Say Cheese Results Now Available

The cheese carvings are complete; photos have been taken and uploaded to the Say Cheese Flickr group; press releases publicizing Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures have been sent statewide to over 230 print and online newspapers, 18 television stations, 12 radio stations, to state and national news services, consumer and public policy specific trade magazines, periodicals, and online sources;  announcements are being prepared to send to state government officials (incumbent and newly elected) ---  NOW it’s time to say “thank you” to the Wisconsin libraries who participated in this year’s Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries event, Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures.

When the Say Cheese initiative was first implemented last year by the WLA Foundation’s Campaign Action Committee, it was envisioned as a fun, affordable, flexible, simple tool to give Wisconsin libraries the opportunity to visually reinforce to their library funders and patrons the variety of resources, services, programs, and activities available at their library each and every day.

We hope that Wisconsin librarians will benefit from their Say Cheese participation -- perhaps using some of the promotional suggestions found on the Say Cheese website  or developing other creative techniques to make this program an effective way to promote their libraries.

Baraboo Middle School Earns $2,000 Grant for Reading Program

English teacher Jane McMahon created "Books, Blogs and Brouhaha" with the help of library media specialist Kelly Steiner to generate interest in reading and won a $2,000 grant from Wisconsin Retired Educators to continue the program. The Jack Young Middle School students read graphic novels and other works, discussed them in class and via a blog, and used podcasts and other technology to share their impressions of the books, according to a report in the Baraboo News Republic.

Burnett County Getting New Library

A new Webster library that will triple the size of the current 2,000 square-foot library is set to be open in the summer of 2011, after years of fund raising and two citations for being out of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Library Board President Laura Rachford, interviewed by 91.3 KUWS, said that 75 percent of visitors check out books, although the Internet use is booming, as well. The library averages 100 visitors per day - not bad for a community of 700!

Election Year Challenge: 100 Contacts with New Officials

At the WLA Conference, Paul Nelson, Chair of the Library Development & Legislation Committee (LD&L), issued a two-part challenge to librarians: make sure Governor-elect Scott Walker and U.S. Senator-elect Ron Johnson receive at least 100 letters of congratulations from library workers and supporters around the state. In addition, every librarian represented by a freshman state legislator is urged to make contact via a congratulatory letter (handwritten, please) prior to Library Legislative Day on February 22. Let's make sure that February 22 is not your first contact with these newbies. Extra credit for contacting any re-elected officials, whether part of the freshman class or not!

Contact information for state legislators, Governor-elect Scott Walker and Senator-elect Ron Johnson is provided for your convenience. Many have not yet made the transition from campaign headquarters to legislative offices, but you can still reach them at these addresses.

Paul has also started a blog containing profiles of the freshman class. Get a better picture of these legislators, their districts, their interests and start developing a Common Agenda. Engagement with your elected officials is the name of the game. Let's get started today!

Library Legislative Day Registration Now Open

With new political leadership in the Capitol, dozens of freshmen legislators to engage, and an ambitious  library agenda, your attendance at Library Legislative Day (LLD) is more important than ever! Registration is now open. Attend the event Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at the Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club, One West Dayton Street, Madison. (Note the new location.)

Your challenge now is to get to know your legislator and engage him or her before Library Legislative Day! This event should not be your first contact with your legislators. If you have a brand new senator or representative, or if your incumbent was re-elected, start by sending him or her a note of congratulations.

Make it your mission to inform your legislators about current library issues and how valuable your library is to your institution or community. Make sure that the information you provide about your library also intersects with your legislators' main interests. For instance, in 2010, WLA developed the "Common Agenda" approach to library issues, focusing on the role libraries play in jobs and economic development, information access and technology, and education. Take a look at our materials for ideas on tailoring your message.

Contact information for legislators is provided for your convenience, as newly elected individuals are still in transition from campaign headquarters to their legislative offices.

ALA Emerging Leaders Include Three Wisconsin Librarians

ALA announces that three of 83 Emerging Leaders selected for the 2011 program are Wisconsin librarians: Easter DiGangi, library intern at Fitchburg Public Library and a UW-Madison SLIS student who will graduate in December 2010; Kristina Gomez, State and Local Documents Librarian, Milwaukee Public Library, and August 2010 UW-Madison SLIS graduate; and Paige Mano, Reference/Instruction Librarian, UW-Parkside, and 2007 UW-Milwaukee SOIS graduate.

The program enables librarians and library staff from across the country to participate in leadership roles within ALA. A two-day orientation will be held at ALA Midwinter in San Diego.

Congratulations to these up and coming library leaders!

Foundation Online Auction Bidding Continues through 10:00 PM Today

FINAL BIDDING is in full swing on the WLA Foundation’s Online Auction site!   Bidding ends today, Tuesday, November 9, at 10:00 PM (CST) so be sure and take a look at the NEW items that have recently been added to the site.  Sincere thanks go to our generous auction donors and to those who have (and will!) place their bids to support the WLA Foundation in its work to promote Wisconsin’s libraries!
--Bernie Bellin, 2010 Auction Chair

Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! is November 17

Just a reminder that this “encore” event (a program of the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries) is scheduled for Wednesday, November 17, 2010!  Visit the Say Cheese website to find suggestions and resources to help your library participate in this event and use that participation to promote your library’s services, resources, and value to your community and library funders.

A few changes to note from last year:

·         The Say Cheese Flickr group will accept photos from LIBRARY Flickr accounts only – no personal accounts, please.  This protects your privacy by preventing Say Cheese visitors from linking to personal Flickr accounts!

·         Choose your library’s ten (new limit this year) best photos to load. Remember, candid photos showing library activities work best.

·         Each library is asked to follow its own policy regarding permission for the photos taken --- no photo permission slips are required to be sent to the WLA office this year! 

·         Taking your photos on Wednesday, November 17, is preferable; however, if another day during the week works better for you, please load your photos to the Say Cheese Flickr group account as soon as possible.

The Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries, which sponsors Wisconsin Libraries Say Cheese! A Day in Pictures is an ongoing, statewide marketing and public relations initiative that provides a collective voice for Wisconsin libraries of all types, focusing on developing and disseminating effective messages about the importance of all Wisconsin libraries. Visit the Campaign for Wisconsin Libraries for more resources to promote your library.

--WLA Foundation Campaign Action Committee

Colleen Rortvedt to Take Helm as Appleton Public Library Director January 8

The Appleton Public Library has selected Colleen Rortvedt, assistant director since 2009, as the new library director, effective January 8, 2011, according to a news report. Current director Terry Dawson, who's been with the library for 32 years, will retire January 7.

Public libraries, please fill out ALA survey on Internet services and funding by Nov. 14

Please make sure your library completes the 2010-2011 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study online survey, which provides an important opportunity for libraries to share information regarding computer and Internet resources and infrastructure, as well as funding, technology training and other uses of public libraries.

Libraries are encouraged to log on now at http://www.plinternetsurvey.org.

This critical survey and study are coordinated by the American Library Association and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Recently, study findings have:

• been cited in hundreds of media outlets, including Newsweek, Governing Magazine, the Wall Street Journal and NPR;
• informed the National Broadband Plan and successful library grant applications for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program;
• been used in presentations to the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA) and the National Association of Counties Association; and
• been used in Congressional and state-level testimony, as well as in comments to federal agencies.

In addition to national data, the research team is able to produce state-level analysis for all states where there is an adequate and representative response rate. One-page state summaries on employment and e-government services in public libraries also are available for these states.

“The power of the survey as an advocacy tool rests largely on the individual state response rates,” said Larra Clark, project manager for the American Library Association Office for Research & Statistics. “Libraries regularly report back the impact of the study data in raising awareness of the successes and challenges in meeting community needs.”

Improvements in the Web survey now make it easier for libraries with multiple branches to report where data is the same across branches (“ditto” feature) and for libraries that responded last year to import and update previous responses.

The study continues work begun by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure in 1994. The survey is managed by the Center for Library & Information Innovation at the University of Maryland.

More information, including results from the 2009-2010 study, is available online at http://www.ala.org/plinternetfunding. A new blog – Libraries Connect Communities – and Twitter feed (ala_ors) also share news, findings, insights and free resources from the study.

Questions, please contact: Caroline Jewell