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New @ WJ-IL
What’s New @ WJIL: December 10, 2008
December 10th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Working with a greying population, new Library Law articles, ISLMA Wimba archives, how to find updates on the ISL web site and tips for using the WJIL learning tools most effectively. It’s all below in the latest “What’s New @ WJIL.”

Contents: Resources | Courses and Learning | Community | WJ Update | What could I do with…? | What’s New RSS Feed

“What’s New” RSS Feed
- Want the latest “What’s New @ WJIL” to come to you? Add the RSS feed to your blog reader.
  [http://webjunctionworks.org/il/blog/index.php/category/new-wj-il/feed/]
Resources

Challenges and Opportunities with Greying Populations in Rural Areas
- A new study from the Carsey Institute indicating that older Americans who retire to rural areas quickly become involved and often provide a tremendous benefit by volunteering in their new communities but may bring new services needs
- Path: [Library Management -> Personnel Management -> Volunteers]
Library Law: ADA Amendments Act of 2008
- Most libraries with 15 or more employees have general policies regarding the ADA, and, as a result, libraries probably do not need to make significant changes to library policies. It is important, however, to be aware of the changes in the law because they significantly impact how libraries and all other employers analyze whether an individual has a disability for purposes of the ADA and whether a reasonable accommodation should be provided to the individual. This update is intended to provide a summary of the Act and explanation of the changes in the law.
- Path: [Library Management -> Organizational Management -> Library Law Articles]
Library Law: Do You Really Know Who Your Bidder Is?
- One of the most frequent and troubling issues confronting public libraries as well as other governmental bodies is the determination of which bidder is to be awarded the contract for a capital improvement project. Both the Illinois Local Library Act and the Illinois Public Library District Act of 1991 require that contracts be let to the “lowest responsible bidder or bidders”, when the cost is in excess of $20,000, for library building construction, remodeling, repairing or improvement; including construction of an addition to the building and the purchasing of necessary equipment and library materials in connection with the project.
- Path: [Library Management -> Organizational Management -> Library Law Articles]
ISLMA Wimba Archives
- Take advantage of 4 fascinating sessions from the 2008 ISLMA Conference by linking to the archived sessions.
- Path: [Ilinois Center -> Illinois Learning Center -> Online Learning -> Illinois Wimba Archives]
Illinois State Library Web Site Updates
- Want to know what documents and information are being added or updated to the Illinois State Library web site? Check on the feed we have added to the WJIL Illinois State Library page to see a short description and link to the updates.
- Path: [Illinois Center -> Illinois Libraries -> Illinois State Library]
Courses and Learning

Harness Your Intellectual Capital

Check out these latest additions to the WJIL Course Catalog:
Webinar Archives
- Your Library’s Role: Bullseye or Fringe
- 30 Minute Webinar: Go Team! Quick Tips to Help you Build a Technology Team
Upcoming WJ Webinars (see L2 for details)
- Learning for Learning Professionals, December 11th
- WJ Town Hall: Focus on Tough Economic Times, December 12th
- WJ TechAtlas Event Tracker, December 17th
- Internet in Prison, January 7th
Community

Metropolitan Library System Internship Database
- The Metropolitan Library System has initiated an Internship Database. You can find a link to the database from the WJIL Library Jobs and Careers in Illinois page. Path: [Member Center -> Illinois Library Community -> Library Jobs and Careers in Illinois]
- In conjunction with the Internship database, you may also want to read the WJIL article “Internships: For the Student and for the Library.”
WJIL Update

Recent enhancements surrounding the course enrollment and checkout should make the process easier. Users do not need to check the “Remember Me” box in order to successfully enroll in a course, and there is no longer the need to provide an address in the checkout process for courses that are listed at $0.

What Could I do with…Courses on WJIL?

One of the most valuable resources available to you as a registered user of WJIL is the WJIL Course Catalog and Webinar calendar. With over 400 self-paced courses and a constantly changing schedule of webinar topics, continuing education and professional development can be accessible, productive and cost effective.

Here are some tips to help you incorporate these great free resources into your CE:
- Organize a learning cohort in your library. Have everyone sign up for the same self-paced course or online webinar, then schedule an informal time to discuss and apply what you have learned.
- Browse the Course catalog and webinar schedule for topics that will help you enhance some of your current or future services. Gather ideas from the course or webinar content and share them with your colleagues.
- Find a “learning buddy” to help motivate you to complete the course you have enrolled in, or attend the webinar. Email or discuss by phone what you both learned from the experience.
- Use a self-paced course or webinar to prepare library staff for an upcoming face-to-face or staff development experience. This can lay the groundwork before you get together, and save time.
- Set aside specific time to go through your self-paced course or attend a webinar. Don’t count on “catching a moment” to complete it - that moment may never come!
New @ WJ-IL
What’s New @ WJIL: 11.20
November 20th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
InfoPros as telecommuters, designing the digital experience, trustee webinar archives, an opportunity to celebrate Employee Learning Week with your staff plus tips on how to join in Discussions on WJIL. It’s all below in the latest “What’s New @ WJIL.”

Contents: Resources | Courses and Learning | Community | WJ Update | What could I do with…? | What’s New RSS Feed

“What’s New” RSS Feed
- Want the latest “What’s New @ WJIL” to come to you? Add the RSS feed to your blog reader.
  [http://webjunctionworks.org/il/blog/index.php/category/new-wj-il/feed/]
Resources

Going Green: InfoPros as Telecommuters
- Written by Christina Stoll of the Metropolitan Library System, this article originally published in the SLA Information Outlook discusses the fact that in times when resources are tight, being creative and resourceful can be your ticket to an alternative work schedule while also being kind to the environment.
- Path: [Illinois Center -> lllinois Libraries -> Special Libraries]
Designing the Digital Experience: What is Community
- An excerpt from Designing the Digital Experience on how to use experience design tools and techniques to build websites customers love.
- Path: [Technology -> Website Development]
Resources for help with the WJIL Course Catalog
- If you need help with course enrollment, launching courses, or where to find learning opportunities on WJIL, visit the IL Course Catalog page and look for the Related Links in the right hand column.
- Path: [IL Course Catalog]
Updated Resource Sharing documents
- Find links to the updated ILLINET ILL Code as well as an editable ILSD form on the WJIL Interlibrary Loan page.
- Path: [Illinois Center -> Ongoing Statewide Programs -> Resource Sharing -> Interlibrary Loan]
Courses and Learning

Trustee Webinar Series
- View the archived sessions in this series of workshops for Library Trustees.
- Path: [Library Management -> Rural and Small Libraries -> Webinars]
Illinois Wimba Archives

We’re constantely adding to the Illinois Wimba Archives. Click on the link above to access these archived learning opportunities any time of the day or night.
- Collection Development: Toss It (3rd in a 3 part series)
- Path: [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Learning Center -> Online Learning -> Illinois Wimba Archives]
Celebrate Employee Learning Week by Learning!
- What could be more appropriate than celebrating Employee Learning Week with a shared learning experience? Plan now for your staff to register for the WJ webinar - Learning for Learning Professionals: Competencies, Strategies and Resources
Branding Libraries and Their Services
- We are surrounded by brands in our world—visual representations of a manufactured good or some service that allows a customer/user/patron to quickly identify the product/service. If someone says, “Golden arches,” you immediately think of a certain fast food restaurant. Any business or service can brand itself, for marketing and publicity purposes. But what is a brand? How are they created? What benefits do brands offer? What are the challenges facing a branding project? Can libraries effectively brand themselves and their services? If so, how? Listen to this WJ webinar archive as Michael Leach answers these and other questions, while providing a solid framework and background on what brands are and how they work.
Upcoming WJ Webinars (see L2 for details)
- TechAtlas Event Tracker, December 2
- Bite Sized Digital History, December 3
- Town Hall Focus on Tough Economic Times, December 4
- Libraries and the Bilingual Child, December 8
Community

Library Jobs and Careers in Illinois
- Don’t forget to check the Member Center for current information and feeds on Library Jobs in Illinois.
WJIL Update

Due to a recent software enhancement, users no longer have to check the “Remember Me” box when logging in to WJIL in order to remain logged in throughout their session. You can continue to check the “Remember Me” box if you would like to be automatically logged in when you return to the site.

What Could I do with…Discussions on WJIL?

One of the enhancements in the most recent version of WJIL is that all Discussion Boards are on the same page with relevant resources. That means when you’re browsing the site, if you come to a page of interest you can join in Discussions immediately from that page. The way you do this is by clicking on the “Discussions” tab on the page.

Once you click on the tab, you will see all Discussion threads related to that topic that have been posted and can click on any one of them to reply. Please note that you must be a registered user of WJIL and logged in before you can post to any Discussions. If you would like to receive an email notification when someone posts a reply, you can use the “Action” button to subscribe to any thread.
New @ WJ-IL
What’s New @ WJIL: 11.5
November 5th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Readers Advisory tools, a graphic novel on copyright, ubiquitous computing and libraries, a new WJIL grants area, tips on how to start a gaming program in your library and a course on the potential of self-directed learning. It’s all below in the latest “What’s New @ WJIL.”

Contents: Resources | Courses and Learning | Community | WJ Performance Update | What could I do with…? | What’s New RSS Feed

“What’s New” RSS Feed
- Want the latest “What’s New @ WJIL” to come to you? Add the RSS feed to your blog reader.
  [http://webjunctionworks.org/il/blog/index.php/category/new-wj-il/feed/]
Resources

Bound by Law: Tales from the Public Domain
- A graphic novel on the subject of copyright from the folks at the Duke Center for the Study of the Public Domain.
- Path: [Library Management -> Policies and Procedures -> Copyright]
Reader’s Advisory Tools for Adult Readers: A Five Year Retrospective
- A comprehensive list of Adult RA tools including print and online resources by Mary K. Chelton, Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, Queens College, Flushing NY.
- Path: [Library Services -> Readers Advisory]
Processing Manuals for Preservation
- Don’t re-invent the wheel! Here are some terrific online manuals and references
- Path: [Library Services -> Library Type ->Special ->Museums and Archives]
WebJunction Illinois Hot Topics
- A lists of new and popular items on WebJunction Illinois
- Path: [Member Center]
Refugees 101: Webinar Materials
- In 1975 the United States began accepting large numbers of refugees in response to the Fall of Saigon. Over the next 33 years approximately 2.6 million refugees have been resettled in this country, and many of these individuals are now using our libraries. Valerie Wonder, Immigrant & Refugee Programs Manager at Seattle Public Library (WA) and Homa Naficy Manager of Multicultural Education and Outreach Services at Hartford Public Library (CT) providec an overview of refugee resettlement in the United States including information on recent refugee populations in this webinar and accompanying materials.
- Path: [Member Center -> Events -> Webinars -> Webinar Archives]
Ubiquitous Computing and Libraries
- Presentation from Internet Librarian 2008 about the future of technology. Specifically, it covers ubiquitous computing, calm technology, digital fabrication, biotelemetry and a few other trends that might impact libraries over the next 20 years.
- Path: [Technology -> Emerging Technologies]
Grants Tab
- We’ve created a new area on the site to contain all things grant related. You’ll find the ISL Grant pages here, Grant Opportunities from the Library Grants blog, and the information for Illinois libraries eligible for the new Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant - Opportunity Online.
Courses and Learning

30-Minute Webinar: Quick Tips to Start a Gaming Program in Your Library
- Here you’ll find the archive of the MaintainIT October 2008 30-Minute Webinar. Enjoy this fast-paced and interactive session introducing the idea of gaming programs in libraries
- Path: [Technology -> Public Access Computing -> MaintainIT Cookbooks -> MaintainIT Webinars]
LibraryU Module Conversion Update

Please note that we are in the process of converting 15 of the LibraryU modules for loading on the WebJunction Illinois catalog. Currently there are no LibraryU modules in the WebJunction Illinois catalog. Also, be aware that if you are employed in an Illinois library and had a LibraryU registration, you will still need an account with WebJunction Illinois in order to access any of the LibraryU modules through the WJIL Course Catalog.

Potential of Self-Directed Learning (Self-paced)
- How often have you heard these buzz words of the ’90s: self-directed learning; continuous learning; the learning organization; the knowledge worker? If you wonder what these terms really mean, why they are so important, and how you rate as a worker for the 21st century, this course is for you.
- Path: [IL Course Catalog-> Learning (Personal)]
Upcoming WJ Webinars (see L2 for details)
- MaitainIT Cookbook Webinar, November 11th
- Your Library’s Role in Your Community, November 13th
- Why Public Libraries Close, November 13th
- Latinos and Public Library Perceptions, November 18th
Community

Horizon Wimba Room Discounts
- Through the Illinois State Library Community Partner Subscription with WebJunction, individual libraries are able to purchase the Wimba Classroom conferencing tool at a 10% discount which reduces its price from $2,500 to $2,250 for all Illinois libraries. If you are interested, Try Wimba free for 30 days. If you decide to purchase, be sure to let them know you are an Illinois library to receive the discount.
WJIL Performance Update

WebJunction has continued to work on improving the speed and load time of the site. Our hope is that you are experiencing much faster and more responsive load times on WebJunction Illinois also. Please let us know if you are experiencing slow response or error messages on the site.

What Could I do with… WJ and Illinois Wimba Archives?

You might have realized by now that not only are there many online learning opportunities available through WJIL, but you can also take advantage of the recorded archives for most workshops after the fact. Visit the Illinois Wimba Archives and the WebJunction Webinar archives to see all of the offerings.

And here’s a great tip for making the most of a Wimba archive. If you and other staff want to view the same archive at the same time, you can actually use the live chat feature in the Wimba classroom to discuss the content. So even if you can’t be there live for the presentation, you can still have live interaction with a cohort of learners as you view the archive together.
New @ WJ-IL
What’s New @ WJIL 10.14
October 14th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Explore a toolkit for book censorship in schools, be inspired by the Tapestry of Freedom LSTA project, read the article “Cows, Fish and the Blues: How Three Small, Rural Libraries Strengthen their Communities,” and find out what Le puedo ayudar a buscar por esta información means by downloading “English/Spanish Library Conversations.” It’s all below in the latest “What’s New @ WJIL.”

Contents: Resources | Courses and Learning | Community | WJ Performance Update | What could I do with…? | What’s New RSS Feed

“What’s New” RSS Feed
- Want the latest “What’s New @ WJIL” to come to you? Add the RSS feed to your blog reader.
  [http://webjunctionworks.org/il/blog/index.php/category/new-wj-il/feed/]
Resources

Tapestry of Freedom: A Multi-Faceted Collaborative Project
- Developed from an LSTA grant to the Gail Bordan Public Library, A Tapestry of Freedom spotlighted the faces, feelings and histories of freedom in an innovative multi-faceted collaborative project from February 2 through May 31, 2008. The goal was to promote harmony, respect and unity in the Elgin community. View the slide show and find out more about the activities and outcomes as well as how to replicate this successful project in your library.
- Path: [Illinois Info Center -> lllinois Libraries -> Multitype Collaboration]
Library Law: Employee Communications Transmitted To and From Library-Owned Computers
- Does your library have a policy advising employees that communications transmitted from and received by library owned computers are not confidential? Does that policy further advise employees that the library reserves the right to monitor all communications transmitted from and received by library-owned computers as well as Internet use without notice or permission?
- Path: [Library Management -> Organizational Management -> Library Law Articles]
English-Spanish/Ingles-Espanol Library Conversations
- A 6-page handout, with English at left and Spanish at right, of conversations and vocabulary commonly used in our local public library. Heavily based on documents from Public Libraries Using Spanish and the InfoPeople Project.
- Path: [Library Services -> Populations Served ->Spanish Speakers ->Management for Outreach -> Spanish for Library Staff]
Budget Presentation Example
- This is a useful example of how libraries could create a presentation to share information about their strategic plan and budget needs. You can take the suggestions and ideas that you see here and build a great presentation for your own library.
- Path: [Library Management -> Budget and Finance]
Book Censorship in Schools: A Toolkit
- This article is a collection of materials from the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) on the topic of censorship in schools. It includes tips for responding to challenges for teachers, school officials, authors and parents and students.
- Path: [Library Management -> Policies and Procedures -> Intellectual Freedom]
Association of Rural and Small Libraries 2008 Conference Materials
- Take advantage of all of the materials posted from this year’s conference including “Wanted: Effective Public Library Trustees,” and “Cows, Fish and the Blues: How Three Small, Rural Libraries Strengthen their Communities.”
- Path: [Library Management -> Rural and Small Libraries ->Association for Rural and Small Libraries -> Conference Information -> 2008 Conference Handouts]
Look for the “New” stuff
- We’re trying to help you find some of the things that are constantly being added to the WJIL site. We can’t tag everything that is new to the site - there’s just too much - but if we add something new to the homepage we’ll try to give you a heads up with the symbol you see above.
Courses and Learning

30-Minute Webinar: Communicating with techies and non-techies
- Watch the archived MaintainIT webinar from August 2008, learn some tips on communicating with techies and non-techies, and then take note of the further resources on this topic.
- Path: [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Learning Center -> Illinois Library Learning]
Illinois Wimba Archives

We’re constantely adding to the Illinois Wimba Archives. Click on the link above to access these archived learning opportunities any time of the day or night.
- WebJunction Illinois: Welcome to 2.0
- Intro to TechAtlas in Illinois
- Collection Development: Buy It (2nd in a 3 part series)
- Path: [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Learning Center -> Online Learning -> Illinois Wimba Archives]
Two Goal Posts: Library and Community
- This is the archive and related resources discussed in the October 9, 2008 trustee webinar. Find out why you need to keep your eyes on TWO goal posts—the library and the community.
- Path: [Library Management -> Rural and Small Libraries ->Webinars-> Archived Rural Webinars]
Upcoming WJ Webinars (see L2 for details)
- Conflict in a Peaceful Library, October 15th
- Get Your Game On (MaintainIT Cookbook Webinar), October 16th
- Refugees 101, October 23rd
Community

Member Guides
- Use the Member Guides for information on how to launch your SkillSoft courses and troubleshooting the UNT LE@D courses [http://il.webjunction.org/member-guides/articles/content/13051772]
Illinois Libraries in the News
- Get a quick overview of what Illinois Libraries are making the news. Look closely, you just might see yourself.
- Path: [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Libraries -> Illinois Libraries in the News]
WJIL Performance Update

The need for speed has been satisfied more fully with the most recent install and fixes for the WebJunction site. Our hope is that you are experiencing much faster and more responsive load times on WebJunction Illinois also. Please let us know if you are experiencing slow response or error messages on the site.

What Could I do with…Bookmarking on WJIL?

WebJunction Illinois is a big site with loads of information, but chances are you’ve already discovered some favorite pages that you want to visit frequently. To make it easier for yourself, use the site bookmark feature to gather a customized list by clicking on the Bookmark symbol that you see at the bottom of every page (see above). When you want to access or edit your list of Bookmarks, be sure you are logged in, then click on the “My WebJunction” in the top tabs.
New @ WJ-IL
New @ WJIL 9.23
September 23rd, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Contents: Resources | Courses and Learning | Community | WJ Performance Update | What could I do with…? | What’s New RSS Feed

Welcome…

to the newly formatted “What’s New @ WJIL”! After gathering feedback, we’re making some simple changes to ensure that what you find here will be relevant and helpful to you as a WJIL user.

What is the same…
- Pointers to new and timely information and resources on the WJIL site, updates on continuing education, and general information about WJIL features
What is changing…
- A new branded format with a table of contents that wil make it easer to browse targeted areas of the “What’s New” posting
- Periodic themes that will bring relevant information from the site together on timely topics in the Illinois library community such as LSTA grants, summer reading, E-Rate, technology planning, per capita grant requirements and ADA compliance. Have a theme you’d like for us to cover? Send email to Lisa Barnhart.
- The addition of WJIL navigational paths that will help users understand more about the hierarchy and organization of the site. You’ll find the site navigation path in brackets in appropriate places. It’s a BIG site with lots of information. We want you to be able to find it!
- Updates on site performance and development
- Ideas for how to use some of the WJIL 2.0 features
“What’s New” RSS Feed
- Want the latest “What’s New @ WJIL” to come to you? Add the RSS feed to your blog reader.
  [http://webjunctionworks.org/il/blog/index.php/category/new-wj-il/feed/]
Resources

Latinos and Public Library Perceptions
- WebJunction, in partnership with the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, recently published a research report detailing the results of a six-state telephone survey of over 2,860 adult Latinos detailing their library use and perceptions of libraries. Read the findings plus recommendations of the study, download a copy of the survey instrument to use in your own library, and discuss the study with other library staffers.
- Path: [Library Services -> Populations Served -> Spanish Speakers -> Research and Data]
Why Public Libraries Close
- Report on a nationwide study on the impact of public library closures and facility location. Staff interviews and demographics analysis using geographic information systems (GIS) inform impacts on library users and potential markets. Conducted by Florida State University and sponsored by OCLC.
- Path: [Library Management -> Facilities Management]
Library Law: Child Online Protection Act Ruled Unconstitutional (Again)
- After nearly 10 years of litigation, including three appeals to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (with jurisdiction in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey) and two appeals to the US Supreme Court, and a trial on the merits, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on July 22, 2008 ruled that the Child Online Protection Act (frequently referred to by its acronym: “COPA”) suffers from a number of flaws that render it unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
- Path: [Library Management -> Organizational Management -> Library Law Articles]
Effective Governnance for Rural Libraries
- Library governance is a team sport. The library director is the coach, the board president is the team captain, and the board members are the team players. The director-board team is charged with fulfilling the library’s social contract with taxpayers and other funders, that is, in return for taxpayer dollars, the library must offer benefits that make a difference in the community.
- Path: [Library Management -> Rural and Small Libraries -> Rural Review]
Illinois State Library E-News on WJIL
- With the advent of the newly formatted E-News from the Illinois State Library, we have discontinued the archives in BlogJunction Illinois. Instead, you can find the E-News being fed to Illinois State Library page on WJIL.
- [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Libraries -> Illinois State Library]
Courses and Learning

Library Learning (L2) Feed and info on WJIL
- Library Learning (L2) is now a reality for the Illinois Library Community! WJIIL and L2 will be working hand in hand to make sure that continuing education and professional development opportunities are publicized throughout the state. You will find all WebJunction webinars listed on L2, and we are using the L2 calendar and registration for the upcoming intro webinars on WJIL and TechAtlas.
- Path: [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Learning Center -> Illinois Library Learning]
- You can find all WJ and WJIL webinars on L2 by scoping to “Web Conference” as an event format and “Illinois State Library” as the Library System.
Upcoming Webinars on WJIL and TechAtlas

Join Presenters Lisa Barnhart and Dawne Tortorella for an overview and introduction to the new WJIL and TechAtlas, the technology planning tool. Register for these sessions on L2.
- WebJunction Illinois: Welcome to 2.0 - October 7, 29 and November 13
- Intro to TechAtlas in Illinois - October 7, 29 and November 13
Leadership for Libraries: Becoming an Everyday Leader
- Library leadership used to be defined mostly by age, experience, credentials, seniority and tenure, job position or other traditional models of status with the library tribe. Today, leadership skills are required at every level to ensure libraries can respond effectively to the new worlds we live in. The changes won’t wait for a model of top-down responses. We need different models of leadership: Everybody needs to be able to think and act like a leader.
- Path: [Illinois Course Catalog -> Customer Service and Interpersonal Skills -> Interpersonal Skills]
Illinois Wimba Archive: Collection Development Series: Find It, Buy It, Toss It
- Ever wonder why librarians buy the books and other items they buy for their library? Among all the items published every year, how do they choose the ones just right for their community? If you are just starting to buy materials for your library or would like to sharpen your skills, come to this beginning workshop on collection development. Learn about selection policies, print and online resources for reviews, and other methods for choosing the right item.
- [Illinois Info Center -> Illinois Learning Center -> Online Learning -> Illinois Wimba Archives
Community

Comments Welcome!
- Join in the Illinois library community discussion. You can use the comments feature on the new site to comment on a friend’s or member’s profiile, or comment on a document or course. Commenting on a course can help others get an idea of what to expect from the course, and whether or not it is applicable for them. Please note that you must complete a course before you are allowed the option to comment on it.
WJIL Performance Update

If you’ve experienced slow response times on WJIL we want you to know you’re not the only one. In the time since the launch of WJ 2.0, WebJunction has been working on a number of issues that will hopefully make the user experience less frustrating, and much more rewarding. To get the specifics of what is going on behind the scenes to rev up the speed of the site browse the “Next WJ” category of the WebJunction Blog.

What Could I do with…Groups on WJIL?

Everyone wants to be a part of a group at some point in their life. The new groups feature on WJIL makes it easy for you to join a number of virtual groups. For example, you can connect with colleagues who are:
- Interested in a specialty not addressed in a topic area
- In a certain geographical locale
- Working on a project together
- Enrolled in a common course, to share as a learning cohort
- Attending a conference
- Alumni of an LIS institution
- A staff cohort for a library system or branch
Visit the Member Guides for more information on how to create a group, join a group, and of course how to invite others to be a part of your group. For a list of some of the groups already created visit the WJIL Member Center.
New @ WJ-IL
New @ WJIL 9.8
September 8th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Resources

Best Practices for the Customer Focused Library
- The Metropolitan Library System in partnership with four member libraries received an LSTA grant to bring in a nationally recognized retail space consulting firm to help understand the changing needs of library patrons. You can view and download the results of this fascinating and timely study, post a comment, and join in a discussion on this important topic – all in the WJIL community.
Digitization Articles
- Andrew Bullen of the Illinois State Library has posted 2 articles of interest in the area of Digitization - “Bringing Sheet Music to Life: My Experiences with OMR” and ”Historical Demographic Data in the Town of Pullman, 1880-1940” Both are posted in the Digital Illinois Documents section.
LSTA Grant Information
- If you were one of the lucky recipients of an FY2009 LSTA Grant, you’ll want to bookmark the LSTA Grant section of WJIL. Taking advantage of some of the new features of WJIL, the Illinois State Library will be using this area to post documents, provide instructions, and facilitate discussion about your grant. Karen Egan has kicked off this initiative with a document on adding your LSTA Grant Update to WJIL and a discussion post on September pre-planning activities for your grant.
Silver Surfers Online
- Pamm Clements of the Fort Collins Regional Library discusses the evolution of a set of Internet skills classes for Seniors called the Silver Surfers. You can read this article, comment on it, rate it and share a similar story from your own work.
Library Law: Wage Garnishment Guidelines for Libraries: Part Two
- This is the second part of an article dealing with the legal duties of libraries that are served with a wage garnishment papers against an employee.
Courses and Learning

Official Launch of L2
- The Library Learning (L2) calendar is a statewide calendar for events and continuing education taking place in Illinois. Keeping all statewide events in a single calendar enhances the registration process for library member and provides better use of state library resources at both the state library and the library system level. You will find feeds and information from L2 in the following places on WJIL:
WJIL Home page - http://il.webjunction.org

WJIL Illinois Learning Center - http://il.webjunction.org/il-learning

WJIL Illinois Library Learning (L2) - http://il.webjunction.org/il-l2

WJIL Illinois Members Center - http://il.webjunction.org/membercenter.

WebJunction Webinars on L2
- You will now find all WebJunction Webinars listed on L2. You can find these by scoping to any of the Regional Library System calendars, or to the Illinois State Library. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to virtually attend these informative and relevant webinars such as the upcoming Conflict in a Peaceful Library and Introduction to TechAtlas Planning Tools
Learn How to Learn Online
- Offered on both September 9 and September 24th, this 1hour online workshop demystifies the technology for the participants so they have a positive learning experience. The program explores using synchronous collaboration tools (whiteboard, chat, audio, etc), synchronous learning ground rules, and creating the optimal desktop environment for online learning. NOTE: There is no charge for this workshop for registered users of WebJunction Illinois. Read the instructions in the blue box on the WJIL Course Catalog page or browse the blog post on How to Use the New WebJunction Illinois Course Catalog before enrolling.
Community

Keep up-to-date on New WJIL Site Features
- If you would like to use WebJunction Illinois to connect to colleagues in the Illinois Library Community you’ll want to check out the page above for continued information on the development of various features and functionality on the site. We’re not there yet, but the possibilities are exciting!
E-Learning, New @ WJ-IL, Online Learning
How to Use the New WebJunction Illinois Course Catalog
August 21st, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
Go to WebJunction Illinois and log into your account.

Please make sure you sign in! You must be a registered user to enroll in free courses. If you have not registered, click on the “Create Account” and be sure to affiliate with Illinois.

Take a look at this fun video on how to sign in and set up your account or just read the how to. Once you are signed in, click on the Courses tab in the top navigation bar.

Browse the course topics and select one to see the offerings. The “cost” for courses should be $0 now that you are logged in and on the WJIL site, although there are some selected courses listed at a reduced price of $25 that can be purchased using your credit card.

After reviewing the Course Catalog guidelines on this page, click Add to Cart next to the course(s) you have selected.

Under My Account, below “Affiliations”, you will see that 1 item has been added to the shopping cart. Click on the Shopping Cart where it says (1 item[s])

Or you can click on the Go to Cart in the Shopping Cart Portlet on the Course Catalog page.

Click Proceed to Checkout button (near the bottom right corner).

Click Complete Order to finalize your course selection.

How do you start taking your course?

You can always access your course by using the My Courses link, at the bottom of the My Account box on the right when you sign in to WebJunction Illinois. You will launch the course from there.

When you begin your course, you will encounter some pop ups. The first one will be a Security Warning. It is OK to click Run. If you have additional security software installed on your computer, you need to take extra steps to let your security software know that this software is not harmful. Make sure when you exit the course you use the Exit button so your place will be saved.

If you are experiencing any difficulty with launching your WJIL SkillSoft courses, try these tips:
- Visit SkillSoft’s site to run the SkillSoft Browser Capabilities Check
- Allow pop-ups on your browser from *.skillport.com
- If you are working in Firefox and this does not “stick” go to Options - content, click on the Exceptions button for pop-ups and enter *.skillport.com
- Contact support@webjunction.org with any additional problems
New @ WJ-IL
New @ WJIL 08.13: What Next?
August 13th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?
What Next?

Confused bothered and bewildered by all the changes on WebJunction Illinois? Not sure where to start? Here are 5 steps to get you started on your WJIL 2.0 journey.

1. Register with the site. First things first right? If you have not already done so, create an account with WebJunction Illinois. Although you can browse the content without registration, you will want to be a registered user to take full advantage of the site, including access to the WJIL Course Catalog. You are eligible for affiliation with Illinois if you are an employee of a public, academic, special or school library in Illinois.

IMPORTANT TIPS
- Check the “Remember me” box when you sign in to maintan a persistent login.
- If you are already a registered user of WJIL, just sign in using your user name and password.
- Be sure to affiliate yourself with Illinois and indicate your Regional Library System when you register.
2. Add an Avatar - if you want to. Your avatar will follow you around the site - well not literally - but figuratively! If you post a document, make a comment, or simply add a colleague as a “friend” you’ll probably want to have something besides that silly grey no-name box to identify you. For tips on image sizing and how to add your avatar, see the WJIL User Guide and Avatar best practices.

3. Update (or create) Your Profile - If you just registered, you created your profile and privacy options during the registration process. If you were already a registered user, use the Edit Account feature in the My Account portlet and update your profile to include your professional interests and privacy choices.

IMPORTANT TIPS
- You can choose to share your profile information with Everyone, Members and Friends, or Only Friends. The more you share, the more chances for you to connect around common professional interests.
- Our motto for privacy options is ”Choose and Change.” You can choose the level of privacy that you want on the site, and you can change it at any time. Just click on the Edit Account in your My Account portlet to make changes.
4. Use the My WebJunction function (wow that sounds weird) to find a friend, connect with colleagues and find out what they’re doing on the site. Watch the intro video to find out about all of the cool things you can do with My WebJunction.

IMPORTANT TIPS
- You can always access My WebJunction from the top tabs on any page. You must be logged in to see it though.
- My WebJunction allows you to quickly access your friends profiles, see what they are doing on the site, follow any discussion threads, view comments and see your courses and bookmarks.
5. Finally, explore the various ways that you can interact with the site through content contribution, commenting and making recommendations to friends.

Additional Resources
New @ WJ-IL
What’s New @ WJIL? As of August 4 - Everything!
July 27th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

“I can’t believe the difference,” “It changed my life,” “Things will never be the same.” If you’ve ever watched TV at 4:00 am, you’ve probably heard it all when it comes to before and after stories.

We’re not going to tell you it will be as dramatic as some of the infomercials you might have seen, but we still think you’ll appreciate and enjoy the changes you’re going to see in WebJunction Illinois on August 4. So check out these WJIL before and after pictures and stories…and you don’t even have to lose any sleep to enjoy them.

Home Page

The WJIL home page has always been the starting point for important information and resources for the Illinois Library Community. We’ve told you to ”look for Abe” to make sure you’re on the right page, and Abe is still there, but pretty much everything else is going to look different.

With the advantage of portlets that allow for quick editing and reconfiguration of content, the WJIL 2.0 home page will be an agile content work horse for the Illinois Library Community. Find out more in this Home Page before and after picture and story..

Content and Resources Pages

There’s no doubt that WJIL has always been content rich combining the benefits of WJ global resources customized with local IL content. With the advent of WJIL 2.0, registered WJIL users will also have the added benefits of content interaction that include content tagging, rating and commenting as well as contributing to relevant discussions directly from topic pages. View the before and after pictures and read the rest of the Content story…

Courses and Learning

Thanks to the Illinois State Library, for the past year registered users of WJIL have been able to take advantage of a host of online learning opportunities through the WJIL Course Catalog and webinars. But wow, and we do mean wow, look at what is available in the new WJIL! A course catalog with over 400 online learning modules from SkillSoft, UNT LE@D, and yes, the eventual addition of a number of LibraryU courses to round out the offerings. Add improved course tracking, recommendations and tagging to the mix and you’ve got a powerful resource at your fingertips. Find out more and see the pictures in the before and after story.

Profile and User Information

And now for something completely new…and we mean completely. You know the infomercial testimonial pictures where you say “that can’t be the same person?” Well the before and after on this one is one of those. In the “old” WJIL user profiles simply provided a static place to store account and contact information. In WJIL 2.0, profiles are alive and kicking with the option to share professional interests, web sites and the ability to receive course and content recommendations. The more you share, the more you can connect with colleagues, but the choice is up to you as to how much, and how many people you share it with. See for yourself and get more details…

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