1. State Superintendent’s Biennial Report to COLAND
2. Connect with colleagues at the WiLS Regional Community Meetings
3. Foundation supports initiative to assist rural libraries, literacy organizations in western Wisconsin
4. Workforce Development takes additional steps to connect UI claimants with job opportunities
5. BadgerLink Resource of the Week: Copyright resources
6. Website of the Week: Acronym Finder
7. Calendar
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1. STATE SUPERINTENDENT’S BIENNIAL REPORT TO COLAND
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to report on interlibrary cooperation and resource sharing each biennium. Section 43.03(3)(d), Wis. Stats., requires the state superintendent to submit to the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) a biennial report which describes the programs and policies to promote cooperation and resource sharing among all types of libraries and to plan, coordinate, evaluate and set statewide priorities for the development of networks to enable interlibrary cooperation and resource sharing carried out in the preceding biennium and the programs and policies to be carried out in the succeeding biennium.
The Council on Library and Network Development will hold a hearing on the report at its September 20, 2013, meeting to be held at Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning, 2109 South Stoughton Road, Madison. The meeting will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with the hearing beginning at 10 a.m. The Division for Libraries and Technology would appreciate your comments and concerns. The Council will consider both oral and written testimony. Please send any written testimony to Roslyn Wise at the Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster Street, Madison, WI 53702-7841 or by fax at (608) 267-9207 by close of business of September 19.
A draft of the report is available at http://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/coland/pdf/COLAND_Biennial_Report_2011-2015_DRAFT.pdf. This report focuses primarily on the activities of the Division for Libraries and Technology (Division) in the previous and the current biennia relative to the State Superintendent's responsibilities to promote cooperation and resource sharing among all types of libraries in Wisconsin. It also describes activities of other organizations that are involved with cooperation and resource sharing as appropriate.
The following organizations and programs are discussed in the report:
- Department of Public Instruction, Division for Libraries and Technology
- Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND)
- Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS)
- Channel Weekly (electronic newsletter)
- Library listservs (WISCAT-1, WIPUBLIB, WEMA-1, BadgerLink-l)
- Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the LSTA Advisory Committee
- The Wisconsin Library Technology Strategic Plan
- BadgerLink (full text of magazines and newspapers and links to library resources)
- Wisconsin Document Depository and Digital Archive Programs
- State government portal (Wisconsin.gov) guided searching
- Creation and management of digitized library resources
- The University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
- The Digitization Exploratory Committee
- Internet access for schools and libraries
- E-Rate program (discounted telecommunication services from federal government)
- WISCAT/WISCATILL (statewide union catalog and gateway to library catalogs)
- University of Wisconsin System online catalog and circulation system
- State agency and Reference and Loan Library online catalog and circulation system (SALCAT)
- Interlibrary loan services
- Reference services
- Delivery of library materials (provided through public library systems and South Central Library System)
- Newsline for the Blind (telephone access to national and Wisconsin newspapers)
- Child Care Information Center (CCIC)
- Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC).
2. CONNECT WITH COLLEAGUES AT THE WILS REGIONAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS
WiLS invites members of the Wisconsin library community to join them for one of six regional community meetings hosted by WiLS during late September and October. Librarians and others can connect with colleagues from their region to get perspective and advice on upcoming projects or current challenges, and to hear what others are doing to move their library service forward in the face of tight budgets. Participants are invited to share stories about interesting initiatives and collaborate with others. The free events are open to anyone, of any library type, and partner organizations, too.
Information, including locations of the six meetings and a link to registration, can all be found here (shortened link: http://bit.ly/1b2gBdV ).
2. FOUNDATION SUPPORTS INITIATIVE TO ASSIST RURAL LIBRARIES, LITERACY ORGANIZATIONS IN WESTERN WISCONSIN
The Otto Bremer Foundation and Library Strategies, a consulting group of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, announce the start of “L3: The Rural Libraries and Literacy Leadership Institute” for 2013-14.
L3 is a training program launched in western Wisconsin in August 2013. The program was piloted last year to great success with 12 libraries and literacy organizations in Minnesota. The program is designed and presented through a partnership of Library Strategies and the Minnesota Literacy Council.
Participating in the 10-month program are western Wisconsin public libraries in Amery, Ashland, Dresser, Frederic, Menomonie, and La Crosse County, and the following literacy organizations: Buffalo Pepin Literacy Alliance in Durand, Hope Academy in La Crosse, ICAA Crossroads Literacy in Ladysmith, Literacy Volunteers of Chippewa Valley in Eau Claire, Northern Waters Literacy in St. Croix Falls, and WestCAP Literacy Program in Glenwood City. The public libraries in the St. Croix Falls area and Buffalo County will also participate in affiliation with their neighboring literacy organization. Three individuals from these twelve organizations will participate in an intensive period of training and mentoring designed to expand their capacity for meeting the unique needs of rural communities.
“Libraries and literacy programs are gateways to opportunity, especially in rural communities,” said Charlotte S. Johnson, an Otto Bremer Foundation trustee. “Working to deepen and broaden the leadership capacity of these organizations will serve our vision of helping to build and maintain healthy and vibrant communities.”
The free institute focuses on critical aspects of running a rural library or literacy organization, from budgeting and board development to strategic planning and cultural competency. Because rural organizations usually have very few staff members, it is often difficult for their lead staff to attend training programs. To supplement the in-person trainings, each organization is paired with a mentor who will support them for the next 10 months.
L3 was created in response to research conducted by the Otto Bremer Foundation on ways to strengthen rural communities. Their research indicates that a focus on libraries and literacy has potential to create a broad, positive impact on smaller communities.
For additional information about L3: The Rural Libraries and Literacy Leadership Institute, contact Stu Wilson, Library Strategies Coordinator, at 651/287-0060 or email: stu@thefriends.org; or Eric Nesheim, Minnesota Literacy Council, 651/645-2277x202 or email: enesheim@mnliteracy.org.
4. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TAKES ADDITIONAL STEPS TO CONNECT UI CLAIMANTS WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The Department of Public Instruction has been asked by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development to distribute the following announcement, since it may have impact on libraries throughout the state.
To increase the opportunity for unemployed individuals to find new jobs, the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will take additional steps this fall to ensure that new Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants register for work with the Wisconsin Job Service through JobCenterofWisconsin.com/UI .
The additional steps will apply only to new UI claimants who file initial claims on or after October 13, 2013, and meet the legal requirement that they register to seek work. It does not apply to claimants who registered prior to October 13 and are already receiving benefits.
Key highlights of the upcoming changes that will apply to new UI claimants who are affected include:
- Starting October 13, 2013, new UI claimants who file for benefits and who must register for work will be advised at several points throughout the filing process that they have 14 days to register with Wisconsin Job Service to receive benefits. This includes creating a Job Match profile and uploading or creating a résumé.
- Individuals will receive a special reminder flyer in the orientation packet that’s mailed to them after they file that they have 14 days from the time they file their claim to register on JobCenterofWisconsin.com/UI. Claimants will not receive benefits until they register. DWD will send an automated reminder by phone to those who haven’t registered by the 12th day that they must register to receive benefits.
- Wisconsin Job Service staff, both at Job Center locations and operating the Job Service Call Center, will be ready to provide step-by-step guidance through the registration process. Staff in the UI Call Centers will also connect individuals who need registration help to Wisconsin Job Service for help.
- An alternative registration method will be available to help claimants who face significant barriers that impact their ability to complete the online registration.
The steps will ensure these claimants have direct access to Wisconsin Job Service resources in person or online, including tens of thousands of job openings. This is intended expedite claimants’ job search, improve their chances of success and, we believe, will speed their return to work.
DWD has prioritized staffing in the job centers across Wisconsin and call centers to respond to an anticipated increase in demand for customer service and support. Technical enhancements have been made to the DWD online system to enable user friendly registration and compliance. Additionally, the DWD will be reaching out to community agencies, local libraries, and other locations where members of the public, including UI claimants, frequently access the Internet since they may seek to use those resources to complete registration requirement.
The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is cooperating with DWD to convey information about this initiative with public libraries throughout the State, and will provide additional information as it becomes available. Additional information for claimants is available in a list of frequently asked questions here: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/mandatory_registration_faq.htm. Training webinars will be provided to staff of libraries and public computing centers in October to share more details and to answer questions. The DWD press release about the program, including contact information, can be found here:
http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsreleases/2013/130823_jcw_registration.pdf
5. BADGERLINK RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Do you have questions about copyright and BadgerLink resources? Review the webinars that cover how licensed BadgerLink materials can be used. Go to BadgerLink (www.BadgerLink.net), click on Help (http://www.badgerlink.net/help), and select Copyright (http://www.badgerlink.net/help/copyright) to learn about using BadgerLink resources.
6. Website of the Week
Acronym Finder -- http://www.acronymfinder.com/ -- The Acronym Finder is a searchable database of over 4 million acronyms, abbreviations, and meanings. The database covers common acronyms related to computers, science, technology, government, telecommunications, and military acronyms. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
7. CALENDAR
September 20, 2013 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, Madison
September 22-28, 2013 – Banned Books Week, national observance
September 25-28, 2013 – Association for Rural & Small Libraries Annual Conference, Omaha, NE
October 3, 2013 – Public Library Youth Services Liaisons annual meeting, DeForest
October 4, 2013 – Continuing Education and Certification Consultants annual meeting, DeForest
October 22-25, 2013 – Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) annual conference, Green Bay
November 6, 2013 – Library Services and Technology Act Advisory Committee (LSTA) meeting, DeForest
November 8, 2013 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, Minocqua
January 24-28, 2014 – American Library Association (ALA) Mid-Winter Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
May 7-9, 2014 – Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) annual conference, Sheboygan
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To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/
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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