1. Improving Literacy Through School Libraries grants awarded
2. DPI consultants participate in Teaching with Technology workshop
3. ALA to partner in White House volunteer effort
4. ALA updates guidelines for library services to older adults
5. Home Internet Broadband Connectivity Increases
6. Roles of public library technology in supporting E-government highlighted in new issues brief
7. 2009 ADA Anniversary Tool Kit available online
8. Website of the Week - The World Factbook
9. Calendar
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1. IMPROVING LITERACY THROUGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES GRANTS AWARDED
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded 2009 Improving Literacy Through School Libraries (LSL) grants to three Wisconsin School Districts. The School District of Bayfield, Milwaukee Public Schools, and the School District of Westfield will use the grants to improve reading achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and professionally certified school library media specialists.
The School District of Bayfield will receive $209,838 to purchase up-to-date K-8 resources, connect LaPointe Elementary Library to the district collection using wireless technology, extend school library hours, and provide professional development to improve K-3 literacy. Milwaukee Public Schools will receive $500,000 to address gaps in the resources available at the eleven participating schools. Grant activities will also strengthen implementation of the comprehensive literacy plan and support each school's educational plan. The School District of Westfield will fund the Westfield Library Connections Project with the $264,610 grant. Library media center (LMC) purchases will address previously identified collection deficiencies. The district will also acquire advanced technology by installing a web-based library circulation system that will facilitate access between buildings and from homes.
At a time when school library media staffing and funding are in jeopardy these grants are critical for high poverty districts to be able to provide the instruction, resources, and teacher support needed for student success.
2. DPI CONSULTANTS PARTICIPATE IN TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOP
Technology consultants Stuart Ciske and Donna Steffan from the Department of Public Instruction's (DPI) Instructional Media and Technology Team, took part in a 32-hour Teaching with Technology workshop sponsored jointly by Intel® and the DPI on June 15-18. The Intel® Teach Thinking with Technology Course builds on effective technology integration skills where educators learn to use free online tools to support the development and assessment of their students' higher-order thinking skills. This modular course provides face-to-face, hands-on experiences with unique online thinking tools that engage students and help them to communicate their understanding of complex concepts. The course was held in Sun Prairie and was offered as part of the Intel® Teach Program Grant that DPI received for 2009. For additional information on the Intel® Teach Program visit
http://www.intel.com/education/teach/us/teachers_schools.htm or contact Stuart Ciske at 608/267-9289 or
stuart.ciske@dpi.wi.gov.
3. ALA TO PARTNER IN WHITE HOUSE VOLUNTEER EFFORT
The American Library Association (ALA), along with a host of other non-profit organizations, will participate in United We Serve, a national effort launched by President Barack Obama to engage more Americans in serving their communities this summer.
Libraries will play a major role in this initiative, which was announced this week by the President.
The ALA and the White House are encouraging libraries to post volunteer opportunities at
http://www.serve.gov. As the initiative develops, the ALA will make available resources to assist libraries in conducting volunteer efforts. Visit
http://www.ala.org/unitedweserve for more information.
"In today's economic climate, libraries face increasing challenges in carrying out their mission to provide opportunities for lifelong learning. In an era when demand for library services is increasing but funding for them is declining, volunteers play an important role in supplementing the high-quality service library staff provide," said ALA President Jim Rettig. "We applaud the president's recognition of volunteers' value and his commitment to ensuring they continue to serve our society in many ways."
United We Serve kicks off on June 22 and runs through September 11, which will be marked for the first time as a national day of service and remembrance. The initiative focuses on four key areas: education, health, energy and the environment, and community renewal. It is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that improves lives and strengthens communities though volunteering and service.
"This summer, I'm calling on all of you to make volunteerism and community service part of your daily life and the life of this nation," said President Obama in his announcement. "Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing in your communities as what we're doing in Washington - and it's going to take all of us, working together."
"This presents a great opportunity for libraries of all types to involve young people as volunteers," said ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels. "This will also be a great opportunity to educate the public about the importance and vitality of America's libraries."
Libraries fit neatly into this new national initiative, since they already employ vast numbers of volunteers. One area where volunteers will prove especially valuable is summer reading. Summer reading programs are particularly effective in helping children avoid the "summer slide," the decline in reading skills that sometimes occurs during the long break from school.
Research has shown that children who participate in summer library reading programs are better equipped to continue their education in the fall when they return to school, demonstrating better vocabulary skills and increased comprehension.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service and President Obama's United We Serve initiative, is sponsoring a summer VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program to engage 19 individuals in intensive community service in Wisconsin schools, libraries, and non-profits. These 19 VISTAs are committing 8 weeks to fighting poverty, mobilizing volunteers, and developing sustainable community partnerships. They are working in public libraries in Racine, Ashland, Shiocton, Madison, Milwaukee, Woodville, Sheboygan, and at DPI's Reference and Loan Library. Non-profits and schools involved include Parents Plus of Wisconsin, National Alliance of Mental Illness in Milwaukee, Children's Outing Association (Milwaukee), South Madison Health and Family Center, Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center (Green Bay), Arbor Vitae Woodruff Elementary School, Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Program (Eau Claire), and Urban Day Head Start (Milwaukee).
DPI's Summer VISTA's kicked off their "summer of service" experience on Monday, June 22, with orientation and training to coincide with the beginning of the United We Serve initiative. All DPI Summer VISTA sites will promote local volunteer opportunities through serve.gov in hopes of engaging the greater community in the mission and vision of AmeriCorps VISTA.
4. ALA UPDATES GUIDELINES FOR LIBRARY SERVICES TO OLDER ADULTS
The American Library Association (ALA) has updated its "Guidelines on Library and Information Services to Older Adults." These guidelines, first developed in the 1970s, have been updated to respond to the changing demographics of an aging U.S. population. The current population of older adults is the most heterogeneous in U.S. history. These updated guidelines reflect a basic principle in library services to older adults that recognizes this diversity and discourages stereotyping in planning collections, programs and services for this growing population. For purposes of these guidelines, an "older adult" is defined as a person at least 55 years old.
The updating of these guidelines began in 2005. Current and past members of the Committee on Library Service to an Aging Population and the Office of Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) Library Service to the Aging Subcommittee contributed to this revision.
The Guidelines can be downloaded from this site:
http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/resources/guidelines/libraryservices.cfm.
5. HOME INTERNET BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY INCREASES
An April 2009 survey just released by the Pew Research Center shows that 63% of adult Americans now have broadband Internet connections at home. As a comparison, home broadband connectivity in April 2008 was 55%. Only 7% of adults still have a home dial-up connection and 2% connect to the Internet via other means. In total, 72% of adults now have some form of Internet access in their homes. Here are some other statistics from the latest survey:
-- Over the past year the average monthly bill for broadband service increased from $34.50 to $39.
-- 30% of adults with less than a high school education have home broadband access vs. 83% with a college degree.
-- 35% of households with annual incomes under $20,000 have broadband access at home vs. 82% for households with incomes over $75,000
-- 77% of adults age 18-29 have broadband access at home vs. just 30% of seniors over age 65.
The full report is available at
http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/10-Home-Broadband-Adoption-2009.aspx.
6. ROLES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPORTING E-GOVERNMENT HIGHLIGHTED IN NEW ISSUES BRIEF
In the fourth of a series of reports regarding technology access in U.S. public libraries, the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Research & Statistics (ORS) is highlighting how public library technology supports public access and use of e-government information and resources.
U.S. Public Libraries and E-Government Services describes the increased use of online government information and services, the critical role of public libraries in helping provide access and assistance using these resources, and the challenges that must be addressed to improve e-government at the local, state and federal level.
"Public libraries often are the only organizations within a community that can help individuals interact with government agencies and access e-government services," said ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels. "As more and more government information and services are becoming only available online, there is an urgent need for governments to collaborate with public libraries to provide e-government services that best meet community needs."
Among the findings from the national study are:
71 percent of libraries report they are the only source of free access to computers and the Internet in their community;
80 percent of libraries report providing as-needed assistance with e-government services;
61 percent of libraries report providing access to government information is one of the most critical Internet services they provide; and
Public libraries offer a number of training classes and/or as-needed assistance on a range of topics, particularly Internet use (92.8 percent), general computer skills (91.3 percent) and online Web searching (76.9 percent).
"U.S. Public Libraries and E-Government Services" was jointly authored by John Carlo Bertot, Shannon N. Simmons, and Dawn Borgardt at the University of Maryland (UMCP) Center for Library & Information Innovation; Jessica McGilvray in the ALA Office of Government Relations, and Larra Clark in the ALA Office for Research & Statistics.
Library staffs are encouraged to use these briefing papers as educational tools with community stakeholders, including elected officials, funders and program partners, as needed to raise awareness of the specific - and sometimes unique - concerns of libraries around technology deployment. Staff may also use this format as a template for providing local data and examples related to a given topic.
The briefing reports are not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to share key findings from the largest and longest-running study of Internet connectivity in libraries. The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ALA, continues work begun in 1994 by John Carlo Bertot and Charles R. McClure. The study assesses public access to computers, the Internet and Internet-related services in U.S. public libraries, as well as the impact of library funding changes on connectivity, technology deployment and sustainability.
You can download a copy of the issue brief at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/ors/plftas/IssuesBrief-Egov.pdf.
7. 2009 ADA ANNIVERSARY TOOL KIT AVAILABLE ONLINE
The Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) - Network of ADA Centers has announced the release of the 2009 Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Anniversary Tool Kit. The Tool Kit summarizes ADA achievements and offers informative materials designed to help plan and publicize ADA activities during the ADA Anniversary and throughout the year. The Tool Kit includes:
Overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008
ADA - Findings, Purpose, and History
The Americans with Disabilities Act from a Civil Rights Perspective
Americans with Disabilities Act Resources and Publications
Americans with Disabilities Act and Olmstead Resources
ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) Summary and Resources
Statistics You Can Use
The White House Agenda on Disabilities
Tips on Writing a News Release
Sample Proclamation: ADA Anniversary
National DBTAC Initiatives
The 2009 ADA Anniversary Tool Kit can be downloaded at
http://adaanniversary.org/.
8. Website of the Week
The World Factbook --
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ -- This website from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency contains a complete geographical handbook, featuring 267 full-color maps and flags of all nations. Each country profile tracks such demographics as population, ethnicity and literacy rates, as well as political, geographical and economic data.
9. CALENDAR
June 28-July 1, 2009 - National Educational Computing Conference, Washington D.C.
July 9-15, 2009 - American Library Association Annual Conference, Chicago
July 10, 2009 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, Madison
September 11, 2009 - Council on Library and Network Development meeting, Madison
October 15, 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 6/26/2009 8:58:31 AM
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