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I love words.  I keep a file of word games, stories, jokes, and quotes that speak to my own particular sense of the world.  At this season of giving, I’d like to share with you a few of my recent favorites…(sorry, I’m not very good at keeping track of the authors)

• When you realize you’ve made a mistake, make amends immediately.  It’s easier to eat crow while it’s still warm.

• If you woke up breathing, congratulations!  You have another chance.
• I’ve learned to pick my battles.  I ask myself, “Will this matter a year from now?  A month?  A week?  A day?”
• Christmas is the only holiday when we sit around looking at a dead tree and eating candy out of our socks.
• When you stop believing in Santa Claus, you get underwear for Christmas.
• One day a housework-challenged husband decided to wash his sweatshirt.  Seconds after stepping into the laundry room, he shouted to his wife, “What setting do I use on the washing machine?”  “It depends,” she replied.  “What does it say on your shirt?” “University of Wisconsin,” he yelled back.

• When you reach the Pearly Gates, you won’t be asked how many promotions you received.
  You’ll be asked how you promoted others.
• A grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt.  He said, “I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart.  One wolf is full of anger, despair and hopelessness.  The other is full of compassion, strength and hope.”  The grandson asked, “Which wolf will win this fight in your heart?”  The grandfather answered, “The one that I feed.”

• Take a word, like a holiday name, and try to find other words which are related to it AND which begin with the same letter.  For example, playing this game with the word “Christmas,” we  find the words: candle, cradle, crèche, coming, etc.  Following through with each letter of the word “Christmas,” you can almost tell the whole story, i.e., A CRADLE was surrounded by HOVERING angels REJOICING at the birth of an INFANT.  Overhead was a bright and wondrous STAR marking the place where this birth took place.  THREE kings came to visit this baby.  They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and MYRRH.  ANGELS and SHEPHERDS proclaimed the wonder and promise of this birth to the world.  See how you do with the names of other holidays…Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or Groundhog Day prove to be particularly challenging!!

All year long I have been collecting gifts and putting them away, hopeful that I’ll remember where they are. I will soon be wrapping and mailing and checking lists.  Most of the Christmas letters have been written and addressed.  The house is decorated and I’m anticipating waking on Christmas morning and looking at the tree as if I hadn’t already been seeing it for several weeks.  When I put the ornaments on, I named them in my mind for people and places I love.  As this year ends and a new one begins, I wish for you an awareness of personal peace and a sense of service rendered. Know that the giving of yourself to others is never wasted.
-- Heather Eldred

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YOUTH MATTERS

SCHOOLS NEED TO SET CLEAR RULES AND CONSEQUENCES
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 December: 

SCHOOL BOUNDARIES – Asset #12
Kids have this asset when their schools set clear rules
and consequences for student behavior.

 All schools must have a conduct code that is compiled and revised with student input.  All students and their parents are required to read, understand and accept the consequences of non-conformance by signing the code at the beginning of the school year.  It is important that parents support school boundaries to help children learn to accept externally imposed limitations as a part of life.  If student handbooks are out of date, boring, or too long, involve students in the revision process.  See if your child’s school uses a peer mediation program as one way to resolve boundary violations.  Adequate adult supervision must be provided in lunchrooms, hallways, on the playground, and other areas where students gather.  Expect all students to behave responsibly, and if they don’t, enforce consequences respectfully, fairly and consistently.  When possible, make school boundaries consistent throughout the community, from school to school.  As a community, support school leaders, administrators, teachers and staff and encourage them to create and enforce policies that establish clear consequences for out-of-bounds behavior and reinforce in-bounds behavior.

BIBLIOGRAPHIES FOR NARNIA LOVERS
The epic adventure The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis will be in theaters across the nation on December 9th.  In preparation for this event, the Young Adult Library Services Association has compiled a list of recommended Narnia Read-A-Likes for Tweens and Teens.  The list is available in PDF at http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/NarniaReadAlikes.pdf

 Also, Somerset County Library (Bridgewater, NJ) created a tri-fold (8 1/2 x 14) Word document annotated bibliography: If You Liked "The Chronicles of Narnia"... Check out these Magical Worlds. It is geared to 6th grade and under (not YA).  If anyone would like a copy of this bibliography, please email Carol Simon Levin at clevin@hublib.lib.nj.us  with the subject header "narnia bibliography."  You may use it intact or modify it to reflect your holdings, but are asked, as a courtesy, that you say something like "based on a bibliography compiled by The Somerset County Library, Bridgewater, NJ" if you decide to use substantial portions.
(PUBYAC listserv; 11/05)

COMING UP TALLER AWARDS
Each year the Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and reward outstanding after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth.  Award recipients receive $10,000 each, an individual plaque, and an invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference.  Programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, art centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses, and eligible government entities are encouraged to participate.  For guidelines and nomination application, visit http://www.cominguptaller.org/
(CEO; 11/16/05)

WE THE PEOPLE BOOKSHELF GRANTS
For the first time ever, the American Library Association will be awarding We the People Bookshelf Grants of 15 classic books for young readers on the theme of “Becoming American” to 2,000 school and public libraries.  This is four times the number of Bookshelves awarded in the past for a single application deadline! 

SOMETHING ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The Antigo Middle School IMC has Vols. 1-101 of Something About the Author to give to an interested library.  Anyone who wants this resource would have to pick it up at the school.  To request this resource and make arrangements for pick up, please contact Mary Griffin, Library Media Specialist, by January 13, 2006, at mgriffin@antigoschools.k12.wi.us 

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INFO TO GO

FREE GIFT FOR LIBRARY, STAFF AND READERS
The Bloomsbury Review (TBR) is an award-winning national book magazine that focuses on the best of the regional, university, and small presses, with a special emphasis on writers from diverse cultures.  The magazine features reviews and author interviews with a cross-section of both seminal and up-and-coming writers, many of whom received their first major exposure in TBR.   

The Bloomsbury Review is again offering FREE copies of its November/December gift issue.  The issue includes the favorite books of the editors from the past 25 years, as, indeed, they have been publishing that long.  It also includes wonderful gift books – from the arts to crafts to fiction to poetry to children’s and young adult books.  They pay shipping (UPS) and can send from 25 to 200 copies.  No strings!  (This offer applies only to the current issue and not to subscriptions or past issues.) 

Just send your name, physical mailing address (no P.O. boxes, please), and number of copies you want (between 25 and 200) to Marilyn Auer at BloomsB@aol.com
(Pat Wagner; Pattern Research; www.pattern.com )

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 TIPS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS   
Tips for First Responders is an 11-page field guide that offers information on how to assist persons with a wide range of disabilities, including seniors, people with service animals, people with mobility challenges, mental illness, blind or visually impaired and deaf or hard of hearing people, and people with cognitive disabilities.  The tip sheets provide information that you can read quickly either before or while responding to an incident or situation.  Tips for First Responders, produced as part of an ongoing collaborative project on emergency preparedness and people with disabilities, is available in PDF at http://cdd.unm.edu/products/TipsForFirstResponders.htm
(edited from SEAchange – The Wisconsin Education E-newsletter; 11/28/05)

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BE A GERM STOPPER!
The cold and flu season is an excellent time to remind kids (and adults) to wash their hands.  You’ve probably seen posters and flyers reminding people of the benefits of good hygiene in community restrooms and physician’s offices and waiting rooms.  These same posters, entitled “Healthy Habits,” “Be a Germ Stopper,” and “Cover Your Cough” are available at The Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site at http://www.cdc.gov/germstopper/materials.htm   All posters are downloadable in high or low resolution PDF, and are available in color or black and white.  Most are available in 8.5” x 11”.  Place a “Be a Germ Stopper” poster in your children’s restrooms today!
(edited from PUBYAC listserv message; 11/14/05)

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legislative update

LEGISLATIVE WEBSITES
Here are some state and federal websites to help keep up with proposed legislation and contact information for elected officials.

• Who are my Wisconsin legislators?  http://165.189.139.210/WAML// 
• Other information and links about Wisconsin state government: http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/home/ 
• Wisconsin Legislative Notification Service where you can sign up to be notified by email on progress of bills relating to specific topics or sponsored by specific legislators:
  http://notify.legis.state.wi.us/(ode5xcqm1i1isp55fp1un0i2)/Home.aspx
• To track a Wisconsin bill: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/nav/bienn.htm 
• WLA Wisconsin Legislative Status Report:  http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/BudgetStatusReport.htm 
• Wisconsin State Statutes http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html 
• Wisconsin Administrative Code http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code.htm 
• Wisconsin Department of Justice http://www.doj.state.wi.us/ 
• Wisconsin Attorney General’s Opinions from 1995-2004 are linked to the following page: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/index.html 
• Wisconsin Open Meetings Law Guidelines issued by the Attorney General http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dls/spar.asp#opmeet 
• Wisconsin Public Records Law Guidelines issued by the Attorney General: http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dls/spar.asp#pubrec 
• Wisconsin Counties Association website: http://www.wicounties.org/ 
• League of Wisconsin Municipalities website: http://www.lwm-info.org/index.html 
• Wisconsin Towns Association website: http://www.wisctowns.com/ 
• Wisconsin State Law Library, which has posted legal research guides, legal forms, and much more: http://wsll.state.wi.us/ 
• Who are my Federal legislators?   US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/
  US Representatives: http://www.house.gov/ 

• To track a federal bill and other legislative information: http://thomas.loc.gov/ 
• The Federal Executive Branch’s website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/ 
• WLA Federal Legislative Information including contact information for the Congressional members from Wisconsin: http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/federal.html 
• ALA Federal Legislative Information: http://www.ala.org/ala/issues/issuesadvocacy.htm 

 This comprehensive listing of legislative web sites is posted under Laws and Legislation under Links for Librarians on the IFLS website at http://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/.
(NewsFlashes, newsletter of the Indianhead Federated Library System; 11/30/05)

GREAT BOOKS AT YOUR LIBRARY!
The Great Books Foundation has been a pioneer in book group development and activity throughout the United States since 1947.  Two educators at the University of Chicago launched the Great Books movement that year.  They shared a vision of book discussion groups around the country in which passionate readers could meet and talk about enduring issues and ideas. The Great Books Foundation currently sponsors more than 850 book groups across the country.   

To get a free starter kit:  contact Daniel Born 1-800-222-5870, ext 282 or email daniel.born@greatbooks.org
(Library Connection, 12/05; http://www.esls.lib.wi.us/newsletter/nov2005.html )

Plan Now!
CELEBRATE LIBRARY LOVERS MONTH
Years ago, Stephanie Stokes declared February as Library Lovers’ Month.  On her web site (http://www.librarysupport.net/librarylovers), she has lists of ways that patrons can love their libraries (donating items, sponsoring subscriptions, volunteering).  It couldn’t hurt to point advocates or Friends to the site to get them thinking of ways to encourage others to show their love of libraries.  Sell library-related items as a fundraiser.  You could take a publicity page from other charities and write the name of all supporters on heart-shaped papers and display them to gently prod more to actively support libraries in some way.
(Marketing Library Services; November/December 2005)

DON’T TRIP UP ON YOUR NEXT ROAD TRIP
A recent experiment by Good Housekeeping magazine proved what most of us have suspected for years: online map services do not necessarily provide the best driving directions.  

 WLA Conference Report
TECHNOLOGY AND LIBRARIES
The very first session I attended related to using thin clients in the library and was sponsored by the Media and Technology Section (MATS).  Robert Sand, University of Minnesota – Duluth shared his experience with using thin clients on the Duluth campus.  They currently have over 300 thin clients in the library and he manages the central servers for the thin clients.  A thin client has no memory as all processing is done on the central server.  Thin clients come ready to use on the network, they have no moving parts, and they do have sound video and USB ports.  All upgrades are done at the server level.  They use universal data packets (UDP), not TCP/IP.  When considering implementing thin clients it is important to consider the application it is to be used for, who will administer the server and whether it will be on a public or private network.   

If you’d like more background on this issue, read the New York Times article (free with registration) at www.nytimes.com/2005/11/16/technology/circuits/16POGUE-EMAIL.html  or the CNET article at http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3513_7-6388181-1.html?tag=nl.e757 .
(South Central Library System’s Online Update; 12/2/05)

SYMPTOMS OF THE BIRD FLU…
The Center for Disease Control has released a list of symptoms of bird flu.  If you are experiencing any of the following, please seek medical treatment immediately:

1.       High fever
2.       Congestion
3.       Nausea
4.       Fatigue
5.       Aching in the joints
6.       An irresistible urge to poop on someone’s windshield

HERE’S TO THE LIBRARY BRIDE AND GROOM!
Wedding couples who have all the blenders and place settings they need have an alternative – ask guests to donate to their local library.  That’s what Pat Harris, a board member of the St. Paul (MN) Public Library and his bride, Laura Offerdahl, did.  In partnership with the library Friends group, they created an online wedding registry listing 142 books.  At the time this information was published, guests had contributed $4,200, which was to be used to buy children’s and adult books for the library’s collection.  The couple wed April 30^th, 2005, but the site remained up until June 30, 2005.
(edited from School Library Journal; 6/05)

1.       Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
2.       On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.
3.       The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.
4.       Discharge status:  alive but without my permission.
5.       Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.
6.       The patient refused autopsy.
7.       The patient has no previous history of suicides.
8.       Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.
9.       Patient’s medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40-pound weight gain in the past three days.
10.   Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.
11.   She is numb from her toes down.
12.   The skin was moist and dry.
13.   Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.
14.   Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.
15.   The patient was to have a bowel resection.  However, he took a job as a stock broker instead.
16.   She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.
17.   Patient was alert and unresponsive.

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

AFTER HOURS:  2005 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE:  MAXIMUM WOW
http://www.llrx.com/columns/afterhours23.htm
Annotated links to gift ideas for the holidays, most of which are food-related items.  The theme of these offerings is “the power to induce maximum wow.”  Categories include chocolate, other sweet items, gifts for the office, gifts for children, “Good Things in Small Packages,” and books.  Written by a food columnist, for the Law Library Resource Xchange (LLRX).
(LII New this Week; 11/10/05; Copyright 2005 by Librarians’ Index to the Internet, LII)  

DICTIONARY OF WISCONSIN HISTORY  
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/
This online dictionary provides brief biographies of 2,000 famous Wisconsin people (and many not-so-famous ones).  It provides the exact location of every community and civil township in the state, and explains how every county and 800 cities and towns got their names.  Many businesses are listed, from Schlitz Brewing to Trek Bicycles.  Dozens of historical events are summarized, from the founding of the Gideons to the Dow Riot of 1967.  Also, every obsolete ancient name applied to Wisconsin Native American tribes is defined.  Historical jargon such as “road monkey” and “Cousin Jack”, foreign-language expressions like “oriniak” or “toise”, and specialized terms such as “Durham boat” and “yellow dogs” are all explained.
(ResourceShelf; 12/2/05; http://www.resourceshelf.com/ )

GOOGLE EARTH 
http://www.earth.google.com
You could pay $20 million to see the earth from space, or you could download Google Earth for the coolest satellite or aerial view of almost any place on the planet (available for PCs only).  Type in “Beijing,” “Paris, France,” or your hometown, then zoom in and out to see terrain and buildings in 3-D.  For a bird’s-eye view of your house (my, how tidy the lawn looks from up there!), type in your address at www.virtualearth.msn.com, then click on “Aerial Photo” – and save those millions for something else.
(Real Simple; December 2005)  

NEW TRUSTEE TRAINING TOOLS AVAILABLE
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Libraries' Bureau of Library Development offers a number of new trustee training presentations in PowerPoint format developed to coincide with chapters of their Trustee Toolkit. The materials, funded through the LSTA program, cover such subjects as library finances,
hiring a director, library trends, planning, and policy development. The presentations can serve as a training tool and a springboard for discussion with any public library board, although some aspects are specific to Pennsylvania libraries. The presentations, along with the Trustee Toolkit,
are available at http://www.statelibrary.state.pa.us/libraries/cwp/view.asp?a=15&q=114992  and
are also linked on the DLTCL Trustee Resource page http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/trustee.html
(Channel Weekly, 12/1/05) 

SKI CONDITIONS – WEATHER UNDERGROUND 
http://www.wunderground.com/ski/
Browse by state.  Tracks weather forecasts, amount of new snow, surface conditions, number of trails, and, for those not open yet, projected opening date.
(Neat New Stuff I Found This Week; 12/3/04; http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html; Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2005) 

It’s addicting!
WEB SUDOKU   
http://www.websudoku.com
“The rules of Sudoku are simple.  Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces.  Every row must contain one of each digit.  So must every column, as must every 3” x 3” square.”  This site features billions of interactive games with easy, medium, hard, and evil levels of difficulty (users can receive hints).  The site also supplies puzzles for newspapers, magazines, and other media for a fee.
(LII New this Week; 12/1/05; Copyright 2005 by Librarians’ Index to the Internet, LII) 

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

December 9 –  C.S. Lewis’ epic adventure The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe opens in theaters. 

December 12 – Poinsettia Day.  For tips about caring for your Euphorbia Pulcherrima this holiday season, go to:  http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/poinsettia/  

December 17 – WVLS Executive Committee meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m. 

December 23 – WVLS office closed. 

December 26 – WVLS office closed. 

January 2, 2006 – WVLS office closed. 

January 20-25, 2006 – ALA Mid-Winter Conference – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention, Center; San Antonio, Texas –  visit http://www.ala.org/ala/eventsandconferencesb/midwinter/2006/home.htm for news and information about conference programs. 

January 21, 2006 – WVLS Board of Trustees meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m.  

January 31, 2006 – Library Legislative Day – Inn on the Park, Madison – a registration form is available at http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/day/documents/registration.doc  

February 2 – WVLS V-Cat Council meeting – Marathon County Public Library – 9:30 a.m. 

February 10 – Curious George is coming to theatres. 

February 17 – WVLS 2006 Summer Library Program workshop – Marathon County Public Library – details forthcoming.

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