WebJunction - Rural Updates

Summer 2011 Rural Update

2011-06-16T16:22:06Z

Announcing free training webinars and online conference, ALA meetups, changes to course catalog access, and more.

Rural and Small Libraries Update

Summer 2011

Trouble Reading this Email? If you are unable to see the links or images in this email, you can read the update here: www.webjunction.org/rural-update

Greetings! This summer update brings news of many online and face-to-face opportunities for you to network with other library staff who work in rural library communities. As you'll find me at all of the events listed below, I wanted to extend a special invite and hope you'll say "hi" either online or in person. I also wanted to share that I will be serving as chair of the Rural, Native and Tribal Libraries of All Kinds Committee from 2011–2012. I'm truly honored and excited to use the opportunity to help build collaboration between rural libraries across the ALA, ARSL and WebJunction communities. I look forward to hearing your ideas about the work of the committee in the coming year. Thank you for all you do in support of rural libraries!

—Jennifer Peterson

Register for Free Summer Webinars
Webinars are one-hour live online training events on hot topics in libraries. You watch and listen to the presentation over the internet, chat with the presenters and other attendees—all from the comfort of your desk. And if you are unable to attend the live session—no problem! We archive every presentation and post it to WebJunction for you to watch at your convenience.

June 21: Foreclosure, and Bad Credit and No Job, Oh My!
In these tough economic times, patrons faced with increased financial challenges need help and may be too afraid to ask. In this webinar, you'll discover how you can connect library patrons to trustworthy financial assistance information; and you'll learn how three Minnesota county government departments collaborated to get reliable, just-in-time information to residents. Presentations will discuss how partnerships are established, programs are organized, and provide recommendations for other libraries and community partners. Presenters: Joe Manion, Washington County Library; Nicola Viana, Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA); and Brian Huffman, Washington County law librarian.This session is the fourth in a series brought to you in collaboration with the Jobs and Small Business Task Force of MELSA.

More information and registration »

July 20: Information Cartographer: Social Media Librarians of the Future
Ever wonder if it's too late or too early to bring social media services to your library? Whether you are in a one-person library or one with one hundred staff, social media applications are impacting library services just like the Internet has. But how do you fit social media into your already busy schedule, and is it worth the effort? Come hear from a library that has successfully "operationalized" its social media services and actually has fun in the process. Join Stephanie Bents, digital services librarian, and Greta Chapman, director of the Rapid City Public Libraries, recognized by USA Today as one of the top libraries in the U.S.

More information and registration »

July 27: Finding a Legal Comfort Zone on the Web
This webinar is brought to you in collaboration with ALA TechSource and ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. Allowing the public to contribute to, comment on and otherwise engage with your library's website content can be a scary thought. But it really doesn't have to be that way. Eli Neiburger will present on how to move squeamish colleagues, administrators, or trustees to a point where web initiatives can be understood as less risky than the daily act of unlocking the front doors. Joining Eli will be Barbara Jones from the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, who will focus on how the overarching principles of intellectual freedom apply to user engagement, access, and information literacy programming on social media.

More information and registration »

Free Online Workshop: Libraries at the Core of Workforce Recovery
In July, Project Compass will be offering a free 4-week online workshop, Libraries Supporting Small Business and Financial Health. This workshop explores the potential for libraries to help move their communities from surviving to thriving by supporting local economic development and helping patrons increase their personal financial skills. You will look beyond the immediate needs of job seekers, discover other approaches to support the workforce in your community and expand their capacity to succeed in the 21st century. The program will kick off with a live webinar on July 12, and will be followed by four weeks of self-paced reading assignments, discussions and peer networking. There is no prerequisite for attending this July workshop.

Visit the workshop program page »

WebJunction Offers Unlimited Free Courses to Sponsored Members
Beginning July 1, WebJunction members who are sponsored by their state library will be able to enroll in an unlimited number of courses at no charge from their state library’s catalog. Read this FAQ to find out whether you are eligible and how to access the courses.

As part of this service change, non-sponsored members will no longer be able to purchase courses from a public catalog on WebJunction. However, all members can:

purchase any course in the WebJunction public catalog before July 1, and have access to that course(s) for 12 months after the date of enrollment

attend any of WebJunction's free webinars or conferences

use all the free resources on WebJunction.org, including the documents and downloadable files, groups, and discussions

subscribe to our Crossroads e-newsletter, which gives an inside scoop on new content and upcoming training opportunities.

More information »

Project Compass Goes to ALA
If you're headed to New Orleans this month for the ALA Annual Conference, we hope you'll stop by one of the events where we will be talking about Project Compass's efforts to help libraries guide workforce and economic recovery efforts. Sessions on Saturday and Sunday include an OCLC panel discussing virtual reference for job seekers, and two poster sessions highlighting the training initiative: one at the Learning Round Table Training Showcase, and another with Project Compass trainers Bill Erbes (IL) and Lindsey Wesson (TN). Hope to see you there!

More information »

Registration is Open for Free Online Conference
Plan now to attend Trends in Library Training and Learning: Developing Staff Skills in the 21st Century, a free two-day online conference to be held on August 10–11. Produced in collaboration with the ALA Learning Round Table, this WebJunction event is free and open to all. Eight sessions will be presented over the two days, including keynote presentations by Jay Turner and Char Booth. View the full program schedule and speaker bios, and then register to save your seat. If your library is interested in attending the conference as a group, be sure to download our Online Conference Viewing Party Guide to help you prepare for the event.

Go to conference page »

How Is Your Library Supporting E-Books?
Many libraries are now at least dabbling in stocking e-books, and some are making them the primary focus for new acquisitions. There are many debates going on about whether e-books are truly replacing print and if it is a good time for libraries to invest in the current mobile devices on the market such as Kindles, iPads, and Nooks. The results of our 2011 survey of WebJunction members show that 29% of respondents from small public libraries have purchased a mobile device in the past year. Is this trend increasing? Tell us what your plans are for this next year by answering this quick poll.

Join the Discussion
Hundreds of library staff are sharing library news and resources in WebJunction's satellite web communities. Get daily updates on library news and WebJunction happenings from our Facebook page or our Twitter feed. And library staff across the globe are discussing hot topics in the WebJunction Group on LinkedIn, including a very lively exchange about e-books. Use these library-focused pages to see how social networking websites can be useful in your work!

ARSL 2011 Conference
Registration continues for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries 2011 Conference, to be held September 8–11, in Frisco, Texas. Details are available now on the conference information and registration page.

The conference will bring together representatives from libraries across the nation to share resources and build a spirit of collaboration. Workshop topics include

Inside Tips for Grant Writing
Homework 411 for Teens
Cloud Computing
Recycling Books for Fun, Fashion & Profit
Summer Reading Programs
Developing Community Partnerships
Troubleshooting Technology
Adult Programs on a $0 Budget, and many more.

Visit the ARSL website for more information »

Please feel free to pass along this update to your friends; we do ask, however, that you keep the newsletter intact and forward it in its entirety.

© 2011 Online Computer Library Center, Inc. All rights reserved. Product and service names are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
OCLC, 6565 Kilgour Place, Dublin OH USA 43017-3395 | ISSN 1552-36165

Spring 2011 Rural Update

2011-03-24T21:24:52Z

Announcing April webinars, new rural and small library initiatives, and other 2011 events.

Rural and Small Libraries Update

Spring 2011

Greetings! This update announces webinars in April that were designed especially for small and rural library staff. We also include news from other organizations such as ARSL, and initiatives that we think will be of particular interest to you. Thank you for staying in touch!

—Jennifer Peterson

Join the Discussion

Library staff are sharing library news and resources in WebJunction's satellite communities on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Join in!

Register for Free April Webinars With Rural Focus
April 14: Creating a Web Presence for Every Library
Join us for a webinar on a new project to help small and rural libraries get on the Web quickly, "A Web Presence for Every Library." The OCLC Innovation Lab has devised a simple, low-cost way for any library to launch a template-based website that would include the ability to edit content, provide maps, news and events, and a simple item inventory system. Mike Teets and Willie Neumann, OCLC project leads, will discuss the early stages of this experimental service. They will also extend an invitation especially to those of you working in small or rural libraries to provide your feedback and direction on its development.

More information »

April 26: The Entrepreneurial Librarian - Running the business of your library
Do you feel as if your library training prepared you for everything but actually running the library? This workshop will focus on meeting the needs of the director of small and/or rural libraries, by placing the director or manager in the role of entrepreneur. You will be introduced to the business principles most often used by successful entrepreneurs, including long-range planning, marketing, leadership, and program development. This webinar will be hosted in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries and presented by ARSL board member, Andrea Berstler, who serves as manager at the Henrietta Hankin Branch of Pennsylvania's Chester County Library.

More information »
View More Upcoming Webinars »

Rural Library Input Requested
The National Science Foundation-funded project Pushing the Limits is asking for rural libraries' help to gather responses to two surveys that were created to support a library-based project aimed specifically at rural communities. The results will be used to shape the materials and supports that will be created as part of the project. The team requests all responses by April 11. The first survey is for library staff, and should take about 10-15 minutes to complete: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HVKY9CN

The second survey is for about 10-20 of your "typical" adult patrons, and should take just a few minutes minutes to complete: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HNRPFMX

More information »

Capstone Student Works With WebJunction to Reach Rural Libraries
Anjali Bhasin, a second-year graduate student at the School of Information at the University of Texas-Austin, is currently working on an outreach project to rural libraries in Texas as part of her Capstone project with WebJunction. As a graduate student Anjali has worked with tribal libraries on the program Operation Teen Book Drop, which distributed 10,000 books to American Indian teenagers in support of National Teen Literacy Day. She currently serves works at UT-Austin's School of Information Technology Lab and as co-director of the UT-Austin ALA/TLA Student Chapter. Prior to graduate school she was the assistant director of the Associate Students of Madison at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this capacity, she advised students, staff, and faculty interested in creating social change.

Workforce Resources Continue to Grow
The Workforce Resources section of WebJunction.org is continuing to collect new content to help libraries support the economically impacted patrons in their community. We recommend you start by reviewing the four pathways to workforce recovery, which outline a "21st century" approach your library can take to support job seekers, job creators, and the financially unskilled:

Core Services Pathway

Pathway to Job Seekers

Pathway to Small Business & Entrepreneurs

Pathway to Personal Financial Skills

Now Available: Full Archives from Winter Webinars
WebJunction has hosted 8 webinars so far this year, and all are archived on WebJunction.org for you to view and listen to at your convenience:

Browse all archives »

New Report Compares Rural and Urban Public Library Trends
OCLC librarian Larry Olszewski and program director Rich Van Orden analyzed the data from the most recent IMLS Public Library Surveys to report on recent trends in U.S. public libraries. Covering the 2006 and 2008 fiscal periods, the report compares urban and rural libraries in terms of their number, their finances, and their services. They note some similarities, such as around expense allocation; but there are also noticeable differences regarding services (circulation, acquisitions, programming, reference, computer use) and visitation rates. After reading their brief summary report, sign into your WebJunction account to post a comment about your take on these trends.

Go to the report »

ARSL Announces 2011 Conference

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) will hold its 2011 Conference in Frisco, Texas, on September 8-11, at the Embassy Suites Dallas/Frisco Hotel and Conference Center. The conference will bring together staff, trustees, and volunteers from smaller libraries across the nation to share resources and build a spirit of collaboration. Workshop proposals will be accepted through midnight, April 15, via this submission form. Conference registration will open this spring, but hotel reservations are currently being taken.

Visit the ARSL website for more information »

© 2011 Online Computer Library Center, Inc. All rights reserved. Product and service names are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
OCLC, 6565 Kilgour Place, Dublin OH USA 43017-3395 | ISSN 1552-36165

Winter 2011 Rural Update

2010-12-17T18:03:48Z

Covers January live programs, and new content resources on WebJunction related to customer service and workforce resources

Rural and Small Libraries Update

Winter 2011

Greetings! This update brings hightlights from 2010 and invites you to join us in January for upcoming webinars. Staff from rural libraries now account for half of all those attending webinars! Thank you for all the excellent work you do in your libraries and for your continued engagement with colleagues on WebJunction.

—Jennifer Peterson

Did You Know?
The WebJunction community has grown to 63,000 members, including more than 9,200 small rural library staff.
Visit WebJunction »

Register for Free January Webinars With Rural Focus
January 18: Best Small Library in America
Library Journal's annual Best Small Library in America Award, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was created in 2005 to encourage and showcase the exemplary work of libraries serving populations under 25,000. After the Glen Carbon Centennial Library (GCCL) in Illinois was recognized as an "honorable mention" in the 2008 awards, its staff resolved to win the award—and they did! Their successful results are seen in their commitment to hire and inspire staff to provide "more than you expect" service to patrons, and in their stellar outreach and programming that leverages partnerships and technology every way they can. On January 18, join our webinar in collaboration with the Association for Rural & Small Libraries and featuring GCCL Director Anne Hughes, and Library Journal Executive Editor Rebecca Miller, when we'll explore the inner workings of this winning library.

More information and registration »

January 25: Get Your Geek On: Improve Local Funding Outlook through Community Advocacy
Geek the Library is a public awareness campaign that is used as a platform for educating the public about the library's important local role and the critical funding issues that libraries are facing today. Campaign materials include advertising, collateral, a Web site, social media and other online tools. After a successful pilot program in 2009 involving nearly 100 libraries, Geek the Library can now be implemented by any public library in the US. In this webinar, Jennifer Pearson, Advocacy Programs Senior Manager at OCLC, will discuss the campaign and how your library can participate. With Jennifer will be Heidi Gustad and Liz Kudwa of the Capitol Area Library District of Lansing, MI, who will share with you why they implemented the campaign, how they are applying it locally, and its impact on their community.

More information and registration »
View More Upcoming WebJunction Events »
View Webinar Archives »

ARSL-ABOS Joint Conference

In October, the Association for Rural & Small Libraries and the Association of Bookmobiles and Outreach Services held their first joint conference. The conference, held in Denver, Colorado, welcomed over 450 library directors, bookmobile and outreach staff and trustees from 43 states. The three days were filled with practical workshops that applied to the worlds of outreach services, programming, bookmobiles, administration and management, collection development and trustee education. Workshop speakers shared best practices that can be used in even the smallest of libraries or the most remote of bookmobile areas. Read Conference Planning Chair Andrea Berstler's summary of the conference and more conference resources at webjunction.org/rural.

TechSoup for Libraries Spotlights Adventurous Small Library
In a recent spotlight article, TechSoup for Libraries interviewed Kieran Hixon, one of six staff members at John C. Fremont Public Library District in Florence, Colorado, which serves about 5,000 people. Among the many hats (ha!) he wears, Kieran serves as Office and Cataloging Services Librarian. In the interview, we learn how his library has embraced and rigorously pursued new technology for the library. With a keen understanding of the highest-priority needs of the community, and a demonstrated willingness to pursue partnerships and ask for expert volunteer help, the library successfully transitioned to automation, open-source ILS, and open-source PC reservation software, among other things. If you thought your small library could never make such a transition, perhaps Kieran's story will give you some new insights.

Read spotlight »

Course Set: Customer Service for Libraries
We all know that providing excellent service to our patrons is essential to sustaining the library's central role in the community. WebJunction offers a Customer Service for Libraries course set that will build your skills to provide excellent service and deal with the difficult situations that can arise when working with the public. The curriculum applies current best practices from the business world to a library setting.

Complete all five courses to acquire the tools to apply to almost any customer situation, or choose from the set those courses that focus on the specific areas you want to work on. And, for the month of December, all 5 courses in the set are on sale for 25% off their normal price. The discount applies to both individual and institutional purchasers. Remember that, once enrolled, you have a whole year to complete the courses.

Get course set details »

Library Collaborate to Serve Workforce Needs
In late 2009 we launched a new community of practice on WebJunction for Workforce Resources. Since then, state library agencies and their local public libraries have worked together to build the content in this area, and there are now scores of resources to help your library meet the needs of job seekers and unemployed in your community. You'll find examples of how libraries are addressing technology grants, e-government, support of small businesses, partnerships, patron training, and technology needed to support your patrons. These resources continue to grow, so bookmark the section and come back often.

Go to Workforce Resources »

Now Available: Full Archives from Customer Service Online Conference
We hosted a two-day online conference on December 1–2, Serving the 21st Century Patron, and all of the sessions have been archived for you to view any time, any place. Just go to webjunction.org/21st-century-patrons, where you will find links to the session presentations. After a quick one-time configuration of your internet browser, you will be able to see and hear each presentation over your computer speakers or headset, and even see the chat that participants contributed during the sessions. Be sure to explore the related resources included on each archive page.

Go to conference archives »

A free publication produced by WebJunction, the Rural and Small Libraries Update is distributed periodically in an electronic format. You can find current and past issues at webjunction.org/rural-update.

To subscribe, go to webjunction.org/rural-update and enter your email address in the subscription box.

To unsubscribe, email rural@webjunction.org with unsubscribe in the subject line.

Please feel free to pass along this update to your friends; we do ask, however, that you keep the newsletter intact and forward it in its entirety.

Please see also Crossroads, a free publication produced by WebJunction, distributed monthly in an electronic format.

WebJunction.org will not sell or otherwise make available to outside parties the information provided by Website users and newsletter subscribers. This update is distributed using a third-party service provider.

© 2010 Online Computer Library Center, Inc. All rights reserved. Product and service names are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.
OCLC, 6565 Kilgour Place, Dublin OH USA 43017-3395 | ISSN 1552-36165

Summer 2010 Rural Update

2010-08-17T22:59:51Z

News and events for our small and rural library members

Rural and Small Libraries Update

Summer 2010

Greetings! With a busy fall season ahead, this update comes packed with programs and events to add to your calendar. I hope to see you at our September webinars that will focus on your work in rural libraries. And please stop by and say hello if you'll be at the ARSL-ABOS Joint Conference, where I'm thrilled to be attending as a newly elected Association for Rural and Small Libraries board member! I look forward serving the association with the seven other folks joining the board, and to continue to support you in your invaluable work in small and rural communities.

See you in Denver or meet you online!
—Jennifer Peterson

Did You Know?
The WebJunction community has grown to 60,000 members, including staff from more than 3,375 small rural libraries.
Visit WebJunction »

Register for Free September Webinars
September 14: The Rural Library Trustee: Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships
How do library trustees get trained? How are director and trustee roles defined to ensure a healthy library organization? How are trustee relationships cultivated both in and outside the library circle? This webinar will provide you with practical ideas and tactical strategies to support and advocate for your library organization as a trustee, or library director in a small or rural community. This webinar is brought to you by ARSL and features presenters Sally Gardner Reed, Executive Director ALTAFF (Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations); Kim Armentrout, Library of Virginia; and Jim Minges, Director of the Northeast Kansas Library System.

More information and registration »

September 21: Using Technology to Move your Small/Rural Library Forward
Feel overwhelmed with new technology? Not sure how your small or rural library can take advantage of new and not-so-new technology? Don't feel you have time to keep up with keeping up? Then this webinar is for you. Presenters Robin Hastings, Information Technology Coordinator for the Missouri River Regional Library, and Maurice Coleman, Technical Trainer at Harford County Public Library, will discuss best practices for using technology to keep your library connected and up to date. They will also share some of the latest and greatest sites and technology best suited for a small or rural library. You'll also receive some expert guidance to better evaluate and assess these tools for your library system and your customers, with a focus on small and rural library environments.

More information and registration »
View More Upcoming WebJunction Events »
View Webinar Archives »

ARSL-ABOS Joint Conference
ARSL and the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) invite you to join your library colleagues in Denver, Colorado, on October 14-16 for the 2010 ARSL-ABOS Joint Conference. The theme for this conference is "Magic in the Mile High City" and conference planners are working hard to make this conference full of magic. Scheduled speakers include WebJunction members Dr. Loriene Roy, past president of ALA, and Pat Wagner, an educator, trainer, writer and consultant from Pattern Research Inc. Early Bird registration ends on August 29, so register today!

Presentation Spotlights
If you're coming to Denver, please join us at Libraries and Workforce Recovery, a session that Shelley Walchak and I are hosting on Friday afternoon and again on Saturday morning. Libraries in rural communities are often the first line of response in tough economic times, providing access to everything from job-related web resources to patron training for basic computer skills. Our panel (Rebecca Atkinson from Pueblo City County Library District, Kathleen Rainwater from the Arapahoe Library District, and Jackie Kuusinen of East Routt Library District in Steamboat Springs) will present on a number of successful library programs and best practices that address the increase in employment-related patron needs. And then come to the exhibit hall Friday afternoon (or stop by our table anytime!) when Kendra Morgan and I will update you on WebJunction Tools and News.

See Conference Information »

Collecting Workforce Resources
WebJunction, through a grant from IMLS, is helping to foster a growing community of practice around serving the needs of the struggling workforce. U.S. state agencies and local libraries have been sharing how they are assessing those needs and shifting services and resources to meet them. We invite you to explore all of these resources and to contribute news and information from your library to the section. Use the newly relaunched wiki to add links to other online resources. For Twitter users, the hashtag #libs4jobs will pull your tweets into the Workforce Resources page.

View Workforce Resources »

Save the Date for WebJunction's Free Online Conference
We're hosting a free two-day online conference this December 1–2, Serving the 21st Century Patron. Save on travel time and costs, and time away from the library, and join library colleagues from around the world for this, WebJunction's second online conference. Mark your calendar now, and stay tuned for details about this event to come this fall.

Learn more »