1. Office of Recovery and Reinvestment acts as clearinghouse for information on recovery programs
2. LSTA meeting and public hearing scheduled
3. Public library and system annual reports deadline
4. Free webinar: The Customer Focused Library
5. ALTAFF and Nordstrom to award "Books for Babies" grants
6. Website of the Week - Official U.S. Time
7. Calendar
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1. OFFICE OF RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACTS AS CLEARINGHOUSE FOR INFORMATION ON RECOVERY PROGRAMS
The Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment has announced changes to its website that allows the public to search a database of recovery programs funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This new page is designed to assist local governments, tribal governments, businesses, individuals, educational institutions, non-profits, and others in locating information about sources of funding and other assistance provided through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"With President Obama's signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last week, the Office of Recovery and Reinvestment has entered the next phase of its service to the people of Wisconsin," said Gary Wolter, head of the Office of Recovery and Reinvestment. "Because the new law channels the majority of funds to existing federal, state, and local programs, our office has shifted its focus to act as a clearinghouse that connects stakeholders to these programs."
In addition to providing recovery program information, the Office of Recovery and Reinvestment will work with others on recovery efforts across the state and coordinate the reporting and accountability standards in the new law.
To visit the office's new webpage, please visit
http://www.recovery.wisconsin.gov and click on the "Program Search" tab at the top of the page.
The federal website that provides information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is at
http://www.recovery.gov/.
2. LSTA MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED
Wisconsin's LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) Advisory Committee will meet in Madison on Wednesday and Thursday, April 8 and 9, at the Crowne Plaza, 4402 East Washington Avenue, Madison, to discuss grant proposals and make award recommendations for LSTA projects to take place in 2010.
As part of the meeting, there will be a public hearing beginning at 1 p.m. on April 8 for interested persons to make suggestions on the LSTA program for 2010. Final guidelines for the 2010 LSTA program will be developed in March 2010. If you are unable to attend the public hearing, written comments may be submitted by letter, fax, or e-mail to Terrie Howe, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI
53707-7841; fax number (608) 266-2529; email address
teresa.howe@dpi.wi.gov. Testimony must arrive by 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 7, for inclusion in the hearing.
3. PUBLIC LIBRARY AND SYSTEM ANNUAL REPORTS DEADLINE
Monday, March 2, was the deadline to complete and submit public library and library system annual reports on funding and activities for the 2008 calendar year. So far, 326 out of 386 public library and county reports have been filed, and 15 out of 17 public library system reports.
Public library annual reports are required to be completed by all public libraries and county libraries under Wis. Stats. s. 43.58(6). Reports are required to be filed with the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning, as well as with the library's municipality, within 60 days after the conclusion of the fiscal year.
Any library that has not completed the annual report or has not submitted it electronically should do so promptly. Questions can be directed to the library's system staff or to John DeBacher at (608) 266-7270 or at
john.debacher@dpi.wi.gov
4. FREE WEBINAR: THE CUSTOMER FOCUSED LIBRARY
On Tuesday, March 17, at 1:00 p.m., WebJunction is offering a free online webinar relating the process and results of a retail study of four libraries in the greater Chicago area. The Metropolitan Library System, in partnership with four member libraries, wrote an LSTA grant to bring in a nationally recognized retail space consulting firm to help understand the changing needs of library patrons. Four libraries in the Chicago area, three public and one academic, were studied for two days each, utilizing a combination of observation, interviews, and video.
Researchers used mapping programs to track and time patrons' movements and interactions within the library; library patrons were given an exit survey to discover their experience in the library and what services they use; and small video cameras were installed in key areas of the libraries in order to capture behavioral patterns, traffic flow, and wait and transaction times. Staff from the library system and two of the participating libraries will discuss the process of the study, and what changes were initiated from the results.
Registration is required for the webinar and information about it can be found on the WebJunction site at
http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1562
Information on the study, along with the full report and a Best Practices summary, can be found at
http://www.webjunction.org/interpersonal/articles/content/8052613
5. ALTAFF AND NORDSTROM TO AWARD BOOKS FOR BABIES GRANTS
In partnership with Nordstrom, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), will award 20 grants of $500 each to match $1,000 raised by selected Friends of the Library groups, women's groups, libraries, and other non-profit organizations for purchasing "Books for Babies" kits from ALTAFF.
"Books for Babies" is a national literacy program that acquaints parents of newborns with the important role they play in the development of their children. Parents are presented with a "Books for Babies" kit containing a board book for baby, baby's first library card, and a variety of brochures with reading tips and early literacy information from nationally recognized educational organizations. Organizations such as Friends of the Library groups, women's clubs, and Junior Leagues purchase "Books for Babies" packets. Groups often supplement the packets with information about local resources, including library locations and contact information, as well as details about lapsit and preschool story hours.
In 2008, more than 5,000 "Books for Babies" kits were distributed to newborns and their parents through a year-long partnership with Nordstrom.
Ten grants will be awarded in each of two cycles. The deadline for the first round of grants is April 1. An additional 10 matching grants will be awarded in October with an application deadline of October 1. Additional information and the application form can be found online at
http://www.folusa.org/outreach/bfbgrants.php. Any type of non-profit organization with a current program or interested in starting a "Books for Babies" program is encouraged to apply.
6. Website of the Week
Official U.S. Time --
http://www.time.gov/ -- This website is public service cooperatively provided by the two time agencies of the United States: the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the United States Naval Observatory. Readings from the clocks of these two agencies contribute to world time, called Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The time maintained by both agencies should never differ by more than 0.0000001 seconds from UTC. The web site is intended as a time-of-day service only and should not be used to measure frequency or time interval, nor should it be used to establish traceability to NIST or the USNO. The site also features links to other time-related websites, including a link to an exhibit about Daylight Savings Time, which begins at 2 a.m. this Sunday, March 8.
7. CALENDAR
March 13, 2009 - Council on Library and Network Development, by videoconference
March 22-24, 2009 - Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association Spring Conference, Madison
April 8-9, 2009 - LSTA Advisory Committee meeting, Madison
April 12-18, 2009 - National Library Week
April 21-24, 2009 - Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians Annual Conference, Green Lake
May 6-8, 2009 - Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries Spring Conference, Wisconsin Dells
June 8, 2009 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee, Madison
June 28-July 1, 2009 - National Educational Computing Conference, Washington D.C.
July 9-15, 2009 - American Library Association Annual Conference, Chicago
October 12, 2009 - Library Information Technology Advisory Committee, Madison
October 20-23, 2009 - Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference, Appleton
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To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe, go to:
http://dpi.wi.gov/channel/chweekly.html
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Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning
PO Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 266-6439
FAX: (609) 266-8770
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn M. Wise (608) 266-6439
Last updated on 3/6/2009 1:13:38 PM
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