Tuesday, August 31, 2010

NEFLIN Seeks Member Highlights

What have you been doing this year?

  • Have you built a new library?
  • Did you have a great program?
  • Has a new service been wildly successful?

NEFLIN is offering our members their moment in the sun at the Annual Meeting on Friday, September 17th. If your library has done something in the last 12 months that you're really proud of let us know so we can give you a "shout out."

Contact Patty for more information.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Free Webinars in September

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

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

  • Circulating E-Book Readers
  • Consumer Health Toolkit for Library Staff
  • Creating a Virtual Orientation for New Staff
  • Creating Accessible Videos for your Website
  • Strategies for Implementing and Optimizing Self-Service
  • The Rural Library Trustee
  • Trends in Romance Fiction
  • Using Technology to Move your Small/Rural Library Forward
  • Virtual Facilitation
  • Web 2.0 Apps in Technical Services
Check them out!

Friday, August 27, 2010

NEFLIN Fall Schedule is UP


The NEFLIN Fall Schedule is UP!
There are many virtual and face to face classes in October, November and December, including:

  • Get Google With It!
  • Library Technologies Interest Group: Mobile Tech
  • Teen Behavior 101 webinar
  • Diverse Communities
  • Using a SMART Board: Part 2
  • Empowering the Reader in a Digital World webinar
  • HeritageQuest and Ancestry.com webinars with George G. Morgan
  • Toni Buzzeo, and two from Deborah Ford

    • Much More! See it all here -
      online or print


      Wednesday, August 25, 2010

      It's a Tween Thing and Young Adult Interest Group


      It's a Tween Thing
      Tuesday, September 28, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon at NEFLIN
      Not sure what to do with your "tween" customers? Their too old for the kids stuff and too young for teens. Well, join us to learn cool and creative art programs that will sure catch their attention! From Duct Tape creations to fused plastic bags and much more!
      Trainer: Marie Myers, Jacksonville Public Library
      Register for It's a Tween Thing

      Young Adult Interest Group: Serving Teens in Libraries
      Tuesday, September 28, 1:00 - 4:00 pm at NEFLIN
      How do libraries provide outstanding services to Teens? How do you? Using the DVD “Serving Teens in Libraries” as a reference, this discussion based Interest Group will cover key factors in providing successful services, including:
      • Attitude and Respect
      • Programming
      • Making Teen Spaces
      • Hiring: A Different Approach
      • PR and Marketing
      • Security
      • Help from Partnerships and Grants
      • Getting Staff on Board
      Facilitator: Diane Colson, Alachua County Library District

      Tuesday, August 24, 2010

      College of DuPage 2010-11 Programs Announced


      Libraries and the Mobile Technology Landscape
      Friday, September 24, 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm
      Joe Murphy will provide an overview of the emerging landscape of information engagement through mobile technology. He will introduce the major mobile technologies and outline their usage as well as the cultural shifts that accompany their introduction into information society. Joe will lead us through an exploration of the opportunities for libraries to implement mobile technologies to enhance or supplement traditional services and collections, and will explain how libraries can most strategically engage these tools as well as the mobile culture. We will discuss the real world changes this means for libraries and the new skills we may have to learn in this evolution. At the conclusion of this session we will all be familiar with how to best meet this shift towards mobile technologies in our libraries. Register here.

      Redesigning Today's Public Services: Focus on Reference
      Friday, November 12, 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm
      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. Register here.

      Watch for details on more programs to be announced:
      • Free Content for Library Collections: February 4
      • Cataloging: New Perspectives: April 8

      Friday, August 20, 2010

      Round Tables Discussions at NEFLIN Annual Meeting

      Friday, September 17, 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
      Thrasher Horner Conference Center, Orange Park

      Round Table Discussions

      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.

      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.

      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.

      Plus
      Keynote presentation by Richard Madaus, CCLA
      NEFLIN Annual Report
      Awards and Member Highlights
      Lunch and Networking

      Thursday, August 19, 2010

      Virtual Training Opportunities in September from NEFLIN


      Supervisory Skills: Who's Leading and Who's Following?
      Thursday, September 2, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
      In the last of the 5-part series, we will take a closer look at how your leadership style is affected by your personality – AND how that affects those who follow you. How does “who you are” affect “how they follow”? And how do we hire the right followers – the first time? Not just someone who will do what we say, but someone who can contribute in a meaningful way. What should we look for? What should we avoid - at all costs? Save yourself hours of future work by being more aware of what you need and who fits that bill...Attend this workshop and learn not only about your own leadership style, but learn about the behavioral styles of your staff and gain an understanding about why those styles matter in choosing new employees.
      Virtual Trainer: Linda Bruno, Library Consultant
      Webinar is full; register to be put on the waitlist.

      Tuesday, September 7, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      In this two-hour live online session attendees will learn how to Use the Koha ILS to manage serials, acquisitions and reporting functionality. Topics include: adding vendors and budgets for acquisitions; adding serial subscriptions; placing and managing orders; and advanced reporting options.
      Virtual Trainer: Nicole C. Engard, Director of Open Source Education at ByWater Solutions

      Wednesday, September 8, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      Accurate answers for new patrons or those new in town questions can be difficult to find. In this two-hour online class, students will explore 20 web pages librarians use to find answers to questions like, “Where can I find a new doctor?” and, “How can I find out if my house is on the historical register?” Students will then have the opportunity to explore reference resources further in an after-class exercise.
      Virtual Trainer: Russell Palmer, Lyrasis

      Monday, September 20, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
      Are you a solo web developer with an interest in learning basic web scripting? A newbie thrown into your library web programming role because nobody else raised their hand? Somebody with a little more experience, but always looking to improve your knowledge of web services? This webinar is for you. We'll work through the basics of web services, simple to use embed code, and highlight resources to continue learning. Our emphasis will be on mashups and web services as a means to practice these skills. Come learn how to incorporate the “web of data” into your library applications and services. Topics covered include:
      • Why web services for libraries?
      • What do we gain in the move to "mashup"?
      • Define the major terms of web services
      • Resources for learning: wizard and tools (Yahoo Pipes, Google Code Playground)
      • Code samples for downloading and practicing
      Featured code samples include:
      • Image mashups using javascript and the Flickr API
      • Simple data visualizations with the Google Chart API
      • Video mashups using the YouTube and blip.tv API
      • Search suggestions using the Yahoo BOSS API
      • Mapping data with the Google Maps API
      • Bestsellers and Movie Reviews with the New York Times API
      • Movie Reviews with the New York Times API
      Virtual Trainer: Jason Clark, Montana State University Libraries

      Thursday, September 23, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      Health information on the web is plentiful, however, finding the best resources is an intimidating challenge. In this two-hour online class, students will explore answers to 20 consumer health reference questions like, "Can you help me find a resource that evaluates the quality of care at nursing homes in my area?" and "Is there conclusive evidence that Echinacea is an effective immune system stimulator?" Students will have an opportunity to explore consumer health reference resources further in an exercise after class.
      Virtual Trainer: Russell Palmer, Lyrasis

      Friday, September 24, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
      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

      Tuesday, August 17, 2010

      Simple and Easy Shared Library Ideas


      Mary Martin, Director of the Long Hill Township Library in Gillette, New Jersey, asked her colleagues for "simple and/or easy things that have made a difference in your library this year (either in terms of staff workflows or in terms of service to patrons)", ideas to help "combat the summer blahs." She got a great list of ideas which are shared below. If you have more to add let Mary know at mary_martin00@yahoo.com.
      *************************************************************************************************
      Ways to Engage Patrons

      Front Desk Raffle
      Run a fun contest at the circ desk every few months (e.g. get a quote from a book, display it and have patrons guess origin of quote. Those who guess correctly are entered into a drawing to win something simple (a gift card to Starbucks, DD, etc)

      Raffle Ticket Inside Book
      Variation of above, but put a “raffle” ticket inside books so people will be surprised when they find the ticket. (Bestsellers, hot movers, etc). The raffle ticket could even ask people for their opinion of the book.

      Summer Storytime

      Does your town have a pool or a lake? There’s no law that says storytime must always be offered at the library. One library does a special storytime at the pool during the summer.

      Book Bingo for the Whole Family

      Join us to play Bingo and win a book! All ages welcome, parents and grandparents too! No registration required.” All you need is some refreshments and some books as prizes (they use donated books so there is no cost aside from the refreshments). This has been very popular – the library who ran this had over 70 people in July.

      Adult Summer Reading Program
      A librarian writes: Based on this year’s water theme, we expended to the elements in general. We asked people to read a book or watch a DVD concerning the elements. We provided a list of suggestions to get them going. For each title, they fill out an entry slip for a drawing. We’ll do a drawing for some mugs at the end of August.

      Teen summer reading program
      At Long Hill we run both a teen and an adult summer reading program. For each book the patron reads or listens to, they fill out a raffle ticket. We draw winners weekly, and they win either a mug or a book (we use donated books as prizes). At the end of the summer we have one grand prize teen winner and one grand prize adult winner, each win a $25 gift card to Borders. We also offer the option for the patron to review the book, and we post their reviews on our library blog.

      Storytime for Grownups – because why should kids have all the fun?
      Blind Date with a Book
      In late January/early February, wrap up some books in brown paper, decorate with Valentine’s Day theme and encourage patrons to choose one to take home. Long Hill did this last year, it was fun and patrons enjoyed the opportunity to check out a book they might not otherwise have chosen.

      Happy Holidays from the Library Staff!

      Engage the staff by asking them to recommend holiday or winter themed books or DVDs. Then create a bookmark with their recommendations and give it out to library patrons.

      Sharing Our Knowledge w/ Patrons

      Staff Picks/May We Recommend?
      Display backlist titles or staff picks that people may not have had a chance to read, at the front desk. You’d be surprised at how the staff picks fly off the desk. One caveat: pick books that are in good shape with interesting cover art. They are more likely to catch patrons’ interest.

      If You Like cards in the stacks near popular authors

      “If you like James Patterson you might also like….” these have been very popular at our library, I am happy to share the cards with anyone who wants to use and/or modify them.

      Shelf End Cards
      Help patrons find their way around Nonfiction with shelf end cards that include not only the Dewey numbers but the subject patrons will find within that Dewey range – e.g 910.202 – 940.54 Geography, Travel, Ancient History or 600 – 618.24 Nutrition & diets, health & medicine

      Recent Returns cart
      In front of the circ desk, we have a cart where we put recently returned new books. We deliberately put the cart next to the book drop at the desk, because right after people drop off their old set of books is when they’re looking for new stuff to read. It cuts down on shelving, gives people a smaller section of books to browse.

      “Bestsellers You Haven’t Read Yet”
      Create a new section right next to New Fiction (or even use a folding bookcase or cart in front of the circ desk) with colorful books by big authors (Grisham, Roberts, Patterson, Picoult etc). You could even do a variation on the theme and do a “Best Books You Haven’t Heard Of” or a “Staff Picks” section. Assign someone to keep the display fresh and replenish it when necessary.

      Get those oversized books circulating!
      A librarian writes: “One thing we do is combine our browsing shelf with two lower shelves, and we choose a selection of oversized books there. Our oversized books tend not to go out as much as the other books, mainly because they are shelved separately. By showcasing them, not only do they go out, but people will go to the oversize shelves more than before.”

      Oversized art books
      One library I visited has a special set of shelving near the circ desk where they display oversized art books. As soon as they created this special section, the circulation of this type of book skyrocketed.

      Summer Reading Lists
      Make sure you have printouts of the local schools’ summer reading lists (both required, and recommended), and put them in binders. It may also be nice to post links to the reading lists on your library’s web site. We didn’t have the K – grade 5 recommended reading lists printed out until one of our staff members mentioned that she was getting a lot of requests for them. So I talked to the elementary school librarian and got the lists, then printed them & posted on our website.

      Creative use of volunteers

      Reading Buddies (teen volunteers)
      Teen volunteers come in to read to little kids. Great all year round but especially during the summer when you have all those teens who want to volunteer

      Computer Tutors (adult volunteers with computer skills)
      Adult volunteers who have computer skills come to the library once a week at a set time, and help whoever comes in with their questions. It’s been very successful at Westwood Library and they’ve gotten great feedback from their patrons.
      Another library described a similar program, PC Tutoring. They offer one-on-one computer tutoring to patrons twice a month, on several PC basics.

      Better Communication with Patrons

      Ask patrons for help in maintaining your collection
      Patrons complaining about DVDs, audio CDs not working properly? You can create a simple slip asking patrons “Help us keep our collection in good repair” and including checkmarks where they can indicate what is wrong with the item. Then train staff to look for those checkmarks when an item is returned. And clean/repair item before it is reshelved.

      Ask for what you need in your answering machine message
      At Long Hill, we noticed that when people left messages for us at the front desk they usually failed to give us the info we needed (e.g. if it was a renewal) or they would be crystal clear in their message up until they told us their last name, which always ended up sounding like “Blarfengar.” So we changed our answering message to say “We’re sorry we missed your call. Please leave a message with your name, and please spell out your last name for us. Provide your phone number and your request. We’ll return your call as soon as we can.” This friendly message that clearly tells them what info we needed from them. It has cut down on the head-scratching we were doing when we checked our messages.

      “You don’t have enough mysteries.”
      One librarian writes: I met an elderly gentleman at a community event. He told me he stopped using our library because we didn’t have many mysteries. When I asked him for more details I learned that he thought the only mysteries we owned were on the New Book shelves. So now we have a sign on our New Mysteries shelves that says “We have over 7,500 mystery novels and many others available from other libraries at no charge…”

      Cheap Advertising/Marketing
      Use printable business cards to advertise services. For instance, if you want to promote Reference USA you can print business cards and hand them out to business patrons for them to file in their wallet, where they might actually have a chance of finding it when they need it.

      Community Blogs
      Contact your local newspaper and find out if they have “community blogs.” Long Hill’s local newspaper encouraged us to start a blog with them. We use it to promote library events and what is interesting is that the newspaper staff read our blog, so occasionally they will print an article in the paper about the library even though we didn’t send them a press release – they just take the info from our blog.

      NextReads
      At Long Hill we get BookPage book review magazine (for patrons) and we subscribe to the NextReads database (providing 21+ book related email newsletters people can sign up for.) When BookPage comes we put a sticker on it saying “Like what you read here? Sign up for NextReads for even more great recommendations.” To increase use of NextReads newsletters we also created easy sign up sheets and put them all around the library (including in our New Book binder) to encourage people to sign up. (We also use NextReads for our monthly children’s events email newsletter.)

      Tax Forms
      As you know the State of New Jersey stopped providing tax forms and instructional booklets this year. One of Long Hill’s staff members suggested we print out a couple copies of the instructional booklet, put them in binders and allow patrons to check them out for 7 days. This was a great way for us to serve the patrons

      Easy Technology Tools
      A librarian writes “We are a small library and only have 4 public Internet computers. We also have a large number of latchkey kids. This summer we decided to implement separate adult and juvenile usage times. Adults get their time on the computers from 10:30 to 12:30 and kids get their time from 2 to 4. Now we don’t have adults complaining about the noisy kids at the computers with them, and can guarantee that kids won’t be bothered by adults during their designated time period.”

      Digital frame
      You can get a cheap digital frame and put pictures from library events on it. Long Hill has this at our front desk. The kids especially are mesmerized by this – they look for themselves and their friends in the pictures.

      I can’t believe I forgot to do X again!
      I am always forgetting to do things like put out signs when we are going to be closed for a holiday. So now I have set up auto-reminders on my Yahoo calendar (you could use Google calendar too) yearly. So for example 2 weeks before Labor Day I get a reminder that says “Change web site, phone msg and put signs out – Labor Day” and then the day we return from Labor Day I get a reminder that says “Take signs down & change phone msg, website” – it’s much more reliable than my own brain.

      Do you have a web-based calendar of events available to your patrons yet? There are several companies that provide this service for a fee (evancedsolutions.com being one of them: their product includes web calendar and event registration). Low-cost or free options include Google Calendar or LoCalendar.com (Long Hill Library uses LoCalendar.com for both public event calendar AND for staffing calendar)

      One library recommends the ABLE software system for staff scheduling. “Easy to use and makes scheduling a breeze. Great stats as well.”

      You can offer online registration for programs (as long as you don’t want to limit it to a certain number of registrants) with SurveyMonkey.com. (CoffeeCup Form Builder also offers a way to do this.)

      Engage the Staff

      Create a Staff Picks booklist – feature it on your website under “Hot titles” or “What we’re reading.” Ask staff to provide short reviews of books they’ve enjoyed.
      Allow staff to pay to wear jeans to work on Friday, with the money collected going to charity. (Post a sign at the Circ Desk to let patrons know why the staff is sporting the casual look and what charity the collected $$ will go to.)

      ***********************************************
      Whew! Thank you to Mary and and everyone in New Jersey Libraries for sharing!

      Monday, August 16, 2010

      NEFLIN Continuing Education Committee seeks new members


      Interested? Deadline is Friday, August 20 to apply.

      Do you have ideas for training or professional development that you would like to see available to NEFLIN members? NEFLIN is looking for several creative and dependable individuals who would like to contribute to the ongoing development of its Continuing Education program by serving on the Continuing Education Committee. The CE Committee is made up of library staff from NEFLIN's public, academic, special and school libraries.

      The committee meets every other month. Your responsibility would be to attend meetings, give suggestions and input, make recommendations to and work closely with the CE Coordinator, and help promote NEFLIN's training and support services mission. This responsibility is articulated in the "CE Committee Charge" shown below. Your commitment would be for a two year term beginning October 1.

      If you are interested, please send a brief statement to Patricia Morris, CE Coordinator, explaining your reasons for wanting to be on the committee.

      NEFLIN CE Committee Charge:

      The NEFLIN Continuing Education Committee will work in an advisory capacity with the Continuing Education Coordinator to develop a training program to meet the needs of member libraries.

      The CE Committee will be actively involved in the direction of continuing education options such as workshops, webcasts, teleconference, online training, and content for the Multimedia Lending Library.

      In addition to generating ideas and feedback essential to a thriving CE program, the Committee will promote these resources to enhance the professional knowledge of fellow members.

      Friday, August 13, 2010

      Link Love

      I haven't posted pics of my family...well ever. Here is a nice set we took recently.

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

      Why Libraries Are Awesome. The guys over at SavvyDaddy have woke up and smelled the coffee. The article ends with a nice list of 14 Things Dads Can Do With Their Kids at the Library.

      Being a SavvyDaddy and a GeekDad has me spreading the library message to these groups.

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

      eBooks on Amazon outsell hardcovers. Here are five reasons why.

      (Plus, we are giving away a new Kindle to a lucky person who attends the NEFLIN Annual Meeting.)





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

      With all the eBook rage...some libraries still have substantial print collections (shocking, I know). NEFLIN members, University of Florida and Jacksonville Public Library are numbers 46 and 94, respectively, on the ALA list of the largest libraries in the U.S.

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

      What have I been up to this summer? A little of this, a little of that, a lot of finding indoor alternatives to these brutal tempatures.

      My latest book and movie recommendations?

      Colossus by Michael Hiltzik about the construction of Hoover Dam. Well researched and compelling storylines. Not a beach read, but I consumed it in about the same time as any thriller by Lee Child.








      Inception made me realize that going to the movies can be better than watching a DVD on the living room couch. A rare movie that I have now seen twice in the theater.

      I know that your first question is "It's a 2 and 1/2 hour movie, when is a boring scene that will allow me to use the bathroom?". This is also a rare "There isn't one". The last one hour or more is so riveting you almost can't catch your breath. Check it out!


      Thursday, August 12, 2010

      Understanding and Mapping Florida Communities


      Using new tricks and tools available from the US Census Bureau, in this workshop you will learn to easily and quickly compile detailed demographic profiles of Florida communities including compelling maps showing insightful demographic trends and patterns.

      The US Census Bureau recently released new data from the American Community Survey – learn how to understand and use the latest demographic information available.
      • You’ll learn to create a compelling demographic profile of the Florida community of your choice, including:
      • In-depth demographic studies using current census data
      • Valuable data for each census tract / block group in the specific area of interest
      • What information is available on new surveys and how to easily extract data
      Included is instruction on the power of using GIS (Geographic Information System) mapping to overlay data from your organization’s internal databases with detailed local demographic maps. GIS is a powerful tool – allowing you and patrons to graphically display insightful trends and patterns not visible in any other way. Workshop participants will receive:
      • A workbook and resource CD with step-by-step guides on creating a compelling, detailed demographic study specific to your community/target population
      • Sample Florida data showing detailed demographic trends
      • Sample GIS (computer) maps for Florida Counties and a free GIS map browser – ArcExplorer and ArcReader
      Trainer: Richard Miller, Calm River Demographics

      Wednesday, September 22, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at NEFLIN in Orange Park

      Registrations needed to avoid cancellation

      Monday, August 9, 2010

      Digital Skills Checklist

      Digital skills, and helping our patrons develop those skills, has become a critical service for many of us in libraries today. As the technology and its adoption evolves, the skills we need to learn and coach move from the very basic to more mature skill sets. Identifying some of these critical skills for successful netizens has been an ongoing project and TBLC has recently posted a checklist of targeted skills.

      http://www.tblc.org/DigitalSkillsChecklist.pdf

      Obviously no library would be able to provide training in all these skills, but most already are meeting some of these training needs, and they probably aren't getting credit for their efforts.

      If you have stories to share or suggestions for implementation, May I suggest joining and continuing the discussion in the Learning Support Member Group listserv
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Posted to the FLA Mailing List by Paul Alford, Citrus County Library System

      Free Webinars in August

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

      We have found numerous webinars in August that can assist with your professional development. Here are some randomly selected topics:

      • Developing An Internet Safety Program
      • Helping Job Seekers using Electronic Tools
      • No Cost Online Learning for Patrons and Staff
      • Pop Culture Programming in Your Library
      • Selecting Inspirational Fiction
      • Top 10 IT Issues of 2010
      • YA Nonfiction

      Friday, August 6, 2010

      Georgia 21st Century Library Speaker Series


      This invitation comes from Pat Carterette, Director of Continuing Education for the Georgia Public Library Service. If you would like to attend the free workshop, email pcarterette@georgialibraries.org by August 20.
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      The Georgia Public Library Service is pleased to announce the first program in the new Georgia 21st Century Library Speaker Series. You, your staff and your trustees (and library science students) are cordially invited to attend!

      Start with...Why?
      ...will be presented by nationally known consultants (did I mention fun and engaging?) George Needham and Joan Frye Williams in Albany, Ga on August 24th. George and Joan will reveal their perspectives on various aspects of 21st century libraries and engage us in discussions about best practices, new technologies and innovative services. Two continuing education contact hours will be awarded.

      The workshop will be held at the Albany-Dougherty County Government Center on Tuesday, August 24 from 1:30-3:30 pm. Library staff and trustees from all types of libraries are invited to attend these insightful, thought-provoking and entertaining presentations. The workshops are free but registration is required as attendance is limited.

      Even if you've heard them before, I hope you and your staff and/or trustees are able to take advantage of this unique opportunity to interact with library strategist George Needham and library futurist/innovator Joan Frye Williams! I know transportation and staffing issues are just a few challenges you may face in sending staff to one of these workshops. But I hope you'll find a way to "make it work!"

      Click here for more information: Albany on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

      Thursday, August 5, 2010

      New Library Building Progress at Florida Gateway College

      Construction is progressing nicely on the new library at Florida Gateway College, formerly Lake City Community College. "The walls are going up, giving us an idea of just how big the building will be," said Jim Morris, Library Director. "It will be the largest one on campus. College President Chuck Hall envisions this as a regional library, serving the public as well as students and faculty. It truly will be in keeping with the philosophy of 'The Open Door.' Everyone will be welcomed." The new building is due to be completed in April 2011.















      News of happenings from NEFLIN members is welcome on the Blah Blah Blah Blog! Send your good news to patty@neflin.org.

      Wednesday, August 4, 2010

      Leadership Institute Graduation

      These folks are not preparing to do dinner theater or tour as part of the cast of "West Side Story"...this is the latest class to graduate from the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute.


      Congratulations!


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


      The sixth class of the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute graduated on July 30, 2010, during ceremonies at the R.A. Gray Building, home of the State Library and Archives of Florida.


      The Institute is one of several strategies developed to cultivate and enhance the leadership skills of Florida’s library staff. This year-long comprehensive series of sessions focuses on developing diverse leaders to serve in administrative roles at local, regional, state and national levels, as well as re-energizing staff currently employed in the library profession.


      As a result of the Institute, participants are better prepared to provide the highest quality library services to the citizens of Florida in an effective and innovative manner that will meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.


      Twenty-three people have completed this year’s 10-session Institute. The participants, who represent public, academic, special and school libraries, were chosen from applicants statewide. Each participant was paired with a mentor, who offered them guidance throughout the year. The Institute has received nationwide recognition for its focus on mentoring and developing library leaders.


      “Mentoring is a key component of the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute,” said Interim Secretary of State Dawn K. Roberts, who spoke at the graduation ceremony. “The collaborative efforts of this year’s participants and their mentors ensure a bright future for Florida’s libraries.”


      A list of this year’s Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute graduates and mentors can be found online at http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/bld/leadership/participants.cfm.

      Paul Clark honored with FAC Advocacy Award

      Librarian Paul Clark (left) was honored as 2010 Advocate of the Year by the Florida Association of Counties for his presence in the state Capitol, holding signs urging leaders to restore State Aid funding for libraries. The award, the first given to an individual who is not a professional lobbyist, was presented by FAC legislative affairs director John Wayne Smith (right).

      Paul recently joined the Clay County Public Library System as Systems Librarian. He will be leading a Round Table Discussion on Advocacy at the NEFLIN Annual Meeting on September 17 at the Thrasher Horne Conference Center in Orange Park. Click here for more details or to register to attend the Annual Meeting.
      Photo courtesy of Stephen Kindland, Clay Today

      Monday, August 2, 2010

      NEFLIN Annual Meeting 2010



      "The Future Was Yesterday, So What Happens Tomorrow?"

      Keynote presentation by Dr. J. Richard Madaus, Chief Executive Officer, College Center for Library Automation (CCLA)

      We are being swept away by a world dominated by the Internet, Google, ipads, iphones, Androids, Kindles, HDTV, gigabytes in the dashboard of our car, and wireless everything and everywhere. Where do libraries fit into all of this insanity and what can be our role as more and more text becomes digital? Richard's view on this plate of spaghetti will be the keynote address at the NEFLIN Annual Meeting, held Friday, September 17, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm at the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center in Orange Park.

      Other highlights include the NEFLIN Annual Report, Awards, Member Highlights, Lunch, Networking, and Round Table Discussions.

      NEFLIN Continuing Education Committee seeks new members

      Do you have ideas for training or professional development that you would like to see available to NEFLIN members? NEFLIN is looking for several creative and dependable individuals who would like to contribute to the ongoing development of its Continuing Education program by serving on the Continuing Education Committee. The CE Committee is made up of library staff from NEFLIN's public, academic, special and school libraries.

      The committee meets every other month. Your responsibility would be to attend meetings, give suggestions and input, make recommendations to and work closely with the CE Coordinator, and help promote NEFLIN's training and support services mission. This responsibility is articulated in the "CE Committee Charge" shown below. Your commitment would be for a two year term beginning October 1.

      If you are interested, please send a brief statement to Patricia Morris, CE Coordinator, explaining your reasons for wanting to be on the committee. Deadline is Friday, August 20.

      NEFLIN CE Committee Charge:

      The NEFLIN Continuing Education Committee will work in an advisory capacity with the Continuing Education Coordinator to develop a training program to meet the needs of member libraries.

      The CE Committee will be actively involved in the direction of continuing education options such as workshops, webcasts, teleconference, online training, and content for the Multimedia Lending Library.

      In addition to generating ideas and feedback essential to a thriving CE program, the Committee will promote these resources to enhance the professional knowledge of fellow members.