middle East in her writing, which emphasizes our "shared humanity". She is an award-winning poet, teacher, essayist, and anthologist who has written everything from picture books for preschoolers to poetry for adults. We invite you to get to know her through one or more of the following programs, all free and open to the public, thanks to funding from Humanities Iowa, the Illinois Humanities Council, the Friends of the Bettendorf Public Library, Rivermont Collegiate, and Davenport West High School in cooperation with the Quad-City-wide Coexistence Project.
September 26, Wednesday, 2:00 p.m., Program Room Naomi Shihab Nye at GREAT Times for Preschoolers Story Time;
September 26, Wednesday, 7:15 p.m., Islamic Center of the Quad-Cities, 6005 34th Ave., Moline, Illinois Naomi Shihab Nye discusses the coexistence of different faiths in her life and in the world. Q&A and book signing. Followed by tea and dessert hosted by members of the Islamic Center;
September 27, Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Davenport West High School Auditorium, 3505 W. Locust St., Davenport, Iowa Naomi Shihab Nye talks about her books Habibi, 19 Varieties of Gazelle, and growing up multiculturally;
September 27, Thursday, 1:30 p.m., Rivermont Collegiate Auditorium, 1821 Sunset Dr., Bettendorf, Iowa Naomi Shihab Nye talks about her book Habibi, 19 Varieties of Gazelle, and growing up in multiple cultures;
September 27, Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Bettendorf Room Dessert reception featuring "Mint Snowballs" from Nye's book of the same name. Unveiling of local artist Bill Hannan's incorporation of both first-place poems into one piece of art.

“Grand Reopening” – A Week-Long Celebration
Davenport Public Library’s Main Street facility (321 Main Street) will kick-off a “Grand Reopening Celebration Week” on Monday, October 1, at 11:45 a.m., with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring the DavenportOne diplomats. The festivities will continue throughout the week, with special incentives to those visiting the newly renovated facility. It’s a week full of fun and learning at the Davenport Public Library! The renovations kick-off a yearlong celebration leading up the 40th Anniversary rededication of the Main Street Library’s Edward Durell Stone building on the corner of 4th and Main Streets. The official date of the 40th Anniversary is October 6, 2008.

Missing Books - 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.

CD 781.66 BEG Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield in-transit to BPLG from BYLY
(CD/DVD combination) CD 781.66 VAU Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughn in-transit to MORG from BYLY

LOST IN TRANSIT items: all have been checked for on DKLY shelves and not found here. Please check at your library for the following:
616.443 MOO Graves’ disease: a practical guide 32065001820799 from RFSY to DKLY
FIC BUR Naked Lunch 32065002017049 from RFLY to DKLY
332.6322 MLA Stock investing for dummies 31967009341184 from JPBB to DKLY
CD RAP BAR St. Elsewhere 30050058270496 from SELG to DKLY
LT Fic Kin A thousand tomorrows 30050055198310 from MPLG to DKLY
DVD JFIC MAR Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins 38512001313758 from GALY to DKLY
J SP Loser 30050048333578 from GPLG to DKLY
371.9144 STO How to reach & teach children & teens with dyslexia 32065001675599 from DKLY to QLL
FIC NIF The time traveler’s wife 32065002377682 from DKLY to QLL (JBBB)
FAN FIC ANT Isle of Woman 38539000710809 from DKLT to PALS (SYLY)
E TB WAD Farmer Duck 32065001994909 from DKLY to PALS (EABB)
FDVD 1415 COMEDY Catch and release 38510101342578 from DKLY to PALS (FPLY)
GN 741.5 BER Berserk. 13 32065002391584 From DKLY to MUSG
973.56 TRA Black Hawk: the battle for the heart of America 32065002172208 from DKLY to HHSY
970.5 STU The Trail of Tears and Indian removal 32065002433642 From DKLY to HHSY
J973.7 HOL The president is shot: the assassination of Abraham Lincoln 32065002217631 from DKLY to HHSY
JDVD 625.19 ILO I love toy trains. Parts 4, 5, and 6 32065001989495 from DKLY to MMLY

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 Public Library
has one 5-volume set of Library of Congress Subject Headings 27th edition, 2004.

If interested, contact:
Jeaneta Catterson
815-740-2673
Email - jcatterson@joliet.lib.il.us

Illinois Valley Community College
Please find attached a list of giveaways from IVCC.

If interested contact:
James E. Barnes
Phone: 815 224-0204
E-mail: James_Barnes@ivcc.edu

Prairie Area Library System
Please find attached a list of giveaways from the Coal Valley office.

If interested contact:
Brenda Roman
Phone: 309-799-3155 ext. 3152
E-mail: brendar@palsnet.info

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.

Reference Librarian
Do you have the leadership skills to facilitate change and provide exemplary customer service in a medium-sized public library? Are you inspired by creative collaboration with colleagues, comfortable with wikis, podcasts and blogs, and looking for a broad range of professional opportunities? Culturally rich college community of 33,000 (with affordable housing and no toll booths) seeks energetic, self-motivated, tech-savvy full-time reference librarian. We are looking for an individual with a variety of skills and interests to enhance library services to our community.
* Duties include reference services to adults and young adults, exploring and implementing new technologies, and collection development.
* MLS from ALA-accredited program and library experience required.
* Ability to write well and speak in public is critical, along with strong organizational skills, composure to work under pressure and a sense of humor.
* Hiring range: $35,110 to $38,480, depending on qualifications, 15 days of vacation initially, paid holidays, health benefits, IMRF.

Forward a letter of application, resume and three references to:
Pam Van Kirk
Director
Galesburg Public Library
40 East Simmons Street
Galesburg, IL 61401
or e-mail

Reference and ILL News

Novelist/Try-It! Update
The Illinois State Library Electronic Resource Service Tier 2 offer of NoveList and NoveList K-8 is quickly approaching the enrollment deadline of September 30th. NoveList and NoveList K-8 is a readers' advisory service that provides access to this database as well as a wide range of resources that will expand the ability of library staff to serve fiction readers of all ages. NoveList & NoveList K-8 is available to ILLINET member academic, public, special and school libraries. The State Library offers a 50 per cent subsidy per library building. Payment must accompany NoveList. Find an application/invoice at http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/what_we_do/pdfs/novelist2007_invoice.pdf. Purchases made after September 30, 2007, will not be eligible for the Illinois State Library subsidy. If you have questions or want further information, contact Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net or 217-785-7334.

Meanwhile, Try-It! Illinois 2007, the Illinois State Library's annual electronic resources trial, will once again offer access to a plethora of electronic databases. The trial begins October 1 and will run through November 30. Stay tuned for upcoming information regarding Try-It! Illinois 2007 login/passwords and participating vendors. Contact Gwen Harrison if you have questions.

Youth Services and School Library News

School District Library Grant
(formerly School Per Capita Grant) Workshops to assist you in completing the School District Library Grant which is the new name for the School Library Per Capita Grant have been scheduled. Please sign up on CLeO for the most convenient one—www.palsnet.info/events.
Dates and places are:|
Oct. 9th—Reed-Custer High School, Braidwood;
Oct. 10th—West Carroll Middle School, Mt. Carroll;
Oct. 16th—Marengo Community High School
Oct. 17th—J. D. Darnall High School, Geneseo
Oct. 24th—Mendota High School.
For questions on the workshops or on the grant application, please contact Jane Lenser at janel@palsnet.info or Norma Applegate at normaa@palsnet.info.

Harvest of Resources Showcase
LACONI's Harvest of Resources Showcase will be help on September 28 at the Harold Washington Library Center in Chicago from 9am to 2:30pm. The registration fee is $25, which includes continental breakfast, lunch in the elegant Winter Garden Room of the Library, and a day's worth of entertainment and programming ideas. This year's showcase includes a number of acts never before seen in the showcase or in the Directory. Attendees will get lots of great ideas for the coming year. Each registered attendee will receive a Harvest of Resources directory. It is not too late to register! Contact Alicia Parmele of Algonquin Area Public Library before September 21: (847) 458-6060 or aparmele@aapld.org. Further information on upcoming programs sponsored by the Youth Services Section of LACONI is available at www.laconi.org

Every Child Ready to Read® PR Kit Now Available
(ALA, CHICAGO) - Promotional materials are now available to help you publicize and promote your Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® materials and workshops to parents, grandparents, preschool teachers, childcare providers and others in your community who are interested in early childhood literacy. The public relations kit contains customizable templates for a poster, tabletop signs, bookmarks, flyers, newsletter articles, Web site copy, news release, a letter to send to preschool teachers and child care providers, logo and photos from the Every Child Ready to Read® brochures that can be used in your publications and on your Web site. The kit can be downloaded from www.ala.org/everychild, by clicking on “Workshops,” then “Marketing Materials.” You may then customize and use the materials to promote Every Child Ready to Read® programs and services available at your library. The Public Library Association (PLA) and the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) jointly developed the Every Child Ready to Read® @ your library® program to provide public libraries with vital tools to help prepare parents for their critical role as their child's first teacher. Based on research from the PLA/ALSC Early Literacy Initiative, the three Every Child Ready to Read® programs were developed to target parents and caregivers of children ages: 0-2 years-old (Early talkers), 2-3 years-old (Talkers) and 4-5 years-old (Pre-readers). Since the program's training and materials were introduced in 2004, hundreds of libraries have held programs for parents and caregivers to prepare them to help their children get ready to read. To learn more about the program, please visit www.ala.org/everychild.

Public Library News

Public Libraries Meeting at Most Neighborhood Locations
Don't forget to register http://www.palsnet.info/events and come to the Fall Public Libraries meeting on September 25th. It will be videoconferenced to most neighborhoods as well as to the three Service Centers. Be sure to register for the location where you plan to attend. You can arrive at 9 AM to network and enjoy hospitality. The videoconference segment will start promptly at 9:30 AM and includes presentations on LACONI and the LACONI salary survey, a salary survey put together by the Management Association of Illinois, and updates on Advocacy, Reference, Public Libraries and PALS issues. 11 AM to Noon is reserved for networking with others attending the meeting.

Academic Library News

ACRL Releases “Achieving Racial and Ethnic Diversity among Academic and Research Librarians”
(ALA, CHICAGO) — The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) announces the release of “Achieving Racial and Ethnic Diversity among Academic and Research Librarians: The Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement of Librarians of Color,” a white paper commissioned by the ACRL Board of Directors working group on diversity, chaired by Dorothy Washington of the Purdue University Black Cultural Center Library in Lafayette, Ind. The paper was authored by Teresa Neely of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., and Lorna Peterson of the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y. Building on the 2002 ACRL white paper, “Recruitment, Retention & Restructuring: Human Resource in Academic Libraries,” the authors discuss efforts to promote, develop and foster workplaces that are representative of a diverse population, along with addressing the development of a workplace climate that supports and encourages the advancement of librarians from underrepresented groups. The paper stresses empirically supported and assessable solutions to increasing the diversity of the academic library workforce, drawing inspiration from the broader recruitment, retention and advancement literatures. The white paper recommends specific goals for recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse populations; focusing on collaborative recruitment planning, encouraging a positive work environment and support system for minority hires and increased mentoring opportunities to promote advancement. Working to enact and assess these goals will help academic libraries more effectively serve their diverse communities and overcome the historical lack of recruitment, retention and advancement of people of color in academic librarianship. The white paper and a companion piece authored by ACRL President Julie Todaro, of the Austin Community College in Austin, Texas, can be found online at www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/whitepapers/whitepapersreports.cfm.

Special Library News
No Special Library News this week.

Support Staff News

Reaching Forward South 2007 Conference
This is a reminder that the Reaching Forward South 2007 conference is right around the corner. For information about the conference and registration click here. If you have further questions, please contact Dawn DiVenti, Library Services Coordinator.

Technology Services News
No Technology Services News this week.

E-Rate Corner
No E-Rate Corner this week.

Library News Around the State & Nation

New Contract For Statewide Delivery Service (ILDS)
Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has announced that the Secretary of State's office has agreed to a new contract with the University of Illinois on behalf of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) to speed the delivery of library materials throughout Illinois. CARLI will manage the contractual delivery service. "Illinois has an outstanding library resource sharing network that will continue to be improved for patrons and participating libraries under this new agreement," White said. "In collaboration with the efficient, independent delivery services provided by our state's regional library systems, this new agreement aims to expedite the transfer of library materials among libraries statewide in order to more quickly meet the increasing information needs of Illinois citizens. The libraries participating in this statewide delivery network will have 5 day a week, 24-hour turnaround delivery service. Library service is greatly enhanced when patrons know they can count on rapid delivery of library materials and information resources." "CARLI is thrilled to be able to help offer library patrons faster service in a more cost-effective manner," said Susan Singleton, CARLI Executive Director. "More libraries will be participating in statewide delivery under this new agreement, and a coordinated effort between libraries and our regional library systems improves service for libraries and users. CARLI was proud to work with Secretary White, the Illinois State Library, and our library systems to fashion an agreement that ensures timely and effective library delivery service in Illinois." Lanter Delivery Systems, Inc. of Madison, Illinois will operate this contractual delivery service. The current Intersystem Library Delivery Service (ILDS) includes seven routes that intersect at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Western Illinois University in Macomb, Lewis and Clark Library System in Edwardsville, Shawnee Library System in Carterville, and the Illinois State Library in Springfield. ILDS began in 1980 following a study that determined a dedicated surface delivery system would be the most effective way for Illinois libraries and library systems to share library materials.

The new ILDS will begin on January 2, 2008. Watch for more details coming soon!

WebJunction Illinois Launch
With the Illinois Library Association annual conference in Springfield just a month away, comes the official launch of WebJunction Illinois at the Illinois State Library booth during the event. Think of WebJunction Illinois as a "crossroads". A crossroads is defined as a place that is centrally located, a crucial point, and a place where two or more roads meet. WebJunction Illinois is the new crossroads for the Illinois library community, combining selected relevant, national content and Illinois-specific content and resources to provide a constantly changing mix of global and customized content for Illinois library staff in all types of libraries. Plan now to attend the official ribbon cutting at ILA for WebJunction Illinois at 10:30 a.m. on October 11 at the Illinois State Library booth.

Treasure Your Freedom to Read, Get Hooked on a Banned Book
Harry Potter, James and the Giant Peach, Captain Underpants - is your favorite book safe?
(ALA, CHICAGO) According to the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), more than a book a day faces removal from free and open public access in U.S. schools and libraries. During Banned Books Week, September 29 - October 6, 2007, thousands of libraries and bookstores throughout the nation will celebrate a democratic society's most basic freedom -- the freedom to read. In Chicago, the ALA will co-sponsor a national kickoff Read-Out! event, on September 29, with numerous authors performing readings from their banned or "challenged" books. Joining such authors as Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, authors of "And Tango Makes Three," the most challenged book of 2006, will be local Chicago celebrities such as Haki Madhubuti, founder of Third World Press, and Mary Dempsey, commissioner of the Chicago Public Library. "Not every book is right for every reader," said American Library Association (ALA) President Loriene Roy. "Libraries serve users from a variety of backgrounds - that's why libraries need - and have - such a wide range of materials. Individuals must have the right to choose what materials are suitable for themselves and their families."

Each year, the OIF receives hundreds of reports on books and other materials that were "challenged" by people who asked that they be removed from school or library shelves. There were 546 known attempts to remove books in 2006, and more than 9,200 attempts since the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom began to electronically compile and publish information on book challenges in 1990. Challenges are defined as formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. Most book challenges reported to OIF have been reported from school libraries (71 percent) and public libraries (24 percent). Parents lodged sixty-one percent of the book challenges, followed by library patrons at 15 percent and administrators at 9 percent. "Part of living in a democracy means respecting each other's differences and the right of all people to choose for themselves what they and their families read," said Judith F. Krug, director, OIF. "We must remain vigilant to assure that would-be censors don't threaten the very basis of our democracy."

The "10 Most Challenged Books of 2006" reflect a range of themes, and consist of the following titles: "And Tango Makes Three," by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, for homosexuality, anti-family, and unsuited to age group; "Alice" series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for sexual content and offensive language; "Athletic Shorts," by Chris Crutcher for homosexuality and offensive language; "Beloved," by Toni Morrison for offensive language, sexual content, and unsuited to age group; "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison for sexual content, offensive language, and unsuited to age group; "The Chocolate War," by Robert Cormier for sexual content, offensive language, and violence; "The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things," by Carolyn Mackler for sexual content, anti-family, offensive language, and unsuited to age group; "Gossip Girls," series by Cecily Von Ziegesar for homosexuality, sexual content, drugs, unsuited to age group, and offensive language; "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually explicit, offensive language, and unsuited to age group; and "Scary Stories" series, by Alvin Schwartz for occult/Satanism, unsuited to age group, violence, and insensitivity. Off the list this year, but in years past have often been included, are such classics as "Catcher in the Rye," by J.D. Salinger; "Of Mice and Men," by John Steinbeck; and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," by Mark Twain.

Banned Books Week 2007 has the theme "Ahoy! Treasure Your Freedom to Read and Get Hooked on a Banned Book." Libraries and bookstores around the country will celebrate the freedom to read with exhibits, readings and special events. Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the ALA, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book. For more information on book challenges and censorship, please visit the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom's Banned Books Web site at www.ala.org/bbooks

ILA Swap and Share 2007!
Gather great ideas for publicity materials and share your own materials with your fellow librarians! Come to Swap & Share at ILA to collect sample brochures, event calendars, bibliographies/booklists, newsletters, and program/event materials from all sizes and types of libraries. Participants can view and take home the materials, which will be set on tables in the Table Talk area of the ILA Exhibits, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 10. For more information contact Alissa Williams at 309-828-6091 ext. 219 or alissaw@bloomingtonlibrary.org. Sponsored by the ILA Marketing Committee.

If you'd like to submit materials for the Swap and Share, please send at least one copy of your item by October 4th. Multiple copies are even better, but we will scan each item and then we'll have them available through the conference website. Send item/s to:

Lisa Pappas
Plainfield Public Library District
15025 S. Illinois Street
Plainfield, IL 60544.
Please mark the envelope "SWAP & SHARE".

Questions? Email Lisa at: lpappas@plainfield.lib.il.us

News from Vendors
No News from Vendors this week.

Legislative/Advocacy News

Librarian Participation in the State Budget Hearings
Hearings for the Illinois state budget are taking place at 19 locations around the state. A number of these are in the PALS area. ILA’s lobbyist, Kip Kolkmeier, stated that libraries must be represented so we don’t risk being left out. Even if you’re averse to speaking for a maximum of two minutes, please consider just showing up and signing a witness statement on behalf of libraries. If possible, please prepare a one page statement that you can leave with the legislators and with Speaker Madigan’s staff members who are expected to handle the registration table. 12 copies should do it to cover the legislators and staff. You could request the release of the member’s initiative funds if you’re one of the fortunate libraries to be included in this. Otherwise, you could address the long ago promised Per Capita of $1.25 which is expected to be $1.22 or less without the one million that was in the budget. The million is not new money or a new program, but merely delivering a promise that the State of Illinois made a dozen years ago. If you’re one of the libraries whose member initiative grant was cut, you can address the impact that this has on your library. A story to tell either way.

Hearings in the PALS area are scheduled for:
already held at: Kankakee @ Kankakee Community College on September 12, 6 pm
Rockford @ Zeke Giorgi Building on September 20, 6 pm
Joliet @ Joliet Township HS, September 24, 6 pm
Rock Island @ County Building, September 24, 6 pm
LaSalle County @ Illinois Valley Community College, September 26, 6 pm

Our representatives have indicated that the testimony and witness statements are crucial to putting on pressure to make the grants happen as well as to increase our chance of keeping the one million earmarked for Per Capita funding. This type of advocacy may not be your number one choice of activities, but this truly is a time when stepping forth can make a difference. Please keep in mind that it need not be the library director. A board member might be even more effective! Or you could request that another member of your staff be there on behalf of your library. Whoever attends the hearing may not be as important as having someone represent your library.

What to Expect at the State Budget Hearings
We hope that many of you, or a board or other staff member , appear at the state budget hearings if your library is in the district where hearings are held. Whether you intend to give oral testimony or just sign in as a witness, please try to prepare a handout to leave behind. The schedule forwarded by Bob Doyle earlier, in most cases, gives only one representative’s name. In speaking to some of our legislators, I’ve found that they are planning to attend even if their name is not listed. Using the past state budget hearings as an example, you should expect both the state senator as well as the two representatives in the district. If you’re in a populated area where two senators are in close proximity, you may well have both senators and a total of four representatives. I’d suggest a minimum of 12 handouts to leave behind. Give these to the legislators and Speaker Madigan’s staff who are likely to be the ones handling the registration table. If you’re among those fortunate enough to be listed for a representative’s grant, you may want to add a request that the governor release the funds. If your grant was among those cut, you may want to ask that the legislator’s initiative grant be restored. Add a personal story of what your library could accomplish with the funds. Perhaps you could add a part time staffer, buy a database or purchase new computers. Tell your library’s story. Who speaks for libraries if you don’t?

Member Initiative Grants
A number of our libraries are listed on our legislators’ member initiative grants. Representatives Tom Cross, Renee Kosel, Patricia Reid Lindner, Bob Pritchard and Dave Winters have all included libraries in their list of member initiative grants. Representatives Chuck Jefferson and Jim Sacia did so as well but their member initiative grants were cut by the governor. If your library is one of those fortunate enough to be included, the representatives have suggested that it would be beneficial to write to the governor requesting that he release the member initiative funds.

Governor Rod Blagojevich
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706

Please include a copy to Speaker Madigan as well as Senate President Emil Jones in addition to copies to your representative and senator. Contact Info can be found on CapWiz. If your grant was one of those cut, please write to all the above legislators requesting that it be restored with a brief description of what this meant to your library. No longer than one page please! The short time that it would take to write these letters could well be worth your time. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Grant News

IMLS Calls for Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant Applications
Application Deadline: December 17, 2007
(IMLS, Washington, DC) — The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites libraries, archives, and library agencies, associations, and consortia to apply for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program. The program supports efforts to recruit and educate the next generation of librarians, as well as the faculty who will prepare them for careers in library science. It also supports grants for research related to library education and staffing needs; curriculum development; early career development programs for tenure-track library and information science faculty; and continuing education and training for current librarians and their staff. Guidelines are available on the IMLS Web site (PDF, 436 KB). The application deadline is December 17, 2007. “More than ever, the field of librarianship is attracting individuals who are interested in leading edge technology, creativity in educational programming, and a life of public service,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Ph.D., Director of IMLS. “This program allows the next generation of librarians to fully engage in the future while holding onto the field’s time-honored values.” Applications, guidelines, and examples of successful proposals can be found on the agency’s Web site. All applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Instructions for completing and submitting applications through Grants.gov are in the guidelines and on the IMLS Web site. Contact Senior Program Officer Stephanie Clark at sclark@imls.gov or Program Specialist Karmen Bisher at kbisher@imls.gov with questions or for more information.

New Books at PALS

New book at CVSG:
101 sample write-ups for documenting employee performance problems : a guide to progressive discipline & termination.
Falcone, Paul. American Management Association, c1999.
Prof. Coll. 658.313 Fal.

Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose and Persuasion!
A PLA Toolkit for Success ALA 2007. 021.7/LIB/CD-ROM
This Advocacy tool was added to the PALS Professional Collection at the request of some member libraries. In loose leaf format with an accompanying CR-Rom, it is divided into 4 sections—Advocacy Basics, Advocacy Planning, Advocacy in Action, and Advocacy Resources. Billing itself as a “road map for effective library advocacy in your community,” this publication is designed to step by step help a library create a plan of action. It includes templates of handouts and examples of letters, even a community survey. There is also a section of “Fast Facts” which includes statistics based on data from as current as 2006 and it is complete with citations. Florida’s state report showing that public libraries returned $6.54 for every tax dollar invested is included. The “how tos” include writing letters to the editor, preparing testimony for public hearings, and grassroots advocacy.

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

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