Volume 6, September 23, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) NEW DIGITAL COLLECTION – KIONA-BENTON CITY HERITAGE

2) 2009 WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICAL REPORT

3) THERE’S STILL TIME TO TAKE THE SURVEY

4) SPARKS! IGNITION GRANTS

5) GREAT STORIES CLUB GRANTS FROM ALA

6) MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM

7) AMIGOS ANNOUNCES WESTERN RESOURCE SHARING AGREEMENT

8) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) NEW DIGITAL COLLECTION – KIONA-BENTON CITY HERITAGE

The Washington Rural Heritage initiative is pleased to announce the publication of our latest collection, Kiona-Benton City Heritage, available at www.washingtonruralheritage.org/benton. A project of the Benton City branch of Mid-Columbia Libraries and the Kiona-Benton City Historical Society, the collection documents early community and farm life, railroad construction, and irrigation district development along this scenic stretch of the Yakima River.

Read more about the project, and link to some of our favorite items, on the WSL blog: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/KionaBentonCity.

Three new Washington Rural Heritage collections are slated for publication this fall, and seven public libraries are currently digitizing historic material for their 2010-2011 grant projects. To learn more about participation in the initiative, contact Evan Robb, Project Manager, [email protected] 360.704.5228, or visit www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/WRH.

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2) 2009 WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY STATISTICAL REPORT

The 2009 Washington Public Library Statistical Report is now available online at www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/2009stats. Public library statistics including budget, collections, and usage data, are collected and compiled on an annual basis by Library Development staff.

For more information contact Evelyn Lindberg at [email protected].

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3) THERE’S STILL TIME TO TAKE THE SURVEY

The Early Learning Public Library Partnership (ELPLP) is supporting research to find out how much adults know about emergent literacy. Anyone over the age of 18 is invited to participate in the survey, which takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. No knowledge of emergent literacy is required. In fact, not understanding the questions is part of the research! The researcher needs 100 more responses by September 30 to reach the target of 1,000. Take the survey at www.elcapstone.com.

The ELPLP would like you to spread the word by posting this message on your Web sites, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Feel free to cut and paste the following:

For Web sites and Facebook: “________________ Library is supporting research to figure out what people know about early literacy. Please take and share this 10-minute survey. The researcher needs 1,000 results by September 30, currently at 300. It is ok if you don’t understand the questions; it is part of the research. www.elcapstone.com.”

For Twitter: “Supporting research about early literacy. It is ok if you don’t understand the questions. www.elcapstone.com/“

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4) SPARKS! IGNITION GRANTS

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced the release of grant guidelines for Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums. This new grant program will provide one-year grants of $10,000 to $25,000 for innovative projects that respond to the challenges and opportunities facing cultural heritage institutions in a rapidly changing information environment. The submission deadline is November 15, 2010.

Successful proposals will address problems, challenges, or needs of broad relevance to museums, libraries, or archives, will test innovative responses to these problems, and will make the findings of these tests widely and openly accessible. Grant funding may include all activities associated with planning, deploying, and evaluating the innovation, as long as the expenses are allowable under federal and IMLS guidelines. Examples of projects that might be funded by this program include, but are not limited to:

• exploring the potential of highly original, experimental collaborations,
• implementing new workflows or processes with potential for substantial cost savings,
• testing new metrics or methods to measure the impact of promising tools or services,
• rapid prototyping and testing of new types of software tools, or creating useful new ways to link separate software applications used in libraries, archives, or museums,
• offering innovative new types of services or service options to museum, library, or archive visitors, or
• enhancing institutions’ abilities to interact with audiences in new ways to promote learning or improve services, such as through the deployment of innovative crowd-sourcing techniques.

For more information, visit www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/SparksIgnition.shtm.

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5) GREAT STORIES CLUB GRANTS FROM ALA

The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through books that are relevant to their lives. All types of libraries (public, school, academic, and special) located within, or working in partnership with, facilities serving troubled teens in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply for a Great Stories CLUB grant. Potential organizations for Great Stories CLUB partnerships include juvenile justice facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children, and shelters serving homeless and runaway youth. For tips on creating a partnership, visit www.ala.org/greatstories.

Following the application process, 150 libraries will be selected to develop a book discussion program for troubled teens based on the three theme-related titles and will be given copies of the books to share with participants. Participating libraries will also receive access to an online toolkit to support the program, including sample discussion questions, recommended titles for further reading and other resources. Small cash grants ($100-$200) will be awarded to up to 25 sites for the support of program-related expenses.

The ALA Public Programs Office and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) are now accepting applications for the next round of Great Stories CLUB grants. Electronic applications for the reading and discussion series will be accepted through November 19 at www.ala.org/greatstories. Funding was provided for this program by Oprah’s Angel Network.

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6) MUSEUMS FOR AMERICA GRANT PROGRAM

Museums for America is the largest grant program for museums from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), supporting projects and ongoing activities that build museums’ capacity to serve their communities. This program provides support to eligible museums in the following categories: engaging communities, including education, exhibitions, interpretation, and inclusive participation; building institutional capacity, including management, policy, and training; and collections stewardship.

Museums for America grants strengthen a museum’s ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high-priority activities that advance the institution’s mission and strategic goals. These grants are designed to be flexible: funds can be used for a wide variety of projects, including ongoing museum activities, research and other behind-the-scenes activities, planning, new programs, purchase of equipment or services, and activities that will support the efforts of museums to upgrade and integrate new technologies. IMLS also welcomes proposals that promote the skills necessary to develop 21st century communities, citizens, and workers, and that encourage broad community access and participation.

The application deadline is November 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/forAmerica.shtm.

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7) AMIGOS ANNOUNCES WESTERN RESOURCE SHARING AGREEMENT

Amigos has announced the formation of the Western Resource Sharing Agreement as a successor to the Amigos/BCR Reciprocal Interlibrary Loan Agreement. The move coincides with the pending dissolution of the Denver-based Bibliographical Center for Research (BCR).

There is no cost to participate in the agreement and all Amigos and BCR members are eligible. All current Amigos and BCR participants in the previous agreement are invited to continue, and no action is required on their part to do so. Amigos and BCR member libraries that have not previously participated but would like to be included in the new agreement should complete and submit the form found at www.amigos.org/node/571. Amigos has set December 31, 2010 as the deadline for current BCR member libraries to sign on to the agreement. As current BCR members via the statewide membership purchased by the Washington State Library on their behalf, all Washington libraries are eligible.

For more information, contact Tim Prather at 1-800-848-5878, ext. 2892, or [email protected].

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8) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

• Tuesday, September 28, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. PDT, Autism Awareness (WSL); North Spokane Branch, Spokane County Library System;
• Wednesday, September 29, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PDT, mySkills, myFuture: A New Tool for Job Seekers (WebJunction);
• Thursday, September 30, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. PDT, Leadership Eq: Improving Strategic Choices: (Elluminate);
• Friday, October 1, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. PDT, eAudiobook Orientation (WSL, EBSCO NetLibrary); Cascade Park Branch, Fort Vancouver Regional Library;
• Friday, October 1, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. PDT, eAudiobook Orientation (WSL, EBSCO NetLibrary); Washington State Library, Tumwater.

Some of these sessions are online; others are in person. Providers are listed in parentheses. For registration links and more information on these events, visit the WSL Training Calendar: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/training.

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