 |
 |
 |
 |
« September 2009 |
Main
| November 2009 »
October 2009 Archives
Please Save the Date!
SEMLS Annual Meeting
Friday, November 20, 2009
Martin Hall, Stonehill College, North Easton
10:00 a.m. – coffee at 9:30 a.m.
Maureen Sullivan, prominent national consultant, will be our speaker and facilitator. SEMLS is pleased that Maureen is available to work with us as we all envision regional services in the restructured regions. What services are priorities for you? Your voice is critical now as this planning goes forward.
Rob Maier, Director of the MA Board of Library Commissioners, will update us on the state budget process and on the planning for the restructuring of the regions. Maureen will then facilitate a session that will identify and prioritize essential statewide services today and will lead us on a discussion on future trends for libraries and how statewide services should assist libraries in meeting these trends.
Many of you have worked with Maureen in the past. For those who haven’t, a brief bio on Maureen’s career and accomplishments follows:
Maureen is an organization development consultant whose practice focuses on the delivery of consulting and training services to libraries and other information organizations. She has more than 25 years of experience as a consultant on organization development, strategic planning, leadership development, introducing and managing organizational change, organization and work redesign, establishment of staff development and learning programs for today's workplace, creating a work environment that supports diversity, revision of position classification and compensation systems, and the identification and development of competencies. Her experience includes 12 years as the human resources administrator in the libraries at the University of Maryland (1977-1980) and at Yale University (1983-1991.) She has had a long association with the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) and was instrumental in the design and delivery of several of ARL's management training programs.
Reference Focus Groups
There is still time to attend a Supplemental Reference Service Focus Group. Tell us what types of supplemental reference services are important to you. Help the SEMLS Reference Task Force as it makes recommendations for the future look of reference services. With the potential restructuring of regional services, the Task Force can develop a model that can be used in the planning of this restructuring. There is still one more opportunity to participate. The focus group will be held on Tuesday, October 13 at 1:00 p.m. at the Norwell Public Library.
This will be a two-hour focus group. To register use the following link:
Thank you! We always appreciate the time you are willing to give us to help us understand and respond to the needs of your communities and organizations.
Massachusetts Municipal
Association
On October 16, the Massachusetts Municipal Association is holding two legislative breakfasts in the area. One is at the Pembroke Public Library from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. At the same time, the Acushnet Council of Aging building will host representatives from that area. More information and registration information can be found at:
Message from Rob Maier
Director, MBLC
Posted to the Regional Lists
on Tuesday, September 22, 2009
To: Members of Regional Library Systems
Last week at a regular meeting with regional administrators I began a conversation about reductions in the state budget that are being proposed for fiscal year FY2011 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011.) The Board of Library Commissioners has been given a budget cap by the administration of a 16 percent reduction compared to this year. Most other state agencies are facing a similar budget-making scenario. This is the result of declining state revenues and the fact that the FY2010 state budget benefits substantially from the use of one-time federal stimulus funds.
Even if a 16 percent reduction was to be imposed equally on all library programs the impact on regional library systems would be significant. However, given the recent erosion of funding for State Aid to Public Libraries, it is unlikely that account would be cut further. The reduction in regional and library of last recourse funding may be as great as 28 percent.
With this information in hand I have asked the regional administrators to work with me and with regional member libraries and regional staff to prioritize regional services for FY2011 and beyond. This planning will include options for the consolidation of regional library systems with the likelihood of one or two restructured regions going forward and changes in required services including support for regional reference centers.
I fully recognize that changes of this magnitude are challenging. I know that if we work together we can continue to provide the regional services that the libraries and residents of Massachusetts value and rely on every day to improve their lives.
Rob
Robert C. Maier, Director
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
98 North Washington Street,
Suite 401
Boston, MA 02114
Ph (617) 725-1860 x249
The Circulator: A Fun Look at Workflow, Customer Service
and Safety in the Library
Don't miss the hit of the season: a two hour, multi-media workshop on examining your library’s workflow and safety issues in the circulation and delivery areas. The Statewide Delivery Task Force Committee on Ergonomics has prepared a two hour training featuring our own super hero, “The Circulator.” The Circulator is full of ideas to make working at public service desks and handling the ever-increasing volume of books in delivery easier for staff members.
Included are some funny animations, serious recommendations, and resource lists. There’s plenty of time for discussion and idea sharing. The program is sponsored and led by the Ergonomic and Workflow Task Force of the Statewide Delivery Committee. Upcoming events are October 28 at CLAMS; December 15 at OCLN and February 4 at SEMLS.
Time to Gear Up for National Gaming Day @ your library
As hundreds of libraries across the country join the American Library Association (ALA) to celebrate the second annual National Gaming Day @ your library on November 14, 2009, we’d like to remind you that SEMLS has equipment to help you and your community celebrate together.
Last year, more than 14,000 people participated in gaming activities in more than 600 libraries across the country on National Gaming Day. Many libraries reported the benefits of younger kids playing with older kids; families playing together; grandparents playing with grandkids; and kids making friends with the library’s staff. This year’s event promises to be even bigger, with more libraries participating and more games in the mix.
If you need more information on the benefits on gaming on communities we have copies of Beth Gallaway’s Game On! Gaming in the Library and Jenny Levine’s Gaming & Libraries: Learning Lessons from the Intersections.
For more information on National Gaming Day @ your library, and gaming in libraries, please visit http://ilovelibraries.org/gaming. For information on equipment available from SEMLS contact Cheryl Letendre, cletendre@semls.org.
Excel for Administrators:
Let the Numbers
Tell Your Story
As library use continues to rise and budgets are being reduced, it is important to use library statistics to justify the need for maintaining positions. On October 27, from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at SEMLS, Barbara Andrews will teach a workshop on how to present your data quickly and effectively using Excel. Many internal and external sources of data are available, and it is critical to be able to identify which data is relevant for a specific situation. Statistics, such as computer use, circulation, ILL’s, Web site usage, patron visits, database usage and program attendance are available to allow you to compare your library with peers and identify trends. Using Office 2007 we will look at importing text files and data from other sources, creating effective graphical displays of data and linking excel data and charts to PowerPoint presentations. You can register for this workshop on the SEMLS Web site, http://www.semls.org.
Recycle to Save
@ Your Library
Following up on the reduce use article last month, now we’ll look at the many ways libraries can save natural resources and money by recycling. Our local recycling can have a global impact on natural resources. The more we recycle, the fewer natural resources will be used to make new products.
Libraries are still very paper-based information agencies so purchasing recycled paper, and offering recycling bins for paper, with separate bins for newspapers, are obvious places to begin a recycling campaign in your library and, in fact, respondents to a survey on green practices in academic libraries over 91 percent showed this to be their biggest success. The second highest area of recycling success with well over 90 percent reporting successful programs was printer cartridges. While your recycling team is setting up the paper recycling bins, why not incorporate glass, plastic and aluminum bins into the area, particularly if your library has a café area. All plastic now rated with number 2 plastic containers are the easiest to recycle, so when offered a choice, check the bottom of the container for the plastic rating number and choose 2.
While you are working at recycling, encourage your borrowers to recycle by selling water bottles, travel mugs, and cloth book bags and reusable lunch bags with your library logo. The Orange County Library in Florida has adopted the tagline “Go Green with Orange” and includes that on their library products.
Books weeded from your collection can also be recycled through organizations like Better World Books www.betterworldbooks.com. DVD’s and CD’s can be recycled through B-logistics www.blogistics.com that will help the library resell materials online and donate materials that don’t sell to their nonprofit literacy partners. Cardboard from materials and book packaging is also easily recycled at most landfills in Massachusetts.
For more information on recycling see:
Carlson, Kim Green Your Work: Boost Your Bottom Line While Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
McKay, Kim and Jenny Bonnin with Tim Wallace True Green @ Work: 100 Ways You Can Make the Environment Your Business
Senge, Peter The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and Organizations Are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World
How SEMLS Libraries
Are Managing
Public Access Computers
Back in July, I received an e-mail from a SEMLS director asking how other public libraries in the region are managing their public access computers. Do they all keep separate computers for children and adults, or do all patrons access the Internet from a central location? Are libraries filtering access to the Internet? These questions are ones I would have felt comfortable answering a few years ago when CIPAwas passed and I was frequently talking to libraries about filtering and age restrictions for Internet access. However, I no longer had a good handle on how our libraries are handling public access to the Internet. My response was to put out a survey to hear directly from members. Here are some key points from the survey results:
· 55 public libraries responded to the survey. Only 11 of those libraries (20 percent) provide one central location for adults and children to access the Internet. The remaining libraries have separate spaces for children and adults to access the Internet.
· The majority of responding libraries (nearly 62 percent) do not filter content on any Internet access workstations. Ten libraries (18.2 percent) filter content on all public access workstations and nine libraries (16.4 percent) only filter content on the children's workstations.
· Of the 44 libraries that provide separate workstations based on age, 24 libraries (52.2 percent) allow children to use the adult workstations without any preconditions. Another 11 libraries say that children can use an adult workstation only if they are with a parent or guardian, four libraries allow children to use those workstations if they have written permission from a parent, and seven libraries do not allow children to use adult workstations.
· When looking just at the results of the nine libraries that filter children's workstations, only three allowed children to use the adult workstations without preconditions. The rest allowed children to use those workstations in the presence of a parent or with written permission from a parent.
· When looking at the libraries that provide a central location for users of all ages to access the Internet, only one library filters content on those workstations.
· Of the 55 libraries responding to the survey, 11 said they are also providing laptops for use by their patrons.
If your library is at a point where you are revisiting issues related to filters, acceptable use policies, or Internet access workstations, SEMLS will be holding a Virtual Roundtableat 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 2 to discuss this issue.
Upcoming Technology Classes
10:00 a.m., October 13, SEMLS
10:00 a.m., October 22, SEMLS
10:00 a.m., October 26, SEMLS
10:00 a.m., October 28
10:00 a.m., October 29, SEMLS
10:00 a.m., November 4, SEMLS
Job Seekers Find Help at the Falmouth Public Library
When SEMLS offered the workshop Meeting the Challenge of Helping Job Seekers this past April, I jumped at the chance to attend. Katherine L. May of the Newton & Winchester libraries was the presenter. She outlined several methods of helping jobseekers cope with the online hiring environment. She provided each attendee with a useful handout with annotated listings of Web sites and traditional print resources. The workshop was also valuable for promoting an impromptu roundtable type exchange among the reference librarians.
In the course of discussing resume preparation for online distribution, the proprietary program WinWay came up. Back home in Falmouth, I investigated further and found that it is not very expensive, and it has many more features than a simple resume template. When I described what the program can do, our director Leslie Morrissey approved the purchase of WinWay with a site license. Our IT Librarian Gary Ingraham installed it on all 11 public computers, our six in-house laptops, and the staff computers (so we could learn how to use and teach the program, too!)
By the time we got everything set up, it was around Memorial Day. The summer job scene had warmed up for the locals, and the crush of summer library visitors was underway. We directed a few job seekers to the program, but really did not have time to become proficient with the program ourselves or to coach job seekers. By the end of August I was itching to get started on something useful and specific to help folks coming off their summer jobs. Cape Cod enjoys a seasonal increase in available jobs, but the off-season can be cold and bitter when the wider job market crashes. Falmouth has a state-run Career Opportunities office in Falmouth, but they are frequently overwhelmed, and we see their client overflow at the library.
Evenings are less hectic than days. Since I work Wednesday evenings, I offer individualized workshops on Wednesdays, from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. I posted signs “REV-UP YOUR RESUME” in the library and sent one to the Falmouth Career Center. Because we must serve all who come to the library, we limit enrollment to four jobseekers each week, who sign up in advance. The sessions are scheduled to run from September through October 30. If there is still demand thereafter, we probably will continue.
We offer resume and cover letter help via the WinWay program, setting up e-mail accounts one-on-one, providing handouts with online local and national job listing sites in addition to WinWay. There is a sample interview video, which even includes graceful answers to illegal questions that some employers ask! The program also has a video outlining the job search process: the whys and wherefores of resumes, the interview process and even salary negotiation. The program offers several formats for saving resumes and cover letters: .rsm (their program) .doc (Windows) and even .pdf! Participants may save their work to a thumb drive or as attachments to their e-mail. By the end of the summer, we had several orphaned thumb drives on hand. Our IT Librarian cleaned them up and reformatted them. We offer them to workshop participants who do not have one, so they can continue to work on their resumes and letters on any of our computers. Each recipient has literally beamed with pleasure and the glow of empowerment. (It’s not my imagination!)
During our first week one person signed up. He was computer savvy and was grateful to have a method of reconstructing his resume and distributing it online. He also spent some time scanning the online job site links in WinWay. The second week we had three participants. One was a young person, new to the workforce, just graduated with a dental hygiene certification. She is employed by a temp agency but is eager for a full-time job. She was interested in creating a strong cover letter and watching the interview video. Another woman was a client at the state Career Center but felt her resume is too old-fashioned and stodgy. She was thrilled with the prompts offered by the customized “Sample Resume” template. The third person was a middle-aged man with so-so computer skills. He also found the “Sample Resume” template helpful in giving a stronger voice to his experience and skills. We are encouraged that the participants have planned to come back to continue to work on their resumes and job searching here at the library.
If you have any questions, please call us toll-free at 888-439-8850.
Best Wishes in
Your New Position
Jan Voogd, Director
Provincetown Public Library
Eleanor Rogers, Library Teacher
Hanson Middle School
Jill A. Diotte, Library Teacher
Falmouth High School
Donna Phillips, Librarian
Middleborough High School
Elizabeth J. Thorsteinson
Library Teacher
East Elementary School, Hingham
Liza C. Bertram, Library Teacher
Carver High/Middle School
Deborah Walgreen, Library Teacher
John T. Nichols, Jr. Middle School, Middleborough
Laura S. Coburn, Library Teacher
Nantucket Elementary School
Anna Jorgensen, Library Teacher
South Elementary School, Plymouth
Anne Thie, Library Teacher
Mansfield High School
Bonnie T. Bell, Library Teacher
Donovan Elementary School Randolph
Jessica C. Barrett, Library Teacher
Sippican School, Marion
Anne Johnson, Library Teacher
Somerset High School
Brittany Smith, Library Teacher
Chase, Wilbur, North Elementary,
South Elementary Schools, Somerset
Jacqueline Rolnick, Library Teacher
Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River
Joanne Freeley, Library Teacher
Randolph High School
“Rev-Up” Your Resume at the Falmouth Public Library
FREE workshops for job seekers—Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m.—September & October beginning September 9.
The Reference Staff will help with: preparing or updating resumes using the WinWay resume program; writing cover letters; creating e-mail accounts; searching online job listings in the Cape Cod Times & Boston Globe.
In order to provide participants with individual attention, you must sign up in advance, and there is a limit of four participants each week.
Participants must have basic computer skills, such as using a mouse, using pull-down menus, and familiarity with basic word processing.
Sign Up at the Falmouth Public Library Reference/Info Desk, or call 508-457-2555, Ext. 6
The Cape Cod & Islands Library Association Annual Fall Meeting
On Friday, October 23, 2009, the Annual Fall Meeting of the Cape Cod & Islands Library Association will be held at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main Street, Falmouth from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The theme this year is “The Challenging Patron.” Dr. Richard Sommers, Clinical Psychologist, Cape Cod Community College and Lt. George Bausch, Brewster Police Department, will discuss techniques that can work for you! The morning presentation will be followed by an afternoon discussion to include actual instances and scenarios. Bring your experiences and "what if" situations to the experts for their opinions on how to defuse and deal with some of our most uncomfortable situations. This meeting is a must for anyone in any library who may come in contact with difficult patrons.
Program
9:15–10:15 Coffee, Registration, and Library Tours with Director Leslie Morrissey
10:15–10:30 Business Meeting
10:30–12 Speakers - Dr. Richard Sommers and Lt. George Bausch
12–1 Lunch and Raffle
1–2 Open Discussion
2–2:30 Tours of Library
Take Time for Shopping!
Special promotion with Ellabella of Falmouth – A percentage of all items purchased will be donated to the Christine Rose Scholarship. Do some early holiday shopping. Visit http://www.ellabellas.comto view some fabulous treasures!
There is no fee for this meeting. However please fill out the registration form on our Web site: http://www.ccila.com.
Boxed lunch is available from Pie in the Sky for $15. Be sure to indicate on the registration form if you’d like to order one. (If you attended last fall’s meeting at Woods Hole you may remember that delicious and huge boxed lunch!)
Attendees are invited to bring an item for the raffle, proceeds from which go the Christine Rose Scholarship Fund.
Questions? Contact Donna Burgess at Falmouth Public Library 508-457-2555 ext. 2935.
Please join us for our SEMLS annual meeting on Friday, November 20, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Refreshments will be available at 9:30 a.m. This year's meeting will be held at the Martin Institute Auditorium, Stonehill College, Easton, MA. Maureen Sullivan, prominent national consultant, will be our speaker and facilitator. SEMLS is pleased that Maureen is available to work with us as we all envision regional services in the restructured regions. What services are priorities for you? Your voice is critical now as this planning goes forward. To register, call 877-923-3531, e-mail us at semls@semls.org or register online at http://tinyurl.com/yhjpmy3. Meeting information and materials are available at http://www.semls.org/annualmeeting/annualmeeting.htm.
You are very good at doing your job, but when that transitions to being the supervisor for other people doing your job it requires a whole new set of skills. Did anyone teach you how to be a supervisor?
On November 17 and December 1 at SEMLS from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. a series of two workshops on supervisory tips will be offered for member libraries.The workshop includes techniques, and solutions you need now to succeed as a supervisor. We will cover management techniques, handing communications, project planning and leadership skills. If you have any questions about what will be in the workshop contact Cheryl Bryan at SEMLS.
There is still time to register for the SEMLS Annual Meeting on Friday, November 20th at 10:00 a.m. at Martin Institute Auditorium at Stonehill College in Easton. Register at: http:/www.tinyurl.com/yhjpmy3.
Please join us. The annual meeting is a great opportunity to connect with fellow colleagues across the region.
Planning for the new regional structure is starting, and we need the input of each and every member. What does the region provide that is important to the members of your communities, be they schools, municipalities or organizations? As Rob Maier noted in his recent e-mail, there will be a joint meeting of regional executive boards on December 14. The SEMLS Board will bring the ideas generated and priorities listed to this meeting and will use this information to advocate for you. National consultant, Maureen Sullivan, will lead us through this process.
Maureen is an organization development consultant whose practice focuses on the delivery of consulting and training services to libraries and other information organizations. She has more than 25 years of experience as a consultant on organization development, strategic planning, leadership development, introducing and managing organizational change, organization and work redesign, establishment of staff development and learning programs for today's workplace, creating a work environment that supports diversity, revision of position classification and compensation systems, and the identification and development of competencies. Her experience includes 12 years as the human resources administrator in the libraries at the University of Maryland (1977-1980) and at Yale University (1983-1991.)
Maureen is a past president (1998-1999) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). During her term as President, she helped establish the ACRL/Harvard Leadership Institute in partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is now a member of the faculty for this annual program. She was president of the Library Administration and Management Association for the 1988-89 term. In 1999, she received the Elizabeth Futas Catalyst for Change Award from the American Library Association.
She received her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Maryland in 1974 and her M.A. degree in Library Science from the University of Maryland in 1976.
On Friday, October 16, a statewide delivery group met to discuss the work and recommendations of three delivery work groups.
The Ergonomics Working Group has created a training workshop to help libraries deal effectively with the ergonomic issues around delivery and delivery volume. Workshops have been and are still being held across the state. Part of the presentations is available for use in any library at: http://ergoworkgroup.pbworks.com/FrontPage. Thanks to Tracy Swaim (MVLC) for his work on this presentation.
The Packaging & Labeling Working Group presented a series of recommendations and a policy. The recommendations on delivery routing slips were adopted as amended and the recommendations on virtual catalog materials were adopted as amended. Packaging Policy (2009-10-16) and Labeling Recommendations (2009-10-16) are at: www.nmrls.org/msdc.
The Automated Sorting Working Group by presenting a recommendation to issue an RFP for statewide delivery and sortation and presented a summary of potential benefits, issues, and responsibilities and costs. The full group voted to pursue the RFP and to fund a consultant to assist with this work.
Just the other day, I heard some exiciting and sad news. Betty Gregg, Director of the Bridgewater Public Library, will be retiring this November. Congratulations, Betty! Best wishes as you begin your new adventure. Even with great excitment for Betty, it is sad to have the library community say goodbye to Betty's leadership. Up until the last few years, the Bridgewater Public Library has been a mainstay of this area. Betty was part of the Bridgewater team (Linda Wright, Director) that revved up regional services for libraries when libraries from Pembroke to Seekonk needed a strong library to step forward. Betty worked with Linda as they worked to bring the "perfect ten" libraries into the then ABLE Network. When Linda left, Betty assumed the directorship of the Bridgewater Public Library. Betty and the Bridgewater staff worked diligently to provide service to not only the Bridgewater Community, but to area libraries and residents as well. Thank you, Betty, for all you have done to make our libraries more responsive to our communities. I am sure that I am joined by many others when I wish you great times ahead.
Did you know that ALA 2010 Midwinter meeting is being held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from January 15-19, 2010?
Even though much of ALA Midwinter is devoted to the association and division work, there is still much to do. Prior to the official start of Midwinter, many of ALA's divisions offer pre-conferences. Check them out.
Advanced conference registration is ongoing through December 4, 2009.
The advanced rate for ALA personal and/or division members is $165. ALA Student membership can advance register for $65. There is also an exhibit-only registration at the advanced rate of $25. I encourage you to attend.
More information can be found on the ALA Web site www.ala.org.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
