News Archive for December 2009    

Save the date for the quarterly District Library Meeting.
Agenda, notes, and registration information will be posted here when it is available.
This meeting will begin slightly later (at 9:30) to take into account the many who will have to drive a longer distance to attend.

Feel free to leave comments with topics you’d like to see discussed.

Save the date for the quarterly District Library Meeting. Come to tour the newly renovated ESA. See your district library center’s largest location in action. Take a tour on a break.

Here’s the place to register:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DistrictLibraryMeetingatESA

Register to attend the Quarterly District Library Meeting on Wednesday, August 18 from 9:00am – 12:30pm at the East Shore Area Library (ESA) meeting room.
Parking is available in the library lot for those who are unfamiliar with the area, but if you can park in the Colonial Park Mall lot to conserve parking for library patrons, please do.
ESA has coffee, tea, and a water cooler. A small light treat will be provided, or feel free to bring something to eat or to share.

Agenda topics for the meeting include:
-Updates and announcements
-District Loan and ILL Process changes and consolidation
-Regional Ideas (E-content Strategic planning)
-District budget/agreements
-Discussions of state aid
-Statistics for district services
-News from around the district with plenty of opportunities to network with your colleagues.
-And more!

Other agenda items can be added as you register: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DistrictLibraryMeetingatESA

Information:
Q: What is a District Library Meeting?:
A: Quarterly District Library meetings are your chance to learn and discuss with your colleagues what is going on around the district and the state in regard to your public library. Sometimes, casual votes are taken to make sure that district actions are going in the right direction and that they are based on general group consensus.

Q: What is the purpose of quarterly District Library Meetings?
A: The purpose will change from time to time, but generally, the quarterly meetings offer the opportunity for members of our consortium to convene to discuss shared services and resources that are provided through funding to District Library Centers as well as to discuss overall library service needs to people in the greater three county area.

Q: Who should attend District Library Meetings?
A: Any library leader employed by a public library in Cumberland, Dauphin, or Perry County are invited to attend at their will. For libraries without full time staff, trustees may also choose to attend.

Q: Why should I attend or send staff from my library to attend?
A: Many updates and lots of information are sent via email or are simply posted on the district website. The most important updates will be highlighted at the meeting, but sometimes new topics and ideas will be discussed. It is up to the membership in the district to use these meetings as an opportunity to share ideas for improvement to District Library Center services and to network with colleagues from around the district to share solutions and practices. Decisions made at the district level should reflect your own location’s interests but should consider the needs of all district libraries.

Feel free to leave comments with topics you’d like to see discussed.

Register for the District Library Meeting:
Register here

The agenda:

Here’s what we have on the agenda so far:
• Introductions and updates/reports. Share the news from your library.
• Update from Office of Commonwealth Libraries: Library Advisor Bonnie Young presents
• Discussion of district agreement draft as it stands at this time; ready for signature (see attached)
• Regional Process
• State budget thoughts?
• ILL Steering Committee update: Process and Decision Points
• OverDrive Update
• Electronic Resources Update
• Delivery update
• LSTA’s in the district? Thoughts so far?
• Point/Counterpoint small group activity on issues effecting libraries, locally, at district, region, and state level. Be ready to debate and judge which position has the strongest factual support.

Feel free to leave comments with topics you’d like to see discussed.

Handouts/Info:
DistrictAgreement10.11NegotiationTextbasedon2PercentReduction
District Budget Workbook

Q: What is a District Library Meeting?:

A: Quarterly District Library meetings are your chance to learn and discuss with your colleagues what is going on around the district and the state in regard to your public library. Sometimes, casual votes are taken to make sure that district actions are going in the right direction and that they are based on general group consensus.

Q: What is the purpose of quarterly District Library Meetings?
A: The purpose will change from time to time, but generally, the quarterly meetings offer the opportunity for members of our consortium to convene to discuss shared services and resources that are provided through funding to District Library Centers as well as to discuss overall library service needs to people in the greater three county area.

Q: Who should attend District Library Meetings?
A: Any library leader employed by a public library in Cumberland, Dauphin, or Perry County are invited to attend at their will. For libraries without full time staff, trustees may also choose to attend.

Q: Why should I attend or send someone from my library to attend?

A: Many updates and lots of information are sent via email or on the district website. The most important updates will be highlighted at the meeting, but sometimes new topics and ideas will be discussed. It is up to the membership in the district to use these meetings as an opportunity to share ideas for improvement to District Library Center services and to network with colleagues from around the district to share solutions and practices. Decisions made at the district level should reflect your own location’s interests but should consider the needs of all district libraries.

PANO Annual Conference at the Hilton Harrisburg: Lessons Learned: The Sustainable Nonprofit featuring keynotes speaker Robert Egger who has been listed as one of Nonprofit Times 50 Most Influential people 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. Don’t miss out!

Use your district provided PANO membership to sign up!

The Capital Area Library District was pleased to be able to continue to provide a PANO membership for each library in our district. Memberships are paid in full and are active through the end of October 2010. Library directors should have received packets of information about PANO. If you have questions about how to use the membership provided to your organization or don’t know the username and password, just ask.

Please take advantage of all that your PANO membership offers:
Low cost training opportunties pano.org
Free job and event postings
Help desk for nonprofit questions

The district has purchased attendance at this webinar.
If you or one of your trustees is interested in watching/listening in a group, contact me so I can reserve a location.
If no more than 3 people are interested, it will be hosted at ADM in Carrie’s office.
Note: Our registration provides one connection – and we can invite an unlimited number of individuals to participate with us! Take advantage.

Watching this webinar entitles you to 1.5 hours of CE.

Get Rid of Your Nominating Committee (Webinar)
Wed. Jan 06, 2010 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Event Type: Webinar
Description: Get Rid of Your Nominating Committee (Webinar)
Most boards can benefit by rethinking the way they recruit board members. In this webinar, we will discuss why nominating committees usually don’t work and an alternative that can assure a better way to identify, cultivate, recruit and retain board members that are committed to the mission of the organization, understand their role as a Board members and are willing to help the organization meet its goals, especially in the area of fundraising.

Learning Objectives:
• List the roles of board members
• Develop a plan to analyze strengths and weaknesses of participant’s board
• List items that should be included in profile for prospective board members

Agenda:
• Why Nominating Committees Don’t Work
• How Do We Recruit Board Members?
• Evaluating the Board
• Recruiting Board Members

This webinar is a live presentation delivered to you through a combination of a visual portion over the Internet and an audio portion delivered over the telephone.

Below is the message sent by Susan from Office of Commonwealth Libraries about the coming changes to POWERLibrary.
Be sure that your library’s reference staff are prepared to explain changes to POWERLibrary.
The CALD Reference Committee is working on ideas for how we can determine which resources we will consider for purchase with local funds, but many of decisions will wait until the state announces the plan for POWERLibrary in 2010.

December 22, 2009

Dear Library Community:

I am writing to update you on the status of the POWER Library.

The contracts for the POWER Library databases will expire December 31, 2009. The Pennsylvania Department of Education issued an RFP for POWER Library Databases, and the proposals are currently being evaluated by agency staff. Our goal is to complete the selection process in time for the POWER Library continues into 2010 without interruption.

Because of the reduction to the Library Access line item in the 2009-2010 budget, the scope of the RFP was limited to the following categories:

• General full-text periodical database
• Newspaper index
• Business Reference
• Combination of the above databases
Within the current the economic conditions, we are hoping to continue to provide high quality databases of general interest to the public at large and to our K-12 students in particular. However, it is reasonable to expect most subject specific databases will no longer be available after December 31, 2009.

We have heard from all types of libraries about the importance and value of the scope of POWER Library offerings. We will seek to make additional databases available as options and opportunities present themselves.

Thank you for your input and your support of the POWER Library.

Susan Pannebaker

What does your library do when you have to make a decision to close early, open late, or suspend business operations for a day due to weather or other emergency?

Some things to consider:
1. Who is involved in making the decision to Close?
2. What factors do you base the decision on?
3. How do you notify staff (and library delivery) of the decision?
4. How do you notify the public when you have made a decision?
Here’s a great sample of how Hershey Public Library tells the public: Weather info
It’s a good idea to make sure your organization is registered to take advantage of easy posting. I love the online alerts that WITF’s service provides.

When Capital Area Library District Delivery must be cancelled, delayed more than 3 hours, or suspended, an email will be sent to the capitalarealibraries mailing list.
If your library closes on a day you expect delivery, make sure that the drivers know not to stop. Notification to your district consultant via email or phone is best, but if it’s very last minute or an emergency and you can’t reach me, call the library immediately before you on the route and leave a message.

Take a look at some the entries in this contest that will win free books for a library.

Middletown Public Library has a proud entry displayed:
www.feastofawesome.com look for Middletown.

Create an entry of your own today to compete to win a set of novels from debut YA writers today. Win a 46 book set for your library

There will be NO delivery to Cumberland County on Thursday, Dec. 24.

There will be No delivery to Perry County on Dec. 24.

Branches of DCLS will get delivery up to 1p.m. on Dec. 24.

Happy Holidays!

The Office of Child Development and Early Learning sent copies of the revised Learning Standards for Early Childhood to district consultants.

Check out the new standards to make sure your library youth programs and materials supplement and meet the needs of early education: Early Learning Standards

If you want a print copy of the standards, let me know. There’s an easy order form online too and webinars if you want to learn more.

MLS Invites 2010 Coming Up Taller Award Nominations for excellence in afterschool, out-of-school, and summer arts and humanities programs.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites nominations for the 2010 Coming Up Taller awards, which honor excellence in afterschool, out-of-school, and summer arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. Coming Up Taller is an initiative of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

(PCAH) in partnership with IMLS, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). IMLS and its partners encourage programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses, and eligible government entities to participate. Click here for the nomination form: 2010CUTNominationApplication The deadline for nominations is January 29, 2010.

Each year, the Coming Up Taller awards recognize and reward exceptional programs that cultivate character development and life skills in young people, in addition to presenting high-quality arts and humanities learning opportunities. Award recipients receive $10,000 each, an individualized plaque, and an invitation to attend the annual Coming Up Taller Leadership Enhancement Conference.

Link to LancasterOnline story about libraries and budgets
What do you think?

Update on the happenings at Middletown.
How do local politics effect your library?
Link to Patriot News story
link to Press and Journal story
Middletown Library’s hours changes and financial position from the Press and Journal

Dec. 16th article in Press and Journal
Challenges to staffing borough positions

Capital Area, York/Adams, and Franklin County district library centers are excited to offer a Multidistrict Summer Reading Program workshop with funds from Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

What: A workshop to help you plan for Summer Reading Program 2010
Who: Anyone who plans for a summer reading program should consider attending
When: Jan 15 from 9a.m.-4p.m. (Snow date Jan. 22)
Where: Hershey Public Library meeting room. 701 Cocoa Avenue, Hershey, PA 17033
Driving Directions to Hershey Public Library
Continuing Education credits: This workshop is eligible for 3.5 hours of local CE credits, but is not Act 48 compliant.

How to Register: Use this link: Registration Link

Cost: The workshop cost is $10. Please bring workshop payment in cash or check made out to South Central Coalition of Children’s Library Professionals to cover the cost of provided food. Hershey Public Library Friends are arranging for morning refreshments and lunch for all attendees. *Funds from past Peek accounts will be used if needed to supplement the cost.

Bonus: If someone from your library attends, your library location will receive new youth books (purchased with workshop funds) that are relevant to the summer reading theme. Stay tuned for information on how this will occur in your county.

SNOW Updates: If the snow day is needed and you provided an email address with your registration, an email will be sent at 7a.m. to notify you, OR you can check the Capital Area Library District website for information.

Below is a tentative agenda of what you can expect to learn and see:
Tentative Agenda (subject to minor changes)
9:00-9:30: Registration and Chapter tables on display.
9:30-9:40: Opening Remarks
9:40-10:10: Statistics Collection for the state; info from Anne Kruger at the State Library
10:10-10:40 Evanced Solutions Q and A; panel discussion–Christine Porter, Rose Taylor, York and DCLS representative
10:40-10:50 Break
10:50-11:10 Two performers*
11:10-12:15 Sponsors, partnerships; how to get donations; programs on a budget—Paula Gilbert
12:15-1:15 Lunch and Chapter tables on display during last half-hour
1:15-2:00: Perspectives and Research on Incentives; Laura Goss
2:00-2:20: Two performers*
2:20-2:30: Break
2:30-3:15: PowerPoint and School visits; Ellen Miller and DCLS
3:15-3:35: Two Performers*
3:35-3:40: Evaluations and Wrap-up.
Please leave time for networking with your colleagues after the workshop is over.
*The performers will be a range of presentations, all generally less than $250 to hire.

Chapter Tables Presented by:
Chapter 3—CCLS
Chapter 4—FCLS
Chapter 5—FCLS
Chapter 6—CCLS
Chapter 7—DCLS ESA Youth Services
Teens—YCLS
Adults—YCLS

Handouts:

-Performer ideas and contacts

-SRP2010 Tentative Survey pg2 and pg3

-SRP2009StatisticsforPA

Pennsylvania public library leaders learned how the 2009-2010 Library Access Appropriation would be spent.
You can read the official release from the Office of Commonwealth Libraries here: Message from the Office of Commonwealth Libraries

How would you best summarize the effect of this on your library location? How do you think it could impact PA libraries as a whole?

I’ll share a few thoughts and interpretations here. Anyone else who reads this post can feel free to contribute to the discussion too. Comment below.

1. POWERLibrary: As of January 1, 2010 many databases that used to be provided to all public library users across the state will not be freely available.
Libraries should determine which databases should be purchased with local funding. The CALD Electronic Resources Committee is working to determine ways libraries in our area can work together to get the best value on the most needed resources.
At what level will your library spend local dollars to replace POWERLibrary resources that may no longer be available?

2. Statewide Library Card Program: Libraries must continue to participate in the program but there will be NO reimbursement for the transactions. Libraries must cotinue to issue library cards to non-residents. Libraries may choose not to extend special services like ILL or hold requests to people who live outside their service area. Some libraries may develop fees for library services beyond the basic minimums.

3. IDS: No cut in funding this year.

4. AskHerePA: The state may soon be soliciting more reference librarian volunteers to staff the service.
AccessPA Database: Locally used for ILL, it remains to be seen what exact impact the budget cuts may have.

Note: Waivers will be granted to libraries who cannot meet the standards due to financial distress.