News Archive for July 2009    

Your PANO membership gives you newsletters with snippets of information like this one:
New Guidestar Survey Shows Donations Dropping & Budgets Cut. According to a newly released study by Guidestar, over half of all charities surveyed, saw a drop in donations and a third have cut their budgets. Of the organizations that cut their budgets, 54% are making ends meet by cutting services, and 44% by freezing staff salaries. Of the over 2,000 public charities and private foundations surveyed, 36% of grant makers gave away less money in grants over the three-month period surveyed. Most disturbing was that 8% of the surveyed organizations reported that they were in imminent danger of closing their doors for lack of financial resources. Check out the report at GuidestarReport

What should your library know about public attitudes and perceptions of libraries?
Download the important OCLC report From Awareness to Funding here How can you harness support for your library?

Look for the 2009 Title Announcement for the 2009 One Book One Community collaborative project on August 26.
The announcement event will be held at Palmyra Public Library.
More info to come.

Grant seeking has never been more competitive than today. With information on grant opportunities so broadly available, most grant making foundations and agencies receive hundreds more worthy grant proposals for each funding cycle than they could ever fund. Learn to pre-judge your grant proposals by thinking like a grant maker. Give your proposals the competitive edge of a serious grant seeker. If you’re ready to get serious about grant writing, invest a day honing your skills with proven techniques for generating support.

The date of the program is Tuesday, September 22 from 9:00am-4:00pm. Program Fees: $99 PANO Members; $149 Nonmembers (Lunch is included!) This event will be at the PANO Building, 777 East Park Drive in Harrisburg, PA For more information and registration go to:
DynamicPage.aspx?Site=PANO&WebCode=EventDetail&evt_key=0dda5827-91c6-4920-8b9e-6aa319cda93e&msm=22a8b3af-c02b-4171-8e13-34df4d02265a&cst=c37f1646-47c2-4da8-b5a2-a320168267ae&ent=3be055f7-ab08-45c4-a8e9-af82294898b9

Based on the Standards for Excellence guidelines, this program aims to increase your effectiveness in your human resource practices and lessen your legal risks in this arena. The program is at the PANO Building, 777 East Park Drive, Harrisburg. Registration and information for this event can be found at the following link: DynamicPage.aspx?Site=PANO&WebCode=EventDetail&evt_key=0308d033-f955-4113-bdb2-c5d2a1c4b044&msm=22a8b3af-c02b-4171-8e13-34df4d02265a&cst=c37f1646-47c2-4da8-b5a2-a320168267ae&ent=3be055f7-ab08-45c4-a8e9-af82294898b9

Middletown Public Library and The Middletown Area Historical Society invite you to meet David Kagan and Edward Sunbery to hear about their new entry in the Images of America series, Middletown Borough. The authors will be available for discussion and autographs on Saturday, August 1, from 11am to 2pm in the Historical Museum above the library, 20 North Catherine St. Middletown, PA. Books will be available for purchase at $21.99. (Cash or check only.)

Visit the library’s website for other exciting events:
www.middletownpubliclib.org

Check out this article in the Patriot News regarding a local woman who is paying court costs after she didn’t return library materials: Patriot News article

As librarians, we already know that it is important that users return materials–libraries work because we share ownership in the collection with the whole community–this is nothing new, but take a minute to read a few of the public comments posted in response. For example: “Borrowing books should be like borrowing videos at the video store. You give a credit card or debit card. If you do not return it by a specific date, you own it. It is time to consider a nominal fee like 25 cents for chidlren’s books and $1.00 for an adult book – to borrow a book out of the library. OR you can sit there and read it for free. This would take libraries out of the PA budget food chain.”

How can public libraries respond to comments like these? Are subscription libraries the answer to meet the needs for reading materials?

What do you think?

In PA, District Library Centers work directly with the public libraries to find ways to serve the population most efficiently. A District Library Center is not only a strong resource library that any person can use, it is also a major source for basic services that library users rely on.

But what is reality for District Library Centers today with the PA budget 15 days past due?
We wonder what level of service we can continue to provide.
As July ticks away, 1/12 of our budget for basic services (and the staff to provide them) will be spent. Should we stop providing some services now, knowing that our budgets could be cut anywhere from 2.3%-53%? Should we continue to provide services as we are knowing that the money will run out January 1 if a 50% cut comes. (Note: 48% of the signed 09/10 negotiated district budget is staff costs.)

Can district agreements change without changing minimum standards and reducing customer and library expectations? What are libraries and their customers most willing to sacrifice? What builds the best future for libraries and their communities?

Here’s one blog viewpoint of what’s happening with the PA state budget: One update

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) will hold it’s annual conference from September 11-13 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The following website will provide registration, hotel and travel information, preconference and conference programs and exhibitor information.
index.html

If any questions, please contact:

Donald Reynolds
Nolichucky Reginal Library
315 McCrary Drive
Morristown, TN 37814
Don.Reynolds@tn.gov

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) will hold it’s annual conference from September 11-13 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The following website will provide registration, hotel and travel information, preconference and conference programs and exhibitor information.
index.html

If any questions, please contact:

Donald Reynolds
Nolichucky Reginal Library
315 McCrary Drive
Morristown, TN 37814
Don.Reynolds@tn.gov

Cool off this August by attending a PaLA-CRD workshop on August 11. The College &
Research Division is pleased to offer “The Not-So-Distant Librarian: Online
Library Instruction to Engage Students and Faculty”, presented by Barbara
Mann and Robert Miller from the University of Maryland University College.

For more information and to register, please visit the CRD website:
conf.html

Read the Patriot News story about the budget:
News on State Budget
“It restores funding for the Scotland School, the Scranton School for the Deaf, hospitals, and libraries.”

August 7 at 3p.m. is the best date for a meeting of the Core Negotiation Team at ESA.

Documents associated with this meeting will be posted here for online sharing.
Draft of possible Budget by Service at 20%, 35%, and 50% reductions

Possible scenarios and research so far for 20%, 35% and 50% budget reductions

Core Negotiation Team Meeting Notes from 8.09

If you have ideas in the meantime for district cost savings, please let me know.

To register use this link: Register online here

Public Speaking District Two-Day Workshop: July 27 and 28
Register to attend this District workshop on Public Speaking.
When: Monday, July 27 from 9:30a.m.-4:00p.m. and Tuesday, July 28 from 9:30a.m.-??? (latest 4:00p.m.) You must attend BOTH sessions
Where: Kline Library meeting room. Kline Library is located at 530 South 29th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104. Here’s a link: Directions to KL Limited parking spaces are in the lot. Please carpool when possible.
Notes on food: A small selection of light morning refreshments and a simple deli style lunch will be provided by the district both days. If you are a picky eater, feel free to bring your own.
Workshop Content: Protect, Project, Present! Essential Tips for Supervisors, Speakers and Storytellers. Research has shown that more than 40% of people say their top fear was speaking in front of other people. According to one survey, fear of public speaking came before heights, death, illness and other common phobias! Regardless if you are just a little nervous or a real scaredy cat when it comes to speaking in front of others, this class is for you. Participants will learn how to protect and project their voices, and make strong physical choices with their bodies… all key elements for a confident and engaging presentation. Perfect for any type of speaker: reference, youth services, outreach, managers, and supervisors. PowerPoint, interactive exercises and informative handouts are part of this two day workshop. Please offer this opportunity to your staff who are required to present as part of their job duties.
Cost: FREE to all district library staff.
Details: The presenter will have a final outline by the end of this week which will be sent to registered participants; this is just a rough outline.

For the first session:

* Please wear comfy clothes within local dress code that won’t restrict you and/or make you uncomfortable (you will come in contact with the floor and do some active exercises.)
* Bring a favorite, SHORT nursery rhyme, story, poem, instruction …that is either easy to remember (and/or already memorized), approximately 3 minutes (no longer than 5). It needs to be something you don’t have to think too much about – as the focus of the exercise will be on other things…but you need to be speaking at the same time.

For the second session:

* Please wear something professional – that you would most likely present in.
* You will present a short presentation on a topic of your choice. Past participants have presented book talks/reviews, instructional/trainings, and/or a current presentation they are working on (i.e. chamber presentations, conference introductions, etc.). This presentation does not need (and should not be) memorized – notes are allowed; however, participants should not spend a great deal of time ‘writing/prepping’ the content…it should be something that comes easy to you. The focus of this presentation is to incorporate all the ‘presentation skills’ you learned during the first session, and try not to worry about the actual content. More information about this will be shared during the first session.
You will be filmed, see the playback of your presentation, and receive critique and commentary on your classwork. Use this as an opportunity to practice for your next library advocacy presentation!
Presenter Info: Katie Klossner received rave reviews for past presentations on the subject of public speaking. Katie has presented at PLA, all over Colorado, as well as for a multi-district workshop in PA this year. Special thanks to Douglas County Libraries in Colorado for allowing Katie to visit us and share her public speaking expertise for only travel and lodging costs. http://douglascountylibraries.org/ URL

To register for the Public Speaking Workshop use this link: Click here to register

If you have other questions, call or email your district consultant.

To register use this link: Register online here

Public Speaking District Two-Day Workshop: July 27 and 28
Register to attend this District workshop on Public Speaking.
When: Monday, July 27 from 9:30a.m.-4:00p.m. and Tuesday, July 28 from 9:30a.m.-??? (latest 4:00p.m.) You must attend BOTH sessions
Where: Kline Library meeting room. Kline Library is located at 530 South 29th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104. Here’s a link: Directions to KL Limited parking spaces are in the lot. Please carpool when possible.
Notes on food: A small selection of light morning refreshments and a simple deli style lunch will be provided by the district both days. If you are a picky eater, feel free to bring your own.
Workshop Content: Protect, Project, Present! Essential Tips for Supervisors, Speakers and Storytellers. Research has shown that more than 40% of people say their top fear was speaking in front of other people. According to one survey, fear of public speaking came before heights, death, illness and other common phobias! Regardless if you are just a little nervous or a real scaredy cat when it comes to speaking in front of others, this class is for you. Participants will learn how to protect and project their voices, and make strong physical choices with their bodies… all key elements for a confident and engaging presentation. Perfect for any type of speaker: reference, youth services, outreach, managers, and supervisors. PowerPoint, interactive exercises and informative handouts are part of this two day workshop. Please offer this opportunity to your staff who are required to present as part of their job duties.
Cost: FREE to all district library staff.
Details: The presenter will have a final outline by the end of this week which will be sent to registered participants; this is just a rough outline.

For the first session:

* Please wear comfy clothes within local dress code that won’t restrict you and/or make you uncomfortable (you will come in contact with the floor and do some active exercises.)
* Bring a favorite, SHORT nursery rhyme, story, poem, instruction …that is either easy to remember (and/or already memorized), approximately 3 minutes (no longer than 5). It needs to be something you don’t have to think too much about – as the focus of the exercise will be on other things…but you need to be speaking at the same time.

For the second session:

* Please wear something professional – that you would most likely present in.
* You will present a short presentation on a topic of your choice. Past participants have presented book talks/reviews, instructional/trainings, and/or a current presentation they are working on (i.e. chamber presentations, conference introductions, etc.). This presentation does not need (and should not be) memorized – notes are allowed; however, participants should not spend a great deal of time ‘writing/prepping’ the content…it should be something that comes easy to you. The focus of this presentation is to incorporate all the ‘presentation skills’ you learned during the first session, and try not to worry about the actual content. More information about this will be shared during the first session.
You will be filmed, see the playback of your presentation, and receive critique and commentary on your classwork. Use this as an opportunity to practice for your next library advocacy presentation!
Presenter Info: Katie Klossner received rave reviews for past presentations on the subject of public speaking. Katie has presented at PLA, all over Colorado, as well as for a multi-district workshop in PA this year. Special thanks to Douglas County Libraries in Colorado for allowing Katie to visit us and share her public speaking expertise for only travel and lodging costs. http://douglascountylibraries.org/ URL

To register for the Public Speaking Workshop use this link: Click here to register

If you have other questions, call or email your district consultant.

Below is information written in Spanish about protection from the flu.

protecting-yourself_-spa-engsintomas-eng-spa

This is the last day for PaLA Call-In Week. Libraries face the real possibility of a 50% cut or worse so we need to ratchet up our efforts to support level funding which preserves vital federal dollars as well.

We are asking that library supporters call Governor Rendell’s office and the offices of their State Senator and State Representative to urge them to make libraries a priority for level funding.

PaLA and our many supporters continue to push hard with the message that libraries need to be a priority in the next state budget for level funding. The voices of many thousands of library users and advocates have been heard, but in this economy the challenge for level funding is mighty. So now it is time to take the next big step.

Please mark your calendars and begin to plan for the week of July 20-25 which will be PaLA Call-In Week. Libraries face the real possibility of a 50% cut or worse so we need to ratchet up our efforts to support level funding which preserves vital federal dollars as well.

Monday through Friday of that week, we’re asking that library supporters call Governor Rendell’s office and the offices of their State Senator and State Representative to urge them to make libraries a priority for level funding.

Shortly, we will provide you with some additional information to help with the calls. We want to marshall every possible land line and cell phone to serve during Call-In Week.

Resources can be found at the PaLA website, www.palibraries.org. You’ll find our state budget updates but also Talking Points, Frequently Asked Questions, Advocacy Soundbites and links to recent news stories that point out why libraries need level funding in the next budget.

For now, we ask that you begin thinking of all of the ways that you can encourage and organize as many calls as possible during Call-In Week. We will provide more information on the message and strategy next week.

Lancaster Public Library…Now More Than Ever! The Board of Trustees of the Lancaster Public Library seeks a creative and energetic leader as its next Executive Director—one capable of forging a collective vision for the Library’s future and effectively moving the organization toward it. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop services and programs that actively position and promote the Library throughout the community–and explore new opportunities to both enhance services and attract additional support.

Lancaster Public Library consists of the Duke Street (main) Central Resource Library and branches in Leola and Mountville. With a current budget approaching $2.4 million and a staff of 45 (35.35 FTEs), the Library provides direct service to the 187,788 residents of its service area while also functioning as the District Center for the entire county (490,562 residents) and providing interlibrary loan and reference service to the other fourteen independent libraries in the County.

Lancaster is a small city with a diverse community with a variety of cultural lifestyles. Within the city, welcoming neighborhoods and historic preservation thrive side by side with a cutting-edge arts scene. The region is an eclectic blend of urban and rural with strong farming, manufacturing and tourism industries and offers an array of educational and cultural amenities. Located in south-central Pennsylvania, Lancaster is within driving distance of major metropolitan hubs and attractions.

Qualifications include: an MLS from an ALA accredited program and a minimum of five years of increasingly responsible administrative library experience; excellent interpersonal and communication skills; and the ability to build effective relationships with individuals and groups to support library programs and services. Demonstrated experience with a governing board and proven success in financial development and fund raising is highly desirable. The complete job description and additional information on the Library and the Lancaster community can be found at: Lancasterlinks.htm.

The salary range is $68,000-$82,000 DOQ with a competitive benefit package.

For further information, contact Dan or Jobeth Bradbury at Gossage Sager Associates. Apply via email with a meaningful cover letter and resume as attachments to DanBradbury@gossagesager.com or JobethBradbury@gossagesager.com by August 30, 2009.

The South Central Chapter of PaLA invites you to our August 27th Annual Workshop at HACC in Harrisburg. Our theme for 2009 is “You Don’t Have to be a Firefighter to Put Out the Fire: PaLA SCC is Prepared for Service.” What fires are we referring to? The attached brochure-pala-scc-2009-annual-meeting-and-workshophas all the registration info plus links to learn more about the speakers and their topics, directions to C. Ted Lick Wildwood Conference Center as well as info on PaLA’s special membership offer. Refer to the multiple person registration form attached here for group registration-multiple-person-registration-form-2009-pala-scc

We have a terrific lunch menu lined up and while your lunching you’ll hear more about the doings of SCC and PaLA. And remember those fun trinkets we passed out last year to attendees that were members of PaLA? We have something lined up for this year as well. So mark your calendars and plan on joining us for this daylong workshop offering four informative sessions, good food and fellowship with your peers.

There will always be fires, but in the meantime let’s have fun learning how to put some of them out!

SnapShot PA: A Day in the Life of Pennsylvania’s Libraries

The Office of Commonwealth Libraries, the Pennsylvania Library Association and the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association are all working together to take Pennsylvania’s own SnapShot PA on October 28, 2009. More information on how you can participate will be available soon

We are asking librarians from all types of libraries to participate: public and academic libraries, school and special libraries, institution libraries and government libraries; from the tiniest facility to the largest county systems. We will create a quick survey for you to capture the daily activities of libraries across the state. Then we will collate these statistics to use as an advocacy tool.

The State Library of New Jersey and the New Jersey Library Association did a similar project early this year. Basically, libraries kept statistics on certain activities that day, as well as documented the day with photos and videos. To see New Jersey’s project go to www.njlibraries.org