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Another Look At Library Ethics Questions

For a while now I’ve been considering various questions related to library trusteeship. Recent replies to my question to Wisconsin library folks have brought up some interesting situations that may not have ‘legal’ answers but which might make for interesting discussions at your library board meetings:

• Who has keys to the library? Library personnel? Library trustees? Are there good reasons for those folks to have keys? Do you have a policy for retrieval of keys when people leave their library employment or when they are no longer board members? Might it be a good idea to develop such a policy?
• What do you (as a library director or as a library board member) do when you find out that your board president has negotiated the upcoming library budget with the mayor – without any input from the board and without any direction from the rest of the board to do so?
• What is your reaction to the library board president speaking out in the local newspaper against a board decision to keep a challenged sex education book in the collection – without clarifying that he was speaking for himself alone and not the whole board and without clearly stating that, even though he or she disagreed personally with the policy, he/she was bound to support the board’s decision?
• What would you do if the municipal appointing authority (Mayor, Village President, Town Chair) appoints a municipal board member as a liaison to the library board but ALSO appoints the Director of another municipal department as another member? Since the municipality is already represented, is there a conflict of interest for the Public Works Director being able to decide budgetary and salary questions for another municipal department, and another municipal department head, i.e., the library and the library director?

If any readers have good answers to the above scenarios, I invite them to share their ‘solutions’ with me and I will include them in a future column.

One of the questions that came up recently was why it seems to be OK for non-public library personnel to serve on a library system board when the law forbids public library personnel from doing so. My response to that question was that Wisconsin Statute 43.17(1) only forbids any person employed by a public library that is a member of a public library system from serving on the board of trustees of a public library system. It is my understanding that the law doesn’t specifically forbid any non-public library employees from serving on a system board because, in Wisconsin, there are no legally recognized multitype library systems…only public library systems (that sometimes work with non-public libraries in their service areas). The obvious reason for not allowing public library employees to serve on system boards is to eliminate possible conflict of interest situations, i.e., the system board sets rules and regulations for its public library members and, in the case of WVLS, the system board sets cash grants for member counties (which only benefit public libraries). Having employed public library personnel vote on these types of issues is obviously a conflict of interest.

The WVLS Board has often had non-public library personnel among its membership – sometimes even serving in various offices. When the state law was changed to forbid public library personnel from serving on system boards, the WVLS board discussed the logic of having non-public library employees serving as WVLS trustees. Recognizing that the system board has no legal control over appointments made by the Chairs of County Boards of Supervisors, the WVLS board still could find no specific reasons to even want to forbid non-public library employee appointments (even if they could) because non-public libraries do not receive any specific, statutory services - or cash grants - from WVLS. In other words, the WVLS board cannot set rules and regulations for non-public libraries and those libraries don’t directly benefit from WVLS dollars so there is no conflict of interest situation to contend with.

In an effort to promote library services to the community, Crandon Public Library has created a series called "Especially for You!" Through "Especially for You!", special interest groups visit the library for a short presentation on what a great resource the public library is for them. Pertinent resources are displayed, and special attention, i.e., refreshments and discussion time, is provided to the visiting group. Crandon Public Library began the series with local educators, and then daycare centers, and most recently, the Chamber of Commerce. The library looks forward to hosting the health and wellness providers in the area sometime soon. The community has been very receptive to this experience and has voiced their enthusiastic appreciation. For more information about the "Especially for You!" series, please contact Karen Guth, Crandon Public Library Director at 715/478-3784 or kguth@wvls.li.wi.us   –Karen Guth, Crandon Public Library Director

It’s not too early to book your rooms for the Wisconsin Library Association’s fall conference – "Libraries @ the Heart" – which will be held in Milwaukee at the Four Points Sheraton, October 28-31, 2003. Even if you’re not positive that you will be able to attend, if you want to stay in the conference hotel rather than another hotel, I recommend that you make reservations now by calling 414/481-8000. (If you need to cancel, you can always cancel later!) Conference rate is $89/night for single, double, triple or quad occupancy rooms.

The WLA Conference website is now available, with a registration form and detailed schedule of events at http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/conferences/2003/ 

Based on research conducted since 1958, Search Institute has identified 40 developmental assets that all young people need to grow up to be healthy, principled and caring adults. The more assets a young person has developed, the more likely they are to make positive choices. Conversely, the fewer assets a young person has developed, the more likely they are to become involved in risk-taking behaviors. It has been found nationwide that most students have fewer than half of these 40 assets.

The list of 40 developmental assets as well as tips for focusing on each one is too long to include in its entirety here, but may be requested from Beth Sillars at the WVLS office (715/261-7255 or sillars@wvls.lib.wi.us) or Debi McGregor, Community Initiatives Coordinator (715/848-2927 or dmcgregor@unitedwaymc.org). Following is the featured asset for August:

Encourage adults in the neighborhood to take the time to get to know the kids living nearby. Learn their names and make it a point to talk to them whenever you have the chance. Work together with your neighbors on a task, like raking leaves, caring for pets or shoveling snow. If you are a parent, introduce your children to the adults in the neighborhood and encourage them to be polite and respectful to neighbors. Leading by example is the best way to teach any behavior – be neighborly! Share the bounties of your garden, wave and say "hi" when you meet, and encourage your children to participate in these activities with you. Start making plans for National Night Out in October – a time when neighbors get together and have a going-away party for crime in the neighborhood.

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According to Publishers Weekly (April 14, 2003), Dr. Seuss Enterprises is planning for a year-long tribute to Theodor S. Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) in honor of what would have been his 100th birthday, on March 2, 2004. The Seussentennial: A Century of Imagination will celebrate all aspects of Geisel’s life with the help of some sponsored events. For example, in January 2004, Random House Children’s Books will begin a cross-country tour of actors and costumed characters who will host readings and interactive workshops in more than 40 cities. A complete listing of Seussentennial activities can be viewed at www.seussentennial.com 

Here is a baffler involving the freaky number nine.

1. Ask a friend to call out a seven-figure telephone number: let’s say it is 987-8236.

2. Ask another friend to JUMBLE UP the digits. Let’s say you get 762-8839.

3. Now take away the smaller number from the larger one (9878236 – 7628839 = 2249397).

4. Add the digits together (2+2+4+9+3+9+7 = 36).

5. Now add three and six together and the answer is NINE.

The trick will work with any two telephone numbers!

(Milwaukee Journal, 11/27/88)

The Children, Families and Internet 2003 survey, conducted by Grunwald Associates in conjunction with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, indicates that families have embraced computers. "Parents aren’t buying into media alarm-ism about technology. Instead, parents, especially mothers, view technology as a tool that can help their children grow," says Peter Grunwald, whose company conducted the survey. The survey found that many common myths about computers simply aren’t true. For example:

Myth #1: Parents are uncomfortable having their kids online. Most parents (83%) said they were happy with their children’s Internet use. "Parents welcomed the chance for children to explore online," says Grunwald. "The resources on the Internet outweighed any dangers parents perceived."

Myth #2: Parents think the Internet is unsafe. When given a list of concerns about children’s well-being, parents ranked the online world 10^th. School safety, physical health and academic success all registered higher on the parental worry-meter. Parents surveyed felt they could keep their children safe by monitoring online use.

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For Sale. The Marathon County Public Library would like to sell some under shelf steel wire book supports, standard length, gray. Sells from $1.69-$2.49/each, but may purchase entire amount of 3,146 for $1,500 (which comes to $.48/each). If interested, contact Gail Westberg, MCPL Purchasing Manager, at 715/261-7217 between 8:00-noon, Monday through Friday, or westberg@mcpl.lib.wi.us 

Mouse Traps! – favorite web sites of area library staff

• States and Capitals http://www.50states.com 
  This site details each state and includes words to state songs, population, sports teams, lists of famous people, governing bodies, etc… most everything has some sort of link to further information.
• Linda’s Links to Literature http://www.richmond.k12.va.us/readamillion/LITERATURE/literature_lesson_plans_s.htm 
  I found this site while looking for ideas for our YA book club. The site does not list appropriate age levels, but everything else I have seen looks good.
• Time and Date.com http://www.timeanddate.com 
  This is a great web site for letting people know, for example, the date of the first Saturday of June in 2006, and the time in Sydney, Australia if it is 6:00 p.m. in Antigo, etc.

NLG Grant Planning: A Tutorial http://e-services.imls.gov/project_planning/ 
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) provides a free tutorial to make it easier to create well-designed projects and more competitive grant applications. The tutorial can be used by anyone who wants to learn more about project planning. it is a valuable resource for a wide array of planning activities including professional education and staff training. Designed specifically to help with IMLS National Leadership Grants (NLG), but of potential value to many grant writers. (Created by kgs, Librarians Index to the Internet)

Nutrition Navigator http://navigator.tufts.edu/ 
The Tufts University Nutrition Navigator is the first online rating and review guide that solves the two major problems Web users have when seeking nutrition information: how to quickly find information best suited to their needs and whether to trust the information they find there. The Tufts University Nutrition Navigator is designed to help you sort through the large volume of nutrition information on the Internet and find accurate, useful nutrition information you can trust. (Refdesk Link of the Day, 8/21/03)

Blackouts: Safety Information for Short-Term Power Outages or "Rolling Blackouts" - http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/blackout.html 
This site tells you how to prepare for a blackout, and actions to take during a blackout, with an emphasis on supply and safety tips, including some for people with disabilities. Also, it provides energy conservation recommendations and information on heat waves, using generators, and food safety. From the American National Red Cross.html (Created by cdt, Librarians Index to the Internet)

California Recall Election
Hot Topic: Recall in California http://www.igs.berkeley.edu/library/htRecall2003.html 
Useful information with a scholarly slant for the California recall election scheduled for fall, 2003, including constitutional and statutory basis for election, legal challenges, candidates, polls, other measures on the ballot and more. From the Library of the Institute of Governmental Studies.

Recall Governor Election 2003 http://www.ca.lwv.org/lwvc/edfund/elections/2003/ 
For the fall 2003 gubernatorial recall election, the League of Women Voters presents "unbiased, nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and the issues on the ballot." (Created by kgs, Librarians Index to the Internet)

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This month's Featured Kit 

973P Piggies Kit

For more information visit the
WVLS AV & Programming Materials Page

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Telling the Library Story 
a WVLS advocacy & publicity workshop
Friday, October 10th, Rhinelander District Library meeting room

Workshop at MCPL
Managing Your Church Library

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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 at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/About/wessler.htm 

LAMPLIGHTER

a newsletter of the Wisconsin Valley Library Service
300 N. First Street / Wausau, WI 54403
Back issues are available 
Please send address corrections and updates to Marla Sepnafski at msepnafs@wvls.lib.wi.us  or call 715/261-7252.

Contributions are welcome! News items should be submitted by the first of the month.
The Lamplighter is published monthly alternating between paper and electronic issues. 
WVLS serves Clark, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, and Taylor counties.