Recently in administration Category

Recently,  the Department of Public Instruction released the Fifth Edition of the Wisconsin Public Library Standards. Consequently, I've updated the Wisconsin Public Library Standards page on OWLSweb.  As in the past, the Standards include checklists of recommended minimum standards and quantitative standards that have been assembled from annual report data submitted by Wisconsin public libraries.

To aid libraries in using the quantitative standards I've developed an Excel workbook [xls] that any library can use to generate reports that include service targets at all four levels of effort. These recommended service levels can be used in the development of local library plans. I've also updated the service population estimates for all OWLS member libraries.

The Waupaca County Library Planning Committee has made great progress toward developing a new county library service plan.  A public hearing will be held on the proposed 2010-2014 plan on July 30th at 6:30 p.m. at the Waupaca County Courthouse.  The proposed plan and all of the Committee’s documents are available for review on OWLSweb.  Under the proposed plan, Waupaca County would reach the 100% funding level by 2014.

> contributed by Rick

The American Library Association (ALA) has updated its “Guidelines on Library and Information Services to Older Adults.” These guidelines, first developed in the 1970s, have been updated to respond to the changing demographics of an aging U.S. population. The current population of older adults is the most heterogeneous in U.S. history. These updated guidelines reflect a basic principle in library services to older adults that recognizes this diversity and discourages stereotyping in planning collections, programs and services for this growing population. For purposes of these guidelines, an “older adult” is defined as a person at least 55 years old.
 
The updating of these guidelines began in 2005. Current and past members of the Committee on Library Service to an Aging Population and the Office of Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) Library Service to the Aging Subcommittee contributed to this revision.
 
The Guidelines can be downloaded from this site:
http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/libraryservices.cfm

(from Channel Weekly, Vol. 11, No. 37, June 25, 2009 - posted with permission)

The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Literacy and Outreach Services has created a number of useful tool kits, which are accessible from their web page at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/olos/toolkits.cfm.
 
These tool kits address a wide range of topics, from how to assist non-English speakers and older adults, to how to support and advocate for rural and small libraries and tribal libraries, to gaming in libraries. The tools include:

• The American Dream Starts @ your library
• Guide for Building Support for Your Tribal Library
• Handbook for Mobile Services Staff
• How to Serve the World: Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries
• Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ Your Library
• The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming: An Online Toolkit for Building Gaming @your library logo
• The Small but Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library
• TRAILS: Tribal Library Procedures Manual

(from Channel Weekly, Vol. 11, No. 36, June 18, 2009 - posted with permission)
 

The annual report next year will include a section on programs offered to young adults.  This was published in Channel Weekly, but I thought I'd send out a reminder, in case you missed it!  Providing this information will be voluntary the first year, but if you're interested in reporting this, it's best to start accumulating this information as soon as possible.

CHANGE IN PROGRAM INFORMATION FOR ANNUAL REPORT

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, which administers federal LSTA funding and collects annual statistics from all states, will begin collecting information on library programs targeted to Young Adults, beginning in 2010. The Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report previously has collected data on the annual total for adult and children's programs and program attendance. Wisconsin will begin to collect data for young adult programs and attendance as well.
    
DPI will include this new data element in the 2009 annual report (to be completed by libraries early next year), but the information will be voluntary that first year, recognizing that libraries have not previously been required to submit the information. Children's programs will now be defined as programs targeted at children up to age 11, and young adult programs are those targeted at ages 12-18 years of age.
    
This change means that libraries should count both the programs they offer for children and those offered for teens. As in the past, the audience count is everyone who attends, regardless of age. Libraries will decide for themselves if the programs they offer were targeted at children or teens, but a single program may be counted only in one category, and attendance should be attributed correspondingly.  Programs for all ages or for families often are counted as children’s programs, but it all depends on the library's intended audience for the program. The 2009 Annual Report will request total attendance at both children and teen programs for 2009 (as well as a total for all programs and attendance, which would include adult programs) and those figures will be required in 2010.
    
Please note that the DLTCL is not requiring libraries to offer young adult programs, but if the library does offer programs targeted to young adults, those programs should be tracked and reported distinct from children's or "other" programs. This change at the national level is in response to the growing awareness that teens benefit from specific services and that more libraries are offering services and programs designed for that audience. Further information will be included on the annual report instructions. If you have questions, contact John DeBacher on the DPI’s Public Library Development Team at john.debacher@dpi.wi.gov.

> contributed by Gerri
 

The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has added teaching resources (in PowerPoint format) to support its recently updated publication, CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries.  In addition to the 93-page manual (in PDF format),  two presentations are available, one as an overview, and the other, “Attack Your Collection,” covers the CREW method (Continuous Review Evaluation Weeding) in greater detail.  The method can be applied to either school media centers or public libraries. The document, presentations, worksheet and case study can be found at http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/.

(from Channel Weekly, Vol. 11, No. 34, June 4, 2009 - posted with permission)

SirsiDynix Institute offers wonderful webinars every once in a while, presented by leaders in the library community. I recently sat in on one presented by Kitty Pope, executive director of the Alliance Library System in Illinois, entitled "Leading in Difficult Times."

Pope's presentation was based on a series of articles she has been writing over the course of the last few months as she explored ways to control the fear and worries of those she advises and to replace the fear with courage and hope. The articles have been published under the heading "On a + Note" and are available, along with the slides from her presentation, on her system's web site.

Take a look at the articles and see what you think. I found them practical, inspiring, and just plain good advice. If you like what you read, drop her a note - she'll send you her articles via email each week.

Oh, and by the way, you can subscribe to SirsiDynix Institute's programs in iTunes or your RSS reader!

> contributed by Beth

John DeBacher from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recently posted an article on Pandemic Planning for Wisconsin Public Libraries. The page offers some good tips on how to shape a policy for your library and stresses the fact that libraries can play a critical role in distributing information and helping to keep the public informed. The article also links to http://pandemic.wi.gov/, Wisconsin's Pandemic Flu Resource and additional resources from the DPI on Flu Outbreak and Pandemic Measures.

> contributed by Beth

(from Channel Weekly, Vol. 11, No. 27, April 9, 2009 - posted with permission)

The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice prepared and issued in installments a technical assistance document designed to assist state and local officials to improve compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in their programs, services, activities, and facilities.  The technical assistance document series is entitled “The ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments.”

 

The Tool Kit is designed to teach state and local government officials how to identify and fix problems that prevent people with disabilities from gaining equal access to state and local government programs, services, and activities.  It will also teach state and local officials how to conduct accessibility surveys of their buildings and facilities to identify and remove architectural barriers to access. While state and local governments are not required to use the ADA Best Practices Tool Kit, the U.S. Department of Justice encourages its use as one effective means of complying with the requirements of Title II of the ADA. The Toolkit can be found here: http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/toolkitmain.htm.

 

Other useful ADA information and guidelines for local governments, as well as links to publications on topics such as “Accessibility of State and Local Websites,” and “ADA Guide for Small Towns” are listed on the ADA Home Page: http://www.ada.gov/.

The 2008 Outagamie County and Waupaca County circulation matrices are now posted on the OWLS Statistics page.  Each county's circulation matrix shows the circulation by every library in the county to every jurisdiction in the county that doesn't operate a library.  A county's circulation matrix provides a detailed breakdown of the circulation for which the county reimburses its municipal libraries, i.e., it's the circulation we use to make the annual county budget requests.  In addition, the population and circulation per capita is listed for each town.  Take a look and see how much the neighboring towns use your library.  You might be surprised by the numbers.

> contributed by Rick via News for Directors