March 2010 Archives
The New London Public Library, Wisconsin has a full time (37.5 hours) position for an energetic, creative, service-oriented librarian to head the Children's Department. Responsibilities include overseeing children's staff, selection of materials for children's department, and planning and implementing children's programming, birth to sixth grade. This includes story times, after school programs, summer reading activities, school tours and special events. Bachelor’s degree required, MLS preferred. Previous experience working with children required. Supervisory experience highly desirable. Desired skills include knowledge of children's literature, ability to work independently, and ability to communicate positively with coworkers and customers. Position involves some evening and weekend hours Deadline April 16 April 23, 2010
Please send or email resume and three references to:
Ann Hunt, Director
New London Public Library
406 S. Pearl St.
New London, WI 54961
ahunt@mail.owls.lib.wi.us
For more information call (920) 982-8519
Please send or email resume and three references to:
Ann Hunt, Director
New London Public Library
406 S. Pearl St.
New London, WI 54961
ahunt@mail.owls.lib.wi.us
For more information call (920) 982-8519
This morning I attended the Virtual PLA 2010 session “If You Didn’t Work Here Would You Come Here?” A panel of librarians from around the country and from big cities to small towns discussed library programming for quarter-life adults and young professionals. Many of the ideas they shared could be useful for OWLS libraries. You can review the presentation and find information about the panelists here: http://sites.google.com/site/plaportland2010/
Identifying the Opportunity
Demographic trends indicate that Americans are marrying and having children later in life. At the same time, attendance at religious services and membership in community groups are declining. Libraries have an opportunity to step up and help adults in their 20’s and 30’s find community.
Libraries regularly have programs for children, teenagers, and seniors. Before dismissing the need for adult programming, consider the 3Vs:
Program Ideas
Panelists and session participants suggested dozens of programs that have attracted young adults to their libraries. Here are a few. Review the presentation for more.
The “Girls Night Out at the Library” series at the Chicago Public Library was hands-on, interactive and low-tech with activities such as candle making at a program titled “Waxy Mavens”
“A World of Beauforts” in Beaufort, South Carolina was a food tasting festival that featured food from other towns and cities named Beaufort around the world.
In Kansas City “The New Cult Canon” invited young adults to the library roof for a film festival. They also held a Garage Band contest in the Library’s garage.
One library (sorry, I missed which one) held a literary speed dating event called “Hardbound to Heartbound.”
The Omaha Public Library offered “Board Silly” which combined board games and cocktails at the library.
Other programs included knitting/crocheting clubs at the library, World of Warcraft LAN parties, book clubs or discussions at bars or restaurants and at lunch hour, seed starting with heirloom seeds, art gallery crawls, Scrabble™ tournaments, trivia night, cake decorating, concert series, poetry events, stand-up comedy, financial planning, and employability workshops. This list is not exhaustive and more ideas will be added to the session site (http://sites.google.com/site/plaportland2010/) in the next few weeks.
Tips for Successful Young Adult Programming
The panelists shared several strategies that have made their libraries’ adult programming more successful:
I would love to know more about the programs OWLS libraries are offering for adults. Please share your successes and lessons learned with us!
Many thanks to the Appleton Public Library for inviting OWLS staff to attend their Virtual PLA sessions!
Identifying the Opportunity
Demographic trends indicate that Americans are marrying and having children later in life. At the same time, attendance at religious services and membership in community groups are declining. Libraries have an opportunity to step up and help adults in their 20’s and 30’s find community.
Libraries regularly have programs for children, teenagers, and seniors. Before dismissing the need for adult programming, consider the 3Vs:
- They Vote!
- They’re Viral – meaning active on social media
- They’re Vital members of the community.
Program Ideas
Panelists and session participants suggested dozens of programs that have attracted young adults to their libraries. Here are a few. Review the presentation for more.
The “Girls Night Out at the Library” series at the Chicago Public Library was hands-on, interactive and low-tech with activities such as candle making at a program titled “Waxy Mavens”
“A World of Beauforts” in Beaufort, South Carolina was a food tasting festival that featured food from other towns and cities named Beaufort around the world.
In Kansas City “The New Cult Canon” invited young adults to the library roof for a film festival. They also held a Garage Band contest in the Library’s garage.
One library (sorry, I missed which one) held a literary speed dating event called “Hardbound to Heartbound.”
The Omaha Public Library offered “Board Silly” which combined board games and cocktails at the library.
Other programs included knitting/crocheting clubs at the library, World of Warcraft LAN parties, book clubs or discussions at bars or restaurants and at lunch hour, seed starting with heirloom seeds, art gallery crawls, Scrabble™ tournaments, trivia night, cake decorating, concert series, poetry events, stand-up comedy, financial planning, and employability workshops. This list is not exhaustive and more ideas will be added to the session site (http://sites.google.com/site/plaportland2010/) in the next few weeks.
Tips for Successful Young Adult Programming
The panelists shared several strategies that have made their libraries’ adult programming more successful:
- Partner with local community groups and businesses that cater to young adults.
- Have a social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Meetup.com, etc.).
- Create branding for adult programming that is age appropriate and differentiates it from children’s or teen programming.
- Consider after-hours programs and look into short term liquor licenses in your area.
- If library hours are limiting, consider holding programs after hours and/or off-site.
- Consider charging a small fee at the door or for drinks to support adult program budgets.
- Build an email list through event registration or sign-in; ask partnering groups to promote events on their email lists. Use email blast services like Constant Contact.
- Post flyers in local coffee shops and other places where younger adults congregate.
- Bring your giant library card (we have those!) and a camera everywhere you go. People love to be photographed with the giant card.
- Work with local media outlets: TV, radio, newspapers and local blogs.
- Build on the expertise and connections of library staff in this age category.
- Be persistent and consistent. If a program doesn’t work, don’t give up.
- Offer high-quality programming and word will spread.
I would love to know more about the programs OWLS libraries are offering for adults. Please share your successes and lessons learned with us!
Many thanks to the Appleton Public Library for inviting OWLS staff to attend their Virtual PLA sessions!
Four 2009 member library circulation reports have been posted on the OWLS Statistics page.
- 2009 Circulation Summary - This report includes summary county, crossover, and intersystem circulation numbers for member libraries.
- 2009 Crossover Borrowing Summary - This report gives the number of items circulated by member libraries to residents of other member library communities.
- 2009 Outagamie County Circulation Matrix - This report gives the number of items circulated to residents of each town or village in Outagamie County that doesn't operate a library.
- 2009 Waupaca County Circulation Matrix - This report gives the number of items circulated to residents of each town or village in Waupaca County that doesn't operate a library.
Four BadgerLunch webinars will be held in April on the topic of Ecology and the Environment:
April 8 -- Learning & Teaching Tools in Student Research Center
TO REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/yg8t785
April 15 -- GreenFile and Other Ecology Resources from EBSCO
TO REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/ykm7cjp
April 22 -- Environmental Resources from Britannica Online
TO REGISTER: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/422072200
April 29 -- Videos on the Environment from ECB VideoLink
TO JOIN: http://tinyurl.com/yemmbbc (No advance registration)
All BadgerLunch Webinars are Thursdays at noon and last 30-45 minutes. These webinars are free. An archive of previous sessions can be found at www.badgerlink.net/training.html.
April 8 -- Learning & Teaching Tools in Student Research Center
TO REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/yg8t785
April 15 -- GreenFile and Other Ecology Resources from EBSCO
TO REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/ykm7cjp
April 22 -- Environmental Resources from Britannica Online
TO REGISTER: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/422072200
April 29 -- Videos on the Environment from ECB VideoLink
TO JOIN: http://tinyurl.com/yemmbbc (No advance registration)
All BadgerLunch Webinars are Thursdays at noon and last 30-45 minutes. These webinars are free. An archive of previous sessions can be found at www.badgerlink.net/training.html.
Don't let tight budgets keep you from pursuing professional development opportunities. Consider applying for one of two CE scholarships, sponsored by the WLA Foundation and available to WLA members. Applications are due June 1, 2010 (a change from the previous September 15 due date).
George Bauer Continuing Education Scholarship ($800)
Available to a person employed in a library in Wisconsin, or someone who works with library employees in those communities,to attend a conference or other continuing education program within or outside Wisconsin.
Gloria Hoegh Scholarship for Rural Librarians ($1,050)
Available to a person employed in a library in a Wisconsin community with a population of 5,000 or less, or someone who works with library employees in those communities, to attend a conference or other continuing education program within or outside Wisconsin.
Details on the scholarships and copies of the application forms are available here.
George Bauer Continuing Education Scholarship ($800)
Available to a person employed in a library in Wisconsin, or someone who works with library employees in those communities,to attend a conference or other continuing education program within or outside Wisconsin.
Gloria Hoegh Scholarship for Rural Librarians ($1,050)
Available to a person employed in a library in a Wisconsin community with a population of 5,000 or less, or someone who works with library employees in those communities, to attend a conference or other continuing education program within or outside Wisconsin.
Details on the scholarships and copies of the application forms are available here.
Youth Services Librarian: Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library seeks a creative, service-oriented person with excellent communication skills to provide a broad range of public services to children and young adults. Responsibilities for this position include planning and implementing programs for children and young adults, developing collections and services, providing readers’ advisory and reference services, and participating in community-wide efforts in support of young people. This position supervises the Youth Services Assistant and Summer Students and is scheduled for 30 hours per week. Some evening and Saturday hours may be required.
Qualifications: MLS from an ALA-accredited program OR a Bachelor’s Degree in education or related field with experience in a public library or school setting. Experience in supervision and knowledge of Innovative Interfaces Millennium Integrated Library System desired. All employees of the library must reside within 10 miles of the Kimberly Municipal Complex at 515 W. Kimberly Avenue, Kimberly, Wisconsin. Compensation: $17.50 per hour; paid vacation; health, life & retirement benefits.
Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library serves the villages of Kimberly and Little Chute, Wisconsin, nestled in the Fox Valley. Enjoy small town life with the convenience of city amenities offered nearby in Appleton and Green Bay. Our enthusiastic, hard-working staff seeks to provide the best service possible while having fun in the process. The Library is a member of the Outagamie Waupaca Library System and participates in the shared online catalog, InfoSoup. The Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library is an equal-opportunity employer.
Send letter of application with resume and three references to Beth Carpenter, Library Director, at bcarpent@mail.owls.lib.wi.us. Applications must be submitted online. A complete job description can be found on the library website at http://www.kimlit.org/. Application deadline: Wednesday, April 7, 2010.
Qualifications: MLS from an ALA-accredited program OR a Bachelor’s Degree in education or related field with experience in a public library or school setting. Experience in supervision and knowledge of Innovative Interfaces Millennium Integrated Library System desired. All employees of the library must reside within 10 miles of the Kimberly Municipal Complex at 515 W. Kimberly Avenue, Kimberly, Wisconsin. Compensation: $17.50 per hour; paid vacation; health, life & retirement benefits.
Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library serves the villages of Kimberly and Little Chute, Wisconsin, nestled in the Fox Valley. Enjoy small town life with the convenience of city amenities offered nearby in Appleton and Green Bay. Our enthusiastic, hard-working staff seeks to provide the best service possible while having fun in the process. The Library is a member of the Outagamie Waupaca Library System and participates in the shared online catalog, InfoSoup. The Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library is an equal-opportunity employer.
Send letter of application with resume and three references to Beth Carpenter, Library Director, at bcarpent@mail.owls.lib.wi.us. Applications must be submitted online. A complete job description can be found on the library website at http://www.kimlit.org/. Application deadline: Wednesday, April 7, 2010.
The Clintonville Public Library is currently accepting applications for a Library Technician position. This is a part time non-benefited position that averages 15 hours per week including daytime, evening, and weekend hours. Work involves checking library materials in and out, assisting people with the online catalog, answering the telephone, processing library materials, and other duties as assigned. Qualified candidates must have keyboarding and filing experience. Starting pay is $8.59 per hour with an increase after a six month orientation period. Application forms are available at the library. Position open immediately. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Contact Library Director Kathy Mitchell for further information.
Clintonville Public Library
75 Hemlock Street
Clintonville, WI 54929
Phone: 715-823-4563
Fax: 715-823-7134
Email: cpl@mail.owls.lib.wi.us
Clintonville Public Library
75 Hemlock Street
Clintonville, WI 54929
Phone: 715-823-4563
Fax: 715-823-7134
Email: cpl@mail.owls.lib.wi.us
The following six NISO webinars are available to OWLS members through an agreement with WiLS. Bring your lunch to the Nest and watch them with us, or OWLS members can log in remotely (details to come). All webinars are 12:00-1:30 CST.
RFID in Libraries: Standards and Expanding Use - April 14th
It's in the Mail: Best Practices for Resource Sharing - May 12th
Measure, Assess, Improve, Repeat: Using Library Performance Metrics - Sept 8th
Count Me In: Measuring Individual Item Usage - Sept 15th
It's Only as Good as the Metadata: Improving OpenURL and Knowledgebase Quality - Oct 13th
Unprecedented Interaction: Providing Accessibility for the Disabled - Dec 8th
Check here for updates and registration: http://www.owlsweb.info/ce/classes.asp?x=2
RFID in Libraries: Standards and Expanding Use - April 14th
It's in the Mail: Best Practices for Resource Sharing - May 12th
Measure, Assess, Improve, Repeat: Using Library Performance Metrics - Sept 8th
Count Me In: Measuring Individual Item Usage - Sept 15th
It's Only as Good as the Metadata: Improving OpenURL and Knowledgebase Quality - Oct 13th
Unprecedented Interaction: Providing Accessibility for the Disabled - Dec 8th
Check here for updates and registration: http://www.owlsweb.info/ce/classes.asp?x=2
"Free Speech and Banned Books" presented by Chris Crutcher
Monday, April 12, 2010, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Monday, April 12, 2010, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Location: Appleton Public Library Meeting Rooms
Sponsored
by: Fox Valley Library Council for members
11:00am - Noon: Presentation
Noon - 1:00pm: Lunch
RSVP to Sue Vater Olsen (svater@mail.owls.lib.wi.us) with the
following:
1) Attending both presentation and lunch or presentation only
2) Vegetarian or non-vegetarian lunch
3) Any special needs
(1 contact hours for recertification)
On Thursday, April 8th at the Appleton Public Library, OWLS will facilitate a discussion of Facebook pages for libraries. If your library does not have a Facebook page yet, join us in the morning to discuss why you might (or might not) want a Facebook presence and how to get started.
If you already have a Facebook page, join us at 11:00 for ideas on what to post, and how to maintain a consistent Facebook presence with limited time. We hope you will share your own Facebook experiences, challenges and best practices with the group.
Finally, if you are ready to jump right in, come back after lunch and build your Facebook page with help from Bradley and Evan. Registration for the afternoon workshop is limited, and this session will require some homework before you arrive, so sign up early.
9:15 – 10:45 Part 1: Starting a Facebook Page: Why and How?
10:45 – 11:00 Coffee and snacks
11:00 – 11:45 Part 2: Care and Feeding of a Facebook Page: Balancing Content and Effort
11:45 – 12:30 Discussion: Share your experiences with library Facebook pages. What’s working? What's not working?
12:30 – 1:30 Break for lunch
1:30 – 3:30 Part 3: Set up your page
Register for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, or any combination of the three here.
If you already have a Facebook page, join us at 11:00 for ideas on what to post, and how to maintain a consistent Facebook presence with limited time. We hope you will share your own Facebook experiences, challenges and best practices with the group.
Finally, if you are ready to jump right in, come back after lunch and build your Facebook page with help from Bradley and Evan. Registration for the afternoon workshop is limited, and this session will require some homework before you arrive, so sign up early.
9:15 – 10:45 Part 1: Starting a Facebook Page: Why and How?
10:45 – 11:00 Coffee and snacks
11:00 – 11:45 Part 2: Care and Feeding of a Facebook Page: Balancing Content and Effort
11:45 – 12:30 Discussion: Share your experiences with library Facebook pages. What’s working? What's not working?
12:30 – 1:30 Break for lunch
1:30 – 3:30 Part 3: Set up your page
Register for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, or any combination of the three here.
Drop by drop, or Drupal by Drupal, we are making progress with new OWLS web sites. On February 8th New London went live with their new site and just before Christmas, Seymour launched their new web site. If you have not visited them yet, take a look! OWLS is also hosting the new Fox Cities Book Festival site. This is a Drupal site designed by Beth Carpenter using the software program Artisteer http://www.artisteer.com. I have a copy of Artisteer at OWLS that I have been playing around with, so if you would like to learn more about the program let me know. Last year we also had five other libraries move over to Drupal. The five libraries are:I will be working my way through my list of libraries this spring and summer. I've given up try to predict how long each site will take, but we are making progress and will get to the end of the list eventually!
While not influenced by OWLS moving to Drupal (as far as I know) I saw that the New York Public Library also launched a new Drupal based web site in December. This short YoubTube video introduces their site. As a large, multi-branched library, their needs (and resources) may be different than a smaller library, but I thought the video raised some issues appropriate to any size library. One point was that they did interviews to determine what information users were looking for when they visited their web site. How to use the library was one of the top responses and thus the top link on their site under Home. This seems like something libraries often don't promote prominently on their web sites. I also think it is interesting how little actual information is on the home page and how much space is dedicated to generally promoting the library and it's mission -- Discover, Get Inspired, Meet the Challenge, Inspiring lifelong learning, Strengthening our communities etc... I'm actually not sure yet what I think of the design, but I find it helpful to look at different sites like this and try to figure out how effective or not they are.
That's enough for now -- I have to get back to working on more Drupal sites. Libraries still waiting, thank you for your patience! Please contact me any time for Drupal questions or updates.
