Thursday, December 23, 2010

NEFLIN Blog goes on Holiday


Another year is coming to a close and the NEFLIN Blog is going on Holiday. We will be back in 2011 with more great content.  Happy Holidays!

Brad and Patty

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

New LE@D Courses


LE@D has announced two new courses available to NEFLIN members.
See all courses and registration instructions here


What is your first response when faced with a genealogy question? Interest in family history research is fast-growing, both as an educational tool and an enjoyable pastime. Users seeking information about their ancestors often have high expectations when requesting assistance from library staff, but your library's ability to serve genealogy searchers depends on your size, your collection, your staff, and your experience and training. Given these factors, this course is designed to provide you with tools and training to share your skills effectively within your library. Your understanding of research methods and resources and your ability to locate and access information can be a valuable asset to genealogy searchers. When you have completed this course, you will be able to:
  • Teach other staff members in your library five steps to answer genealogy questions
  • Describe genealogy records as evidence and explain the various record types
  • Explain how genealogy forms are organized and formatted, giving examples
  • Create useful genealogy research notes with different types of sources
  • Show your library users how to use some specific online genealogy resources
  • Avoid common problems in genealogy research
  • Recognize some social networking sites for genealogy (with helpful organizations)
  • Begin to develop your collection to support genealogy research more thoroughly
  • Customize some genealogy programming ideas for your library.

What does it take to be ready, willing, and able to provide quality homework help (with all that that phrase entails), while all around you, everything seems to be spinning wildly out of control? That's what we're going to find out! In our economic climate, libraries are critical to fostering school success. Within this course, we will discuss practical ideas and tips for reaching today's students and assisting them in achieving their educational goals. When you have completed this course, you will be able to:
  • Do a better job of preparing for your library users
  • Provide useful homework help in a busy environment
  • Respond to more kinds of information needs from your library patrons
  • Discuss tools to create homework help
  • Recognize some high-quality resources for homework help
  • Understand what other folks have done that works well in libraries
  • Share tips and techniques
  • Feel confident launching a homework help center in your library, using the suggested sites, tips and tools provided.
See instructions for registration and all LE@D courses:

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Paul Clark is 1 of 10 national award winners


We are very proud to announce that NEFLIN member, Paul Clark, is one of 10 librarians in the nation to receive the “I Love My Librarian” Award.

This award is sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the New York Times and the American Library Association.

Clark, an unassuming but passionate technical services worker at the Clay County library system’s Fleming Island headquarters, was among 2,000 nominees from libraries in cities, schools and colleges throughout the U.S.

He said he was told about the award two weeks ago, but was asked to keep it “hush-hush” until a formal announcement was made.




“Actually, I cried,” Clark said of his reaction to hearing the news. “It’s been hard not to tell anybody. It was overwhelming for me.”

Each of the 10 award winners receives $5,000 and will be honored at a ceremony hosted by The New York Times on Thursday, Dec. 9. 

“The money comes at a time when I most need it,” Clark said. “My kids will get a good Christmas.”
Clark became known as “The Library Guy” because he planted himself at the state capitol every day for two weeks during the 2010 legislative session. He would hold up signs – sometimes two or three at a time – urging politicians to cancel their plans to cut $21 million in public library funding from the state budget.
And he used 80 hours of his vacation time to do it.

His efforts paid off. Legislators restored the funding – and in essence, $8 million more in federal matching grants – that library officials says is desperately needed by unemployed and low income families who rely on public library computers to search for jobs.

Clark said he plans to continue lobbying on behalf of Florida’s poor and working poor, and that he hopes recognition from the award will help him open doors “to all the right people” in Tallahassee.
“Libraries are more than just books,” he said. “They’re busier than ever.”  

The award wasn’t the first time Clark has been honored. Last summer he was named the Florida Association of Counties’ Advocate of the Year, and he was recognized by Clay County commissioners for his selfless dedication to a worthy cause.  “It’s been a humbling experience,” Clark said. “There are thousands of librarians out there that are just as valuable.”  


All Images Copyright 2010 Paul M. Gaykowski

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

20 Questions: Deluxe Edition


NEFLIN presents a workshop offered in eight on-site locations throughout our region.

Join popular Lyrasis trainer Russell Palmer for this face-to-face class designed to offer an introduction to free online reference tools for the new reference practitioner or as an excellent refresher for the experienced librarian.

The 20 Questions: Deluxe Edition class will draw questions and resources from many of the popular live online “20 Questions” series of classes, and will be accompanied by hands-on exercises that will offer students an opportunity to practice answering questions in the humanities, the sciences, social sciences, education, genealogy and more!

After this class, students will be able to:
  • Guide users to quality reference resources on a range of topics
  • Understand the kinds of questions users are likely to ask
  • Utilize many new and different reference resources
Register to attend one of these hands-on sessions. All classes are 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Free to all.
Wednesday, January 26: Live Oak
Thursday, January 27: Ponte Vedra
Tuesday, February 22: Gainesville
Wednesday, February 23: Starke
Wednesday, March 9: Yulee
Thursday, March 10: Ocala
Wednesday, March 23: Jacksonville
Thursday, March 24: Fleming Island




January Training Events from NEFLIN


Solving the Personality Puzzle: Live Online 3 part series.
Classes are Mondays from 2:00 - 3:00 pm

#1: Personalities at Work: January 10
#2: Who's Who in This Puzzle? February 14
#3:How in the World Can I Communicate with Them? March 14

January 14, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm @ Millhopper Library, Gainesville

HTML 4.01 Web Authoring

Level 1: January 20, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm @ NEFLIN
Level 2: February 17, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm @ NEFLIN

Speaking Skills: Live Online series. Mondays from 2:00 - 3:30 pm
#1: Skills for a Persuasive Presentation: January 24

Word 2007
Level 2: January 25, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm @ NEFLIN
Level 3: March 29, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm @ NEFLIN

Copyright: Live Online series. Wednesdays, 2-3:30 pm.

Friday, December 10, 2010

FLYP Workshops coming in 2011


Plan to attend one of the 2011 Florida Library Youth Program workshops for a day of programming and storytelling ideas, singing, dancing, games and crafts. This free, all day workshop will focus on children’s (ages 5-11) programming in the morning; the afternoon will include storytelling demonstrations and an overview of teen and adult programming.

The NEFLIN area workshops will be at the Flagler County Public Library on January 20, and the Jacksonville Public Library on February 15.


Tuesday, December 7, 2010

MARC 21 in Your Library: Live Online

This 3-session online course is an introduction to MARC21 and how it is meant to work in a library automation system. It explains what the MARC standards are and how those standards tie in with our cataloging rules (AACR) to help catalogers create data that will function effectively in a library catalog.

There are two components to this course. Part One is a series of 9 free self paced webinars that cover the underlying fundamentals of MARC and bibliographic information. You should complete the Part One webinars before starting the live online Part Two which covers the core codes that are most commonly found in MARC records, and their functions.

Part One: MARC and Bibliographic Information: The Underlying Fundamentals: Prerequisite before attending Part Two. Click here to access the webinars: http://www.marcofquality.com/webinars/webm21.html

Part Two: MARC Coding: The Core Codes and Their Functions: Meets online over three days (see dates below). You must attend all three sessions.

Learning Objectives:
  • Explain and illustrate correct MARC coding for:
    • Indexed fields (used for searching in a catalog to find a description of a resource)
    • Display fields (used for choosing between resources found in a catalog)
    • Coded fields (used by the catalog to customize searches and displays)
    • Number fields (used for searching in a catalog and for duplicate record detection)
  • Provide practice in reading MARC records
At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to read a MARC record, talk MARC, understand how errors in MARC coding affect a library catalog, and correctly explain the following, and many other, mysteries of the catalog:
  • why can I find this book in the catalog if I search its author but cannot find it when I search its title?
  • why does the catalog say we only have six books in Spanish, when just looking at the shelves I can see hundreds of them?
  • why do so many descriptions of videos show up in the catalog with a little book icon instead of a video icon?
Who should attend: Directors, reference and acquisitions staff, copy, beginning and experienced catalogers.

Three classes to choose from:
Note: These registrations are for NEFLIN Members only. All others, register at OCLC Training Portal

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Free Webinars in December

On our sister blog, Library Webinars, we have just put up the monthly list of live webinars.

We have found numerous webinars in December, most of which are free, and can assist with your professional development. Here are some randomly selected topics:

  • Books that Make Great Gifts
  • Bringing Home and Garden into the Library
  • Building Community Partnerships
  • Care of Paper, Photographs and Audiovisual Collections
  • How to Make ILL Statistics Work for You
  • Marketing as a Team Sport
  • New Technology Training Materials
  • Re-Energize Your Preschool Storytimes
Check them out!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

NEFLIN Winter Schedule is UP!



There are many virtual and face to face classes in January, February and March, including:

  • Multi-part Copyright webinar series
  • HTML 4.01 Web Authoring
  • Boys and Books webinar
  • Library Management Skills with DeEtta Jones
  • Customer Service webinar series with Andrew Sanderbeck
  • CONTENTdm
  • Digital Camera 101
  • Get Your Game on!
  • Cataloging Interest Group
  • Facebook, Twitter, LibraryThing webinars...
    • Much More! See it all here - online or print

      Wednesday, November 24, 2010

      Happy Thanksgiving!


      We hope everyone enjoys some time off with friends and family.

      We will be back in the office on Monday, November 29. 

      Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

      Thursday, November 18, 2010

      Holiday Shopping Online?



      Amazon.com provides a credit to NEFLIN when anyone makes a purchase. Visit http://www.neflin.org/amazon first before shopping.

      (All purchases are anonymous. We receive no identifying information on any items ordered.)

      Thanks for your support!

      Wednesday, November 17, 2010

      Seats available in these NEFLIN events


      Many NEFLIN workshops and webinars fill up with waiting lists, but these upcoming events still have room for you:

      Tuesday, November 30, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at NEFLIN
      Is Word 2007 making you crazy? Register for one or all of these progressive hands-on Word 2007 classes taught by an expert New Horizons trainer. Word 2007 Level 1: Lessons include
      • Creating a basic document by using Microsoft Word
      • Editing documents by locating and modifying text
      • Formatting text and paragraphs
      • Adding tables and graphic elements to a document
      • Controlling a document's page setup and its overall appearance
      • Proofing documents to make them more accurate.
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Wednesday, December 1, 2:00 - 3:00 pm in Gainesville
      Register to join us for a tour of Florida’s largest law library. Named for former law library student employee and alumnus, Senator and Governor Lawton Chiles, the law library at the University of Florida underwent a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation in 2005 and houses notable research collections in Florida law, federal law, tax law, and British Commonwealth law. Free for all.

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Friday, December 10, 1:00 - 3:00 at Millhopper Library in Gainesville
      Since 2004, the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute has been preparing tomorrow's library leaders. Register to attend this informal discussion that will be a reflection on what has been gained from the experiences and how participants have benefited both professionally and personally. Everyone is invited to attend, including:
      • Leadership Institute Alumni
      • Current participants
      • Mentors
      • Anyone interested in leadership issues
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Tuesday, November 16, 2010

      Submit a Poster Session for FLA 2011


      The Florida Library Association Continuing Education Committee is calling for Poster Session proposals for the FLA Annual Conference to be held at the Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando in Orlando, May 4-6, 2011. Poster Sessions are a great opportunity to share your projects, research, interests and information with your colleagues in the library community.
      Poster sessions may cover an array of topics such as, but not limited to, reports on library projects and programs, research studies, current and future trends, and problem analysis. Posters should be high quality visual representation of the topic, including graphics, tables, charts, text, and images. Presenters will be present to discuss their posters with other conference attendees during a pre-assigned time slot. The poster sessions will be located near the exhibits area.
      The deadline for submission is January 31, 2011. For more information, tips, and examples see http://www.flalib.org/conference_2011.php and click on Poster Sessions on the left.
      Use the online submission form by clicking on "web submission form" under "To Apply". Or use the direct link at http://library.ucf.edu/Presentations/FLA2011/PosterSessionSubmit.htm
      Questions about poster session submissions should be directed to:  Min Tong, Chair of FLA Continuing Education Committee, mtong@mail.ucf.edu

      Tuesday, November 9, 2010

      NEFLIN's Lending Library

      NEFLIN's Lending Library is a collection of high-quality DVDs, videos, audio CDs, books, and CD-ROMs that are available for two-week loan to NEFLIN members. A few of the recently added items available are listed below.

      You can search an Excel spreadsheet of the materials by topic, format, length and vendor. http://www.neflin.org/mll  Review all the titles here then email register@neflin.org to request an item to borrow.

      Some of these items were purchased with proceeds from our Amazon Affiliate Account. Don't forget to start here when you shop!


      Friday, November 5, 2010

      Link Love

      If you and your fellow staff are having trouble helping your patrons with their eBook and eReader questions, here's a resource that may help: http://sites.google.com/a/tblc.org/digital-delight/home (provided by Al Carlson at TBLC).

      So we have all these ebooks and ebook readers.  Now what?  Interesting article on Creating a National Digital Library System (via Teleread).

      The end of the year approaches and so do all those "Best of 2010" Lists.  Amazon has already put up these three.  (I'm obviously behind in my reading.  I have only read seven of the Editor picks. Yikes!)

      I'm not sure what to make of Google TV yet, but it seems like following its progress may lead to my next big purchase.

      Alachua County Library District had their Partnership Library recognized nationally by the Harvard Bright Ideas Program.  Congrats!

      Through our partnership with Amazon, you have helped NEFLIN purchase a Kinect and two games Kinect games for our Equipment Loan Program.  More when we receive them.  If you haven't watched this 3 minute video about how Kinect is a huge step forward in gaming, check it out.

      Library Collection Analysis Using Excel


      Back by popular demand, Collection Development expert Tony Greiner (co-author of Analyzing Library Collection Use with Excel, ALA Editions, 2007) returns to NEFLIN to teach one of the most practical collection development courses you will take. In the course of the day, attendees will learn how to take raw circulation and bibliographic data from their ILS, clean it up, and then analyze the use of the collection to show which parts of the collection are heavily (or lightly) used, and to give guidance on how to improve the collection by using use data.
      In this workshop you'll learn how to:
      Process raw data into usable information
      Understand the varieties of possible analyses
      Identify the most relevant types of analysis for your collection
      Identify weaknesses and build on the strengths identified in your collection
      Illustrate circulation data using charts and graphs

      Librarians responsible for collection development in public, school, academic, and special libraries will learn why analyzing collection use is important and how they can analyze that use to better serve their patrons.

      The hands-on class will be taught using Excel 2007 which is a definite improvement over Excel 2003. Librarians who do not have Excel 2007 at work will learn the concepts of Collection Analysis, and can use Greiner's book Analyzing Library Collection Use with Excel to learn how to do an analysis with the older system. Handouts will also be available for both Excel 2007 and 2003.

      If you would like to volunteer to have your library's collection used for the class (and get a 'free analysis' in the process), contact Patricia Morris (patty@neflin.org) after registering.
      Trainer: Tony Greiner, Portland (OR) Community College
      Date: Tuesday, December 14
      Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
      Location: NEFLIN, 2233 Park Avenue, Suite 402, Orange Park, FL 32073

      Cost:
      NEFLIN Enhanced: Free
      NEFLIN Full: $40
      Nonmember: $100
      LIS Students: $25


      See all NEFLIN Continuing Education at http://www.neflin.org/registration.php



      Thursday, November 4, 2010

      Library Tour: UF Levin College of Law, Chiles Legal Info Center

      Come join us for a tour of Florida’s largest law library. Named for former law library student employee and alumnus, Senator and Governor Lawton Chiles, the law library at the University of Florida underwent a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation in 2005 and houses notable research collections in Florida law, federal law, tax law, and British Commonwealth law.

      Host: Patricia Morgan, Reference Librarian, Lawton Chiles Legal Information Center
      Date: Wednesday, December 1
      Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm

      Free for all.


      The University of Florida Chiles Legal Information Center is located in Holland Law Center (HOL).
      See http://campusmap.ufl.edu/ for the campus map and http://www.parking.ufl.edu for parking information.

      Leadership Interest Group


      Since 2004, the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute has been preparing tomorrow's library leaders. Join State Library of Florida Consultant and Leadership Institute facilitator Jill Canono for a session of motivation and reflection.

      During the first part of the afternoon Jill will give a presentation that focuses on employee motivation in today’s workplace based on Daniel Pink’s book “Drive.” Collectively, we will examine current workplace practices and discuss ways to implement different incentives that better fit today’s employees’ needs and the environment. You may want to preview Daniel Pink's TED presentation at http://bit.ly/8ZtfSC .

      Then we’ll have an informal discussion that will be a reflection on the Leadership Institute competencies and how to use the skills gained in the Institute (and refined after graduation) to implement changes identified in the session.

      Everyone is invited to attend, including:
      Leadership Institute Alumni
      Current participants
      Mentors
      Anyone interested in leadership issues

      Facilitator: Jill Canono, State Library & Archives of Florida
      Date: Friday, December 10
      Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
      Location: Alachua County Library District, Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville, Florida 32606
      Cost: Free for all


      See all NEFLIN Training Events at http://www.neflin.org/registration.php

      Wednesday, November 3, 2010

      Important Dates for your 2011 Calendar

      NEFLIN has scheduled two gigantic, important, exciting, thrilling, can't-be-missed events for 2011.

      The NEFLIN Annual Meeting will be held on Friday, September 16, 2011, at the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center in Orange Park from 9:00am - 4:00pm. We are going back to the location for the 2010 Annual Meeting based on feedback from the membership.

      The NEFLIN Technology Conference will be Friday, June 17, 2011, at the Embassy Suites hotel on Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville from 9:00am - 4:00pm. This is the site of 2009 Technology Conference and we are putting together a great line-up of speakers and topics.

      Tuesday, November 2, 2010

      FLA Board Highlights and Slate


      Report from the October meeting of the FLA Board.
      • Established that Florida Libraries will be published entirely in electronic format in 2011
      • Approved the Association’s budget for 2011
      • Accepted the Conference Committee’s proposal for programs and schedule for the 2011 conference to be held May 4-6, 2010 at the Doubletree Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando
      • Moved to extend the FLA member rate to register for the annual conference to current members of the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME)
      • Discontinued mailing of paper membership cards except upon member request
      • Set Library Legislative Day as March 29, 2011
      • Decided to withdraw from membership in the Southeastern Library Association in view of proposed fee structure without clear benefit to FLA and FLA members
      • Adopted recommendation of the Awards Committee to extend eligibility to organizations represented on the Awards Committee; members of the Committee may not vote on awards for which they or their organization/business are nominated.
      • Approved slate presented by Nominating Committee:
      Vice President/President-Elect
                     Linda McCarthy, College Center for Library Automation
                      Barbara Stites, Florida Gulf Coast University Library
      Secretary
                      Ruth O’Donnell , Library Consultant
                      Bob Verbesey, Retired (formerly Southwest FL Library Information Network 
                      and Ave Maria University)
      East Central Director
                      Elizabeth Killingsworth, University of Central Florida
                      Min Tong, University of Central Florida
      Southeast Director
                      Sarah Hammill, Florida International University
                      Jeannette Smithee, Southeast FL Library Information Network
      West Central Director
                      Paul Alford, Citrus County Public Library
                      Gene Coppola, Palm Harbor Library
                      Casey McPhee, Largo Public Library
      ALA Councilor
                      Alan Kornblau, Delray Beach Public Library
                      Maria Treadwell, University of South Florida, School of Library and Information 
                      Science

      Thursday, October 21, 2010

      Little Librarian

      I would have loved this as a child. I don't know about today's kids, but I think it is fun!

      Monday, October 18, 2010

      A needed At-A-Boy

      My boss at a previous job kept an "At-A-Boy" file for those days that you sometimes need a little pick-me-up.  Today was one of those days. In writing our annual reports I went over some quotes from member who attended training this year, and really felt "picked up" by these two.

      “In these economically challenged times it is wonderful to know that there is still an affordable way librarians can receive the quality training we receive through NEFLIN. May this source never dry up for the sake of professional relevance.”

      “DeEtta Jones Young is among the most powerful and effective instructors whose workshops I have attended. If she presented a workshop on ‘How to use mud to achieve fame and fortune’, I would make a point of attending, because I know I would learn something worthwhile.  Thanks, NEFLIN!”

      Wednesday, October 13, 2010

      Virtual Training Opportunities in November from NEFLIN


      Online class fill up quickly -
      register early to get a seat or get on the waitlist!
      Monday, November 1, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
      FULL - register to be on the waitlist
      Are you comfortable speaking up? Do you ask yourself, “How can I stop walking on eggshells?” Learn to:
      • Leverage the strengths and deal with vulnerabilities by assessing your assertiveness
      • Speak accountably from the Power of “I” on a deeper, more professional level
      • Apply an assertive formula and techniques to manage your emotions and ask for behavior change from others
      • Set boundaries, parry “digs” and identify and manage passive aggressive behavior
      Virtual Trainer: Lauren Burnett, Center for Inner Quality

      Wednesday, November 3, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
      FULL - register to be on the waitlist
      This webinar will give you an overview of Microsoft Office 2007 along with the best tips, tricks, and shortcuts for everything from navigating the new ribbons to creating cool text effects. Join expert trainer Lori Reed for this fast-paced tour of the hidden secrets of Office 2007.
      Virtual Trainer: Lori Reed, Library Learning Consultant

      Thursday, November 4, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      Almost Full
      OCLC offers a number of ways to increase your cataloging efficiency that are included in your OCLC cataloging subscription. Vendors also offer additional services that can enhance your cataloging efficiency and get materials out faster to the user. In this 2 hour online session we will explore a number of additional ways to do OCLC cataloging, such as using PromptCat, Bibliographic Notification, and the new WorldCat Cataloging Partners services. We will also look at available vendor services such as shelf-ready processing and automated authority control. You will learn:
      • OCLC cataloging services and their potential benefits
      • Additional vendor services for cataloging and processing
      • Where to find information about these services
      • How to assess real costs
      Virtual Trainer: Linda Gonzalez, Lyrasis

      Monday, November 8, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
      Seats Available
      Do you ask yourself, “How can I speak about myself, what I do and what I value?” Learn to:
      • Answer “So what do you do?”…Create a 60 seconds conversation on what you do and why it is important to your listeners
      • Identify opportunities to market your credibility and value
      • Say a few words…Leverage the OREO model to organize your thoughts impromptu on a topic
      • Sound interesting…Use your voice to gain and keep what you say interesting
      • Get some energy… Explore energetic magnetism and how to begin “Sparking”
      Virtual Trainer: Lauren Burnett, Center for Inner Quality

      Wednesday, November 10, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
      Almost full
      The HeritageQuest Online databases by ProQuest undoubtedly contain some of the richest American genealogical materials. This webinar will help you unlock the power and content of each of these fascinating databases. You will learn how to move through the collection of documents, read and understand the source citations, zoom in and out of each document, and reverse polarity of digitized images for maximum clarity and printability. You will also learn how to use the Notebook facility to mark documents and images of interest throughout your online research session, and then return to view the citations or actual materials, print them, download them, or e-mail them to yourself for later access.
      Virtual Trainer: George G. Morgan, Aha! Seminars

      Friday, November 12, 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm
      Seats Available
      Marie L. Radford, just back from Reference Renaissance 2010 in Denver, Colorado, and co-editor of Reference Renaissance: Current and Future Trends will talk with you about re-designing library public services, focusing on reference and its interaction with other library public services.

      Monday, November 15, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
      FULL - register to be on the waitlist
      Are you an employee? A manager? Do you have a spouse? Children? Friends? Acquaintances? Do you volunteer in an organization? Are you on committees? Do you ever deal with people in any context at all? Of course you do! This online workshop series with trainer Linda Bruno is an invaluable tool in understanding your own personality style, as well as understanding those with whom you interact. In the second session, Who’s Who in This Puzzle?, we’ll delve deeper by finding out what makes them – and us – tick!
      Virtual Trainer: Linda Bruno, Library Consultant

      Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, November 16-17-18, 4:00 - 6:00 pm each day
      Seats Available
      See http://guest.cvent.com/d/0dqf9x for full details

      Tuesday, November 16, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      Seats Available
      We have all heard the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and sometimes libraries have to make the call whether to add a gift to the library’s collection or not. Gifts/donations come in many forms from items to cash. The processing of gifts can be overwhelming. This two-hour class will walk you through gift policies, procedures, processing of gifts and discuss what to do with unwanted gifts. By the end of class, students will be able to:
      • Understand how gifts impact library collections and processes
      • Review policies and politics surrounding gifts
      • Evaluate workflow and processing of gifts
      • Discuss what happens when gifts are unwanted and what to do
      Virtual Trainer: Jennifer Bielewski, Lyrasis

      Thursday, November 18, 10:00 am -12:00 noon
      FULL - register to be on the waitlist
      Discover the underlying influences that may impact why teens act the way they do, and learn how librarians can address undesirable behaviors in a way that will develop relationships with young adults. By the end of this session, you will:
      • Set the experience of current teens in the United States into a historical and cultural context
      • Define three physical changes in the brain during adolescence
      • Examine the effects of development on teen's social, physical and emotional behavior
      • Discuss preventative measures to deter undesirable behavior
      • Practice strategies for coping with, correcting and redirecting teen's undesirable behavior
      • Learn to advocate for the needs of teens to key stakeholders
      Virtual Trainer: Beth Gallaway, Information Goddess Consulting

      Monday, November 29, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
      Almost full
      New examples of digital reading material--eBooks, eMagazines, eNewpapers--are appearing every day. So are devices and software to let us read them. But is ePublication a growing trend or a passing fad? Is it a valuable tool or a solution in search of a problem? Either way, how do we find a path through the jungle of acronyms for formats and DRM's? How do we help our readers use the readers they have now and choose what they should get next? How do we know how much ePub to buy? And who do we get it from? And if we have it, how will it affect our work? Chad Mairn and Al Carlson will explore these questions and many more in this webinar. They don't have all the answers, but they will provide sensible planning guidelines and opportunities to make a difference for your patrons.
      Virtual Trainers: Al Carlson, TBLC, and Chad Mairn, St. Petersburg College

      for November including
      SmartBoard, Word 2007, Deborah Ford, Toni Buzzeo, and more!

      Friday, October 8, 2010

      Quick Hits

      A few thoughts after attending one day of the Florida Library Director's Conference this past week in Tallahassee...

      The book, The Accidental Library Manager, was in everyone's bag.  It will be added to the NEFLIN Lending Library asap.

      Gene Coppola from Palm Harbor told me about offering bestsellers and DVDs through a media vending machine that is available when the library is closed.

      Raymond Santiago from Miami-Dade is always funny and insightful.  He recommended checking out the latest OCLC Report How Libraries Stack Up: 2010.

      Cuyahoga County Public Library allows patrons to renew by text.

      Florida will be celebrating its 500th anniversary in 2013.  Wow!

      Tuesday, October 5, 2010

      NEFLIN Funding Muffin

      Okay, so these pictures are not to scale, but hopefully the point can be made.

      NEFLIN's budget was a very tasty pie for the past decade, and with 60 member libraries everyone could get a very nice slice of pie in return for their investment.  However, this year we have a muffin sized budget.  While the muffin looks like it is on steroids, it is still just a muffin.  You can imagine that trying to slice the muffin 60 times might be difficult.  NEFLIN does plan on providing its usual stellar Return on Investment (usually 5-10 times what libraries pay in membership dues), we will just have to do some things without the usual flair and fanfare.

      All our services will continue.  We will also have our biennial Technology Conference in the summer of 2011, along with a series of on-site training classes throughout the region based on the popular "20 Questions" workshops with Russell Palmer of Lyrasis.  In addition, our partnership with Amazon has already allowed us to add to the NEFLIN Lending Library, and soon more items in the Equipment Loan Program.

      We will continually working on ways to maximize our current funding, and seek additional revenues.  Stay tuned for further developments!
       

      Annual Meeting: NEFLIN Library Awards

      NEFLIN has two library awards that were presented at the Annual Meeting.

      1. Library Champion Award. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional support for a NEFLIN library.


      Danny Hales, Director, Suwannee River Regional Libraries, was this year's Library Champion for his work to build a new library for the town of Lee.





      2. Innovation Award. This award recognizes an innovative program or service that has demonstrated impact on the community a NEFLIN library serves.

      Flagler County Public Library was this year's Innovation Award winner.  The library was facing a significant decline in their budget and decided to become a Passport facility.

      Revenue over the past two years has exceeded $100,000, which enabled the library to purchase additional computers, chairs, shelving, etc.

       

      Annual Meeting: Keynote and Round Tables



      Sorry gang that it has taken so long to put up info from the NEFLIN Annual Meeting. That darn day job just kept interfering. Here ya go!

      Keynote Presentation: The Future Was Yesterday, So What Happens Tomorrow?
      J. Richard Madaus, CEO, College Center for Library Automation

      ---------------------

      In the afternoon we had a series of Round Table discussions.  Here are brief descriptions of the round tables along with links to any handouts.

      Advocacy That Made a Difference with Paul Clark, Clay County Public Library
      This round table will discuss lessons I learned from advocating at the Capitol over the past 2 legislative sessions. I encourage participants to bring their own stories and ideas of how we can work together as a team for advocating for libraries next year.

      Community Services, Patrons, Fines and Fees with Ron Block and Wally Bowden,
      Jacksonville Public Library
      The Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees adopted a definition of what a “Customer in Good Standing” means in December 2009. The new definition implanted a policy change that requires customers to have no outstanding fines or materials in order to access library services. This Round Table will present the process of implementing the new policy. The six month “Get to Zero” PR campaign to inform customers of the change and the impact that the change had on staff and customers when it was officially started on 7/1/2010.

      Digital Photography for Library Projects with Dawn Jensen, CFLC
      Learn how to use this digital photography and photo-sharing websites to effortlessly connect, effectively market, and communicate with your patrons.

      Ebooks and Library Processes with Michael Kucsak, University of North Florida
      eBooks offer a lot of flexibility for the reader and a lot of decisions for the library. Join this round table to discuss patron needs and library opportunities when adding eBooks to your collection.

      Floating Collections with Emily Young, Alachua County Library District
      Thinking about floating your collection or have an experience to share? Join in a lively discussion of the pros and cons of floating your collection, issues that can be encountered and the process Alachua County Library District followed to get it floated!

      Florida Electronic Library and Gale Database Update with Stacey Knibloe, Gale/Cengage
      This round table will focus on what’s new with Gale resources available from Florida Electronic Library including Small Business Resource Center and Demographics Now, FEL’s newest research tools.

      Making the Most of Your Friends Organizations with Dawn Bostwick, Nassau County Public Library
      Need a little help from your Friends? Or a lot?! Join us for a discussion on how to get where you need to be and develop a strong, supporting Friends group in the process. Topics for discussion include: communication, commitment, organization, community needs, goals and roles.

      Wednesday, September 29, 2010

      Library Technologies Interest Group


      Monday, October 18, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon at NEFLIN in Orange Park

      Join the Library Technologies Interest Group for a discussion of mobile technologies and devices in libraries.
      • IPads for reference?
      • Mobile websites?
      • Ebooks?
      • QR codes?
      • Text messaging?
      What is your library doing to serve the mobile library user?

      Discussion Facilitators:
      • Jae Bass, St. Johns County Public Library
      • Brian Nesselrode, Flagler College
      • Blake Pridgen, Flagler College
      • Michael Kucsak, University of North Florida
      Free for all

      Free Webinars in October

      On our sister blog, Library Webinars, we have just put up the monthly list of live webinars.

      We have found numerous webinars in October, most of which are free, and can assist with your professional development. Here are some randomly selected topics:

      • Brick and Mortar School Libraries in the Digital Age
      • Cookbooks in the Library
      • Dealing with Difficult Patrons
      • Gadget Checklist for 2010
      • Is Social Media a Waste of Time and Effort?
      • Maximizing Revenue from Selling Withdrawn Books and Unwanted Gifts
      • Patron Driven Acquisitions for eBooks
      • RDA for Administrators: Managing the Transition
      • Technology Training for Seniors
      Check them out!

      Gaming Interest Group


      Tuesday, October 26 from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon at NEFLIN in Orange Park

      Gaming is popular in all types of libraries. What is your library doing with your gaming events, or are you looking for ideas to get one started? Join a discussion of experienced gaming organizers to make your events even more successful.

      Discussion Facilitators include:
      • Christine Boatright, Florida Gateway College
      • Michael Schofield, Bradford County Public Library
      • Stephanie Tyson, Columbia County Public Library
      • Belinda Vose, Marion County Schools
      • Mary Weatherholt, Union County Public Library
      Free to all


      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

      E-Government Interest Group - NEW DATE


      Florida is leading the nation in providing e-government services to library customers. Join us at this session to learn about e-government services and programs being offered at some of Florida's libraries. You'll find out how Florida residents are getting the help they need finding jobs and obtaining government services at their local library.

      Virtual Presenter: Nancy Fredericks, E-Government Services Manager, Pasco County Public Library Cooperative

      New Date: Friday, October 8
      Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      Location: On your DESKTOP. You will be emailed access information.
      Cost: Free to all


      Thursday, September 23, 2010

      "Books" Series in Gainesville

      A six-part fall speaker series on the public’s access to books and their future begins Thursday at the University of Florida and Alachua County Library District.  UF President Bernie Machen will open the series with an invitation to public debate about the future of libraries.

      “Imagining the Library: Books in Public Life from Late Antiquity to the Digital Age” will draw attention to the forces of public policy and new technologies that shape libraries and reading practices.

      Speakers will ground these questions in discussions of collecting and reading in ancient Egypt, early China, the French Enlightenment, the U.S. Carnegie library movement and the global age of Google. The series will explore this question: As public and university libraries face severe budgetary pressures, what functions should libraries perform in public life?

      Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m., Smathers Library Room 1A, UF
      “Death and Renewal: Books and Libraries in Late Antique Egypt”
      Roger Bagnall, director, Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, New York University.
      Although political, technological, religious and cultural changes transformed the format and uses of books in late antiquity, libraries nonetheless remained more private than public. This lecture will address how developments like the rise of Christianity affected the status of libraries.

      Sept. 27, 7 p.m., Millhopper Branch of the Alachua County Library, Gainesville
      “Carnegie Libraries: Public Reading for the Reading Public”
      Abigail Van Slyck, director, architectural studies program, Connecticut College.
      An examination of library architecture fostered by the Carnegie movement reveals how it encouraged women to enter into the library profession, shaped reading practices in different English-speaking countries and created an international Anglo-Saxon community of readers.

      Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m., Smathers Library Room 1A, UF
      “The Benedictine and the Labyrinth: The Enlightenment Library and the Problem of Universal Knowledge”
      Jacob Soll, associate professor of history, Guggenheim Fellow, Rutgers University (Camden).
      The ambitious building of encyclopedic library collections in the 17th and 18th centuries posed problems to states that tried to manage broad swaths of knowledge. Certain absolutist states and the Catholic Church, however, were particularly innovative in building universal collections.

      Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m., Smathers Library Room 1A, UF
      “Collecting and Reading in the Early Chinese Print Age”
      Hilde De Weerdt, lecturer in Chinese history, Pembroke College, University of Oxford.
      This talk will introduce the different kinds of government and private libraries that existed in imperial China, and examine the impact of printing from the 11th century onward on book circulation and reading among these different publics.

      Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., 180 Holland Hall – Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom, Levin College of Law, UF
      “Google and the Future of Books”
      Siva Vaidhyanathan, associate professor of media studies and law, University of Virginia.
      What does the world look like through the lens of Google? How is Google’s ubiquity affecting the production and dissemination of knowledge? And, what danger does the Google Books Scanning Project pose for the legitimacy of the doctrine of fair use?

      Dec. 2, 7 p.m., Millhopper Branch of the Alachua County Library, Gainesville
      “Reaching and Teaching the ‘Digital Generation’: Separating Myth from Fact”
      Siva Vaidhyanathan, associate professor of media studies and law, University of Virginia.
      This lecture questions the myth of the “digital generation,” arguing that today’s adolescents and college students are not necessarily savvy when it comes to using digital media content in a powerful manner.

      The lectures are free and open to all. For more information, visit http://www.humanities.ufl.edu/