RandomLibraryInfo: September 2009

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

From Rains County

Summer Reading Promo -- Lyn Baldwin and Misty Harmon

Friday, September 18, 2009

NETLS Information & Updates 9/18

WHAT ARE YOU BUYING?

NETLS and NTRLS are exploring consortia or group purchasing discounts for our member libraries. We expect to identify products and negotiate terms in FY2010 and provide group pricing in FY2011 (September 2010). The first step in the process is this survey.

HELP!

Word from Palestine is they are abandoning their library building. The library was a historic building with added space wrapped around it. In August the roof over the adult section of the building gave way. The roof over the other portion of the addition gave way last weekend with added damage caused by walls moving. The library is seeking to move to other space while a new building is erected or remodeled. If you have skills (grant writing, anyone?) , resources or ideas to offer, contact Library Director, Carol Herrington. NETLS and member libraries have helped by providing and delivering book trucks, boxes, etc to be used to remove materials from the building. While all help is appreciated, do not visit or send materials to the library without first contacting Carol. News stories of the first collapse here and about the recent collapse here and here.

While Palestine’s library is closed, the Jacksonville Library is serving Palestine residents. More about the cooperation between the cities here.

___________________________________________________

One of the NETLS nonprofit libraries is hoping to stay competitive in their total compensation for employees. If you have a document or link you can provide to show salary scales and benefits packages, please send to me at cmoss@netls.org

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!”

ANNOUNCING..
The 2011 Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) Conference will be held in Frisco, Texas. Dates are yet to be determined. The announcement was made at the ARSL annual conference last week in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Also, the new ARSL website was unveiled at the conference. The address is www.arsl.info. Among four small/rural libraries pictured on the ARSL home page is Waskom Public Library, a NETLS member.

SAFETY CHECKLISTS
Check out these resources on the ARSL website mentioned above. Most of these tips are appropriate for facilities of any size or type.

COOL TOOL

If you’re using a current browser, try PrintWhatYouWant.com to print only the portions of websites you want. The changes you make here can be saved -- a good way to remove advertisements and active content from training handouts, etc. See the FAQ here.

FREE BOOK

Most library directors will have received this information directly but just in case … If your library does not presently own a copy of the new children's U.S. geography book, "Friends and Mates in Fifty States" contact the author to request a free copy (no shipping costs).

OPPORTUNITIES…
1. In the last Update I mentioned the Chili’s Fundraiser scheduled by the Garland FOL on October 5 & 6. Roy Lewis, former NETLS staffer, points out that Applebee’s also has a fundraising dining program, contact your local Applebee’s for more information.

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.

Libraries not currently subscribing to broadband service should have received invitations to the Opportunity Online Summit in San Antonio next month. Library directors are encouraged to invite one community decision leader to attend the event. Libraries with broadband and not eligible for the new program may also be invited to the summit to share their experiences.

OPPORTUNITIES…
3. Making the most of broadband stimulus funds, Tuesday, October 13th, 1 pm CDT Presented by: Motorola
Focused on wireless services, this free webinar (presented by industry insiders) will discuss how entities – think cities or counties -- looking for funds can drill down beyond the marketing hype and find the right partner to move through the bureaucratic, funding and procurement process. Municipal wireless planning guide (pdf).

OPPORTUNITIES…
4. Preaching to the choir – Thriving Libraries Reflect Thriving Cities (pdf) published by Texas Municipal League, January 2009.

OPPORTUNITIES…
5. Join our group purchase of ResumeMaker. Very favorable terms for two years of service (pay for one year, get two years). Contact Connie for more information.

OPPORTUNITIES…
6. On TSLAC’s Library Development Blog

A dozen ways to two-step; essential web 2.0 training for Texas librarians –currently underway (12 CEUs)

OPPORTUNITIES…
7. TLA STRATEGIC INITIATIVES CE SERIES - Communication

OPEN TO ALL The new TLA CE program that combines journal articles by top subject experts with live online webinars will be launching on October. The Fall series will focus on communication. Later seasons will cover collaboration (winter), leadership (spring), and innovation (summer).

Tuesday, October 13, 3:30-4:15pm

Dr. Julie Todaro, “School Library Data: I’ve called you all here today to…”

Julie Todaro, dean of library services for Austin Community College, will show how to use the school data from the recent TLA voter opinion survey to market school library programs and improve communications with local PTAs, support groups, and administrators. She has worked with school library administrators on this issue and chairs the TLA PR Committee. Todaro's webinar will provide realistic, replicable strategies for convincing others to speak out for school libraries.

(Public Library Topic) Tuesday, October 20, 2:00-2:45pm

Susan Mann, “Building Relationships and Influence That Will Help Your Library”

Susan Mann, director of Hillsboro City Library, will provide "in the trench" training on cultivating and influencing elected officials and making sure libraries, librarians, and friends groups are at the decision-making table. Having skillfully negotiated the art of being heard, Mann offers a unique, creative, and practical program for the taking charge of your library's future. Mann follows up with a live online discussion on building relationships and "making a good friendship count": dealing with controversial matters, using relationships to support PR, and reviewing examples of when things go right and wrong.

Tuesday, October 27, 2:00-2:45pm

Robert Walton, “‘Big’ Challenges (and Opportunities) for Academic Libraries”

Robert Walton, chief executive officer of Claremont University Consortium, and former executive vice president and chief financial officer for Innovative Interfaces, Incorporated, will address the trends and changes he sees facing academic libraries. Now, as an academic administrator, he'll share strategies for advancing academic libraries for the next generation of higher education. Walton's webinar will feature a panel of Texas academic librarians reacting to Walton's ideas and discussing what, from an administrator’s perspective, makes librarians credible in the higher education arena.

To register: Please visit www.txla.org/ce (TLA members can also register on the Members Only section of the TLA web site - if you do so, the system will automatically populate the registration form with data).

Email will be sent to registrants with detailed information on how to log in to the webinar before the event.

People who are unfamiliar with webinar technology are asked to log in 10 minutes early to make sure there are no technical problems.

Please note that participants will need to log in to BOTH a conference call and a web site. The conference call is toll free. The web site requires no downloads.

If you are concerned about your ability to connect to an outside webinar, please visit https://www.callinfo.com/test.html?host=readytalk to instantly test your computer. If you see green dots, you're good to go!

Participants will be able to print certificates of CPE credit for the live events. Non-credit recordings of the webinars will also be available for viewing at a later date.

For more information, please contact TLA CE Specialist Ted Wanner at tedw@txla.org or 800-580-2852.

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

Ongoing A dozen ways to two-step

Ongoing E-Library training – see blog post here

Also available: Archives of SirsiDynix Institutes

Librarian Live Podcasts

September 19 -26 Authors Express – Sachse and Wylie authors’ series

September 22 Heritage quest webinar, 1 pm. more

September 23 Digital Sanborn maps webinar, 11 am . more

September 24 Young Adult Book Buzz webinar

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

September 26–October 3 Banned Book Week

By October 1 Books for babies matching grant applications due

By October 2 Proposals due for 2010 National Diversity in Libraries Conference, NDLC2010: From Groundwork to Action, July 14-16, 2010 in Princeton, NJ.

October 7-8 Opportunity Online Summit in San Antonio (by invitation only – awareness and opportunity for libraries without broadband service)

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

October 12 Texas State Library and Archives Commission meeting, TBA, Sam Houston Regional Library & Research Center, 650 FM 1011, Liberty, TX 77575. Contact Tracy Lash 512-463-5460.

October 18 – 24 Teen Read Week (toolkit here)

October 24 2009 TLA District V Workshop Northeast Texas Community College Mount Pleasant, Texas. Open to everyone interested in libraries! (First time users and non-members look for the NEW USER button on the registration page.)

November 1 End daylight saving time more info from WebExhibits

By November 2 – Entries for Best Small Library in America (under 25,000 pop)

By November 2 Entries due for participation in the Great Stories Club Grants, funded by Oprah’s Angel Project

November 3 Texas Special Election, Constitutional Amendments

Scheduling now – series of geographic planning meetings. November 2-6 and 16 & 17.

Below the line
Need a t-shirt?…

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

NETLS Information & Updates 9/15

GIVE ‘EM THE PICKLE

One of the sessions I attended at the ARSL conference last week was about serving the community and customer service. The program began with a viewing of Give 'em the pickle by Bob Farrell, based on his customer service book (1995). If you are planning to address customer service with your staff or group, preview the 21 minute presentation here. The video is listed in WorldCat (OCLC Accession Number: 55884240) so it may be available through ILL.

HELP!
One of the NETLS nonprofit libraries is hoping to stay competitive in their total compensation for employees. If you have a document or link you can provide to show salary scales and benefits packages, please send to me.

FREE TO LIBRARIES
Book boxes use during library renovation are free for the taking. Contact Sandy Gallion if you are willing to pick up the boxes at Balch Springs library.

JOB POSTINGS
The City of McKinney has a job opening for Public Services Supervisor.

COOL TOOL

OPPORTUNITIES…
1. Chili’s Fundraiser… Talk to your local Chili’s to arrange your fundraising days. Garland’s announcement:

Help Earn Money for the Friends of the Library. Simply eat at any Garland Chili’s Restaurant on October 5 and 6, from 4-10 p.m. These dates have been designated “Friends of the Library Nights”, and 10% of your total bill will be donated to the Friends. Remember to present the official flyer to qualify for the donation (flyer must be presented for Friends to receive donation). Flyers will be available at all Garland Library locations and inserted into the October issue of the ACCESS.

OPPORTUNITIES
2.    The ILL/Courier Working Group has vacancies for two public librarians. Please send your nominations to the TexNet Database Coordinator, Sue Bennett by September 15, 2009.   You may make your nomination (may nominate yourself) by phone (512.463.7406), fax (512.936.2306).

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.