The State Library continues its partnership with OCLC’s WebJunction project as it makes some important enhancements in the coming months. In mid-March WebJunction Connecticut will disappear as a standalone domain (ct.webjunction.org) and will become one of the partner sections on a new www.webjunction.org. This means all our current content will be moved to a new section of the main WebJunction website. Navigation, organization, and functionality should improve with this new Connecticut section of WebJunction. All the web content of the State Library’s Division of Library Development will continue to appear on WebJunction rather than in the State Library’s main web site. And those who have book-marked specific web pages on our current ct.webjunction.org site will be re-directed to the appropriate page on the new web site.
As part of the upgrade, online self-paced courses will be made available in a separate system so that WebJunction members can plan and manage their course-taking more easily. As a consequence of this change, however, you will lose a record of all incomplete courses that you are still enrolled in on February 29. You should complete those courses before the 29th, if you can.
Also, all WebJunction Connecticut members who have logged into WebJunction since July 2010 will automatically have their membership account transferred to the new WebJunction website. If you have not signed in since then, however, you will want to do so before February 29 or lose your account.
The State Library looks forward to its continued partnership with WebJunction in providing professional development and continuing education opportunities for Connecticut’s library staff.
Attention Public Library Staff Who Completed the 2011 Annual Report for the State Library:
Thanks go out to those who helped fill out the Report last fall. Before the State Library examines what should be on next year’s Report, we would like to get some feedback from those of you who will have to suffer through it. We are not expecting the Report to change much, but we would appreciate getting your answers/opinions on some of these questions: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CTAnnualReportSurvey
A short survey, there are only 10 questions. Thanks for your help.
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)
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.
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.
See a list of recent statistics, and how Connecticut fares in national rankings.
2009 Public Library Survey data, just released from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, shows that Connecticut Public Libraries top the other New England states in important use and support measures. Connecticut has the highest per-capita totals for Circulation, Materials Expenditures, MLS Librarians, Library Staff, Total Operating Income, and Operating Income from Local Taxes.
This PDF report shows how Connecticut fares against the other New England states.
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
Are you one of those involved in filling out the Public Library Annual Report/Survey? If so, you may want to look at a list of some of the new questions you can expect to labor with this fall. We have posted an Expected Changes for FY2011 Public Library Annual Report/Survey which lists the new questions. Among the changes (most due to federal requirements) we are asking libraries to separate their counts of electronic (e-book, downloadable audio/video) collections from physical print, audio, and video collections. Also, we are consolidating the Annual ILL report so that reports on ILL are done here in the Annual Report rather than in separate ILL reports previously due in August.
Please contact me with questions and comments.
Library Use Up in FY2010, Income and Staff Fall
According to recent data submitted by public libraries in Connecticut, library use statistics all rose again in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
At the same time:
See the latest charts showing year to year trends in CT public libraries.
For more statistical information on public libraries in fiscal year 2009-2010, see the preliminary Statistical Profile.
Thanks go out to all those library directors and staff who labored again this year to provide the State Library with your library’s annual report. We appreciate your efforts!