Fun with the 23 Things

We are having some fun with images today over at 23 Things. You can join the party by following my 23 Things blog at the aptly named Blogapalooza!.

If you haven't signed up yet for 23 Things, you still have until February 16th to join us.

People Counter added to Equipment Loan

Have you been wanting to stop counting with hand-held devices or tick marks on a piece of paper? For that next special event at your library, borrow the People Counter.


The People Counter can be easily installed on any doorway and keeps a count of folks passing through its infrared beam.

NEFLIN has just added this to our Equipment Loan Program. To reserve this device just e-mail us.

Stephanie accepts new Position

"It is time for a new challenge and I'm excited to announce that on February 2^nd I will be joining the Division of Library and Information Services Office of Development in Tallahassee.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had during my seven years at NEFLIN, including working with outstanding libraries and library staff, expanding my knowledge of library services, and working on exciting projects. I look forward to continuing these relationships as I move forward in my career."

Stephanie Race

[We wish you the best in your new position, Stephanie. You will be missed! -- NEFLIN staff]

Nicole Jebbia is Employee of the Year!

Congratulations to Nicole Jebbia of the St. Johns County Public Library. Nicole was recently named as the 2008
St. Johns County Government's Employee of the Year!

According to Michael Wanchick, St. John's County Administrator, "In 2008, Nicole not only modeled outstanding service, but developed a new project, displayed exemplary productivity and instituted innovative efficiencies that reduced spending, all qualities highly valued by our organization."

Courier Delivery - Annual Report

TBLC has released the Annual Report for the statewide courier delivery service (DLLI). Here are some highlights of what is happening with all those orange bags:

• 315,181 - Orange Bags moved by the vendor
• 504,290 - Estimated number of items moved if each bag averages 1.6 items
• $730,112 – Estimated savings compared to U.S. Mail.
• 220 - Participating libraries locations.
• 38,792 - Number of deliveries made by the vendor
• 123 – Number of items lost or damaged and paid for by the vendor
• Small-sized libraries saved over $5,000 annually
  
• Medium-sized libraries saved over $33,000 annually
• Larger libraries saved over $46,000 annually
  

Wow! After 10 years of service the courier program is still going strong.

College of DuPage Program in February

Funded by LSTA through the State Library and Archives of Florida, NEFLIN is pleased to bring you the next College of DuPage program. Click on the Program Title to register to receive access information.

Targeting the Ages: Programming that Hits the Mark

Friday, February 13, 2009, 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm

Any library, whether it is school, public, academic, or special, is many things to the community it serves. A library offers the information patrons need to improve their quality of life. A library provides open access to technology and the world of online information, as well as guidance on navigating that world. A library also gives their community something that is less tangible, yet just as essential to improving their patrons' lives: nourishment not just for the mind, but the spirit as well.

How do libraries do that? Through the programming opportunities they create. In this program we will look at some of the innovative programming libraries today are creating to meet the evolving needs of their patrons. We will also provide a basic primer for anyone who has always wanted to plan a program, but didn't know where or how to begin. Speaker: Kelly Watson.

ROI Study of Academic Libraries

...by the way of Stephen Abram's blog.

It is good to see a study of the "Return on Investment" for any library, but especially one for academic libraries (which I don't see as often).

In this study academic library directors were asked to demonstrate their library's value to the institution in easily articulated quantitative terms that focus on outputs rather than on traditionally reported input measures.

Illinois Return on Investment Study

Face to Face Workshops at NEFLIN

Don't miss these upcoming important face to face workshops

at NEFLIN in Orange Park:
New Models of Customer Service - Tuesday, February 3, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon. Need 4 more registrations to avoid cancellation.
Web 2.0 and Library 2.0: Collaboration and Participation - Friday, February 6, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm.
Publisher 2003 Level 1 - Thursday, February 19, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Need 3 more registrations to avoid cancellation.
Presentation Skills: Be Amusing and Other Myths, Wednesday, February 25, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Need 5 more registrations to avoid cancellation.
Teen Services Boot Camp: For Newly Enlisted Teen Librarians, Thursday, February 26, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Telling Your Library's Story in the News Media, Wednesday, March 4, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Library Collection Analysis Using Excel, Monday, March 23, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
"I'm Here for the Interview": Hire the Best by Improving Your Interviewing Skills, Tuesday, March 24, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Copyright Law in the Digital Age, Friday, March 27, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

In Gainesville:
Best Practices in Information Literacy, Friday, February 27, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm at Santa Fe Community College

In Starke:
Building Staff Success with Mentors and Mentorship Program, Friday, March 6, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at Bradford County Public Library

See all NEFLIN workshops and training at http://www.neflin.org/registration.php.

10 Librarian Blogs to Read in 2009

LisNews has published a 10 Librarian Blogs to Read in 2009.

I have only been reading two of these, "David Lee King's" and "In the Library with the Lead Pipe", so I look forward to seeing what these other bloggers have to offer.

This is an annual list, so here are the "Blogs to Read" from 2007 and 2008.

10 Trends and Technologies for 2009

Michael Stephen's has put out his annual 10 Trends and Technologies for the coming year.

For me, it was a little hard to get through all that he wrote about each one. I would recommend reading a bit about each of the ten trends, and then going back and reading everything of the ones that interest you.

Tomorrow...10 Library Blogs to Read in 2009!

New LE@D Course: Change Management and Leadership

A new self paced CE course from LE@D - Lifelong Education @ Desktop - is available for FREE to NEFLIN members. This is Pat Wagner’s latest course in the Library Leadership series and offers students the opportunity to study some of the effective principles and practices of change management. See the entire list of courses and instructions on how to register.

Change Management and Leadership

Change is a given in 21st century libraries: intrusive, exhilarating, and growing in strength and frequency. Being an effective change agent and coping with change partly depends on your sense of perspective.We cannot promise that this course will either turn back the clock or guarantee that everyone in your library will unquestioningly accept change. However, there are benefits from studying other people's experiences and some of the effective principles and practices of change management

See the entire list of LE@D courses and instructions on how to register.

Solinet and Palinet to Form LYRASIS

Voting for the proposed merger between Solinet and Palinet is underway. Directors of Solinet and Palinet "Governing Members" have been sent a link to vote online.

Solinet has a site with all the latest news on the merger.

By the way...what does Lyrasis mean?

The name was inspired by the constellation of Lyra which hosts one of the galaxy’s brightest starts and guiding lights, and the suffix sis can designate a process, often associated with change (as in metamorphosis). Together, they position LYRASIS as your guide through the ever-changing world of information services.

The business and affairs of LYRASIS will be managed by a Board of Trustees (currently serving members on the two Boards). Trustees elected in the future shall be representative and shall be elected by the Members.

The merger will be effective on April 1, 2009.

Moyer Rocks as LJ Music Columnist

Matthew Moyer of Jacksonville Public Library is writing a monthly column for Library Journal Music for the Masses. He is also blogging on the Library Journal website.

Good content. Check it out!

23 Things @ NEFLIN Begins Monday, January 12

The countdown is almost over. 23 Things is an opportunity for you to experience the Web 2.0 tools that your customers are asking about. Thing 1 will post on Monday morning with instructions for setting up your blog and registering.

Learn more about the program at http://neflins23things.blogspot.com/.

Becoming a Library and Information Professional: All About Graduate School

Are you working in a library and wondering what it would take to get a Master’s Degree to become a professional Librarian or School Media Specialist? These informative workshops on Library School are for you.

We’ll cover the degree programs at Florida State University and the University of South Florida, admission requirements, distance learning options, costs and financial aid availability. Join us for all your questions to be answered. Free for all.
Trainers: Christie Koontz, FSU and Andrea LaRochelle, USF

Monday, February 9, 1:00 - 3:00 pm at Tower Road Library, Gainesville
or
Tuesday, February 10, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon at NEFLIN in Orange Park

ALSO,

Library School Interest Group
Library School requires a lot of effort - you’re juggling school projects and homework with jobs and families and everything else in life. This Interest Group is for you to meet with others working on the same goals. You’ll develop a network of support as you go through graduate school to share and compare experiences, discuss classes and professors and perhaps even exchange textbooks. Facilitators: Christie Koontz, FSU & Andrea LaRochelle, USF

Tuesday, February 10, 1:00 - 3:00 pm at NEFLIN in Orange Park

CIL and NEFLIN Technology Conference

The annual Computers in Libraries (CIL) conference is coming up in March and the program looks as good as ever.

This made me think that we are still looking for topics and speakers for the one-day Technology Conference that will be held this June in Jacksonville. Shoot me an e-mail if you have ideas for any of the sessions at the NEFLIN Tech Conference. Think BIG!

Online Training Opportunities for January

Sorry this is so late this month. The by-product of my two week vacation ;-)

More and more really good content is available for free right on your desktop. Don't forget to check the NEFLIN workshop schedule for additional training (the purple dot indicates an online class) as well as the LE@D courses available to NEFLIN members.

Internet in Prisons: Pros and Cons (WebJunction Community Webinar)
Wednesday, January 7 at 2pm

The Real Bottom Line: Myths About Using Business Principles in Libraries with Pat Wagner (A SirsiDynix Institute program)
Thursday, January 8 at 11am

Shelf Read Your Personal Information: Getting Organized and Staying that Way (WebJunction Community Webinar)
Wednesday, January 14 at 2pm

Assistive Technology (A Maintain IT Webinar)
Wednesday, January 14 at 2pm

Using MaintainIT Resources for Technology Training (A MaintainIT Webinar)
Thursday, January 15 at 2pm

LSTA Grantwriting Overview (provided by the State Library & Archives of Florida)
Friday, January 16 at 10am
Tuesday, January 20 at 10am
Tuesday, January 20 at 2pm
Thursday, January 29 at 10am
Tuesday, February 3 at 10am

A Need for Speed: Measuring and Managing Bandwidth (A Maintain IT Webinar)
Tuesday, January 20 at 2pm

Unleashing the Learning Power of Your Customer Communities (A WebJunction Webinar presented in conjunction with PLATEAU and Workforce Management)
Tuesday, January 27 at 2pm

Virtual Town Hall: Focus on Staff Training (A WebJunction Webinar)
Wednesday, January 28 at 2pm

Technology Planning in TechAtlas (A TechAtlas/WebJunction Webinar)
Thursday, January 29 at 1pm

Evaluations and Metrics (A Maintain IT Webinar)
Tuesday, February 10 at 2pm

Audio Description Workshop: Helping Blind and Low-Vision Users Enjoy Digital Images
Wednesday, February 11 at 2pm
This workshop is free but they do request that you register.


Remember that if you can't view the program live, many are recorded and the archive version can be viewed at a later date.

Upcoming Workshops - Registrations Needed

Registrations needed to avoid cancellations!

Book Repair with DEMCO
January 26, 1:00 - 4:00 pm @ Tower Road Library, Gainesville
January 27, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon @ NEFLIN

How to Create Inviting Spaces in Your Library
January 27, 1:00 - 4:00 pm @ NEFLIN

NEFLIN's Web Conferencing Moderator Training
9:00 am - 3:00 pm @ NEFLIN
January 29, February 24, or March 26

Storytelling for Library and Media Center Staff

January 28, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at Marion County Public Library, Ocala


See all Continuing Education training available from NEFLIN.

Webinar to Prepare FY2009 LSTA Applications

The State Library and Archives of Florida is pleased to announce an online workshop that will help eligible agencies with the preparation of Library Services and Technology Act grant applications for the 2009 cycle. Dorothy Frank and Marian Deeney from the State Library and Archives of Florida will provide an overview of the LSTA guidelines and application process.

Topics to be covered include:

o eligibility requirements for the LSTA grant program

o timeline for the LSTA grant process

o grant categories

o components of a proposal

o the LSTA Toolkit

Workshop dates are as follows:

January 16 10-11am

January 20 10-11am and 2-3pm

January 29 10-11am

February 3 10-11am

Please register online at http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/workshops/.

For more information, please contact Dorothy Frank at the State Library.

2009 brings New FLA Board Members

FLA Officers and Board Members Elected

Members of the Florida Library Association chose five persons to serve on the Executive Board. The election was held November 24 – December 15. Those elected include:

Vice President/President-Elect - John J. Callahan, Palm Beach County Library System

Secretary – Gladys Roberts, Polk County Library Cooperative

East Central Director – Cynthia Kisby, University of Central Florida

Southeast Director – Carol Russo, Broward County Libraries

West Central Director – Sarabeth Kalajian, Sarasota County Library System

The position of Vice President/President Elect is a three-year term on the board. The other four positions are two-year terms. Other positions are elected in alternate years. The newly elected will take office at the close of the 2009 annual conference in May.

The 2008 election represents the beginning of a transition from four directors to six directors from specific geographic regions of the state. Look for Northeast Florida to have its own Director beginning in 2010.