March 1, 2010

How Will Your Library Celebrate Earth Day This Year?

Submitted by Cheryl Bryan, SEMLS Assistant Administrator for Consulting and Continuing Education

Earth Day will be on April 22 this year. One way to reenforce your library's image as earth friendly is to call attention to the library as the ultimate green agency in your community. There are so many ways to celebrate this monumental day—ways that don’t require a big budget but instead a bit of lead time and some creative thinking. You could put an article in your local newspaper highlighting all the recycling that goes on in running a library, invite a local green business in for a demonstration and information session, plan an exhibit of artwork made from recycled materials, or run a contest for the best earth friendy idea to implement in the library. More ideas are available from the Going Green series in the SEMLS Newsletter last August through December at http://www.semls.org/news/newsletter/index.htmlHow will you use the community interest to spotlight your library?

Workshop Cancellation Policy

Programs may be cancelled if the registration is low. If the determination is made to cancel a program due to low registration, a notice will be sent to those who have pre-registered.

 Emergency weather cancellation procedures:

·      For morning and afternoon meetings: After 7:00 a.m., a message on the answering machine of the SEMLS office (877-923-3531) will update you on the status of the programs for that day.
·       SEMLS Website http://www.semls.org will have information on cancelled programs by 7:00 a.m.
·      School snow closings in the community where the workshop is scheduled will cause an automatic cancellation of that workshop.
·     For evening meetings: Please call the SEMLS office after 3:00 p.m. or check the SEMLS Website.
 

 

Did You Know?

 

The following are the best ways to contact us for immediate assistance:
Continuing Education - ce@semls.org 
Delivery - delivery@semls.org
Database Troubleshooting - helpdesk@semls.org
Performer Directory - performer@semls.org

Legislative Day Bus

For many years, the Friends of the Somerset Public Library have funded a bus to bring some South Coast library supporters to the State House for Legislative Day. This year the Legislative Breakfast Committee has teamed up with Somerset and Fall River Friends and is making a bus available for Library Legislative Day on Tuesday, March 9.

The bus will make a stop at the Staples Plaza, 600 South St. West in Raynham. Boarding will begin at 7:15 a.m., and it will leave the parking lot at 7:30 a.m.
The next stop will be the Somerset Public Library. The bus will arrive there at 8:15 a.m., and then it’s on to the State House to arrive at 9:30 a.m.
The bus will leave the State House at 2:15 p.m.
If you would like to ride the bus, please send an e-mail to semls@semls.org. We just want to be sure that we have enough room for all those attending.
Please tell Friends and Trustees that the bus is available, too.
 

SEMLS Giveaways

The SEMLS Office is giving away the following items on a first-come, and first-served basis to our members, so please e-mail semls@semls.org if you are interested.

Starship Adventure at Your Library, 2009 summer reading supplies: 15 posters (11” W x 17” H); 8 packs of bookmarks—100 in each pack; 9 packs of timed reading logs—50 in each pack; 15 packs of lined reading logs—50 in each pack.
 
14   Labtec C-184, heavy-duty, stereo, headphones; padded ear cup and headset.
 
 3   Black canvas messenger bags—Library Leadership Massachusetts 2009 printed on the front flap; 15” L x 12” H x 4” W. Lots of pockets.
 
88  Burgundy canvas zippered bags — SEMLS printed in lower front, right-hand corner, 14” L x 11” H; front pocket for 3” x 6” shipping tag; like-new condition.
 
 2   APC SurgeArrest Essential surge protectors, eP Joules rating of 490; still in original boxes; never used.
 
 1   APC SurgeArrest Personal surge protector, eP Joules rating of 1060; still in original box; never used.
 
 1   S. L. Waber PowerMaster surge protector.
 
 1   Quartet Tabletop Display Presentation Board; fabric on both sides, 72” L x 30” H, gray, includes four panels. Black canvas zippered carrying case with shoulder strap and handles.
 
 1   3M 9085 overhead projector
 
 3   Display stands, tabletop, solid black backing with clear, acrylic 8.5” W x 9” L pocket. Stand measurement is 18” L x 12” W.
 
 1   AmpliVox Portable Sound System and standard microphone. Also including VHF Wireless Microphone for use with AmpliVox Sound Systems, Model S-1600, and SHURE T2 The Vocal Artist SM58 Wireless Handheld Microphone.
 
 1   Continental utility cart, two-tiered, recessed top, heavy-duty plastic, gray, built-in handles, 31”H x 26” W x 38” L.
 
 1   Da-Lite Project-O-Stand. A multi-purpose Project-O-Stand with telescoping aluminum legs. Non-skid platform is 11” W x 19” L and has a handle. Legs can be stored underneath the platform
 
 1   Ibico EPK21 plastic comb binding machine, heavy-duty electric punch and bind for plastic comb binding, 12” punch and bind width, up to 25 sheets punching capacity (20 lbs. stock,) electric punch (foot switch operated) including four boxes (100 pieces each box) of 19 ring-length presentation plastic binding combs, 5/16” in diameter.
 
 1   Acrylic, four-tier brochure holder — tabletop use or can be attached to a wall. Each tier approx. 4” W x 7” L.
 
12   Clear plastic photo/sign stands 8 1/2” W x 11” L.
 
 2    Clear plastic photo/sign stands 8” W x 10” L.
 
 1    Clear plastic magazine holder— single pocket tabletop or wall mount. 9” W x 10 1/2” L.
 
For Your Friends’ Groups
 
 2    Round, black plastic bowls 160 oz. capacity
 
 5    Black plastic, fluted edge, oval, recessed platters, 18” L X 12” W.
 
 2    Clear plastic trays 18” L x 14” W.
 
 3    12” Round black plastic trays

 

February 23, 2010

Creating Spreadsheets Using Microsoft Excel

Spreadsheets are a great way to create budgets and track expenses. On March 11 from 10-1 in the SEMLS Computer lab Barbara Andrews of Andrews Consulting will offer a workshop on creating spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel.This hands-on workshop will explore all of the pull-down menus, toolbars and features that will help you create worksheets and charts. Learn to create and edit a spreadsheet, use formulas, preview and print a worksheet and create and edit charts.

 

 

 

Spring Delivery Survey

The  spring delivery survey will be conducted the week of March 22-27, 2010.   Please remind your circulation staff of these dates.  The delivery survey forms will be sent out by the end of February.

There is a change in how this delivery survey will be done. 

1.  Please report the amount of books and AV materials placed into delivery each day, a separate   space is  provided for each item each day.

2.  Please report the amount of incoming bins and outgoing bins.  Again a separate space for each day is  provided. (Do not include any empties in your count)

3.  Do not count empty delivery bins picked up by the driver.

4.  Answer question on the backpage of the delivery survey each day.

5.  To provide the best delivery service, we are also asking that  your library hour be reported on the form each day.

When you have completed the delivery survey, please send it through delivery by April 1, 2010 to the SEMLS office.

This may be the last delivery survey that SEMLS will supervise.  Thank you for all of your help in making this information available.

Cooperative Purchasing FY 2011

Massachusetts Library  System FY 2011 Cooperative Purchasing

The Pledge, Participation and Supply Listing forms for the FY 2011 material and supply cooperative are due by March 31, 2010.  These forms are available at:  http://www.selms.org/what/coop/materials.html.

 Previous forms were sent out in January;  if you review the new forms and want to add any amounts to new catagories, please fill out the forms again. We apologize for cross postings.

The Pledge form now includes catagory 18, which is for video games (Wii, Xbox, etc.).  For the supply portion of the cooperative, there is a 27-page listing for all supplies; please fill in only the number for each item that is anticipated to be purchased for the next fiscal year.  (No dollar amounts.) Only return the supply list pages that contain items  to be purchased.  

These forms are used by the statewide coordinator to review and use the current pledged amounts to approach different vendors to negotiate the best discounts for our members. Feel free to contact the SEMLS office for further information.

 

Podcasting Toolkit

Are you looking for a way to deliver library programming online for those users who cannot make it to your building? On March 10, from 10 - 3 SEMLS will offer a hands-on workshop on Podcasting in the SEMLS Computer Lab with Beth Gallaway. Podcasting is one way to reach out to patrons at home. With a podcast, your library can record library events, book reviews, poetry slams and talks and easily make them available on the Web. SEMLS now has recorders available for loan to libraries to help them create their own podcasts. In this class participants will create a podcast by recording the audio file, editing the recording, uploading it to a server and syndicating the show.  Participants should have basic Internet proficiency before taking this class.

 

Regional Transition

As the Planning Committee works on a model for the new MA Library System, I know that many of you have questions about services.  FY 2011 will be a year of transition for services that the region provides.   All of us, the Planning Committee, SEMLS Executive Board and SEMLS staff, are looking at the core services and second-tier services to make sure that these continue through the transition year. To those of you receiving delivery service, FY 2011 is the last year of the delivery contract with Optima.   Optima will continue to provide delivery service to you during FY 2011.  At the next few board meetings, the SEMLS Board will look at databases to see if there are any that SEMLS should keep going for FY 2011 or if there is a better model to provide databases to you.   As information about services becomes available, I will share them with you.    As this transition moves along, I want everyone to know that first and foremost in our planning is how to maintain services for you during FY 2011.

 

 

 

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