September 2007 Archives
I am happy to announce that InfoSoup has won the 2007 Media and Technology Section's Webbies Award for Best Reference site. Nichole Fromm, current Chair of MATS, stated, "The competition was tough, but the selection committee really appreciated the excellent design and organization of the site, and we couldn't ignore the massive number of nominations InfoSoup received." The award includes a plaque and a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com that will be presented at the WLA conference in Green Bay.
Thanks to all of you who nominated InfoSoup for this award! We appreciate your support. Take a look at the other Webbies winning sites on the MATS web site.
>> contributed by Beth
OPAL is a web conferencing tool that is used for virtual participation in continuing education programs. This fall OWLS has two fantastic programs, or “webinars,” that will be presented online via OPAL. If you plan on attending one or both, please consider signing up for an Intro to OPAL session to learn about the software. View the CE calendar for workshop dates and times. Individual sessions can be set up by request.
Webinars are a great way to learn without having to leave your desk. Here are some things to know about OPAL webinars:
* If possible, locate a quiet area where you can listen and participate via computer.
* You’ll need a microphone if you want to speak. Microphones were distributed at the Director’s meeting. If you did not receive one, please contact me.
* Don’t forget to hook up your computer's speakers and make sure the volume is turned up.
* You can participate live or watch a recorded session.
If you have any questions about OPAL or the webinars coming up, please contact me.
>> contributed by Leslie
Learning how to get around without your mouse can save you some time when working on your computer. Here are some tips to help you change your font settings while skipping the mouse routine in your MS Office applications.
To change the font type: use CONTROL + SHIFT + F. The current font name will become highlighted in the menu bar. You can now use the arrow keys to scroll up and down in the list. If you know the name of the font you want you can just type it in, but you'll have to have the spelling exactly correct (including capital letters) or it won't work. Hit the ENTER key when you find the font you want.
To change the font size: use CONTROL + SHIFT + > to make the font increase in increments, and CONTROL + SHIFT + < to make the font decrease in increments. The > and < keys will increase and decrease according to the font sizes listed in the drop down list in the menu bar. If you want to increase or decrease by point size instead, use CONTROL + ] and CONTROL + [ respectively.
One more option for quick font size control with the keyboard is to use CONTROL + SHIFT + P. This will highlight the current font size in the drop down box in the menu bar. Now simply type in the font size you desire and hit the ENTER key. Quick and easy if you know your points.
Note to MS Office 2007 users: the commands included above operate a bit differently in Office 2007. The font window will open instead of taking you to options in the menu bar. Simply use your arrow keys and tab key to move around within window.
>> contributed by Beth
At recent poll by SnagAJob.com found that about one-third of respondents were most annoyed by slackers while another third were most annoyed by kiss-ups. "It's not fun being surrounded by Dwight from 'The Office' or George Costanza (from 'Seinfeld')," said Cathy McCarthy, senior vice president of marketing for SnagAJob.com. Dwight is an unapologetic kiss-up; George is a notorious slacker. Gossips, loud talkers, and hypochondriacs were also found to be annoying by many workers. The good news is that in a previous poll, SnagAJob.com found that 61% of people like their jobs. You can find this story and a related one about huggers on MarketWatch.com.
>> contributed by Rick
As part of the Gates’Rural Library Sustainability project, DPI-DLTCL is offering free WebJunction courses to Wisconsin libraries. To qualify, the library must serve a municipal population under 25,000, or serve an area classified as rural for census purposes (e.g. Marathon County, Portage County). Courses can be taken by non-librarians (e.g., paraprofessionals, IT staff, trustees, etc.) and system staff. Courses are not open to the general public, or to friends or relatives of library personnel. There is no course limit, but since each registration does cost us some grant funds, staff should make a good faith effort to complete any courses they register for. All courses are to be completed by Dec 15, 2007.
OWLS has also purchased online courses from WebJunction that can be taken by any OWLS member library staff person, regardless of the size of their municipality or position at their library. The OWLS courses can be taken now through 2008.
Information on the WebJunction course offering and registration information for the DPI courses is available at http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/wjcoursereg.html. The course catalog for the OWLS courses is available at http://www.webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=442. If you are interested in obtaining the course coupon code, please contact me.
>> contributed by Leslie
Have you seen the newest Wyoming Libraries marketing campaign? Personally, I like the "You Can Have My Book When You Pry It From My Cold Dead Fingers" bumper sticker. But it's the Mud Flap Girl that's getting discussed by bloggers across the nation. Take a look at a couple of opinions out there from David Lee King and The Shifted Librarian.
What do you think about the campaign and their use of the Mud Flap Girl? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
>> contributed by Beth
At the Directors Meeting on August 23rd, we briefly addressed the topic of digitization and what role OWLS should have in any projects our member libraries have planned. It was the end of a long day with not much time left to discuss the topic, so we'll be following up sometime in the future with a meeting to discuss things more thoroughly.
To help us better plan for the meeting, it would be helpful to know more about the kinds of digitization projects you have in mind and what the obstacles might be in proceeding with your ideas. Please share your thoughts, concerns, and obstacles in the comments below.
>> contributed by Beth
Between Fences, a Smithsonian Museum traveling exhibit, visits the Waupaca Area Public Library from September 15th through October 27th! "Between Fences will enlighten audiences who live surrounded by these familiar objects whose history and meaning they hardly suspect. They will discover how tightly the fence is entwined with politics, industry, and daily life." A more complete description of the exhibit is available on the library's web site. They have a variety of accompanying programs, displays and activities planned, so be sure to visit their calendar of events for more info and plan on joining in on all the fun!
>> contributed by Beth
Check out the new website, America Reads Spanish. This website brings together publishing information for Spanish books including new release information, author interviews, and events to name just a few features.
A companion guide was also created, Essential guide to Spanish Reading. This document brings together the publishing, acquisition and collection development of Spanish books for libraries. The publication is available free by contacting Isabel Neal at ineal@mcx.es.
>> contributed by Holly
Maggie Waggoner alerted me to a wonderful DVD called Putting Customers First. Unlike other customer service videos, this one specifically addresses customer service in libraries and provides specific examples of public libraries that have successfully implemented the techniques. The video also addresses the two types of customers libraries serve—the external ones (library users) and the internal ones (library staff). It takes less than an hour to watch the DVD, and I guarantee you’ll learn a tip or two that you’ll want to use at your library. Here’s one of my favorites: be your best self. Even when you are tired, overwhelmed and wishing it was 5 o’clock, let the customer think you’ve been waiting all day for him or her to walk in the door. It can be tough to do but the personal payoff is definitely worth it. Most of the time. ;-)
>> contributed by Leslie
There are a couple of events coming up this fall in addition to Library Card Sign-up Month. Banned Books Week is September 29th to October 6th and Teen Read Week follows on October 14th through the 20th. Visit the ALA web site for ideas on how to celebrate and promote these events. What will your library be doing? Share your plans in the comments below.
>> contributed by Beth
This summer Anna Yackle from the North Suburban Library System (NSLS) in Wheeling, IL, wrote an article about Return on Investment (ROI) calculators. ROI calculators are a great way to demonstrate cost savings directly to library users. Anna writes, “impressive examples and statistics help state the case, but nothing is more effective in making a point than demonstrating how something impacts the individual.” The users are asked to enter the number of books, videos, magazines, cds, etc checked out, programs attended, and databases searched. Then the user clicks a button to discover how much they’ve saved by using library services. Check out NSLS’s calculator, and the one for the Salem-South District Library. NSLS’s can be added to your home page. Please contact me if you are interested, and I’ll follow up with Anna. Also worth adding to your web site is an accompanying document that can be used to develop talking points about the value of library services.
>> contributed by Leslie
OWLS uses CafePress.com to create InfoSoup and Project Play products that can be sold on demand via their web site. It's a great site and is easy to use. My favorite librarian shop available on CafePress is BiblioGifts.com. Enjoy!
(Note: I modified my original entry above, as the original "library stuff" link contained material that was objectionable to someone. My intent was not to offend, and I apologize for this.)
Another site that I came across this week allows you to plant trees to carbon-balance out for all of the trees that are cut down to create books. Their goal is to move towards sustainable reading. Check out Eco-Libris and consider planting a tree for every book you read.
>> contributed by Beth
