Here’s yet another way to help your happy customers tell their library stories. In case you haven’t heard this yet from ALA, they’re working with Woman’s Day magazine again. Here’s the deal:

Librarians from across Kansas converged at the Statehouse today to participate in the Kansas Library Association’s annual Library Advocacy Day.

Two briefings highlighted the day with updates on where the Legislature is with the State Library 2010 budget, and tips on what topics to focus on with individual legislators. Tips included reminding legislators that state aid to community libraries comes directly through the State Library, and thus any reductions will be shared by all. Librarians were asked to tell their legislators how important Kan-Ed is to local libraries in both connectivity and in content. And finally, the librarians were asked to explain how the potential loss of the Homework Kansas tutoring service will affect their communities.

More than 80 members joined in the effort to meet with their legislators, and networking while sharing breakfast and lunch in the State Library. If you couldn’t be here today, you can still contact your legislator either by email or by phone and address the same issues.

I hope to have quick reference information for librarians, trustees and everyone else.  Hopefully it will be helpful with marketing, fundraising and grant seeking.  If nothing else it’s nice to have numbers behind what we already know – that Kansas’ libraries are second to none and our patrons know it.

It is a work in progress, as I only have public library stats up so far.  I will be putting information on academic libraries soon.  If anyone knows of a good source for school libraries, or if you have any other suggestions, I woud appreciate it.

Thanks,

Peter Haxton, State Data Center Coordinator

(and if you live in Kansas)…..goes out like a phoenix. Well this past Sunday was something wasn’t it? 70 degrees at noon, and 40 by the early afternoon. And I can’t remember, but it sure seems like this might have been one of the first thunderstorms of the year in my area.

And with storms come damaging rains, hail, winds, and lightening. In Kansas we also get our share of tornadoes, flash floods, ice storms, droughts…..well you name it we get it. As librarians we have a duty to make sure that our libraries are prepared, but we also have the added duty of being a place that people come for help in times of emergency.

Which brings me to my point. (and yes I have one)

The time for emergency preparedness is now! There is so much to figure out and so many things to plan for that it can make a librarian’s head spin, melt, and/or explode. The good news is that the folks at webjunction have been talking about this topic for awhile now, and there are plenty of good resources to choose from and use.

One way to find this information is to do a search on the WebJunction site for “emergency preparedness” or “disaster planning”, you will find many good search results.

Try the discussion boards as well.

So whether your decision is to run for the hills, or to head for the basement, make sure you have a plan when disaster strikes.

photo courtesy of millicent bystander at flickr.com 

A new partner for WJ, the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, is moving into its new home at webjunction.org/ARSL. This means you can now find articles from the Rural Libraries Journal, back issues of the Rural Library Services Newsletter, ARSL Organization and Conference Information right here on WebJunction. ARSL members can now join the vibrant discussions surrounding rural issues and can provide suggestions and comments on the future of their organization. Watch it grow!

Not an ARSL member –  see membership information.

Providing Accessible Broadband Internet for Kansas

Did you hear about the broadband summit held in September by the State Library? Now you can view the video, read the final reports, explore presentation files and find articles to read at the Whole New Mind website.

Watch this space for developments!

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries is now a WebJunction partner! The association is moving its resources to webjunction.org/ARSL. This means more great resources for you. In the near future, look for articles from the Rural Libraries Journal, back issues of the Rural Library Services Newsletter, ARSL Organization and Conference Information. Join ARSL members for vibrant discussions surrounding rural issues and the future of their organization. Watch this area as it grows!