UMass Amherst Libraries Goes Green with Recyclable Bags

The UMass Amherst Libraries are discontinuing the use of plastic “rainy day” book bags. The Libraries now offer recyclable, compostable bags to users to protect their books from bad weather. The earth-friendly bags are available in the Du Bois Library lobby and at the Circulation desks of the Du Bois Library and the Integrated Sciences and Engineering Library.

For more information, contact Emily Silverman at 545-0995, or essilverman@library.umass.edu.

Westhampton Library Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Westhampton Library took place this Saturday, June 6. It was a perfect day, and a large crowd (200+ ?) showed up, most carrying shovels to help break the ground.

Event at the Carle

At The Museum

Birthday Bash and Children's Book Festival with Western Massachusetts Illustrators’ Guild

June 13, 2009 ~ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Free with Museum Admission

Celebrate, connect and create!
In honor of Eric Carle’s 80th birthday and the 25th anniversary of the Western Massachusetts Illustrators' Guild (WMIG), The Carle is hosting a day filled with book-signings, readings, and demonstrations by WMIG artists, hands-on activities in the Art Studio, and special performances by Smithsonian Folkways Children's music recording artist Elizabeth Mitchell. Complimenting the art in the galleries will be an exhibit of original art by some of New England’s favorite illustrators as well as an art sale, silent auction, and raffle.

Featured artists include: David Costello, Diane deGroat, Elizabeth Finney, Linda Graves, John Steven Gurney, Laura Jacques, Gary Lippincott, Jeff Mack, Bob Marstall, Shelley Rotner, Ruth Sanderson, Nicole Tadgell, and David White. For more information on events, please visit www.carlemuseum.org/Programs_Events/Upcoming/WMIG

This event sponsored by FamilyFun magazine and The Bank of Western Massachusetts.

~ Rosemary Agoglia, Curator of Education, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, MA 01002, t (413) 658-1114, f (413) 658-1139, rosemarya@carlemuseum.org

NEW! Our new Web address is http://www.carlemuseum.org

June 6 - Everyone Digs at Westhampton's Groundbreaking Ceremony

Library Summer School - Take an online course for FREE!

Greetings Colleagues,
One of the many benefits of WMRLS membership is free admission to WebJunction's online library continuing education workshops. The WebJunction course catalog covers a wide range of topics and is continually updated. Consult the WebJunction Online Course Catalog and complete our WMRLS Online CE Registration Form to receive a WMRLS code that will enable you to take the course for free. On June 15, WMRLS will issue the confidential coupon code to all staff of member libraries who complete our online registration form. This coupon code must be redeemed by August 31. You will have access to the course that you select for one full year.

Below is a selection of the topics covered by the WebJunction online courses. On June 15, WMRLS will issue a confidential coupon code to all staff of member libraries who complete our online registration form:


Application Software
Adobe Acrobat (8)
Crystal Reports (2)
Databases (19)
Desktop Publishing (12)
Excel (25)
Flash (3)
Graphics (13)
Microsoft Office (general) (4)
Outlook (23)
PowerPoint (13)
Project (16)
Visio (6)
Word (29)

Customer Service & Interpersonal Skills
Communication (11)
Customer Service (14)
Ethics & Values (6)
Interpersonal (41)
Learning (personal) (15)

Library Management
Advocacy & Outreach (1)
Budget & Finance (13)
Facilities Management (6)
Friends & Trustees (1)
Funding (1)
Marketing (12)
Policies & Procedures (3)
Library Services
Children (7)
Readers Advisory (1)
Reference & Information Resources (4)
Technical Services (8)
Young Adults & Teens (2)

Networking & Security
Email Systems (9)
General Networking (9)
General Security (17)
Servers (20)
Telecommunications (3)
Wireless (5)

Operating & Automation Systems
Linux (23)
Windows (17)

Organizational Management
Leading Organizations (28)
Legal Responsibilities (8)
Project Management (21)
Strategic Planning (12)

Personnel Management
Hiring (6)
Staff Training & Development (17)
Supervision (18)
Workplace Safety & Compliance (18)

Technology (general)
Basic Computer Support (4)
Hardware (4)
Technology Planning (16)
Video (5)

Web Design & Development
Web Design (33)
Web Development (19)

~ Sincerely, Janet Eckert, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System

The Agawam Public Library TWEETS!

The Agawam Public Library is moving further along into the 2.0 world, and can now boast we have our very own Twitter page. Twitter is a form of social networking, which is nick-named micro-blogging, because of the short messages that may be posted. On our Twitter page you can find out information on Library Services, Resources, Programs and Events. Check out our Twitter page at http://twitter.com/agawamlibrary

~ Maria Yacovone, InterLibrary Loan Services, Agawam Public Library

Everyone flies to the Springfield City Library these days!

A very unusual visitor to the Springfield City Library this morning!
Springfield City Library - A Place For You

~ Janet Stupak, Community Relations Coordinator, Springfield City Library

Update: MBLC Account (7000-9401)

Dear WMRLS Library Supporters:

I’m pleased to share some GOOD NEWS in these difficult times!

The FY10 budgets of both Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate resulted in an increase of over 14% for the 6 Regional Library Systems in MBLC account (7000-9401). At the same time, there was no specific language about funding for Boston Public as Library of Last Recourse (LLR), so the amount the LLR gets from this account was decreased dramatically.

Since both the House and Senate versions of the budget were the same, this account is not subject to revisions by a legislative Conference Committee.

It is gratifying that the encouragement and advocacy of so many people made a real difference with our State legislators, who responded in a big way. We express our appreciation to our Representatives and Senators for their support of the Regions and the important services they provide, especially in this tough economy.

~ Thank you, John Ramsay, Regional Administrator, Western Massachusetts Regional Library System

Weeding with the CREW Method - WMRLS May 21 Continuing Education Workshop

Weeding with the CREW Method

Summary of WMRLS May 21 Continuing Education Workshop:

This workshop explored the straightforward guidelines recommended in The CREW Method, a nationally recognized tool for intelligent de-selection. Through hands-on weeding, participants discovered for themselves that these methods really work! Belinda Boon, author of The CREW Method, presented the workshop to help participants identify reasons for and against weeding and discover how to overcome obstacles, learn how to weed using The CREW Method and practice techniques for weeding non-print and children’s materials. This workshop was funded by the Together We Thrive LSTA grant.

Visit the WMRLS Weeding the Library Collection Website for links to selected handouts and more! [Our WMRLS Weed It! For an Attractive and Useful Collection website was one of the first websites to cover this important collection development topic and continues to be among the Top 10 most visited pages on our 242 page website.]

Puppetry ~ WMRLS May 19 Continuing Education Workshop

Puppetry


Summary of WMRLS May 19 Continuing Education Workshop:

Presenters Joan Knight, Director of the Jaffrey (NH) Public Library, and Judith Stoughton, Children's Librarian of the Mansfield (CT) Public Library demonstrated how to incorporate puppetry into library programs and make puppet magic. They offered practical ideas, tips, techniques and specific activities that can be transported to your library.


Resources on Puppetry Available from the WMRLS Professional Collection

Tips & Techniques: Storytelling with Puppets and Props. Library Video Network, 2002. [DVD PROF 027.62]

Leading Kids to Books Through Puppets by Caroline Feller Bauer. ALA, 1997. [PROF 027.625]

We the People Bookshelf awarded to Huntington Public Library

The Huntington Public Library is pleased to announce that the Library is a recipient of the “We the People” Bookshelf grant that includes free hardcover editions of 17 children’s classics. The grants, presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association, are provided to support the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture in our library. Each year, the National Endowment for the Humanities identifies a theme to build the “We the People” Bookshelf. This year the theme for the bookshelf is “Picturing America”. In 2009, 4,000 school and public libraries in all 50 U.S. states were selected from a pool of more than 7,000 applicants to receive “We the People” Bookshelf grants.

The books will be available at the library for patrons to check out and read. For suggestions for programming or more information about library programs visit or telephone the Library. Telephone: 413/667/3506.

~ Margaret Nareau, Director, Huntington Public Library

Library cards—a great promotional tool

Contact: Megan McFarlane
Campaign Coordinator
Campaign for America’s Libraries
ALA Public Information Office
312-280-2148
mmcfarlane@ala.org

For Immediate release
May 19, 2009
Library cards—a great promotional tool

(CHICAGO) Librarians can use the value of a library card to promote their libraries.

During Library Card Sign-up Month, the American Library Association and libraries across the country highlight the library card as the “smartest card” in every American’s wallet.

Library cards offer users a wide variety of free resources: access to computers and the Internet; financial literacy skills; assistance with job searches; resources to help small businesses; DVD rentals; storytime sessions; and, of course, books.

But library cards have value for librarians as well, whether they are promoting public awareness about their library’s green efforts or programming for children.

The Public Library of Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, N.C., used the Association for Library Service to Children’s “Kids! @ your library” slogan “So much to see. So much to do. @ your library” to engage its community and encourage children in grades K-5 to register for a library card. The library has since reported that 20,000 students have signed-up for library cards.

The Clermont County Public Library of Clermont County, Ohio recently redesigned its library cards and now offers library users the choice of seven library cards, including one that supporting the library’s green initiative, which reads “Go green @ your library.”

“It fit in perfectly with the ‘green’ overhaul we’ve been working on,” said Amy Prewitt, the library’s media relations manager. “Besides, the library is the ultimate recycling center — we use and reuse the same materials over and over again.”

Prior to the card’s redesign, the library used the “Smartest Card” to promote its services.

Berkeley County Public Library of Berkeley County, S.C. uses its card to remind visitors that there is “Something for everyone @ your library.” The library card is also available as a key fob.

Library Card Sign-up Month, which is held in September, was launched in 1987.Since then, thousands of public and school libraries join each fall in a national effort to remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all.

The Campaign for America’s Libraries is the ALA’s public awareness campaign that promotes the value of libraries and librarians. Thousands of libraries of all types – across the country and around the globe - use the Campaign’s @ your library® brand. The Campaign is made possible in part by ALA’s Library Champions.

The “Smartest Card” was created by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of ALA.