WMRLS-One-Blog

ALA Book Cart Drill Winners ... The Oak Park Public Library Warrior Librarians

2009-07-13T19:31:00.003-04:00

Featured on National Public Radio -

Librarians Go Wild For Gold Book Cart by Gabriel Spitzer

Plus ~ YouTube of previous library book cart competition (below)

MSLA en Mass. ~ The Next Best Thing to Attending ALA Annual!

2009-07-10T18:36:00.004-04:00

From the MSLA en Mass. Blog "MSLA members will be attending the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago July 9-15. Join us here as we document our experiences.

Plus ...

ALA's Blogging Annual Website

And

ALA's Microblogging Annual

Greenfield Community College Library's Award Winning Library Video

2009-07-10T18:18:00.000-04:00

From YouTube: "At Greenfield Community College using a 70's Charlies Angel's theme, the Library staff creatively promotes the Library services. Greenfield Community College was awarded 2009 Massachusetts Library Association, Public Relations Award in the Media Presentation Category for this video."

Buckland Public Library Presents ...

2009-07-06T17:06:00.002-04:00

Buckland Public Library presents

Pizza Pie & The Sky

For: Individuals aged 10-100

On: Friday night, July 10th, 7-9:00 pm

At: Buckland Public Hall at 17 Upper Street (behind the church)

Celebrate the wonders of summer -- and all that leisure time you will have to gaze at the sky -- by joining friends and amateur astronomer Paul Cardone of East Longmeadow for an interactive media presentation on deep sky and its infinite possibilities. Paul is a longtime member of the Springfield Stars Club, and is well known for his wry wit and lively presentations to audiences throughout Western Massachusetts. You don't have to reply in order to come to this free event, but we'll have more pizza if you do! Email ljacobson-carroll@cwmars.org with the number of folks you will be bringing.

and . . .

Stories of the Stars

For: Kids of single-digit ages

On: Saturday morning, July 11th, 10:00-11:00 am

At: Buckland Public Hall 17 Upper Street (behind the church)

Enjoy a star-studded slide show about our solar system! Whirling, twirling, spinning, hurling, exploding, and burning: it is all happening out there, and you'll be better off knowing about it! Amateur astronomer Paul Cardone, of East Longmeadow, is a longtime member of the Springfield Stars Club, and is well known for his lively presentations to audiences throughout Western Massachusetts. A constellation of refreshments will be served. You don't have to reply in order to come to this free event, but adults who email ljacobson-carroll@cwmars.org with # of kids they plan to bring will be rewarded with ample coffee!

Buckland Public Library is located at 30 Upper Street, Buckland MA
Hours: Tuesday 2-8 pm, Friday 1-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-1 pm
Phone: 413-625-9412

NASA Administrator @South Hadley Public Library

2009-07-01T16:54:00.003-04:00

The head of NASA during the Carter administration will speak at the South Hadley Public Library on Tuesday, July 21 at 6:30.

Dr. Robert Frosch served as NASA Administrator from 1977-1981. While at NASA, Dr. Frosch was responsible for overseeing the continuation of the development effort on the Space Shuttle. During his tenure the project underwent testing of the first orbiter, Enterprise, at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility in southern California. The orbiter made its first free flight in the atmosphere on August 12, 1977.

Dr. Frosch has also served as an Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, and Vice-President of General Motors. He is still active in scientific and technical policy activities, serving as a Senior Associate at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

For more information, contact the library at 413-538-5045 or visit them online at http://www.shadleylib.org

Friends of WMRLS facebook page

2009-07-01T15:41:00.006-04:00

Hi all:
The Friends of WMRLS has a brand new Facebook page. So far, even though its existence has not yet been published, we have 11 fans! Why don't you become a fan, too. So far, the Friends of CMRLS has 31 fans. Let's see if we can beat them! All in fun of course. ;-)

Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Whately-MA/Friends-of-WMRLS/98164952633?ref=s

Please post to the page. The Friends will be posting events as they happen, information on upcoming Friends' meetings and the like. Add what you would like to see on the page.

If you see something on the page that should be there that I've forgotten please post that so I can add/fix, etc.

And -- most importantly, thanks to Janet Eckert for formatting the Friends' logo and to Julie Bartlett for figuring out what I did wrong and fixing it!

Forbes Library Budget Announcement

2009-06-29T14:08:00.001-04:00

Press Release June 29, 2009

The Trustees and staff of Forbes Library are grateful to the voters of Northampton who passed the override. Director Janet Moulding said that the library will still have to make cuts in services for FY10 because of reductions in the library’s income, but because of funds from the override, those cuts will be much less severe.

Because of reduced income from the city appropriation and state aid, the library will spend less for books, DVDs and library supplies. The only reduction in hours will be that the library will close on Saturdays this summer from July 4th through September 5th. The library will resume its current hours after Labor Day. “We are sorry to inconvenience any of our patrons because we know how important library services are to Northampton, especially in tough economic times. Our usage has increased by 20% since July 2008! We are hoping the economy will improve in the next couple of years, so Forbes can resume summer Saturdays and ideally increase hours in the future,” said Moulding.

Funds from the override have also enabled Forbes to keep its state certification which entitles the library to state aid, grant eligibility and, most importantly, interlibrary loan privileges. Said Moulding, “Without certification, residents of Northampton could not request books and videos from other libraries through interlibrary loan. We couldn’t even go to another library and check out materials. Without certification, Northampton would become isolated from the whole library consortium.” Because of the override, Forbes will also be able to keep the Hampshire Room for Local History and the Calvin Coolidge Museum open for limited hours each week. “We are relieved that we won’t have to turn away historians and genealogists. Our collections are essential to many people’s research,” said Moulding.

Starting July 4th, Forbes will be open from 9:00 to 9:00 on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 1:00 to 5:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 9:00 to 5:00 on Fridays. The library will be closed Saturdays and Sundays until Labor Day.

Contact information:
Janet Moulding
Forbes Library
20 West Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413-587-1016
jmoulding@forbeslibrary.org

Survey - Statewide Delivery Working Group on Ergonomics and Safety

2009-06-25T15:42:00.003-04:00

Dear Massachusetts libraries of all types and sizes:

The Statewide Delivery Ergonomic Work Group needs your input. With delivery becoming such a major issue for libraries, we’d like to collect information about equipment and furniture you have found that makes your delivery areas and operations easier and safer. We will post the results, and will also include them in delivery workshops to be conducted across the State in the fall.

If you have items to suggest, please participate in our brief survey at

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=iCcOLDBP0emb25nRYUCRsw_3d_3d

Please try to coordinate within your library to avoid duplicate suggestions from your library.

It would help if you can supply a link to the specific item from the vendor’s web catalog. Otherwise, we’d like at least the name of the vendor and the name of the product. It would really help if you can also supply us with the item’s catalog number, if you can find it easily. And, if you can think of something that might be useful but you don’t know if it exists, where to get it, or what it costs, let us know. We’ll do our best to locate it for you and for everyone.

Thanks so much for your help in guiding libraries across the state to products that can make everyone’s work easier and safer. .

John Ramsay, Regional Administrator
Western Massachusetts Regional Library System
P.O. Box 609, South Deerfield, MA 01373
(413) 665-9898 x. 113
(413) 665-8877 fax
jramsay@wmrls.org
WMRLS Website: http://www.wmrls.org/

Top 10 WMRLS Webpages ~ June 2010

2009-06-24T15:42:00.004-04:00

What are the current Top 10 WMRLS Webpages?

Join our WMRLS WIMBA CE Coffee Break for a 7 minute webtour!

Name: WMRLS Classroom - 06/24/2009 13:39
URL: http://67.202.209.252/launcher.cgi?room=wmrls_classroom_2009_0624_1339_57

Instructions:
Select "Participant Login"
Room ID: wmrls_classroom
Name: (Write your name, pseudonym, and/or library name)

Note:

The first time that you visit this website, you may be prompted to run the Wimba Classroom Setup Wizard to ensure that your computer is ready to run this online continuing education program.

North Adams Public Library offers free passes to Herrmann’s Lipizzaner Stallions of Austria Event

2009-06-22T14:31:00.001-04:00

Attention Children’s Librarians:

The North Adams Public Library will be hosting the Herrmann’s Lipizzaner Stallions of Austria on Friday August 28 @ 7 pm, Saturday August 29 @ 7 pm and Sunday August 30 @ 2 pm and offers your library two complimentary tickets to be used as prizes for your summer reading program.

If your library is interested in receiving two free tickets please respond to this email and we will send them to you in delivery. Children under six are free, so if a child under six is awarded this ticket during the Summer Reading Program, the ticket may be used by the adult that brings this child. The cost of a ticket is $12 for adults and $8 for children 6-13.

Contact: North Adams Public Library [napl@bcn.net]

Beth Gallaway presents: Pain in the Brain (Library Behavior)

2009-06-20T08:41:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all of you who participated in the WMRLS workshop "Pain in the Brain" that I facilitated on Wednesday morning, June 10 at the WMRLS headquarters in Whatley MA! Notes, slides, photos and podcasts (somewhat muted audio - be sure to turn up the volume!) follow.

Audio from all sessions is online at http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&id=30366.

Beth G.

Notes: Icebreaker: Things we find rewarding about working with teens

Links: http://www.delicious.com/informationgoddess29/brain

Drawing Exercise

Drawing Exercise Audio: http://www.gabcast.com/index.php?a=episodes&query=&b=play&id=30366&cast=141871&castPage=

Group 1: Draw a TEEN, from a LIBRARIAN pov

androgynous
ipod
cell phone
texting
talking
trendy clothing
eyes are - asleep or bored
piercing
love wikipedia
barefoot or expensive sneakers that are untied or sandals in winter
packs
text the pack when alone
unlit
tattoos
emo hair
food & drink
trail of trash
waste
games
facebook or myspace
chewing tobacco, sunflower seeds

Group 2: Draw a LIBRARIAN, from a TEEN pov

old (at least over 25)
concerned with enforcing rules (no skateboards, no cell phones, no talking loudly, no running, no food & drink, no FUN)
"Do Not Disturb" sign
behind a desk
frowning
bun & specs
image may depend on where you grow up and the environment
shushing action
fists
ruler!
alone
computer screen as a wall

Group 3: Draw a TEEN, from a TEEN pov

important thing is being watched (through a magnifying glass)
in a group
high tech (cell phone, laptop, ipod)
designer clothes
librarian: you're too loud
being judged all the time
fashion
concern - is he looking at me? am i measuring up
hormonal
multiple groups
look older & sophistcated alone, younger when with parents
insecure
self-absorbed
adults are insignificant - interfering annoying sound
hungry for adult approval, ear to bend
play it off as cool
pulled in multiple directions (social pressure, school, etc)

Group 4: Draw a LIBRARIAN, from a LIBRARIAN pov

androgynous
many hats all at one time
cape with a bolt of lightening
superhuman
flat shoes
specs
smiling
pleasant
computers AND books (Twilight)
pulled in many directions
social pressures

Questions for the group:
Are there any similarities in these images?
Does we all look like this? Do teens?

Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/informationgoddess29/wmrls09brain

Wmrls09brain

Audio for Slides & Discussion:
Behavior Lecture & Discussion, Part 1
Behavior Lecture & Discussion, Part 2

Handouts:

Handout: Understanding the Brain
Handout: Brain Tip Sheet
Handout: YALSA's Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth
Handout: Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets for Adolescents
Book Coupon: Connecting Young Adults and Libraries, 4th Edition

West Springfield Public Library Promotes Summer Reading 2009 on YouTube

2009-06-15T14:20:00.004-04:00

New Monday Hours starting July 1

2009-06-15T12:51:00.003-04:00

Starting July 1, the Greenfield Public Library will have new Monday hours: 1:00pm - 8:00pm with hours the rest of the week remaining unchanged: Tuesday and Wednesday 9:30am - 8:00pm, Thursday and Friday 9:30am - 5:00pm, and Saturday 9:30am - 2:00pm.

With the monies budgeted by City Council, the Library will be able to remain open on Mondays, reducing service hours instead of closing for the day. Despite an overall budget cut and a loss of three positions, the Library staff is dedicated to remaining open as many hours as possible to serve the residents of Greenfield and the surrounding communities. Though saddened we will be losing Monday morning, the staff looks forward to seeing everyone throughout the summer and the rest of the year.

New Infotrac Password as of July 10!

2009-06-15T12:47:00.006-04:00

For libraries that use cookie authentication to access the Gale databases, the password will be changing on July 10 and you will need to re-set the password at each workstation in your library.

If all the computers in your library have a static IP address, you are unaffected by this and do not need to do anything!

You will soon receive a letter that includes the confidential password that you will use to re-authenticate your workstations. Under the terms of the state’s licensing agreement with Gale, this password is for use only by library staff responsible for database access and is not to be shared with other staff or with patrons.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Shirley Keech at skeech@wmrls.org or 413-665-9898, Ext 125.

UMass Amherst Libraries Goes Green with Recyclable Bags

2009-06-12T15:01:00.002-04:00

The UMass Amherst Libraries are discontinuing the use of plastic “rainy day” book bags. The Libraries now offer recyclable, compostable bags to users to protect their books from bad weather. The earth-friendly bags are available in the Du Bois Library lobby and at the Circulation desks of the Du Bois Library and the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library.

For more information, contact Emily Silverman at 545-0995, or essilverman@library.umass.edu.

Westhampton Library Groundbreaking Ceremony

2009-06-08T16:35:00.001-04:00

The Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Westhampton Library took place this Saturday, June 6. It was a perfect day, and a large crowd (200+ ?) showed up, most carrying shovels to help break the ground.

Event at the Carle

2009-06-05T16:31:00.002-04:00

At The Museum

Birthday Bash and Children's Book Festival with Western Massachusetts Illustrators’ Guild

June 13, 2009 ~ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Free with Museum Admission

Celebrate, connect and create!
In honor of Eric Carle’s 80th birthday and the 25th anniversary of the Western Massachusetts Illustrators' Guild (WMIG), The Carle is hosting a day filled with book-signings, readings, and demonstrations by WMIG artists, hands-on activities in the Art Studio, and special performances by Smithsonian Folkways Children's music recording artist Elizabeth Mitchell. Complimenting the art in the galleries will be an exhibit of original art by some of New England’s favorite illustrators as well as an art sale, silent auction, and raffle.

Featured artists include: David Costello, Diane deGroat, Elizabeth Finney, Linda Graves, John Steven Gurney, Laura Jacques, Gary Lippincott, Jeff Mack, Bob Marstall, Shelley Rotner, Ruth Sanderson, Nicole Tadgell, and David White. For more information on events, please visit www.carlemuseum.org/Programs_Events/Upcoming/WMIG

This event sponsored by FamilyFun magazine and The Bank of Western Massachusetts.

~ Rosemary Agoglia, Curator of Education, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 01002, t (413) 658-1114, f (413) 658-1139, rosemarya@carlemuseum.org

NEW! Our new Web address is http://www.carlemuseum.org

June 6 - Everyone Digs at Westhampton's Groundbreaking Ceremony

2009-06-05T12:37:00.004-04:00

Library Summer School - Take an online course for FREE!

2009-06-03T16:30:00.004-04:00

Greetings Colleagues,
One of the many benefits of WMRLS membership is free admission to WebJunction's online library continuing education workshops. The WebJunction course catalog covers a wide range of topics and is continually updated. Consult the WebJunction Online Course Catalog and complete our WMRLS Online CE Registration Form to receive a WMRLS code that will enable you to take the course for free. On June 15, WMRLS will issue the confidential coupon code to all staff of member libraries who complete our online registration form. This coupon code must be redeemed by August 31. You will have access to the course that you select for one full year.

Below is a selection of the topics covered by the WebJunction online courses. On June 15, WMRLS will issue a confidential coupon code to all staff of member libraries who complete our online registration form:

Application Software
Adobe Acrobat (8)
Crystal Reports (2)
Databases (19)
Desktop Publishing (12)
Excel (25)
Flash (3)
Graphics (13)
Microsoft Office (general) (4)
Outlook (23)
PowerPoint (13)
Project (16)
Visio (6)
Word (29)

Customer Service & Interpersonal Skills
Communication (11)
Customer Service (14)
Ethics & Values (6)
Interpersonal (41)
Learning (personal) (15)

Library Management
Advocacy & Outreach (1)
Budget & Finance (13)
Facilities Management (6)
Friends & Trustees (1)
Funding (1)
Marketing (12)
Policies & Procedures (3)
Library Services
Children (7)
Readers Advisory (1)
Reference & Information Resources (4)
Technical Services (8)
Young Adults & Teens (2)

Networking & Security
Email Systems (9)
General Networking (9)
General Security (17)
Servers (20)
Telecommunications (3)
Wireless (5)

Operating & Automation Systems
Linux (23)
Windows (17)

Organizational Management
Leading Organizations (28)
Legal Responsibilities (8)
Project Management (21)
Strategic Planning (12)

Personnel Management
Hiring (6)
Staff Training & Development (17)
Supervision (18)
Workplace Safety & Compliance (18)

Technology (general)
Basic Computer Support (4)
Hardware (4)
Technology Planning (16)
Video (5)

Web Design & Development
Web Design (33)
Web Development (19)

~ Sincerely, Janet Eckert, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System

The Agawam Public Library TWEETS!

2009-05-29T12:13:00.005-04:00

The Agawam Public Library is moving further along into the 2.0 world, and can now boast we have our very own Twitter page. Twitter is a form of social networking, which is nick-named micro-blogging, because of the short messages that may be posted. On our Twitter page you can find out information on Library Services, Resources, Programs and Events. Check out our Twitter page at http://twitter.com/agawamlibrary

~ Maria Yacovone, InterLibrary Loan Services, Agawam Public Library

Everyone flies to the Springfield City Library these days!

2009-05-27T15:15:00.005-04:00

A very unusual visitor to the Springfield City Library this morning!
Springfield City Library - A Place For You

~ Janet Stupak, Community Relations Coordinator, Springfield City Library

Update: MBLC Account (7000-9401)

2009-05-26T15:00:00.003-04:00

Dear WMRLS Library Supporters:

I’m pleased to share some GOOD NEWS in these difficult times!

The FY10 budgets of both Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate resulted in an increase of over 14% for the 6 Regional Library Systems in MBLC account (7000-9401). At the same time, there was no specific language about funding for Boston Public as Library of Last Recourse (LLR), so the amount the LLR gets from this account was decreased dramatically.

Since both the House and Senate versions of the budget were the same, this account is not subject to revisions by a legislative Conference Committee.

It is gratifying that the encouragement and advocacy of so many people made a real difference with our State legislators, who responded in a big way. We express our appreciation to our Representatives and Senators for their support of the Regions and the important services they provide, especially in this tough economy.

~ Thank you, John Ramsay, Regional Administrator, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System

Weeding with the CREW Method - WMRLS May 21 Continuing Education Workshop

2009-05-26T10:53:00.005-04:00

Weeding with the CREW Method

Summary of WMRLS May 21 Continuing Education Workshop:

This workshop explored the straightforward guidelines recommended in The CREW Method, a nationally recognized tool for intelligent de-selection. Through hands-on weeding, participants discovered for themselves that these methods really work! Belinda Boon, author of The CREW Method, presented the workshop to help participants identify reasons for and against weeding and discover how to overcome obstacles, learn how to weed using The CREW Method and practice techniques for weeding non-print and children’s materials. This workshop was funded by the Together We Thrive LSTA grant.

Visit the WMRLS Weeding the Library Collection Website for links to selected handouts and more! [Our WMRLS Weed It! For an Attractive and Useful Collection website was one of the first websites to cover this important collection development topic and continues to be among the Top 10 most visited pages on our 242 page website.]

Puppetry ~ WMRLS May 19 Continuing Education Workshop

2009-05-26T10:37:00.004-04:00

Puppetry

Summary of WMRLS May 19 Continuing Education Workshop:

Presenters Joan Knight, Director of the Jaffrey (NH) Public Library, and Judith Stoughton, Children's Librarian of the Mansfield (CT) Public Library demonstrated how to incorporate puppetry into library programs and make puppet magic. They offered practical ideas, tips, techniques and specific activities that can be transported to your library.

Resources on Puppetry Available from the WMRLS Professional Collection

Tips & Techniques: Storytelling with Puppets and Props. Library Video Network, 2002. [DVD PROF 027.62]

Leading Kids to Books Through Puppets by Caroline Feller Bauer. ALA, 1997. [PROF 027.625]

We the People Bookshelf awarded to Huntington Public Library

2009-05-26T10:09:00.003-04:00

The Huntington Public Library is pleased to announce that the Library is a recipient of the “We the People” Bookshelf grant that includes free hardcover editions of 17 children’s classics. The grants, presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association, are provided to support the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture in our library. Each year, the National Endowment for the Humanities identifies a theme to build the “We the People” Bookshelf. This year the theme for the bookshelf is “Picturing America”. In 2009, 4,000 school and public libraries in all 50 U.S. states were selected from a pool of more than 7,000 applicants to receive “We the People” Bookshelf grants.

The books will be available at the library for patrons to check out and read. For suggestions for programming or more information about library programs visit or telephone the Library. Telephone: 413/667/3506.

~ Margaret Nareau, Director, Huntington Public Library