You are invited to join me in an online meeting where I will present a quick overview of the Capital Area Library District agreement.

We’ll have an online district meeting room open on Friday, May 10 from 10a.m.-1p.m. at this address: __________________. (District staff and/or trustees: I will send an email invitation!)

Enter the online meeting room anytime after 10:00a.m. for testing the tools of the online meeting room, social discussion, and informal demonstrations.

Formal presentation of district budget will begin at 11:00a.m. and should conclude by 11:30a.m. unless there are many questions.

The room will be open for Q & A and time after the presentation for more practice with screen sharing and discussion about library collaboration.

Note: I know schedules are tight and different for everyone, so don’t worry, we will do our best to record the presentation part and Q & A for later viewing if you can’t make it.

What you will learn:

• How the computer equipment and network you use works with Adobe Connect
• Some tips on using the tools of communication in an online meeting
• All about the district budget to spend almost $374,000 that is received in state aid for services and resources to benefit all libraries in our three county district.  (And we really stretch it!)

I’ll show you how to use online tools to download the documents I’ll share at the online meeting, but have also posted them here on the district web/blogsite:

District Agreement13.14NegotiationText (with signature page)

stateformatworksheet13.14

ServiceBasedBudget2013.14

ValueAddedDistrict13.14

Thanks for loving public libraries and doing all you can for them to thrive.  Public Libraries believe in sharing information and building communities.

Extra Fun Stuff:

• POWERLibrary will soon add access to BookFlix.
• Are you signed up?  Connect2Compete
• Big Library Read: Thanks to OverDrive for this fun opportunity to share copies of The Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone
• Coming soon: Regional Trustee Training Online

Wednesday, Feb 20 from 9:30-12:30

Registration details are here: Register

Be ready for a meeting like you’ve never experienced.

Libraries in Cumberland County will have modified delivery, based on the fact that AME, SIM, and EPB are closed. Thanks to the willingness of drivers to work on the holiday to keep up with the load.

Middletown Public Library and Hershey Public Library are open. In Perry County, Marysville-Rye Library is open. Many in Cumberland County are open too. The public should check your local library for details.

There will be NO delivery to libraries in Dauphin County.

The Cumberland Route will do a modified delivery that day knowing that AME and SIM are closed.

Let’s make 2013 the best year ever for public libraries!

A Capital Region Workshop for Library Leaders

Please share this invitation with Friends, Trustees, and Library Leadership staff and help them to register if needed.

Registeration is ONLINE only:  (Ask your library director if you need help)  http://surveymonkey.com/s/capitalregionworkshop    

Download the Flyer:  CapitalRegionWorkshopFlyer2012

On your registration, you will select any/all session(s) and meal you plan to attend!   You can attend 1 or all.  See the full schedule below.

The Capital Region Trustee & Friend Workshop to be held on August 10th & August 11th & will be held at the Holiday Inn, Grantville (directions: www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/grantville/grvpa/hoteldetail/directions)

Speakers: 

Jamie LaRue, featured speaker from Douglas County Colorado

Pat Ditzler, author of A Book Sale How-To Guide: More Money, Less Stress

Mike Peterson (Certified Financial Planner) and Mike Connor (Estate Lawyer)

Friday, August 10 Agenda: 

1:00 PM: Registration

1:30-3:15 PM: eBook Models: Jamie LaRue  (Check out this recent article)

3:30-4:15 PM: Concurrent Sessions
-Book Sales and Fund Raisers: Pat Ditzler
-Unconference: Opportunity for discussion and questions

4:30-5:15 PM: Concurrent Sessions 2
-Getting & Keeping Friends: Pat Ditzler
-Financial Planning: Mike Peterson

5:30 PM: Welcome and Remarks by PCBL Friends Representative & Dinner

6:15 PM: Introduction of Speaker

6:30-8:00 PM: The Big Picture: Jamie LaRue

8:00 PM : Wrap-up & Evaluation

Saturday, August 11 Agenda:

9:00 AM: Registration & Continental Breakfast
Introduction of Key Note Speaker Capital Region Representative

9:30-11:30 AM: The Big Picture: Jamie LaRue

11:30 AM: Wrap-up & Evaluation

Jamie LaRue’s The Big Picture presentation will be similar on Friday & Saturday.

If you have questions, contact your district consultant in Capital Area, Chambersburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, or York/Adams District Library Centers.

A Capital Region Workshop for Library Leaders

Please share this invitation with Friends, Trustees, and Library Leadership staff and help them to register if needed.

Registration is ONLINE only:  (Ask your library director if you need help)  http://surveymonkey.com/s/capitalregionworkshop    

Download the Flyer:  RegionalFlyerFronttoBack2012    

On your registration, you will select any/all session(s) and meal you plan to attend!   You can attend 1 or all.  See the full schedule below.

The Capital Region Trustee & Friend Workshop to be held on August 10th & August 11th & will be held at the Holiday Inn, Grantville (directions: www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/grantville/grvpa/hoteldetail/directions)

Speakers: 

Jamie LaRue, featured speaker from Douglas County Colorado

Pat Ditzler, author of A Book Sale How-To Guide: More Money, Less Stress

Mike Peterson (Certified Financial Planner) and Mike Connor (Estate Lawyer)

Friday, August 10 Agenda: 

1:00 PM: Registration

1:30-3:15 PM: eBook Models: Jamie LaRue  (Check out this recent article)

3:30-4:15 PM: Concurrent Sessions
-Book Sales and Fund Raisers: Pat Ditzler
-Unconference: Opportunity for discussion and questions

4:30-5:15 PM: Concurrent Sessions 2
-Getting & Keeping Friends: Pat Ditzler
-Financial Planning: Mike Peterson

5:30 PM: Welcome and Remarks by PCBL Friends Representative & Dinner

6:15 PM: Introduction of Speaker

6:30-8:00 PM: The Big Picture: Jamie LaRue

8:00 PM : Wrap-up & Evaluation

Saturday, August 11 Agenda:

9:00 AM: Registration & Continental Breakfast
Introduction of Key Note Speaker Capital Region Representative

9:30-11:30 AM: The Big Picture: Jamie LaRue

11:30 AM: Wrap-up & Evaluation

Jamie LaRue’s The Big Picture presentation will be similar on Friday & Saturday.

If you have questions, contact your district consultant in Capital Area, Chambersburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, or York/Adams District Library Centers.

All DCLS locations will be closed as the staff gather at East Shore Area Library for a day of learning.

The South Central Chapter of Pennsylvania Library Association is holding a workshop in partnership with the Janus School in Mount Joy. You will come away from this workshop with tools valuable in serving clients of all ages and abilities who are affected by learning differences.

Pathfinders and contact lists will be provided to all attendees along with guides for working with volunteers and employees affected by learning differences.

In addition to detailed sessions a panel discussion will be held featuring individuals living with and professionals who work with people with learning differences.

The Autism Resource Center at Lancaster Public Library and Pennsylvania ASERT: Pennsylvania Autism Services – Education, Resources, Training will be present along with representatives from other organizations that serve people with special needs.

A special gift will be presented to each attendee and there will be several door prizes awarded during the lunch break.

Seating is limited so please – register soon! 4 hours of Act 48 credits are available for this workshop.

Here’s the registration form: Registration Form 2012 PaLA SCC

Session details are on this flyer and below: sccmeeting2012

Navigating the Maze of Services
This reference-based session will focus on the educational, occupational, and social services available to children on the Autism Spectrum. Though many specific programs serve moderate to severe individuals and other programs change with available funding, there remains an array of resources to support these individuals and their families. This will include information from an occupational therapist, speech/language therapist, and social worker. Learn from a panel of service providers and take home a reference and contact list for you and your organizations’ use.

Assistive Technology
Assistive technology, by definition, is any technology that helps a person with disabilities participate in activities as independently as possible. Here at The Janus School, we focus on assistive technologies that help our students become independent learners. Primarily we use software that assists students with their expressive and receptive language difficulties. This session will focus on demonstrating Don Johnston’s SOLO 6 software suite, text-to-speech software Kurzweil 3000, speech-to-text software Dragon NaturallySpeaking, and some iPad apps and accessibility options.

Make and Take – Adapting Books for Emergent Readers
This make and take session will give an overview of how to use adapted books with emergent readers. Each participant will make an adapted book that can be used with individuals or in small groups. Steps will be shown that will enable the student to go from matching pictures to identifying specific words. This technique is excellent for working with children at all cognitive levels and with a wide range of disabilities. Adapted books can be used with children who are verbal or nonverbal.

Transitioning the Student from school to life
Graduating from high school is a big milestone for any student. For a student with Aspergers, it can be a time of monumental change. Parents want to make sure that supports are in place as their student transitions from high school to post-secondary education or career. It is important that the student understand what supports are available to them, as well as how to access those supports as they move on from high school. Presenters include representatives from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Mercyhurst College, Keystone Autism Services and Lancaster HACC.

Grand Session from 11:15 – 11:45 Panel Discussion
Join a panel of students, parents, educators, and other professionals who are facing the day to day challenges of living and dealing with Aspergers, part of the autism spectrum. It’s an opportunity to discuss concerns, joys, and strategies in this interactive session. Please list specific questions and/or areas of interest on the registration form.

If you prefer to conference call, we will have the Pod phone available or can arrange to Skype.  Please contact Carrie to arrange remote attendance options.

This space will be used to post discussion questions, meeting agenda, and draft documents for discussion.
2012.13District Agreement Priorities and Budget Highlights Report

2012.13ServiceBasedDistrictBudgetDraft

ValueAddedDistrictServicesList2012.13

District Negotiation State Formatted Worksheet Draft 2012.13

The 2011-12 District Agreement: DistrictAgreementwithALLSignaturePages2011.2012

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012FebLibGuides

This PDE/Commonwealth Libraries Professional Development Workshop will apply traditional collection development methodologies to the “curation” – selection, organization, and professional presentation – of digital content, services, and tools.

Designed for school and public librarians who work with children and teens, this workshop will focus on the application of LibGuides, a media-rich, easy-to-use platform that can become your virtual library “parking lot” to present web resources, both content and tools.

Specifically, participants will learn to:

All trained workshop participants will receive free access to LibGuides through September 2012 (it is a commercial, licensed web product, currently paid by PDE.) Resources for this workshop—Powerpoint, handouts, and online resources—will be made available online via WebJunction. Workshop participants will be expected to download all materials and may need them in order to create a LibGuides electronic pathfinder.

Please join us at the Central Dauphin High School Library (437 Piketown Road, Harrisburg) on Friday, February 17 from 7:20 AM to 2:50 PM.

Trainers Carolyn Blatchley and Brenda Blackburn-Foster will teach you to use LibGuides, and you will obtain free access for your school or public library through September 2012. The workshop is designed for six hours of instruction and practice over two consecutive evenings.

The Office of Commonwealth Libraries, within the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will award 6 hours of Act 48 credit to those who complete the workshop, and it will count as Continuing Education for public librarians. Participants must complete a workshop evaluation to obtain credit.

This post is a reminder that libraries in our district should have a completed annual report submitted to the consultant’s office on or before April 1, 2011.

As always, let me know if you would like a one-to-one consult on your annual report (which can reduce error checking times) or if for some reason you will not be able to meet that deadline date.

For many libraries, having the board review and sign the annual report at the March meeting is advisable. It’s good to get the final information from 2011 wrapped up so you can proceed with all of your success for 2012.

These deadlines are of the utmost importance because Commonwealth Libraries must report all data to the federal government by the first week in June. Because of these deadlines some libraries will not be able to refer to their audits when completing the annual report.  In such cases the end-of-the-year treasurer’s report/financial statement should be used.

Here are some useful documents for completing the Annual Report:

• Additions and Changes to 2011
• Documentation Checklist for libraries
• Consultant Review Guidelines (these are the things that will get double-checked on your reports!)
• Tips and Hints for Completing the PA Public Library Survey (this is an excellent document with detailed information for many of the questions)

The Annual Report Signature Sheet Application for State Aid Signature Page, and the Certification of Estimated Costs (Green Sheet) are all available as links within the online survey or available for download here:

• 2011AnnualReportSignaturePage
• 2012.13ApplicationforStateAidSignaturePage
• Annual Report Shared Costs Greensheet Form    

These pages are to be printed, completed and submitted with original signatures.  (Note: Not all libraries will have a Green Sheet.)

Audits: Please submit audit or financial review by October 1, 2012.  Failure to comply will result in either a delayed payment or loss of State Aid.

If you have questions about filling out the annual report online, please contact your district library consultant. 

In a separate email, your district consultant will send a note to signatories and those who are responsible for submitting the online report and collecting documentation with more local detail, including how to count statistics for ebooks and other electronic resources.