Resources
Online Communities of Practice
- You may have been hearing a great deal about Communities of Practice. Given the popularity of online social networking, it’s hard to ignore. In this WJ Weekly Tip you’ll find information about the thriving communities of practice among library professionals that are the result of harnessing the power of our virtual social networks.
Shine some Light on the Subject: Lighting Solutions for Libraries
- Proper and well thought out lighting continues to be a challenge in libraries. Even when there has been discussion about the need for more natural lighting in libraries (or lighting that appears natural), as the stacks are installed the question “Do you think we will have enough light?” invariably arises. As tables and carrels are placed, the question arises “Is there an outlet anywhere nearby, if we need some more light?” Click on the article link above to shed some light on this topic!
Mission Branch Builds Community Through Storytime
- Sometimes it’s interesting to look outside of Illinois and see what others are doing to develop successful library services. Rachel MacNeilly is the Children’s Services manager at the Mission Branch of the San Francisco Public Library. She runs a bilingual lapsit program twice each Thursday, with an average of 120 people in attendance every time. Find out what makes this program successful and what you can learn from it.
Community
Culture Connection: A Celebration of World Cultures
- In our latest Illinois multitype collaboration feature you can read about how the Johnsburg Public Library joined forces with the Johnsburg High School International Club to sponsor a series of ethnic programs for the community. Made possible by a $14,878 LSTA grant, this project is designed to provide the Johnsburg community with the opportunity to experience the music, dance, and food of various cultures.
- We continue to be inspired and excited by the reports coming to WJIL from the LSTA grant recipients. You can find the updates posted to the blog, or fed to the LSTA grant page on the site. Take a few minutes to find out more about how these essential funds are being used by the Illinois library community.
Courses and Learning
Current Facilitated Courses Being Offered in the WJIL Course Catalog
Follow the link above to the Course Catalog for additional information and to enroll.
- Advanced Google: Tools for the Reference Desk
05/20/08–05/22/08 - Emerging Technologies for Library Managers
05/05/08–05/07/08 - Federated Searching: Requirements, Technology, Product Functionality
05/02/08 - Incorporating a Wiki into Your Library Website: Hosting Options, Resource Requirements, and Ideas for Use
05/12/08 - Government Resources on the Web
05/28/08–05/30/08 - MediaWiki Administration for System Administrators
06/11/08–06/13/08 - No Geeks Required: Open Source Public Workstations, Options and Issues
06/03/08 - Now That You’ve Found It, What Do You Do with It? Creating and Sharing Resources Online
05/28/08 - RSS and Other Internet Feeds in the Library: Making Content Convenient
06/11/08 - Yes, You Are Talking to a Real Person: Best Practices for Virtual Reference
06/10/08–06/12/08 - Web Resources for Children and Young Adults
05/28/08–05/29/08 - Copy Cataloging: A Guide for Beginners
06/17/08–06/19/08 - Metadata for Digitized Resources
04/29/08–05/02/08 - XML: An Overview
05/20/08–05/23/08
Big Changes for WJIL Coming…
This summer you’re going to see some significant changes in the WJIL interface. These changes should result in an even more satisfactory user experience. If you’re interested in getting a small peak into the upcoming changes (you’ll hear more later – trust me!), listen to Sarah Long’s Longshot Podcast # 90 with WJIL Project Coordinator, Lisa Barnhart.