Friday Notes

Friday Notes for 06/08/2007

Train Employees and Officials to Be Ready for Privacy Challenges
"Don’t find out the hard way that you and your staff do not know how to respond when the police come knocking on your door in search of information that’s contained in your library’s customer records. You may believe that you are prepared, but unless you have thoroughly addressed this issue with your staff and have done structured training that’s been repeated over time, you may find yourself in an awkward position that could create havoc in your library. When I think back to what happened in my library 2 years ago, and as I compare notes with colleagues who have also been approached by the police, I realize that you can never overestimate the need for preparation and planning to be ready to deal with authorities when they’re in search of someone’s confidential library data." [Computers in Libraries]

Would you like a class on this topic?

LIBRARY 101, coming up on Friday June 29^th. This is a class for new librarians, but also a good refresher for seasoned librarians and a good way to introduce trustees to "what you do". Contact Ken to reserve an ICN (library) site, reserved Dyersville & West Union (requested).

What’s next? The challenge
AL columnist Andrew Pace writes: “Major consolidation of the library automation market, the emergence of viable open source software solutions and new business models for supporting them, and a somewhat rancorous and impatient customer base that fears that profit and efficiency have out-gunned innovation and service—all this makes for a dangerous cocktail. What’s a vendor to do? What’s a library to do? The challenge for libraries is realizing that perfect is the enemy of good.”...
Hectic Pace blog, June 6

THE LSAs:

Van's

Nashua will not have delivery during the Summer.  Anything that is for them needs to be mailed.  They will start up delivery in the fall.

AEA-267
Last delivery for the school year is June 7 & 8. AEA 267 will start the Summer delivery on June 11, when the AEA will deliver to libraries in the 267 area. Schedule will be the same as last year.
If items are to be sent to libraries in AEA-1, those items needed to be at NEILSA by June 5 anything received now will be returned to you for delivery through USPS. AEA-1 does NOT have delivery through the summer.


AEA-1
Last delivery to libraries for the school year was June 8.

In the EYE-OPENER from Bon in NWILSA:2) Register Now for Trustee Program June 12: One last reminder to register for a board development program on the ICN next Tuesday June 12th: “Influence from a Position of Leadership.” This program is co-sponsored by Southwest, North Central, and Northwest LSAs and will be conducted by Pat Wagner of Pattern Research in Colorado. It runs from 6:30PM—8:30PM and is worth 2 c.e. credits.

Pat has conducted numerous staff and board-related workshops in Iowa over the years. Here’s a description of Influence from a Leadership Position: “…Do people trust and respect you, seek you out, follow your lead and take the initiative to contribute to your projects? Then, you are influential! However, libraries need to change to stay relevant to their communities in the future and library leadership has to change as well. Can you extend your positive influence beyond old friends and family to new library users, new citizens, and new economic and political decision-makers? Can you deal with hard decisions and still maintain the good will of most of the people in your community or institution? Topics will include:

the three steps of positive influence

• building support networks
• working with new populations
• winning elections (referenda) and ethical politics, including limits to power and control

Advance registration is required through the c.e. catalog:

NE Sites: Beckman HS in Dyersville, Decorah HS, Waverly PL

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

4) Next Library 101 on June 29th: Speaking of new library directors, the next “Library 101” is coming up Friday June 29th. “Library 101” is an orientation offered 4 times each year for the benefit of newly hired directors; new support staff and new trustees are also welcome. Sponsored by the Iowa Library Service Areas, this orientation is a time to become better acquainted with the services of the LSAs and the State Library. Learn more about Iowa’s service standards for public libraries and the many statewide initiatives for Iowa libraries to be part of.

Library 101 runs from 9:00AM—12:00PM. Online registration is required: http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/cgi-bin/cecat/
The program will originate from Northwest AEA in Sioux City.

SEILSA Blog up at: http://southeasternlsa.blogspot.com/

SWILSA Blog is up at: http://swilsanews.blogspot.com

Footnotes is now online. http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/news/footnotes

CLASSES:

UPCOMING CLASSES: TechAtlas, Google Extras, Technology Toys, Gameing in the Library,

Google Tools Kim will teach an 8 hour class/workshop oin the various tools in Google. This class will be in late August.

CE CATALOGS:

1. http://neilsa.org/con-ed.html NEILSA
2. http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/continuing-ed State Library of Iowa
3. http://www.slis.wisc.edu/continueed Wisc. School of Library & Information Science
4. http://www.ala.org/cetemplate.cfm?section=ceclearinghouse&template=/cfapps/contedu/searchmain.cfm ALA
5. http://www.opal-online.org OPAL
6. http://ia.webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=442 WebJunction

DUE DATES:

Enrich Iowa agreement mailed May10th. The deadline for returning the agreement is - June 29, 2007. The mailing includes a cover letter, Enrich Iowa Letter of Agreement and terms of agreement for Access Plus, Direct State Aid and Open Access. We encourage every public library to participate in all three parts of the Enrich Iowa Program. Steps for Signing Up:

1. Mark on the Enrich Iowa Letter of Agreement which program(s) your library will participate in.

2. Sign the Letter of Agreement (signed by library director or other signatory authority).

3. Mail or fax (515-281-6191) the Letter of Agreement to the State Library.

4. Agreement must be postmarked no later than June 22 and received at the State Library no later than Friday, June 29 at 4:30 p.m.

FROM: Sandy Dixon Program Director Library Development State Library of Iowa (edited)

• June 12, 2007 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. ICN Sites: Beckman HS in Dyersville, Decorah HS, Waverly 2 hours CE Trustees: Influence at the Leadership Level
• June 21-27 ALA 2007 Annual Conference in Washington DC - Ken
• June 29 Library 101 on various ICN sites - in NEILSA: Dyersville & West Union (requested)
• June 30 - Direct State Aid Funds need to be spent
• July 30th Grundy County Library Association at 9:00 A. M. at Conrad
• July 31 Reports DUE at SLI - Direct State Aid, Open Access, Access Plus. LSTA subrant final reports
• Aug 31 - Enrich Iowa Letter of Agreement to SLI
• September 19 Clermont 6:00 Fayette County Library Association
• September 25 - 28 Town Meetings, NEILSA is: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - Waterloo Arts and Rec Center
• Sept. 26–28: Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Annual Conference, Columbus, Ohio. Contact: ARSL, 814-393-2014.
• October 2 Allison at ______ pm Butler County Library Association
• Oct. 15 @ 7 p.m. in Lamont. 7:00 Buchanan County Library Association
• Oct 16 Lamont 7:00 Buchanan County Library Association
• Oct 16th at 7:00 p.m. in Monona Clayton County Library Association
• October 18 Calmar at _____ pm Winnesheck County Library Association
• October 30 - Public Library Survey Due at SLI

The State Library Calendar http://www.silo.lib.ia.us

STUFF:

Hemmingway the BookWorm
Hemmingway (right) brings the mayor to the library to show that it can offer much more than the internet can. This video (1:58) by the Towson (Md.) Public Library is one of five finalists in the Thomson Gale “I Love My Library!” video contest. You can cast your vote for the one that you think best conveys a love for the library and its resources at the Librareo website. The deadline is June 11....
YouTube, May 23

Pickens library program yanked after witchcraft charge
A library program in Easley, South Carolina, described by some parents as promoting witchcraft, has been canceled. The Pickens County Library System’s youth Summer Reading Program was discontinued after officials received complaints objecting to its content. The 12 weekly sessions included a variety of activities, including palmistry, Tarot card reading, T-shirt tie-dyeing, and scrapbooking....
Greenville (S.C.) News, June 6

Several upcoming OPAL online programs that may be of interest to librarians and library users alike:

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 beginning at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 1:00 Central, noon Mountain, 11:00 a.m. Pacific, and 6:00 p.m. GMT:
Family Reunions: Exploring Your Roots

Family reunions reconnect people with their shared history – a history encompassing life’s milestones, travels, and the influence of regional, national, and global events. A family’s story comes to life with the addition of photographs, diaries, memorabilia, and maps describing the locations and events that shaped the lives of family members. Join Library of Congress staff and explore ways to use our digital resources to recreate your family’s personal history.

Sponsor: Library of Congress

Location: OPAL Auditorium
Friday, June 22, 2007 beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 8:00 Central, 7:00 Mountain, 6:00 Pacific, and 2:00 p.m. GMT:

Fabulous Fourth Fridays: Chick Lit Discussion Group
Topic: The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. Virginia Shreves is a chubby 15-year-old in a family of thin overachievers.

Host: Johnson County Library.
Location: The online room of the Johnson County Library.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 beginning at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 1:00 Central, noon Mountain, 11:00 a.m. Pacific, and 6:00 p.m. GMT:
Declaring Independence: Beyond the Fourth of July

Everybody knows we celebrate the 4th of July because that's the day we declared independence. But there's more to the Declaration of Independence story than just one day or even just one document. Library of Congress librarians will show the Declaration of Independence as it evolved from an idea to an event, looking at a variety of drafts and editions of the Declaration and related documents.

Sponsor: Library of Congress

Location: OPAL Auditorium
These online programs are free and open to all. There is no need to register. Just log on and participate. For a complete list of upcoming OPAL online events, with hotlinks into the online rooms and background information, please visit:
http://www.opal-online.org/progschrono.htm

The case for gaming in the library
Jared Newman writes: “Three years ago, Eli Neiburger was just an IT guy at the Ann Arbor District Library in Michigan. It was no secret at work that Neiburger loves videogames—he has a Triforce tattooed on his arm—so when Erin Helmrich, a librarian who focuses on teens, wanted to bring gaming into the library, she turned to him for advice.”...
The Escapist, no. 99

Vamos goes to court
To some in Miami, the children’s book Vamos a Cuba (A Visit to Cuba) is offensive and should be removed from school libraries, even though it contains no obscenities or profanities, nor any mention of sex or drugs. It also doesn’t contain any criticism of Fidel Castro or his communist government, which is why the Miami-Dade County School District is asking a federal appeals court June 6 for permission to remove the 49 copies from its libraries....
Miami Herald, June 5

Inside an outsourced library
Just two hours south of Jackson County, Oregon, the city of Redding, California, decided to outsource the running of its three libraries in Shasta County to Library Systems and Services (LSSI) in September 2006. Shasta County had struggled for decades to try to keep libraries open and went through financial downturns similar to what Jackson County faced leading up to the closure of all its branches. But Redding opened up a new $20-million library two months ago....
Medford (Oreg.) Mail Tribune, June 3

Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 misinterpreted
Author Ray Bradbury still has a lot to say, especially about how people do not understand his most literary work, Fahrenheit 451, published in 1953. The book is not, he says firmly, a story about government censorship. Nor was it a response to Senator Joseph McCarthy, whose investigations had already instilled fear and stifled the creativity of thousands. It is, in fact, a story about how television destroys interest in reading literature....
L.A. Weekly, May 30

Censorship will change the face of the internet
Amnesty International has warned that the internet “could change beyond all recognition” unless action is taken against the erosion of online freedoms. The warning comes ahead of a conference organized by Amnesty, where victims of repression will outline their plights....
BBC News, June 6

Bookcart contest sparks linguistic controversy
The Racine (Wis.) Public Library is putting “pimp” to work, using the word to promote a contest aimed at attracting teens to the library. Some people praised the contest, dubbed “Pimp My Cart!,” as a fresh way to reach kids and give flash to the decidedly undecorated carts that move books around the library. Others abhor the casual use of “pimp,” even if the verb form of the word now can mean to make something look sharp and new....
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 2

Photos from Greensburg
On May 5, the day after an EF-5 tornado hit his home town of Greensburg, Kansas, acclaimed landscape photographer Larry Schwarm returned to assist stricken friends and neighbors and photograph the damage. One of those images included the devastated Kiowa County Library (right). Note the card catalog in the lower right corner. The full body of Schwarm’s work will be displayed at the Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art Gallery in Kansas City in November....
Kansas City (Mo.) Star, June 2

Portrait of a copyright miser
On June 1, a San Jose federal judge awarded attorney fees to a Stanford University English professor whose suit against the estate of James Joyce was settled recently. Carol Loeb Shloss’s suit against the Joyce estate sheds light on an ironic, and maybe inevitable, trend in intellectual property: As copyright becomes harder to defend, many copyright holders are becoming less realistic about the limitations of their ownership....
Los Angeles Times, June 5

Moline’s “My Favorite Book” exhibit
The faces in Moline (Ill.) Public Library’s “My Favorite Book” project vary as much as the books they feature, perfectly capturing the variety patrons find when they walk into the library. Photojournalist Todd Mizener took 156 images of library patrons posing with their favorite books to help celebrate the library’s grand opening last fall. Now they are hanging in the library and accessible online....
Moline (Ill.) Dispatch, May 30

City-county library merger appears to be on track
The merger of Minneapolis and Hennepin County library systems remains alive, even after Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of $4.5 million in state aid, local officials said May 31. “Absolutely,” said Minneapolis Library Director Kit Hadley a day after Pawlenty rejected funding that would have been used for transitional costs. “No one connected with this merger, though, anticipated this [the veto].”...
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, May 31

Google Custom Search Engine: Some examples
Google Software Engineer R. V. Guha gives examples of sites that have customized the Google search engine to enhance results. He writes: “What can you do with Google Custom Search Engine? At the most basic level, you can restrict your searches to only the sites and documents you want to include in your results. You can also offer search refinements that make it easier for your users to find the information they’re looking for.”...
Google Librarian Newsletter, no. 8 (May)

Microsoft Surface to offer tabletop computing
After years of covert development, Microsoft says it will release a computer that uses the tabletop as its high-resolution display, recognizes objects placed on the surface, and skips the traditional keyboard and mouse in favor of fingers on the screen. In one example of how this could be used, people place a card on the table to call up a virtual stack of digital photos from a computer server and then rotate, resize, and spread them across the table using their hands. In another, diners split a tab by dragging icons of their meals to their credit cards....
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 30

Tagging: No longer fun nor easy
Mark Gibbs writes: “Give most people a blog or a web page and a field named ‘tags,’ and they’ll start stuffing in text with wild abandon in the hopes that their content will be easily found by people who are desperately searching for information and opinion on feline hairball cures or cycling in the Ozarks or whatever their particular hobby is. Alas, all these folks are doing is polluting the Web.”...
Network World, Feb. 5

Internet Safety Month: Online safety metasites
Adam Thierer writes: “The Senate recently passed a resolution (S. Res. 205) declaring June National Internet Safety Month (PDF file). There is so much good information on the internet about online child safety that parents would be wise to rely on some of the metasites that aggregate helpful tips, tools, and other information all in one place. Here are some of the best.”...
Technology Liberation Front blog, June 3

Being transparent isn’t enough
AL columnist Meredith Farkas writes: “Transparency is no substitute for actually doing something about the things patrons identify as problems. I’m going to illustrate this with two examples from the corporate world. In both examples, these organizations dealt with complaints with transparency, but only one of them did it successfully. If you’re going to be open in that way, you will also have to do something about the things that people bring up as problems.”...
Information Wants to Be Free blog, June 3

LIBRARY SERVICE AREA BOARD MEETING

July 9, 2007 2:00 p.m., Fairbank Public Library

The public is encouraged and welcome to attend.

Would love to have a class for staff members on Privacy issues. Hard part is finding times to get everyone there. ICN maybe?
Becky Heil (Email) - 06 08 07 - 17:41