Eddyville Public Library is recognized during NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN IOWA - The “Kids Count!” awards recognize Iowa libraries, archives and museums for providing outstanding service to young student researchers. Eddyville Public Library was one of two libraries to receive a Certificate of Merit Recipient award. Vicki Vroegh, Director, was recognized for her willingness to go that extra step for her patrons! Congratulations Vicki!

Another addition to our blog! We have added “I Read Updates” to the right column, just below our meebo boxes where you can instant message us right from our blog (without adding software or creating accounts). Click on the file folder picture in the I Read Updates box and select a genre. The information comes from the I Read blogs, a series of reader's advisory blogs from Iowa. To contribute directly to the blog, contact Michele Leininger at the State Library or Karen Burns at SWILSA!

I Read blogs:
Fiction, Nonfiction, Mysteries, Romance, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Rad Reads (Teen), Kids, Picture Books.

Ever tried to explain to patrons how much they are saving by using the library? Use this handy dandy calculator from the Maine State Library to figure out how much a patron would be spending if they bought everything they used in a library. Calculations can be done using figures for the month or the year.

http://www.maine.gov/msl/services/calculator.htm

The Rural Library Resources Clearinghouse is an online archive to help California's rural public libraries serve their users more efficiently. By providing examples of commonly needed documents, materials and programs in all aspects of library operations, the Clearinghouse benefits rural libraries by eliminating the need to "reinvent the wheel" for every new policy, practice, procedure or project needed locally. Visit http://www.resourceroundup.net/ to register for free access to the materials – they’re not just for California libraries!

In observance of Memorial Day, the SLS office will be closed Monday May 28th. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Concerned about how to deal with the mentally ill in your library?

Join us for a conversation with a behavioral health specialist on how to detect and deal with mental illness problems in the public setting. We'll also be discussing how/when to get the police involved and what qualities make a good witness. This workshop offers 2 units of CE credit, includes refreshments has two sessions to choose from:

-June 21st 9-11am - O’Keefe Library on the St. Ambrose University campus, Davenport

-June 27th 1-3pm - Bettendorf Public Information Center, Bettendorf

All registration will be taken through the CE catalog at:

http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/cgi-bin/cecat/index.cgi.

Keokuk Public Library Announces Moveable Feast

A Culinary Journey Celebrating the Writings of Mark Twain - Tour three lovely historic homes in Keokuk with food at each location themed around one of Mark Twain’s books. Each home will offer a buffet, live music, and refreshments relating to one of the author's books. Dessert and champagne will be served in the Round Room at the Keokuk Public Library/Keokuk Art Center at 210 N. 5th Street, from 9:00 - 10:00 PM. There will be drawings for door prizes. Tickets on sale at the library and art center. For more information visit: http://www.keokuk.lib.ia.us/support-our-library/fund-raisers/movfeast/.

Nominations for Best Small Library in America due November 5, 2007. Library Journal's annual award for the Best Small Library in America, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was founded to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of these libraries. Now in its fourth year, the award honors the public library that most profoundly demonstrates outstanding service to populations of 25,000 or less. The winning library will receive a $15,000 cash award, a feature story in the February 1, 2008, Library Journal, membership and conference costs for two library representatives to attend the Public Library Association Biannual Conference in 2008, and a gala reception at the conference. For more information, guidelines, and the nomination form, visit: http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA606273.html&

After nearly 20 years on the market, the world’s most trusted children’s reference series is taking a great leap forward with a fresh wave of cutting-edge formats, four new titles, plus reissues of bestsellers with clip art CDs and wall charts.

When you want to know anything about everything... EYEWITNESS has it all!

Enter soon for a chance to win many prizes they're offering: One grand prize winner will receive 100 Eyewitnessbooks of their choosing! - Five Runners-Up will receive a set of the four new Eyewitness titles, plus a set of the eight re-launched backlist titles! - 25 Third Place winners will receive a set of the four new Eyewitness titles!

SWEEPSTAKES CLOSES ON JULY 1, 2007

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/info/CA6438158.html

Kay Weiss, director of Burlington Public Library, has announced her retirement effective September 20, 2007. Watch for more information on opportunities to honor Kay’s contributions to Iowa librarianship.

Congratulations to Burlington Public Library! The Library won the Mainstreet Iowa Award for the Best Community Initiated Development Project.

What Makes a Great Board of Trustees?

A great article at WebJunction by the director of Pittsburgh's Avalon Public Library offers tips on putting together and working with a great non-profit (or library) board. Read it at: http://ia.webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=15443

Southeastern Library Services has several openings to fill in our various rotations! As of July 1, 2007 we'll have 6 openings in the DVD/VHS rotation and 3 in one of the Audiobook rotations. These rotations are all $225.00 for the year, they rotate and are added to every 3 months and we take care of all repairs. Audiobooks may be shipped free matter and if you are located near another library in the rotation, you may be able to drive any rotation to save on shipping- just ask when reserving your spot! Did you know that you can count these materials into your own collection? Here's what else you should know:

Audiobook - This is a large collection (currently averaging 110 books, but not to exceed 120) of audiobooks on both cassette and CD, consisting of classic and new titles, many different genres, even children's selections. Unabridged and abridged available. Effective 1/1/2007 every title added is a new release (after Sept. 2006) and all are on CD.

VHS/DVD (formerly entirely VHS) - This is the largest collection we have (currently averaging 140 tapes/DVDs, soon to be cut down to 110 in an effort to keep it more current and cheaper to ship), consisting of various genres and even some TV series. As of July 1, 2006 DVDs were added instead of video cassettes due to the lack of new titles available on VHS, and eventually will be another DVD rotation, but for now many libraries love it because it give patrons not only a great variety of titles (now all new releases), but a choice between VHS and DVD.

Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested and don't hesitate to call
(800) 397-0029 or email Amanda Wright with any questions. All spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

Online Class Offered: Introduction to EBSCOhost

The State Library is offering Introduction to EBSCOhost online this May. Using a Web conferencing tool called Live Classroom, they will offer the class three times: May 17 (9-11), May 21 (2-4) and May 22 (9-11). Each class is limited to 20 students. Students will call in to a toll-free number for full participation. Since the class will be online, you must have a computer running Window XP (or later), Internet access, access to EBSCOhost and a telephone nearby the computer you will be using. Prior to the classes, they will also offer an opportunity for students to participate in an optional one-hour session that will introduce the Live Classroom setting. Dates and times of this class will be sent after you register. For more information or to register for one of the sessions, please visit the CE Catalog or contact Michele Leininger at the State Library.

New CPLA candidates and courses approved

CHICAGO - The Certified Public Library Administrator Program (CPLA) Certification Review Committee (CRC) approved five candidates and one program course during the Spring 2007 review. The new course in marketing will be offered online by the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For more information on the program, visit http://www.ala-apa.org/certification/cplacourses.html. Classes are also available to non-certificate students.

As populations change, so do libraries...

An interesting article from USA Today highlighting the vital role libraries play to immigrants. Read it at http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-04-23-libraries_N.htm.

New and Improved Libraries

CBS News Video presents a spot from the CBS Early Show on how libraries are changing to meet the demands of patrons, technology, and popular culture. Watch it at http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2600210n.

St. Joseph County Library’s You Tube Marketing Video was created for library staff in service day at the St. Joseph County Public Library in South Bend, Indiana by Dale Kerkman, Bob Lewandowski, Michael Stephens and Adam Tarwacki. Set to Madonna's "Ray of Light," and inspired by the video of the song, this video details a day in the life of a thriving public library system, highlighting the faces and places that make the library the library. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrtYdFV_Eak

Are you interested in hearing about upcoming books from horror writers? The Horror Writers Association is starting a new newsletter designed for librarians and booksellers. You can sign up through Yahoo! Groups at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hwa_dark_whispers/
or send a blank message to hwa_dark_whispers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Online Education Journal Tackles the Use and Regulation of Social Software on the Web
From the synopsis: “While van 't Hooft agrees that technology use does raise issues involving child safety and learning distraction, he posits that the responses of many schools have not resolved these issues but have instead created additional problems regarding First Amendment rights and means of enforcement. Instead of regulating, punishing, and banning, van 't Hooft suggests that schools—and parents—should attempt to forge better relationships with children and technology in order to better educate our youngest generations for their undoubtedly digital futures.”

New free video sharing service announced – includes content from the NHL, Turner and more!
Joost, the video-on-demand program created by the founders of Skype and Kazaa, announced its commercial launch. Joost also announced a number of content offerings on Tuesday that are included in new partnerships with Turner Broadcasting System, the National Hockey League, Sports Illustrated, Hasbro and Sony Pictures Entertainment. At publication the Joost site was undergoing maintenance (or just had way too much traffic) to pull up – keep trying if you’re interested in checking it out!

In Focus Webinar:
Tools for Outreach from WebJunction

Each month the Rural Library Sustainability Project presents an hour-long webinar related to the work of sustaining Rural and Small libraries. Join us next on May 24 9:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. ET, when we discuss Tool for Outreach: Best Practices from the Spanish Language Outreach Program. We'll explore the resources available on WebJunction as a part of our sister project, the Spanish Language Outreach Program, and how the tools can be applied to your planning for outreach of all kinds. Find out how to assess your community's needs, determine how successfully your library has integrated cultural awareness into your services, and, finally, learn how you can better connect to your changing community. Since April we have been using WebJunction's new web conferencing tool, Live Space for our webinars. We've updated the information on joining the webinars and will continue to post webinar archives and quick links at Rural In Focus.

Save the Date!

PLA's 12th National Conference
March 25-29, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN

Plan to attend the best conference for the public library world, the PLA National Conference! Meet with your colleagues, and take advantage of more than 100 top-quality continuing education programs, several social events, and a bustling exhibits hall. Learn why the PLA National Conference has a reputation for excellence. Preliminary schedules and registration rates are available at www.placonference.org. SLS is working on providing coach buses in partnership with ECLSA and NEILSA for the conference. We will try to have a bus leave from the Davenport area as well as one from the Fairfield or Ottumwa area.

Don't Miss...


...this season's last College of DuPage teleconference. Make sure you are registered for the final College of DuPage teleconference in the 2006-2007 season. This last broadcast in the Library Challenges and Opportunities 2007 series, "The Relevance of Libraries in a Digital Age," is scheduled for May 11. ICN sites are listed on the State Library’s continuing education catalog. BCR members can also take the sessions via webinar at their own computer by registering through BCR.

Los Angeles Times book prizes announced

The Los Angeles Times book prize ceremony was hosted by author and PBS news anchor Jim Lehrer. The awards honored books in nine categories. Each book prize awards $1,000 to the author. For more information and a brief rundown on the winners, visit http://tinyurl.com/24yug7

Get Caught!

May is Get Caught Reading Month, sponsored annually by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). They have had the support of well known figures including First Lady Laura Bush, Drew Carey, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Donald Duck, Patty Duke, Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Graham, Derek Jeter, Vernon Jordan, Jake Lloyd, Rosie O'Donnell, Dolly Parton, The Rugrats, Jane Seymour, Sammy Sosa, Spider Man, Erik Weihenmayer, and Robin Williams, who have all been "caught reading" their favorite books and magazines for print ads and posters seen by millions of people across the country. In addition, more than 200 Members of Congress have been photographed "caught reading" on Capitol Hill.

Hundreds of teachers and librarians across the U.S. have embraced the campaign. They are setting up "Get Caught Reading" corners, allocating a special time each day for leisure reading, and taking photos of students "caught reading" for classroom posters.

For free posters, tip sheets, and ideas for libraries and teachers, visit http://www.getcaughtreading.org/

CE at your computer!

Kim and Katie are nearly finished with the first of three certification courses to prepare them to become online instructors. Both are required to “teach back” a session to an instructor with a partner/producer. Watch this fall for your opportunity to actually take some online courses, including a course that will teach you how to learn online! Learn How to Learn Online focuses on allowing students to become comfortable with the online learning environment, the software that allows them to meet online, and more! Thanks to the State Library’s partnership with WebJunction, access to online classroom software has been free of charge.

Planning for Results-athon
(A Message from Kim)


Thank you to Janette McMahon, Director at West Liberty and Gayle Trede, Director at Mt. Pleasant, for your warm welcome at our first community committee meeting for New Planning for Results. Both libraries are in the middle of the planning process. Their committees have done great work (neither meeting went longer than 3 hours – a sign they came ready to get to work) and I look forward to getting back at it during our final meetings in late May and early June. If your library is looking for a way to produce a meaningful and community directed long range plan, SLS provides a free facilitator for the community committee meetings and can also provide free facilitation for the staff meetings as well. Give us a call if your plan is need of attention.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

West Liberty Public Library has just confirmed that US Representative Dave Loebsack will be speaking at their Cinco de Mayo celebration as well as Presidential candidate Senator Christopher Dodd. He is expected around 11:15 the same day.

Thank you to all of our LSA advocates!

Because you spoke up to elected officials about the importance of LSA funding and the work we do, we have been returned to our 2001 funding level in the next fiscal year. Your voices are vital to our success! Take heart that legislators do listen when we have a clear message and take it to them repeatedly. As promised, nearly all of the increase will be spent supporting efforts to increase emergent literacy training – more exciting details to come!

EBSCOhost Training via the Internet

(a sneak peek at what the online classes will be like next year!)

The State Library will be offering Introduction to EBSCOhost online this May. Using a web conferencing tool called Live Classroom, we will be offering the class three times: May 17 (9-11), May 21 (2-4) and May 22 (9-11). Each class is limited to 20 students. Students will call in to a toll-free number for full participation.

Since the class will be online, you must have a computer running Window XP (or later), Internet access, access to EBSCOhost and a telephone nearby the computer you will be using.

Prior to the classes, they'll also offer an opportunity for students to participate in an optional one-hour session that will introduce the Live Classroom setting. Dates and times of this class will be sent after you register.

For more information or to register for one of the sessions, please visit the CE Catalog:

http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/cgi-bin/cecat/

If you have any other questions, please contact Michele Leininger at the State Library.

From Karen Burns in Southwest LSA:

Here are a couple more tutorials on using RSS in libraries, both for keeping up (using aggregators, as in the clip that Scott sent--and it is a nice, clear explanation!), and for some ideas for other ways that libraries might use RSS:

RSS for Libraries
http://www.swilsa.lib.ia.us/tutorials/RSSforLibraries/launcher.html

Using RSS Calendar
http://www.swilsa.lib.ia.us/tutorials/RSSCalendar/launcher.html

Library Thing and New Books List on Your Website http://www.swilsa.lib.ia.us/rss/LTNewBooks/launcher.html


Thanks to Karen!