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.

UW-Milwaukee SOIS Student Receives Theodore Calvin Pease Award from SAA

Lora J. Davis, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Information Studies, is the recipient of the Theodore Calvin Pease Award, presented by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) on August 26, 2011, at ARCHIVES 360°, SAA’s 75th Annual Meeting in Chicago. 

The award recognizes superior writing achievements by students of archival studies. Amy Cooper Cary, director of the Archival Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, nominated Davis’ paper “Providing Virtual Services to All: A Mixed-Method Analysis of the Web Site Accessibility of Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL) Member Repositories.” Davis wrote the paper for the "Seminar in Modern Archives Administration" in the spring 2011 term.  The paper explores the ability of the websites of repositories in the PACSCL to meet the needs of archives users with disabilities.

“After an excellent review of the literature from the library and accessibility fields, the student uses both automated accessibility checkers and content analysis to assess the accessibility of these repository websites,” said one Awards Committee member. “From choice of topic, methodology, and presentation the paper demonstrates a high level of scholarship, creativity, and originality.”

Accessibility for disabled users is relevant to all repositories making their holdings available online, and this paper provides a model for repositories to apply to their own websites.  “In the most recent 10 years, over half of the winning essays have addressed topics that discuss the use of technology in archives,” said Cooper Cary. “There have been no submissions, as yet, that have addressed the important subject of serving our users with disabilities. Lora Davis fills this gap and serves the profession by opening a significant area for exploration in the professional literature.”

Established in 1987, the Theodore Calvin Pease Award is named for the first editor of the American Archivist.

Founded in 1936, the Society of American Archivists is North America’s oldest and largest national archives professional association. SAA’s mission is to serve the educational and informational needs of more than 6,000 individual and institutional members and to provide leadership to ensure the identification, preservation, and use of records of historical value.
--UW Milwaukee SOIS

Yes, the WLA Annual Business Meeting is Fun! November 3 in Milwaukee

Dramatic readings, musical motions, and important news about what WLA has planned: The WLA Annual Business Meeting will be held Thursday, November 3, in conjunction with the annual conference in downtown Milwaukee.

WLA is required to hold an annual business meeting, and though you're not required to attend, all WLA members are encouraged to do so. Not a WLA member? You can still attend, though only WLA members may vote.

WLA President Rhonda Puntney will share the highlights of the year, which has been more memorable and event-filled than most. President-elect Ron McCabe will share plans for 2012. And in between, you'll hear reports from other leaders, including WLA Foundation President Jane Pearlmutter, and have a chance to learn more about what your association has been doing for libraries and the profession.

To get an agenda and read the 2010 meeting minutes, go to the WLA Board web page.

ALA Urges Public Libraries to Fill Out Internet Use Survey

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) is encouraging public libraries to participate in the 2011-2012 Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study online survey.


The survey provides an important opportunity for libraries to share information on computer and Internet resources and infrastructure, as well as funding, technology training and other uses of public libraries, such as providing public access technology centers in their communities. The current year’s online survey, available at http://www.plinternetsurvey.org, will be available through Nov. 11, 2011.


"The record-high response rate for last year’s survey clearly demonstrates that library leaders recognize the impact this study provides for their advocacy efforts,” said ALA Associate Executive Director Cathleen Bourdon. “The strength of the study rests on the level of participation. We encourage libraries to keep the momentum going to create the most current and complete snapshot of technology in U.S. public libraries.”
Recent study findings have been cited in hundreds of media outlets, including USA Today, The Washington Post, Fast Company, and The Huffington Post. Data has informed the National Broadband Plan and has been used in congressional and state-level testimony, as well as in comments to national agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission.


The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA, continues work begun by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure in 1994. The survey is managed by the Information Policy & Access Center at the University of Maryland.


More information, including results from the 2010-2011 study, is available at http://www.ala.org/plinternetfunding. Related news, insights and free resources from the study are available on the study blog – Libraries Connect Communities – and Twitter feed (ala_ors).

Easy Reader Cork and Fuzz: The Babysitters Wins 2011 Burr/Worzalla Award

The 2011 Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award winner is the sixth book from the popular and loveable easy reader series, Cork and Fuzz: The Babysitters, written by Wisconsin native Dori Chaconas and published by the Viking Group. The Children’s Book Award Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association’s Youth Services Section annually awards the Burr/Worzalla to the most distinguished work in literature for children written and/or illustrated by a Wisconsin book creator.

In Cork and Fuzz: The Babysitters, Dori Chaconas tells another chapter in the lives of her characters Cork and Fuzz, the muskrat and possum duo. Dori tells a charming and amusing story, weaving in lots of humor and fun, with a good lesson to be learned as Cork and Fuzz learn the responsibilities of babysitting and the importance of helping others.

The Children’s Book Award Committee also named Barbara Joosse the 2011 Notable Wisconsin Author/Illustrator for her contribution to the world of children’s literature. To also recognize nominated books the Committee thought noteworthy, 5 titles were selected for Outstanding Achievement in Children’s Literature, written and/or illustrated by Wisconsin book creators:
My Garden by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books)
Shark vs. Train illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (Little Brown and Co.)
Art and Max by David Wiesner (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
The Boys by Jeff Newman (Simon & Schuster)
The Reinvention of Edison Thomas by Jacqueline Houtman (Front Street)

The Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award is made possible by the Worzalla Publishing Company, Stevens Point, through a grant to the WLA Foundation.

The 2011 Children’s Book Award Committee members consist of Linda Jerome, La Crosse Public Library, Chair; Barbara Huntington, retired, DPI-DLTCL; Ruhama Kordatzky; Jennifer McNaughton, Greendale Public Library; Jeni Schomber, Beloit Public Library; Elizabeth Timmins, Muehl Public Library; Dawn Wacek, Rice Lake Public Library.

Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The Steering Committee of the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center, a program of the Wisconsin Library Association Foundation, has selected seven individuals to be inducted into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame (WLHF) in 2011. They are Norman D. Bassett (1891-1980), Orilla Thompson Blackshear (1904-1994), Daniel Steele Durrie (1819-1892), Gilson G. Glasier (1873-1972), Ginny Moore Kruse (1934- ), Walter Mcmynn Smith (1869 – 1938), and Ella T. Veslak (1897-1996). Their induction into the WLHF will take place during the Awards & Honors Banquet at the Wisconsin Library Association Conference in Milwaukee on November 3. These seven inductees will join twenty-two other individuals who have previously been inducted into the WLHF.


Read more about the inductees on the WLHC Blog, written by Larry Nix.

Demonstrate your compassion for others at this year’s WLA Conference

Every year at the WLA Conference we like to ask our attendees to give back something to their community to enhance others lives.  In the past we have sponsored food drives, but even though that is a wonderful gesture, the reality is that food isn’t always that easy to lug around in your suitcase as you trundle off to the conference.  Well, this year we’ve decided to support a worthwhile cause that only asks that you consider donating an item that as librarians should be pretty easy to come up with.  Bring a book! Hey, it’s much easier than carrying a bag of food to the Conference. Think of your donation as food for the mind!

Please read about this worthwhile project in the letter below from Sandra Melcher, the Chair of the Wisconsin Council on Library and Network Development.  You’ll see how finding a new life for some gently used books even plays into this year’s conference theme: Libraries – A Renewable Resource.

Wisconsin Prison Literacy Project

Correctional libraries face unique challenges that other libraries may not, but they still strive to promote a life-long love of learning and reading. These libraries, located in state prisons and county jails, are in serious need of materials and would greatly appreciate donations from other libraries, churches, publishers, the public, and other sources to help build and maintain a diverse and timely collection.

The Wisconsin Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND), in partnership with the Department of Corrections and Department of Public Instruction, has created a special sub-committee on prisons to assist correctional libraries by collecting and distributing written materials for inmates in our state facilities. The COLAND sub-committee on prisons is dedicated to helping these correctional libraries reach male and female inmates by helping them collect materials in subject areas of greatest need. These efforts will help those incarcerated to become productive citizens when they re-enter their communities. Multiple studies over the past two decades have shown that inmates who improve their reading and educational performance stand a better chance of becoming working citizens than those who struggle with reading.

COLAND encourages you to donate books that are in good condition, current and with the exception of literary classics, published within the past 3 years. Donated books must match the subject areas that are listed on the enclosed Wisconsin Department of Corrections Collection Development Areas List. Paperbacks are usually preferred, but this format is required only for books given to inmates in segregation status. Hard covers are allowed in the general collections of most institutions. Please follow the instructions below to deliver the materials.
All donations may be shipped directly to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections - Library Project, 3099 E. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53707-7925. You may also arrange for delivery by contacting Tim Drexler of South Central Library System at (608) 266-4643. There is no charge if the shipment is small and the donating or delivery site public/private library is served by the South Central Library System delivery service.

Your donations are appreciated and will help to improve the quality of life for inmates and their families throughout Wisconsin. Thank you for your consideration and support.

Sincerely,

Sandra Melcher, COLAND Chair

So there you have it, a proposal that allows you to donate something you can carry in your suitcase that nourishes the soul without leaking on your PJ’s on your way to the Conference!  Please support this worthwhile effort. (For a list of suggested book genre suggestions, click here!)
--Michael Kenney, 2011 WLA Conference Publicity Chair