All WVLS public libraries recently received packets of publicity and instructional material to help spread the word about WVLS’ entry into the services of netLibrary. This packet included posters, bookmarks, guides, informational sheets to copy and distribute to various community groups, a list of titles included in the e-book collection and a training manual to help library personnel set up e-book accounts for their patrons and show them how to use this new tool/collection.

WVLS has paid for the systemwide membership in the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium, the group that began this project in Wisconsin and that selects titles for this digitized collection of e-books. While many WVLS library personnel are pleased that they can now access this type of collection, our patrons will not learn about the availability of this service and how to use it if library folks don’t tell them about it.

Please make use of the PR and training materials that have been sent out. Hang up the posters, hand out the info fliers, get in touch with your local newspaper contacts and ask them to write article/s about this exciting project, etc.

NOTE: Staff and patrons of WVLS libraries which do not have access to the Internet via the WVLS central site Internet connection (or which have no in-library Internet access at all) can still take advantage of this e-book collection by establishing an e-book account through a different WVLS public library (or by calling the WVLS office directly an account can be set up by phone). Once the account is set up, it can be used from any computer with Internet access (anywhere in the world). It doesn’t matter which WVLS public library a patron signs up at for an account.

Call the WVLS office if you have further questions or suggestions for PR/publicity ideas that the system can help with.

In the parable about the three blind men and the elephant, he who takes hold of its trunk believes that the elephant is like a snake, he who touches its leg believes that the elephant is like a tree, and he who leans against its side believes that the elephant is like a wall. It is often difficult to understand the nature of things…sometimes the elephant is beyond us all. But sometimes we may catch a glimpse of a pattern, the bones of a larger meaning. In such moments we may recognize that things of apparent diversity and randomness may be coherent and whole.

I can’t help but relate this story to the development of V-Cat, WVLS’ shared automation system. WVLS will soon submit a grant proposal to use 2002 LSTA funds to enlarge this database by linking V-Cat (and MCPL’s automated system) with Tiger, a shared system developed by the Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System. If this proposal is approved, our mutual patrons’ access to library materials will increase much faster than we thought possible even just a year ago.

All across Wisconsin and beyond library personnel are working to create their own ‘elephants’ – made up of many separate collections. In these days of flat and, in some cases, even reduced funding, a cost-effective sharing opportunity such as this, which will greatly broaden access for our patrons at a relatively low on-going cost, is really exciting.     --Heather Eldred

The Greenwood Public Library did well in a recent rating of public libraries in Wisconsin. The annual study by Thomas Hennen, director of the Waukesha County Federated Library System, Racine, ranked the Greenwood Public Library THIRD out of 381 libraries statewide. Brown Deer scored highest (883), followed by Mukwonago (871), Greenwood (853), Brodhead(848), Kingston (843), Middleton (842) and Sayner (841). Wisconsin public libraries average score was 576, good for a ranking of seventh in the U.S. The study, now in its third edition, says Ohio has the best libraries in the country with an average score of 657, followed by Indiana at 607 and Massachusetts at 599. Libraries in Mississippi ranked lowest at 299, followed by Tennessee at 342 and South Carolina at 350. For more information, visit www.haplr-index.com.

More than 40 librarians statewide attended a June 26 meeting at the DLTCL’s Reference and Loan Library to learn more about changes to WISCAT and the effort to start moving toward linking automated systems.

The DLTCL has accepted the WISCAT RFP review committee’s recommendation and has started negotiations with Auto-Graphics Inc. and Fretwell-Downing Inc. The selection of these two vendors moves the state forward by ensuring the best use of technology for resource sharing. This will be accomplished by enhancing WISCAT and enabling the linking of automated systems.

During the meeting, division staff members reviewed the major features of each vendor’s programs. See the June 13, 2001 Channel Weekly ( http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dltcl/eis/chwk0342.html ) for a discussion of these features.

At its May meeting the Department of Public Instruction’s Library Information Technology Advisory Committee recommended that WISCAT be included as part of a future linked systems project. The committee also recommended that DLTCL proceed with the selection of a vendor or vendors that will help make the transition toward linked systems. The decision to contract with Auto-Graphics and Fretwell-Downing produces an enhanced WISCAT product and also moves the state toward accomplishing these other recommendations. In this regard, DLTCL staff members will be working closely with libraries that initially expressed an interest in linking systems when the project was first discussed two years ago.

The LSTA Advisory Committee allocated funds to implement a linked systems pilot project in late 2002. However, considering the features that are offered by the vendors’ systems, it is likely that DLTCL will be able to accelerate this timetable somewhat. It also may be possible to more quickly extend the initial limited pilot project to incorporate other libraries.

The Power Point slides that were used at the meeting are available on the web at http://www.dpi.state.wi.us/dltcl/pld/ppt/wiscatlink.ppt.      (Channel Weekly, 6/28/01)

Michelle at Winnefox Library System reminds us that the Redgranite CI (Correctional Institution) is NOT on the delivery service. Items for them must be mailed. Please pay close attention to whether an item is for a PL or CI and send it accordingly. Too many items are being sent to Winnefox (and probably other clearinghouses also) that should be mailed directly to the borrowing library.

WILS will supply 5 volumes, 100 pages of photocopy, or up to six reels of microfilm per request. They will send what is currently available to fill the request. A new request needs to be submitted for any volumes/reels that were in use at the time.

WILS can renew materials only from Memorial, Music, and the State Historical Society libraries. The other campus libraries do not allow them to renew their materials. Items are due in three weeks, and are renewed for another three week interval.

The State Historical Society Library has a circulating copy of the Federal Census only for the state of Wisconsin. All other states are non-circulating. If requesting information from other states, you need to provide the information from the index. If you’re looking for the index information, please provide as much information as possible.

Genealogical books at the State Historical Society DO NOT circuluate. These are family histories, county histories, etc. WILS will copy a name from the book if you give them one, and have included the copyright compliance note (CCL or CCG) on the request.

Ask for a name instead of an entire index. Indices are often over 100 pages, if there even is one. If you know the names you’re looking for, and can supply that information up front, that will speed up the request considerably. Again, include the appropriate copyright compliance note.

The State Historical Society Library web site has a lot of useful information that might be helpful to you or your patrons. Their web address is http://www.shsw.wisc.edu/library/index.html

We’ve received a reminder from Terry Wilcox at the Reference and Loan Library about overdue and lost material. If you receive an overdue notice from a lender for an item borrowed by your library, please contact the lender immediately. Let them know that you are trying to retrieve the item and are working to solve the problem. The same is true if you receive a bill for material that one of your patrons has not returned or has lost. Communication with the lender tells them that you care about their materials and/or the problem that has been caused by non-return of materials. Since Wisconsin libraries borrow thousands of titles from libraries outside of our state and MINITEX states, we must rely on the good will of those lenders so they continue providing service to our patrons.

If you receive an overdue or lost material invoice in error from a library beyond Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota or South Dakota, send it to Terry Wilcox at the Reference and Loan Library (2109 South Stoughton Road/Madison WI 53716).

Remember, interlibrary loan is still one of the best and most effective services we can provide our users. If you don’t have what is needed - refer. Talk to your patrons, do a complete reference interview, and give us as much information as possible. Interlibrary loan is a powerful service- make good use of it.

Feel free to send an unverified request to the WVLS ILL office. It would be helpful to know as much information as possible about what the patron wants. Is it a really new book? Old book? Fiction? Subject? Where did they hear about the material requested?

If you are sending a request to WVLS, please give WVLS as much information as possible about what the patron wants and how you have handled the request so far. Does your patron have a deadline? Will they accept any edition? If you searched Amazon.com and found the item – please include the ISBN number. Did you clear your town/city before sending the request to WVLS? If you have gone directly to a library in your town/city but they were unable to fill, please note that in the NAVF (not available from) field on the request.

Did you know that teens comprise 25% of public library clientele?

Did you also know that when young people begin to frequent their libraries before the age of 18, they usually become adult library users and supporters who ultimately bring their own children into the library on a regular basis?

How do we get that 25% to become loyal library users? We do it by making our libraries inviting places where teens find both information and entertainment. We also do it by getting teens involved in their library in positive developmental ways.

The Search Institute has produced a list of the 40 youth assets that are the hallmark of teens who feel a high level of contentment in life, no matter what the circumstances, and who reach a satisfying point of self esteem. The 40 assets fall within various facets of life experiences, including support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies and positive identity. The checklist can be used to encourage open communication to build those assets in youth within our communities.

How can libraries, both school and public, help teens to attain the assets on the checklist? One very big way is to develop teen volunteer programs. Teens can be a wonderful help in assisting other teens with reader advisory, showing patrons how to use the computers, covering books and folding pamphlets, assisting with story times, shelving books, making photocopies, researching Internet sites for Web page links, producing puppet plays for younger children, reviewing books, planning programs, doing bulletin boards, etc. The key is to give them jobs that are important and that make them feel their volunteering is time well spent. They need guidance, but also to work as independently as possible and to receive thanks and appreciation.

(edited from article by Diane Tuccillo, Mesa Public Library, for AzLA Newsletter of the Arizona Library Association, March, 2001 as seen in U.N.A.B.A.S.H.E.D. Librarian, #119)

--Beth Sillars, WVLS Youth Services Consultant sillars@wvls.lib.wi.us 

Now is Your Chance!
Get Involved in WLA

--Stephen Proces, WLA 2001 Vice-President/President-Elect proces@winnefox.org 

The Youth Services Section of WLA proudly announces a newly revised version of the Wisconsin Public Library Youth Services Guidelines. The Guidelines, originally published in 1995, have been distributed to every Wisconsin public library and sold throughout the United States and the world. Widely used and admired, several states have modeled their own standards for youth services after the Guidelines. The revised version will be available for purchase at the Fall WLA Conference. 

August 16 - WVLS Executive Committee meeting - Marathon County Public Library - 9:45.

September - LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH

September 15 - WVLS Board of Trustees meeting - T.B. Scott Free Library (Merrill) Community Room - 9:45.