1. Applications for appointment to COLAND now being accepted
2. Input requested for updated Youth and Special Needs Consultant position description
3. Expanded preliminary 2010 public library data available
4. Grievance procedure required by October 1
5. Concealed Carry bill allows public libraries to ban firearms with notice
6. Reminder: IMLS seeks public discussion of strategic plan
7. Best Small Library in America Award nomination guidelines announced
8. Website of the Week - National Weather Service
9. Calendar
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1. APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENT TO COLAND NOW BEING ACCEPTED
Several vacancies currently exist on the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND). Individuals interested in being considered for appointment to COLAND should submit an application to the governor's office as soon as possible. The appointment application, which can be submitted by email, fax, or regular mail, can be found at http://goo.gl/U09Zr. The vacant terms are both public and professional seats.
Created by the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1979, COLAND advises the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to ensure that all state citizens have access to library and information services. Council findings are communicated as advisory recommendations to the state superintendent, governor, and Legislature. The 19-member council is appointed by the governor and functions as a forum through which librarians and members of the public identify, study, and collect public testimony on issues affecting Wisconsin libraries and other information services. Members serve three-year terms. Membership includes ten professional members who represent various public and private libraries as well as library educators. The remaining nine council positions are held by public members with a demonstrated interest in libraries or other types of information services.
Additional information about COLAND can be found at http://dpi.wi.gov/coland.
2. INPUT REQUESTED FOR UPDATED YOUTH AND SPECIAL NEEDS CONSULTANT POSITION DESCRIPTION
The Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community (DLTCL) is working on an updated position description for the vacant Youth and Special Needs Consultant position (previously held by Barb Huntington, who retired in June). The DLTCL is conducting a survey to provide input from the statewide library community to help the division prioritize duties in an updated position description.
The survey asks respondents to rate the importance of a list of the services and projects the Youth and Special Needs Consultant worked on and possible new services and projects.
Please complete the survey at https://forms.dpi.wi.gov/se.ashx?s=56301B2D2B5640B6
Responses are due August 10.
3. EXPANDED PRELIMINARY 2010 PUBLIC LIBRARY DATA AVAILABLE
The preliminary 2010 Wisconsin public library statistics are now available in more formats, arranged in an Excel workbook of spreadsheets. The workbook now shows the data in four views, at the public library level, statewide by systems, county totals, and all libraries arranged by system. The file containing the spreadsheets can be found as a link at the top of the Service Data page at http://pld.dpi.wi.gov/pld_dm-lib-stat. These statistics are based on information submitted on the 2010 Public Library Annual Reports. Library directors are asked to review their library's data. Errors or corrections should be reported to John DeBacher at john.debacher@dpi.wi.gov.
The final Wisconsin data will be made available soon after review and acceptance of Wisconsin's 2010 public library data submission by IMLS (probably late August); however, the preliminary data may be useful for planning and comparison purposes, as well as for preliminary budget preparation.
4. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE REQUIRED BY OCTOBER 1
2011 Act 10 (the new collective bargaining law) requires all local government units to offer some form of grievance procedure to all employees, regardless of whether the employees are represented by a union or not, by October 1, 2011. All employers must have a grievance procedure that covers, at a minimum, the topics of employee discipline, employee termination, and workplace safety.
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities provides an article on grievance procedures required under Act 10 at: http://goo.gl/bNbdt.
The League also provides two sample grievance procedures at: http://goo.gl/uYgBf.
One of the Act 10 requirements is that the grievance process includes "An appeal process in which the highest level of appeal is the governing body of the local governmental unit." It is DLTCL opinion that since Wisconsin Statute s. 43.58(4) gives a library board the highest level authority over library personnel matters this includes the authority for the ultimate disposition of any grievance brought by a public library employee.
In order to comply with Act 10, public libraries and public library systems should have a complying grievance process in place by October 1, 2011. If library employees will be covered by a municipal or county grievance policy, the library should work with their local government officials to make sure that their grievance policy provides that the final step in the grievance appeal process goes before the library board, and that in all other respects the municipal grievance policy preserves the legal authority of the library director and library board regarding library personnel matters.
5. CONCEALED CARRY BILL ALLOWS PUBLIC LIBRARIES TO BAN FIREARMS WITH NOTICE
2011 Act 35, allowing individuals to carry concealed weapons under certain conditions, was recently signed by Governor Walker and will take effect on November 1. State and local units of government and their subunits (including libraries) are allowed to post notice in their buildings prohibiting an individual from entering with a concealed weapon. Individuals violating the prohibition could be subject to a class B forfeiture (an amount up to $1,000).
Signs notifying visitors of the weapons ban must be posted in a prominent place near all entrances to the building or parts of the building where the restriction applies. Signs must be at least 5 inches by 7 inches and must be posted so that individuals entering the building "can be reasonably expected to see the sign."
Public libraries should consult their municipal or county attorney for more details.
6. REMINDER: IMLS SEEKS PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIC PLAN
Did you know that there is an exciting conversation going on about future directions for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)? On Friday, July 15, IMLS launched http://imls.ideascale.com to engage the public in discussions that will help to shape their next five-year strategic plan. Since then, dozens of people have been sharing new ideas, voting to agree or disagree with ideas and providing comments. IMLS will use this input to help develop their plan, which will provide a roadmap for future activities, help IMLS communicate clearly and concisely about agency results, and provide for accountability.
IMLS knows the years ahead will be full of rapid change and they want your ideas about how they can carry out their statutory responsibility "to support museum, library, and information services to meet the information, education, research, economic, cultural, and civic needs of the people of the United States."
So visit http://imls.ideascale.com and participate. You may want to check on the conversation a few times during the coming weeks to see new ideas and add your comments. The site will be open until August 12, 2011.
7. BEST SMALL LIBRARY IN AMERICA AWARD NOMINATION GUIDELINES ANNOUNCED
Library Journal's annual award for the Best Small Library in America, co-sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was founded to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of these libraries. Now in its seventh year, the award honors the public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less.
The winning library will receive a $15,000 cash award, a feature story in the February 1, 2012, Library Journal, membership and conference costs for two library representatives to attend the Public Library Association Biannual Conference in 2012 in Philadelphia, PA, and a gala reception at the conference. Starting with the 2011 award year, two finalist libraries will be awarded a $5,000 cash award as well as membership and conference costs for two library representatives to attend the PLA conference and the gala reception in 2012, and they will be given special mention in Library Journal.
Members of the editorial board of Library Journal, librarians from around the country, and a representative from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will judge nominations based on key factors, including:
- Creativity in developing services and programs that can be replicated by other libraries, including outreach to special populations
- Innovation in introducing and supporting public access to computers and the Internet
- Success in educating patrons in computer use, and measuring the results of technology usage
- Use of technology to expand the reach of library services
- Demonstrated community support
- Sustained cooperation with other libraries
- Partnerships with other agencies and businesses
- Increase in library use, particularly by new users
- Evidence of library's role as community center
Detailed eligibility requirements and submission requirements are at http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA606273.html.
The postmark deadline for nominations is November 2, 2011. Send the nomination to:
Library Journal's Award for the Best Small Library in America
Library Journal
160 Varick Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10013
If you have any questions regarding the submission process, please contact Rebecca Miller at rmiller@mediasourceinc.com or by phone at (646) 380-0738.
8. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
National Weather Service -- http://www.weather.gov/ -- As the home page for the National Weather Service, this site is the starting point for official government weather forecasts, warnings, meteorological products for forecasting the weather, and information about meteorology. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
9. CALENDAR
September 9, 2011 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, Madison
November 1-4, 2011 - Wisconsin Library Association annual conference, Milwaukee
November 11, 2011 - Council on Library and Network Development, Milwaukee
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To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/chn_chweekly
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Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning
PO Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 266-6439
FAX: (608) 267-9207