Stephen Abram, Scott Dikkers and Everything in Between: WLA Conference Recap

Despite concerns about library budgets and costs of the Milwaukee venue, 834 registrants enjoyed the 2011 Annual Conference, including a sold-out exhibit hall, dozens of programs, five tours and a grand awards banquet in the Hilton’s Empire Ballroom. Both the keynote speaker, Stephen Abram, and President’s Luncheon speaker, Scott Dikkers, were provocative on completely different subjects!

Attendees surveyed said their main reason for attending was the chance to interact with others in the library field, followed closely by the program schedule and topics. The schedule included technology topics such as e-books, Koha ILS, technology in children’s programs and Google tools, while also hitting topics on staff and self-management, hiring, diversity, literature, outreach, ethics and more.

Five tours of libraries and library resources rounded out the educational experience, though two tours sold-out, to the disappointment of later registrants. WLA thanks Milwaukee Public Library for providing access to their Krug Rare Books Room, the Villard Square Library and hosting a fabulous reception and tour at the Central Library.

The WLA Foundation raised nearly $4,000 with their annual silent auction and a fundraiser at SPiN, a table-tennis nightclub in the Third Ward. Thanks to Foundation board member Bill Robison, a partner at Engberg Anderson, which designed the facility, fundraiser attendees were able to enjoy a private room for their friendly competition.  In addition to Engberg Anderson, sponsors of the event were Maris Associates, Alpine Book and Quality Books.

Thanks to all who attended the conference in Milwaukee. We hope to see even more of you next year in La Crosse!

Money Smart Week® @ Your Library Program

At the recent WLA Conference, many attended the program about Money Smart Week® @ Your Library. The partnership of the libraries are key to the program and Wisconsin libraries are in a unique position to profoundly affect their communities with the opportunities and security given through financial literacy.  This partnership extends nationwide between the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the American Library Association.

There were requests at the recent conference regarding how to participate in Money Smart Week Wisconsin’s campaign.  Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.  You may contact the chair of your regional planning team, if you have one.  The planning team contacts and chairs are listed at http://www.moneysmartwi.org/uploads/MSWWCommitteeChairs.pdf.   If there is not a committee in your area, you are highly encouraged to contact the WI Department of Financial Institutions, Office of Financial Literacy - Teresa Walker (teresa.walker@wisconsin.gov, 608-267-1713) or Dave Mancl (david.mancl@wisconsin.gov).  DFI will be happy to work with you.

For those who were unable to attend the session regarding Money Smart Week® Wisconsin, you may find information about Money Smart Week® and the @your library program at  http://www.chicagofed.org/webpages/education/msw/ala/index.cfm and additional information about Money Smart Week® Wisconsin at http://www.chicagofed.org/webpages/education/msw/index.cfm.   This program began in 2002 and is the brainchild of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.  In 2006, Wisconsin was the first to take the program statewide enhancing our reputation as financial literacy leaders.  Now with the American Library Association’s as a main partner, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is expanding Money Smart Week® to a national program.  Any attention and assistance with this is greatly appreciated.
--David Mancl, Director, Office of Financial Literacy, WI Department of Financial Institutions

Broadband Grant Lawsuit by Access Wisconsin is Dismissed

On Friday, November 11, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Peter Anderson dismissed a lawsuit by Access Wisconsin against UW-Extension and others, thus allowing a federal Building Community Capacity through Broadband (BCCB) grant project to proceed. The grant will fund broadband internet expansion in four areas of Wisconsin. 

“This work by the University of Wisconsin-Extension and our many community partners is vital to the future of the Wisconsin economy,” said Ray Cross, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension and University of Wisconsin Colleges.  “I hope that now government, the university, private businesses and communities in every corner of the state will be able to work together to assure Wisconsin is connected to the global economy.”

Read the entire news release: http://broadband.uwex.edu/blog/2011/11/lawsuit-dismissed/

An appeal is likely.

Read more about this story at WisBusiness.com.

Edgerton Library Director Selected as Emerging Leader

[Rock County, WI] Edgerton Public Library Director Sherry Machones is one of 75 individuals who have been selected throughout the nation as an American Library Association (ALA) Emerging Leader.  To  become an Emerging Leader, each candidate goes through a very competitive process and needs to be sponsored by a library association. Sherry was sponsored by the Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA). Each sponsor commits to financial support of an Emerging Leader in order to defray a portion of costs for attending the ALA Midwinter Meeting and the ALS Annual Conference.

Machones said, “This is a great honor and a wonderful opportunity to grow as a  professional and learn from some of the best (librarians) in the country!”

The ALA Emerging Leader program, now in its sixth year, kicks off with a daylong session during the 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Dallas.

The program enables librarians and  library staff from across the country to participate in project planning workgroups; network with peers; gain an inside look into ALA structure; and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers.

Following the kickoff session, the program will continue in an online learning and networking environment for six months, culminating with a poster session in which the 2012 Emerging Leaders will showcase the results of their project planning work at the 2012 Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. Participants commit to taking part in all aspects of the program and may have an opportunity to serve on an ALA, Division, Chapter or Round Table committee or a taskforce or workgroup upon completion of program.

Machones is a WLA member currently serving on the board of the WLA's Wisconsin Small Libraries Section (WISL).

Library Legislative Day is February 14

Library Legislative Day is Tuesday, February 14, 2012. "Libraries at the heart of the community" is this year's theme, whether your community is an academic institution, a K-12 school, a municipality, or a museum, law firm or hospital. Legislators need to hear from you about important library issues.

Major issues in 2012 include gaining support for:
• A bill extending the deadline for changes to the UW System’s research functions and WiscNet
• Protection of the Common School Fund for school library use
• A bill to enable public library districts
• A bill to improve options for recovering overdue library materials

Participate in Library Legislative Day to learn what is important to public officials and, in the process, position yourself as a resource on library issues. Appointments will be made for you and others from your legislative district. Background materials and briefing provided in advance give you talking points on the issues. Professional lobbyists will provide tips on having an effective meeting.

Register at http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/day/index.htm.

ALA Needs to Know the State of School Libraries to Help Sway Congress

On October 20, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee completed their mark-up (vote on) the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). ESEA was passed by the committee but a key amendment supporting school libraries was withdrawn due to lack of support.

Now we ask for your help in gathering support for school libraries by sharing stories with the Washington Office about outrageously out of date school library materials and the consequences of under-funded school library programs. These stories will help influence members of the Senate if a school libraries amendment is re-introduced to ESEA on the Senate floor (which will likely happen).
These are the types of stories we are looking for:

• Out of date school library materials, books or otherwise, (i.e. books referring to the USSR in the present tense)
• Stories about under-staffed school libraries, or school libraries with no staff
• Specific consequences from the lack of funding for a school library program

Twenty years ago, we asked for stories like these and they were powerful enough to gain us a strong library advocate in Senator Jack Reed (D-RI). Now, Sen. Reed wants to know the state of school libraries to help sway his colleagues much like he was 20 years ago. Time is running out to get school libraries into ESEA; your stories can make a difference.

Please email your stories to the ALA Washington Office by writing Ted Wegner (twegner@alawash.org) and Jeff Kratz (jkratz@alawash.org).


Ted Wegner
Grassroots Coordinator
American Library Association
Washington Office-Office of Government Relations
1615 New Hampshire Avenue N.W., 1st Floor
Washington, DC 20009-2520
Phone: 202-628-8410
Fax: 202-628-8419
twegner@alawash.org

The Curtain is Rising on the 2011 WLA Conference, November 1 – 4, in Milwaukee

Question: The Wisconsin Library Association and Carnegie Hall.  What Do They Share in 2011?
Both the WLA and Carnegie Hall have set the standards by which others are measured; both bring people of all ages and backgrounds together; both represent professionalism at the highest level; both are steeped in tradition; both can claim an Andrew Carnegie connection; and both celebrate their 120th Anniversary in 2011!

Make Beautiful Music Together
Join your peers at the 2011 WLA Conference in celebrating WLA’s 120th Anniversary.  Begin your celebration by attending any of the excellent pre-conference sessions.  Sessions include Leading Through Communication; Lightning Fast Succession Planning; or Tell Me What Democracy Looks Like.  Then continue your celebration Tuesday evening with your friends and colleagues at the opening night Vendor Reception at the Hilton, featuring hors d’ oeuvres and a cash bar.


Carnegie Hall…Frontier Airlines Center & Exhibition Hall…Both Strike a Chord
Don’t get me wrong, both are beautiful halls.  But let’s be real here…Can Yo-Yo Ma give you a great deal on RFID technology?  Has Placido Domingo ever offered you advice on an architectural upgrade to your library?  And don’t even get me started on Itzhack Perlman…
The reality is, with over 70 vendors taking part in this year’s WLA Conference Exhibits, you can open your ears to the tune of great savings, exclusively for conference attendees!  You’ll have the opportunity to learn about the latest products and services your library users need.  And while you’re in the exhibition area, you can bid on Silent Auction items, also located in the exhibit hall.  You’ll also be happy to note that the breaks in the exhibit hall do not conflict with the many excellent programs!


Conduct Some Business…Create Some Harmony
After a day of orchestrating your schedule to take in top tier programming and business meetings, relax and unwind with old friends at the alumni receptions hosted by UW-Milwaukee SOIS at the Pabst Mansion or the UW Madison SLIS at the Hilton. And if you’re into “tweeting” may we direct you to the Tweet-up and
Meet-up at the Miller Time Pub?


Say Bravo to the WLAF’s SPiNGALACTIC Extravaganza
Attend an exciting and fun-filled evening of entertainment at SPiN Milwaukee in the trendy yet Historic Third Ward for the WLAF Fundraiser: SPiNGALACTIC!  Enjoy friends and friendly competition at this unique 16,500 square foot table tennis social club, which sports 12 top quality table tennis courts.  Your $35 ticket covers table tennis, one drink, light snacks and a $20 charitable contribution to WLAF to benefit the campaign for Wisconsin Libraries.  Cash bar available and shuttle service provided.


If it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it!
We know we’ve got a good thing going here.  With the experience and expertise of 120 years to draw from, the WLA has learned how to put together a conference that meets and exceeds all expectations.   It’s our forte!  We promise you great sessions, great exhibits, dynamic tours and a wonderful opportunity to connect with peers from other Wisconsin libraries. We’ve got excellent keynote speakers that will make you think; you’ll create, laugh and learn; and the host of receptions, parties, tours and awards we offer will help you gain new energy and insights.  BTW, our host hotel, the Hilton Milwaukee City Center Hotel, is recognized as the city’s finest hotel…why shouldn’t it host the state’s finest library professionals?
For those of you already registered, I know I’m just singing to the choir, but for any who’ve had any reservations about attending; take note… whether a fan of Carnegie Hall or a Carnegie Library, the curtain goes up on the 2011 WLA Conference next week for the performance of the year!  I hope to see you in Milwaukee.  (Tux optional)
Best,
--Michael Kenney, Maestro
2011 WLA Conference Publicity Chair

SB 95 Passes Senate

The State Senate passed SB-95 today (see previous blog post about this issue) without amending it to delete the provision that removes the 25 percent limit on computer purchases with Common School Fund dollars. The vote was 17-16 along straight party lines. Senator Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) offered an amendment to remove the Common School Fund part of the bill, and she said that she had been contacted by library media specialists asking for the amendment.

Senator Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), who authored the bill, spoke against the amendment saying that school districts need flexibility with the funds and seemed to believe that digital resources could not be purchased with Common School Fund money. The amendment failed on a voice vote.

SB-95 will now be sent to the Assembly.  There already is an Assembly companion bill, AB-130, in the Committee on Education. That committee failed to pass the bill when it voted in early June. Given the subject matter, SB-95 should go to the same committee, and there could be another vote. Or, either bill could be pulled from the committee through a parliamentary maneuver during a floor session. SB-95 could conceivably be referred to a different committee for further action. At any rate, both the Senate and Assembly must pass the exact same bill before it goes to the governor, and SB-95 has not been through the Assembly.

Stay tuned for more information on this important matter.
--Michael Blumenfeld, Lobbyist, Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association

Amy Lutzke to Discuss Wisconsin Authors on WPR Friday, October 21

Set your alarm extra early this Friday, October 21 to hear Amy Lutzke, co-chair of the WLA/READ Literary Awards Committee and librarian at Fort Atkinson Public Library, on Wisconsin Public Radio's Joy Cardin Show  from 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. Cardin will interview Lutzke about Wisconsin's fabulous authors and their works. Join the conversation, coinciding with the the Wisconsin Book Festival, which continues through the weekend.

Letters about Literature Contest for Young Readers

JEFFERSON – A book is more than just a collection of words. A book can have a direct and concrete impact on a life. For children and youth, a book can help them transcend difficult situations — like bullying, peer pressure or prejudice, or help them cope with loss and disappointment.

Letters about Literature (LAL) is a writing contest for young readers in grades 4 – 12, sponsored by the Library of Congress and Wisconsin Center for the Book. Students write a letter to an author of a fiction or nonfiction book, a short story, poem, essay or speech describing how the work changed the students’ view of the world or themselves. Entries are judged at both the state and national levels and prizes are awarded for the best letter at various grade levels. 

LAL awards thousands of dollars each year through state and national prizes, as well as LAL library grants. Last year, 70,000 young people from around the United States entered including more than 750 from Wisconsin.

Details for the program can be found on the Web site: www.lettersaboutliterature.org. The site also outlines lesson plans for teachers who want to incorporate the contest into their curriculum.

The postmark deadline for submissions is January 6, 2012.

Contact Mary Lou Santovec, Coordinator, 948 S. Main St., Jefferson WI 53549; msantovec@yahoo.com or 920-674-5280 for more information.