1. State Superintendent issues editorial for National Library Week and School Library Month
2. State Superintendent appoints new LSTA Advisory Committee members
3. DPI comments in response to the FCC's E-rate Modernization public notice
4. Computers in Libraries 2014 conference
5. Reminder: IMLS to hold public hearing on libraries and broadband
6. BadgerLink Resource of the Week: Newspaper resources
7. Website of the Week: Today in History
8. Calendar
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1. STATE SUPERINTENDENT ISSUES EDITORIAL FOR NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK AND SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH
State Superintendent Tony Evers issued an editorial in honor of this month's observance of School Library Month and National Library Week, observed April 13 to 19.
In the editorial, Evers notes that libraries, like schools, are a place "where we learn what we need to, to achieve what we want to."
The guest editorial can be found at http://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/eis/pdf/dpinr2014_52.pdf.
2. STATE SUPERINTENDENT APPOINTS NEW LSTA ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
State Superintendent Tony Evers announced five new appointments to the Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) Advisory Committee. The new members are Stacy Fisher, Library Media Specialist, Waunakee High School; Erin Foley, Director, Rio Community Library; Kelly Hughbanks, Coordinator of Youth & Community Outreach Services, Milwaukee Public Library; Nyama Marsh, Director, Whitefish Bay Public Library; Kristin Stoeger, Director, Farnsworth Public Library, Oconto.
Continuing members of the committee are Mary Driscoll, Outreach Librarian, Dane County Library Service; Gerri Moeller, Library Automation Manager, Outagamie Waupaca Library System in Appleton; Krista Ross, Director, Southwest Library System in Fennimore; Cherilyn Stewart, Director, Manitowoc Public Library; Linda Stobbe, Office Manager, Northern Waters Library Service in Ashland; Jennifer Einwalter, Director, Slinger Public Library; Gus Falkenberg, Technology Consultant, Indianhead Federated Library System, Eau Claire; Eric Norton, Head of Adult Services, McMillan Public Library in Wisconsin Rapids; Marla Sepnafski, Director, Wisconsin Valley Library Service, Wausau.
Members of the committee serve staggered three-year terms. The committee advises the state superintendent and the Division for Libraries and Technology on the development of the long-range plan for the LSTA program, annual grant priorities and categories as well as applications and recommendations for grant awards. LSTA program details are available at http://pld.dpi.wi.gov/pld_lsta. Contact Terrie Howe (608) 266-2413 or teresa.howe@dpi.wi.gov if you have questions.
3. DPI COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE FCC'S E-RATE MODERNIZATION PUBLIC NOTICE
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has provided E-rate information and offered E-rate support to Wisconsin's schools and libraries since 1997; the department is also active in the State E-rate Coordinators' Alliance (SECA) and the American Library Association's E-rate Task Force. The DPI recently filed additional comments to clarify and reinforce comments that the DPI previously submitted in response to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Notice of Proposed Rule Making in September, 2013 (see item 2 in Channel Weekly Vol. 16, No. 3 http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/chn_chwk1603).
Annually, the total requests for E-rate support are more than twice the available funds. This funding shortfall is glaringly apparent in the upcoming 2014 program year, with preliminary figures from USAC showing that $4.868 billion has been requested but the FCC has determined that only $2.414 billion will be available. To help all schools and libraries have access to high-capacity broadband, the DPI's comments focus on the following:
- Changing the funding for Priority 2 services, which cover in-building costs, so that all WI schools and libraries can qualify for these funds
- Ask the Commission to be more aggressive in ensuring providers are offering the lowest cost for broadband services
- Allow E-rate support for fiber ownership by schools and libraries
- Encourage cost effective purchasing
- Streamline the administrative process and application process
You can read the DPI's full comments here: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7521097300.
4. COMPUTERS IN LIBRARIES 2014 CONFERENCE
The Computers in Libraries 2014 conference was held the week of April 7, 2014, in Washington, D.C. The conference provided a forum to discuss the best uses and practices of technology in libraries, as well as what is coming on the horizon. The overall theme of this year's conference was "Hack the Library," with a focus on how libraries can build creative spaces and engage with their communities in different ways using embedded librarians and community managers.
Recorded sessions and keynotes can be accessed on the conference home page at: http://www.infotoday.com/CIL2014/. Presenter presentations, if shared, can be found at: http://infotoday.com/cil2014/presentations.asp.
5. REMINDER: IMLS TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON LIBRARIES AND BROADBAND
A reminder that The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will conduct a hearing on April 17, 2014, from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (EDT) to establish a public record on the need for and impact of high-speed broadband connectivity in America's libraries. FCC Chairman Thomas Wheeler will make opening remarks, and IMLS Director Susan Hildreth will chair the hearing consisting of three panels:
- The Vision: What happens when we get it right? – exploring innovative practices, partnerships, and new strategies.
- The Data – What is known about broadband connections and services.
- Moving Forward – Explore solutions for connectivity in libraries.
The hearing will be live streamed on
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ypxDgBEU0w and Google+: https://plus.google.com/events/cpul6h5c52edduiqabvkhae5vnk
The complete agenda is available at: http://www.imls.gov/about/broadband_hearing.aspx .
6. BADGERLINK RESOURCE OF THE WEEK
Looking for a newspaper? Find a listing of all the BadgerLink newspaper resources on http://www.badgerlink.net/newspapers!
7. Website of the Week
The Library of Congress: Today in History -- http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/ -- Each day this Library of Congress site highlights and illustrates an event from American history using digitized items from the Library of Congress American Memory historic collections. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
8. CALENDAR
April 30-May 2, 2014 – Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians (WAAL) annual conference, Wisconsin Dells
May 5-6, 2014 – American Library Association's National Library Legislative Day, Washington, D.C.
May 7-9, 2014 – Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) annual conference, Sheboygan
May 16, 2014 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, Madison
May 16, 2014 -- Special Services Consultants Meeting, Madison
October 2, 2014 – Annual Youth Services Liaisons Meeting, DeForest
October 3, 2014 – Annual System Continuing Education and Certification Consultants Meeting, DeForest
November 4-7, 2014 – Wisconsin Library Association annual conference, Wisconsin Dells
November 19, 2014 - Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Advisory Committee Meeting, DeForest
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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