WiscNet Separating from UW - What Does It Mean?

Short answer? Business as Usual.

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WiscNet staff and board members have been working toward internal changes that will allow the UW to maintain access to the affordable advanced networking services WiscNet offers. This will help the UW to overcome one of the many challenges it faces with the broad reaching legislation that went into the UW Budget bill last summer.

The changes to WiscNet will be virtually transparent to the libraries which indirectly utilize its services through WVLS membership. Even as a direct member, WVLS does not anticipate any changes to its service levels or membership fees at this time.

I'm sure that the WiscNet employees and other board members are as proud as I am to have been able to help WiscNet adapt in such a way that it is able to help taxpayers like your patrons and yourselves save hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of dollars by creating a legislatively compliant means for the UW to access high quality advanced networking services at a reasonable cost.

Joshua Klingbeil - IT Director
Wisconsin Valley Library Service

Up Coming Continuing Education Opportunities –

Have you registered for the Adventures in August – Digital Literacy and Reference workshop? Scheduled for August 14, 2012 at the Great Dane Pub in Wausau, WI. Contact jathomas@wvls.org for more information.

Various organizations offer great opportunities using online webinars – they are worth a look:

ALA: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/search/node/online%20webinars

Infopeople: http://infopeople.org/training/view/webinar/archived

Library Journal: https://shop.mediasourceinc.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ocid=239&src=LJTDS12LJEMAILCP

WebJuntion: http://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction.html

Other library systems around the state open up their continuing education events to other system libraries - check out the following:

Indianhead Federated Library System: http://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/Default.aspx?tabid=136

Outagamie Waupaca Library System:  http://www.owlsweb.info/ce/classes.asp?x=2

Nicolet Federated Library System:  http://www.owlsweb.info/ce/classes.asp?x=2

South Central Library System: http://www.owlsweb.info/ce/classes.asp?x=2

The CCBC has wonderful ideas and great events coming up – checkout their website at: http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/events/default.asp

Have you been to the Overdrive site lately? If not perhaps attending a session in September during Overdrive Training Month would be a wise choice.

http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2012/08/06/get-your-seats-for-training-month/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OverdrivesDigitalLibraryBlog+%28OverDrive%27s+Digital+Library+Blog%29

Watch for future information reagarding the October16, 2012 Youth Services workshop on the 2013 Summer Library Reading Program.

Juanita Thomas, Outreach Coordinator 300 N 1st St. Wausau, WI 54403 (715) 261-7258 jathomas@wvls.org

Be Wary of Fake Invoice Scams

WVLS has had a few calls in recent days from "Customer Service" letting us know that they are our toner supplier and that they need the model number off of our printer or copier. Well I've heard this question before so I just ask them "What's the name of your company?" ... click ... and that ends it. Call over, scam avoided.

Wait what? Scam? What?

So yeah. The above call describes a practice used in which an organization, group of people, or even just an individual will call a company, ask for some information that would help them craft a fake invoice, and then, well, craft a fake invoice and send it to you. The hope is that maybe some small percentage of organizations that receive these fake invoices actually pay them, without understanding what happened.

http://www.scambusters.org/invoicescams.html


When you're managing IT at all but the most gigantuan companies, you may typically work with a concise group of vendors, and it can seem easy to know what you have, where you get it from, what it should cost, and who you should pay for it for just about everything within your purview. After all, the technology used to keep track of that info is, well, technology and we are, well, technology people.

That's not to say we know everything (we're working on it)but, it can therefore also seem easy to identify scams and rogue agents trying to elicit your business in a shady fashion. It helps to have experienced it multiple times before. We're also super paranoid about people hacking our systems, stealing our info, and making us look bad. If there's anything IT people hate more than haggis, it's being made to look bad.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/2135371909

What about when you're not in IT, or not familiar with every single service provider and every single cost item your department or organization deals with, or not familiar with invoicing scams through past experience in dealing with the methodology?

Well hopefully you are acquainted with wonderful and smart technology professionals, or other trade professionals such as financial services personnel who want to get the word out, and have access to creating content on a fairly well read blog. You are? Great!


What can you do?

1. Be wary - Question all "vendors" soliciting information. Ask for their info so you can have time to validate their request and get back to them.
   
2. Be vigilant - Review and audit all invoices. This may be verifying quantities received or verifying the invoice is genuine period.
   
3. Be proactive - Did you catch a scam before it caught you? Did you get caught? Let the rest of your peers know either way to help prevent others from this fate.

Think you have a scam on your hands or have been hit by one recently? Give me a holler.

Good luck out there!

Joshua Klingbeil

It’s finally here, folks—registration is now open for Next Generation Digital Library, the main attraction of OverDrive Training Month  -  September 5 - 28, 2012.

Who: Library & school staff
What: Next Generation Digital Library live training sessions
When: September 5 – 28, 2012
Where: From your computer with speakers or headphones
How: Register today!

During these live webinars conducted via ReadyTalk throughout the month of September, we’ll brief library staff on exciting developments coming to OverDrive-powered digital libraries in 2012. We’ll discuss these topics and more:
• Browser-based eReading with OverDrive Read
• APIs for integrating OverDrive content with library discovery tools
• In-library discovery of digital collections via OverDrive Media Station
• Publisher-supported device lending via Test Drive
• Efficient collection-development tools in the redesigned Content Reserve
• Self-service help & training resources

Our ticket booth is ready for action, and the show will soon begin, so get your eats and reserve your seat for Next Generation Digital Library. Simply visit the Registration page within our Learning Center to find a session that works with your schedule. Then click “Register” and enter your information. After registration, you’ll receive a confirmation email—you’ll need this in order to test your computer for ReadyTalk compatibility and join the conference. You can also click to add the session to your personal calendar.

All sessions are free to staff of OverDrive library and school partners. Coming September 5, we’ll also be offering on-demand modules for self-service training.

For more about Training Month 2012, click here.

(Christina Bernecker is a Training Specialist at OverDrive.)

ADVENTURES IN AUGUST
Digital Literacy and Reference

Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Great Dane Pub
2305 Sherman Street / Exit 191B
Wausau, WI 54403
 (715) 845-2000

9:00   Registration with coffee and rolls
9:30 – 10:00  FCC’s Digital Literacy - Bob Bocher, former Technology Consultant for DLT
10:00 – 10:30  Library as Platform - Mark Beaty, Training & Automation Librarian, Wils
10:45 – 11:45  Common Core Standards, Training Ideas - Adam Brisk
12:00 – 1:30 Lunch ($9.00) with Stef Morrill, Director, Wils and Sara Gold from Wils discussing       Libraries at the Digital Tipping Point: Trends, Impacts, and Responses
1:45 – 3:15  Planning for the Future of Libraries –   Marc Gartler, Chair of ALA America’s Libraries in the 21st Century                                                                                                  

2 CEUs for morning session; 3 CEUs for afternoon session; 5 CEUs all day.

The first person to sign up for the whole day wins a prize for their library!

Registration deadline: Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Lunch selection: Grilled Chicken Wrap, BBQ Pork Sandwich, or Portobello Mushroom Sandwich

Pay the day of the event

RSVP to: Juanita Thomas at jathomas@wvls.org or (715) 261-7258

Wisconsin Valley Library Service sponsored event

WVLS PC & Networking Services

July marks the launch of PC and Network Support Services offered by Wisconsin Valley Library Service. Please see this PDF for more information. Shaun Howard, our Technology Support Specialist, has been helping us prepare for this launch. Shaun brings several years of helpdesk support expertise, as well as a strong skillset in the areas of PCs and Networking.

Our primary channel for initiating support requests is via email to support@wvls.org which will automatically create a support ticket in our Spiceworks helpdesk system. Over the past 6 months, we’ve been guiding people to that address so for many of you the support@wvls.org address and the Spiceworks formatted responses are becoming familiar. We will continue to improve on our internal process and support workflow and will also be helping our end users (you the library directors and staff members) to manage your own support requests with the Spiceworks User Portal, http://support.wvls.org/portal (currently accessible from within our WAN).

Our primary support phone line is 715.261.7254. WVLS technology staff who are out of the office or otherwise unavailable will be forwarding their lines to this number in order to better manage the flow of incoming calls. All support requests, whether initiated by emailing support@wvls.org or by calling one of our technology staff members, will have a support ticket generated; automatically if by originated email or the User Portal, or manually if originated by a phone call or other means.

We’re looking forward to working more closely and directly with our member libraries to offer PC and Networking Support Services and help ease technology related budget concerns across the system.

Joshua Klingbeil – IT Director
Wisconsin Valley Library Service

Free Webinar - "Kick Start Your National Friends of Libraries Week Celebration"

ALTAFF will host a webinar, “Kick Start Your National Friends of Libraries Week Celebration,” from 12-1 p.m. CST on Tuesday, July 24, 2012

This free webinar will give libraries and Friends ideas and materials so that they can promote National Friends of Libraries Week (Oct. 21-27, 2012) in their libraries and community. Those who cannot attend the webinar can view the recording on the ALTAFF website after July 24. All participants must register (https://ala.ilinc.com/register/xcvybtf) to participate in the live webinar. The webinar will led by ALTAFF’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Beth Nawalinski and ALTAFF’s Marketing/Public Relations Specialist, Jillian Kalonick.

ALTAFF will coordinate the seventh annual National Friends of Libraries Week Oct. 21-27, 2012. The celebration offers a two-fold opportunity to celebrate Friends. Use the time to creatively promote your group in the community, to raise awareness and to promote membership. This is also an excellent opportunity for your library and Board of Trustees to recognize the Friends for their help and support of the library. Friends groups, library Trustees and library staff can access a variety of online resources to help them celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week. Materials available on the ALTAFF website (www.ala.org/altaff/grants_awards/friends/friendsweek) include promotional ideas, editable publicity materials, camera ready bookmarks, ideas from past celebrations and much more.

ALTAFF is pleased to announce a sixth year of awards in conjunction with National Friends of Libraries Week. Two awards of $250 will be given to Friends of the Library groups for activities held during National Friends of Libraries Week, Oct. 21-27, 2012. Application materials are available on the ALTAFF website (www.ala.org/altaff/grants_awards/friends/friendsweek).  Entries are due by Dec. 3, 2012.

Jillian Kalonick

Marketing/Public Relations Specialist

Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF)
American Library Association
109 S. 13th St., Suite 117B
Philadelphia, PA 19107
phone 800-545-2433, ext. 2161
fax 215-545-3821

http://www.ala.org/altaff

find ALTAFF on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ala.altaff

follow ALTAFF on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ala_altaff

How Many Checkouts Does the Wisconsin Digital Library Have?

I know many of you receive the OverDrive posts like the one below (if not, the link is here: http://overdriveblogs.com/library/), and you might be wondering, like me, how many checkouts does the Wisconsin Digital Library have?

As of today, 6/25/2012, the WPLC had:

Checkouts: 1,769,860 since 2005. There were 36,607 current checkouts when the report was pulled.

This is 1.7% of OverDrive's total of 100,000,000 since they started in 2003.

We're consistently getting 89,000 checkouts per month, and might hit 90,000 this month, so we should see 2,000,000 checkouts sometime around the first part of September breaking it down:

Audiobook: 1,139,028 (Current: 8,874)

 eBook: 598,428 (Current: 27,649)-- which includes both Kindle and EPUB, and PDF

 Music: 13,775 (Current: 35): not actively collecting

 Video: 18,629 (Current: 49): not actively collectimg

(Jane Richards, WILS/WPLC June 25, 2012)

Up Coming Continuing Education Opportunities –

Mark your calendar for the 2012 WVLS Tech Summit and Reference Workshop – August 14, 2012. More information will be forthcoming.

Northern Waters Library System Continuing Education Webinar: September 5 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Learn about early literacy resources and support available on TeachingBooks.net, led by TeachingBooks.net staff. URL: http://teachingbooks.net/WebPresentation. At the time of the webinar, enter the meeting room as a "guest." Presenter: Amanda Kramer, TeachingBooks.net.

Indianhead Federated Library System workshops and webinars information available at http://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/Default.aspx?tabi=136

ALA:  A free ALA TechSource Webinar June 29.   http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/one-stop-tech-wrap-ala-annual-free-ala-techsource-webinar

ALA Conference, Anaheim, CA – June 21-26. http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/reg

WilsWorld Conference, Madison, WI – July 25 – 26. http://www.wils.wisc.edu/wils/wilsworld-conference%E2%80%94july-25-26-2012

Archived BadgerLink Training at – http://www.badgerlink.net/training.html

UW-Madison, School of Library and Information Studies Continuing Education Services online classes at – http://www.slis.wisc.edu

Booklist Webinars http://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=73

Infopeople http://infopeople.org/training

Juanita Thomas, Outreach Coordinator 300 N 1st St Wausau, WI 54403 jathomas@wvls.org

OverDrive to Provide Streaming Audiobooks to Libraries and Schools

Library and School Catalogs to Enable Instant Access to Spoken Word Audio

June is Audiobook Month, and leading digital distributor OverDrive announced today that it will update its popular audiobook download services to include new options for readers to instantly “See Book—Hear Book.” Scheduled for launch later this year, streaming audiobooks will be available on a wide range of Internet-connected devices, including smartphones, tablets and computers. This instant-access technology will eliminate long downloads before listening to popular audiobooks from libraries and schools throughout the OverDrive network. The “Listen Now” option will complement the download options already in use with the millions of installed OverDrive Media Console apps on Windows®, Mac®, iPhone®, iPad®, Android™, Windows® Phone and BlackBerry®.

 

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OverDrive will demonstrate streaming audiobooks as part of its next-generation platform at the American Library Association's 2012 Annual Conference (Booth 1362) in Anaheim, Calif., June 21-26.

OverDrive will incorporate the streaming option into the free OverDrive Media Console apps, enabling readers to access complete audiobooks or to immediately sample excerpts without first downloading the title. This new feature will complement the current download options, which allow readers to transfer titles to a variety of iPod and MP3 audio devices or burn to CD. Streaming audiobooks will add value to every library’s audiobook collection while still enforcing copyright and supporting permitted lending models. Access to each streaming audiobook will expire at the end of the borrowing period.

Streaming audiobook samples will also be available to patrons and students inside the library with the recently announced OverDrive Media Station. OverDrive Media Station enables in-library access to digital content on touchscreen monitors and public Internet workstations. To see a preview of OverDrive Media Station, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsIEZG3fLU8.

To further celebrate Audiobook Month, OverDrive is offering schools and libraries deep discounts on thousands of best-selling audiobooks in June, including 50-percent markdowns on thousands of titles from Blackstone Audiobooks and Tantor Media. With an industry-leading catalog of more than 800,000 eBooks and audiobooks, OverDrive provides digital distribution services for more than 18,000 libraries, schools and retailers worldwide with support for Windows®, Mac®, iPhone®, iPad®, Kindle® (U.S. only), Sony® Reader, NOOK™, Android™, Windows® Phone and BlackBerry®. To find a bookseller or library in the OverDrive network, visit search.overdrive.com.
(Bookbusinessmag.com, June 14, 2012)