BlogJunction Connecticut » Connecticard

Connecticard Monthly Report Form – Online or Offline

Tom Newman — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:45:21 +0000

For those libraries that don’t already know, there are now two forms you can use to report your Connecticard Monthly loan figures. The online form is the same libraries used last year. But also, for this year we are allowing the use of an “offline” Excel spreadsheet which you may download, fill-out during the year, and then email to the Connecticard administrator when the Ccard year ends with February 2013. The offline form may be easier for some to use, especially for those who wish to copy and paste figures from a library system report. Just don’t forget to send in the form in March 2013! See the Ccard Monthly Report Form for more information.

Connecticard Expenditure Report Form Available

Tom Newman — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:50:28 +0000

In order to receive a Connecticard payment next year, public libraries must submit a Ccard Expenditure Report form for the payment you received LAST YEAR, i.e. April 2011.

If you have spent this money, please go to this online form:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCardExpReport
and report now how the money was spent. The amount of the payment is available on the report form.

If you have not spent this money, you have until Nov. 1, 2012, to submit your report.

Connecticard Year Ends, Another Begins

Tom Newman — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:45:13 +0000

Connecticut public libraries lent 4,916,021 items to non-residents during the 2011-2012 year (which ended February 29). This was just about the same as last year. Some important announcements:

1. Connecticard Payment, Net-Plus Loan, and Borrowing/Lending information for 2012 is available on the Connecticard web page. Payments should go out to libraries within the next few weeks.

2. For the March 2012 – February 2013 reporting year, libraries have the option of using the same Bibliostat web-based online form used for last year. Or, starting this year, libraries may download and use an alternative Excel form which they will be required to email to the State Library as an attachment in early March of 2013. Information on both submission forms is available here on the Ccard report form webpage. Those libraries who can produce CSV-formated text files or Excel files when creating their Ccard reports on their circulation systems may find it easier to copy and paste their figures into the Excel form rather than hand-enter the figures in the web-based form.

3. Some reminders:

Connecticard loans DO include renewals
Interlibrary Loans are not Connecticard loans
The library cards you issue to your town’s residents must have an expiration date in order to be used for Connecticard borrowing.

Thanks go out to all those who provided Connecticard loan figures this year!

Connecticard Loans Nearly 5 Million Per Year

Tom Newman — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:31:36 +0000

Despite budget cuts, reduced hours, and tighter materials budgets, borrowing by non-residents at Connecticut public libraries remains at a high level. Connecticut public libraries lent 4,916,021 items to non-residents during the 2011-2012 year (which ended February 28). Connecticard loans have remained about the same for the last three years. Information on Connecticard loans, borrowing, and payments for libraries should be available on WebJunction Connecticut the week of March 26. Connecticard and Connecticar are crucial to the State Library’s efforts to provide equity of access to library services.

Connecticard Reminder

Tom Newman — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:21:48 +0000

The ConnectiCard reporting period for public libraries runs from March to February. February 2012 brings to a close the reporting period for 2011-2012. Make sure your public library’s Connecticard reports are complete. THE DEADLINE IS FRIDAY MARCH 16 at 4 P.M. At that time your library’s Ccard report form will be locked. Though there is no formal “certification” required at completion of the form, you are required to have accurate and complete figures in place by the deadline, or you will not receive a reimbursement payment.

Please contact Tom Newman at tom.newman@ct.gov if you have any questions.

LJ: Your library at Webscale

Kris — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:46 +0000

The ever-expanding set of Web services created in the last decade is changing everything about education, information seeking, communications and media. The Web has altered the expectations of our users and partners, and our ability to react to those expectations. In consulting our members, peers and thought leaders across the technology landscape one thing has become clear: the way forward requires a strategy built on increasing libraries’ opportunities for cooperation. Not just between libraries and the institutions they serve, but more creatively and completely within the larger information ecosystem. Because the same disruptive, complex, connected options that are challenging our libraries and communities are the forces that will help us break down the barriers to success.

Over the past decade, members of the library community have indicated a number of areas where traditional management systems lack the flexibility and connectivity to address the changing needs of their users. Confronting these issues distracts scarce resources from addressing high-priority local objectives that improve efficiency, service, and relevance.

OCLC WorldShare is the cooperative’s new platform for radical library collaboration. At this session, Andrew Pace, Executive Director, Networked Library Services, will provide an overview of OCLC’s vision for connecting the world’s libraries to operate and innovate at Webscale. You’ll also hear directly from library automation experts and members of the OCLC WorldShare Management Services community about how the move to WorldShare has eliminated traditional operating silos, allowing them to focus more attention on the communities they serve.

Learn what’s possible when you share more tools, protocols and data with more libraries, developers and partners. Your library can benefit from a pool that combines talents from all participating institutions. Shared apps boost creativity beyond what anyone can build themselves and allow for customization for local needs. And as you focus on delivering greater value to your users through distinctive, local resources, you can also drive efficiencies by moving routine operations to a shared, cloud-based infrastructure.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Online

For additional details and registration information visit: LJ: Your Library at Webscale: How radical collaboration is redefining library management services

The Connecticard Year Ends When?

Tom Newman — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:13:07 +0000

The answer? February 29. Public libraries that are filling out the Connecticard Report Form should remember that non-resident loan figures for January and February of 2012 go on the “2011 Connecticard” report form. The deadline for completing the report form is March 16. The form should have figures for March 2011 thru February 2012. No formal certification process is required, but libraries must make sure their report form is complete and accurate before the form is locked at 4 p.m. on the 16th.

The State Library hopes to have the Ccard payments go out in April. Due to a reduction in this year’s budget for Connecticard reimbursements, libraries can expect about a 20% decrease in their payment from last year. The actual amount will depend on your library’s level of Connecticard loan activity for the year.

Contact Tom Newman with questions.

Connecticard Report Reminder

Tom Newman — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:33:02 +0000

Libraries are reminded that the Connecticard reporting year ends with the FEBRUARY report. The “Connecticard 2011” report form has columns that start with March 2011 and end with February 2012. Therefore the January and February columns of the report should have 2012 figures and not 2011 figures. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

Connecticard Expenditure Report Deadline Only Four Weeks Away

Tom Newman — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:50:59 +0000

The Ccard expenditure report for 2010 is due by the end of October. If your public library has not already done so, please go to this survey form to report on how your library spent the Connecticard grant you received in April of 2010. This report is required for continued participation in Ccard. Thanks!

Also, thanks go out to the following libraries who have already submitted their reports:

Ansonia – Ansonia Public Library
Beacon Falls – Beacon Falls Public Library
Bethel – Bethel Public Library
Bethlehem – Bethlehem Public Library
Bridgewater – Burnham Public Library
Brookfield – Brookfield Library
Brooklyn – Brooklyn Town Library Association
Burlington – Burlington Public LIbrary
Chester – Chester Public Library
Clinton – Henry Carter Hull Library
Columbia – Saxton B Little Free Library
Cornwall – Cornwall Library Association
Cromwell – Cromwell Belden Public Library
Darien – Darien Library
Deep River – Deep River Public Library
Derby – Derby Neck Library
East Granby – East Granby Public Library
East Hartford – East Hartford Public Library
East Lyme – East Lyme Public Library
East Windsor – Library Assn. of Warehouse Point
Essex – Essex Library Association
Fairfield – Fairfield Public Library
Griswold – Slater Library
Groton – Groton Public Library
Guilford – Guilford Free Library
Haddam – Brainerd Memorial Library
Hartford – Hartford Public Library
Harwinton – Harwinton Public Library
Kent – Kent Library Association
Killingworth – Killingworth Library
Lebanon – Jonathan Trumbull Library
Lyme – Lyme Public Library
Mansfield – Mansfield Public Library
Marlborough – Richmond Memorial Library
Middlefield – Levi E. Coe Library
Middletown – Russell Library
Montville – Raymond Library
Morris – Morris Public Library
Naugatuck – Howard Whittemore Memorial Library
New Britain – New Britain Public Library
New Hartford – Licia & Mason Beekley Community Library
New Milford – New Milford Public Library
Old Lyme – Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library
Oxford – Oxford Public Library
Redding – Mark Twain Library
Scotland – Scotland Public Library
Seymour – Seymour Public Library
Shelton – Plumb Memorial Library
Sherman – Sherman Library Assn.
Stamford – Ferguson Library
Stonington – Stonington Free Library
Suffield – Kent Memorial Library
Thomaston – Thomaston Public Library
Thompson – Thompson Public Library
Tolland – Town of Tolland Public Library
Torrington – Torrington Library Association
Union – Union Free Public
Voluntown – Voluntown Public Library
Warren – Warren Public Library
Waterbury – Silas Bronson Library
Waterford – Waterford Public Library
Watertown – Watertown Library Association
Westbrook – Westbrook Public Library
Wethersfield – Wethersfield Public Library
Willington – Willington Public Library
Wilton – Wilton Library Association
Winchester – Beardsley & Memorial Library
Windham – Windham Free Library
Windsor Locks – Windsor Locks Public Library
Woodbury – Woodbury Public Library

Connecticard and State Aid Grants

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:13:27 +0000

The State budget recently passed by the Legislature and expected to be signed by the Governor reduces both the State Aid Grants to principal public libraries and the Connecticard reimbursement grants. These reductions were part of the compromise suggested by the State Library in order to save both Connecticard and Connecticar.

State Aid was reduced from $347,109 to $ 207,692 for FY 2012. This means that there is just enough money in this program for each principal public library to receive the base grant of $1,200 and no more. There will be no additional amounts available for the equalization or incentive portions of the grant. Libraries contracted to provide library services to another Connecticut town will still receive the additional base grant for that town.

Connecticard grants was reduced from $1,226,028 to $1,000,000. CCard reimbursements depend on the level of CCard loans reported, but in general, participating libraries can expect to receive approximately 20% less in FY2012 than they received in FY2011.

If you have any questions regarding these reductions please contact:

Tom Newman
State Library Data Coordinator
860-757-6573
tom.newman@ct.gov