All posts by Susan

Apply Now for Third Future Ready Cohort



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Applications are being accepted for the third and final cohort of the Future Ready with the Library Project. Deadline to apply is May 15.

An informational webinar for interested applicants is scheduled for May 1 at 5:00 p.m. Mountain. You can register for the session online.

YALSA, in partnership with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL), has put together this innovative project to support small, rural and tribal libraries as they provide college and career readiness (CCR) services for and with the middle schoolers in their communities. Library staff from small, rural and tribal libraries may apply to be a part of a cohort of learners who will be supported by coaches and mentors, and work together to develop CCR services and resources that meet the particular needs of the middle schoolers in their communities. Cohort members will meet and work both in-person and online.

This project is generously funded by the Institute of Museum & Library Services. For more information, read the full grant proposal (.pdf) or the press release.

Upcoming Webinar: In-Depth With the New AASL Standards Part IV



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Join Jennisen Lucas, Wyoming School Librarian and American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Affiliate for the fourth part of her in-depth tour of the new AASL school library standards.

April’s installment will be the Shared Foundation, “Curate.” This free webinar will be held on Tuesday, April 24, at 3:30 p.m. MDT Come for the information; stay to ask questions!

Register now.

The Wyoming State Library has two circulating copies of National School Library Standards in its professional collection, available to Wyoming school librarians for checkout or interlibrary loan.

Questions about school library issues? Contact the Wyoming State Library’s School Library Consultant, Paige Bredenkamp, at paige.bredenkamp@wyo.gov or (307) 777-6331.

Four Selected for MPLA Leadership Institute



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Four people from the Wyoming library community have been chosen for the 2018 Mountain Plains Library Association (MPLA) Leadership Institute that will take place April 29 through May 4. MPLA is a 12-state association of librarians, library paraprofessionals and friends of libraries. Its purpose is to promote the development of librarians and libraries by providing significant educational and networking opportunities.

Cynthia Hughes, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Cynthia is a Metadata Librarian at the University of Wyoming. She is a member of the Wyoming Library Association and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, where she serves on the Marketing & Membership Committee. Her first job out of library school was working within a community (Beecher, IL) that had just formed a public library. She also worked as a cataloger at a small academic library in North Carolina. She earned her master’s degree in library science at the University of Illinois and her Bachelor of Arts at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Kate Mutch, Natrona County Library, Casper
Kate is the Assistant Director of the Natrona County Library. She began as a volunteer in a small library (service population 2,500) in Colorado in 1995 and later became the director of that library. In 1999, she moved on to a director’s job in Andover, Kansas, where she began pursing her MLS degree from Emporia State University. She received her degree in 2003 and returned to the West to work for he Natrona County Public Library She has served on the Wyoming Library Association (WLA) Awards committee and is currently serving on the WYLD (ILS) Governing Board, the WLA Legislative Committee, the WYLD shared purchasing committee, and as chair of the WYLD training committee. In an unofficial capacity she’s been the “wrangler” of all things Overdrive for a Wyoming consortia.

Sarah E. North, Casper College Goodstein Foundation Library, Casper
Sarah is the Assistant Library Director at Casper College where she oversees Public Services, designs information literacy instruction, guides assessment projects, develops outreach events, and organizes employee community-building efforts. She received her MLIS from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec and is working toward an Ed.S in Higher Education Administration at Fort Hays State University. Her passions include serving community college students, developing collective efficacy within a team, and collaborative board games.

Ruth Troyanek, Albany County Public Library, Laramie
Ruth is the Director of the Albany County Public Library. She’s worked at ACPL since 2003 in several different roles. She was the Youth Services Librarian for six years before becoming Director in June of 2017. Ruth earned her MLS from the University of Iowa. In her free time she enjoys biking, running and camping with her family.

 

Join us at the WSL for Trademark Tuesday



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The Rocky Mountain Regional U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), in collaboration with the Wyoming State Library and other partners located across the Rocky Mountain region, will host an interactive session with experts from the USPTO’s Trademark Assistance Center (TAC), which is based at USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, VA. During this virtual program, TAC experts will provide an overview of various aspects of the trademark registration process and answer any questions that program participants may have.

Join us at the Wyoming State Library, 2800 Central Ave. in Cheyenne, for this free and informative session on Tuesday, May 1, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. MDT.

To get the most out of this event, we recommend participants view informational videos regarding trademark registration before the session and prepare questions to ask the trademark experts.

This event is free and open to the public. Please bring your own lunch to enjoy during the session. Space is limited. The program will be hosted across the Rocky Mountain region with USPTO partners at 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time.

Register here.

The WSL offers many resources for intellectual property questions. Visit our Patent and Trademark Resource Center to learn more.

WLA Youth Services Spring Meeting Upcoming



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The Wyoming Library Association Youth Services Interest Group (YSIG) is holding its spring meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on May 4 at the Albany County Public Library in Laramie. Two of our Wyoming State Library Staff, Paige Bredenkamp and Chris Van Burgh, will make presentations.

Registration is $20 on the WLA website (scroll to bottom right). Lunch is not included. Learn more on the workshop flier.

The YSIG is sponsoring one $150 grant to defray costs. Deadline is April 18. To apply, download and complete the scholarship form (Word doc).

SPEAKERS:

  • “Studio and Community Work” with June Glasson, artist, designer, and cofounder of the Wyoming Art Party and The Art & Action Project. 
    Glasson will talk about her art practice and how she makes work in the studio and with her community. She’ll share some of her work and talk about the importance of collaboration in her work and the community. She will also share collaboration ideas and art projects to take back to our libraries.
  • Chris Van Burgh, Wyoming State Library Database Instruction Librarian
    Join Chris Van Burgh as she shares information about the WYLD databases, specifically literature, summer reading, and what GoWYLD can do for you.
  • Paige Bredenkamp, Wyoming State Library School Library Consultant
    Paige Bredenkamp will present information she gained at the YALSA forum regarding teen services competencies, the paradigm shift in teen services, and getting admin/community buy-in. Then, join in a roundtable discussion to weigh in on how to incorporate these topics in your libraries.

Free Continuing Education Events for the Week of April 16



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Free, online, continuing education events for this week from the Wyoming State Library Training Calendar. 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.

All times MST

Monday, Apr 16 (11:30-12:30 pm)
Make A Giant Leap for Patron Privacy: Prepare for CPW2018 with A Free Webinar on Library Privacy Audits (American Library Association)
This webinar will include a discussion about why healthy privacy practices are more critical for libraries than ever before and offers a step-by-step guide for starting a privacy audit at your library.

Monday, Apr 16 (12-1:30 pm)
Disaster Preparedness: Theft, Vandalism, & Arson (Federal Depository Library Program)
The FDLP Academy is pleased to present a new webinar series on disaster preparedness and recovery. This four-part series, taking place February – April, will focus on various types of disasters being faced by our library colleagues; tips for planning ahead; and strategies for clean-up, recovery, and moving forward.

Monday, Apr 16 (12:30-1:30 pm)
Protecting Children in the Library (Idaho Commission for Libraries)
Join staff of the Department of Health and Welfare as they share information important to library staff working in public places and their role in providing safe spaces for children.

Tuesday, Apr 17 (8-9 am)
Fine Free Libraries – What, Why, and How (Indiana State Library)
In this webinar, you’ll learn more about the trend toward the suspension of fines in public libraries including what “fine free” means, the philosophies behind the shift, and the practical considerations that go into becoming a “fine free” library.

Tuesday, Apr 17 (11-12 pm)
How Nonprofits Can Get $10,000 Per Month In Free Google Advertising (Charity How To)
Google Grants gives eligible nonprofits $10,000 per month in free online advertising to promote their organizations and causes on Google.com. During this webinar Simon Choy, who currently manages over $2 million in annual Google Grants funding, will tell you everything you need to know about the program, how it can benefit your nonprofit, and the process of applying for the grant. He will also highlight what is required to succeed when using Google Grants and tell you about a paid service that will get you more than your money’s worth.

Tuesday, Apr 17 (12-1 pm)
Saving Time and Money: Why Cloud Integrations Matter (TechSoup)
In an effort to save time and money, nonprofits are moving to cloud-based technologies. Many of these technologies are integrated to optimize efficiency, create easy and secure workflows, and most importantly reduce the amount of resources spent on IT. Join Box, DocuSign, and Okta for this 60-minute webinar that will explain: What is the cloud and why cloud integrations matter; Impact Cloud and how cloud-based companies are creating nonprofits solutions; Why Box, Okta and Docusign together can help nonprofits; and How nonprofits are using these technologies.

Tuesday, Apr 17 (12-1 pm)
Stellar Series Nonfiction: Spring 2018 (Booklist)
Get an overview of what’s new for Spring 2018 from series nonfiction publishers, Jump!, Bellwether, and Creative Company. Titles presented will range from grades K-12. Moderated by Booklist Books for Youth associate editor, Julia Smith.

Tuesday, Apr 17 (12-1 pm)
How to Lead Effective Meetings (Firespring)
By not optimizing their efficiency and effectiveness, meetings can waste precious time and resources. Meetings are meant to keep people in the loop, involved in the conversation and define next steps for people attending them. But how?

Tuesday, Apr 17 (1-2 pm)
Voter Perceptions of Libraries: Getting From Awareness to Funding in 2018 (WebJunction)
A webinar presenting the results of a new study investigating voter perceptions and support for public libraries, with comparisons to similar research conducted 10 years ago. In this session, presenters will share key findings and analysis from the summary report; provide new details on library super supporters and probable supporters in context with other library trends and research; and kickstart the discussion on how library leaders and advocates can act on these findings.

Tuesday, Apr 17 (2-3 pm)
Amplifying Student Voice with Technology (edWeb)
Putting students at the center of the learning experience has a transformative effect on a classroom. Powerful learning happens when teachers can bring forward student voices and when they position students as the drivers of class culture and community. And technology can help you do that! This edWebinar will show you how.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (9-10 am)
The Importance of Empathy in the Customer Service Experience (Georgia Public Library Service)
When patrons are rude or overly demanding, it can become difficult to remain calm and professional. This webinar will introduce the importance of empathy in the customer service experience to help staff avoid unpleasant interactions with library patrons. Presented by Dorcas Davis, Director of Continuing Education & Training.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (9-10 am)
NCompass Live: Reaching Out Through Your Collection (Nebraska Library Commission)
Unusual or unexpected collections are becoming more common in the library, from musical instruments and puppets to Makerspace kits libraries have them all but how can we leverage them to reach out to your community? Find out what we and libraries around the nation are doing to use their collections to expand their outreach and impact in their community.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (10-11 am)
Resources from the National Agriculture Library (North Carolina Library Association)
This session will cover some of the key collections and services available to your users from the National Agricultural Library (https://nal.usda.gov), one of the world’s largest agricultural research libraries.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (10-11 am)
A Little Change Goes a Long Way; Organizational Learning as a Resource for Change Management (Training Magazine Network)
Sooner or later, we all have to change. The march of progress is inevitable and nowhere more so than in today’s light-speed business environments. Nonetheless, organizations are often change resistant and figuring out methods to incite and inspire change can be an enormous challenge for business leaders. Many of those leaders are now turning to their training departments with expectations that managing change can come from learning leaders. How do we address those needs? And how do we deal with the inevitable resistance? Join Adobe’s Dr. Allen Partridge, Head of Digital Learning Evangelism for this engaging exploration of practical strategies to encourage innovation, one little step at a time.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (11-12 pm)
12 Keys to Successful Digital Content Promotion (American Libraries Live)
In this free 60-minute webinar, you will learn the details of promotional campaigns that have worked in two libraries, as well as promotional best practices from a recent nationwide survey of librarians. Our speakers will walk you through 12 keys to digital content promotion success.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (1-2 pm)
DAP Learning Series: Creating Your Own Campaign URL builder (DigitalGov)
Custom campaign URLs can help you collect information to determine which marketing campaigns are more effective. Efficient implementation of custom campaign URLs depends on your tagging strategy and it is important to set up a scalable methodology. In this training, we’ll talk about campaign tagging strategies and show you how to create a campaign URL builder.

Wednesday, Apr 18 (2-3 pm)
Beyond the Memes: Social Media Evaluation (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
In this webinar, you will learn the basics about social media analytics, and how to use the data to evaluate social media campaigns and programs. You will also learn the basic principles of evaluation, such as creating realistic outcomes and objectives for your social media activities.

Thursday, Apr 19 (11-12 pm)
Librarian Toolkit for Working with Online Instructors and Students (ACRL ULS Professional Development Committee)
Online programs and departments are increasing at many universities and colleges, and online and distance instructors and students usually feel isolated from campus programs and services. In this changing, academic environment, librarians have to shift their services to be more focused on reaching out to online programs. In this session, an Online Learning Librarian and a Non-Traditional Student Librarian from two public universities will cover tips and tricks for liaison and instruction librarians working with online students and instructors.

Thursday, Apr 19 (11-12 pm)
How to Dramatically Broadcast Your impact with Facebook Live (Bloomerang)
Nonprofits like The Met and Best Friends Animal Society are using Facebook Live to engage donors in powerful and creative ways. Facebook Live is the #1 type of content now, getting much more reach than even pictures and videos. But live broadcasting can be very scary! This training will show you how to use Facebook Live to engage supporters and raise more money. You’ll learn: How to prepare for your first broadcast; How to pick the best topic for your audience; How to get your best supporters to attend your first broadcast; How to engage your audience during your broadcast; and How to recycle and repurpose your broadcast.

Thursday, Apr 19 (11-12 pm)
3 Secrets to Raising Major Gifts You Can’t Survive Without (GuideStar)
Raising major gifts can be a difficult task for nonprofits both large and small. There are, however, a few secrets for making major gift fundraising just a bit easier. On this webinar, Amy Eisenstein will be offering her time saving tips and tricks that you can apply immediately to ramp up your major gifts program!

Thursday, Apr 19 (12-1 pm)
Managing Difficult Volunteer Transitions (VolunteerMatch)
What do you do when it’s time to ask a volunteer to leave your organization? This webinar will give you the tools to address challenges around difficult volunteers, volunteers aging in place, and suggestions to minimize these situations in the future. Suggestions for determining when a volunteer should be terminated, and making it easier on you, other volunteers, and staff will be presented. The role that risk management plays in these decisions will also be included.

Thursday, Apr 19 (12-1 pm)
Money to Match Your Mission: Identifying and Applying for Grant Funds (GrantSpace)
Finding the right funding match is key to getting the money you need to fulfill your mission.  To do this, you must know how to match your needs to funder priorities as you research and apply for grants. By asking yourself a few key questions before you start, you’ll make the grant research and proposal writing processes more efficient and successful. In addition to discovering what these questions are, you’ll also learn the seven basic elements of most proposals and how to integrate them into a successful proposal.

Thursday, Apr 19 (12:30-1:30 pm)
Assessment Made Simple (North Dakota State Library)
All our libraries offer programs running the gamut from story time and author talks through health care enrollment and financial planning. We generally do a solid job of recording basic statistics, like the number of programs held and their attendance. However, it’s much more challenging to measure, understand, and share the actual impact our programs and services have on our community. Usually the most we get is anecdotal evidence. In times of tightening budgets when the ongoing relevance of libraries is being questioned, outcome-based assessment can create datasets demonstrating libraries’ substantial community impact at the local, state, and national levels. In this short webinar you’ll get an overview of how to use free tools and readymade surveys from Project Outcome to tackle this tough problem in a simple straightforward fashion.

Library News in Brief



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Registration Open for YALSA Symposium
Registration is now open for the 2018 YALSA Symposium, which will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, from November 2-4. Programs will cover the entire spectrum of topics related to providing services for and with young adults.

ARSL Conference Registration Opens
Early bird registration has opened for the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) 2018 annual conference that will be held September 13-15 at the Bank of Springfield Center in historic Springfield, IL. Register now to join over 500 library professionals who will be Linking Libraries in the Land of Lincoln. Early bird conference rates starting at $275 for ARSL members.

Need Help With Conference Fees?
If you’re thinking of going to YALSA or ARSL or any other library training or professional development event, but could use a little financial assistance to make it happen, be sure to look into the Carol McMurry Library Endowment Individual Grants for continuing education. Individuals with 12 months employment or volunteer work at a Wyoming library may be eligible.

CRS Reports in Scope of the FDLP
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 includes a provision titled, “Equal Access to Congressional Research Service Reports,” which directs the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to make non-confidential CRS Reports freely-available to the public. The Librarian of Congress, in consultation with the CRS Director, shall establish and maintain a public website containing CRS Reports and an index of all CRS Reports contained on the website. Historically, distribution of CRS Reports was limited to Members of Congress.

A Decade of Studies Reviewed in School Library Research
Volume 21 of School Library Research (SLR), the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, opens with a new article, “Still Polishing the Diamond: School Library Research over the Last Decade,” providing a review of a decades worth of studies in school librarianship. SLR promotes and publishes high-quality original research concerning the management, implementation and evaluation of school library programs. Access SLR articles for free.

ASCLA Makes Library Accessibility Toolkits Available
The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of the American Library Association, has Library Accessibility Toolkits available to help library professionals understand the challenges and opportunities presented by issues of equitable access for library users. These issues include 1) users with mental health issues  2) users with learning and/or attention issues 3) users with developmental disabilities 4) users with sensory disabilities 5) users with service animals 6) users who need assistive technology and 7) users with physical disabilities. Each guide provides an overview, recommended hardware and software solutions, tips and resources to guide library professionals in providing great library experiences for everyone.

Libraries and Money Smart Week® April 21-28
Knowing how to spend, save and invest money wisely can be a challenge. During Money Smart Week®, April 21-28, many libraries are helping their patrons make sound fiscal choices by providing unbiased sources of information. Created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in 2002, Money Smart Week® is a public awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. The American Library Association (ALA) is among several partnering organizations.

2016 End of Term Presidential Web Archive Now Available
Between fall 2016 and spring 2017, End of Term (EOT) Web Archive partners conducted outreach and archiving efforts to preserve and document the U.S. Government web presence at the end of the Obama Presidential term. The 2016 EOT crawl contains over 200 Terabytes of websites and data, which includes over 350 URLs/files. Access to this content is available through the EOT Web Archive project page, which contains over 50,000 records available for searching and browsing, or through the Internet Archive Collection page.

Congressional Pictorial Directory Available on GPO’s govinfo
The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) makes available the Congressional Pictorial Directory: 115th Congress on GPO’s govinfo. GPO employees designed and produced the Pictorial Directory, which features a color photograph of each Member of the House of Representatives and Senate. It also details each Member’s length of service, political party affiliation, and congressional district. The Pictorial Directory also contains pictures of the President, Vice President, and House and Senate officers and officials. In addition to the digital version, the print edition is available on GPO’s online bookstore.

 

YALSA Announces 2018 Teen Read Week™ Theme



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From the American Library Association

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), will feature “It’s Written in the Stars…READ” as the theme for this year’s Teen Read Week celebration, which will take place October 7-13. Library staff, afterschool providers and educators can use this theme to encourage teens to think and read outside of the box, as well as seek out fantasy, science fiction and other out-of- this-world reads.

After the official site launches on April 12, during National Library Week, Library staff are encouraged to join the site at www.ala.org/teenread for a variety of free resources for help planning Teen Read Week activities.

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) supports library staff in alleviating the challenges teens face, and in putting all teens ‒ especially those with the greatest needs ‒ on the path to successful and fulfilling lives.

Natrona County Library Takes Services on the Road



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 By Lisa Scroggins, Natrona County Library Executive Director

From the NCL blog

In today’s library world, it is important for libraries to embrace delivering services to the public outside the constraints of their brick and mortar facilities. At the Natrona County Library, we do just that, and often take some of our most popular services “on the road.”

Without a doubt, our most commonly known “on the road” library service is our Bookmobile. Our Bookmobile Coordinator works with daycares, preschools, elementary schools, and senior resident facilities to schedule stops, and makes many community stops as well (including stops in Alcova, Paradise Valley, Bar Nunn, and Powder River). The Bookmobile is a convenient place for users to check out and return books, movies, and other items. At most stops the Bookmobile Coordinator hosts a StoryTime for kids where he reads a selected book and guides children through critical evaluation of the story.

Also venturing out into the community is our Youth Services staff, who interact with elementary-aged children at schools, clubs, and local events. They offer a wide variety of services, including StoryTimes, crafting, and hands-on experiences. In addition, they host a mind-boggling variety of programs, presenters, and experiences as part of our summer reading program.

Our Teen Librarian can be seen hosting several different book clubs at various local coffee shops, and presents book talks and programs at junior high and high schools, as well as programs aimed at teaching parenting skills while offering support and reference materials to help put teen parents on a path toward success.

Our newest “on the road” service comes from our Adult Services Department. Books on Tap is an adults only (21+) twist to a traditional book club which will have participants discussing a selected reading while enjoying the laid-back environment at either Frontier Brewing Company and Tap, The Gaslight Social, or Backwards Distilling Company. Books on Tap kicks things off February 8 at Frontier Brewing Company and Taproom where participants will share and discuss Mohsin Hamid’s “Exit West.” The Adult Services Department also hosted book discussions at other places in town, including Fort Caspar and the Bart Rea Learning Circle.

While much of what we take “on the road” focuses on books, we facilitate creative experiences as well. We host a variety of hands-on crafting opportunities during the Art Walk, typically outside on Prometheus Plaza near our Second Street entrance. We also host virtual reality events both in the Library and throughout the community. At last year’s NIC Fest, participants enjoyed creating 3D virtual art, and our virtual reality equipment has made its appearance at fundraising and other community events, and is always a popular draw.

Of course, we also offer a variety of digital services that can be accessed 24/7/365 via the internet. These services include digital content (eBooks, eMagazines, eAudiobooks, and movies) and many of our databases.

When it comes to taking library services into the community, we are always on the lookout for new and creative ways to serve and engage our patrons. Be on the lookout for us—you never know where we will pop up!