News Archive for April 2010    

Chester County Libray in Exton is seeking a Business Librarian. This position in the Reference Department is responsible for providing business and general reference services to the public and member libraries in a fast-paced, high-volume suburban Philadelphia public library. Developing and marketing specialized services to business, presenting programs in libraries and the community, and maintaining current content of the library’s business website are some of the responsibilities of this position.

This full time exempt position requires M.L.S., A.L.A. accredited, with 2+ years broad-based general and business reference experience, thorough knowledge of online and print, general and business reference resources, and strong online search skills. Familiarity with automated systems and Windows environment, strong commitment to public and customer service, excellent oral and written presentation and communication skills, ability to work well under pressure is necessary. A current PA driver’s license is required. Salary range available beginning at $40,414.92 annually based on education and experience. The 35 hour work week is weekdays 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with occasional evenings and weekends.

All library positions require both criminal background and child abuse clearances. Candidates who have not lived in PA in the past 5 years will be required to obtain an FBI fingerprint check. For further information about this process can be found at:
index_dpw.htm

Applications will be accepted until position is filled. To apply contact County of chester Human Resources at:
default.asp or email: jobs@chesco.org

Readers:
When customers ask you about the different ereaders, this site is a resource to direct them to for explanation of ereaders and some comparisons of features: ereaderresource.com Check out the basics for an overview.
Also please remember that anything with a screen with text or pictures can be used as a reader. Those popular apple products, mobile phones, netbooks, laptops, desktop computers, and even television (hooked up to your computer) can be a reader for content produced in digital format. Those may not give the “reading” experience or have the awesome e-ink, bookmarking, note-taking, portability, or size features, but there is a way to read the content if you have a computer and access to the internet.

As of the day of this posting, the public libraries in the three county Capital Area Library District do not offer any commercial service for downloading print ebook content to the popular e-readers, however, full text versions of many novels and works of reference and nonfiction are available online through Netlibrary, one of the resources in POWERlibrary. If you have your library card handy, login to see what is available: ebooks from Netlibrary

Listeners:
Library customers do have access to a public library sponsored collection of downloadable audiobooks at http://capitalarealibrary.lib.overdrive.com/

The OverDrive service just released an app for the iphone so users can skip the download to their personal computer and just download direct to their iphone. Let me know if you like it. App store: Overdrive
There is a mobile version of the site for those with other smart phone operating systems.

Digital media is changing the way content is provided in all parts of the industry. What should libraries do about it?

Comments always welcome; suggested solutions to meet short and long term needs will be applauded.

Check out the executive summary for the U.S. IMPACT Studies from the University of Washington.
Great facts from this report could be useful in presentations to your community about the value of library technology resources. Below are just a few samples to get you to read more yourself:
-44 percent of people in households living below the federal poverty line ($22,000 a year for a family of four) used public library computers and Internet access.
-The study explored eight areas where people reported using library computers in the past 12 months: education, employment, health and wellness, accessing government and legal services and information, participating in community life, managing household finances, entrepreneurship, and building and maintaining social connections.
-In the study, 40 percent of the respondents (30 million people) used
library computers and internet access for employment or career
purposes.

Read the whole report, titled “Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries” the research initiative at: http://cis.washington.edu/usimpact/projects/us-public-library-study/

Read a recent editorial in the Patriot News about public libraries.
link to 4/21 Penn Live editorial

What do you think?
Feel free to comment, correct, ponder, question or share your thoughts and opinions here.

There is What’s the BIG Idea? ™ training on Thursday, May 6, 2010 at PATTAN in Harrisburg from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00- p.m.

Maureen Miller, Children’s Librarian from Lewes Public Library in Delaware, and Youth Services Advisor, Anne Kruger from Commonwealth Libraries will provide a training session on incorporating math and science into your early childhood programming.

What’s the BIG Idea? ™ will help you make math and science connections to the programs you’re already doing with young children and their families. It will help you bring science and mathematics content, skills and processes to almost any interaction you have with them.

With What’s the BIG Idea? ™ you will:

* Increase the number of children attending your programs
* Get children excited about math and science
* Use hands-on activities to make books come alive
* Meet national and state education standards
* Have fun!

Children learn math and science by doing math and science. They need to ask questions, have discussions, explore using a variety of materials, collect data and talk about what they’re doing. Picture books are a powerful tool to help introduce children to math and science. Make your story hours come alive with math and science activities for young children and their families.

Cost of the workshop is $10.00 and includes lunch

Please make checks payable to Altoona Area Public Library.
Registration deadline is 5 pm on Monday, May 3, 2010.

Registration is online only at:2010&df=calendar&EventType=ALL&Lib=&AgeGroup=ALL&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=&pgdisp
Please bring payment with you to the workshop

Public library staff will be granted 4.5 hours of continuing education credit.

If you require any accommodations to make this program accessible, please call:
Voice: 717-783-5738 OR TTY: 717-772-2863

This workshop are sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries and supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act administered through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries.

Agenda

9:00 am Registration
9:30 am Morning session begins
10:30 am Break
12:00 pm Lunch* (included in fee)
1:00 pm Program continues
2:15 pm Break
3:00 pm Wrap up and Evaluations

This presentation will outline what the latest trends in video delivery mean for libraries. Packed with useful information, including checklists, standard licensing terms, technical overviews, and more, this webinar will give you the information you need to make informed decisions about how to deliver video services that best serve your patrons’ research, classroom, and entertainment needs.

This sixty minute webinar will be on May 5, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

Additional information and registration form are found at:EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=205307&sessionid=1&key=430B8709410DEA468085B141FEF74DBE&sourcepage=register

Libraries are information centers in their community. Here’s a resource that helps you see how your library can build and lead the community with some focus on stories of how technology can help: artofcommunityonline.org

Check out this book, a Creative Commons free to download in pdf format online Read right now here or available for purchase via Amazon (for you or your library collection: buy Art of Community at Amazon ) that dicusses building and leading a community.

Want to go to BookExpo on a bus?
www.bookexpoamerica.com

Here’s some info about a planned bus trip:
Date: Wednesday May 26th, 2010
Locations:
Pick up- Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad St- East Petersburg, PA 17520
Drop off – Jacob Javits Conv. Ctr- 655 West 34th Street- NYC, NY 10001-1114
Times:
Depart: East Petersburg at 7AM -Arrive NYC (Jacob Javits Center) at 10:00AM
Return: 6PM (from Jacob Javits Center) – Arrive back to East Petersburg at 9PM

Cost:
Includes transportation to/from East Petersburg only- does not include admission to BEA- Badge’s will be your responsibility.
$50.00 per person (Non Refundable)

Parking:
Please park across the street from the Zion Lutheran Church (Lemon St/Broad St) at the bottom of the large parking lot (only 1/2 block from the bus)

Payment is due upon booking . Check or Credit Card is accepted (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) Please provide your name, address, and cell phone # (important – if we need to reach you on the day of the trip) ~ These will not be shared with anyone.

Space is limited and will be reserved on a first come-first served basis. Please contact the name below with any questions and to reserve your seats!

Sincerely,
Wendy Calta
Sales & Marketing
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad St.
East Petersburg, PA 17520
wendy@foxchapelpublishing.com
Direct Line (717) 715-8626
Fax (888) 369-2885

PaLA South Central Chapter will host a workshop and the annual business meeting on May 12, 2010 at the Lancaster Campus of the York Technical Institute.

This year’s workshop features 4 speakers presenting self-defense tactics, relaxation techniques, active listening skills and the new technology topic–transliteracy! Each presentation will be held in both the morning and afternoon sessions so that you will be able to attend any two you choose.

The workshop will include a lunch catered by Isaac’s and the lunch will include a brief presentation on how libraries are structured and financed in Pennsylvania.

Please see the attached brochure and registration:palasccbrochure. The cost for PaLA members will be $20 per person ($30 per person for nonmembers). YTI’s Lancaster campus is easily reached from PA 283 or US 30.

Please join us for an exciting day of continuing education and networking with peers–new and familiar!

Registration is due by May 5, 2010.

Reference Services Manager needed for busy public library. Full time position requires MLS from an ALA accredited school plus knowledge of current reference and technology trends. Two years of reference and supervisory experience preferred. Salary negotiable with benefits. Closing date is April 30, 2010.

Applications & job descriptions available at the Fredricksen reference desk, East Pennsboro circulation desk or index.aspx?nid=88 (The left hand side bar click “About Fredricksen” and click “Work with us at Fredricksen”)

Return completed applications to the reference desk or mail to:

Wendy McClure, Human Resources Coordinator
Cleve J. Fredricksen Library
100 N. 19th St.; Camp Hill, PA 17011.

Official guidelines for LSTA Grants for 2011 have not yet been established, but to prepare you for input into the LSTA competitive grant program, the following is a list of grant applications that Office of Commonwealth Libraries plans to offer to public libraries for 2011 projects:
* Digitization with an emphasis on materials that can be used for K-16 education
* Collection Development for Consumer Health materials
* Technology components. A 75% match would be required.
* Major Innovation grants for up to $50,000 that would be exemplary on a broad level
* Mini (new to you) Innovation for grants up to $5,000

Application guidelines are available right here: http://www.education.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/library_services___technology_act/8738

Please inform your district consultant if you intend to apply for any of these opportunities.

Enjoy an article by a Middletown resident about the library:
Readers Views: Closing the library would hurt our quality of life

A couple of quotes:
“how on earth can a library be a waste when the greatest asset we have is our mind, and especially our children’s minds?”
“It’s time to stop using library removal as the scapegoat for eliminating high electric rates.”
“it is time to realize that as people who care about our children, grandchildren, and our neighbors, we need to consider all aspects of the quality of life, and that definitely includes a library.”

The State of America’s Libraries-SirsiDynix Institute free webinar on April 13, 2010 from 1:00-2:00pm.

In a SirsiDynix Institute event celebrating National Library Week, join American Library Association President-Elect Roberta Stevens for ALA’s annual report on the state of America’s libraries. Ms. Stevens, who presently serves as outreach projects and partnerships officer at the Library of Congress and as project manager of the National Book Festival, has spent more than 35 years in librarianship. Register now for this unique opportunity to hear from the next president of the ALA as she details the latest trends, challenges and triumphs of libraries in America.
For more information and to register for this program, visit: www.sirsidynixinstitute.com

Competency Success Stories for Your Library free webinar on April 20, 2010 from 2:00-3:00pm.

Competencies are descriptions of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes associated with a job position, and are often compiled into an organized index that can be referenced for hiring, training, and evaluation purposes. Come and discover ways that libraries around the country are putting library competencies-competenciesto practical use, saving time and money while increasing staff skills and expertise. Our panel will field questions and share free resources you can use in your library to promote staff development and continuing education, and improve efficiency and work quality.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: eventcalendar.asp

Gadgets: Personal Electronics for your Library free webinar on April 22, 2010 from 2:00-3:00 pm. Personal electronics such as ebook readers and MP3 players are now a common part of our media infosphere in the library world. Patrons are checking gadgets out from us, asking us for content that can be loaded on them, asking us for advice on how to use them more effectively. Join us for this webinar brought to you in collaboration with www.alatechsource.org and presented by Jason Griffey, author of the upcoming April issue of Library Technology Reports on the topic of Gadgets in Libraries. Jason will discuss current popular gadgets, talk about new gadgets on the horizon, and answer a few common questions about the best way to deal with gadgets both personally, and at your library.
For more information and to register for this program, visit: eventcalendar.asp

Religion & Public Libraries: Do You Dewey 200? on April 23, 2010 from 3:00-4:00 pm is a free Infopeople webinar.

Although public libraries may not support a particular religion, the area of religious inquiry by library users does need support, just as other community and individual interests receive. Differentiating between support of a particular religious system and support of religious inquiry by any and all is what we’ll explore in this session. We’ll refine how the public library can and should:
* Evaluate and build appropriate collections in the Dewey 200′s
* Respond to religion-specific reference questions
* Train staff and volunteers to distinguish between their personal beliefs and their role in delivering promulgation-free services
* Reach out to community partners who may be faith-based affinity groups

For more information and to register for this program, visit: list

Digitize Summer Reading with Wikis and Glogs at free webinar on April 26, 2010 from 11:00 am-12:00 noon.

Participants will see examples of how both junior high and high school campuses in Katy ISD utilized PBWorks and Glogster to facilitate student discussion of assigned summer reading. There will also be an overview of other web 2.0 tools that have been utilized throughout this school year to inspire student reading. Our speaker, Tracy Wade, has been in education for 24 years and is currently a District Technology Integration Specialist in Katy ISD. She has also served as a Campus Technology Facilitator and has taught at both the junior high and high school level in both Oklahoma and Texas.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: webinars

Let’s Get Graphic: Kids’ Comics in Classrooms and Libraries free webinar on April 29, 2010 from 2:00-3:00 pm.

Graphic novels continue to be red hot, and in this authoritative webinar, children’s librarian and comics expert Eva Volin and Booklist Books for Youth associate editor Ian Chipman join Françoise Mouly of TOON Books, Roger Rosen of Rosen Publishing, David Saylor of Scholastic, and Mark Siegel of First Second to talk about the latest trends. Whether you are new to comics or a seasoned graphic-novel veteran, you’ll come away from this hourlong session with an array of ideas for collection development, tips on integrating comics into the curriculum, and sneak peeks of the newest titles. Don’t miss out!

For more information and to register for this program, visit: default.aspx?page=general_info&id=63

The Office of Commonwealth Libraries will sponsor a workshop at three locations to assist with the LSTA 2011 grant applications. The grants will aid libraries in implementing innovative projects that support LSTA priorities, digitizing special collections, purchasing technology components and collection development for K-12 schools. Guidelines to the applications will soon be available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s website at:7237under the Library/Partner’s tab, then the Grants and Subsides’ tab, under the letter L, and within the LSTA page. The applications themselves will be available on the PDE eGrant system by the end of April.

Gain valuable information about:
♦The new grant applications.
♦The importance of collaboration between the
librarians and other professionals when planning a proposal.
♦Ways to strengthen portions of the applications.
♦Documents that need to be sent via US Postal Service.

Who should attend?
♦Librarians from state aided public libraries
♦Certified school librarians
♦Academic librarians from accredited institutions
♦Library consortium directors
♦Librarians from special libraries with organized collections

When? Sessions start with registration at 9:00 AM; program to begin at 9:30 AM will finish by 4:00 PM. Morning refreshments and lunch will be provided. The workshop is free, but registration is required. An abbreviated webinar version of the workshop will be offered in June, or July and a separate session on the K-12 application will be offered at PSLA on April 15.

How to register? Complete the registration form at: PaTTAN workshop registration form . If more than one person will attend, please make copies of the registration form and complete one for each attendee. Registration closes seven working days before the start of each session. For additional information or questions please contact Constance Cardillo at 717-783-5746, E-mail ccardillo@state.pa.us, or Winnie Moose at 717-783-5742, E-mail wmoose@state.pa.us.

Monday, June 7, 2010
PaTTAN Harrisburg
6340 Flank Drive
Harrisburg, PA. 17112
717-541-4960

Driving instructions and local lodging information for this training and technical assistance network may be found at the PaTTAN website:default.aspx?q=bad

Note: Official guidelines for LSTA Grants for 2011 have not yet been established, but to prepare you for input into the LSTA competitive grant program, the following is a list of grant applications that OCL plans to offer to public libraries for 2011 projects:
* Digitization with an emphasis on materials that can be used for K-16 education
* Collection Development for Consumer Health materials
* Technology components. A 75% match would be required.
* Major Innovation grants for up to $50,000 that would be exemplary on a broad level
* Mini (new to you) Innovation for grants up to $5,000

Register for the 2010 Multidistrict Workshop organized by Capital Area, Chambersburg, and York districts.
Register online: Register Online

See the details on the paper registration form:
LiteracyMultidistrict2010

What: Literally Literacy (basic and online)
When: April 28, 2010.
Registration at 8:30-9
Morning Session: Basic Literacy: 9-noon
Networking Lunch: Noon – 1
Afternoon Session: Online Literacy: H.W. Wilson resources in POWERLibrary
Where: Holiday Inn Grantville: stayholiday.com
Continuing Education credits: 3 hours of CE for morning session and 3 hours of CE for afternoon session.
Cost: $25 for each attendee
Deadline: Sign up ASAP. Must be registered by April 23.

The morning session of this workshop focuses on literacy. How do you define literacy? Learn from local literacy councils about adult literacy, ESL, and much more!
The afternoon session of this workshop is an introduction to the H.W. Wilson resources that are currently a part of POWERLibrary. This session is great to allow you and your staff dedicated time to see the resources in action. If staff know how to effectively use the new complement of online resources to assist customers, they’ll know when to refer them and how to help them.

This workshop is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.