WLA Conference in Milwaukee: Make it a Destination

With the kick-off of the 2011 WLA Conference only 6 weeks from now, and the October 3rd early bird deadline less than a week away, it can mean only one thing… you’ve got to swing into high gear, because if you don’t register soon, you’ll only have yourself to blame for missing the fun activities slated to take place November 1 – 4 in the Cream City…Milwaukee!

Ssssh!  Don’t let this out, but not only will you learn a lot…you’ll have a blast!
Parties, tours and awards to help you relax and renew your energy

Get your “party on” immediately by joining your friends and colleagues at the opening night Vendor Reception at the Hilton featuring hors d’ oeuvres and a cash bar.  There will be a series of tasty luncheons throughout the conference featuring excellent food and great speakers. (This year’s President’s Luncheon should be especially entertaining when humorist Scott Dikkers, founder of The Onion, hits the podium!)
Fun and interesting tours will abound, including a visit to see the treasures of the Krug Rare Books Room of the historic Milwaukee County Public Library Central Branch; the Milwaukee County Zoo Library (sorry Lesley Kagen fans, but Samson the gorilla is now but a bronzed memory) and the Milwaukee Art Museum, which features an extensive collection of materials on fine art and architecture including painting, graphic arts, sculpture, drawing, design and photography.

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 elegantly restored Hilton.  If you’re into “tweeting” be sure to attend the Tweet-up and Meet-up at the Miller Time Pub.

More fun?  Take this idea for a SPiN
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.  (Think Ping Pong on steroids.)  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.

But wait…there’s more!
Let’s not forget you’re in the largest city in Wisconsin, which means entertainment venues and shopping opportunities galore!  Plus take part in the biggest celebration in Library World, the WLA Awards & Honors Banquet.

And talk about a beautiful facility…
The Hilton Milwaukee City Center Hotel is recognized as the city’s finest hotel with a tradition going back over 80 years, providing 1920’s grandeur and elegance with today’s modern conveniences.  And you can stay at this beautiful facility at affordable WLA conference rates!

Not only is the Hilton connected directly to the Frontier Conference Center via a skywalk to make your visit to the exhibits and sessions convenient, but there’s so much more.  Need a brew?  The Miller Time Pub.  Quick bite to eat?  The Café.  Fine dining?  The Milwaukee Chop House.  Craving caffeine? Yup, you guessed it, Starbucks!  Book your room today.

Dewey or don’t we party?
Yes we do, and Milwaukee, get ready…because we’re long overdue!

Get ready to take part in a wonderful opportunity to connect with peers from other Wisconsin libraries in one exciting location to find solutions to common problems and celebrate successes.  Take part in dozens of breakout sessions to refresh your perspective and plant new ideas; visit with exhibitors sharing the latest products and services your library users need; keynote speakers to make you think, create, laugh and learn…and last, but certainly not least, have a great time, because you deserve it.

Sign-up today by clicking here, and we’ll see you in Downtown Milwaukee this November.
--Michael Kenney, 2011 WLA Conference Publicity Chair

Merrill School Board to Consider Ban of "Montana 1948"

Merrill School Board will hold a hearing Thursday, September 29 at 5:30 p.m. to determine if the book "Montana 1948" should be banned from classrooms and libraries of Merrill Area Public Schools. The book, by Larry Watson, visiting professor at Marquette University in Milwaukee, won the WLA's Literary Award in 1994. Watson's book "Orchard" won the award in 2004.

Bill Jaeger, action school board president, was quoted as supporting the book as addressing appropriate themes for high school students. Read the entire story in the Wausau Daily Herald...

NOTE: On Thursday, September 29, the Merrill School Board voted to retain "Montana 1948" in the school's high school library and as part of the 10th grade curriculum. Read the entire story...

2012 Dream Big - Read! SRP Workshop is November 1 in Milwaukee

Summer reading program aficionados from around the state are invited to attend the 2012 Dream Big – Read! SRP workshop at the Milwaukee Public Museum Planetarium and IMAX Theatre on Tuesday, November 1!   Six systems in southeastern Wisconsin (Eastern Shores, Lakeshores, Mid-Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, Waukesha County and Winnefox) have collaborated to bring this session to youth services librarians and anyone with an interest in next year’s summer reading program theme.


The fun begins at 1:00 PM and will end at 4:00, just in time for those of you going to WLA to get there in time for the vendor reception!  Registration fee is $10.00, which can be paid at the door or in advance (checks payable to Lakeshores Library System).

See the following link for more information:
http://extranet.winnefox.org/sites/extranet.winnefox.org/files/SRPWorkshop%40ThePlanetariumFlyer.PDF

--Rhonda Puntney, Youth Services & Special Needs Consultant, Lakeshores Library System

(WLA President)

Unbolt the chairs, but build the library

In a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, the superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools was quoted as saying unbolting chairs from the floor is the biggest change he's seen in schools' physical spaces, but "I wouldn't build another library."  Mary Wepking, School Library Media Coordinator at UW-Milwaukee SOIS, responded with this letter:

Dr. Thornton:

This letter is in response to your statement, with respect to MPS facility planning, "I wouldn't build another library." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/10/11). The purpose of this letter is to inform you that this is an educationally destructive decision. Over 20 state-wide studies have been done that make a strong correlation between the presence of a funded & staffed school library and increased student academic achievement. Here are the findings of the Wisconsin study:  http://dpi.wi.gov/imt/pdf/SLMP3.pdf . You and your administration need to be aware of this research.

Increasing technology integration may have some educational benefit; school librarians in well-funded and expertly managed schools are the community's technology leaders. Creating more flexible learning environments also seems to be an effective trend  good school libraries have been providing  collaborative spaces for group learning for years.  MPS needs to be reminded that the school library must be the heart of the learning community. School librarians are the technology leaders, instructional partners, and innovators in individualized and group learning that will help to lead the school to success. Further, they are focused on the school's primary role -- teaching students to read and to think, and to enjoy reading for information and enlightenment -- goals that must not be abandoned.

If you went to school in the 60's, 70's, even 80's as I did, you may not be familiar with today's school librarian. I suspect that the majority of the MPS leadership falls into this category, unaware that both the role and the facility have changed. School librarians today are experts in both literacy AND technology, and in the perfect position to guide 21st century learning. MPS's choice to eliminate this valuable educator and important facility from so many schools is both short-sighted and ill-informed.

I urge you to reconsider your position and to provide your schools and school children with the valuable asset of a well-funded and professionally-staffed school library.

Sincerely,

Mary Wepking, MLIS
School Library Media Coordinator

The opinions expressed here are my own.

Wisconsin Rapids Library Touted as Heart of the Community

The Wisconsin  Rapids Tribune published an excellent article about the McMillan Memorial Library in Wisconsin Rapids, touting the value to users. Mayor Mary Jo Carson calls the library the community's living room. 


"I can't tell you the value it brings to our community, Mayor Carson said. "Many people consider the library the heart of the community, and that's a good explanation of what the library is."

Library director Ron McCabe describes the educational nature of the library's programs and services, including the cultural education provided by events showcasing jazz and blues, along with movies and other programs. Read the complete article...

Call for WAAL Conference Programs

The WAAL 2012 Conference Planning Committee invites proposals for 75-minute breakout sessions for Quest for Excellence: WAAL 2012 at the Grand Geneva in Lake Geneva, WI, April 17-20.

Proposals and recommendations for presentations, panels, and active workshops are welcome.  Target areas for sessions from the 2011 conference evaluations and possible topic ideas include (but are NOT limited to):

• Access Services
• Digital Preservation and/or Data Management
• Distance Librarianship
• E-Collection Development
• Emerging Technologies
• Information Literacy
• Instruction and Teaching
• Marketing and Outreach
• Resource Sharing
• Serving Nontraditional Students
• Technical Services

To submit a breakout session proposal please forward the following information:

1. Abstract of the program (300 words or less)
2. Presenter name(s), institutional affiliation(s), and contact information
3. Format (presentation, panel discussion, workshop, etc.)
4. Equipment needs

Proposals are due by October 24, 2011.

Please send via email all proposals and questions to Sheila Stoeckel (sstoeckel@library.wisc.edu)

Recharge and refocus: WLA President's Message

The summer has flown by and I found myself a bit misty-eyed this morning to find myself the mother of high school sophomore who just passed her driver’s license temps.  Not that I was verklempt that I will have to soon add her to my car insurance policy, but that another summer has passed and I only did about half of the things I wanted to do!  However, the recent holiday weekend made me grateful for an extra day to recharge and refocus.

The WLA board has also taken the opportunity to refocus and begin implementing the Strategic Plan we adopted for the association earlier this year.  Three ad hoc committees were formed to respond to recommendations from participants at last year’s strategic planning retreat and leadership meeting.  The three committees are looking at new ways WLA can address issues in the areas of leadership, professional development, and membership.  The ad hoc committees are currently meeting and will report back to the board next spring with their recommendations.

A small contingent of WLA and WEMTA (Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association) members, including Allison Kaplan, Kathy Sanders and myself, along with WEMTA lobbyist Michael Blumenfeld, met in August with a member of Governor Scott Walker’s staff to discuss the Read to Lead Task Force and the role school and public libraries play in the literacy development of children of all ages.  Allison Kaplan was one of the authors of the memo that was sent to the Read to Lead Task Force members on behalf of WLA and WEMTA.

Our advocacy efforts regarding WiscNet did not go unnoticed, however our work is just beginning to further educate our local and state elected officials about the importance WiscNet’s broadband service plays in almost all of our communities.  Our representatives need to hear from us about the cost-effectiveness this valuable service provides to our schools and public libraries. 

And finally, one of the highlights of the approaching fall (besides football and the best Brewers season since I was an undergraduate) is the WLA Annual Conference!  A huge thank you goes out to the conference planning committee, which has been putting the finishing touches on the programs and activities.  This will be the first time in 8 years that the conference is held in Milwaukee, and the first time since 2007 that it will be held in downtown Milwaukee.  I am particularly looking forward to sharing my “other life” with all of you when my Sweet Adelines chorus, Riverport Chorus, and my daughter’s quartet, Trouble Clef, performs prior to the Awards Banquet! 

And yes, the rumors are true, I will be spending my honeymoon at WLA!   My fiancé is in the Army Reserves and will be deployed to Afghanistan in December, so we decided to get married October 29^th instead of waiting till he returns.  We’re taking a real honeymoon when he’s on leave next summer.  J

--Rhonda Puntney, WLA President

Funding for school libraries included in LHHS subcommittee's appropriations bill

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee marked up (voted on) its FY 2012 bill Tuesday afternoon on at 10-8 party-line vote. This funding bill, which is scheduled to be marked up in the full Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday afternoon, contains federal support for school libraries.

The report language of this bill sets aside $30 million for national non-profit organizations or school libraries in high-need areas. Furthermore, at least 50 percent of this $30 million must be used for school libraries.

This restoration of funding for school libraries comes as a huge victory since the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program was zero-funded in FY 2011; however, the fight is still not over. School libraries fared better than many other programs, but the next stage of the legislative process will prove critical in securing this funding for FY2012. Please continue to put pressure on your senators and representatives to support school libraries.

More information will be made available after Wednesday’s mark-up.

On the LSTA front…
This bill also level funds (or funds at last year’s level) the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) at $189 million – another victory for libraries during this time when many in Congress are looking to make budget cuts.

Time is flying by to take advantage of the Early Bird Registration Deadline of October 3

The 2011 WLA Conference on November 1 – 4 in Milwaukee is rapidly approaching and the October 3^rd early bird deadline for special registration pricing will be here even sooner.  The time to act is now!

Before the October 3^rd deadline, think of the early bird as a beautiful Peacock, something attractive, wondrous and almost too good to be true.  By signing up early, you will receive a discounted price on registration to the state’s largest library conference and be instantly entered into the October 4^th drawing for one of two FREE conference registrations.

After the October 3^rd deadline?  Well, think of the early bird as a Dodo.  No longer in existence…bye, bye birdie…extinct!


Why sign up?

You must be new around here!  The WLA Conference is one of the premiere library conferences in the United States, and among the longest running, celebrating its 120^th anniversary this year.  This year’s theme is Libraries A Renewable Resource.

What’s in it for you?

How about a wonderful opportunity to connect with peers from other Wisconsin libraries in one exciting location to find solutions to common problems and celebrate successes?  There will be dozens of breakout sessions to refresh your perspective and plant new ideas; visit with exhibitors sharing the latest products and services your library users need; keynote speakers to make you think, create, laugh and learn; and receptions, parties, tours and awards to help you relax and renew your energy.

Consider kicking off your experience by attending one of the three pre-conference offerings on Tuesday, November 1^st, and winding down that evening at the Vendors' Reception.

Be sure you begin your day on Wednesday, November 2^nd with this year’s keynoter Stephen Abram as he presents FrankenLibraries or Librarytopia: Our Choice.  Then let the educational sessions begin.  (Don’t forget to visit the exhibit area and silent auction area, too!) Take part in either the RASS Luncheon with Mike Gousha, or the YSS Luncheon with New York Times bestselling picture book author/illustrator Tad Hills. Back to the sessions of your choice; take in one of several tours; perhaps take in one of the reunion receptions going on early evening and then consider attending an exciting and fun-filled evening of fun at SPiN Milwaukee in the trendy yet Historic Third Ward for the WLAF Fundraiser: SPiNGALACTIC!


Thursday, November 3^rd promises to be a day of great sessions, great exhibits, more tours, a presentation by this year’s WLA Literary Award Winner, the silent auction conclusion, and an evening recognizing the best in librarianship and support of libraries, the WLA Awards & Honors Banquet.

On Friday, November 4^th, be sure to enjoy a morning of excellent sessions that run the gamut of interesting topics on ethics, library environments, book festivals, specialized children’s programming, social networking, technology, customer service, and more.  And then, following the age old adage “Always leave ‘em laughing,” be sure to attend the President’s Luncheon and enjoy humorist (and original founder of The Onion) Scott Dikkers as he presents The Joy of Swearing.  (Yes, you read that right.)

So sign-up today by clicking here to take advantage of early bird pricing, and I’ll see you in Milwaukee, November 1 -4 at the beautiful Hilton Milwaukee City Center.  “Better to be a Peacock than a Dodo” I always say.  (Well, I’ve never actually said that, but you get the idea.)
--Michael Kenney, 2011 WLA Conference Publicity Chair

Carnegie-Whitney Awards up to $5,000

CHICAGO - The American Library Association Publishing Committee provides a grant of up to $5,000 for the preparation of print or electronic reading lists, indexes or other guides to library resources that promote reading or the use of library resources at any type of library.

Funded projects have ranged from popular, general-reader proposals such as "ReadMOre," a reading list for Missouri's state-wide reading program, to more specialized, scholarly proposals such as "Librarianship and Information Science in the Islamic World, 1966-1999: An Annotated Bibliography."

Applications must be received by Nov. 4, 2011. Recipients will be notified by the end of February 2012.
For more information and guidelines, visit http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/sundry/alapubawrds/carnegiewhitney.cfm or contact Mary Jo Bolduc, Grant Administrator, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611; Fax (312) 280-5275; e-mail: mbolduc@ala.org.