1. Library strategic planning and visioning efforts
2. Libraries must order Wisconsin tax forms by December 5
3. Library of Congress offers guide to e-books
4. Library Visits at Historic High
5. Money Smart Week® transitions from fall to spring
6. Website of the Week - Dietary Guidelines for Americans
7. Calendar
=================================================
REMINDER - Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Channel Weekly will not be published next week (November 24). The next issue of Channel Weekly will be the December 1 edition.
1. LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLANNING AND VISIONING EFFORTS
Kurt Kiefer, Assistant State Superintendent for DPI's Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning (DLTCL), attended the fall meeting of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) in Santa Fe, NM, during the last week of October. This annual meeting of State Librarians from across the U.S. focused on directions for the future of libraries. Key themes centered on digital content and libraries as service centers for such things as government services, workforce development and continuous learning, and Internet related services like small business development. COSLA is working with other groups including the American Library Association (ALA) on e-book purchasing and distribution strategies. Also in attendance at the meeting was Susan Hildreth, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and other IMLS staff.
In early November, Kurt Kiefer and Bob Bocher, Interim Director for the DLTCL's Public Library Development Team, attended the State Library Capacity Building meeting sponsored by the Gates Foundation at their Seattle headquarters. All COSLA members along with relevant state library agency staff were invited to discuss the future of libraries and their continuing relationships with the Gates Foundation. Topics of discussion included libraries as neighborhood anchor service centers, digital content, and library advocacy. IMLS director Susan Hildreth and other IMLS staff also attended the meeting.
The DLTCL will facilitate a discussion around libraries and the future by convening a task force in early 2012. The focus of the group is to review statutory requirements for library systems with an eye toward making them contemporary with the issues facing libraries and their patrons. The task force will develop recommendations by early fall. The group will be representative of the entire community and will appoint persons based on roles, location, and library type and size. If you are interested in being considered for this task force please contact Kurt Kiefer at kurt.kiefer@dpi.wi.gov no later than December 16.
2. LIBRARIES MUST ORDER WISCONSIN TAX FORMS BY DECEMBER 5
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has altered its distribution system for paper forms. Because many libraries are not subscribed to the DOR's Library listserv, the DLTCL is providing the following information on ordering tax forms (note: libraries are not required to provide tax forms, but many do as a service to the public). The following is adapted from the DOR letter:
The DOR appreciates the service many libraries provide to Wisconsin taxpayers by making tax forms available throughout the state. The 2011 tax year brings new changes to the distribution of Wisconsin tax forms, which impacts the library order due on December 5, 2011.
While wanting to continue to provide forms to taxpayers who need them, the DOR must reduce the waste associated with forms that are not being used. In recent years, the Internal Revenue Service and several states have discontinued the practice of annually mailing individual income tax forms and instructions. These decisions have been prompted by the continued growth of electronic filing, the availability of free filing options, and the need to reduce costs. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue has joined this trend by discontinuing its annual mailing of individual income tax Form 1, 1A and WI-Z, 1NPR, and Schedule H and H-EZ booklets, with limited exceptions.
Last year, the DOR received library orders totaling approximately 1.48 million forms and instructions, which was higher than the previous year's order quantity of approximately 1.4 million. However, less than 10% of the forms ordered by libraries were actually filed with the department. In an effort to help reduce the cost associated with unused paper tax forms, the DOR is initiating a new cost saving measure that applies to library orders for 2011 Wisconsin tax forms. This year they are asking each library to order no more than 75% of the quantity ordered in 2010. Libraries are encouraged to order a smaller quantity, particularly if they had a number of forms leftover last year.
How to Order 2011 Wisconsin Tax Forms
1. Access Form P-744L, Library Tax Form Request: http://www.revenue.wi.gov/forms/misc/p-744lf.pdf
2. Fill in the address and requested quantities. Remember that the 2011 order quantity should not exceed 75% of the quantity ordered for 2010. Check the DOR web site under Libraries for the 2010 order information: http://www.revenue.wi.gov/html/local.html
3. Save completed form to your computer
4. E-mail the completed request form (as an attachment) to DorLibraryFormsOrders@revenue.wi.gov
If you have any questions or need assistance with placing your order, please contact Laurie Yahr at (608) 261-5106 or laurie.yahr@revenue.wi.gov. Please submit your order by December 5th.
The DOR encourages libraries to sign up for the department's Library electronic mailing list to receive important communications specifically relating to libraries: http://www.revenue.wi.gov/html/lists.html.
3. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OFFERS GUIDE TO E-BOOKS
The Library of Congress (LOC) now offers an online introduction to e-books, covering what they are, how to use them, and where to find them, both at the Library of Congress and elsewhere online. The web address is http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ebooks/.
The comprehensive guide was created by J. Cheyenne Hohman of the University of Kentucky, who participated this past spring at the LOC on an Alternative Spring Break Internship. The Web-based resource includes sections on LOC resources, external Web sites offering free content, an overview of e-book readers, devices, and file formats, as well as access issues related to copyright and accessibility.
4. LIBRARY VISITS AT HISTORIC HIGH
The ways in which Americans use libraries changed significantly in the decade ending in 2009 as libraries adapted to meet the evolving needs of their users. These changes are keeping libraries relevant, vibrant places as evidenced by a 24.4% increase in visits per capita in the last ten years, with total visits increasing by nearly 40%. In 2009 (the most recent data available) libraries were visited a record-breaking 1.59 billion times, according to the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) report on the FY2009 Public Library Survey (PLS), a census of public libraries in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories conducted annually by IMLS.
"People depend on libraries now more than ever," said IMLS Director Susan Hildreth. "Not only do visits and circulation continue to rise, the role of public libraries in providing Internet resources to the public continues to increase as well. Public libraries have also increased their program offerings to meet greater demand and provide more targeted services. Despite this demonstrated ability of libraries to adjust to meet the growing needs of the public, many libraries across the country face severe budget cuts. It's important to remember that this data ends with 2009, before even more severe budget crises put so many libraries and library programs at risk."
The Institute's analysis of the data showed that per capita visits and circulation rose in the century's first decade. The number of public libraries increased during that period but not enough to keep pace with the rise in population. Library staffing remained stable, though the percentage of public libraries with degreed and accredited librarians increased.
The report also found that the nature and composition of collections in U.S. public libraries is changing, indicating that library collections are becoming more varied. Although the volume of print materials decreased over the 10 years studied, collections overall continued to grow because of increases in the number of audio, video, and electronic book materials.
The role of public libraries in providing Internet resources to the public also continued to increase. According to the report, the availability of Internet-ready computer terminals in public libraries doubled over the course of the decade.
The U.S. Census Bureau is the data collection agent for the PLS. The fiscal year (FY) 2009 survey is the 22nd in the series. The full report can be found at https://harvester.census.gov/imls/pubs/pls/pub_detail.asp?id=140#.
5. MONEY SMART WEEK® TRANSITIONS FROM FALL TO SPRING
Following a number of years of Money Smart Week® celebrations in October, Wisconsin's project will become a spring event and be celebrated the week of April 21-28, 2012.
Eleven states have joined Wisconsin to make Money Smart Week® a national program. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will be the clearinghouse for all partners throughout the nation. Libraries interested in partnering for programs are asked to please go to http://www.moneysmartweek.org after November 22 to register and add events for April 2012. The deadline to register is January 15, 2012.
Money Smart Week Wisconsin is a creation of the Governor's Council on Financial Literacy, http://www.wdfi.org/ymm/govcouncilfinlit/. Administrative activities and oversight of Money Smart Week® are conducted by the Office of Financial Literacy (OFL) of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. A link to the 2012 Partner Toolkit and information on past Wisconsin Money Smart Weeks can be found here: http://www.moneysmartwi.org/partner_toolkit/.
6. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm -- The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion creates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are the "cornerstone" of the Federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. The CNPP was created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture on December 1, 1994, and reports to the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. CNPP's mission is to improve the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.
7. CALENDAR
January 13, 2012 - Council on Library and Network Development, by webconference
January 20-24, 2012 - American Library Association mid-winter meeting, Dallas, TX
February 14, 2012 - Wisconsin Library Association (WLA)/Wisconsin Education Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) Library Legislative Day, Madison
March 13-17, 2012 - Public Library Association annual meeting, Philadelphia, PA
March 28-30, 2012 - Wisconsin Education Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells
April 23-24, 2012 - American Library Association National Library Legislative Day, Washington, DC
October 23-26, 2012 - Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) annual conference, La Crosse
==================================================
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/chn_chweekly
==================================================
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
2. Libraries must order Wisconsin tax forms by December 5
3. Library of Congress offers guide to e-books
4. Library Visits at Historic High
5. Money Smart Week® transitions from fall to spring
6. Website of the Week - Dietary Guidelines for Americans
7. Calendar
=================================================
REMINDER - Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Channel Weekly will not be published next week (November 24). The next issue of Channel Weekly will be the December 1 edition.
1. LIBRARY STRATEGIC PLANNING AND VISIONING EFFORTS
Kurt Kiefer, Assistant State Superintendent for DPI's Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning (DLTCL), attended the fall meeting of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) in Santa Fe, NM, during the last week of October. This annual meeting of State Librarians from across the U.S. focused on directions for the future of libraries. Key themes centered on digital content and libraries as service centers for such things as government services, workforce development and continuous learning, and Internet related services like small business development. COSLA is working with other groups including the American Library Association (ALA) on e-book purchasing and distribution strategies. Also in attendance at the meeting was Susan Hildreth, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and other IMLS staff.
In early November, Kurt Kiefer and Bob Bocher, Interim Director for the DLTCL's Public Library Development Team, attended the State Library Capacity Building meeting sponsored by the Gates Foundation at their Seattle headquarters. All COSLA members along with relevant state library agency staff were invited to discuss the future of libraries and their continuing relationships with the Gates Foundation. Topics of discussion included libraries as neighborhood anchor service centers, digital content, and library advocacy. IMLS director Susan Hildreth and other IMLS staff also attended the meeting.
The DLTCL will facilitate a discussion around libraries and the future by convening a task force in early 2012. The focus of the group is to review statutory requirements for library systems with an eye toward making them contemporary with the issues facing libraries and their patrons. The task force will develop recommendations by early fall. The group will be representative of the entire community and will appoint persons based on roles, location, and library type and size. If you are interested in being considered for this task force please contact Kurt Kiefer at kurt.kiefer@dpi.wi.gov no later than December 16.
2. LIBRARIES MUST ORDER WISCONSIN TAX FORMS BY DECEMBER 5
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has altered its distribution system for paper forms. Because many libraries are not subscribed to the DOR's Library listserv, the DLTCL is providing the following information on ordering tax forms (note: libraries are not required to provide tax forms, but many do as a service to the public). The following is adapted from the DOR letter:
The DOR appreciates the service many libraries provide to Wisconsin taxpayers by making tax forms available throughout the state. The 2011 tax year brings new changes to the distribution of Wisconsin tax forms, which impacts the library order due on December 5, 2011.
While wanting to continue to provide forms to taxpayers who need them, the DOR must reduce the waste associated with forms that are not being used. In recent years, the Internal Revenue Service and several states have discontinued the practice of annually mailing individual income tax forms and instructions. These decisions have been prompted by the continued growth of electronic filing, the availability of free filing options, and the need to reduce costs. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue has joined this trend by discontinuing its annual mailing of individual income tax Form 1, 1A and WI-Z, 1NPR, and Schedule H and H-EZ booklets, with limited exceptions.
Last year, the DOR received library orders totaling approximately 1.48 million forms and instructions, which was higher than the previous year's order quantity of approximately 1.4 million. However, less than 10% of the forms ordered by libraries were actually filed with the department. In an effort to help reduce the cost associated with unused paper tax forms, the DOR is initiating a new cost saving measure that applies to library orders for 2011 Wisconsin tax forms. This year they are asking each library to order no more than 75% of the quantity ordered in 2010. Libraries are encouraged to order a smaller quantity, particularly if they had a number of forms leftover last year.
How to Order 2011 Wisconsin Tax Forms
1. Access Form P-744L, Library Tax Form Request: http://www.revenue.wi.gov/forms/misc/p-744lf.pdf
2. Fill in the address and requested quantities. Remember that the 2011 order quantity should not exceed 75% of the quantity ordered for 2010. Check the DOR web site under Libraries for the 2010 order information: http://www.revenue.wi.gov/html/local.html
3. Save completed form to your computer
4. E-mail the completed request form (as an attachment) to DorLibraryFormsOrders@revenue.wi.gov
If you have any questions or need assistance with placing your order, please contact Laurie Yahr at (608) 261-5106 or laurie.yahr@revenue.wi.gov. Please submit your order by December 5th.
The DOR encourages libraries to sign up for the department's Library electronic mailing list to receive important communications specifically relating to libraries: http://www.revenue.wi.gov/html/lists.html.
3. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OFFERS GUIDE TO E-BOOKS
The Library of Congress (LOC) now offers an online introduction to e-books, covering what they are, how to use them, and where to find them, both at the Library of Congress and elsewhere online. The web address is http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ebooks/.
The comprehensive guide was created by J. Cheyenne Hohman of the University of Kentucky, who participated this past spring at the LOC on an Alternative Spring Break Internship. The Web-based resource includes sections on LOC resources, external Web sites offering free content, an overview of e-book readers, devices, and file formats, as well as access issues related to copyright and accessibility.
4. LIBRARY VISITS AT HISTORIC HIGH
The ways in which Americans use libraries changed significantly in the decade ending in 2009 as libraries adapted to meet the evolving needs of their users. These changes are keeping libraries relevant, vibrant places as evidenced by a 24.4% increase in visits per capita in the last ten years, with total visits increasing by nearly 40%. In 2009 (the most recent data available) libraries were visited a record-breaking 1.59 billion times, according to the Institute of Museum and Library Services' (IMLS) report on the FY2009 Public Library Survey (PLS), a census of public libraries in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories conducted annually by IMLS.
"People depend on libraries now more than ever," said IMLS Director Susan Hildreth. "Not only do visits and circulation continue to rise, the role of public libraries in providing Internet resources to the public continues to increase as well. Public libraries have also increased their program offerings to meet greater demand and provide more targeted services. Despite this demonstrated ability of libraries to adjust to meet the growing needs of the public, many libraries across the country face severe budget cuts. It's important to remember that this data ends with 2009, before even more severe budget crises put so many libraries and library programs at risk."
The Institute's analysis of the data showed that per capita visits and circulation rose in the century's first decade. The number of public libraries increased during that period but not enough to keep pace with the rise in population. Library staffing remained stable, though the percentage of public libraries with degreed and accredited librarians increased.
The report also found that the nature and composition of collections in U.S. public libraries is changing, indicating that library collections are becoming more varied. Although the volume of print materials decreased over the 10 years studied, collections overall continued to grow because of increases in the number of audio, video, and electronic book materials.
The role of public libraries in providing Internet resources to the public also continued to increase. According to the report, the availability of Internet-ready computer terminals in public libraries doubled over the course of the decade.
The U.S. Census Bureau is the data collection agent for the PLS. The fiscal year (FY) 2009 survey is the 22nd in the series. The full report can be found at https://harvester.census.gov/imls/pubs/pls/pub_detail.asp?id=140#.
5. MONEY SMART WEEK® TRANSITIONS FROM FALL TO SPRING
Following a number of years of Money Smart Week® celebrations in October, Wisconsin's project will become a spring event and be celebrated the week of April 21-28, 2012.
Eleven states have joined Wisconsin to make Money Smart Week® a national program. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will be the clearinghouse for all partners throughout the nation. Libraries interested in partnering for programs are asked to please go to http://www.moneysmartweek.org after November 22 to register and add events for April 2012. The deadline to register is January 15, 2012.
Money Smart Week Wisconsin is a creation of the Governor's Council on Financial Literacy, http://www.wdfi.org/ymm/govcouncilfinlit/. Administrative activities and oversight of Money Smart Week® are conducted by the Office of Financial Literacy (OFL) of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. A link to the 2012 Partner Toolkit and information on past Wisconsin Money Smart Weeks can be found here: http://www.moneysmartwi.org/partner_toolkit/.
6. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Dietary Guidelines for Americans -- http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm -- The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion creates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are the "cornerstone" of the Federal nutrition policy and nutrition education activities. The CNPP was created within the U.S. Department of Agriculture on December 1, 1994, and reports to the Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. CNPP's mission is to improve the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.
7. CALENDAR
January 13, 2012 - Council on Library and Network Development, by webconference
January 20-24, 2012 - American Library Association mid-winter meeting, Dallas, TX
February 14, 2012 - Wisconsin Library Association (WLA)/Wisconsin Education Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) Library Legislative Day, Madison
March 13-17, 2012 - Public Library Association annual meeting, Philadelphia, PA
March 28-30, 2012 - Wisconsin Education Media and Technology Association (WEMTA) Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells
April 23-24, 2012 - American Library Association National Library Legislative Day, Washington, DC
October 23-26, 2012 - Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) annual conference, La Crosse
==================================================
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/chn_chweekly
==================================================
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
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn Wise (608) 266-6439