Nominate a site for the 2nd Annual MATS Webbies Awards

Help the WLA Media and Technology Section celebrate excellence in Wisconsin web site design and nominate a site for our Webbies Awards. It's fun! It's easy! And the rules are simple:

• The site must be a Wisconsin library or educational institution web site.
• Anyone can nominate a site.
• Sites must be submitted via our online form by October 1, 2005.
  

The categories are slightly different this year with the removal of the "best site by a Wisconsin library employee not necessarily library-related" and the addition of "most accessible site." We have also broadened the rules a bit to include not only Wisconsin libraries, but also Wisconsin educational institutions.

We hope you'll take the time to nominate a site (or two or three), then we'll see you at the WLA conference in La Crosse in October where we'll announce the winners.

Thanks!
Beth Carpenter
2005 MATS Chair

Learn and Grow with WLA Leadership Involvement

Getting involved in WLA can help you develop your leadership and professional skills, meet people who can be a resource to you, and serve the library profession through support of your association! WLA has many positions, both appointed and elected, including short-term tasks and multi-year assignments. We urge you to consider getting involved.

Learn more about WLA volunteer opportunities, including FAQs about getting involved and specific positions available, on the website: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/membership/involved.htm.

Awards and Scholarships: Deadlines August 1, September 15
The library community is filled with people who work tirelessly to maintain access to information, provide quality reference services, help children learn to love reading, and do whatever is necessary to serve the needs of their institutions or communities. Do they get enough recognition? Probably not! But you can help by nominating one of these deserving individuals for recognition by WLA members. Or, nominate your own library for Library of the Year. Deadline is August 1: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/awards/awardprocedures.htm

Likewise, you can encourage future librarians by telling them about one of the WLA Foundation’s scholarship opportunities. Or, if your institution needs to stretch its continuing education budget, apply for one yourself. Deadlines are August 1 and September 15. We have both library education and continuing ed scholarship opportunities: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/scholarships/

Candidates for WLA Office Announced

The WLA Nominating Committee recently announced the following slate of candidates for WLA-wide elected positions:
WLA Vice President/President-Elect: Rebecca Berger, Director, Door County Library; Ed Van Gemert, Deputy Director, UW-Madison General Library System
ALA Councilor: Phyllis Davis, Associate Director, South Central Library System; Connie Van Der Heide, Reference/Outreach Services Librarian, Wisconsin State Law Library
WLA Foundation Board: Leanne Hansen, Director, Cofrin Library, UW-Green Bay; Kathy Schneider, Director, WiLS

Thanks to all the candidates for agreeing to run for office. The Nominating Committee members are: David Weinberg-Kinsey, Chair; Bob Bocher, Kay Ihlenfeldt, Jay Karow, and Carolynne Rosenberger.

WLA will publish candidates’ statements in the July-August-September issue of the WLA Newsletter and mail official ballots in early August.

State Senator Wants Libraries to Keep Minors From R-rated Movies

Sen. Tom Reynolds (R-West Allis) is circulating a bill (LRB 2213/1) that would require parental consent before libraries loan R-rated movies to minors. Responses to an informal WLA survey indicate that most responding libraries already have policies that restrict minors’ access to movies in some way. The Motion Picture Association of America has issued a memo in opposition to the bill, stating it would be unconstitutional. For more information go to the Legislative & Budget Status Report, and see LRB 2213/1.

Bill Proposes Repeal of "Maintenance of Effort" Funding for Public Libraries

Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington) recently introduced AB-483, which would repeal the maintenance of effort funding for public libraries as a requirement for membership in a public library system. WLA is opposed to the measure.

WLA's position on this matter was outlined in a reply to a May 16 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (JS-Online) editorial that supported repeal of maintenance of effort funding. WLA President Terry Dawson stated, "Current law sensibly ensures that a municipality does not take undue advantage of neighboring libraries (and property taxpayers) while failing to support its own library...[and] that a municipality does not take undue advantage of state funded library system services while failing to support its own library." Dawson also pointed out that if the state provided adequate library system funding, fewer costs would fall to the local property taxpayer. He noted that the average local plus state per capita support for Wisconsin's public libraries is still under 65 cents per week, less than a can of soda.

Co-sponsors of the measure include Representatives Ainsworth, Gielow, Hines, Jensen, Jeskewitz, LeMahieu and Towns. WLA legislative leaders will be meeting with Rep. Gottlieb on July 13 to discuss the bill.