Volume 6, November 11, 2010 for the WSL Updates mailing list

Topics include:

1) WASHINGTON NEWSPAPERS ON MICROFILM

2) FREE MICROSOFT ONLINE COURSES FOR JOB SEEKERS

3) IMLS ACCESSIBILITY WEB PAGE

4) IF YOU LOVE THEM, LET THEM FLOAT!

5) BUILDING THE DIGITAL BRANCH

6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

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1) WASHINGTON NEWSPAPERS ON MICROFILM

The Washington State Library routinely microfilms Washington newspapers as part of its mission to preserve and make accessible materials on the history and culture of the state. Here is a list of WSL’s most recently microfilmed newspaper titles:

• The Thurston-Mason Senior News: March, 1985 – December, 2009;
• The Willapa Harbor Herald: January 2, 2008 – December 30, 2009;
• The Othello Outlook: January 3, 2008 – December 31, 2009;
• The Odessa Record: January 3, 2008 – December 31, 2009;
• The Peninsula Gateway: January 2, 2008 – December 30, 2009;
• The South Grant County, Washington Sun: January 2, 2008 – April 15 2009 filmed with
• The South County Sun: April 22, 2009 – January 28 2010.

These reels are available to be viewed at the Washington State Library or borrowed via Interlibrary Loan. For information on purchasing duplicate copies, please contact Leslie Boyter at [email protected].

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2) FREE MICROSOFT ONLINE COURSES FOR JOB SEEKERS

Free online Microsoft computer classes to improve work skills are now available to job seekers who register with the state’s WorkSource career development system. Made possible through a contract between Employment Security and Microsoft, job seekers can choose between six e-learning plans. WorkSource customers who register for the online courses may also earn certification credentials in Microsoft Office at no charge.

Job seekers without computer access or without easy access to a WorkSource office have been directed to visit their local library to participate in this learning opportunity. Have your users register for the free Microsoft e-earning at: www.Go2WorkSource.com and select the “WOW FREE Microsoft Learning” button, or contact a local WorkSource office.

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3) IMLS ACCESSIBILITY WEB PAGE

Museums, libraries, and archives can best serve the public by making their programs and facilities as broadly accessible as possible. This means creating opportunities that go beyond the basic requirements, and thinking expansively about how to be widely-inclusive, welcoming, and collaborative. The IMLS Accessibility Web site is intended to help libraries and museums embrace the great possibilities that could be offered by cutting-edge exhibits, easily accessible physical and virtual spaces, and interactive innovative technology.

“2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and IMLS remains committed to making accessibility and inclusion top priorities for the agency and the libraries and museums it serves,” said IMLS Acting Director, Marsha L. Semmel.

The IMLS Accessibility Web page will be continuously updated to include best practices, useful guides and materials, and examples of IMLS-funded projects that have creatively and effectively reached out to all members of communities. Visit the page at www.imls.gov/about/accessibility.shtm.

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4) IF YOU LOVE THEM, LET THEM FLOAT!

With many libraries facing budget cuts and looking for more efficient ways to manage services, the option of floating collections has entered the spotlight again. Once considered a radical approach to collection management, floating a few or perhaps all of a library’s collections is becoming more mainstream than revolutionary. What are the benefits of this model and how does it impact patrons, library collection development, and library staff? If you are just curious, are considering moving toward this model, or are about to flip the switch and set your collection free, you’re bound to find useful information for your floating toolkit in this discussion.

The Floating Collections e-forum will be held on November 16 – 17, from 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. PST. ALCTS e-forums provide opportunities for librarians to discuss matters of interest, led by a moderator, through the e-forum discussion list. The e-forum discussion list works like an e-mail discussion list: register your e-mail address with the list and then you will receive messages and communicate with other participants through an e-mail discussion. Registration is necessary to participate, but it’s free. Use this shortcut link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/float.

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5) BUILDING THE DIGITAL BRANCH

TAP Information Services and the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University are pleased to announce another in the ongoing series of online conferences on hot topics that librarians can enjoy right at their desktops: Trendy Topics 2010: Building an Electronic Branch for Your Library: A One Day Online Conference. David Lee King, Digital Branch & Services Manager at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, is the keynote speaker. He will describe the process his web team used to transform their outdated website into a 21st century digital branch.

Other speakers for this day-long conference include:

• Laura Solomon on “Why Patrons Hate your Website”
• Mary-Carol Lindbloom on “The Reference Service Leaf of the Digital Branch”
• Joe Murphy on “The Mobile eBranch”
• Sonja Plummer-Morgan on “Building a Virtual Branch in a Virtual World”
• Tom Peters and Lori Bell on “Library Programs at your Electronic Branch”

Tuesday, November 16, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. PST. Registration fees are $40 for individuals; $100 for groups; $30 for students. Register via this shortcut link: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/eBranch.

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6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK

Monday, November 15:

• Legal Reference for Public Librarians (WSL/KCLS); 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. PST;

Tuesday, November 16:

• Senior Spaces: Creating Your Library as a Place for Older Adults (Texas State Library); 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. PST;
• Go To The Web And Say Ahh! Discovering Quality Health Information Resources and Approaches (WSL); 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST and repeated from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. PST; Big Bend Community College Library, Moses Lake;
• Encyclopedia Evolution (Booklist); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST;
• Libraries Build Community: from Distribution to Engagement (WebJunction); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST;

Wednesday, November 17:

• Facilitation of Online Events & Peer learning (WSL); 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. PST and repeated from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. PST;
• The Ethics of Innovation: Navigating Privacy, Policy and Service Issues (OCLC/Library Journal); 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST;
• Facebook: Customized Pages & Applications Case Studies (Common Knowledge); 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PST;
• Big eRef on a Small Budget, Part 2 (Texas State Library); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PST;

Thursday, November 18:

• Balancing Your Library Without Breaking Your Budget: Selecting the Best Print Resources to Complement Emerging Electronic Materials for Young Readers (School Library Journal); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST;
• Is FileMaker Right for Your Organization? (TechSoup); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/filemaker;
• Manage your Data, Donations, and More with CiviCRM (TechSoup); 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/CiviCRM;
• Writing a Library Behavior Code – an Update (Infopeople); 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. PST;

Friday, November 19:

• Go To The Web And Say Ahh! Discovering Quality Health Information Resources and Approaches (WSL); 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST and repeated from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. PST; Moran Prairie Branch, Spokane County Library System.

Some of these sessions are online, some in person, as indicated. Providers are listed in parentheses. For registration links and more information on these events (unless linked directly above), visit the WSL Training Calendar: www.sos.wa.gov/quicklinks/training. WSL provides information about outside training events for your convenience only; please contact the event sponsor for the most up-to-date information and all questions about the event.

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