Channel Weekly, Vol. 16, No. 32, May 22, 2014

1. Changes to the 2015 Public Library Annual Report for 2014
2. 2015 LSTA grant training session webinars
3. Recollection Wisconsin needs your input
4. ALA hosts summit on the future of libraries
5. IMLS holds discussion on learning spaces in libraries
6. BadgerLink Resource of the Week: Military and Government Collection
7. Website of the Week: Memorial Day
8. Calendar
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1. CHANGES TO THE 2015 PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2014

Wisconsin participates in the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) by compiling and submitting annual report data to the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS). Every year the State Librarians vote whether to adopt proposed changes that add, revise, or remove data elements. For the 2014 annual report that libraries will be preparing in early 2015, the definition of reference transactions has been updated so that it includes the types of questions that librarians answer about computers, the Internet, and related technology. The complete definition is now:

Reference Transactions

Reference Transactions are information consultations in which library staff recommend, interpret, evaluate, and/or use information resources to help others to meet particular information needs.

A reference transaction includes information and referral service as well as unscheduled individual instruction and assistance in using information sources (including web sites and computer-assisted instruction). Count Readers Advisory questions as reference transactions.

Information sources include (a) printed and non-printed material; (b) machine-readable databases (including computer-assisted instruction); (c) the library's own catalogs and other holdings records; (d) other libraries and institutions through communication or referral; and (e) persons both inside and outside the library.

When a staff member uses information gained from previous use of information sources to answer a question, the transaction is reported as a reference transaction even if the source is not consulted again.

If a contact includes both reference and directional services, it should be reported as one reference transaction. Duration should not be an element in determining whether a transaction is a reference transaction.

NOTE: It is essential that libraries do not include directional transactions in the report of reference transactions. Directional transactions include giving instruction for locating staff, library users, or physical features within the library. Examples of directional transactions include, "Where is the reference librarian? Where is Susan Smith? Where is the rest room? Where are the 600s? Can you help me make a photocopy?"

If an annual count of reference transactions is unavailable, count reference transactions during a typical week or weeks, and multiply the count to represent an annual estimate. [If the sample is done four times a year, multiply totals by 13, if done twice a year multiply by 26, if done only annually, multiply by 52.] A "typical week" is a time that is neither unusually busy nor unusually slow. Avoid holiday times, vacation periods for key staff, or days when unusual events are taking place in the community or in the library. Choose a week in which the library is open its regular hours.

Questions about the revised definition or the public library annual report can be sent to LibraryReport@dpi.wi.gov.


2. 2015 LSTA GRANT TRAINING SESSION WEBINARS

The 2015 LSTA grant training sessions will be held 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday June 18, 2014, for public library system staff writing noncompetitive and competitive grant categories. On June 19, 2014, the grant training session will be held 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will include the competitive grant categories and general information only for public libraries. It is not necessary to attend the webinar on both days. The sessions will be hosted by the following staff from the Department of Public Instruction: Terrie Howe, LSTA Program Coordinator; Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Youth and Special Services Consultant; Ryan Claringbole, Technology Consultant, and John DeBacher, Director of Public Library Development. The sessions will be archived following the webinars.

Grant category descriptions will be posted by June 5, 2014. Noncompetitive grant categories are: Delivery Systems, Merging Public Library Systems, and Public Library System Technology.

Competitive grant categories include: Technology: Digital Creation Technology, Digitization of Library Historical Material, Merging Integrated Library Systems (ILS); Serving Special Populations: Accessibility-Planning, Accessibility-Projects, Literacy-Planning, Literacy-Projects, Early Literacy.

There is no need to register—just click the following link, http://tinyurl.com/pdcputm, on the scheduled meeting date and time. The recorded information session will be posted on the LSTA webpage. http://pld.dpi.wi.gov/pld_lsta.

Participants may use headphones and microphone (or a headset) to participate; or


3. RECOLLECTION WISCONSIN NEEDS YOUR INPUT

Do you represent a library, historical society, or museum in a small Wisconsin town or city (population under 6,000)? Recollection Wisconsin needs your input. The program is seeking to expand online access to photos, documents, artifacts, and other historical materials from small and rural communities around the state. Whether your organization already has a strong digitization program in place, you're just starting to think about going digital, or digitization is not a priority for you right now, your responses to the survey will help Recollection Wisconsin improve services to small cultural heritage organizations across Wisconsin.

The short survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WisconsinDigital and should take between 5-15 minutes to complete. Please submit your responses by Monday, June 16. Survey results will be made available online later this summer at http://recollectionwisconsin.org. For questions about the survey, please contact Recollection Wisconsin Program Manager Emily Pfotenhauer at emily@wils.org or 608-616-9756.

The Recollection Wisconsin program helps Wisconsin libraries, archives, historical societies, and museums digitize and share online their unique historical collections. The program is sponsored by WiLS (Wisconsin Library Services) in partnership with the Milwaukee Public Library, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Financial support is provided by a grant from the Nicholas Family Foundation.


4. ALA HOSTS SUMMIT ON THE FUTURE OF LIBRARIES

On May 2 and 3, 2014, the American Library Association (ALA) hosted an invitational summit titled Libraries From Now On: Imagining the Future. The Summit served as a "kickoff" to the planned Center for the Future of Libraries, which will be established by the ALA in the summer of 2014. More than 80 attendees gathered to hear the following speakers: Dr. Stephen Dubner, best known for his book Freakonomics; Joel Garreau, Professor of Law, Culture and Values at the Sandra Day O'Conner College of Law at Arizona State University; Dr. Renu Khator, chancellor and president of the University of Houston; Thomas Frey, futurist and executive director of the DaVinci Institute, and Joan Frye Williams, librarian consultant and futurist.

The attendees listened to the speakers and, after each session, would go to group tables and discuss the themes that were presented to them. These themes included role of libraries in the future, the values expressed in library service, the need to re-envision library service, libraries as community hubs, the need to "rebrand" libraries, and obstacles that libraries face. These discussions were recorded and constructed into a report. An official summary of the summit, presented by ALA President Barbara Stripling, is available at http://connect.ala.org/files/Libraries%20From%20Now%20On%20ALA%20Summit%20On%20The%20Future%20of%20Libraries%20Final%20Report.pdf.


5. IMLS HOLDS DISCUSSION ON LEARNING SPACES IN LIBRARIES

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) recently held a discussion on learning spaces in libraries. The IMLS supports the idea of libraries using their space to facilitate creation of content and foster dynamic engagement. This is the second of three discussions IMLS is planning to look at strategic priorities in 2014.

The recent discussion covered:

  • Participatory learning
  • Approaches to technology & space
  • Staffing & mentorship models
  • Connected learning
  • Community engagement
  • Measuring success

This discussion can be viewed athttp://www.tvworldwide.com/events/imls/140515/default.cfm.


6. BADGERLINK RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

For Memorial Day explore the Military & Government Collection available from the BadgerLink Government page: http://badgerlink.net/government. The Military & Government collection has current news pertaining to all branches of the military and government, through a collection of periodicals and academic journals.


7. Website of the Week

Memorial Day -- http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/ -- Memorial Day, observed annually on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while in the military service. This page from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website provides links to information about the history and traditions associated with this observance.


8. CALENDAR

June 26-July 1, 2014 – American Library Association annual conference, Las Vegas, NV

July 11, 2014 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, to be confirmed

September 12, 2014 – Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, to be confirmed

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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Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries and Technology
P.O. 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