Tuesday, January 31, 2012
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Online

*If you require Closed Captioning in order to attend this webinar, please contact Jennifer Peterson by January 25 petersoj@oclc.org.

For additional details and registration information visit: WJ: Developing and Maintaining E-Reader Policies & Procedures for Libraries

Thursday, December 9, 2010
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Online

For additional details and registration information visit: WJ:Competency Cavalcade

Despite being a recently launched project, FAIR (Facilitating Access to Information and Resources) details some best practices that all libraries can use regarding services to persons with sensory and/or physical disabilities.

The project enabled a simple staff development day to turn into a transformative experience.

Staff at the West Hartford Libraries practice caning (a.k.a light sabering)

This is a new grant program that will provide one-year grants of $10,000 to $25,000 for innovative projects that respond to the challenges and opportunities facing cultural heritage institutions in a rapidly changing information environment.

Deadline for applications: November 15, 2010.

Successful proposals will address problems, challenges, or needs of broad relevance to museums, libraries, or archives, will test innovative responses to these problems, and will make the findings of these tests widely and openly accessible. Grant funding may include all activities associated with planning, deploying, and evaluating the innovation, as long as the expenses are allowable under federal and IMLS guidelines. Examples of projects that might be funded by this program include, but are not limited to:

* exploring the potential of highly original, experimental collaborations,
* implementing new workflows or processes with potential for substantial cost savings,
* testing new metrics or methods to measure the impact of promising tools or services,
* rapid prototyping and testing of new types of software tools, or creating useful new ways to link separate software applications used in libraries, archives, or museums,
* offering innovative new types of services or service options to museum, library, or archive visitors, or
* enhancing institutions’ abilities to interact with audiences in new ways to promote learning or improve services, such as through the deployment of innovative crowd-sourcing techniques.

Full press announcement.

The library will acquire assistive technology products and software, promote the use of these specialized products through focused publicity and collaboration with community agencies, expand staff awareness and sensitivity to a more diverse group of library users, and train staff and library users in the use of these new resources.

LSTA funding is provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.

It provides small, targeted investments in high-risk, innovative responses to the challenges and opportunities facing cultural heritage institutions in a rapidly changing information environment.

This is a brand new grant category; more information will be forthcoming from IMLS.

Grants of $2,500-$5,000 will be awarded to approximately 15 networks for a four to six month planning phase. Six to ten of those networks will be eligible to receive additional funding ranging from $20,000 to $25,000.

Some of the fine print: For the purpose of this funding stream, “building capacity” refers to institutionalizing new individual organization and group learning and/or new skills development.

Only networks, not individual organizations, are eligible to apply. Networks can be comprised of nonprofits, civic groups, schools, faith-based organizations, municipalities, or unions that wish to build their capacity together.

Deadline: June 24, 2010

This effort will support the early literacy, scientific inquiry, and numeracy skills of Hartford children ages three to six.Activities incorporated into the project will instruct parents and caregivers on building children’s skill sets and also instruct families on practicing these activities in their homes.

The basis for the program is the State Department of Education’s Core Science Curriculum Framework: Content Standards and Expected Performances, Core Science for Grades PreK-2; the Connecticut Mathematics Curriculum Framework (Pre K-Grade 1 Content Standards); and the Public Library Association’s Every Child Ready to Read early literacy initiative.

The materials used to teach these curricula will be the research-tested Mother Goose book selections, manipulatives, and activity guides, from the Vermont Center for the Book.

This grant complements related supporting activities funded by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the Hartford City Council.

LSTA funding comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.

On April 6, Douglas C. Lord, of the Connecticut State Library’s Division of Library Development and active WebJunction contributor, shared best practices related to services to older adults with a special emphasis on the Baby Boom generation. He discussed the characteristics and needs of Boomers, and shared ideas on how library programming can respond to those needs. We also looked at what the future holds as Boomers continue to age and the next generation enters seniority.

>> View Archive

As part of this process we are seeking input from the Connecticut library community. You are invited to participate in one of the five focus groups we will be holding in January and February; one each for school and academic librarians and three for public librarians. We would very much appreciate hearing the thoughts and concerns of the library community as we deliberate our future and welcome those interested to attend one of these sessions. The dates and times are listed below. To sign up for a session please do so through our CE calendar

Thank you very much for assisting us with our planning.

Academic Librarians:
Naugatuck Valley Community College, Waterbury, 9:30 – 12:30, Feb 5th (snow date Feb 12th)

School Librarians:
Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., Feb 10th (snow date Feb 17th)

Public Librarians:
Willimantic Library Service Center, 9:30 – 12:30, Jan 26th (snow date Jan 27th)
Trumbull Public Library, 9:30 – 12:30, Jan 28th (snow date Jan 29th)
South Windsor Public Library, 1:00 – 4:00, Feb 16th (snow date Feb 17th)