RandomLibraryInfo: August 2009

STARTING SURVEYS
As we begin our new fiscal year we’ll be sending a series of quick surveys, primarily to confirm your intention to participate in our group purchases or subsidy. The current survey tallies your intent to participate in the courier service. Please respond to all surveys, even if your answer is “No, thanks!”

TEXpress COURIER COSTS 2010

NETLS is providing $900 subsidies for TEXpress service to libraries that are not receiving a subsidy from TSLAC. There are two strings attached -- one is participation in sample week and the other is monthly reporting on the Amigos website.

    5 - day service   $4,500 – 900 (NETLS pays to Amigos) = $3,600 Library cost, paid to Amigos
     3 - day service   $3,075 – 900 (NETLS pays to Amigos) = $2,175 Library cost, paid to Amigos
     2 - day service   $2,425 – 900 (NETLS pays to Amigos) = $1,525 Library cost, paid to Amigos

Directors -- please invite your staff members to receive these NETLS updates by subscribing to NETLS News email list. The NETLS News list is interactive, members may post. The Directors’ list is a one-way communication from NETLS Staff to directors.

LOAN STAR AWARDS SFY2010
The list of 2010 Loan Star Awards is posted here on the TSLAC website. Funding for this project was increased in the recent legislative session.

FREE TO LIBRARIES
With more adults turning to their library for job search and resume help, Tutor.com is offering all of its clients a chance to host a FREE Resume Workshop online, Wednesday, September 30. Resume expert and author Barbara Safani will present via webinar that you can broadcast at your library* to job-seekers in your community. After you register, you’ll get tips for hosting and promoting a successful event, as well as posters and handouts to promote the workshop. Note: This Resume Workshop Webinar is only for library staff and patrons to attend as a group from your library. Please do not forward this invitation or webinar URL to individual patrons.

JOB POSTINGS
The City of Cedar Park (a suburb of Austin) is seeking qualified applicants for an Operations Manager to manage and oversee the public and technical service divisions of the Library. The position will assist with the administrative function of the Library; oversee the development and implementation of new technology resources; and work as a system administrator of the Library's Integrated Library System. Applicants must possess strong interpersonal and communication skills to work with large and diverse groups. For more information visit: http://www.cedarparktx.us/cp/job_view.aspx

BROADBAND STIMULUS UPDATE
STRONG DEMAND FOR BROADBAND STIMULUS FUNDS from the Benton Foundation [SOURCE: National Telecommunications and Information Administration]
On August 27, the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced that they received almost 2,200 applications requesting nearly $28 billion in funding for proposed broadband projects reaching all 50 US states and territories and the District of Columbia. This is the first round of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding aimed at expanding broadband access and adoption to help bridge the technological divide and create jobs building Internet infrastructure, with $4 billion available through loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations. Applications came in from a diverse range of parties including state, local, and tribal governments; nonprofits; industry; anchor institutions, such as libraries, universities, community colleges, and hospitals; public safety organizations; and other entities in rural, suburban, and urban areas. "Applicants requested nearly seven times the amount of funding available, which demonstrates the substantial interest in expanding broadband across the Nation," said Lawrence E. Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator of NTIA. "We will move quickly but carefully to fund the best projects to bring broadband and jobs to more Americans." "The overwhelming response we received underscores the extensive interest in expanding broadband across the country. Rural communities clearly recognize that broadband can expand their economic opportunities and create jobs," said Jonathan Adelstein, Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA. "The Obama Administration's goal is to target funds to serve areas of greatest need. The big demand for loans as well as grants demonstrates that we can leverage private investment with USDA's $2.5 billion to deliver the greatest bang for the taxpayers' buck."

OPPORTUNITIES…
1. “HeirLoom: Something Worth Saving, Something Worth Sharing” Project through Texas A&M University – Commerce. This oral history and archives project for rural communities targets African-American WWII veterans and increases the participation of African-Americans in the collection, preservation, and sharing of local community history.

OPPORTUNITIES
2.    The Electronic Information Working Group (EIWG) has vacancies for two public librarians. Please send your nominations to the TexShare Database Coordinator, Russlene Waukechon by September 11, 2009.   You may make your nomination (may nominate yourself) by phone (512.463.7402), fax (512.936.2306) or email.

Please include:
    Nominee's name
    Library
    Position
    Full contact information
    A brief statement of a nominee's qualifications.
    Written assurance that the nomination has the support of the nominee's library director.

Working group members should participate in the group's meetings, generally held two to four times annually (with one of the meetings in-person and the others by conference call), and follow through with assignments. Potential members must have the support of their institution for travel to at least one in-person meeting each year. Travel costs are not reimbursed by TexShare or the Texas State Library.

Potential members should have experience or an interest in the program area, a desire to enhance multi-type library resource sharing in Texas, and an interest in designing innovative programs to enhance library services to Texans.

OPPORTUNITIES…
3. The Gates Foundation's Opportunity Online Broadband Grant Program is looking for high-impact stories directly from patrons, commentary from library staff about the services they are able to provide or would provide if they had a broadband connection, and what patrons have done with the increased connection speed if they have gotten a high-speed connection. A video team is planning to be in the state for a week in September to try to get film stories in as many sites as possible. If you are interested in participating in this project please read this blog post and contact Dawn Vogler at (512) 936-4449.

OPPORTUNITIES…
4. The Long Island Coalition Against Censorship is selling banned book week display materials for $40.00.

OPPORTUNITIES…
5. The ALA Public Programs Office and YALSA announce the theme and book titles for the next round of Great Stories CLUB grants. Electronic applications for the reading and discussion series will be accepted September 1 through November 2 at www.ala.org/greatstories. .

Ongoing Gale database training webinars(newest products are listed first)

Ongoing E-Library training – see blog post here

Also available: Archives of SirsiDynix Institutes

Librarian Live Podcasts

August 29 FOL Book Sale 10 – 2pm, South Garland Library

September 1 New State Fiscal Year Begins – Happy New Year!!

September 1 New leased book contracts. Contact B&T or Brodart/McNaughton representatives for more information.

By September 11 Nominations for EIGW due (see Opportunities 1 above)

By September 14 Barbara Bush Foundation application due (links to application form)

By September 15 Ezra Jack Keats Minigrant applications due

By September 15 Humanities Texas (Major) Grant applications due

By September 15 Building Healthy Communities Grant application to Home Depot

September 17 Reaching our Spanish-Speaking Audience, Corsicana (6 CEUs)

By September 18 Hooked on Hydroponics~ offers hydroponic equipment to expand exciting indoor gardening opportunities for students.

September 25 East Texas Book Fest Ornelas Center, Tyler (location of our meeting Aug 14) Authors

October 9 9th ILL Workshop DoubleTree Inn in Austin (Note, ILL 101 is offered at no charge)

Below the line
Who is your Chief Happiness Officer?

Happy Learning!

CRAZINESS IS OVER??
Thanks for sending your Summer Reading Club action shots, they’ve been a great addition to our website. Anytime you have a great photo or story to share, send it on!

It has been a busy (and rewarding) summer, feedback from the CD Symposium and the Tyler, What to Use and How to Choose session has been very positive. Today is the final day of the first round of the BTOP and BIP grants – we’re sending good wishes to those of you who applied.

TANG visits for this year’s group of assessments will be finished soon. We plan to retain Jerry Brock to follow up on concerns identified in the technology assessments and to help libraries meet their technology needs.

Most of our libraries have book sales. Here’s a service that comes and searches your book sale items, identifies the materials in demand, and sells the materials for you on consignment. They were highly recommended by a Metroplex area library.

Directors -invite your staff members to receive these NETLS updates by subscribing to NETLS News email list. The NETLS News list is interactive, members may post. The Directors’ list is a one-way communication from NETLS Staff to directors.

STATEWIDE TRENDS
Cumulative statewide statistics based on annual reports are available. Use these statistics as supporting documentation for your presentations. Since 1997 circulation has increased 43% statewide with a 3% increase from 2007 to 2008. See the full report here.

SURVEY SEASON
We’ll be sending several surveys soon. We promise to keep them short. We expect to continue with courier subsidies and Tutor.com and other consortia pricing and we’ll need to know who is participating. We are interested in identifying other opportunities to provide favorable pricing that is based on combined purchasing power. Please help us help you by responding quickly

HUMANITIES TEXAS GRANTS
Applications for major grants ($1,500+) offered by/through Humanities Texas are due twice a year : March 15 and September 15. Applications for Humanities Texas minigrants (under $1,500) are due at least six weeks before the start of the planned project. For an idea of projects funded, see the current calendar of Humanities Texas events. Links to a sample minigrant grant application and sample major grants are here.

FACILITY AID
Do you have an up-to-date floor plan? Vance Hunt & Associates has generously offered to help libraries by providing basic professionally drawn floor plans. If you are interested in this no obligation opportunity, contact Craig Tappe at 972-740-9008 or 800-228-2623.

We recently received a letter of thanks for this project stating, in part “… with our updated floor plan… we will be able to assist our patrons in locating areas and collections much more efficiently. Computer locations can also be posted to facilitate ease in finding their workstation by the patron, and we will be able to display an up-to-date emergency evacuation plans throughout the building.”

OPPORTUNITIES…
1. The Electronic Information Working Group (EIWG) has vacancies for two public librarians. Please send your nominations to the TexShare Database Coordinator, Russlene Waukechon by September 11, 2009. You may make your nomination (may nominate yourself) by phone (512.463.7402), fax (512.936.2306) or email.

Please include:
Nominee's name
Library
Position
Full contact information
A brief statement of a nominee's qualifications.
Written assurance that the nomination has the support of the nominee's library director.

Working group members should participate in the group's meetings, generally held two to four times annually (with one of the meetings in-person and the others by conference call), and follow through with assignments. Potential members must have the support of their institution for travel to at least one in-person meeting each year. Travel costs are not reimbursed by TexShare or the Texas State Library.

Potential members should have experience or an interest in the program area, a desire to enhance multi-type library resource sharing in Texas, and an interest in designing innovative programs to enhance library services to Texans.

OPPORTUNITIES…
2. The Gates Foundation's Opportunity Online Broadband Grant Program is looking for high-impact stories directly from patrons, commentary from library staff about the services they are able to provide or would provide if they had a broadband connection, and what patrons have done with the increased connection speed if they have gotten a high-speed connection. A video team is planning to be in the state for a week in September to try to get film stories in as many sites as possible. If you are interested in participating in this project please read this blog post and contact Dawn Vogler at (512) 936-4449.

OPPORTUNITIES…
3. The Long Island Coalition Against Censorship is selling banned book week display materials for $40.00.

INNOVATION

The current issue of Library Journal features the self-service library … here are some interesting products:

Book Delivery Computer Vending Movie/Music (fund raiser? Or library adaptation?

FREE TO A GOOD HOME..
Contact Rose Farhood in Leonard if you are interested in a used microfilm reader or used microfiche reader.