1. Submit nominations for Rural Schools, Libraries, and Communities Awards
2. WEMTA PET applications due December 15
3. Wisconsin schools provide over 37,000 broadband speed tests
4. Digital learning in libraries: discussions and examples
5. PLA Leadership Academy: Navigating Change · Building Community
6. BadgerLink Resource of the Week: Encyclopædia Britannica
7. Website of the Week: CDC: National Center for Health Studies
8. Calendar
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1. SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR RURAL SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND COMMUNITIES AWARDS

Each year the State Superintendent of Public Instruction presents the Standing Up for Rural Schools, Libraries, and Communities Awards at the State Capitol. This program honors partnerships between and among schools, libraries, and communities, which have resulted in projects that demonstrate the great potential and spirit of rural Wisconsin. Please consider nominating a program for a 2013 Standing Up for Rural Wisconsin Schools, Libraries, and Communities Award. The 2013 nomination form is attached or can be filled out on-line at http://dpi.wi.gov/rural/awards and submitted to rebecca.hannah@dpi.wi.gov (or by mail to: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Attn: Rebecca Hannah, Office of the State Superintendent, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841).

In 2012, two projects involving public libraries received awards:

• Baby Time, Toddler Time, and Rhyme Time, an outreach program linked to the Weyauwega-Fremont School District's 4-year-old kindergarten (4K) program, hosted by the Weyauwega Public Library and the Neuschafer Community Library in Fremont; and
• Edward U. Demmer Memorial Library and Three Lakes School District Story Hour Reading Program, which began in 1963 to introduce reading and provide socialization activities for the community's youngsters.

The 2013 award ceremony will be held on Friday, February 1, in the State Capitol, first floor rotunda, beginning at noon. Please plan to attend and show your support for Wisconsin's rural schools, libraries, and communities.


2. WEMTA PET APPLICATIONS DUE DECEMBER 15

Applications are invited for funding for scholarships in library/media and technology and for outreach grants. This funding is provided through the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association's (WEMTA) Permanent Endowment Trust (PET) (see http://www.wemta.org/committees/pet.cfm).

WEMTA has committed to fund a minimum of one $1,000 scholarship for study in a library/media or technology program leading to a professional degree each year. In addition, a scholarship dedicated to pursuit of an advanced degree (PhD or Specialist) with a goal of teaching in the library/media or technology field is also available. Application forms are available on the WEMTA website at http://www.wemta.org/awards/scholarships_grants.cfm. All applications for scholarships and grants are due December 15, 2012.

WEMTA also invites applications for funding for

• Programs and projects that provide a direct and recognizable benefit to WEMTA members
• Programs and projects which support innovation in school library media or instructional technology programs
• Community programs that promote partnerships within the profession.

Maximum funding for outreach grants is usually $2,000. Past successful grants have included: New Berlin Technology Academy, Wisconsin Governors Poster Project, support for the AASL Region III Director expenses, and a workshop on the impact of Wisconsin School Library Media Centers. Application forms are available on the WEMTA website at http://www.wemta.org/awards/scholarships_grants.cfm. All applications for scholarships and grants are due December 15.

Please contact Jo Ann Carr, Chair of the Permanent Endowment Trust, for additional information about these programs or about funding future programs by donating to the Permanent Endowment Trust. Her email address is jacarr@wisc.edu.


3. WISCONSIN SCHOOLS PROVIDE OVER 37,000 BROADBAND SPEED TESTS

As of Monday, October 29, EducationSuperHighway has informed the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) that data points from over 37,000 speed tests from 1,013 schools (representing 308 school districts) have been tallied as part of Wisconsin School Speed Test month.

EducationSuperHighway has developed the Wisconsin School Speed Test website, where any member of a school community can quickly start an automatic test of the real speed of the Internet in that school, at that moment. Using this site, anyone can see how many speed tests a school or district has run: www.schoolspeedtest.org/stats/district.html.

During October - and now extended until November 21 - the DPI and a non-profit organization, EducationSuperHighway, are asking students, teachers, and administrators in each of the state's 2,300 schools to consider taking one minute of their time to test their school's actual Internet access using a simple website.

The DPI will use this information to better manage, support, and plan for school Internet access needs. The agency will also contribute the data to the National School Broadband Test database to help guide the allocation of $2.5 billion in annual federal funding for school Internet access upgrades.

Federal agencies and other experts recommend schools have at least 100Mbps of capacity per 1,000 students or faculty today, growing to 1Gbps per 1,000 students over the next 5 years.

Here are the 10 districts in Wisconsin with the most samples to date:

Go to http://partners.schoolspeedtest.org/wisconsin.html from computers connected to the school network to conduct additional tests.


4. DIGITAL LEARNING IN LIBRARIES: DISCUSSIONS AND EXAMPLES

On November 14, 2012, at 6 p.m., the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) and its Digital Literacy Task Force will host Creating a Culture of Learning: How Librarians Keep up with Digital Media and Technology, a national conversation about the role of libraries in supporting and deepening digital literacy skills development for students, the general public and colleagues in other professions (to participate RSVP at alawash@alawash.org).

The event will be conducted in a Google Hangout moderated by OITP Fellow Renee Hobbs, and include participants who are exploring how to keep up with new technology tools and digital and media literacy competencies. Participants will discuss:

• How can library groups and library leaders best support library staff in the quest to stay current?
• What are the perceived obstacles that interfere with the continuing education process?
• What resources or continuous learning models already are available to the profession, and what are their pros/cons?

Participants can learn and participate by watching live-streaming of the conversation on YouTube and chatting with other viewers. You also can continue the conversation through Twitter using the hash tag #digilit12. Questions and comments will be submitted to panelists throughout the program, and librarians can submit blog posts about their digital literacy programs in advance by sending an email to mvisser@alawash.org.

Another online event, "Assessing Digital Literacy: Outcomes and Impact," will be held on December 11. That discussion will focus on how libraries measure or assess the development of digital literacy competencies in their staff and patrons. It will also discuss how assessment models may help to best design and implement digital literacy instruction and services. Participants should RSVP to alawash@alawash.org for that event as well.

In 2011, the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library obtained funding from the Otto Bremer Foundation and the Library Services and Technology Act, from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Minnesota Department of Education, State Library Services Division. These funds supported the hiring of a professional design team to create the online assessments that are now incorporated in their Northstar Basic Computer Skills Certificate program, http://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/. The assessment measures an individual's ability to perform tasks on computers and online, through online, self-guided modules. Included are basic computer digital literacy standards and modules in six main areas: Basic Computer Use, Internet, Windows Operating System, Mac OS, Email, and Word Processing (Word). Information about the background and development of the assessment project can be found here: http://www.digitalliteracyassessment.org/history.php


5. PLA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: NAVIGATING CHANGE · BUILDING COMMUNITY

Applications are now being accepted for the PLA Leadership Academy: Navigating Change · Building Community, a pilot program developed in partnership with the International City and County Managers Association (ICMA) and Adam Goodman, director of the Center for Leadership, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.

This highly subsidized event for public librarians is designed to empower participants with the knowledge necessary to be innovative and successful leaders of change. It offers a groundbreaking focus on developing the skills needed to work with municipal officials to enhance the position of the library within the community and improve the effectiveness of library activities and programs.

Interested participants must apply and be accepted to participate in the PLA Leadership Academy. Applicants must be MLS/MLIS librarians with at least five years of increasingly responsible experience. The application deadline is November 28, 2012, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance status on December 19. As this is a pilot project, attendance is selective and will be limited to 24. For this pilot program, registration fees (valued at $2,500) are waived. Participants are required to pay for their own travel and lodging at the Union League Club (four nights at $168/night inclusive of tax). All meals will be provided.

The 2013 PLA Leadership Academy is a pilot event developed with support from an Institute of Museum and Library Services planning grant with the intent to design a leadership training model that enhances the capacity of libraries to advance community goals and to be active agents in communities across the United States. The pilot event will be assessed for effectiveness and sustainability.

More complete information, as well as links to the online application and instructions for required letters of reference, can be found at http://www.ala.org/pla/education/leadershipacademy. Questions or comments can be directed to PLA at pla@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).


6. BADGERLINK RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Want some quick research but don't trust Wikipedia? Use Encyclopædia Britannica on BadgerLink! Encyclopædia Britannica includes 4 full text encyclopedias in English and Spanish. The encyclopedia is designed for school aged kids and consist of articles, images, maps, tables, timelines as well as a complete dictionary and atlas.


7. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

CDC: National Center for Health Studies -- http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/index.htm -- The National Center for Health Studies, part of the United States Center for Disease Control, is the nation's principal health statistics agency. The center's website provides links to a variety of data files and data access tools, in addition to other resources.


8. CALENDAR

November 7, 2012 - Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Advisory Committee meeting, DeForest

November 9, 2012 - Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, Sheboygan

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Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries and Technology
PO Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 266-6439
FAX: (608) 267-9207