1. THOMAS.gov will now redirect visitors to Congress.gov
2. New financial education webinar for libraries
3. Federal webinar series explores immigration resources for public librarians
4. GettyReady website offers resources to celebrate Gettysburg Address 150th anniversary
5. Found in Wisconsin's November Find of the Month
6. BadgerLink Resource of the Week: LearningExpress Library 3.0
7. Website of the Week: BMI Calculator
8. Calendar
=================================================
EDITOR'S NOTE – Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Channel Weekly will not be published next week (November 28). The next issue of Channel Weekly will be the December 5 edition.
1. THOMAS.GOV WILL NOW DIRECTOR VISITORS TO CONGRESS.GOV
The free legislative information website, Congress.gov, is transitioning into its permanent role as the official site for federal legislative information from the U.S. Congress and related agencies. The site, which launched in beta form last fall and features platform mobility, comprehensive information retrieval, and user-friendly presentation, is replacing the nearly 20-year-old THOMAS.gov.
As of November 19, 2013, typing Thomas.gov into a web browser will automatically redirect to Congress.gov. @Thomasdotgov Twitter followers will be transferred to the @Congressdotgov account. THOMAS.gov will remain accessible from the Congress.gov homepage through late 2014 before it is retired.
When the Library of Congress, in collaboration with the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and the Government Printing Office (GPO) released Congress.gov as a beta site in the fall of 2012, it included bill status and summary, member profiles, and bill text from the two most recent congresses at that time – the 111th and 112th.
In the year since, Congress.gov has expanded with the additions of the Congressional Record, committee reports, direct links from bills to cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, legislative process videos, committee profile pages, and historic access reaching back to the 103rd Congress. Users have been invited to provide feedback on the site's functionality, and many of those suggestions have been incorporated along with the data updates.
Additional content will be incorporated throughout 2014 - including nominations, treaties and communications - before THOMAS.gov is formally retired.
THOMAS, named for Thomas Jefferson, was launched by the Library in 1995 as a bipartisan initiative of Congress. It averages 10 million visits each year. The system has been updated over the years, but its foundation can no longer support the capabilities that today's Internet users have come to expect, including access on mobile devices. Using best practices for retrieving and displaying information, the refined, user-friendly Congress.gov system makes finding and using legislative information more intuitive, comprehensive and accessible than the existing system.
To help ease the transition for users from THOMAS.gov to the new site, the Library has offered a variety of trainings and demonstrations – both online and in person – for various federal agencies, congressional staff, educational groups, and the public. The Law Library of Congress and the Library's Education Outreach division have conducted sessions for law libraries and high school social studies teachers.
Congress.gov online trainings are ongoing, with trainings currently scheduled in 2014 for January 16, March 11, and May 15. To register, go to beta.congress.gov/help. For more information about the transition, please visit beta.congress.gov/about.
2. NEW FINANCIAL EDUCATION WEBINAR FOR LIBRARIES
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Division of Consumer Education and Engagement is offering a webinar from 2 to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, to discuss how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is working to raise the profile of libraries in every community.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) are partnering to develop financial education tools and share best practices with the public library field. The goal of the partnership is to provide tools and materials to help libraries provide free, unbiased financial information and referrals in their communities, build local partnerships and promote libraries as community resources
The webinar will feature representatives from the CFPB, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), American Library Association and two of our local public library partners. The CFPB just completed their information gathering stage, interviewing librarians, library associations, national partners and patrons. Through the webinar they hope to share results with public librarians, discuss strategies and start a nationwide conversation about how all participants can help to better inform and serve American consumers.
Information on the project and instructions for connecting to the Webinar and listening via phone are available at: http://blog.imls.gov/?p=4373#sthash.0PZCRKne.dpuf
3. FEDERAL WEBINAR SERIES EXPLORES IMMIGRATION RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIANS
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announces the first in a series of four free webinars for public libraries about immigration and U.S. citizenship issues. The webinar series was developed as part of a broader effort through a federal partnership between IMLS and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (http://www.imls.gov/new_federal_webinar_series_explores_immigration_resources_for_public_librarians.aspx) to ensure that librarians have the necessary tools and knowledge to refer their patrons to accurate and reliable sources of information on immigration-related topics.
The first webinar, "Immigration and Naturalization 101," will be conducted Thursday, December 12, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CST. The webinar will include a question-and-answer session and will cover:
4. GETTYREADY WEBSITE OFFERS RESOURCES TO CELEBRATE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS 150TH ANNIVERSARY
On November 19, 1863, in 272 words, President Abraham Lincoln spoke for approximately two minutes on a rather controversial subject for the time - the idea that all human beings are equal. Rule of law and American democracy survived the turbulent Civil War, as well as 150 years of challenges and even modern conflicts since the speech. The Address deserves recognition as a seminal American text, and schools and communities throughout the nation will be enriched by a lively, interactive celebration of its anniversary.
GettyReady, a Utah-based non-profit established to encourage learners of all ages tomemorize,study andapplythe Gettysburg Address on its anniversary and beyond, is proud to announce its GettyReady site.
Great for all academic disciplines, the http://gettyready.org site has news, information, and teacher resources for use, brought to you by the Utah Education Network .
5. FOUND IN WISCONSIN'S NOVEMBER FIND OF THE MONTH
What do historic photos and cold weather have in common? Probably not much, but as the temps drop, time spent indoors can feel a bit less wasteful while browsing these rich and varied collections from around the state. Found in Wisconsin has gathered five digital collections for November's Find of the Month, highlighting the Chippewa Valley Museum's Eau Claire Area Historical Photographs, an impressive glimpse into life around the area.
The November Edition is available directly on the Found in Wisconsin website at http://bit.ly/NovemberFindoftheMonth.
Found in Wisconsin is an index of digital collections hosted by Wisconsin libraries, museums, historical societies, genealogical societies, schools, and various cultural institutions and is a project of Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Send your comments to fiw.administrator@dpi.wi.gov, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WisDPIFoundInWi, or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/WisDPIFoundInWI.
6. BADGERLINK RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
On January 3, 2014 LearningExpress Library will be updated to LearningExpress Library 3.0! This shift to a new platform requires users to re-register their accounts. Existing accounts will not be carried over to the new version. Work done on the old LearningExpress will not be available after January 3, 2014. For more information, go to http://www.badgerlink.net/bulletin#132.
7. Website of the Week
BMI (Body Mass index) Calculator -- http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm -- Visitors to this website by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, can calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
8. CALENDAR
January 10, 2014 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, web conference
January 24-28, 2014 – American Library Association (ALA) Mid-Winter Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
March 12, 2014 – Spring Interlibrary Loan meeting, Madison
May 7-9, 2014 – Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) annual conference, Sheboygan
==================================================
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/
==================================================
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
2. New financial education webinar for libraries
3. Federal webinar series explores immigration resources for public librarians
4. GettyReady website offers resources to celebrate Gettysburg Address 150th anniversary
5. Found in Wisconsin's November Find of the Month
6. BadgerLink Resource of the Week: LearningExpress Library 3.0
7. Website of the Week: BMI Calculator
8. Calendar
=================================================
EDITOR'S NOTE – Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Channel Weekly will not be published next week (November 28). The next issue of Channel Weekly will be the December 5 edition.
1. THOMAS.GOV WILL NOW DIRECTOR VISITORS TO CONGRESS.GOV
The free legislative information website, Congress.gov, is transitioning into its permanent role as the official site for federal legislative information from the U.S. Congress and related agencies. The site, which launched in beta form last fall and features platform mobility, comprehensive information retrieval, and user-friendly presentation, is replacing the nearly 20-year-old THOMAS.gov.
As of November 19, 2013, typing Thomas.gov into a web browser will automatically redirect to Congress.gov. @Thomasdotgov Twitter followers will be transferred to the @Congressdotgov account. THOMAS.gov will remain accessible from the Congress.gov homepage through late 2014 before it is retired.
When the Library of Congress, in collaboration with the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and the Government Printing Office (GPO) released Congress.gov as a beta site in the fall of 2012, it included bill status and summary, member profiles, and bill text from the two most recent congresses at that time – the 111th and 112th.
In the year since, Congress.gov has expanded with the additions of the Congressional Record, committee reports, direct links from bills to cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, legislative process videos, committee profile pages, and historic access reaching back to the 103rd Congress. Users have been invited to provide feedback on the site's functionality, and many of those suggestions have been incorporated along with the data updates.
Additional content will be incorporated throughout 2014 - including nominations, treaties and communications - before THOMAS.gov is formally retired.
THOMAS, named for Thomas Jefferson, was launched by the Library in 1995 as a bipartisan initiative of Congress. It averages 10 million visits each year. The system has been updated over the years, but its foundation can no longer support the capabilities that today's Internet users have come to expect, including access on mobile devices. Using best practices for retrieving and displaying information, the refined, user-friendly Congress.gov system makes finding and using legislative information more intuitive, comprehensive and accessible than the existing system.
To help ease the transition for users from THOMAS.gov to the new site, the Library has offered a variety of trainings and demonstrations – both online and in person – for various federal agencies, congressional staff, educational groups, and the public. The Law Library of Congress and the Library's Education Outreach division have conducted sessions for law libraries and high school social studies teachers.
Congress.gov online trainings are ongoing, with trainings currently scheduled in 2014 for January 16, March 11, and May 15. To register, go to beta.congress.gov/help. For more information about the transition, please visit beta.congress.gov/about.
2. NEW FINANCIAL EDUCATION WEBINAR FOR LIBRARIES
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Division of Consumer Education and Engagement is offering a webinar from 2 to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, to discuss how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is working to raise the profile of libraries in every community.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) are partnering to develop financial education tools and share best practices with the public library field. The goal of the partnership is to provide tools and materials to help libraries provide free, unbiased financial information and referrals in their communities, build local partnerships and promote libraries as community resources
The webinar will feature representatives from the CFPB, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), American Library Association and two of our local public library partners. The CFPB just completed their information gathering stage, interviewing librarians, library associations, national partners and patrons. Through the webinar they hope to share results with public librarians, discuss strategies and start a nationwide conversation about how all participants can help to better inform and serve American consumers.
Information on the project and instructions for connecting to the Webinar and listening via phone are available at: http://blog.imls.gov/?p=4373#sthash.0PZCRKne.dpuf
3. FEDERAL WEBINAR SERIES EXPLORES IMMIGRATION RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIANS
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announces the first in a series of four free webinars for public libraries about immigration and U.S. citizenship issues. The webinar series was developed as part of a broader effort through a federal partnership between IMLS and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (http://www.imls.gov/new_federal_webinar_series_explores_immigration_resources_for_public_librarians.aspx) to ensure that librarians have the necessary tools and knowledge to refer their patrons to accurate and reliable sources of information on immigration-related topics.
The first webinar, "Immigration and Naturalization 101," will be conducted Thursday, December 12, 2013, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CST. The webinar will include a question-and-answer session and will cover:
- basic immigration procedures and benefits,
- the role librarians can serve, and
- new online resources for librarians on the USCIS website.
4. GETTYREADY WEBSITE OFFERS RESOURCES TO CELEBRATE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS 150TH ANNIVERSARY
On November 19, 1863, in 272 words, President Abraham Lincoln spoke for approximately two minutes on a rather controversial subject for the time - the idea that all human beings are equal. Rule of law and American democracy survived the turbulent Civil War, as well as 150 years of challenges and even modern conflicts since the speech. The Address deserves recognition as a seminal American text, and schools and communities throughout the nation will be enriched by a lively, interactive celebration of its anniversary.
GettyReady, a Utah-based non-profit established to encourage learners of all ages tomemorize,study andapplythe Gettysburg Address on its anniversary and beyond, is proud to announce its GettyReady site.
Great for all academic disciplines, the http://gettyready.org site has news, information, and teacher resources for use, brought to you by the Utah Education Network .
5. FOUND IN WISCONSIN'S NOVEMBER FIND OF THE MONTH
What do historic photos and cold weather have in common? Probably not much, but as the temps drop, time spent indoors can feel a bit less wasteful while browsing these rich and varied collections from around the state. Found in Wisconsin has gathered five digital collections for November's Find of the Month, highlighting the Chippewa Valley Museum's Eau Claire Area Historical Photographs, an impressive glimpse into life around the area.
The November Edition is available directly on the Found in Wisconsin website at http://bit.ly/NovemberFindoftheMonth.
Found in Wisconsin is an index of digital collections hosted by Wisconsin libraries, museums, historical societies, genealogical societies, schools, and various cultural institutions and is a project of Resources for Libraries & Lifelong Learning at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Send your comments to fiw.administrator@dpi.wi.gov, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WisDPIFoundInWi, or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/WisDPIFoundInWI.
6. BADGERLINK RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
On January 3, 2014 LearningExpress Library will be updated to LearningExpress Library 3.0! This shift to a new platform requires users to re-register their accounts. Existing accounts will not be carried over to the new version. Work done on the old LearningExpress will not be available after January 3, 2014. For more information, go to http://www.badgerlink.net/bulletin#132.
7. Website of the Week
BMI (Body Mass index) Calculator -- http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm -- Visitors to this website by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, can calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
8. CALENDAR
January 10, 2014 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, web conference
January 24-28, 2014 – American Library Association (ALA) Mid-Winter Meeting, Philadelphia, PA
March 12, 2014 – Spring Interlibrary Loan meeting, Madison
May 7-9, 2014 – Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) annual conference, Sheboygan
==================================================
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/
==================================================
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
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn Wise (608) 266-6439