Monthly Archives: January 2012

Adult Programs on a $0 Budget

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Tuesday, March 27, 2012 ♦ 1 pm Central / 11 am Pacific ♦ 60 min

In just a few short years, the Laurens County Library, in rural South Carolina, has created an impressive and well attended series of adult programs on a shoestring budget. Join us for a webinar, hosted in collaboration with WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, to learn how the library selects topics, recruits presenters, raises funds, and promotes through effective public relations practices. Find out what Laurens has done that works, what doesn’t work, and learn how your adult programming can make your library a valued community hub, building awareness and increasing usage of all your services.

Presented by: Joey P. Holmes, library assistant at the Laurens County Library (SC)

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It Takes a Community to Bridge the Digital Divide

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012 ♦  12 pm Central / 10 am Pacific ♦ 60 min ♦ Cost $0

In FCC Chairman Genachowski’s announcement of the sweeping Connect2Compete initiative to increase broadband connectivity and Internet access across the nation, he listed an impressive array of partners who are joining in the effort. Although he singled out libraries as “vital centers for digital literacy,” any effective actions must involve the whole community of players.

Join us in this webinar to hear about the key role that the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is playing in the broadband adoption challenge and the actions already underway for building digital communities. And also hear insights on the collaborative roles and efforts of city/county governments and public and private organizations. Learn how to get started with inclusion efforts from organizations who have taken the steps to implement practical programs which meet local needs and share your ideas about collaborative efforts which lead digital inclusion.

Presenters: Susan Hildreth, director, Institute of Museum and Library Services; Ron Carlee, chief operating officer, International City/County Management Association; and David Keyes, community technology program manager, City of Seattle.

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Upcoming State Library Services Webinars for State Employees

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The Illinois State Library has scheduled four 30-minute webinars to discuss ISL services for state employees this February. Topics include: Access to Print and Electronic Maps, Access to ISL Databases, Illinois Blue Books vs. the Illinois Digital Archives, and eBooks available through the ISL.

Reference librarians from the Illinois State Library will conduct the following webinars:

  • Thursday, February 2, 9:30–10 a.m.  Access to Print and Electronic Maps
  • Thursday, February 9, 9:30–10 a.m.  Access to Illinois State Library Databases
  • Thursday, February 16, 9:30–10 a.m.  Illinois Blue Books via the Illinois Digital Archives (IDA)
  • Thursday, February 23, 9:30–10 a.m.  Electronic books available from the Illinois State Library

To participate, please register here. Participants may register for more than one session. A confirmation e-mail with instructions will be sent to you. For further information, please contact the Illinois State Library at 217-558-1945 or e-mail Deb Aggertt at daggertt@ilsos.net.

Monday Deadline for “On the Front Lines” Conference Scholarship Applications

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The Illinois State Library’s highly acclaimed “On the Front Lines” conference for ‘front line’ library staff is returning March 12–14 at the University of Illinois Springfield. Registration and information is now available at L2.

Forty scholarships will be awarded to cover costs of the registration fee, conference supplied meals and a two-night hotel stay. The scholarship does not cover travel or incidentals. The deadline to submit scholarship applications is NEXT MONDAY, January 30.

Scholarship recipients will be announced in early February. Find the scholarship application here. For questions or comments, please email Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net or call her at 217-785-7334.

Literacy Spotlight: Association House of Chicago

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This week the Illinois State Library spotlights Association House of Chicago.

A teenage couple and their baby joined the high school family literacy program operated by Association House.  The couple wanted to complete their high school education and the baby attended the child education program while both parents attended classes. The parents studied hard, attended class regularly and sought additional academic help and support from the child education program staff. Staff helped the parents study for tests, proofread papers and complete research projects. Both parents attended PACT time (Parents and Children Together) before and after school, and faithfully attended and participated in weekly parent education workshops.

Neither parent had ever been to a library before they began participating in the family literacy program. They are now library cardholders and attend the library on their own time. The mother graduated from high school last year, the first in her family to receive a high school diploma, and plans to work while attending college. The father will graduate this year.

They are both committed to ensuring that their daughter continues to learn throughout her life with their support. Learning has truly become a family affair.

iREAD 2013 Summer Reading Program

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The theme for the Illinois Library Association’s iREAD 2013 Summer Reading program is Have Book, Will Travel! Work has already begun on the 2013 iREAD Resource Guide, and the ILA is looking for ideas to share with other librarians and educators who use the iREAD program. The Resource Guide contains crafts, activities, games, art, reading lists, and much more for children, teens, and adults. If you have a project or resource to share, send it to the ILA. The deadline for submissions is February 28. Click here to submit your ideas.

Over the past 30 years, iREAD has grown to become a leader of Summer Reading Program development by providing libraries with all of the resources they need to promote, launch, and execute great reading programs. Increasingly, iREAD themes and programs are being used year-round in schools and literacy programs. For more information, call 877-565-1896 or visit here.

Public Library Budgets for Trustees and Directors

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Are you looking for an affordable training opportunity to learn more about your library’s finances? This workshop will cover the basics of public library budgets and is targeted for Trustees and Directors. Participants will learn important terminology, how to develop a working budget and legal requirements for passing important ordinances such as The Levy and Budget & Appropriation.

The workshop, presented by Beverly Obert, will be held at the Chatham Area Public Library on Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m CST. Register in L2 by February 24th for $5.00. On site registration will be $7 per person. Questions can be directed  to Amy Ihnen at Director@chathamlib.org or 217-483-2713.

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Literacy Spotlight: Sauk Valley Community College

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This week the Illinois State Library spotlights Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon. A man in his early twenties was unemployed and struggled to fill out job applications. He contacted Project VITAL at the college and requested a tutor who could meet with him at the local library. When he began working with his tutor, he could barely write a simple sentence. After just six months of working two days a week with his tutor, he was able to get a job. He continues to improve his reading and writing skills and is planning to enroll in GED classes.

It’s Not too Late to Sign Up for the Last Webinar of the Month!

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Join us for this month’s second webinar, Developing and Maintaining E-Reader Policies and Procedures for Libraries on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 1p.m. Central.

Presenters David Newyear and Daniel Schwartz will be discussing the the nuts and bolts of serving patrons with gadgets, including policies and procedures for libraries lending e-readers and for patrons using their own readers to access library e-book collections. Hear from a library who has e-reader policies and procedures in place, including how they review and update polices; and from a library who’s recently developed policies and procedures after researching and learning from many other libraries.

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Mark Your Calendar for Illinois Library Day!

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In these difficult economic times, libraries of all types are needed more than ever.  And our library customers, students, and communities need us to speak up for the incredible role of libraries in supporting education, workforce development, and competitive colleges and universities.

Illinois Library Day will be held on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 and is a day of advocacy held in Springfield.  It is a time for library supporters to “talk up” libraries with visits to elected officials at the Capitol.  Illinois Library Day is held during the state legislative session and includes training and special briefings the evening before the full day of visits.

For Registration Details >>