John DeBacher Named New Director of Library Developoment at DPI

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) announces the appointment of John DeBacher as the new Director of the Library Development Team in the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning (DLTCL).  John will begin his new role effective January 15, replacing Mike Cross who retired in September.  For the past seven years John has served as the Public Library Administration Consultant for DPI, providing significant support to libraries and library systems across the state on many different and complex regulatory, fiscal, and programming matters.  Since early 2009 he has also served as the data collection liaison for various state and federal collections and surveys.

Prior to joining DPI, John was a public library director for fifteen years, including ten years as the director of the Monona Public Library where he led a successful library expansion project and made technology an integral component of the library program.  John also served as a librarian in the Chicago Public Library system, as an editorial assistant with the University of Chicago’s Center for Children’s Books, and he has private sector experience in the publishing and software industries. John’s wide array of experiences and strong leadership skills have been and will continue to be an asset to the entire Wisconsin library community as it continues to adjust to rapidly changing work and learning environments.

--Channel Weekly, The DLTCL Electronic Newsletter, Volume 14, Number 13 – December 22, 2011      Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Matt Blessing to Direct WHS Library & Archives

The Wisconsin Historical Society has announced the appointment of Matt Blessing, head of special collections and archives at Marquette University in Milwaukee, as the director of the Society's Library-Archives Division. Blessing, who formerly worked as an archivist at the Society from 1991 to 1999, will begin his new duties on Jan. 17.

Blessing has worked as an archivist for Marquette since 1999, overseeing some of the university's most widely used collections, including the original manuscripts of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" as well as manuscript collections documenting Catholic social justice movements such as Dorothy Day's Catholic Worker Movement. Part of his role has been to digitize significant amounts of material in the university's archival collections for Internet access, something that is also a priority at the Society.
--Bob Granflaten, Wisconsin Historical Society

Call for program proposals: WAPL Spring Conference!

The WAPL 2012 Spring Conference Planning Committee invites proposals for breakout sessions for “Share the Driving” – WAPL 2012: May 9 – 11, 2012 Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center 1001 Amber Avenue Stevens Point WI 54482
Proposals for presentations, panels and workshops are welcome. Possible topic ideas include (but are not limited to):
• Multigenerational programming
• Starting and nurturing a Friends’ Group
• Creative ways to work with Boards of Trustees
• Relationship building with municipalities
• Methods for delegating to staff
• Work flow management
• Community feedback on library services
• Collaborating with local resources for public relations
• Visioning with educational institutions
• Volunteer success stories
• Teamwork with other non-profits
• Libraries as early literacy builders
• Neighboring libraries working together
• Innovative ways of working with youth
• The current technological frontier
• Wakanheza—a winning concept for everyone
• Local authors and how to work with them

Sessions / programs generally run 60-75 minutes in length. Every WLA unit has a special perspective to offer as we assemble our programming.
DUE January 15, 2012

Please use the online proposal form (no login required):

Elizabeth M. Timmins, (etimmins@mail.owls.lib.wi.us) WAPL Spring Conference 2012 Program Chair. Questions?? Telephone 920-833-2725. Thank you and have a creative day!