Category Archives: Public Libraries

LSSC Program Offering Financial Assistance

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The Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) Program is proud to announce that, in cooperation with nine state-level library organizations, it will be offering Enrollment Assistance Awards (EAAs) this spring to library support staff applying for certification in the LSSC Program. The LSSC Program offers library support staff the opportunity to achieve recognition for their existing skills and knowledge, to gain new skills and knowledge, and to enhance their library’s service to the public. Those interested in applying at the national level will be able to submit their application from February 15 – March 15, 2013, using this online form.  The recipients of the awards will be chosen by a random drawing in late March, 2013.

More information can be found on the LSSC Website.

The LSSC Program is also offering several informational webinars in February and March. Please visit the website for more information on the webinars and registering for them. 

Tell the State Library About Your Summer Reading Program

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The Illinois State Library is encouraging Illinois public libraries to complete a Public Library Association/Institute of Museum and Library Services survey aimed at identifying the different types of summer reading programs available in public libraries across the country.  

The deadline to complete the survey is January 31. If you have any questions or contributions, please contact Aaron Schmidt at aaron@influx.us.

Do You Work In a Small or Rural Library?

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The Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) is looking for input from library staff around the country who work in rural and small libraries. The survey is part of research sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in an effort to more fully understand the important work of small and rural libraries and learn more about current concerns and needs.

Please take the survey and pass it on!
www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012_ARSL_Rural_and_Small_Library_Needs_Assessment_Survey

Apply Now for the Small Public Library Management Institute

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Applications are now available for the 18th Small Public Library Management Institute (SPLMI). Sponsored by the Illinois State Library and hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield, the Institute will be held June 2-7, 2013.

The weeklong Institute is intended for directors of small public libraries as well as directors of all sizes of libraries that are either new to their position or new to the Illinois library community. Key goals of the Institute are to assist public library administrators in better understanding their roles and responsibilities as well as how to provide better service to their constituents. Topics included for this year will range from legal and budgeting issues to policy development, innovative programs, building safety, leadership, customer service, and personnel. In addition, there are numerous opportunities for idea-sharing, networking, and team projects.

Participants are housed in individual rooms on the UIS campus during the week, and classes will take place on campus. The registration fee for this week is only $50, which includes housing, meals, speakers, and program materials. Applications can be mailed, faxed, or submitted as an email attachment and must be received by 5 pm, March 15, 2013.

For additional information, contact the ISL Library Development Group at,
1- 217-782-1891 or 1-800-665-5576.

Outreach Programs in Rural Communities: Simple Steps for Surprising Results

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The PEARL (Promoting and Enhancing the Advancement of Rural Libraries) Project has been successful in helping Texas rural librarians reach out to groups and organizations in their communities and to raise visibility of and appreciation for their libraries. Community outreach plans, designed to identify and fill a need in the community, are at the heart of this unique model. The process is supported by an actionable template which leads participants from community assessment, through strategic planning, to implementation, and concludes with evaluating outcomes. This webinar, co-sponsored with WebJunction and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries, will explore the outstanding results achieved by participants in the PEARL project and share how community outreach plans have led to unexpected outcomes and some surprising results.

Presented by: Barbara Blake, Outreach Coordinator for the PEARL Project, University of North Texas; and Louise W. Greene, Association for Rural and Small Libraries, Board Member, and PEARL Mentor.

Thursday, December 6, 2012 ♦ 1 pm CST ♦ 60 min ♦ Cost $0
REGISTER>>

Live and Learn Construction Grant Applications Now Available

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The Illinois State Library has announced that applications for FY2013 Live and Learn Public Library Construction grants are now available. Applications are due January 11, 2013.

Three ninety-minute workshops have been scheduled to discuss this year’s program, eligibility requirements, and the application and review process.  The schedule is provided below:

  • October 25—Statewide videoconference from State Library, 1:30 p.m.
  • November 1—Illinois Heartland Library System, Edwardsville – 10 a.m.
  • Another workshop will be held at Reaching Across Illinois Library System in Burr Ridge at a later date.

Registration is not required, but is encouraged.

Connect2Compete: Promoting Digital Opportunity

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Connect2Compete (C2C) is a new collaborative effort of philanthropic, corporate, government and community leaders committed to taking awareness of how technology can improve the lives of Americans, promoting and linking to digital literacy training opportunities that encourage meaningful use, and accelerating broadband adoption through the distribution of low-cost computers and Internet service. In early 2013, a national ad campaign will be launching that will direct people to places in their community, including public libraries, that can help them access the Internet and training resources.

Understanding that libraries serve as the primary technology access point in many communities, C2C is collaborating with the American Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to ensure that librarians across the country are aware of this initiative.  To help ensure that public libraries have the support they need to engage as partners in C2C, this project is working with OCLC’s WebJunction, IMLS and several state libraries to build robust tools and online resources.

Computer Commons at Chicago Public Library, Woodson Regional branch. Courtesy of Rob Dumas, Flickr.

Illinois, West Virginia and Mississippi are three test states working with C2C to establish some national models.

Public libraries in Illinois are asked to respond to a survey by October 19, 2012. The survey should take less than 20 minutes to complete. Responses will ensure a good foundation in Illinois to support the growth of digital literacy.

 

Questions and comments can be directed to Debra Aggertt, Illinois State Library daggertt@ilsos.net.

Tips for Public Library Per Capita Grant Applications

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This week the Illinois State Library shares the following tips to aid in the completion of Public Library Per Capita Grant applications:

  • When submitting your application, please include the city name in the subject line.
  • You do not need to send a paper copy to the State Library once you have e-mailed you application to isl_grants@ilsos.net, ISL only needs the county clerk’s information.
  • If you have submitted your application, but have not received an acknowledgement, please resend it just to be safe.

For questions on these procedures, please call 800-665-5576, ext.1, or e-mail isl_grants@ilsos.net.

Public Library Per Capita Grant Application Tips

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This week the Illinois State Library shares this tip to aid in the completion of Public Library Per Capita Grant applications:

While an original signature and seal from the county clerk(s) is no longer required,  a copy of the County Clerk Page(s) is required and must be sent to the Illinois State Library for verification purposes.

There are three ways you can submit this documentation:

  • Scan the County Clerk Page(s) and send as an attachment with your application.
  • Fax the County Clerk Page(s) to 217-782-1877.
  • Mail the information on or before October 15 to the address provided below:

State Grants for Illinois Public Libraries
Illinois State Library
Gwendolyn Brooks Bldg.
300 S. Second St., Rm. 410
Springfield, IL 62701-1796

If you have questions regarding these procedures, please call the Illinois State Library at 1-800-665-5576, ext. 1, or email: isl_grants@ilsos.net.

IPLAR Available Online

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The FY2011 – 2012 Illinois Public Library Annual Report (IPLAR) is now available online.

The Library Performance Assessment System (LibPAS) is a Counting Opinions web-based service used by library organizations to capture, consolidate, process, report and compare Library performance metrics. LibPAS for Illinois libraries is accessible here. Library usernames and passwords to access the system are the same as they were when using the previous system.

LibPAS Data Input and IPLAR Instructions:

These instructions are also available on the LibPAS login screen on the web portal. Please review these instructions prior to completing your online survey. For additional support using LibPAS, Counting Opinions will host three live webinars September 18 – 20. If you wish to attend one of these webinars, please register on L2.

Please note, the FY2011 – 2012 ILLINET Interlibrary Loan Traffic Survey is not ready for release at this time. The Illinois State Library anticipates this survey being accessible soon.

If you experience any difficulties while completing your FY2011-2012 IPLAR survey using LibPAS, please email Robert Jones, rjones1@ilsos.net or call him at 217-785-1168.