The Wyoming State Library has partnered with the Wyoming CAN (Cybersecurity Action Network) Committee, to offer this free “cyber-in-a-box” educational program. This 10-minute video-based program is designed to be distributed at local libraries to increase cyber safety in Wyoming communities.
Free, online, continuing education events for the week of August 3 from the Wyoming State Library Training Calendar. Descriptions 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.
All times MDT
Tuesday, Aug 4 (9:30-10:15)
Social Media for All of Us: Creating Digital Content That’s Inclusive and Accessible (Nonprofit Learning Lab)
Have you ever wondered how your content is accessed by people who are blind or visually impaired? As web accessibility and creating inclusive communities becomes more prevalent, it’s vital to evaluate social media and digital content to ensure everyone can participate. In this session, we’ll give you the tools you need to take the first step. This will include demonstrations of some of the assistive technology including built-in voiceover, built-in magnification and JAWS so you can learn how to access online content.
Tuesday, Aug 4 (10-11 am)
PowerPoint: Faster, Faster, Faster! (Training Magazine Network)
In this webinar, a PowerPoint crackhead shares his mania with all of you. It’s an addiction, we admit the need to do everything more quickly, with fewer moving parts, and less manual repetition. Let PowerPoint do the heavy lifting for you! Microsoft spent billions of dollars streamlining the Office interface to be fast and efficient, but not too many use any of the really cool features. In this hour, that will change when we cover:
Tuesday, Aug 4 (12-12:20 pm)
Quick Bites: Speaking ECCE: Early Learning Domains with Kate Brunner and Joyce Johnson (Colorado State Library)
Join us for a down & dirty introduction to developmentally appropriate practice and Colorado’s domains of early learning. We’ll talk about how to connect your early learning services to evidence-based early childhood practices and check out where to go to learn more about how to translate your library services into Early Childhood Care & Education language for families, FFNs, and other community stakeholders.
Tuesday, Aug 4 (12-12:30 pm)
How to Create and Share Primary Source Sets (National Archives)
This new mini-webinar series is specifically geared to support educators who will be teaching virtually. Each 30-minute session will highlight a different way to use DocsTeach with students who are learning from home.
Tuesday, Aug 4 (12-1 pm)
Playing by the Rules: Creating an Effective Volunteer Handbook (VolunteerMatch)
Learn how to create a living document that can help both paid and volunteer staff be better informed and know what is expected of them. A good Volunteer Handbook can also help you better identify and deal with challenging volunteers. Whether you’re just starting to create a Handbook or if you’re looking for best practices on information to include, this webinar will evaluate the Handbook you have and help you create a stronger framework for your volunteer engagement program.
Tuesday, Aug 4 (12-1 pm)
A Novel Form: Graphic Novels, Part II (Booklist)
Booklist’s second-ever Graphic Novels in Libraries Month, a program devoted to providing librarians with the tools they need to select, curate, and promote graphic titles for patrons of all ages, is still going strong . . . and this graphic novel-packed webinar (the second in a two-part series) is here to prove it. Join us and representatives from DC Comics, Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Penguin Young Readers, and Random House Children’s Books for this free, one-hour program featuring upcoming graphic novels for adult, teen, and young readers—and get ready to #ReadGraphic all year long!
Tuesday, Aug 4 (1-2:30 pm)
REopening Archives, Libraries and Museums: Materials Testing and Resource Overview (WebJunction)
Through the REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM) Project, OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Battelle are conducting research on how long the COVID-19 virus survives on materials that are prevalent in libraries, archives, and museums. Join us to learn more about the testing process, how to present results to your stakeholders, project resources to inform your local decisions, and what you can expect from the project in the months to come.
Tuesday, Aug 4 (2-3 pm)
Level Up: Prep Your Literacy Toolkit (Utah State Library)
Libraries across the country are discovering that large print can effectively support striving readers, ESL/ELL students, and children with special learning needs. Large print isn’t just a bigger font size. Compared to standard print format, large print books are proven to help with decoding, fluency, tracking, and comprehension. Hear from librarian, Tasha Squires, who has found success after embracing large print and partnering with teachers to bring large print books into the classroom. She has seen wider usage, noticeable reading improvements, and happier readers! And because we believe that every library can successfully build and promote their own large print collection, we’re giving all attendees a 5-step action plan and helpful marketing materials.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (10-11 am)
Video Tutorials: A Beginner’s Guide (TRAILS)
In these times of online and remote learning, it is more important than ever for information literacy instruction to be available through multiple media formats. This workshop will introduce free tools to create video tutorials for your students along with tips and tricks for making the videos on a time crunch! There will be a short 10 – 15 minute presentation and then time to practice, ask questions, and get a video recorded!
Wednesday, Aug 5 (10-11 am)
The Magic of Appreciation: Build A Strong Relationship with Your Virtual Event P2P Fundraisers (Nonprofit Hub)
You have the power to transform a transactional relationship into a solid, long-term partnership! Maureen will share practical examples of ways to engage your P2P fundraisers, draw them more deeply into your organization, and help them raise more money. Whether you’re a virtual P2P event pro or if this is your first rodeo, you’ll come away with fresh ideas and inspiration.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (11-12 pm)
REopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums (REALM): An Overview of the COVID-19 Research Project (Federal Depository Library Program)
OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Battelle have partnered to produce science-based information on how long the COVID-19 virus survives on materials that are prevalent in libraries, archives, and museums. The webinar will describe the project activities, point to information resources, and discuss findings from the first phase of laboratory testing.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (11-12 pm)
COVID-19: How to Cope with Ongoing Isolation (SirsiDynix)
Join Brigham Young University psychology and neuroscience professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad as she shares her insight into how social distancing practices are affecting our minds, why relationships are important, and helpful habits we can implement to cope.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (11-12 pm)
Data Visualization Tools (IdealWare)
Data can be hard to decipher when it’s listed in a table or as a string of numbers. In this webinar, we’ll show you the kinds of tools available to help you not only make your data attractive and interesting, but that will help you analyze your data for trends and surprises.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (12-1 pm)
Telling the Story of Volunteer Impact (VolunteerMatch)
This webinar will help you move past number of volunteers and number of hours and start telling the real story. You’ll learn about information gathering and the key components to good storytelling, how to evaluate your current measurements and how to build support for a more thorough measurement and evaluation program, and how to engage other staff – paid and volunteer – in this work. You’ll also receive a worksheet to help you begin to tell the story of volunteer impact in your organization.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (12-1 pm)
Introduction to Finding Grants (Candid Learning)
Are you new to the field of grantseeking? Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory course.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (12-1 pm)
Foundations: Information Literacy and Primary Sources (Library of Congress)
Information literacy involves multiple skills, including examining information sources in a variety of media; evaluating claims and evidence; identifying bias; and researching for additional information. In this interactive webinar, participants will apply these information literacy skills to historical primary sources from the Library of Congress and reflect on how these strategies may be used with their students.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (12-1 pm)
Roles for Medical Librarians in Graphic Medicine: Discovery, Access, and Beyond (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
Join Medical Librarians to hear about how they use Graphic Medicine in their work with colleagues, students, and staff. Panel participants will also discuss the past, current and future role of Medical Librarians in the Graphic Medicine Community and take questions from attendees.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (1-2 pm)
The Power of Your School Librarian in a COVID-19 World: Harnessing Technology, Literacy, and Community (Saddleback Educational Publishing)
As you prepare for a school year like no other and seek resources to effectively utilize technology, develop literacy, and build community relationships, look no further than your school librarian. Join Washington, D.C., public school librarians K.C. Boyd, Sherri Jones, and Christopher Stewart for this FREE webinar where they will highlight the extraordinary knowledge and tools librarians bring to our new schooling reality. From rolling out digital learning plans to distributing books and supplies, this webinar will open your eyes to the power of these often overlooked professionals during these unpredictable times.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (3-4 pm)
The 4 Steps to Creating Intellectually-Safe Classrooms Anywhere to Level Up Rigor for Diverse Learners (Culturally Responsive Education by Design)
Do you want to keep your eye on equity, but not sure how to do it in a distance learning situation? Join Zaretta Hammond to explore common challenges, get tips on creating the right conditions, and strenthen your ability to support every student.
Wednesday, Aug 5 (5-6 pm)
AASL Town Hall: Leading Learning (American Association of School Librarians)
AASL Town Halls return as educators prepare to return to school – in whatever format the learning environment may take. Join AASL leadership and your colleagues to talk about how you’re updating your practice based on lessons learned from the spring.
Thursday, Aug 6 (10-11 am)
Positive Approaches to Addressing Problem Behaviors of Students with Severe Disabilities – Part 1 (AbleNet)
Problem behaviors interfere with student learning, educational advancement, interactions with peers and adults and school success. This webinar session, augmented with multiple scenarios of students experiencing challenging behaviors, will demonstrate: 1) proactive strategies for adapting the environment so triggering events are removed; 2) teaching new skills to the student that will replace problem behaviors; and 3) maximizing clear rewards for appropriate behavior.
Thursday, Aug 6 (12-12:30 pm)
How to Pair and Share DocsTeach Activity Sets (National Archives)
Discover how to use DocsTeach.org to help your students make sense of the stories, events, and ideas of the past with primary sources and engaging online activities.
Thursday, Aug 6 (12-1 pm)
Pathways to Innovation: From Informal to Intentional (Bloomerang)
Carol Hamilton will share a design thinking process to help you create solutions that are grounded in the experience of your stakeholders and informed by their feedback through a co-creation process.
Thursday, Aug 6 (1-2 pm)
Opportunity Out of Adversity: Digital Access in Rural and Small Libraries (WebJunction and ARSL)
This presentation will explore how one rural library has improved internet access in partnership with an internet service provider, hosted telehealth appointments in collaboration with healthcare providers and transportation agencies, worked with schools to ensure opportunities for youth through esports, and improved digital literacy skills for patrons and local businesses.
Thursday, Aug 6 (3-4 pm)
Building Resilience, A Pre-Application Webinar for Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change (Programming Librarian)
Join us for this free webinar to learn more about Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) that will help libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations that address the climate crisis. Applications from public and academic libraries are invited through September 10, 2020. Resilient Communities will provide screening access for five documentaries, $1,000 grants for diverse local programs, and professional development and networking opportunities to 25 libraries for 2020-2021 activities and events. A Resilient Communities Programming Guide, to be published this fall, will also be provided to support successful and creative implementation and evaluation.
Friday, Aug 7 (10:30-12 pm)
Facilitating STEM Programming in Libraries (Montana State Library)
Come learn how to facilitate engaging, fun, and educational STEM programming! You don’t have to be a subject matter expert to show how cool STEM can be – join Anne Holland and Stephanie Vierow-Fields from the Space Science Institute and learn how to engage learners through thoughtful questions, encouraging discussion, and leveraging the knowledge your patrons bring to the program. This is a hands-on online session – participants will receive Kit 2: Be a Nasa Detective from the NASA @ My Library program before the webinar, and will “unbox” and explore the activities in the kit during the session.
Friday, Aug 7 (12-1 pm)
Booklist’s Women (and Girls) in Focus Panel (Booklist)
Booklist will be honoring the historic moment of the hundredth anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment by celebrating the voices of all women, and girls, everywhere. In this free, one hour event, Books for Youth senior editor Maggie Reagan will talk with Camryn Garret, author of FULL DISCLOSURE; Julie Berry, author of WISHES AND WELLINGTONS; Amy McCulloch, author of UNLEASHED; and Kate Messner, author of the History Smashers series about writing strong female protagonists, what and who inspired their writing, and their efforts to empower the voices of all female readers!
Friday, Aug 7 (12-1 pm)
Three Steps to Thriving in Chaos (Effectiveness Institute)
The turbulence of current events increases stress, drains energy and reduces productivity. In this webinar, you’ll learn three essential steps for not only surviving but thriving in the chaos.
Friday, Aug 7 (12-1 pm)
The 4 Steps to Creating Intellectually-Safe Classrooms Anywhere to Level Up Rigor for Diverse Learners (Culturally Responsive Education by Design)
Do you want to keep your eye on equity, but not sure how to do it in a distance learning situation? Join Zaretta Hammond to explore common challenges, get tips on creating the right conditions, and strenthen your ability to support every student.
From the Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Originally, before the pandemic, new contactless technologies such as self-service kiosks and patron print management tools were developed for use in libraries for two main reasons:
Depending on a library’s size or situation, implementing these features could be seen as merely perks, even unnecessary frills. They were often just nice add-ons, ways to make the library feel more modern and state-of-the-art.
It wasn’t too hard to level criticism at these particular contactless services back then. They could be considered barriers to connection between the library and the community it served. Using them meant patrons had little to no interaction with staff, thought to be the heart of the library. The concern was patrons might lose that personal touch that should go with library services, and the library itself would become more remote and distant. Soulless, automated machines would serve as the face of the library, replacing the crucial community-building work of friendly, caring, and human staff. Beyond the thinking in this regard, there was the added expense and staff training sometimes needed to implement this new technology. And for many, it was seen as an unnecessary reliance on new technology to perform library services that had traditionally been done by hand (and quite well, thank you) for as long as libraries have been around.
And then the pandemic happened.
We’re seeing now that there is suddenly a new purpose to these contactless technologies: safety! No longer are they nice perks; they’re necessary and potentially life-saving.
One can now add the following reasons to implement:
Efficiency (reason # 1) is even more important now if libraries are experiencing staff loss or volunteers being let go. With brand new safety measures and pandemic-related services to be performed, staff have less time to handle the basic services of circulation, public access computer management, printing, etc. To list just a few of the added tasks: clean surfaces repeatedly, fill curbside orders, present virtual programs, assist patrons phoning in to make appointments to come into the building, etc., etc.
One big change is there often needs to be fewer public access computers due to spacing requirements, ensuring patrons stay six feet apart. Having fewer computers means more demand, so a library needs a new system in place, if there wasn’t one already, that sets reservations and enforces time limits — or the library needs to include more portable computers like laptops and tablets so patrons can use these devices throughout the space to stay socially distant from one another.
To sum up: self-service used to mean efficiency and convenience. Now self-service equals safety.
Decades ago, with the emergence of computers and networks, libraries had a significant phase of automation to convert their card catalogs to OPACs and ILSs. Now we are entering the Second Age of Automation. It’s not only the catalogs, but every library service that needs to become automated to make it contactless and safe.
To help guide you through this new technological age we’re living in now, Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) staff have put together a list of products for contactless services. (Google Doc).
These are organized by service area:
Here are a few of the innovative highlights from the grid that may not have occurred to some:
If you’d like to learn more about library tech for contactless service, join the TSLAC’s free interactive discussion webinar on August 18, from 1-2:30 p.m. MDT.
From the Colorado Virtual Library
The Wyoming State Archives and the Campbell County Rockpile Museum recently became partners of the Plains to Peaks Collective (PPC) sharing over 19,000 items with the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). With these recent additions, there are now seven Wyoming institutions collectively sharing over 119,000 unique historic items with DPLA’s large audience of researchers, students, teachers and general history enthusiasts.
New PPC partner the Campbell County Rockpile Museum’s collection focuses on local and regional history with an emphasis on the culture and people of Gillette and the Powder River Basin. If you’re not from Wyoming, like me, you may be wondering where the name Rockpile originated. The first four settlers in Gillette centered their claims near this now famous pile of rocks. This long standing landmark, located near the railhead of the Burlington & Missouri Railroad, let visitors know they had arrived in Gillette. The land that is home to the rockpile was donated to the county in 1970 and four years later the Museum opened.
The Rockpile Museum collection is vast with over 35,000 artifacts, photographs and archival items. Visitor highlights include the coal mining artifacts which help visitors gain a better understanding of Wyoming’s surface mining technique, or open-pit mining, as well as the land reclamation process. Coal mining began in the county as early as 1909 and remains a vital industry to Gillette’s growth. One staff favorite are the WWI letters found in the Museum’s archival collection. Readers can “get a real sense of the importance of family to these soldiers, how they were dealing with difficult circumstances, and how much they loved Wyoming.”
Like many institutions, the museum was closed to in person visitors for a short time this past spring. Thankfully they are back open with the new normal of social distancing in place. The museum staff is dedicated to adding collections to their online database so the public can always explore the collection.
Sharing our collections online is important because these collections belong to the people of Campbell County; we are stewards of these items, but the stories belong to the community. We hope to continue to engage people in the history of this region so we can continue to carry out our mission to collect, preserve, and educate about the Powder River Basin. Only a small percentage of collections ever go on exhibit, so having an online presence where we can share the complete collection and the stories behind these items is extremely important to all of the staff here at the Rockpile Museum.
New PPC partner the Wyoming State Archives collects and preserves the records that document the history of the state and the activities of Wyoming’s government offices. While they are the primary repository of state government records they are home to numerous non-government records as well that document aspects of Wyoming life. These include personal papers (letters, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, writings, etc.), business records, and records of clubs and organizations.
The State Archives collections are an invaluable resource to those researching the life of early Wyoming pioneers and residents. Thankfully the Archives has made many of these collections available online. Of special note is the Wilkerson Biographies Collection — a series of biographies of Wyoming pioneers collected by Peter M. Wilkerson. Often handwritten these biographies detail aspects of an individual’s life including where they were originally from and their employment once they were living in Wyoming.
E. Amoretti – banker, merchant, and stock and sheep grower, – of Lander is a native of Italy, where he was born in 1839. He received a military education, but at the age of fifteen went to Central America and remained two years going thence to California and for the next twenty years devoted himself to mines and merchandise. In 1868, Mr A. came to Wyoming, opened a store in South Pass, and during the following year bought Carbon Mine of Mr. Custen for $34,000.
Another excellent online source of genealogical information is the Wyoming State Archives WPA Federal Writers Project Files Collection. The Federal Writers’ Project was created in 1935 as part of the United States Work Progress Administration to provide employment for historians, teachers, writers, librarians, and other white-collar workers. The State Archives collection compiled between 1935 and 1942 by Wyoming employees of the WPA Federal Writers’ Project and the Wyoming Historical Records Survey, contains 9,230 digital records. Much of the digitized content records the history of individuals including family lineage, employment information, biographical narratives and various field notes recorded by the WPA workers. Other digitized content in the collection includes the history of counties, municipalities, churches and military forts.
The PPC, the Colorado-Wyoming Service Hub of the DPLA, is one of only a few dual state hubs. We actively work to share the historic collections from both of our states. We are very excited about our new Wyoming partners and look forward to building more partnerships in the future. We strive to make the process of sharing collections with the DPLA as easy as possible. We hope that all of our partners feel the way staff at the Campbell County Rockpile Museum does.
The collections staff was surprised and excited that the process of sharing our collections with DPLA was extremely easy. We thought that the process would require a lot of changes to our catalog records, but we were happy to know that we could begin sharing our collections right away.
If you would like to share collections with the DPLA or if you just have questions about the program please contact Leigh Jeremias, at ljeremias@coloradovirtuallibrary.org. For more information about the PPC visit the website.
Do you have a Wyoming collection you’d like to add, and you are using PastPerfect software? Assistance may be available through a grant project funded by the Wyoming Community Foundation. Contact Susan Mark, Wyoming State Library Outreach Librarian, at susan.mark@wyo.gov or (307) 777-5915.
Participation by Wyoming partners is supported by the Wyoming State Library.
The August 2020 Wyoming State Library training calendar is now available with 95 live webinars, one online conference, and five to watch “At Your Leisure.” Every training opportunity on this list is free and offered online. Topics include advocacy, planning, careers, children and teens, collection development, communication, databases, managing change, fundraising, legal, management, outreach and partnerships, programming, readers’ advisory, reference, school libraries, technology, training and instruction, and volunteers.
View, download, or subscribe to the calendar at library.wyo.gov/services/training/calendar.
Would you like some gentle reminders for your patrons to wear masks in your library building? The Wyoming State Library has created these posters for you to use. Click on the image for a full-size downloadable JPG you can print and post in your building.
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From the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners
The construction team from Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner’s (MBLC) Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program (MPLCP) has come up with a new way to connect with librarians and others interested in public library construction. The “Building Literacy: Public Library Construction” podcast explores all topics relevant to the entire construction process.
In the podcast, companies and firms are and will be featured, sharing their expertise and knowledge with library building project stakeholders in an effort to create a better, more informed experience. In no way does the featuring of these companies or firms on this podcast constitute an endorsement or a promotion of those companies or firms by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. These interviews are meant to serve as an educational resource only.
Future episodes will include everything from advocacy and fundraising to what to expect a year after your new and improved public library opens. Questions stemming from an existing episode, specific topic suggestions for other episodes, or interest in being interviewed for a mentorship and lessons learned episode, may be sent to MBLC Library Building Specialist Andrea Bunker at andrea.bunker@state.ma.us
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has published the dataset from the 2017 Public Libraries Survey. This provides a look at public library use, financial health, staffing, and resources from reporting year 2017.
Highlights in this report:
For over 30 years, IMLS has published this information collected from over 9,000 public library systems representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and US territories.
To see more library statistics, many specific to Wyoming, visit the Wyoming State Library’s Statistics page. For assistance, contact Thomas Ivie, WSL Research & Statistics Librarian, at thomas.ivie@wyo.gov or (307) 777-6330.
The Wyoming State Library is one of seven Federal Depository Libraries in the state. These offer a selection of government documents and digital resources to patrons of all ages as part of the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). Tekla Slider, WSL Federal Documents Librarian (seen here in her snazzy FDLP mask), features a few things you can do:
Whatever federal government information questions you may have, an FDLP library can help. Find one near you, or contact us here at the Wyoming State Library at statelibrary@wyo.gov or (307) 777-6333.
Wyoming’s museums contain unique historical resources, and the Wyoming State Library is working to make those collections accessible to the world online in the Digital Public Library of America, thanks to a grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation.
Earlier this year, the State Library received the $14,850 grant to purchase software upgrades and support hosting fees enabling up to 11 museums to join the DPLA, a free portal that allows visitors to discover nearly 39 million unique items and go directly to the digital collections held at the home institution. The WYCF made the grant through the Carol McMurry Library Endowment.
The initial group of museums that chose to participate include the Sweetwater County Historical Museum, the Rock Springs Historical Museum, The Brinton Museum, and the Historic Bishop Home. The project goal is to bring thousands of digitized items online as a resource for Wyoming library staff and patrons, as well as students, teachers, researchers, and history buffs everywhere.
“It’s an exciting project,” said Susan Mark, WSL Outreach Librarian. “The museums have been great partners and we’re happy to see their exhibits brought to a wider audience.”
The Wyoming State Library, in partnership with the Colorado State Library, is part of the Plains to Peaks Collective in DPLA. The WSL uses federal Library Services and Technology Act funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to support the ability of all Wyoming institutions to add their materials to this DPLA Hub.
The Wyoming Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works with donors to support the charitable causes they care most about. In 2019 the Wyoming Community Foundation granted over $11 million to charitable causes across the state.
