Fond du Lac Public Library Bookmobile Gets Facelift

Ken Hall, director at Fond Du Lac Public Library (FDLPL), shares the story of a makeover for one of the library's two bookmobiles. One is a 1986 model of formerly questionable appearance FDLPL bought from Milwaukee over 20 years ago. As part of a summer Art in Action project, kids from the local Boys and Girls club designed and executed a mural on the side of the vehicle under the direction of VISTA volunteers. The Fond du Lac Volunteer Center collaborated in this effort as well. The kids, the Vistas, and everyone involved did an excellent job. If you would like to see the pictures click on http://www.flickr.com/photos/fdlpl/sets/72157624429329613/
This vehicle is our book-immobile normally parked in the Village of Rosendale and open 16 hours per week as an FDLPL Satellite. Ken invites you to stop and take a look.

RFP: Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries Seeks Web Site Redesign

The WLA Foundation is seeking a qualified Web designer to redesign its Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries Web site.

The Campaign is a state-level public relations and advertising campaign that seeks to promote a wider understanding of the value and importance of Wisconsin libraries. The WLA Foundation launched this ongoing, multi-media publicity campaign, including the Web site, in 2006.

If you are interested in assisting us in creating a fresh, new look for the Campaign by redesigning the Web site, please review the Request for Proposal. Submissions are requested by August 20. We plan to interview finalists in mid-September. Work on the project is scheduled to begin in late 2010 or early 2011.

Marathon County Public Library: Looking to the Future

A news report by WSAW-TV in Wausau, showcases how Marathon County Public Library is keeping current with technology trends, including electronic books. We need more stories like this throughout the summer, to keep the value of libraries at top-of-mind as state and local budgets are put together.

Plans for renovation of Madison Central Public Library

Plans for renovation of Madison Central Public Library are in the news:

This story speculates that the renovation may not include a fresh facade or a third floor as touted by Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and others.

In response, Mayor Cieslewicz challenges that "There was no new information that justified the State Journal's breathless headline or lead paragraph."

WLA Finds New Partners for Intellectual Freedom Award

The WLA Intellectual Freedom Award formerly selected by the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) and funded in part by ProQuest (and before that, SIRS) has some new partners. Thanks to the work of Helen Adams, IFRT Chair, and Val Edwards, IFRT Past Chair, new award sponsors are TeachingBooks.net, the Center for Information Policy Research (CIPR) and the UW-Milwaukee School of Information Studies (SOIS). 

Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) has agreed to co-present the award with WLA. Both WLA-IFRT and WEMTA representatives will sit on the WLA/WEMTA Intellectual Freedom Award Committee to select annual award winners. The new partnership agreement will enable both organizations to promote the award more widely amongst libraries of all types and to celebrate the achievements of library and school professionals who support intellectual freedom.For more information about the award (nominations are closed for this year) and to see a list of previous winners, see http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/ifrt/IFaward.html.

Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame Seeks 2010 Nominees

The Wisconsin Library Heritage Center Steering Committee is accepting nominations for individuals to be inducted into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame in 2010. Nominations must be submitted by August 9, 2010. Procedures and a nomination form are located HERE. Both the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center and the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame are programs of the Wisconsin Library Association Foundation. Induction into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame is granted to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the statewide improvement of library service in Wisconsin over a sustained period of time. Individuals who have worked in and/or advocated for Wisconsin libraries will be considered. Both living and deceased individuals will be considered. Final selection of inductees into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame will be made by the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center Steering Committee. Nominations should be submitted to Larry T. Nix (Chair of the WLHC Steering Committee) as email attachments at nix@libraryhistorybuff.org by August 9. For additional information please feel free to contact Larry T. Nix.