OPEN MEETINGS NOTIFICATION REVISITED…
At various area-wide meetings recently, we have discussed the importance of the Wisconsin Open Meeting Laws and we have been reminded that meetings of boards appointed by governmental bodies (as well as committees or other sub-units of those boards) must be properly posted.

Notice of meetings of governmental bodies (read ‘local, county and/or system library boards)…and/or any sub-unit of that/those boards’ must be given to: (1) the public; (2) any members of the news media who have submitted a written request for notice; and (3) the official newspaper.

Posting a copy of the agenda/call to meeting of the board (or a sub-unit) at least on the library’s and/or municipal building’s bulletin board and sending a copy to your municipality’s official newspaper (via hand delivery, US Postal Service, FAX or e-mail) will be quite sufficient…unless any members of the news media have asked for notice in writing – then, you have to send them notification as well. You can send meeting notices to group members via US mail, FAX or email also.

WVLS sends notification of WVLS Board and sub-unit meetings to all newspapers in our area figuring we’ll be safe by notifying all of them.

You should be aware that, although the law requires governmental bodies to notify official newspaper/s, the Wisconsin Attorney General has said (in 66 Op. Att’y Gen, 230, 231 (1977)) that the governmental body is not required to pay for and the newspaper is not required to publish such notice.

A list of the newspapers in the seven-county area served by WVLS has been posted on the WVLS web site at ( http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Directories/Media.html#WVLS%20Area%20Newspapers ). If you are not sure which newspaper is the ‘official’ one for your municipality, ask your municipal clerk which newspaper has been officially designated by your municipality as its ‘official’ newspaper (under WIS. STATS. Ch.985).

WHY PAY FOR FREE STUFF? GO TO THE LIBRARY!
That's the title of an April 24, 2005 Chicago Tribune article by Gregory Karp, personal finance writer for The Morning Call, A Tribune Co. newspaper in Allentown, PA.  Mr. Karp says, "Perhaps the ultimate in careless spending is paying for something you can get free.  And no place offers more valuable free stuff than your local public library...If you haven't visited a public library in a while, you may be surprised by the breadth of lending materials and services available...Internet access...cultural programs... entertainment for kids...business resources...recorded music...videos...books on tape/CD...meeting rooms...instructional programs...research."   It's a good article reminding folks about the value of the services available for 'free' from their public library.  I think it would be a good idea for local library personnel to write a similar article for local newspapers.  To see the original article click on  http://www.mcall.com/business/columnists/all-karp-aapr24,0,646464.column 
-- Heather Eldred

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YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE

A REMINDER ABOUT WEEDING
Weeding is, or should be, an on-going process. Withdrawing and discarding books in poor physical condition, or with questionable accuracy of information is absolutely essential. Weeding the collection eliminates books which are old and unattractive, outdated, or inappropriate for your collection, and gives you space to add new items.

It is imperative that certain areas of the collection be kept current. When a newer edition of a law book comes out, older editions should be destroyed. The sciences are also an area of rapid and radical change. Carefully evaluate anything over five years old. Mathematics does change, especially in teaching styles and course emphasis. Slide rules anyone? Space technology constantly brings in new information. Chemistry and physics are areas that change the fastest. Is the Periodic Table of Elements current? Materials on medicine must be kept current, and older materials destroyed.

The Cuyahoga County Public Library published Weeding Guidelines by Dewey Class in 2001. They suggest the following:

• Drug directories – keep no more than the current year plus one.
• Materials on fast changing fields and areas of research – such as AIDS, genetics, and cancer – keep two years.
• Histories of medicine, classic authors, and popular authors – keep according to usage.

Because of the high cost of purchasing materials, it is sometimes not possible to have as many reference and non-fiction titles as we would like. Take advantage of online resources. Go to the WVLS website and click on Electronic Resources. Go to Health and Wellness, a Galenet product, for medical information. Also on the WVLS website – click on Directories-Listings-Catalogs. Near the bottom of the page see Listing of Links. Click on General Reference and English as a Second Language. Scroll down to the link for the Wisconsin Law Library. Their excellent website will give you information on how to access legal topics.

If you have any questions about weeding materials in your collection, please contact the reference staff at WVLS. We will be happy to supply written guidelines or schedule a visit to help with a weeding project. – Ellen Buchberger

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YOUTH MATTERS

HOW TO TAME A BOOK
-Claudia Iglesias
(written by a 13-year old family member of Jan Baer, WVLS trustee)

First, you have to hop on. 
Oh, it will try to throw you off, 
But you MUST, MUST, MUST 
Hold on!

It will race past
Magical castles,
Haunted woods, Frightening mansions,
Deep, dark jungles,
Raging rivers,
And bridges
With evil trolls
Under
Them;
But you MUST, MUST, MUST
Hold on!

The book will try
To put you in
Mortal peril -
Perhaps a dangerous quest,
Or a duel with an evil sorcerer,
Or maybe a jousting match
With
A black-hearted knight;
But you MUST, MUST, MUST
Hold on!

Eventually the book will
Grow weary,
Then, finally, exhausted -
Too exhausted
To hold you.
That is when you know
Your adventure
Is coming to an
End.

If you want,
You can visit the book
Again -
It will grab you
Harder than before;
But you will enjoy the
Sensation -
That and the adventure
The story will throw
You in,
But you MUST, MUST, MUST
Hold on!

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KIDS NEED TO SPEND TIME AT HOME
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 May:

Limit kids’ evenings out so that they don’t spend more than two nights a week with friends "with nothing special to do." Being at home in a positive family environment four nights a week is a good guideline to start with. Parents must be flexible with the ‘home 4 nights a week’ rule by encouraging children to also participate in youth programs and activities. Be aware that the number of nights at home is not an asset if everyone is too busy to connect with one another, or if young people are watching TV or on the computer for long periods of time. Find ways to do things together – board games, making meals, chores, taking a walk, or anything that affords the opportunity to make positive and healthy connections with each other. Search Institute has published Conversations on the Go, a book of questions designed to keep teens and adults talking, written by Mary Ackerman. It can be ordered at www.search-institute.org (Item #: 864-W00; ISBN 1-57482-863-0; 2004; 96 pages; $9.95)

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ADVENTURES TO READ ALL THROUGH THE SUMMER  
Librarian Nancy Pearl has options other than Harry Potter for parents, kids and fans of the series. Following are Pearl's choices, as mentioned in the Morning Edition of NPR (5/16/05) "…that range from new releases of proven classics to new, irreverent and witty fantasy books that cross boundaries of genre and age. While they lack the marketing extravaganza of the Potter series, these books should keep fans of interesting fantasy writing occupied – and happy – through the summer."

• Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson 
• Five Children and It by E. Nesbit 
• Half Magic by Edward Eager 
• Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins 
• The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin 
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster 
• David and the Phoenix by Edward Ormondroyd 
• The Ear, the Eye and the Arm by Nancy Farmer 
• Sabriel by Garth Nix 
• Sorcery Cecelia, or the Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede 
• The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope

Short descriptions of these books may be found at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4646599 

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AWARDS & HONORS

CONGRATULATIONS TO KEVIN HENKES AND S.D. SCHINDLER! 
Selected by the Wisconsin Library Association's Children's Book Award Committee, the Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award is awarded to a Wisconsin author or illustrator for distinguished achievement in children's literature and the Notable Author Award is awarded to a Wisconsin author, past or present, for literary achievement. Awards are presented annually at WLA's fall conference.

2005 Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award 
Kevin Henkes (author and illustrator) for Kitten's First Full Moon. Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2004.

2005 Burr/Worzalla Outstanding Books 

• With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote, written by Ann Bausum. National Geographic, 2004. 
• Godless, written by Pete Hautman. Simon & Schuster, 2004. 
• Blue Jasmine, written by Kashmira Sheth. Hyperion, 2004.

2005 Notable Author 
S.D. Schindler

Members of the 2005 Children's Book Award Committee: 

• Shawn Brommer (Chair), South Central Library System - Madison 
• Roxane Bartelt, Kenosha Public Library 
• Geri Ceci Cupery, Madison Public Library 
• Marge Loch-Wouters, Elisha D. Smith Public Library - Menasha 
• Maryann Owen, Racine Public Library 
• Pam Penn, Milwaukee Public Schools 
• Sue Marie Rendall, Portage County Public Library - Stevens Point

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SPECIAL NEEDS

THE LIBRARY TRUSTEE

THE GORILLA IN THE BOARD ROOM; OR, TRUSTEE ORIENTATION AND PARETO'S LAW 
Doug Lay, Chair of the Wisconsin Library Trustees Association and Wisconsin Valley Library Service trustee, participated in a panel discussion on "Trustee Orientation and Communication" at the 2005 WAPL Conference in Appleton. Following is a brief summary of the The Gorilla in the Board Room, which is the written text of Lay's presentation.

As part of the introduction, Lay reviews why it may be difficult to educate trustees, and emphasizes why it is, nonetheless, so important to do so. Lay says "One reason no one wants to talk much about the need for ongoing trustee orientation is that doing so seems vaguely insulting by somehow implying trustee inadequacy or indifference." And, "An educated trustee is a librarian's best friend" while "an uneducated trustee can be a librarian's worst nemesis."

In the body of his presentation, Lay identifies and explains several key issues relevant to trustees: 

• What's In A Name? – Goals and objectives are difficult to establish and attain if you don't understand your role in bringing them about. 
• Relationship Issues – The board sets policy and management implements it. Unfortunately, too many trustees don't fully understand where policy ends and management begins. 
• Telling The Library Story – No one has more credibility than trustees in speaking out for libraries. 
• The Budget Is The Library – Understanding the budget is essential in gaining insight into the day-to-day operations of the library.
• Objectifying The Intangible – Trying to measure satisfaction may seem as productive an endeavor as loading mercury with a pitchfork. 
• Planning To Serve Everyone One At A Time – In a mass market culture, offering a focus on individual needs – in their myriad diversity – is a daunting but treasured hallmark of libraries.

The presentation concludes with a comprehensive listing of references and resources that all library trustees – whether novice or experienced - will find helpful. To read the complete text of The Gorilla in the Board Room in pdf format click here.

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GRANT UPDATE

Application deadline is August 12, 2005. 
(Whistlestop; Spring 2005)

ON COMMAND

But Brainboost is hedging its bets here a bit. In addition to providing its auto-generated attempt to provide an answer to your natural language question, Brainboost also provides a more traditional list of relevancy-ranked web pages. Check it out! (edited from Smart Libraries; May 2005)

CONSUMER REPORTS TESTS FILTERING SOFTWARE 
Consumer Reports latest tests of filtering software show that while Internet blockers have gotten better at blocking pornography, the best also tend to block many sites they shouldn't. In addition, Consumer Reports found the software to be less effective at blocking sites promoting hatred, illegal drugs or violence. The June 2005 issue ( http://tinyurl.com/atm38 ) includes ratings of 11 popular filtering software products and advice for concerned parents who are trying to better protect their children when they are online. (pubyac listserv; 5/10/05)

FROM HITHER & YON

JUNE IS AUDIOBOOK MONTH! 
June is Audiobook Month and with summer vacation just around the corner, it is a great time to promote summer listening. Following are some suggestions for promoting your audiobook collection as seen on a June is Audiobook Month! poster by the Audio Publishers Association:

• READING GROUPS – Why be limited to reading a traditional book for your reading group when you can listen to the audio version while you drive, work out, do housework or wait for the kids' soccer practice to end? Encourage your reading group to listen to a title in June. Discuss not only the contents of the audiobook, but the experience of listening to a book and how a narrator enhances the material.
• PATRON PICKS – What are your top ten circulating audiobooks for the month? Make a list and post it at your circulation desk so that even non-audiobook users may be inspired to use this part of your collection.
• SUMMER READING / LISTENING – This timeless summertime school requirement can be enjoyed by the whole family as they enjoy classics while on the road to vacation destinations. Cross reference your local schools' summer reading lists with your audio collection and display them to catch the attention of parents and students alike.
• MOVIE TIE-INS – After we see a movie, we're often left wanting more. When a movie is based on a book, we can take the opportunity to listen to an unabridged version of the book and extend the entertainment. Create a display of movie tie-in audiobooks available at your library. Put out a list of available titles to encourage your patrons to give audiobooks a try.

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FEES PAID ONLINE 
Over the President's Day weekend, before the service had even been publicized, patrons paid $170 online for fines and bills using E-commerce, evidence that patrons should have little trouble with the new service.

"Other libraries that allow online payments have found that patrons are more likely to pay fines in this manner, not only because it is a system they have become accustomed to due to the popularity of Internet shopping, but also because it alleviates the potential for embarrassment. We implemented E- commerce to make paying fines convenient for patrons," said District Reference Manager Donna Bacon.

When a patron who owes money logs into My Account in the library's catalog, the screen links to unpaid fines or bills that, when selected, show a list of the items with fines. Patrons click on the Pay Online button and pick which fines or bills they would like to pay. They do not have to pay all the fines at once, but they cannot split a single fee. For example, Ringo Starr cannot divide his out-of-county fee in half, nor can Joan Jett pay one-third of the cost for the book she lost.

Once a fine is selected, the patron enters billing information, including name, address and credit. Only MasterCard and Visa are accepted. An e-mail address is requested but not required. For the charge to go forward, the three-digit security code from the back of the credit card must be entered. The site is secure for payment through VeriSign and bears its logo to reassure patrons. (Libewire, Springfield-Greene [MO] County Library District, 2/25/05, as seen in Library Administrator's Digest, April 2005)

KENOSHA PATRONS PAY ONLINE TOO! 
On March 15, Kenosha Public Library started using the Official Payment Corporation, allowing patrons to pay their library fines online. A heading "Pay Library Fines and Fees by Credit Card" on the library website ( http://www.kenosha.lib.wi.us/ ) directs patrons to the secure site. (NewsNotes; newsletter of the Kenosha Public Library and Kenosha County Library System; Spring 2005)

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

FICTIONFINDER PROTOTYPE http://fictionfinder.oclc.org/  
"FictionFinder provides a work-based approach to fiction. You can search by place (New Orleans, for example); by character (Nancy Drew), and more. When you find an item you are interested in, you can then learn whether your library has it." (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week, http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html , Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2005, 5/12/05)

LIFEORGANIZERS.COM http://lifeorganizers.com/  
"A rich resource of office and home organizing articles, tips, and fresh, easy ideas on how to get rid of clutter from every part of your life…from the garage to your filing cabinet to your spiritual matters!" (Neat New Stuff I Found This Week; http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html ; Copyright, Marylaine Block, 1999-2005; 5/19/05)

NCAASPORTS.COM http://www.ncaasports.com  
Finding scores for top-ranked Division I men's football and men's and women's basketball games is easy. Locating information on Division II and III teams and for the other 18 women's and 16 men's sports is not. However, now you can find it on this official site for NCAA Sports. It is the site to visit for information on such sports as men's water polo or women's ice hockey. (From article "Best Reference Sources 2004" in Library Journal, 4/15/05)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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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

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