Monday, January 31, 2011

OverDrive Workshop on Community Outreach: Introduce New Patrons to Download Media


Looking for new ways to promote your digital books? Attend OverDrive's Community Outreach training on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at 1:00 pm (CST) 


Register at: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/e57nao5nv677 

This session is open to all OverDrive library partners (WVLS libraries) and will share creative techniques for introducing new users to your OverDrive service.


We'll showcase promotional ideas from high circulating libraries, plus you'll have a chance to share your own. Register now!


We hope to see you there!
(Jane Richard, Wisconsin Library Services)

Friday, January 28, 2011

Learn the Basics for OverDrive eBooks

The South Central Library System did a wonderful Tech Bits blog post entitled: "Learn the Basics for OverDrive ebooks" on January 27, 2011.  Hopefully this information will help your library answer questions about how to use OverDrive with the various devices that people received this past Christmas. 

Library patrons have lots of questions about using the ebooks in the Digital Download Center (aka OverDrive). Public services staff, here are answers to some of those questions!

How do the ebooks work? (We've captured the whole process on video and can be viewed at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK5GUQGHDr4 

If you prefer words and screen shots, read up on downloading an ebook and transferring an ebook to an ebook reader. 

Do I need an ebook reader or special software to use ebooks?
The ebooks in the Digital Download Center can be used on a PC or Mac with Adobe Digital Editions, even if you do not plan to transfer them to an ebook reader. Adobe Digital Editions is a free program, separate from Adobe Reader or Acrobat, and it should be installed on your computer before you download your first ebook from the Digital Download Center. If you decide to use an ebook reader, you will also need to authorize Adobe Digital Editions with a free Adobe ID and activate the ebook reader with it too.


If I get an ebook reader, which ones work with the library's ebooks?
OverDrive maintains a list of which formats work with which ebook readers at the Device Resource Center. There is also a handy, printable cheat sheet (pdf) that shows some of the more popular supported ebook readers. Unfortunately, the Amazon Kindle is not compatible with the formats in our collection.

Can I try it on a computer at the library?
We're sorry, but currently ebooks cannot be downloaded to library patron computers.

That's a lot to remember. Can you write it all down in case I forget?

Here's another printable handout with all the steps (pdf). It has an ebook how-to guide on one side, and mobile device steps on the other in case you want to try EPUB ebooks on your Android or Apple device. It may also be helpful to write down the URL of the Digital Download Center on the handout: http://dbooks.wplc.info/.

It would be so convenient to download stuff directly to my phone. How does that work?

The OverDrive Media Console apps for Android and iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch can download EPUB ebooks and MP3 audiobooks directly to the device. You can get them from the iPhone App Store, Android Market, or online from OverDrive. Unfortunately, WMA audiobooks and PDF ebooks can't be downloaded directly with these apps. Apps are also available for Blackberry and Windows Mobile, but these don't support ebooks (see the entire list of platforms and format restrictions).

Here's a video of what the app looks like (demonstrated using an iPad)
 What if I need help?
For self-help, try the Help section of the Digital Download Center or our OverDrive FAQ wiki.
 For support, contact your local library, or submit an online support request.
 A link to this information has also been placed on the WVLS website at: eBooks, eReaders & LIbraries



Thursday, January 27, 2011

OverDrive Apps Updated, Plus Project Gutenberg eBooks on Mobile Sites

Today, OverDrive released updates to the OverDrive Media Console apps for iPhone (iOS) and Android, which include the addition of one-click, automatic downloads and other enhancements to user experience.

At the same time, we’ve updated the mobile ‘Virtual Branch’ sites for libraries with a Project Gutenberg collection, enabling access to the 15,000 DRM-free EPUB eBooks on iPhone and Android. This gives users a chance to download an eBook directly to their iPhone or Android every time they visit your mobile site without waiting lists or holds.

Here’s a quick rundown of all the improvements that went live today:

One-click, automatic downloads

When an iPhone or Android user clicks on the download button on your mobile site, the OverDrive app, if installed, will launch and the download will begin automatically. This update reduces the number of steps previously required to download.



Project Gutenberg on mobile sites

Prior to today, only the Android app had support for DRM-free Open EPUB eBooks from various online sources. Now the iPhone app can be used to read Open EPUB eBooks, as well.

With the support for Open EPUB eBooks enabled, we’ve added the Project Gutenberg collections to the mobile sites. Now a user always has access to an eBook from your library’s ‘Virtual Branch.’ Project Gutenberg eBooks are prominently featured on the ‘Browse’ page under the heading ‘Browse Public Domain eBook Titles.’


Additional enhancements for Android
 The updated Android app also features a new user interface that includes a lending countdown calendar when the user is in “Library” view.

In addition, we’ve also updated the eBook reader in the Android app to allow users to lock the page orientation to portrait or landscape view, regardless of how they rotate the device.

Additional enhancements for iPhone

The iPhone app received two performance enhancements, including improved page load when reading an eBook or changing the font size. The eBook reader was also updated so that the ‘Reader Settings’ that appear at the top of the page will automatically fade away after 5 seconds.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of new features outlined above can be adjusted in the ‘Settings’ section of the iPhone or Android app, so users can customize their reading and listening experience. We also have other enhancements in the works, so keep checking back for updates.

Click here to go to the Digital Library Blog for more information on these exciting new features. 
(Dan Stasiewski, OverDrive -January 27, 2011)









Monday, January 24, 2011

Reading Between the Lines



“The more things change, the more they stay the same.” -- Jean Baptiste Alphonse Karr

It was thirty-eight years ago this month that I arrived at the University of Wisconsin in Madison to earn a master’s degree in Library Science. My professional life as a public librarian began in May 1974 when I packed my vinyl record collection and moved to Rhinelander. My first assignment was attending the Wisconsin Library (16 mm) Film Circuit meeting. I was twelve years old at the time.

(Readers who recognized that last line as a throw away tease big enough to accommodate an 8,000 pound carbon dating machine, are perfectly correct.)

Before allowing yourself to be gob smacked thinking about the astonishing array of technological changes to our profession as well as the way libraries access and deliver services during the intervening nearly four decades, consider what has stayed the same.

Librarians consistently and creatively deliver exceptional value for each and every dollar they spend doing their level best to make sure each individual has the same opportunity to read and find out, regardless of personal income or geography.

To those who do not understand the power and value of libraries, the tax supported building at the corner of Walk and Don’t Walk may seem little more than a dusty warehouse for inanimate objects. Some who have never crossed its threshold might expect to find a static environment guarded by a cadre of fussbudget librarians who chose careers as exciting and palatable as boiled shoelaces, a space frequented by intellectual oddballs with nothing better to do.

On the contrary, a library is a living breathing organism, one of the few remaining places where community happens. Nothing in a library is static; it pulsates with energy and possibility! The best stories found within its walls on an average day are not confined between pasteboard covers marching across the shelves.

Every borrower – as well as each person who reads a newspaper, sits down at a public computer terminal, asks a reference question, attends a program or otherwise uses a library without taking anything home – carries an unfinished story within them.

In a self absorbed age saturated with communication gadgets, it’s ironic to note the elements of genuine interpersonal relations are frequently in short supply. Except at the public library, where any citizen will still find a warm welcome in their local government’s living room along with competent, confidential personal service.

Librarians work their socks off for their communities, and the outstanding people I am privileged to call my colleagues within the Wisconsin Valley Library Service area are no exception. They all do their best to make connections, offer a wide range of choices and otherwise shake the tree of knowledge for everyone who depends upon libraries as a lifeline. As a group they possess uncommon good sense and compassion; as individuals they each have their own stories to tell.

All of these stories need to be heard by elected officials and decision makers at all levels of government.

Frequently.

Stay tuned for more on the nuts and bolts grassroots advocacy in the weeks to come.
--Kris Adams Wendt

Storybird - Digital Storytelling

121510storybird(Original Import)
Here’s a tip for anyone who is looking for an online collaborative storytelling tool that’s great for younger students as well as older ones.

Storybirds are short, art-inspired stories you make to share, read and print. Read them like books, play them like games,and send them like greeting cards. They’re curiously fun.

Check out the Storybird website at the link below and follow the step-by-step instructions. The site includes a choice of artwork (some by professional illustrators) to inspire creativity. Once a student has selected a set of images, it’s a simple mouse click to “Start a Storybird.”

Type in a title and author name – students are encouraged to use only a first or pen name for safety’s sake – and get started! Young authors can tell a story, write a story, type the story or create a group story.

The above information was extracted from a blog post about Storybird by Christopher Bell that appeared in School Library Journal's enewsletter SLJTeen on December 15, 2010.

Original blog post

Storybird website



Free - Money Smart Week Webinar

Over 11,400 Wisconsinites participated in Money Smart Week Wisconsin 2010. Was your library involved? If you would like to start hosting some financial programs at your library, here's a great way to get started! 

Sign up for the February 2nd Webinar on Money Smart Week @ your library!

Learn how your library can participate in Money Smart Week @ your library (April 2-9, 2011) from those who have already made it a success at their library!

Join this national initiative from ALA and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to help consumers of all ages improve their financial literacy. All types of libraries can participate. This webinar will provide you with resources, promotional materials, programming ideas, and ways to partner with others in your community, campus, or school to get Money Smart Week going at your library.

Presenters:
  • Cheryl Heid, Public Services, Johnston Public Library, IA
  • Lori Burgess, Support Services Coordinator, Fond du Lac Public Library, WI
  • Jeff Kushkowski, Business and Economics Librarian, Iowa State University
  • Bobbie Rudnick, Business Librarian, Naperville Public Library, IL
The webinar will be from 2-3pm (central time) on Wednesday, February 2nd. It's free!

To register https://ala.ilinc.com/register/xttbxyx
(WISPUBLIB, January 21, 2011)

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Celebrate Teen Tech Week! March 6-12, 2011

Do teens in your community realize your library goes beyond books? This Teen Tech Week™, (March 6-12) share the wealth of technology resources available at your library and help teens become competent and ethical users of those resources, including DVDs, databases, audiobooks, and videogames.


"Mix & Mash," this year's theme, encourages creative expression by combining writing, storytelling, movies, music, and more. Whether it's with a laptop, social-networking tool, camera, flash drive, smart phone, or printer—mix and mash technology and creativity to celebrate Teen Tech Week.


(ALA, January 19, 2011)


Monday, January 17, 2011

Reading Between the Lines

A long chain of connected events

Kris Adams Wendt
Welcome to “Reading Between the Lines,” a new feature at Digital Lites. While I’m no stranger to column writing, this is my introduction as a regular blogger.

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in love with words. One childhood treasure is a tiny construction paper book the size of a cassette tape. Titled “The Kite,” it’s illustrated in crayon with stick people and broccoli stalk trees. The text carefully printed in my late father’s hand was written down at my dictation because I was too young to even copy my name.

By age nine I had decided to become a cowgirl librarian who wrote books and delivered them door-to-door on horseback. My grade school poems and stories were filled with bits of myths and legends, space creatures and improbable heroines.

“Write what you know.”

To my adolescent ears the junior high teacher’s instruction sounded like a prison sentence of hard time without benefit of imagination. What did I know that was useful, important or deep? I’d barely been across the Upper Michigan border, much less done anything heroic. How could ‘writing what I know’ possibly be interesting?”

Then my mother the English teacher suggested I might spend two weeks of my sixteenth summer attending Rhinelander School of the Arts (SOA). We struck a deal; she would pay the fees and provide two weeks taxi service from our Conover cottage if I accepted her auditing my beginning writing class without complaint.

The class was taught by Tere Rios whose novel The Fifteenth Pelican had been the genesis for Sally Field’s hit TV show “The Flying Nun.” She was very kind, but didn’t quite know what to do with me. I was youngest person enrolled at SOA that summer, a mere baby in a room full of serious adult writers.

The 1967 SOA Writers in Residence were Wisconsin’s own August Derleth and Kentucky essayist Jesse Stuart. While Derleth remained a Formidable Presence, Stuart was a great bear hug of a man who made me feel like a favorite niece from our first moment of eye contact.

A gifted teacher, poet and prodigious author of short stories, Stuart’s informal noon hour discussions of the writing process were not so much lectures as fine storytelling. He possessed a gift for weaving the threads of daily existence into the fabric of life’s lessons. His tenacity, his accomplishments and the warmth of his hill country accent were enthralling.

Jesse Stuart said, “Write what you ARE.”

By changing one word, he transformed hackneyed advice into an invitation to use writing as an affirmation of who we were as individuals, a bountiful buffet to share with readers as friends. The gift of those four words, as well as actually being noticed and validated by a writer I admired, has remained with me for a lifetime.

I became a (horseless) librarian patiently acquiring, organizing and sharing the published works of others. The first twenty-seven years as Rhinelander District Library children’s librarian and associate director gave way to eighteen months as adult department head and finally the director’s chair before my (first) retirement in 2008.

When the opportunity to write a weekly newspaper column presented itself over three decades ago, I remembered Jesse Stuart’s advice and approached each essay as a storyteller might. In the process I wove my own threads into a tapestry of words – a pattern of life and literature, family, friends, humor, history, and occasional rants against naked emperors when nobody else seemed willing to holler and point.

“Life develops into a long chain of connected events,” Jesse Stuart wrote. “One link in the chain ties onto something else.”

He died in 1984, just about the time personal computers were capturing attention by transforming scribbles on a lined notepad into ‘word processing’ – a term that always inexplicably reminds me of canning homemade applesauce.

It’s a distinct pleasure to return to librarianship as a Wisconsin Valley Library Service consultant. I am excited at the prospect of adding a new group of readers as a link in my writing chain and hearing what you have to offer in return!

Jesse Stuart Foundation

2010 biography of Jesse Stuart offers insight into author 

Libri Foundation currently accepting applications for 2011 BOOKS FOR CHILDREN grants

The Libri Foundation based in Eugene, Oregon is a nationwide non-profit organization which donates new quality hardcover children's books to small rural public libraries throughout the United States. Over $4,600,000 worth of new children's books has been donated by the Foundation to more than 3,000 libraries in 49 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, since October 1990.

In order to encourage and reward local support of libraries, The Libri Foundation will match any amount of money raised by local sponsors from $50 up to $350 on a 2-to-1 ratio, enabling a library to receive up to $1,050 worth of new children's books. Once a library receives a grant, local sponsors such as Friends groups or local civic and social organizations have four months (or longer if necessary) to raise their matching funds.

Participating libraries are required to select books from a bibliography provided by the Foundation. The booklist includes 700-plus fiction and non-fiction titles published during the preceding three years reflecting the best of children’s literature for children ages 12 and under. Recommended titles have received awards or starred reviews and include a selection of children’s classics.

Libraries are qualified on an individual basis with preference given to those with an active children’s department and limited operating budget serving a rural area. Rural is generally defined to be at least 30 miles from a city with a population over 40,000. Guidelines indicate county libraries should serve a population under 16,000 and town libraries should serve a population under 10,000 (usually under 5,000). Town libraries with total operating budgets over $150,000 and county libraries with total operating budgets over $350,000 are rarely given grants.

Applications are accepted from independent libraries as well as those which are part of a county, regional, or cooperative library system. A school library may apply only if it also serves as the public library (i.e. it is open to everyone in the community, has some summer hours, and there is no public library in town). Branch libraries serving rural areas are qualified on the basis of the parent institution’s total operating budget.

Application deadlines for 2011 must be postmarked by January 23rd, and April 15th. Grants are awarded January 31st and April 30th. Libraries targeting grant funds for purchase of additional materials for summer reading programs are encouraged to apply for a January grant since April grant recipients may not receive their books until after most summer reading programs begin.

Application guidelines and forms may be downloaded from the Foundation's website at http://www.librifoundation.org/

Friday, January 14, 2011

Want to Learn How BadgerLink Can Help You?


If you want to learn more about BadgerLink, please join the following BadgerLunch Sessions. 

They will be offered online on Thursdays at Noon in 30 - 45 minute sessions.

The first session is January 27th where we will be exploring Wisconsin History through videos offered in ECB VidoeLink. ECB VideoLink provides streaming and downloadable video programs for K-12 students and teachers. The videos can be streamed or downloaded for use in classrooms or at home.

Here is the full schedule and information on joining the meeting:  http://wvls.lib.wi.us/Workshops/BadgerLunchSpring2011.pdf 

The BadgerLunch webinar series explores BadgerLink’s rich collection of information tools. Each session covers one resource, database, or interface. All sessions are open to anyone who wants to learn. Topics include a description of the information/learning resource, searching techniques, and helpful features. An archive of previous sessions is found at http://www.badgerlink.net/training.html
If you want to receive messages and tips from the BadgerLink listserv please send a blank email (no subject or message) to join-badgerlinklist@lists.dpi.wi.gov.

Important Note - Badgerlink listserv is a 'receive-only' service (subscribers cannot post messages to Badgerlink-L.)

If you have any questions, please email me at kara.ripley@dpi.wi.gov.
(Kara RipleyDepartment of Public Instruction, January 14,2011)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Free Webcast - Libraries Are Essential


Libraries Are Essential:  Providing Core Services for Readers
DATE: Thursday, January 27, 2011
TIME: 2–3 PM EST

REGISTER FREE TODAY

Libraries are often a community hub, the place where everyone is welcome and where everyone can not only find the information they need, but also seek solace and support. In short, libraries are an essential part of any thriving community. In this first of a three-part series of webcasts on the essentialness of libraries, Robin Nesbitt, Sharron Smith, and Duncan Smith explore the value of readers’ services and best practices for conveying that value to the community.

Providing Core Services for Readers is first in the three part Libraries are Essential series of webcasts.

Panelists Robin Nesbitt is the Technical Services Director of the Columbus Metropolitan Library in Columbus, Ohio. She has over 22 years of experience in reference and collection management. Robin launched central selection at CML as well as implementing floating collections. She has presented at PLA about CML's technical services turnaround time of 48 hours or less for shelf ready materials. Robin is an avid reader who has done in-house Readers’ Advisory training for CML staff.

Sharron Smith is the Manager of Readers’ Advisory Services at the Kitchener Public Library in Ontario, Canada and a part-time instructor in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at the University of Western Ontario. She is the coauthor of Canadian Fiction: a guide to reading interests (Libraries Unlimited). A passionate readers’ advisor, Sharron works with readers helping them understand themselves as readers and why reading is so important to them. In 2008, she was honored as Ontario’s Librarian of the Year.

Duncan Smith is the creator and founder of NoveList, EBSCO Publishing’s electronic readers’ advisory service. Smith is currently the Vice-President for the NoveList Division whose products include NoveList Plus, NoveList K-8 Plus, NextReads, and NoveList Select. Smith is a nationally recognized trainer and researcher in the area of readers’ advisory service. He has published widely in this field and in 1997 received the Margaret E. Monroe Award from Library Adult Services from ALA’s Reference and User Services Division for his teaching and writing in this area. “Your Brain on Fiction,” his latest article, appeared in the Fall 2009 issue of Reference and User Services Quarterly. Smith earned a Master of Science in Library Science degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to NoveList and his work with continuing library education, Smith worked in public libraries in North Carolina and Georgia.

Can't make it on January 27? No problem!

If you are not able to make the live webcast of Libraries are Essential: Providing Core Services for Readers, register now and you will get an email reminder from Library Journal when the webcast is archived and available for on-demand viewing at your convenience.
(Library Journal, January 13, 2011)

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Library usage up; state support critical to providing service


Over the last five years, public library visits in Wisconsin increased by more than 10 percent, circulation of library materials increased by 15 percent, yet paid library staff per capita decreased by 2 percent, a testament to the efficiency of Wisconsin’s public libraries and library systems in providing service in this time of economic need.

Wisconsin’s 385 independent public libraries have all voluntarily joined a public library system. The systems are regional library organizations created to improve public library services, increase Wisconsin residents’ access to library materials and services, and reduce duplication. In fact, Wisconsin is first in the nation in per capita interlibrary loan, which saves taxpayers an estimated $100 million by sharing rather than purchasing more copies of library materials.

Library system funding is the state’s primary program to support public library service statewide. The state’s 17 federated library systems are sharing $16.7 million in state aid for 2011. They recently received the first of two aid payments for the year.

“Public libraries are focused on service to their communities,” said State Superintendent Tony Evers. “State aid to public library systems is critical in providing these services in an efficient manner and is a sound return on investment for Wisconsin taxpayers.”

Library systems use funds according to plans developed and adopted by regional boards to meet the needs of each public library system area. Library system services include:
  • ensuring that system residents have complete access to all public libraries within thesystem area. State residents made 35.8 million visits to public libraries and checked out 65.6 million items in 2009, both increased from the previous year.
  • coordinating the sharing of library materials among participating libraries to meet user needs. Annually, libraries loan nearly 9 million items to each other in response to users’ requests. System-supported delivery networks deliver interlibrary loan items.
  •  providing training and continuing education for local library staff to help them offer the best possible service to their communities.
  • coordinating cooperative library technology projects. About 93 percent of the state’s
  • public libraries now participate in shared computer systems that offer users on-line catalog access to regional library holdings. All public libraries provide the public with the use of computers with high-speed Internet connections and 95 percent of the state’s public libraries provide free wireless access for laptop users in the library.
All Wisconsin public libraries provide access to jobs databases and other job opportunity resources. Nearly 90 percent of libraries offer technology training and more than 70 percent of libraries help users complete online job applications. In nearly half of Wisconsin communities, the public library is the only place that offers free access to computers and the Internet.

“Libraries are a vital resource to those seeking employment,” Evers noted. “All of our libraries are helping patrons search for jobs, update resumes, and improve employability skills. Additionally, many are working with Job Service staff and other organizations to offer assistance to the unemployed and underemployed. Wisconsin receives great value by supporting its public libraries.”

Complete press release

Watch for the Institute for Museum and Library Services - Connecting to Collections Survey

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Library Services, Wisconsin Federation of Museums, Wisconsin Historical Society, and the Midwest Art Conservation Center have teamed up to survey collecting institutions across Wisconsin on their preservation and conservation needs.

Your participation in this Institute for Museum and Library Services-Connecting to Collections survey will influence Wisconsin’s future collection care funding opportunities from Federal and State agencies. It is important that the needs of your institution be counted in this study. The findings of this survey will be available for you to use in grant applications and other requests for support to your own organization.

As an added incentive, if you complete this survey by the February 15th deadline date you will be entered in a drawing for an unrestricted contribution of $500 to your organization and your institution will be added to a statewide, disaster response network to facilitate aid in the event of natural or man-made emergency events.

This on-line survey will take you about 15 minutes.

You can expect an email with the survey link in the near future from ‘preserveart.org’. Please add that email suffix to your email ‘safe sender list’ and take the survey when it arrives.

Thank you for your participation!


Debbie Cardinal
Wisconsin Heritage Online Program Manager
608 265-2138
cardinal@wils.wisc.edu
728 State St, Rm. 464
Madison, WI 53706

Wisconsin Heritage Online Portal: http://wisconsinheritage.org

Wisconsin Heritage Online Resources Wiki: https: wiheritage. pbworks.com

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Readers' Advisory: How to Balance Your Library's Reading Budget

Readers' Advisory: How to Balance Your Library's Reading Budget - With Neal Wyatt and Joyce Saricks

Join ALA Editions for this 90-minute interactive learning experieince on: 
Thursday, February 24, 2011 - 1:30–3:00P Central ($50.00 fee)

The modern librarian likely has a never-ending to-read pile, which translates into a readers' advisory mess and an out-of-control readers' advisory budget. This workshop will offer practical tips to keep up with readers and your seemingly insurmountable to-be-read pile, saving time and money in the process.

Topics Covered In This Workshop:

• How to track titles that are popular in the country and in their libraries

• How to gain enough information from reviews and dust jackets to discuss books with readers

• How reader comments, librarian comments, and a range of social media can be mined to support RA work

• How to develop a personal plan to keep up with the weekly influx of new titles

REGISTER NOW!


Neal Wyatt is a collection development and readers' advisory librarian from Virginia. She is the editor of the Reference and User Services Quarterly's "Alert Collector" column, contributes to NoveList, and reviews for Booklist. A frequent popular speaker at ALA, PLA, and regional events, she has designed and taught RUSA's Web Continuing Education course on Readers’ Advisory Services. Her MSLS is from The Catholic University, where she formerly taught as adjunct professor.


Joyce G. Saricks worked as coordinator of the Literature and Audio Services Department at the Downers Grove Public Library from 1983 to 2004. In addition to authoring Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library (3rd ed., ALA, 2005), she has written numerous articles on readers' advisory, presented workshops on that topic for public libraries and library systems, and spoken at state, regional, and national library conferences. Currently she serves as read-alike coordinator (and author) for EBSCO's NoveList and columnist and audio reviewer for Booklist. She also teaches readers' advisory at Dominican University's School of Library and Information Science (Illinois).
(ALA Editions, January 11, 2011)

Monday, January 10, 2011

Nancy Pearl: Library Journal's 2011 Librarian of the Year

No one other than Nancy Pearl has so convinced Americans that libraries, books, and reading are critical to our communities. Her passionate advocacy has done that nationwide for thousands of individual readers and library workers in the trenches at the local level. She has spread book lust via broadcasts to the nation on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition and from local radio and TV outlets and through her blog posts and tweets. She has done it in hundreds of workshops and performances for library patrons, library staff at all levels, and small groups of readers who want to be with her to discuss what they’ve read and what they have written. She has taught the skills and techniques of collection development, readers’ advisory (RA), and booktalking to the LIS students at the University of Washington Information School, and honed RA skills across staffing lines in the public libraries of Detroit, Tulsa, and Seattle.

Her work has reinforced reading via libraries as essential and empowering for all people. Her innovation in training has deepened the book skills of library workers. Her public outreach has effectively promoted libraries well beyond library walls, broadening the public’s perception of the purpose of libraries. All of these efforts have earned her recognition as LJ’s 2011 ­Librarian of the Year.

To read the full article go to:  http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/newslettersnewsletterbucketljxpress/888408-441/nancy_pearl_ljs_2011_librarian.html.csp

(Library Journal, January 15, 2011)

What Books Topped Bestseller Lists the Week You Were Born?

What Books Topped Bestseller Lists the Week You Were Born? 

Take a trip through literary history today and find the books that topped the New York Times’ bestseller list on your birthday. The BibliOZ tool will help you find new reading material (and remind you how fleeting publishing success can be).

Follow this link to find out your birthday books.  When this GalleyCat editor was born, Oliver’s Story by Erich Segal ruled the bestseller list–the sequel to the bestselling novel, Love Story. On the nonfiction lists, Roots by Alex Haley held the top spot.

How many of your birthday books have you read? Out of all the top 20 books on the bestseller list that week, this GalleyCat editor has only read one book: A Book of Common Prayer by Joan Didion.

(GalleyCat by Jason Boog, January 10, 2011)

New Year's Reading Resolutions

I really enjoyed Neil Holland's "New Year's Reading Resolutions" from the blog - Book Group Buzz found at:  http://bookgroupbuzz.booklistonline.com/

With the new year finally here, I always like to take time to ponder my reading habits and make a few resolutions. Here are Neil's reading resolutions for 2011:

1) MAKE TIME TO BE CAPTIVATED BY BOOKS
As a professional book person, I have a dozen tricks to sneak a few extra pages into my schedule: reading at meals, listening to audiobooks, taking a paperback any time I expect a line, and so on. In this digital age, I’m a multitasker extraordinaire. But I’m not as good as I once was at maintaining focus over long periods of time, and this affects the way I experience books. In 2011, I’m going to sneak five pages at a time less and find time to read for at least an hour more often. I miss the feeling of immersion that only comes when one reads for a long stretch.

2) TAKE MY “READING ACROSS THE LIBRARY” PROJECT SERIOUSLY
A couple of years ago, I quietly started a project to read my way across the fiction section of the larger of the two libraries where I work. From each three foot shelf, I select one book that I think I’ll like and read it. Two years later, because of the many other books that demand my time, I’m still in the middle of the “A”‘ authors. At this rate, I’m never going to make it! So far I’ve enjoyed writers like Julia Alvarez, Louisa May Alcott, Niccolo Ammaniti, Diana Abu-Jaber, Chris Adrian, and Daniel Alarcon, writers whom I probably never would have tried otherwise. Poul Anderson, you’re next!

3) DUST OFF SOME CLASSICS
It’s ironic, as a youngster I had to read classics all the time and often didn’t like them. Now that I’m an adult, I rarely find time for these books, but almost always feel enriched when I do. I appreciate why even minor classics have passed the test of time. In 2011, I’m turning to old books more often.

4) EXPLORE NEW WRITERS
Conversely, my annual compilations of the best book votes of the year always inspire me to try newer writers. (I hope to start posting about that project next week Buzz readers). This year, Paul Murray’s Skippy Dies, Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists, Gabrielle Zevin’s The Hole We’re In, N. K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Adam Ross’s Mr. Peanut, Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death, and Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad are among the shiny new titles that just keep capturing my eye.

5) FINISH SOME SERIES
I make this resolution every year. I’m not one to read all of the books in a series back to back. I don’t mind stringing them out over years. But my list of unfinished series is becoming almost unbearable, and it’s time to knock some out. Besides, this resolution dovetails nicely with my first. Maybe if I do read some series books back to back, I’ll find the engrossment that I love.

What are your reading resolutions for this year?  It’s got to be more productive than repeating that plan to lose twenty pounds!

Now - The 2011 Newberry and Caldecott Winners

2011 ALSC Award Winners
In order to post the winning information as expeditiously as possible, we are providing a straight list of 2011 ALSC award winners, including book title, author, and publisher. Additional information, including annotations and book cover images for each award-winning title, will be posted to the individual award pages as soon as possible.


Newbery Medal
"Moon Over Manifest," written by Clare Vanderpool, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc.


Newbery Honor Books
"Turtle in Paradise" written by Jennifer L. Holm, published by Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

"Heart of a Samurai" written by Margi Preus, published by Amulet Books, an imprint of Abrams


"Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night" written by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Rick Allen, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

"One Crazy Summer" written by Rita Williams-Garcia, published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

Caldecott Medal

"A Sick Day for Amos McGee" illustrated by Erin E. Stead, written by Philip C. Stead, a Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing

Caldecott Honor Books

"Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave" illustrated by Bryan Collier, written by Laban Carrick Hill, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.


"Interrupting Chicken" illustrated and written by David Ezra Stein, published by Candlewick Press


2012 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture
Peter Sis


Batchelder Award
"A Time of Miracles" written by Anne-Laure Bondoux, translated by Y. Maudet, published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, a division of Random House, Inc.


Batchelder Honor Books
"Departure Time" written by Truus Matti, translated by Nancy Forest-Flier, published by Namelos


"Nothing" written by Janne Teller, translated by Martin Aitken, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

Belpre (Illustrator) Award

"Grandma's Gift" illustrated and written by Eric Velasquez, published by Walker Publishing Company, Inc., a division of Bloomsbury Publishing, Inc.


Belpre (Illustrator) Honor Books
"Fiesta Babies" illustrated by Amy Córdova, written by Carmen Tafolla, published by Tricycle Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.


"Me, Frida" illustrated by David Diaz, written by Amy Novesky, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams

"Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin" illustrated and written by Duncan Tonatiuh, published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams


Belpre (Author) Award
"The Dreamer" written by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Peter Sis, published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.


Belpre (Author) Honor Books
"Ole! Flamenco" written by George Ancona, photographs by George Ancona, published by Lee & Low Books Inc.

"The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba" written by Margarita Engle, published by Henry Holt and Company, LLC

"90 Miles to Havana" written by Enrique Flores-Galbis, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing

Carnegie Award"The Curious Garden" produced by Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard, Weston Woods Studios

Geisel Award

"Bink and Gollie" written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile, published by Candlewick Press

Geisel Honor Books

"Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!" written and illustrated by Grace Lin, published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.


"We Are in a Book!" written and illustrated by Mo Willems, published by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group

Odyssey Award

"The True Meaning of Smekday" produced by Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group


Odyssey Honor Audio Books
"Alchemy and Meggy Swann" produced by Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

"The Knife of Never Letting Go" produced by Candlewick on Brilliance Audio, an imprint of Brilliance Audio

"Revolution" produced by Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group


"will grayson, will grayson" produced by Brilliance Audio


Sibert Medal
"Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot" written by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company


Sibert Honor Books
"Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring" written by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, illustrated by Brian Floca. A Neal Porter Book., published by Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing

"Lafayette and the American Revolution, written by Russell Freedman, published by Holiday House


Wilder Medal
Tomie dePaola
(ALSC website, January 10, 2011)








...

Newberry and Caldecott Award Winners Announced

The American Library Association announced the 2010 awards for children’s and young adult literature this morning at a press conference that took place during the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting!

Your quick link for all the award categories is here: http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/index.cfm 

The Newbery Medal honors the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

2010 Medal Winner - The 2010 Newbery Medal winner is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books.
Twelve-year-old Miranda encounters shifting friendships, a sudden punch, a strange homeless man and mysterious notes that hint at knowledge of the future. These and other seemingly random events converge in a brilliantly constructed plot.



The Caldecott Medal honors the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

2010 Caldecott Medal Winner is The Lion & the Mouse , illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers)


The screech of an owl, the squeak of a mouse and the roar of a lion transport readers to the Serengeti plains for this virtually wordless retelling of Aesop’s classic fable. In glowing colors, Pinkney’s textured watercolor illustrations masterfully portray the relationship between two very unlikely friends.

(May Hill) Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award - The Arbuthnot award honors an author, critic, librarian, historian, or teacher of children's literature, of any country, who then presents a lecture at a winning host site.

(Mildred L.) Batchelder Award - The Batchelder Award is given to an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States.

(Pura) Belpré Medal - The Belpré Medal honors a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose works best portray, affirm, and celebrate the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

(Andrew) Carnegie Medal - The Carnegie Medal honors the producer of the most outstanding video production for children released during the preceding year.

(Theodor Seuss) Geisel Medal - The Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children’s literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States during the preceding year.

(ALSC/Booklist/YALSA) Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production -
The Odyssey Award will be awarded annually to the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States.

(Robert F.) Sibert Informational Book Medal - The Sibert Medal honors the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year.

(Laura Ingalls) Wilder Award - The Wilder Medal honors an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have made, over a period of years, a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.

Other ALA Awards:

ALSC Childrens Notable Media Lists

Coretta Scott King Book Awards

Schneider Family Book Award

Printz Award

Margaret A. Edwards Award

Best Books for Young Adults

Additional information about individual awards will be available at the ALA Press Kits page as the day progresses:

http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/mediapresscenter/presskits/youthmediaawards/alayouthmediaawards.cfm

Another excellent source of information on award winners, past and present, is the Cooperative Children’s Book Center.

http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/links/links.asp?idLinksCategory=2


In addition to this morning’s announcement of ALA children’s literature award winners, recognition was also given to young adult literature and media with awards selected by members of YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association).

The YALSA Book Awards and Booklists page is here: http://ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook.cfm

(ALA Book Awards Announcement, January 10, 2011 -
The Newbery and Caldecott Medals and Honor Book seals are property of the American Library Association and cannot be used in any form or reproduced without permission of the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

News From WPLC & OverDrive

As you may have noticed, eBook devices were very popular as Christmas gifts this year.  OverDrive eBook checkout activity exceeded all expectations over the holidays, and as we head into the new year, high traffic and usage will likely continue.

With the new mobile apps for eBooks on iPhone and Android, and many patrons trying out their new eBook reader, it’s important that your library staff stay up to speed. We encourage you to download the updated OverDrive eBook Devices Cheat Sheet, featuring new devices and updated information on how to download the free OverDrive app for eBooks to iPhone and Android. Feel free to share this sheet with your customers too!

Stay tuned for an updated version as new devices become compatible and apps are released.
(Jane Richard, Wisconsin Library Services)