The Sunday Hartford Courant carried a great article about libraries coping with demand for digital content.
“Libraries Adapt To Demands From Online Users As Well As Visitors Coming Through The Doors”
http://www.courant.com/community/wethersfield/hc-wethersfield-library-classes-1023-20111022,0,4105354.story
Congratulations to Wethersfield, Westport, West Hartford, Torrington and Andover.
We know that your budget is shrinking and that you are busier than ever. But we also know that public libraries are offering outstanding, creative and vital programs and services for their communities. This is a challenging time for the library community so why not give your staff something to cheer about and your colleagues something to inspire them by nominating your library for the 2012 Excellence in Public Library Service Awards.
These awards will honor public libraries that have provided outstanding service to their communities. They will be given in 2 population groups (under 15,000 and over 15,000) for the entire range of services that your library provides to your community.
Nominations will be judged on:
If you’ve been nominated in the past and haven’t won, submit another nomination. The competition is different each year.
Winners will receive a:
Nominations due by Noon, November 7, 2011
(from Conntech posting by Mary Engels, October 14, 2011)
The 2011 summer reading survey is open and waiting for your data. It should take only 5 – 10 minutes to complete, if you have your summer reading facts and figures (circulation, number of participants etc.) readily available. You can view the questions before you go to the survey site, or just go directly to the survey and start filling it in.
The first 110 libraries to complete a survey will receive a free copy of the 2012 Collaborative Summer Library Program summer reading manual. The 2012 themes are “Dream Big – Read!”, “Own the Night” and for adults, “Between the Covers”.
Early registration is now available to Connecticut librarians for this webinar on using this survey in your advocacy efforts for improved public access computing infrastructure. Attend this webinar. Fill out the survey. Do both! Here is the information from WebJunction:
2011 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study: Results, Trends, and Resources
November 1, 2:00 pm Eastern
Over 8,400 urban, suburban, and rural libraries participated in the 2011 Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, the largest and longest-running study of Internet connectivity in U.S. public libraries. Key findings include:
In this webinar co-sponsored by ALA TechSource, the ALA Office for Research & Statistics, and WebJunction, you will learn how to interpret the data and emerging trends; access new advocacy and marketing tools including state profiles, issue briefs, and PR templates; and use the data to make the case for your library with elected officials and community stakeholders. Take the new survey now!
Presented by: John Bertot, Co-Director, Information Policy & Access Center, University of Maryland; Judy Hoffman, Project Manager, American Library Association, Office for Research and Statistics; and Peggy Rudd, Director, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Charlotte Minnick made the East Hampton Library her reading destination this summer and arrived at a $1,000.00 college savings account as well. She was one of four Connecticut children to do so, as part of the “Destination College Savings” promotion sponsored by The Connecticut Higher Education Trust, Connecticut State Treasurer’s Office, TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc., and the Connecticut State Library. The goal was to motivate children to visit their local libraries and read over the summer, and to educate families about the CHET college savings plan. Over 1,500 entries were received; eight children were awarded $50.00 Barnes & Noble gift cards while the four grand prize winners received a $1,000.00 donation to a CHET 529 plan. Libraries were winners as well; receiving either $50.00 or $500.00 checks for being a winning child’s home library.
The award ceremony was held at the Connecticut State Library in Hartford on Saturday September 10th. The children and their families received presentation checks and were congratulated for their efforts by Deputy State Treasurer Jonathan Harris.
2011 Destination College Saving Winners
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Hurricane Irene may be visiting Connecticut this weekend. Are you wondering what your library can do to prepare? Check out Jane Cullinane’s Conntech post on Hurricane Preparedness and Disaster Recovery. There are many useful links on what to do before and after this kind of event.
Statement posted to Conntech, July 15, 2011
Connecticut Libraries:
The Governor has submitted his Budget Balancing Plan to the legislature. It includes substantial cuts to the State Library’s budget. We will be cut by approximately one quarter or $2,760,034.
The reductions include:
Not all these reductions were at the discretion of the State Library. We were not allowed to call for reductions of any service mandated by statute – by a definition provided by OPM. This prevented some recommendations such as closing either service center.
Please remember that all of these reductions could be rescinded if the unions reconsider their rejection of the concession agreement. This will probably not be settled until the end of August.
The State Library regrets these reductions and remains committed to work with the library community to mitigate their impact.
Sharon Brettschneider
Connecticut State Library
Information on completing the 2011 Annual Report and Application for State Aid has just gone out by e-mail to all public library directors. If you are a library director who did not receive this information, please let me know.
The Annual Report is critical for state and national data gathering on public libraries. The link above provides more information, a list of changes, an instruction sheet, and a 15-minute online tutorial.
Some reminders:
Per statute, the DEADLINE for submission is 4 P.M. on November 15, 2011. The preliminary version of the “Statistical Profile of CT Public Libraries” should be available shortly thereafter. The Statistics page on WebJunction CT has more information on the Annual Report and Statistical Profile.
Contact me with questions.
This is a quick reminder that public libraries should include the circulation figures for iCONN’s Ingram Digital Audio books in their annual circulation totals.
These figures are based on check-outs in FY2011 by Connecticut library-card holders.
Many of you already know that as members of WebJunction Connecticut you may take up to three free online courses at one time. This limit of three courses has been raised to 10 courses until July 1. So now is the time to sign up for these great self-paced courses. You will then have access to the courses for a full year and may complete them as you have time. Go to WebJunction Connecticut, sign in, and click on the “Courses” tab and then browse through the course offerings. Add the free courses to your “shopping cart” and then “check out.”
Some of the courses available include:
These courses are made available to you by the Connecticut State Library.