Volume 6, May 20, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) RENEW WASHINGTON GRANT CYCLE RE-OPENS

2) THE USER EXPERIENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY LIBRARY

3) GET INVOLVED IN WASHINGTON’S FUTURE

4) BOOKS FOR CHILDREN GRANTS

5) MISSION CRITICAL – SERVICES TO SPANISH SPEAKERS

6) USING WEB 2.0 TOOLS TO ENHANCE TECHNICAL SERVICES WORK

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1) RENEW WASHINGTON GRANT CYCLE RE-OPENS

The 2010 Renew Washington targeted competitive grant cycle from the Washington State Library has funding available to support a minimum of three additional awards. The deadline for receipt of applications is June 18, 2010. Applications received from the re-opened grant cycle will form their own application pool and will be reviewed separately from applications received in response to the first application deadline. Applicants who submitted an application in response to the first 2010 deadline are not eligible to submit an additional request.

The purpose of this grant cycle is to provide grant funds to help libraries respond to the economic challenge that now confronts them. Libraries may do this by providing training, additional computer workstations, and other resources to improve the capacity of Washington library staff to meet the needs of customers who are seeking assistance from their local libraries because of the recession.

A minimum of $75,000 in grant funds are available and grants will be awarded up to the limit of $25,000. For additional information go to www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/grants. Questions? Contact Carolyn Petersen at [email protected].

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2) THE USER EXPERIENCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY LIBRARY

The Seattle Public Library will present a panel discussion titled, “The User Experience in the 21st Century Library” at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 12 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium.

The event is free and open to the public. There is no registration. Parking is available at the Central Library garage at the regular rates. This program is part of the library’s strategic planning process, “My Library: The Next Generation.”

Virginia Anderson, a member of the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, will moderate the discussion, which will also include opportunities for audience questions. Anderson is the former president of the Safeco Foundation and senior vice president of Safeco Community Relations. She also served for 18 years as director of Seattle Center. Featured panelists include library consultants Joan Frye Williams and George Needham, customer service expert Robert Spector and Starbucks’ senior vice president of global design Tim Pfeiffer. For more information, follow this shortcut: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/SPL

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3) GET INVOLVED IN WASHINGTON’S FUTURE

Washington’s children are Washington’s future! The Department of Early Learning (DEL) invites you to make your voices heard on the state’s Early Learning Plan. Read the draft of the Plan and share your input via this shortcut link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/EarlyLearningPlan. Input will be accepted until June 18.

Another way to get involved is to become a Key Communicator, providing feedback and keeping your communities abreast of developments in early learning. To find out more, follow this shortcut link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/KeyCommunicator.

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4) BOOKS FOR CHILDREN GRANTS

The Libri Foundation is a nationwide nonprofit organization that donates new, quality hardcover children’s books to small, rural public libraries in the United States through its Books for Children program. Grants will match up to $350 raised locally on a 2-1 basis (total value including match: up to $1050). Libraries have up to 4 months to raise the matching funds after receiving a grant. Previous Books for Children grant recipients are eligible to apply for another grant three years after the receipt of their last grant.

The next application deadline is: (postmarked by) August 15th. Grants are awarded January 31st, April 30th, and August 31st. Application guidelines and forms may be downloaded from the Foundation’s website at www.librifoundation.org.

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5) MISSION CRITICAL – SERVICES TO SPANISH SPEAKERS

Consider attending this free WebJunction webinar, the third in a series presented in collaboration with REFORMA. Programs for Spanish speakers at libraries around the country are seeing record attendance and positive feedback from participants. Find out how your outreach efforts and your community can help position the “library as critical” in the eyes of stakeholders and decision makers.

Come hear practical, successful examples of library services targeted to new immigrants, including English Language Learning (ELL), computer instruction, children’s concurrent programming, Life Skills workshops and resources, GED workshops, family literacy programming, and how to successfully communicate with library decision-makers, staff, community leaders and officials.

Wednesday, May 26, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT. For more information and to register, use this shortcut link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/critical.

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6) USING WEB 2.0 TOOLS TO ENHANCE TECHNICAL SERVICES WORK

Social software such as wikis, blogs, mashups, tagging, RSS feeds, instant messaging, Google Docs, etc. have been used successfully for several years now on the public services side of libraries. This forum is intended to be a two-day discussion where the following topics, as well as others can be addressed:

• How can technical services librarians and staff use social software to enhance their work?
• Are there applications of social software that can "bridge the gap" and increase communication between technical services and public services departments in libraries?
• What kinds of information problems do you see in your library/technical services unit(s) that could be solved by using Web 2.0 tools?
• Are there specific types of social tools you’re hoping to learn more about? Hopefully other libraries can share examples of their applications of these tools to help you get started.
• How are you (or your library’s technical services unit(s)) making use of social software?

Please join ALCTS for this free e-forum discussion May 19-20, 2010. E-forum starts at 6:00 a.m. PDT, and runs until 2:00 p.m. PDT each day. An ALCTS e-forum provides an opportunity for librarians to discuss matters of interest, led by a moderator, through the e-forum discussion list. To register, visit bit.ly/eforuminfo. A list of upcoming e-forums can be found via this link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/alcts-forums.

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