SEMLS News

SEMLS Supplemental Reference RFP questions received and answers are now posted on the SEMLS Web site:

http://www.semls.org/what/reference/index.html.

Young adult author Alisa Libby is going to be the featured guest for My Own Cafe this month. Alisa is the author of two young adult novels, The Blood Confession and The King's Rose.

Both novels are pieces of historical fiction for teens. While she is visiting My Own Cafe, we will also sponsor a writing contest for My Own Cafe teens. Registered users between the ages of 13 and 18 are invited to write a short piece of historical fiction (two pages or less) and submit it to the Creativity Center by April 28. Users who enter the contest will have a chance to win an autographed copy of The King's Rose.

We have created a flyer for libraries to promote the author visit and the contest.

In response to the Job Information meetings that were held at the Raynham Public Library this winter we have added two new pages to the website.

On the Resource Shelf under Profesional Resources there is now a catagory  called Job Search Resources. Two pages in htat catagory are Job Search Websites and Resume, Cover Letter and Interview Resources. These were designed as requested for libraries to link to them or copy them on their own websites for public use.

The April SEMLS Sightings Newsletter is now available.

SEMLS will be making changes to its electronic discussion list Friday, April 17 as we move to a new mailing list manager.

The new list manager will provide you, as subscribers, with more options: 

• formatted e-mail, not just plain-text
• attachments
• a Web-based interface for managing your access • more delivery options, including daily and weekly digests.
• stopping and re-starting mail, and going on “vacation.”
• mail archive and mail search integrated into manager • manage multiple list subscriptions with one login.

All current members of the SEMLS list will be transitioned over automatically; you need not do anything to continue to receive e-mail. 

CHANGES:

When you send a new message to the SEMSL list (starting Friday), please send it to: semls@mblc.state.ma.us.

When you receive messages they will usually be in the form: semls-owner@mblc.state.ma.us ; on behalf of; Sender [Sender’s e-mail.] The subject of each message will contain the string:  [semls] so that you can set up automatic mail handling rules if you desire in your e-mail program.

If you want to, you will be able to establish a Web login at: http://mblc.state.ma.us/sympa by selecting the “First login?” link. This step is NOT necessary to continue to send and receive e-mail from the list.

The current SEMLS list will temporarily stop taking new subscribers on Thursday. SEMLS members can start subscribing to the list again when we cut over to the new list on Friday.

 ALL REGIONS LIST

The other regions in the state have not all moved to the new system yet. In the meantime, please continue to send your statewide messages to allregions@mlin.lib.ma.us. We will let you know when this address will change. At the same time, please do not send attachments to the All Regions list until we notify you that they are able to accept attachments.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kathy Lussier at klussier@semls.org

The first-generation Amazon Kindle that traveled with the SEMLS Technology Sandbox has been replaced with the Kindle 2.

SEMLS is planning to give away the older Kindle to a SEMLS member chosen at random. In order to qualify for the Kindle, the library must be willing to use it to support a user program or service. In essence, it can’t just be used for staff to try out the technology but must make it into the hands of your users.

In addition, we are asking that the library receiving the Kindle agree to write an article for the SEMLS newsletter a few months after implementing the program or service that uses this device.

If your library is interested in receiving the Kindle, please send an e-mail to Kathy Lussier at klussier@semls.org by April 27. In the e-mail, please let us know how you plan to use the Kindle in your library (a few short sentences will do.) SEMLS will choose a winner at random on the week of the 27th.