Project Gutenberg Titles Available From WPLC OverDrive Website

I’m happy to report that the collection of public domain EPUB eBooks is now ready for your patrons to enjoy from your OverDrive website!

Please note the following:

• This is a separate collection of eBooks from your main OverDrive collection.
• The collection contains over 15,000 titles.
• Patrons do NOT need to sign in to download the titles.
• When a patron hovers over a book cover, the available metadata displays to them.
• Checkouts from the collection do not count against your regular checkout/lending options.
• Titles act like Always Available titles so there are unlimited simultaneous downloads but downloads do not expire.
• The collection of eBooks also uses the Adobe Digital Editions software your patrons are currently using.
• Please refer to the ‘tips’ link at the top of the introduction to the collection for instructions on how to download content.
• A report showing download statistics for the collection will be available via Content Reserve in the coming months.
• MARC records will not be available for these titles, however please use the web graphic below for your library’s OPAC to help promote Project Gutenberg eBooks at your Virtual Branch website.



(Kathy Schneider, WPLC)

 

Travel to India @ the Abbotsford Public Library

Librarian Sue Vater Olsen will present photographs and stories from her travels in India at the Abbotsford Public Library - City Council Room on Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Vater Olsen traveled to the states of Andra, Pradesh, Karnataka with Rotary Foundation's  Group Study Exchange (GSE) Program.  Her presentation includes insights on culture, vocational visits, and family life.

This presentation is free to the public.  Come learn about a faraway land and people.  Refreshments will be served.

 (Jane Medenwaldt, Director - Abbotsford Public Library

IRS: No More Tax Forms In the Mailbox

Electronic filing of tax returns has become so popular that the Internal Revenue Service will no longer automatically mail a traditional paper form.

"We're finding that more and more people are choosing to e-file, and the number of paper returns is going down," said IRS spokesman Anthony Burke. He told CNN Tuesday that the agency last year mailed the old-style set of paper forms, tables and instructions to just eight percent of the nation's taxpayers.

34Email Print Comment  - The IRS hopes to save $10 million a year by not mailing out hardcopy documents.

Burke said 96 million taxpayers this year have filed electronically, with another 20 million filing through professional tax preparers. The IRS hopes to save $10 million a year by not automatically mailing the materials.

Those who prefer hardcopy documents can still find them at libraries, post offices and walk-in IRS offices around the country. After Jan. 1, they can request a mailing through the IRS toll-free number, 800-829-3676.

The materials will also be available to download and print out from the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/

Some people may not miss the annual ritual of opening their mailbox and finding the dreaded reminder of tax time. Burke said the IRS "won't produce the package any more," as the agency transitions to providing software and other support for electronic filing.

Instead, in the next few weeks, those who filed traditional paperwork last year will get a simple postcard from the IRS, with instructions on how to obtain the documents needed to file a tax return.
(CNN Money.com, September 28, 2010 - By Paul Courson)

Amazon Announces Kindle for the Web

Amazon has just announced a new Kindle service called Kindle for the Web, which allows Web sites to embed a preview of the first chapter of any Kindle book anywhere on the Web. Kindle for the Web is essentially a widget that can be emdeded on any Web site with a “Get Kindle Edition” button linking back to Amazon. The widget can be called up from enabled Kindle book pages on Amazon by clicking the “Read first chapter FREE” button and then embeded like a YouTube video using another button inside the widget. Here’s how AmazonEncore author Karen McQuestion is using the service on her blog.

So far, Amazon is only pitching this as a promotional tool to offer samples of Kindle books, but it’s a fairly small leap to imagine the service becoming a portal to “Kindle in the Cloud,” enabling Kindle customers to access their purchased libraries anywhere they have Internet access. If Amazon does offer that kind of access, it would have a considerable leg up when Google finally launches its browser-based Google Editions.
(Publisher's Weekly Morning Report, September 28, 2010 - Craig Morgan Teicher)

Governor's Office Announces Appointments to COLAND

Governor Jim Doyle’s office recently announced one new appointment and six reappointments to the Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND). Created by the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1979, COLAND advises the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to ensure that all state citizens have access to library and information services. Council findings are communicated as advisory recommendations to the state superintendent, governor, and Legislature.

New member Ewa Barczyk of Milwaukee was appointed to a term expiring July 1, 2013. Michael Bahr of Germantown, Nita Burke of Darlington, Bob Koechley of Fitchburg, Sandra Melcher of Milwaukee, Annette Smith of Milton, and Kristi Williams were reappointed to terms also expiring July 1, 2013. Other members of COLAND are Barbara Arnold, Madison; Mary Bayorgeon, Appleton; Francis Cherney, Milladore; Miriam Erickson, Fish Creek; Catherine Hansen, Shorewood; Lisa Jewell, Madison; Douglas Lay, Suamico; Jessica MacPhail, Racine; Calvin Potter, Sheboygan Falls; Susan Reynolds, Cable; Lisa Sterrett, Viroqua, and Kris Adams Wendt, Rhinelander.

The 19-member council functions as a forum through which librarians and members of the public identify, study, and collect public testimony on issues affecting Wisconsin libraries and other information services. Members serve three-year terms. Membership includes ten professional members who represent various public and private libraries as well as library educators. The remaining nine council positions are held by public members with a demonstrated interest in libraries or other types of information services.

At their July meeting in Wausau, COLAND members approved a new slate of officers for the 2010- 2011 year. New officers are Miriam Erickson, Chair; Sandra Melcher, Vice Chair; and Annette Smith, Secretary.

Additional information about COLAND can be found at http://dpi.wi.gov/coland/index.html.

(Channel, Summer 2010) 

Wayne Bassett - Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame Inductee

Wayne Bassett (1915-1988)

Wayne Bassett has been selected to be inducted into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame on November 4, 2010 at the Wisconsin Library Association Conference in Wisconsin Dells. He served as Director of the Wausau Public Library from 1965 to 1974.  When the Wausau Public Library merged with the Marathon County Library in 1974 to become the Marathon County Public Library, he served as Director of the merged library until his retirement in 1983. Concurrently (1965-1983), he served as the Director of what is now the Wisconsin Valley Library Service. Serving as the Wisconsin Library Association’s first Legislative Advocate from 1971 to 1979 he played an important role in the enactment of Wisconsin’s public library system law. Bassett received WLA’s Special Service Award in 1971 and served as President of WLA in 1976. He was named WLA’s Librarian of the Year in 1979.  His life and service to the Wisconsin library community were recognized with a WLA Special Memorial Citation in 1988.

Under his leadership, the Wausau Public Library was named as WLA’s Library of the year in 1965. Bassett was instrumental in the establishment of the System and Resource Library Administrators’ Association of Wisconsin. He served as leader and/or member of numerous WLA and other statewide committees including the Library Development and Legislation Committee; the Library Services and Construction Act Review Committee; and the Legislative Council’s Special Committee on Library Laws.  He was a member of the American Library Association.

Prior to coming to Wausau, Bassett graduated from the University of Minnesota (UM) with degrees in Political Science and Public Administration. He served in the U.S. Army in France during WWII.  Returning home, he earned a library science degree from UM. After beginning his library career at the Fond du Lac (WI) Public Library, he served as the Director of the Worthington (MN) City Library, later the Nobles County Library, from 1949 to 1965. From 1954 to 1962 Bassett served in the Minnesota House of Representatives.  

(Wisconsin Library Heritage Center - Larry Nix on September 23, 2010)

#followalibrary Day is October 1st

October 1st is Follow A Library Day on Twitter!

It’s an easy enough thing to participate in. The Follow a Library website suggests this: “Participating is very simple: tweet on October 1st what your favorite twittering library (or libraries) is (or are). Use in your tweet the hashtag (or keyword) #followalibrary.”

Simple stuff, right?

Why not push that idea 1-2 steps further, to get a bit more bang out of your buck? On Oct 1, do what the organizers suggest – ask your Twitter followers to tweet their favorite Twittering library, using the #followalibrary hashtag.

THEN, do three more things:

1.   Using your library’s Twitter account, actually ASK FOR FOLLOWERS. It IS Follow A Library day, and all. Make sure to use the #gfollowalibrary hashtag.

2.   Then ask your followers to retweet those posts. What’s that do? My library has 1427 followers… what if all of those followers retweeted those messages? And then shared what THEIR favorite library was with all those Twitter followers? Much better reach that way.

3.   Then ask another question using the #followalibrary hashtag – ask “Why are we your favorite library?” Those responses have the potential to be pretty valuable! Use responses as sort of a “check-in” with your library patrons, and share them with staff. Is it what you expected? Listen to what your twitter followers say about you and your library!

OK – one more thing here. You’ve just asked your community to follow your library’s Twitter account on October 1st.

What are you going to do to SUSTAIN that growth on October 2nd?
(David Lee King Blog, September 23, 2010)

BadgerLink Update Regarding Wisconsin Newspapers

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association (WNA) has notified the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) that Gannett has requested that the following newspapers which the company publishes be removed from the WNA/DPI online newspaper site. 

• The Post-Crescent in Appleton
• The Reporter in Fond du Lac
• Green Bay Press-Gazette
• Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc
• Marshfield News-Herald
• Oshkosh Northwestern
• Sheboygan Press
• Stevens Point Journal
• Wausau Daily Herald
• The Daily Tribune in Wisconsin Rapids

The change was due to an existing contract between Gannett and ProQuest that was in conflict with the services being provided.  The following newspapers were removed from the WNA/DPI site as of September 20, 2010. 

(David Sleasman, DPI-RLL)

eBook Devices Cheat Sheet

eBook Devices Cheat Sheet: A librarian reference tool What’s one of the most common questions I’ve received recently from OverDrive library partners regarding eBooks? ‘Is the Kindle compatible with the Adobe EPUB and PDF eBooks my library offers?’ The answer to that question is still, unfortunately, no.  This always leads to the follow-up question: ‘Why isn’t the Kindle compatible?’ The short answer is that the Kindle does not currently support the Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection our publishers and suppliers require for Adobe EPUB and PDF eBooks offered through the OverDrive service.  If you are interested in a clear and thorough explanation, take a look at Jason Griffey’s popular blog entry ‘eBooks, filetype, and DRM’.  It’s a lengthy post, but a great read if you want to know the technical side of the answer. So, let’s focus on what devices are compatible with Adobe EPUB and PDF eBooks offered through your ‘Virtual Branch’ website.  For the most up-to-date list, always direct your patrons to the OverDrive Device Resource Center. We have also heard it’s often difficult to direct a patron to the appropriate webpage when at the circulation or information desk. In addition to the continually updated Device Resource Center online, we have put together an eBook Devices Cheat Sheet (PDF) that you can print out and make available to staff inside your library. This handy reference tool will empower any library staff member to provide patrons with information on compatible eBook readers. The Cheat Sheet outlines the Barnes & Noble nook, the Sony Reader, and the Kobo eReader.  Keep in mind, it isn’t necessary to own or use an eBook reading device to enjoy eBooks.  As we’ve listed on the Cheat Sheet, you can use your Windows PC or Mac computer or laptop with Adobe Digital Editions installed. With the holiday shopping season quickly approaching, you will undoubtedly receive an increased number of questions about eBooks and eBook reading devices.  Feel free to use the eBook Devices Cheat Sheet as a reference tool to assist in answering eBook device related questions. As new devices are tested, we’ll update the sheet and let you know when an updated version is available. Megan Greer is a partner services associate for OverDrive.

Speaking Up for Libraries

WLA is asking for your assistance on a very important election-year library advocacy project. It won’t take much of your time, and we’re doing the hard part!
If you haven’t already experienced them yourself, you’ve undoubtedly heard about cuts to library budgets throughout the nation at the city, county and state levels. These cuts are resulting in reductions in the number of staff, hours of operation, and branch and library closures. But more importantly, they are negatively impacting the ability of residents to access the information and resources they need.  

To avoid drastic library cuts and reduction in access to information here in Wisconsin, where state officials are projecting at least a $2.7 billion deficit for the next biennium, we need your help. Over the next several weeks, we’ll share information that you can disseminate to library supporters in your community. These messages share a bit of information and ask them to “Speak Up for Libraries.”

We hope Wisconsin communities don’t experience the kinds of drastic cuts that have been reported nationwide, but sitting and hoping is not a course of action we can risk.

Libraries are vital community resources that continue to adapt to changing user needs and wants. These valuable public institutions are busier than ever, but we need your library supporters to speak up to secure our future.

We’re providing a series of advocacy messages that you can use in your community, available at http://www.wla.lib.wi.us/legis/speakup.htm. Tailor them to suit your needs, add your own statistics and make them resonate with your supporters – or use them as is. Please plan to share these messages with your local Friends of the library, trustees, and other library supporters in your community. Help them “Speak Up” for your library!
We’ll also email you a reminder message each week, featuring one or two messages to share. The first two weeks you’ll need to share two messages to get them all sent before the November election.  (This week, share messages 1 and 2.)

If you have questions about this program, please contact one of us. Thank you for taking time to “Speak Up for Libraries!”

Mark Ibach, WLA LD&L Committee                                
SCLS Marketing & PR Coordinator 
                                
Lisa Strand, Executive Director
Wisconsin Library Association
4610 South Biltmore Lane, Suite 100
Madison, WI 53718
(608) 245-3640
(608) 245-3646
strand@scls.lib.wi.us