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the
lamplighter newsletter of the Wisconsin Valley Library Service |
|
the
lamplighter newsletter of the Wisconsin Valley Library Service |
February 2000 Issue Volume XXXVII, Number 1
Libraries MUST Report Non-Resident Circs by July 1st
In accord with the Wisconsin Statutes and the recent county plan revisions, each public library must report to its own county clerk the number of circulations it has provided to residents of the county who do not live in a municipality within that county which supports a public library.
These reports must be made by July 1st of each year beginning with July 1, 2000. This report will cover eligible circs during 1999. By March 1st of each year the county must pay to each public library in the county (that submitted a report of eligible circs) an amount that is equal to at least 70% of the amount it cost the library to provide the circulation as determined by the formula printed in Wis. Stats. 43.12.(1). The first payment must be made by March 1, 2000 (for properly reported 1999 non-resident circs).
NOTE: This article will be printed in each issue of the Lamplighter from now through June, 2000 in an attempt to remind affected libraries to file the necessary information on time.
WVLS Speaker File Debuts on WVLS Web Site
While slow in developing, the first available speakers file is now listed on the WVLS web site at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/speakers/SpekIntr.html
Area library personnel are encouraged to sign up themselves and to tell people in their communities about this opportunity for them to "advertise" their availability as speakers for programs in the general WVLS area.
We hope to be able to expand this list on a regular basis but we’ll need your help to make it a success.
The V-Cat Project Moves Forward
In December, the Antigo Public Library database was loaded onto the V-Cat database. Since Antigo was already using Dynix, they were able to start using the V-Cat the next day. The "bumps" along the road to having everything working smoothly are getting worked out as they arise.
In the beginning of January, WVLS started using V-Cat for checking out materials. Only about 75% of the WVLS AV collection is currently on the V-Cat, so keep in mind as you search various tools for verification purposes - i.e., WISCAT, V-Cat, etc. - that the most current WVLS AV listing is still via the AV catalogs on the WVLS home page. Staff are working to get the programming kits and unique videos and books on cassette cataloged and placed on V-Cat within the next couple of months. The vast majority of the WVLS AV collection is unique to V-Cat so it is very beneficial for V-Cat members to be able to make such convenient use of the collection.
All of the year 2000 V-Cat members have learned how to add holdings to, and change and delete holdings from, the V-Cat. A couple of those libraries have gone on to learn how to place holds on materials and how to process holds placed on their materials. Minocqua Public Library has been busy adding their patron information to the V-Cat database and will soon start using the V-Cat for all functions.
It appears that most of the members scheduled for 2000 V-Cat participation will be fully functioning on V-Cat by the end of June. However, the date that a library decides to "go live" on V-Cat is up to it. The V-Cat Council continues to meet every 2 months to discuss and resolve issues of mutual concern. If you are not a V-Cat member and are interested in attending the meetings, feel free to let me know. The next meeting is scheduled for April 6th. --Linda Orcutt
WVLS Interloan Staff Available to Help You!
As we progress with automation and all of the wonderful information it makes available to our users, don’t forget that the most important part of any library transaction is you - the librarian.
When someone comes into your library looking for some information, it is up to you to do a good reference interview to find out what is really needed. When you know that, you can determine how best to find the most complete answer. Use V-CAT and WISCAT of course, but don’t forget that not every request can best be answered from a list of titles. Sometimes answers require research - digging through reference books for obscure chapters, consulting various databases, reading summaries of journal articles to pull out the best information, and putting all of these sources together. All of this is done by our reference staff.
Don’t hesitate to send us subject/reference requests. We are here to find answers for your patrons.
When you do send us a subject request, remember that good reference interview you did. Give us as much information as possible to go on. Exactly what is needed and why. Is the information for a high school report; is an experienced woodworker looking for a pattern; is the medical information needed by a lay person, or medical professional? The more information we have, the better job we can do. Also, please remember to tell us where you have already looked. If your patron has seen the book on skydiving owned at Medford - tell us, so we don’t send or request the same title. Tell us what titles, journal articles, or any other information your patron has already seen.
Our reference and interloan staff has a lot of experience. We are eager to share that experience. Take advantage and send us your requests. Together we can supply the best possible information for your clientele.
If any aspect of interloan is unclear to you, please contact us at the headquarters. We would be happy to respond to your questions and even come out to your library for a demonstration or training session. Staff are also available for BadgerLink and Internet training sessions. --Ellen Buchberger
Following are the appointments to the WVLS Board of Trustees for 2000. These board members are appointed by the Boards of Supervisors of their counties to represent their counties on the WVLS Board.
Clark County:
Forest County:
Langlade County:
Lincoln County:
Taylor County:
Marathon County:
Oneida County:
Well, we finally get to use the numerals "2000." If we lived in Rome, would we use "MM"? As the year turned, I listened to church bells ring, watched fireworks across the lake, raised a glass of bubbly with my good neighbors, and thought the long thoughts that go with "Old Year’s Night." Then I thought about the Pandora’s Box of the new year (and new century) to come… As with every other year, it is, no doubt, packed with mischief of many kinds, yet also sprinkled with pleasures and goodnesses great and small -
Rural Librarians Must Lead, Network and Promote - "…As long as a library doesn’t make known what it can contribute, it will…remain an untapped resource, under funded and under-utilized…rural librarians …must take the lead in promoting and marketing their small libraries as access points to the world." This quote is taken from an article by Jackie Thomas, Director of Poplar Bluff (MO) Public Library in the January, 2000 issue of Today’s Librarian. When I read it, the truth of it really struck me. Here we are in the WVLS area just getting underway with shared automation. This project closely follows on the heels of setting up Internet access for staff and patrons in our libraries. It wasn’t too many years ago when only the largest libraries had computers! We don’t even have the opportunity to get really comfortable with one new thing before there’s another one to deal with. Most of us would like to holler, "Hey, wait up a little. Let’s get proficient with one thing before we add another." But, have you noticed that, if we do not keep current, we fall behind so far that our libraries don’t seem to be as relevant as they once were? Once that happens, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to justify public tax dollars to operate them. We, who have chosen to spend our lives in the various roles of library service, must keep reinventing those roles. If we don’t stay alert to the changing needs/access methods that our patrons want, then open access to information will disappear. Oh, I know that the Internet provides a gazillion more places to find information, but it’s not organized well and by now you know that much of it isn’t even true. The world still needs concerned library-type people to help them through the maze of information they are faced with on a daily basis. Well, we’re here and ready to help but, to paraphrase Mr. Thomas, we have to let our communities know how important we are/can be to them. They aren’t born with that knowledge - someone has to tell them. US!
Homographs - are words that are spelled the same but are pronounced differently and have different meanings - no wonder the English language is so very difficult to learn! I came across this list and saved it to share with you. It comes from the Grammar Lady web site... www.grammarlady.com/
We polish the Polish furniture…He could lead if he would get the lead out…A farm can produce produce…The dump was so full it had to refuse refuse…The soldier decided to desert in the desert…The present is a good time to present the present…The dove dove into the bushes…I did not object to the object... The insurance for the invalid was invalid…The bandage was wound around the wound…They were too close to the door to close it…The buck does funny things when the does are present…They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line…To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow…The wind was too strong to wind the sail…After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number…I shed a tear when I saw the tear in my clothes…I had to subject the subject to a series of tests…I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt.
Two library quotations to carry into a new century - "If you didn’t want them to think, you shouldn’t have given them library cards."
(Robert Kaufman - Getting Straight, dir. by Richard Rush, 1970. Line spoken by Elliott Gould as Harry Bailey)..."We must not confuse the thrill of acquiring or distributing information quickly with the more daunting task of converting it into knowledge and wisdom." (Principles of Technorealism - Principle 4 http://www.technorealism.org/ )Big Winners in Children’s and Young Adult Literature
The 2000 awards for the most distinguished contributions to American literature for children and young adults were announced at the American Library Association Conference, January 17, 2000. And the winners are...
2000 ALSC John Newbery Medal - distinguished writing for children:
by Christopher Paul Curtis (Delacorte Press, 1999; ISBN 0-385-32306-9; $15.95)Bud, Not Buddy
2000 ALSC John Newbery Honor Books:
 | Getting Near to Baby by Audrey Couloumbis (Putnam, 1999; ISBN 0-399-23389-X; $17.99) |
| Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm (HarperCollins,1999; ISBN 0-06- 027822-6; $15.95) |
| 26 Fairmont Avenue by Tomie dePaola (Putnam, 1999; ISBN 0-399-23246-X; $13.99) |
2000 SRRT Coretta Scott King Author Award - outstanding writing by a black author:
2000 SRRT Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books:
| Francie by Karen English (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1999; ISBN 0-374-32456-5; $16.00) |
| Black Hands, White Sails by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack (Scholastic Press, 1999; ISBN 0-590-48313-7; $15.95) |
| Monster by Walter Dean Myers (HarperCollins, 1999; ISBN 0-06- 028078-6; $15.95) |
2000 ALSC Randolph Caldecott Award - distinguished illustration for children:
2000 ALSC Randolph Caldecott Honor Books:
| A Child’s Calendar, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, written by John Updike (Holiday House, 1999; ISBN 0-8234-1445-0; $16.95) |
| Sector 7 by David Wiesner (Clarion, 1999; ISBN 0-395-74656-6; $16.00) |
| When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry..., by Molly Bang (Blue Sky Press/Scholastic, 1999; ISBN 0-590-18979-4; $15.95) |
| The Ugly Duckling, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, written by Hans Christian Andersen (Morrow Junior Books, 1999; ISBN 0-688- 15933-8; $15.99) |
2000 SRRT Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award - outstanding illustrations by a black artist:
In the Time of the Drums, illustrated by Brian Pinkney, written by Kim L. Siegelson (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, 1999; ISBN 0-7868-2386-0: $16.99)
2000 SRRT Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books:
| My Rows and Piles of Coins, illustrated by E.B. Lewis, written by Tololwa Mollel (Clarion, 1999; ISBN 0-395-75186-1; $15.00) |
| Black Cat by Christopher Myers (Scholastic Press, 1999; ISBN 0-590- 03375-1; $16.95) |
2000 Mildred L. Batchelder Award -the publisher of the outstanding translated book:
2000 ALSC Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Books:
2000 ALSC/REFORMA Pura Belpre Author Award - outstanding original works by a Latino/Latina author and published in 1998 or 1999:
2000 ALSC/REFORMA Pura Belpre Author Honor Book Awards:
| From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems: Del Ombligo de la Luna y Otros Poemas de Verano, written by Franciso X. Alarcon, illus trated by Maya Christina Gonzalez (Children's Book Press, 1998; ISBN 0-89239-153-7; $15.95) |
| Laughing Out Loud, I Fly: A Carcajadas Yo Vuelo, written by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Karen Barbour (HarperCollins, 1998: ISBN 0-060-27604-5; $15.95) |
2000 ALSC/REFORMA Pura Belpre Illustrator Award - for outstanding original works illustrated by a Latino/Latina artist and published in 1998 or 1999:
2000 ALSC/REFORMA Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book Awards:
| Barrio: Jose's Neighborhood, by George Ancona (Harcourt Brace & Company, 1998: ISBN 0-15- 201049-1; $18.00) |
| Mama and Papa Have a Store, by Amelia Lau Carling (Dial, 1998; ISBN 0-8037-2045-9; $15.99) |
| Secret Stars, illustrated by Felipe Davalos, written by Joseph Slate (Marshall Cavendish, 1998; ISBN 0- 761-45027-0; $15.95) |
2000 YALSA and School Library Journal Margaret A. Edwards Award - annual award to an author of outstanding young adult books:
for: Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes (Greenwillow, 1993); Athletic Shorts (Greenwillow, 1989); Chinese Handcuffs (Greenwillow, 1989); Crazy Horse Electric Game (Greenwillow, 1987); Stotan! (Greenwillow, 1986); Running Loose (Greenwillow, 1983)Chris Crutcher
2000 YALSA Michael L. Printz Award - literary excellence in young adult literature:
2000 YALSA Michael L. Printz Honor Book Awards:
2000 CCBC Charlotte Zolotow Award - outstanding writing in a picture book for young children:
2000 CCBC Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Books:
2000 CCBC Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Titles:
2001 ALSC May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecturer - annual lecture to be given in 2001 by an outstanding author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children’s literature
"Connect for Kids" Day to Kick Off National Library Week
Libraries across the country are invited to join in hosting "Connect for Kids" Day on Saturday, April 8, to kick off National Library Week 2000. The national event aims to focus attention on the variety of resources available to children and their families at the library and in their communities.
ALA President Sarah Ann Long said the event provides an opportunity for libraries of all types to work in cooperation with other community organizations by inviting them to provide displays and demonstrations of their services for youth.
Local libraries may choose to host an event on a day convenient for them. Some suggestions:
l
Seek a local partner organization to sponsor the event such as the parks department, local newspaper or PTA.l
Invite the mayor, local legislators and others to a VIP reception. Take photos for the library and community newspapers.l
Hold the event at a local shopping mall or school auditorium if your library doesn’t have enough space.l
Schedule activities throughout the day at one or more branches. Distribute schedules in advance.l
Create a local "Connect for Kids" Web page high- lighting your community’s resources for parents and children.More ideas and information are posted on the ALA Web site at http://www.ala.org/kidsday. A Connect for Kids Web site http://www.connectforkids.org developed by the Benton Foundation focuses on information and resources that can help make a difference for kids and their communities.
Last November, Wessler Scholar Inese Christman (Marathon County Public Library) attended the Appleton Conference on Web Site Development and Design at the Paper Valley Hotel & Conference Center in Appleton, WI. The conference agenda consisted of 3 tracks. Track one: Launching a Successful Web Site; Track two: Mastering Today’s Cutting-Edge Technology; and Track three: Designing a World-Class Web Site. Inese focused on sessions pertaining to tracks two and three, which were really the technology and design tracks. Following is a summary of those sessions:
The first session I attended was on Javascript basics and how it can make a web page more interactive. The instructor demonstrated some basic Javascripts such as "MouseOver," "Event Handlers," "Document Object Models," etc.; and showed us how the actual code works and things to remember when implementing these scripts.
http://www.htmlgoodies.com provides more information on Javascripts.
At the next session, Microsoft’s FrontPage 2000, I learned that this program is considered to be one of the "best advanced web authoring tools." It has been improved significantly since the earlier versions and contains many nice features such as a spell checker, Java Applets, and forms creation. If your server does not have Microsoft FrontPage 2000 Server extensions, you can still create forms and gather information by using: http://www.bizland.com. (I will be exploring this service for MCPL's Friends group for their membership forms.) Page positioning, creating tables and formatting style sheets were also discussed. Some of the other things demonstrated were the site map and theme features of this program. Since I currently use FrontPage 2000, I found this session extremely helpful and feel more confident about using it.
Animating Web Pages, the next session I attended, covered the two main formats for graphics on the web: gif and jpeg. "Speed is king on the web versus quality." Many of the tips and techniques shared by the instructor focused on how to make graphics load quickly and still be presentable. The jpeg format offers a broader spectrum of color and therefore is better to use for photographs. Gifs are compression oriented and may be clearer.
The session on Principles of Great Web Design emphasized that the key to a great web site is to have a page that communicates with the user and brings people back for repeat visits. Some of the things to keep in mind when designing a great web site are:
Identify what information and content is valuable to the user.V
V
Be aware that the attention span on the web is very short! (32 minutes is the average time spent on the Internet)V
The site needs to offer compelling content.V
Fast loading.V
Frequent updates.V
Clean and efficient design.V
Consistent look to all pages.V
Use graphical navigation tools.V
Use graphical elements (borders, backgrounds, fonts, buttons, etc.) to organize site.Ask yourself - Would I be interested to come to this site and to return for updates? The useful and well-designed home page should:
-- contain only 5-7 links
-- 1-2 pages scrolling length
-- include information on who you are
-- be quick loading
-- be simple to navigate
The last session was on the use of fonts, color and graphics to improve your site. The instructor discussed how to make your graphics load faster. One technique is to load a second page graphic on your home page, so while the user is reading the home page, the graphic link is on the bottom of this page and loading to their PC. If the borders of this graphic are set to zero, it will not appear on the home page. When the user clicks on the next page, the graphic is already on their PC and it can be described in the HTML to become visible.
In summary, I found this conference to be very informative and inspirational and hope to apply some of the techniques learned to MCPL's web site. I would like to thank WVLS and the Friends of MCPL for funding portions of my class fee. Since my experience with this conference was so positive, I would recommend attending any of the conferences presented by the CompuMaster company.
NOTE:
The conference that Wessler Scholar Inese Christman attended will be held in Wausau on April 20, 2000. For additional information, please contact Marla Sepnafski at 715/261-7252.2000 Notable Children’s Web Sites
Selected by the Notable Children’s Web Sites Committee of the American Library Services to Children (a division of the American Library Association) the following web sites are a sampling of those "considered the best web sites for ages birth-14, outstanding in both content and conception." For more information, visit ALSC’s web site at http://www.ala.org/alsc/nweb00.html
Ben’s Guide to US Government for Kids http://bensguide.gpo.gov
Children and YAs from Kindergarten through grade 12 will find a variety of information about basic aspects of the United States and its government, such as how a bill becomes law.
BookHive: Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg Co. http://www.bookhive.org
A reader’s advisory tool for infants through sixth graders that can be searched by topic or reading level; includes materials for parents and other adults.
Figure This! Math Challenges for Families http://www.figurethis.org
Challenges families or classrooms to solve math and spatial problems; great for the "nonmathematician."
Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Cool Science for Curious Kids http://www.hhmi.org/science
An appropriately designed collection of simple science activities and crafts suited to younger elementary students.
Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom http://www.minerals.net
Great for students studying geology and rock collectors alike, this site profiles hundreds of common and not-so-common minerals and gemstones. It rocks!
Peter Rabbit Homepage (Frederick Warne/PenguinPutnam) http://www.peterrabbit.co.uk
Although promoting Frederick Warne’s collection of Peter Rabbit products, this homepage offers games, video clips, and other activities for younger children in a developmentally appropriate way.
Savage Earth (PBS) http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/
With stunning visuals and a focus on volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis, students learn just how fragile the earth and its crust are.
Travel to Oriland http://library.thinkquest.org/27152/
Join the fold and journey to Oriland, a vast world of origami people, forests, and castles created by a Thinkquest team from Russia.
Underground Railroad (National Geographic) http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/99/railroad/
You are a slave in the South before the Civil War. Should you risk escape with Harriet Tubman’s help through the Underground Railroad to Canada? Now you must choose.
New Public Library Standards Endorsed
The Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries Board, the Wisconsin Library Trustees Association Board, and the Council on Libraries and Network Development (COLAND) have endorsed the updated Wisconsin Public Library Standards.
The Wisconsin Public Library Standards are a tool for voluntary local use. The standards provide a way to measure a basic level of quality for public library service and also provide a pathway to excellence in library service.
The standards are being prepared for publication and distribution to all Wisconsin public libraries and library systems. The publication will also be available on the web. (Channel Weekly, 2/3/00)
New Federal Resources Support Local Reading Efforts
A new America Reads website is available at http://www.ed.gov/americareads/ Check for ideas on how community members can help a child learn to read.
To learn about grants for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, visit http://www.ed.gov/21stcclc. This program is dedicated to helping communities expand learning opportunities for children in safe, drug-free, supervised environments.
Grants enable schools to stay open longer and provide places for tutoring, doing homework, and enriching core subjects. Grants are awarded to school districts in partnership with community, cultural, and youth organizations. A grant application may be worth exploring as a public library/public school collaboration in your community. Additional information about effective after-school programs is at http://www.afterschool.gov
(Channel Weekly, 2/3/00)February 29 - Don't forget that this is a leap year, and
don't miss your chance to do something special! And having a leap year in 2000 is especially special. According to Chase's, "A leap day is added to the calendar once every four years except for century years which are not exactly divisible by 400. Since 2000 is divisible by 400, it is a leap year; 1900 was not." So be sure to put this extra day to good use." (Marketing Library Services Newsletter, 12/99)March - WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
March 2 - Dr Seuss' birthday in 1904. Would you could you go to www.randomhouse.com/seussville?
Read Across America Day. For more information, visit www.nea.org/readacross
March 14-15 - "Children's Book Fest 2000" - for more information see article in the December issue of the Lamplighter.
March 15-17 - 15th Annual Computers in Libraries 2000 - North America's largest technology conference and exhibition for librarians and information managers, which also includes Computers in School Libraries 2000 - Washington Hilton and Towers, Washington D.C. Check the website at www.infotoday.com. Also, WVLS has a copy of the agenda and registration form if interested.
March 16 - Freedom of Information Day. Check www.ala.org/foiday for more information.
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day.
March 26 - 72nd Annual Academy Awards. For all the past Academy Award nominees and winners, and for the insider's take on this year's nominees, visit the official Academy Award website at www.oscars.com
April 2-4 - Wisconsin Educational Media Association (WEMA) Spring Conference at Middleton.
April 8 - "Connect for Kids" Day - see article in this issue of the Lamplighter for details.
April 9-15 - NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK
April 12-14 - Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians (WAAL) Spring Conference at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, Fond Du Lac. Check the details at the conference website at http://perth.uwlax.edu/MurphyLibrary/waal2000/index.html
April 20th - "The Wausau Conference on Web Site Development and Design" - a CompuMaster conference - Park Inn International Hotel, Wausau - contact WVLS for a copy of the agenda and registration form, and read what Wessler Scholar Inese Christman has to say about this conference in this issue of the Lamplighter.
May 3 - WVLS Youth Services Workshop - details forthcoming.
May 4-5 "Children's Literature" - Cooperative Children's Book Center, Madison - 8:30-4:30 - $275 - 1.5 CEUs - register by April 20th - contact Jane Pearlmutter at 608/262-6398 for more information.
May 11-12 - Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) Spring Conference at Middleton.
May 18 - "Presentation Skills for Librarians" - Helen C. White Hall, UW-Madison - 9:00-4:30 - $125 - 0.8 CEUs - register by May 5th - contact Jane Pearlmutter at 608/262-6398 for details.
May 19 - "Teaching Electronic Literacy: Strategies for Librarians Who Didn't Expect to be Teaching" - The Pyle Center, UW-Madison - 8:30-4:30 - $150 - 0.8 CEUs - register by May 5th - for more information, contact Jane Pearlmutter at 608/262-6398.
ATTENTION: WESSLER SCHOLARSHIPS are available to cover some/all costs associated with attendance at reference and/or interlibrary loan continuing education events. If interested in becoming a Wessler Scholar, contact the WVLS office (715/261-7250) for more information. The application form and more information are available on the WVLS home page at
http://wvls.lib.wi.us under "About WVLS & Services."a monthly
newsletter of the Wisconsin
Valley Library Service
300 N. First
Street / Wausau, WI 54403
EDITOR: Marla Sepnafski
| Phone:
715/261-7252 FAX: 715/261-7259 |
 msepnafs@wvls.lib.wi.us |
Contributions are welcome! News items should be submitted by the first of the month.
WVLS serves Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, and Taylor counties.
