HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WVLS!
It's August and WVLS is celebrating its 44th year of service. WVLS began in August of 1961 as a ten county, federally-funded grant project to prove that reference service could be provided over a large rural area using a central resource library. Three other library systems began at approximately the same time:

· Northern Wisconsin Library Service (NWLS)... to demonstrate bookmobile service over a large rural area.

· Southwest Wisconsin Library System (SWLS)... to demonstrate cooperative ordering/processing/cataloging over a large rural area.

· Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS) to demonstrate cooperation between libraries in densely populated areas.

When the federal dollars ran out in 1964, the participating WVLS counties were asked to continue to support the project. They agreed to do so and supported what was then called 'Regional Reference Service - Wausau Area' from 1965-1972.

In 1972 the state of Wisconsin began to support library systems. 88% of WVLS' 2005 funding comes from the state. The balance of our funding comes from participating counties, interest on investments, grants, etc.

(To celebrate this milestone, WVLS is offering to eat all cookies and treats contributed by area library staff during the month of August!)

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I toss articles about libraries in a folder and, once in awhile, dig into that folder when I need a relevant quote, an inspiration or (in this case) a column…

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"Libraries will have a crucial role for years to come no matter how much of recorded human knowledge makes its way onto the Internet. No one has yet come up with a proven method of preserving digital information for a century or more, and the explosion of knowledge and information abetted by the digital revolution makes the organizing and cataloging skills of librarians even more valuable." (from DO LIBRARIES STILL MATTER? by Daniel Akst seen in the Spring 2005 issue of the Carnegie Reporter www.carnegie.org/reporter)

"For the first few centuries after Johann Gutenberg started churning out Bibles, books had it easy. There were paintings, songs and sermons, of course, but movable type applied to paper was the cutting-edge technology for telling stories. Today, books compete with DVD's, video games, 500 channels of cable television and a nearly limitless number of pages on the Internet. The good news is that even in this high-tech age, old-fashioned books appear to be holding their own…Remarkably, Americans still spend more on books than they do on movie-going, recorded music, video games or DVD's. Despite all the advances in technology, books still have no equal when it comes to telling complicated, nuanced narratives. The news on book sales is not all good. The driving force behind the increase in revenue is higher prices, not more books sold. In fact, the number of books sold has declined 3 percent in the last three years. And the National Endowment for the Arts found, in a report released last year, that literary reading had declined sharply among adults over the past two decades. That means there is still a need for all of the well-known prescriptions: better English instruction in the schools, more literacy programs and more money for libraries. Still, in an age when air travelers can watch a Hollywood movie on their laptops, and video game players can live in a virtual city in their computers, a gratifyingly large number of Americans still want to curl up with a good book." (The New York Times, 6/5/05)

"…some critics warn that library schools are producing new librarians with no cultural memory, technically savvy but oriented more toward commerce than to the library's historic role… According to the American Library Association, librarians are 'proactive professionals responsible for ensuring the free flow of information and ideas working to meet the challenges of social, economic, and environmental change.' The ALA encourages its 64,000 or so members to recognize the contributions they can make in 'ameliorating or solving the critical problems of society.' In addition to public libraries, there are more than 90,000 school, 3,500 academic, and 1,250 government libraries, and nearly 10,000 special libraries dedicated to a particular activity, company, or field. If librarians took their charter seriously, their influence could be profound. But that's easier said than done." (from KNOWLEDGE FOR SALE, an article by Chris Dodge in the July-August, 2005 UTNE)

10 STEPS TO WIRELESS ACCESS IN YOUR LIBRARY
As more and more wireless-enabled devices become available to everyday consumers, the demand for available wireless internet connections grows, increasing the impetus for libraries to think about providing wireless access for their patrons. The July 2005 issue of Crossroads (WebJunction's online newsletter) discusses what you need to consider when extending your library's existing wired network with a wireless local area network (WLAN) segment for your patrons and staff, and focuses on the following ten steps to getting started with wireless:

LIBRARY SUCCESS WIKI
Wiki is an abbreviation for "What I Know Is," and basically is a web site that allows users to add content, as on an Internet forum, but also allows anyone to edit the content. The term Wiki, (spelled with either an upper case or lower case "w") also refers to the collaborative software used to create such a web site.
You may be familiar with Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page), the free, communal encyclopedia that gives anyone the opportunity to add and edit content. Now there's a new Wiki available, called Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki (http://www.libsuccess.org/) and it's off to a good start. The site was created so that librarians can share their great ideas and successes with the rest of the library world. Find out how to do things right and share your triumphs with others!
(edited from Carpe Hootem; newsletter of the Outagamie Waupaca Library System; 7/15/05)

IN THE SYSTEM

TAVERN LEAGUE MAKES HARRY POTTER FANS HAPPY!

Marathon County Tavern League President, Dave Verick, is surrounded by Harry Potter fans at a celebration of the Magic of Reading held at the Marathon County Public Library on July 16th. The Marathon County Tavern League along with the Tavern League Foundation of Wisconsin donated $2,000 to fund the program and the purchase of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince books and CDs for the Library's collection and for 50 lucky winners at drawings held at all Marathon County libraries. Dee Bohn, MCPL staff member, helps the kids hold the giant Thank You card from Potter fans.

This is the second year that the Marathon County Tavern League and the Tavern League Foundation of Wisconsin have supported literacy efforts in the WVLS area. Last year, both organizations donated $2,000 to WVLS to help defray expenses for sponsoring performers at area public libraries' summer reading programs.

AREA LIBRARY STAFF GET CREATIVE FOR SUMMER LIBRARY PROGRAMS  "Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds," the theme of this year's summer library program, created a great opportunity for area library staff to put their artistic and creative talents to good use. Flying dragons, stained glass windows, hanging banners, and a royal throne for reading welcomed readers to the Rothschild Area Branch Library for Marathon County Public Library's Readers of the Realm Summer Library Program.
Click here for additional pictures.

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Saturday October 15, 2005
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Skateway, Medford

Due to the huge success of the first Northwoods Conference, the Friends of the Marathon County Public Library and the Wisconsin Valley Library Service (WVLS) have planned another one!  Attending this conference will be a great opportunity for “friends” to share ideas and network with colleagues, to get insights from library leaders in Wisconsin, and to gather lots of information and resources to jump start local library support efforts.  

Speakers and discussion leaders for this conference include:

 THE COST OF THE CONFERENCE IS $12.00
This fee includes coffee and snacks throughout the session as well as a lunch at mid-day.

(Registrants will be sent a map and a listing of hotels and restaurants in the Medford area upon receipt of registration.)

YOUTH MATTERS

KIDS NEED TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF PURPOSE
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).  Following is the featured asset for August:

SENSE OF PURPOSE – Asset #39
Kids who have this asset believe that their life has purpose.

The best way to help young people develop a sense of purpose is to show them that your life has meaning.  Do things that matter to you, develop your talents, pursue your dreams!  Have each member of your family make a list of five things he or she is passionate about.  Ask younger children what they like doing more than anything else.  Compare and discuss the lists – there will probably be a few surprises!  Now, go out and explore your passions together!  Hang inspirational quotes that communicate family values on your refrigerator.  Limit screen time (time spent watching TV, on the computer or playing video games.)  Instead, encourage and provide opportunities for kids to use that time to actively explore and develop their talents and interests.

NEED TEEN POSTERS?
Harcourt is offering a free TEEN POSTER PACK of eleven full-color posters featuring YA novels, including Ursula K. Le Guin’s Gifts (Harcourt, 2004); Jennifer Donnelly’s A Northern Light (Harcourt, 2003) and Edith Pattou’s East (Harcourt 2003).  To order the posters, which measure about 10.5 by 16 inches, send a self-addressed mailing label (not envelope) to:  Teen Poster Pack, VOYA Offer, Harcourt Children’s Books, 525 B Street, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA  92101.  Offer is good while supplies last; please allow two to four weeks for delivery.
(VOYA; August 2005)

YOUTH LEAD THE WAY TO A WIRED AND MOBILE NATION
In a report released July 27, 2005 by the PEW INTERNET & AMERICAN LIFE PROJECT, “Today’s American teens live in a world enveloped by communications technologies; the internet and cell phones have become a central force that fuels the rhythm of daily life.”  Some of the findings in the 57-page report, Teens and Technology:  Youth are leading the transition to a fully wired and mobile nation, 
(http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Teens_Tech_July2005web.pdf) conclude that: 

•  84% of all teenagers report owning at least one personal media device:  a desktop or laptop computer, a cell phone or a Personal Digital Assistant.
• 45% of teens have cell phones and 33% have used a cell phone to send text messages.
• Email is still a fixture in teens’ lives, but instant messaging is preferred.
• 51% of online teens usually choose the landline telephone when they want to talk with friends.
• Almost one in three (29%) teens who use IM or text messaging use it to communicate with their parents.
• 51% of families with teens report broadband Internet connections of some kind.
• 81% of online teens say they are gamers
• 76% of online teens get news online, up from 38% in 2000.
• Going to Junior High seems to be the tipping point when many teens who were not previously online get connected.
• Older teenage girls (aged 15-17) are more likely to use email, text messaging, search for information about prospective schools, seek health and religious information, and visit entertainment-related websites, than either boys of the same age or younger boys and girls.

INFO TO GO

LIBRARY CARD SIGN-UP MONTH
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when libraries throughout the country remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply.  The Public Library Association (PLA) of the American Library Association is promoting a library card as the smartest card you can have in your wallet.  Check out their web site at http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=promotions&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=101032  for promotional ideas.  You can find downloadable graphics, a proclamation, a sample press release and PSAs (in English and Spanish), lots of good PR ideas, and a downloadable poster of George Lopez that you can have ALA customize with your library logo at no charge.

THE SEPTEMBER PROJECT

The September Project (http://www.theseptemberproject.org) is a grassroots effort to encourage public events on democracy, freedom, and citizenship on or around September 11.  September Project events are not necessarily about September 11; they are events of reflection, discussion and dialogue about the meaning of democracy, the role of information in promoting active citizenship, and the importance of literacy in making sense of the world around us.  IMPORTANT:  Events take place on September 11, on the weekend of September 11, or throughout the month of September.  In other words, whenever it works best for your library and your community.

Libraries around the world are collaborating with organizations to host public and campus events such as:  displays about human rights and government documents; talks and performances about democracy and cultural difference; one book/one community readings; and film screenings about issues that matter.  Over 100 examples of events can be found at:  http://www.theseptemberproject.org/pastevents.htm 

If you plan to offer programs that explore these ideas, please sign up.  Signing up takes just a moment and places your library on the map of participants.  Please visit:  http://www.drizzle.com/~klockner/cgi-bin/tsp/2005/venue.cgi 
(NewsFlashes; newsletter of the Indianhead Federated Library System; 7/27/05)

Celebrate at Your Library!
INTERNATIONAL EAT AN APPLE DAY 
There are many different varieties of apples to choose from, and most people only know about a few of them.  Now, at the beginning of the harvest season, would be a great time to identify many types of apples for all your patrons.  A list or a chart should contain a photo of each, along with a description, what its best used for, and the weeks that it will be available.  You could do this on paper or on your web site, or both.  If your community has any sort of apple or harvest festival, ask the organizers if they would like apple-ID brochures from you to hand out.  (Each would have your name and URL, of course!)  You could also help sponsor the fest, or give away an apple to anyone visiting the library or its festival booth.  Or, you can provide apples to patrons on September 17^th, which is International Eat an Apple Day.   Start gathering data at sites like http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/apples/varieties.html
(from Marketing Library Services; July/August 2005)

GRANT UPDATE

CORETTA SCOTT KING REVIEW BOOKS DONATION GRANT
Applications for the Coretta Scott King Review Books Donation Grant are now being accepted.  Schools, public libraries, churches, prison libraries, after-school programs, day care centers, and other organizations serving youth are invited to apply to receive copies of the books submitted for the Coretta Scott King Book Awards, after they have been read by the award jury and the winning books have been selected.  Information about the grant, including a downloadable application form, is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookawards/bookgranta/cskbookgrant.htm  

Applications must be received by December 1, 2005.  Grant winners will be announced at the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in January 2006.  The Coretta Scott King Book Awards programs are administered by the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) of ALA.

FROM HITHER & YON

WOW! 
Here is a math trick so unbelievable that it will stump you.  Personally I would like to know who came up with this. It is pretty amazing!

1. Grab a calculator (you won't be able to do this one in your head).
2. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code).
3. Multiply by 80.
4. Add 1.
5. Multiply by 250.
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number.
7. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
8. Subtract 250.
9. Divide number by 2.

Do you recognize the answer? 
(submitted by Juanita Thomas, WVLS Office Manager)

WEB SITES OF INTEREST (tourist traps on the information superhighway!)

HOME TOWN NEWS    http://www.hometownnews.com 
Nearly 3,000 links to “all known daily and weekly U.S. newspapers with Web sites” may be found at this site.  You may either select a state or click on a state on the U.S. map for a list of links to online newspapers in that state.” 
(LII New This Week; 6/30/05; Copyright 2005 by Librarians’ Index to the Internet, LII) 

VERIZON LITERACY CAMPUS    http://www.literacycampus.org/ 
This site is an online resource for information about the literacy challenges that millions in this country face and free online courses that help prepare you for an active role in adult and family literacy programs.  Explore the site for high quality, free information on literacy and on volunteering, orientation and training for literacy volunteers, and professional development for literacy professions.  Verizon Literacy Campus is managed by the National Center for Family Literacy and ProLiteracy Worldwide, with generous funding from Verizon Communications.  
(LD Online Report; 7/21/05)

THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) OF LIBRARIES  http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/reports/roi.htm
The ALA Office for Research and Statistics compiled articles, books, studies and presentations pertaining to library values and their return on investment.  The full roster may be found at this site.
(Marketing Treasures Newsletter; 7/05)

THIS OLD HOUSE    http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/#
Summer certainly isn’t a bad time to start a new home (or apartment) improvement project, whether it be a gut rehab or just fixing a wobbly toilet seat.  Fortunately, the This Old House television program website is a good place to look for a wide range of information about just such endeavors.  While the site certainly has a number of advertisements on it, there is still a good deal of very reliable content for use by the general public.  The homepage contains a number of “Improvement Highlights,” ranging from how to install a garage floodlight to how to tile a floor.  Of course, most users will also want to check out some video highlights from the popular television show.  Users may also want to submit a question for consideration by the This Old House staff.
(From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2005, http://scout.wisc.edu/; 7/1/05)

WORLD CARROT MUSEUM    http://website.lineone.net/~stolarczyk/ 
It’s getting to be carrot season, and the World Carrot Museum is the perfect place to go to find ways to get rid of extra carrots.  Make carrot soap, carrot wine or carrot whiskey (ready to drink in a year!), or “fashionable carrot jewellery.”
(Wicked Cool; newsletter of South Central Library System; July 2005) 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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

is a monthly newsletter of the Wisconsin Valley Library Service. 
300 N. First Street / Wausau, WI 54403
Contributions are welcome!

Back issues are available at http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Newsletter/newsindex.htm 
(Note: Web links in past issues are not checked for currency and may no longer work.)

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.

When the most recent issue becomes available, readers are alerted by a notice posted to WISPUBLIB, or sent an email.
To subscribe to WISPUBLIB, send an email message to wispublib@badger.state.wi.us  In the body of the message (subject line is ignored) type: subscribe WISPUBLIB. Then send your email. To have The Lamplighter emailed to you without subscribing to WISPUBLIB, contact Barbara Freimund at 715/261-7252, or email freimund@wvls.lib.wi.us