All posts by Susan

Relocated, Newly Renovated Carbon County Library Opens



Uncategorized
Man in cowboy hat standing at podium with microphone between U.S. and Wyoming flags
C.J. Box spoke at the Rawlins Library Grand Opening.

Last month, Carbon County Library System celebrated its newly relocated and renovated main library in Rawlins with an open house.

The event, which took place August 13, featured special guest C.J. Box, the well-known Wyoming author of the best-selling Joe Pickett series. Box spoke of fond boyhood memories of riding his bicycle to the Natrona County Library where the staff looked out for him.

The newly renovated library was just one part of Carbon County’s 6th Penny Specific Purpose Tax Project: “Restoring the Past to Build the Future.”

The library was relocated to the first floor of its building. This allowed it to have street level entry with no stairs, making the library more accessible. The library also now provides focused activity areas for children, teens, adults, and groups.

Three men standing in front of bookshelves.
(L to R): Wyoming State Library Library Development Manager Brian Greene, Carbon County Library System Executive Director Jacob Mickelsen, and Lincoln County Library System Director Richard Landreth in the library’s rare books area.
Row of computers with empty chairs.
Computers in the teen room.
Man holding up picture book, standing behind curvy set of white, waist-high bookshelves. Picture books are on display on top of the shelves.
Richard Landreth in the children’s room.

 

Celebrating the Joy of Fat Bears with GoWYLD Resources



GoWYLD
Large grizzly bear standing in rushing stream.
747, the Fat Bear Week Champion of 2020. (Click on image to make him even BIGGER.) Photo from Katmai National Park & Preserve at www.nps.gov/katm/learn/fat-bear-week.htm.

Choose the fattest bear of the year! Katmai National Park’s Fat Bear Week is coming up. Voting will take place September 29-October 5, with the winner to be crowned on Fat Bear Tuesday, the first Tuesday in October. (Fat Bear Jr. voting is September 23-24.) Explore the Hall of Champions to see those grizzlies chosen as the heftiest chunks from prior years.

Some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Fat Bear Week is an annual tournament celebrating their success in preparation for winter hibernation.

Want to see and find out more? Go to GoWYLD.net and check out the bears in Britannica Library or Britannica School in Animal Kingdom, under Children/Elementary.

In Animal Kingdom you can read all about mammals, as well as amphibians and reptiles, birds, mollusks, fish and other sea animals, insects and other arthropods, and extinct animals.

Each animal page includes an introduction, where they live, physical features, behaviors, and reproduction. We were surprised to learn that these “large, powerful mammals are related to dogs and raccoons.” There are also pictures and a short video from Britannica’s incredible Images and Video collection.

You can change the reading level by selecting reading level 2 (Young Adults/Middle). This will include more information about specific bears, and more images and videos.

From Britannica: The Kodiak bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi), a subspecies of brown bear that lives in Alaska, is the largest. It weighs up to 1,720 pounds (780 kilograms) and can be almost 10 feet (3 meters) long. Polar bears can be just as heavy but are somewhat shorter.

Britannica Library and Britannica School are available in Wyoming libraries and remotely with a Wyoming library card number and pin through GoWYLD.net. Use the Browse Databases by Title link to access sthem.

For more information, check with your local library or contact Chris Van Burgh, Database Instruction Librarian at the Wyoming State Library, chris.vanburgh@wyo.gov.

Natrona County Receives ‘Librarian at Your Service Award’



Wyoming Library News

Natrona County Library was recently recognized for providing vital services and keeping patrons in good standing

The library was recently awarded the “Librarian at Your Service Award” from Unique Management Services. As part of a new awards program honoring libraries for their exceptional community impact, Natrona County Library is one of 17 winners in the Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Wyoming). Unique Management Services created three awards to celebrate high-impact libraries for providing vital services, protecting public assets, and keeping patrons in good standing.

The “Librarian at Your Service Award” this year honors librarians and libraries who provide exceptional service, including using Unique services.

Unique honored 72 total libraries in this year’s awards across four geographic regions in three award areas, including the “Librarian at Your Service Award,” the “Defender of the Collection Award,” and the “Back in the Fold Award.”

Winners were presented with their awards earlier this month. This is the inaugural presentation of these awards, which Unique intends to continue annually to honor its partners who are making a difference in communities across the U.S.

Learn more on the Natrona County Library blog, and see the full list of winners.

Thousands of Grant Dollars Still Available from Wyoming Humanities



Grants and Awards

Wyoming Humanities logo with the phrase Think WY celebrating 50 years and a magnifying glassWyoming’s humanities-based non-profit organizations — including libraries, museums, and more — can still apply for general operating funds through Wyoming Humanities American Rescue Plan grants. The next deadline to apply is October 15, 2021. Grants are also available for programming and pandemic recovery.

“I’ve heard from people asking whether they should apply or whether they fit the criteria,” said Chloe Flagg, the director of grants and programming with Wyoming Humanities. “The quick answer is often a resounding ‘yes’ – and if they have any questions, they should absolutely speak with us about these opportunities.”

Thousands of dollars are available for eligible organizations. Funds for general operating support can often be used for salaries, utilities, rent, and much more. This grant is made possible with ARP funding channeled through the National Endowment for the Humanities. This money will support nonprofit organizations as they prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the coronavirus.

The application process has been streamlined and significantly simplified, with no letter of intent required. “The whole process may take just 30 minutes,” Flagg said.

To apply or for more information, visit thinkwy.org/grants or email chloe@thinkwy.org.

Gale Books and Authors Features Hispanic Heritage Month



GoWYLD

Text reads "Books in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 2021) with four book covers shown

Check out Gale Books and Authors in GoWYLD.net for book titles featured for National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15 to October 15.

Featured novels include I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Poet X, and How the Garcia Daughters Lost their Accents. This fiction and nonfiction reader’s advisory tool provides a description and details about the book such as setting, time period, subjects, and main characters. It also links to read-a-likes.

Books and Authors is available in Wyoming libraries and remotely with your Wyoming library card number and PIN. For more information, contact your local library or Chris Van Burgh, Database Instruction Librarian at the Wyoming State Library, chris.vanburgh@wyo.gov.

Learn About DPLA Resources for Genealogy Research



Training
Yearbook page in black and white. Teen boy and girl standing in front of fireplace. Portraits of both below.
Mr. and Miss Wolverine, Bayfield Wolverines Yearbook 1972. Courtesy Pine River Library.

Reposted from Colorado Virtual Library

Join the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) on Tuesday, October 19, at 1  pm MDT for free a one-hour informational genealogy webinar using DPLA resources, presented by members of the DPLA the Outreach and Accessibility working group and Allison Ryall, Genealogy Specialist for the Orange County Library System. The DPLA is a free online database providing easy one-stop-searching of digitized historic collections found at institutions across the United States.

Currently the DPLA includes 553,965 unique digitized historic items from 63 institutions in Colorado and Wyoming. Participating Colorado and Wyoming institutions and their collections continue to grow so there are always new stories to discover. You and your patrons can discover oral histories, family photographs, personal histories, yearbooks, obituaries, and so much more.

The webinar will cover some DPLA basics, such as search techniques and a metadata overview, as well as genealogy tips and tricks. Allison will provide several case studies using DPLA resources and highlighting how to navigate DPLA’s collection and use available primary source sets. Attendees will become familiar with the various DPLA resources that are relevant to genealogy research and will gain insight in genealogical search strategies.Search page results from DPLA

Allison Ryall is the Genealogy Specialist for the Orange County Library System (OCLS) and an instructor in Boston University’s Genealogical Research Program. In addition, Allison works with a variety of law enforcement agencies assisting them in solving cold case violent crimes using genetic genealogy. Previously, Allison worked with the National Genealogical Society as their Advertising and Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer and served as a grader for the National Genealogical Society’s Home Study Course. Allison also served as the conference tri-chair, program chair, and Ancestors Road Show Chair for the New England Regional Genealogical Conference and as the conference chair for the Association for Professional Genealogist’s annual conference.

Register for this event here.

Free Continuing Education Events for the Week of September 20



Calendar

Free, online, continuing education events for the week of  September 20 from the Wyoming State Library Training Calendar. Descriptions and links are below. You can subscribe and view the events in your calendar software, or you can find all the events at library.wyo.gov/services/training/calendar.

Calendar listings

All times MDT

Monday, Sep 20 (1-2 pm)
Transforming Teen Services: Connected Learning (Utah State Library)
Connected Learning encourages curiosity, exploration of interests, relationship-building, and teen participation in creating learning opportunities. Explore how to use teens’ interests to create programs and services that engage and empower teens. (Part 1 of 2-part series)

Tuesday, Sep 21 (10-10:30 am)
Behind the Book Author Takeover STUDENT EDITION with Judd Winick (Follett)
On Tuesday, September 21, at 11:00am CT, students will get to hear from Judd Winick, the creator of Hilo, an action-packed, best-selling middle grade graphic novel series that has laugh-out-loud humor and a whole lot of heart. We will learn more about the latest edition to the series: Gina-The Girl Who Broke the World. The Hilo series is filled with epic battles, friendship, and magic and is a favorite of both kids and critics. This is sure to be a fun-filled event your students won’t want to miss.

Tuesday, Sep 21 (11-11:45 am)
How to Develop a Workable Strategic Plan for Your Nonprofit (CharityHowTo)
In this 45-minute FREE Nonprofit Webinar, we will show you, step-by-step, how to create and implement a workable strategic plan for your nonprofit organization.

Tuesday, Sep 21 (11-12 pm)
Orientation to Law Library Collections (Law Library of Congress)
This webinar provides information about the Law Library’s wide range of online resources, as well as our print collections.

Tuesday, Sep 21 (1-2 pm)
Mathical Books: Inspire Joyful Curiosity in Math-Themed Kids’ Literature (School Library Journal)
Connecting with kids’ interests and showing how math is woven into every aspect of the world around us is at the heart of the Mathical Book Prize, which recognizes math-inspiring kids’ literature for Grades PreK-12. Join Title I school librarians as they share programming ideas for using titles from the Mathical Book List in their schools; meet Steve Light, author/illustrator of Have You Seen My Dragon? Moderated by educators Celina Gonzalez and Kirsten Bohl, the session will include time for questions and discussion. Join us to explore math in children’s literature, and pick up tips on how to encourage kids to love math in the world around them.

Tuesday, Sep 21 (1-2 pm)
Here Rests in Honored Glory: Records Related to Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown, Pt 1 (U.S. National Archives)
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the interment ceremonies officiated by President Warren G. Harding at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (November 11, 1921), the National Archives, in partnership with Arlington National Cemetery, presents the first of two programs about records related to the cemetery and tomb. Part one will feature motion picture, cartographic, and photographic records.

Tuesday, Sep 21 (1-2 pm)
Convert Supporters with Powerful Landing Pages (Firespring)
With great landing pages, your donors, volunteers and supporters are 10 times more likely to donate, sign up, register or engage with your nonprofit. In this session, we’ll share real-world landing page examples that increase conversions and what we’ve learned from studying hundreds of nonprofits and their landing page designs.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (8-9 am)
Content Creation for Your Library (Indiana State Library)
Are you in charge of creating content for your library’s social media accounts? Do you feel like you are stuck with what new and exciting things you can post that will engage your followers? Are you not even sure where to start or look to create graphics that excite? Wondering if hash tagging is all it’s cracked up to be? Join Jenn Bartlett, Head of Reference and Adult Services of the Manchester Public Library, and lead of their social media as she discusses these topics. Catch Bartlett on her own personal social media as The Board Game Librarian.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (11-12 pm)
10 Quick Tips to Super Charge Your Next Fundraising Appeal (Productive Fundraising)
Join fundraising master trainer, Chad Barger, CFRE, for a review of the best practices in writing fundraising appeal letters. Chad will boil down the research from top fundraising experts to provide actionable tips on both how to write content that spurs action and how to actually get prospects to open the envelope.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (11-12 pm)
Tech Planning and Budgeting for Nonprofits (Tech Impact)
We all know that the effective use of technology can improve efficiencies, help better deliver on your mission, and spawn innovation.  As technology advances, so should your IT budget. In this session, we will discuss: alignment of your IT budget to the organization’s strategy, assessment of your current technologies, prioritizing expenditures, and leveraging resources, as well as a walk through a sample budget worksheet that explores key buckets of tech spending.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (11-12:30 pm)
Copyright 101 (Lyrasis)
This 90 minute introductory course will provide an overview of the origin and purpose of U.S. copyright law and how it promotes creativity, teaching, learning, and research in ways that have become an integral part of everyday life. This session will introduce copyright concepts most relevant to those working in libraries, archives, museums, and community cultural heritage organizations.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (12-1 pm)
Libraries and Reading: New Service Models for Patrons with Intellectual Disability (Niche Academy)
Library service to those with ID is at once a pressing problem in great need of attention and a great challenge to the library profession which, in a time of heightened awareness of diversity, has implications for our entire professional identity. After briefly establishing the current plight of those with ID and the history of library services towards them, the presentation will provide a detailed case study of the first reading club for those with ID at an academic library.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (12-1 pm)
How to: TikTok
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying its popularity: TikTok beat out Facebook and WhatsApp to claim the spot of #1 most popular social app download in the world for 2020. Here’s a closer look at the rapidly growing platform and how governments can leverage it to reach residents.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (12-1 pm)
Writing Accurate and Useful Volunteer Position Descriptions (VolunteerMatch)
A good position description can make the recruitment and placement of volunteers so much easier, but this foundation component of a program is often overlooked or put into a folder and never used. This webinar will start with the basics of what should be included in a position description and will help you create or update position descriptions for all of your volunteer opportunities.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (12-1 pm)
Voices Matter: The Power of Diversity in Picture Books (Mackin)
Join award-winning authors NoNieqa Ramos, Traci Sorell, and Kao Kalia Yang for a discussion with Carol Hinz, associate publisher of Carolrhoda Books and Millbrook Press, as they discuss how picture books have the power to affirm identities, build understanding with people unlike ourselves, challenge our misconceptions, and broaden our awareness of the world.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (12-1:30 pm)
Build a #GivingTuesday Campaign That Inspires and Converts (Candid Learning)
Make the most of the year-end giving season, and learn how to optimize your #GivingTuesday campaign. Join us for a live webinar and Q&A with Classy, to find out how to design a #GivingTuesday campaign that commands the attention of your supporters and drives online conversions.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (12-1:30 pm)
Pushing Past Bias and Challenging Classroom Behaviors: Changing Children’s Behavior Starts With Changing Ourselves (Early Childhood Investigations)
When children exhibit behaviors that are not compliant, early educators often label them “challenging.” But are they really? Teachers and administrators often jump to conclusions about the child or their family and community. However, behavior is complex so there is seldom one reason children don’t or cannot comply with our expectations. Research shows order to gain a meaningful understanding of children’s behavior there must be a meaningful understanding of adult bias and the context in which these behaviors occurs. This webinar will help you look beyond the child to the implicit bias, contextual elements, interactions, and classroom variables that might contribute to labeling behavior as challenging.

Wednesday, Sep 22 (1-2 pm)
CFPB’s Your Money, Your Goals: Financial Empowerment for Your Community (WebJunction)
Guiding patrons through a complicated financial landscape can be challenging and confusing, and can be unfair when the playing field is not level. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), is focused on using all of their tools, including enforcement, rule-writing, and research to address systemic racism and economic inequality in the consumer financial system. One of the ways to address wealth inequality in the U.S. is through empowering people who are developing their financial knowledge.

Thursday, Sep 23 (12-1 pm)
Exploring Census Data Webinar Series: Manufacturing – The Changing Face of Manufacturing in the USA (U.S. Census Bureau)
This webinar will dive into business data on the manufacturing industry and explore the relationship of manufacturing with other sectors of the economy. The session will include a live demonstration of data tools and the opportunity for Q&A.

Thursday, Sep 23 (1-1:30 am)
Female Aviators in ProQuest Historical Newspapers (ProQuest)
In this 30-minute session, we’ll use ProQuest Historical Newspapers to research 3 females aviators (or aviatrixes as they were once called) – Amelia Earhart, Bessie Coleman, and Evelyn Sharp. You’ll learn some search tips and tricks as well as some content highlights and differences across the newspapers.

Find Titles in GoWYLD for Read an eBook Day



GoWYLD

a young caucasian man, at home, searches an ebook to lend on an online library with his smartphone, with a simulated search engine in its screenSeptember 18 is Read an eBook Day! Check out Overdrive Virtual Library for thousands of titles to download, stream or send to your Kindle. The award-winning Libby app makes it easy to manage your holds and checkouts.

In addition, you can find eBooks in a few of our GoWYLD.net resources that are available for streaming.

For example, in BookFlix, a resource for the PreK-3 age group, you will find video storybooks paired with related nonfiction eBooks. Titles include Johnny Appleseed (just in time for Johnny Appleseed day on September 26) and Looking Through a Telescope, Peruse a book about Pluto or a dairy farm, and explore many more. To share the book one-on-one or with a group, there is an option to turn Read Along on or off.

In National Geographic Virtual Library use Explore Topics (travel, for example) and check out the eBooks. Find titles such as Novel Destinations: A Travel Guide to Literary Landmarks, and National Geographic Traveler: Great Britain. Or do a search for bird guides and narrow it down with the filter on the left. Titles include Field Guide to Birds of North America or Backyard Birds.

These are available in Wyoming libraries and remotely with a Wyoming library card number and PIN through GoWYLD.net. For more information, check with your local library or contact Chris Van Burgh, Database Instruction Librarian at the Wyoming State Library, chris.vanburgh@wyo.gov.

Experiencing the Wyoming Library Association Mentoring Program



WLA
Portrait of David Brown
David Brown

By David Brown, Wyoming Outreach and Engagement Specialist for NNLM Region 4, University of Wyoming Libraries
Reposted from the Network of the National Library of Medicine

From October 2020 to July 2021, I had the opportunity to participate in the Wyoming Library Association Mentorship Program as a protégé. The purpose of this program is to assist all library staff to succeed in their library careers.  In this program the mentors provide protégés with a personal relationship that allows for acculturating, encouraging new talent, sharing expertise and connections, and promoting professional growth. During the times of COVID this was all done virtually.  

I saw this as an opportunity to further network and engage with libraries and librarians in the State of Wyoming. This opportunity would provide me more information about the state and its library community. One reason I was interested in this program is that I had recently moved to the state to take a position within the Midcontinental Region of the Network of the National Library of Medicine.   

To become a member of the mentorship program you must fill out an application that asks questions about why you want to be a part of the program and to establish some personal goals while involved in the program. This application applies both to mentors and protégées.  I completed the application and waited several weeks to be matched with a mentor.   

I was fortunate that for a mentor I received the Wyoming State Librarian, Jamie Markus. Jamie and I had monthly meetings throughout the program year. During these meetings, Jamie and I talked about the library structures and the policies that govern the library systems within the state. We also talked about the state library and its functions within the state. I also talked with Jamie about the upcoming changes to the Network of the National Library of Medicine as we were in the process of transitioning from the MidContinetal Region to Region 4.

During this program, I learned about the structure of Wyoming’s library systems and the appropriations procedures in the state when it comes to library funding. We completed the CliftonStrengths assessment. CliftonStrengths is a personality assessment that examines your responses to questions to find what areas are considered strengths for you.  Each of these activities was rewarding and provided me with a better understanding about Wyoming’s library community as well as opportunities to engage with Wyoming library professionals in a safe and virtual way during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Overall, I found this mentorship program a rewarding and engaging experience. I hope new professionals and existing professionals new to a region or state would consider joining a mentorship program.  I would also recommend established professionals to sign up as a mentor to help further develop the skills of librarians and help them navigate the profession they are choosing. The time and effort are worth it to further develop your skills in librarianship.  

Learn more about about the Wyoming Library Association Mentorship Program and about CliftonStrengths.

David Brown is the Public Health Engagement Specialist and Outreach Specialist for the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming for the Network of the National Library of Medicine Region 4

He holds a Doctor of Education with a specialization in health education from Teachers College Columbia University. He also holds a Master of Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. Additionally, he has two Masters of Arts Degrees from Columbia University one in computers and education and another in health education. He is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist.

David has been involved in training public health professionals for the last 15 years, teaching and supervising research in health education and public health at a number of universities in both the United States and abroad.  He has served on the board of directors for the Society for Public Health Education.  He currently serves on the Divisional Board for the Certification of Health Education Specialists with The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. He has also served on several editorial boards related to health education and promotion.