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    <title>PALS Continuous Learning Blog   </title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi</link>
    <description>The PALS Continuous Learning weblog.</description>
    <language>en</language>

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    <title>Rides to ILA</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/08/28#20080828_165213</link>
    <description>This year PALS will be facilitating train transportation to ILA for the day of Wednesday, September 24.  Anyone who would like to ride the train will be accompanied by a PALS staff member at a pre-determined time.&lt;br&gt;Opportunities include the following:  
Originating in Joliet, the Rock Island Metra Rail goes into LaSalle Street Station.  Trains run every few minutes in the early morning and late afternoon, less frequently in the middle of the day.  Attendees can walk a few blocks to State Street and take the #29 bus to Navy Pier.  The other option is to take a cab directly from LaSalle St. Station to Navy Pier.  &lt;br&gt;The Coal Valley area will be travelling by PALS van to the Aurora train station.  Buses #120 or #121 will get you to Navy Pier.&lt;br&gt;From the Rockford area, PALS staff will drive to Big Timber train station headed for Chicago.  Buses #120 and #121 are then available to Navy Pier.  All train schedules can be found&lt;a href=&quot;http://metrarail.com&quot;&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.   
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    <title>Calling All Public Library Trustees to a Mini-Conference, Oct 11th</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/08/24#20080824_121240</link>
    <description>CALLING ALL TRUSTEES is a Mini-Conference designed especially for PALS Public Library trustees.  Yorkville Public Library has agreed to host this first in PALS event which includes among the presenters Attorney Phil Lenzini, Lobbyist Kip Kolkmeier, Board Trainer Dan Cain, and Shawnee Library System Consultant Charm Ruhnke.&lt;br&gt;
For more information and to register go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt; or contact Nancy Smith at &lt;a href=mailto:nancys@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;nancys@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt; or 815-229-0330, x4466.  
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    <title>Getting a Seat at the Community Table for Your Library: Contributing to Crisis Response</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/08/24#20080824_111405</link>
    <description>If you are interested in your library becoming more involved with the community doers and shakers, come listen to Dianne Harmon of Joliet Public Library  share information from two LSTA grants that focused on libraries participating in Crisis Response planning.&lt;br&gt;
Arlington, VA Public Library served as a command center on 9/11, Columbine Branch Library was involved at the time of the school shootings, and Santa Cruz Public Library helped at the time of an earthquake.  These libraries were all involved with their communities and poised to play a role when the crisis occurred.  Along the way they made valuable contacts with emergency responders and other community leaders that benefited their libraries in other ways.&lt;br&gt;
Dianne will discuss some of the ways that libraries can contribute to the crisis effort in the planning, during the crisis and for the rebuilding process afterwards.  She will share documentation and procedure developed as part of the grants.&lt;br&gt;
Register at &lt;a href=&quot;www.palsnet.info/events/&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt;.

  
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    <title>Programapdia Training Opportunities in June and July - Come see what it is all about!</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/05/23#20080523_151409</link>
    <description>Over the past several months library staff from the Prairie Area and Shawnee Library Systems have been busy giving input toward the development of &lt;a href=&quot;www.programapedia.org&quot;&gt;Programapeida&lt;a/&gt;, a wiki-based tool that offers users access to programming ideas and other information. Starting in June, four workshops will be offered to system and member library staff of the sponsoring library systems, providing training on how to use this product as a programming resource. However, the first workshop of the series is open to anyone with an interest in learning more about Programapedia and what is has to offer. The workshop will focus on how to navigate the website and use it to find programming and presenter information. Regsiter on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3842&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt; for Basic Introduction to Programapedia being held Monday, June 16 from 10:30am-Noon via WIMBA. 
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    <title>UW-Madison/PALS Practicum Host Site Training</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/05/22#20080522_104039</link>
    <description>The University of Madison-Wisconsin program requires their MLS students to complete a 120 hour practicum as a part of their coursework.  Part of the PALS role in this program is to find host sites for any student doing his/her practicum.  However, in order to be a host site, Madison requires the supervisor to have an MLS degree and attend UW's training.
On Thursday, June 5 from 1:30-2:00, Deb Shapiro of UW-Madison will be conducting this training via OPAL.
Attendance at this training does not guarantee a library will be chosen as a host site but training is required in order to be a host site.  To register for this training, go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Calendar&amp;mode=Daily&amp;date=6/5/2008&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt;.  If you haven't used OPAL or need a refresher please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Dawn Diventi&lt;/a&gt; (x4463) or &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:glenw@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Glen Wiegert&lt;/a&gt; (x4474) to schedule a time.
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    <title>PALS Day Puzzle Piece: Reality Sells</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/04/17#20080417_153851</link>
    <description>Andrew Corbus and Bill Guretin feel that the more genuine you can be with today’s consumers, the more successful you can be in business. By marketing the genuine story customers will come back again and again.  Andrew and Bill will reveal their Four Laws of Authenticity, with specific examples of how successful companies worldwide are using these Laws to reap the benefits of telling it like it is. Using simple stories, plain language, and easy-to-follow guidelines, Corbus and Guertin will deliver a blueprint for your library to find its genuine story, how to market that story to your public, and how to transfer that message so that front-line staff who are in charge of delivering the promises you’re making are informed and a part of the process.
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    <title>PALS Day Puzzle Piece: Reality Sells</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/04/17#20080417_153754</link>
    <description>Andrew Corbus and Bill Guretin feel that the more genuine you can be with today’s consumers, the more successful you can be in business. By marketing the genuine story customers will come back again and again.  Andrew and Bill will reveal their Four Laws of Authenticity, with specific examples of how successful companies worldwide are using these Laws to reap the benefits of telling it like it is. Using simple stories, plain language, and easy-to-follow guidelines, Corbus and Guertin will deliver a blueprint for your library to find its genuine story, how to market that story to your public, and how to transfer that message so that front-line staff who are in charge of delivering the promises you’re making are informed and a part of the process.
PALS Day Registration: &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3414&gt;
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    <title>Coming to PALS Day.....Jan Dundon</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/04/08#20080408_130819</link>
    <description>Jan Dundon works for Anderson’s Bookshops in Naperville and Downers Grove.  On PALS Day (May 7 at Starved Rock State Park Lodge), she will be presenting two breakout sessions.  The first is “Hot Off the Presses:  What’s New in Children’s and Young Adult Literature”.  Jan will talk about the newest titles in children’s literature, including picture books, informational books, poetry, beginning chapter books and novels.  Learn ways to help teachers connect the books to their K-12 curriculum, and the best new books for sharing in storytimes.  Jan’s second session, “Best Books for Book Groups” will cover the best books for book groups, including new fiction and non-fiction, as well as a few book group favorites you might have missed! Register for PALS Day at &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt; 
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    <title>Reference 2008 @ PALS Day: Another Piece of the Puzzle</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/04/01#20080401_111615</link>
    <description>&lt;p&gt;Back in 2000, Michael Sauers published his first book for librarians: &quot;Using the Internet as a Reference Tool.&quot; Recently, he finished his follow-up book, &quot;Searching 2.0&quot;, and he’s still amazed at how much reference has changed in less than a decade. From podcasts to wikis, Google to data visualization, there are more ways to find that needle in an ever-faster-growing haystack.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Michael will talk about how reference service has changed and stayed the same, and will give plenty of practical examples that you can take back no matter the size or type of your library.
&lt;p&gt;Michael Sauers is the Technology Innovation Librarian for the Nebraska Library Commission and the author of several books and the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.travelinlibrarian.info/&quot;&gt;Travelin' Librarian&lt;/a&gt; blog.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3414&quot;&gt;Register for PALS Day&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/services/cl/PALSday.asp&quot;&gt;PALS Day schedule&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
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    <title>Another Piece of the Puzzle that Makes Up PALS Day 2008</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/03/25#20080325_153516</link>
    <description>Pals Day 2008
“Putting the Pieces Together”
May 7 – Starved Rock Lodge
www.palsnet.info/events  to register

Another Piece of the Puzzle that makes up PALS Day 2008

Morning Session 9:45 – 10:40
The Illinois Humanities Council Program Officer, Ryan M. Lewis will be on hand to introduce the work of the IHC – an independent nonprofit grant-making educational organization – paying special attention to community based programs like the Road Scholars Speakers Bureau, Museum on Main Street, and the Grants Program.   Ryan will be introducing a special edition of the Road Scholars Speakers Bureau that will be available through 2009 call the Lincoln Road Scholars. Learn how to access funds from one of the few statewide grant making organizations in the Prairie State so that you can program for your communities cheaply and efficiently. 

Afternoon Session 2:30 – 3:30
Then in an afternoon session hear Lincoln Road Scholars, storyteller, author and naturalist Brian “Fox” Ellis.  He will be presenting Lincoln Tales Tall and True.  His presentation will trace Lincoln’s rise from Prairie State rail-splitter to America’s favorite president.  Brian will use a blend of history and humor that will attempt to disentangle the man from the myth.  Brian “Fox” Ellis steps into the character of Austin Gullaher, a childhood friend of Lincoln, to allow audiences to go back in time and meet Lincoln during many facets of our famous Presidents life.

Brian is also an author of nine books including Learning From the Land: Teaching Ecology Through Stories and Activities and a new children’s picture book, The Web at Dragonfly Pond.  These books will also be available for sale that day.

These two sessions are guaranteed to educate and entertain!

Go to a www.palsnet.info/events for more information on all the exciting programs that will be presented at PALS Day 2008.
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    <title>Reaching Forward 2008 Conference</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/03/10#20080102_165352</link>
    <description>Save the date for the Reaching Forward 2008 Conference to be held on May 9, 2008 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. For event information &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reachingforward.org/&quot;&gt;go to the Reaching Forward web site.&lt;/a&gt;  &lt;br&gt;Transportation information will be posted at a later date. For additional information please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&lt;/a&gt; Dawn DiVenti.
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    <title>Reaching Forward Bus Ride Available </title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/03/10#20080220_132756</link>
    <description>PALS members can now register on &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.events&quot;&gt; CLeO&lt;/a&gt;
 on May 9th for a bus ride from the Shorewood Area or from the Rockford Area to the annual Reaching Forward Conference for Library Assistants.  To look information about and to register for the conference go to the Reaching Forward &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reachingforward.org/&quot;&gt; website&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;br&gt; The ride is $30 per person and we will need 20 people registered on each bus by April 1st.  If this goal is not met we will try to arrange transportation by van.  If you know there are 10 people riding from your library or community please contact Nancy Smith (nancys@palsnet.info or x4466) about the possibility of arranging a pickup at your library.  
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    <title>Here's What's Happening at PALS Day:  Have a Space Planning Question or Construction Issue</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/03/05#20080305_180947</link>
    <description>Do you have a problem with your building's current arrangement, space, lighting, HVAC, accessibility for users with disabilities, etc. ?  Are you thinking about remodeling OR an addition or a new building and want to know the first steps to take?  Do you want to know what to look for in an architect or how contractors are hired?&lt;br&gt;  Fred Schlipf, retired director of the Urbana Free Library and building consultant extraordinaire, has offered to meet at PALS Day with folks from individual libraries to point them in the right direction toward solving their building issues.  This is not meant to be a full-fledged consultation but just a &quot;bite.&quot;  Each appointment will be for 20 minutes and libraries are asked to provide their questions/issues ahead of time so Fred can be prepared to maximize the time you have together. &lt;br&gt;  To take advantage of this unique opportunity and make an appointment for your library, contact Debbie Fowler at &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:debbief@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;debbief@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt; or x2708.  This opportunity will only be available to about 10 libraries so speak up quickly.
 
Fred has helped many PALS library members with planning or reorganizing their buildings.  Ask your neighbor about him.
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    <title>LSTA Grants—Opportunities to Learn More About the FY2009 Offerings</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/02/21#20080221_135131</link>
    <description>PALS has  scheduled three opportunities to learn about the FY2009 LSTA grant offerings:&lt;br&gt;
Tuesday, March 4th you can see and hear, the Illinois State Library’s LSTA grant guru, Karen Egan, explain the new offerings in detail via videoconference from any of the 8 PALS neighborhood &amp; service center sites.  Karen will be live at the Shorewood Service Center.  Joining Karen via videoconference from Springfield will be Alyce Scott who works with the digitization grant projects.  Paul Mills, Technology Director at PALS, will also be present to field questions about llsap membership as it applies to the Value of Resource grant opportunity.&lt;br&gt;
Thursday, March 6th, a brief overview of the grant offerings especially related to school libraries will be offered at the School Librarians’ Updates and LSTA Grant Workshop at the Rockford Service Center.  Norma Applegate and Jane Lenser will present.&lt;br&gt;
Thursday, March 20th, there will be a face to face session at Centennial Elementary School in Polo.  PALS Library Services Coordinators Jane Lenser and Nancy Smith will walk you through the FY2009 grant offerings, point out important aspects, note the differences from previous years’ requirements and offer tips and techniques to help make your applications more effective.  This in person setting will allow opportunities to interact with other participants, sharing ideas and finding grant partners.&lt;br&gt; 
Monday, March 25th, PALS Library Services Coordinators Jane Lenser and Nancy Smith will use OPAL to walk you through the offerings while you sit comfortably at your desktop.  They will point out important aspects and note the differences from previous years’ requirements or procedures as well as discussing tips and techniques to make your grant application(s) more effective.&lt;br&gt;
You can register for any of the presentations above by going to the appropriate date on &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt; CleO&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;br&gt;
If none of the above events meets your need, feel free to contact Jane (&lt;a href=&quot;mailto:janel@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;janel@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt; or x4461) or Nancy (&lt;a href=&quot;mailto:nancys@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;nancys@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt; or x4466) about scheduling an LSTA workshop.&lt;br&gt;  
All PALS staff members are available for consultation on projects in their area of expertise and are willing to read and review rough drafts, etc.  We just ask that you contact us prior to the week the grants are due.&lt;br&gt;
Letters of Intent are due on April 2nd and the Applications on May 12th. 
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    <title>PALS Day Free Bus Rides Available</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/02/20#20080220_131421</link>
    <description>PALS members can now register on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt; 
CLeO calendar&lt;/a&gt; on May 7th for a free bus ride to PALS Day at Starved Rock Lodge.  A bus will depart from each service center area—Moline, Rockford Service Center, and Shorewood Service Center with a second pickup point in each area.  The points and times listed are tentative but likely based on past experience.   If your library or community has 10 people riding, please contact Nancy Smith(nancys@palsnet.info or x4466) about the possibility of arranging a pickup at your library.  Remember to register separately for PALS Day attendance.
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    <title>&quot;Web 2.0 Best Practices&quot; - March 5</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/02/13#20080213_100059</link>
    <description>&lt;b&gt;Web 2.0 Principles and Best Practices: Discovering the Participatory Web&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
MLA's Educational Webcast&lt;br /&gt;Wednesday, March 5&lt;br /&gt;
1:00-3:00pm
&lt;p&gt;
4 locations in PALS - see below!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
&quot;The goal of this program is to provide a basic understanding of web 2.0 terminology and concepts, assess the effect of the technology on heath sciences library services, and identify the impact of web 2.0 services on health care today and coming future.&quot; 
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
For program agenda, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.mlanet.org/education/distance_ed/web2.0/agenda.html&quot;&gt;see MLA's website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
Although this webcast is intended for medical libraries, it looks like it will be useful for all library types. PALS is hosting this presentation at all 3 service centers and Kankakee Public Library; there is a $10 fee to attend. Register for your location of choice on CLeO:
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3579&quot;&gt;PALS Coal Valley Service Center&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3580&quot;&gt;PALS Rockford Service Center&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3581&quot;&gt;PALS Shorewood Service Center&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/events/?Action=Details&amp;EventID=3583&quot;&gt;Kankakee Public Library&lt;/a&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
If you have questions, contact &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.palsnet.info/about/staffdetails.asp?id=4377&quot;&gt;Brian Smith&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
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    <title>Iowa ILA/ACRL Spring 2008 Conference: Activating Advocacy: The Many Roles of Academic Librarians</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/02/05#20080201_101626</link>
    <description>The Iowa Library Association and ACRL chapter present their spring 2008 conference on March 3, 2008. The conference theme is &quot;Activating Advocacy: The Many Roles of Academic Librarians.&quot; For membership and registration information go to the &lt;a href=http://www.iowaacrl.org/content/conference/2008ILA/ACRL&gt;ILA/ACRL web page&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;For additional information, please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;DawnDiVenti&lt;/a&gt;, PALS Library Services Coordinator and Academic Library Liaison.
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    <title>PALS Day 2008 Announced</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/02/01#20071108_112349</link>
    <description>Mark your calendars now for PALS Day 2008 at Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. Our day will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. Transportation details will be provided at a later date. Registration is now available in CLeO, so please register at your earliest convenience.&lt;br&gt;For additional information, please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;Dawn DiVenti or &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:nancys@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;nancys@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;Nancy Smith, PALS Day 2008 Co-coordinators.&lt;br&gt;We look forward to spending a great day with you at Starved Rock!
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    <title>IACRL 2008 Spring Conference: Librarians as Leaders: Energizing our Communities</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/02/01#20080201_095110</link>
    <description>The Illinois Association of College and Research Libraries has opened registration for the spring 2008 conference to be held on March 27-28, 2008 in Bloomington, IL. The theme is &quot;Librarians as Leaders: Energizing our Communities.&quot; For conference and registration information &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.iacrl.net/index.html&quot;&gt;go to the IACRL web site.&lt;a/&gt; Early bird registration ends February 29, 2008. Registration deadline is March 15, 2008.&lt;br&gt;For additional information, contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Dawn DiVenti&lt;/a&gt;, PALS Library Services Coordinator and Academic Library Liaison. 
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    <title>OPAL Blitz! #2: Love those Libraries</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/01/29#20080122_173400</link>
    <description>On Thursday, February 14, 2008, PALS is offering another opportunity to attend several informational sessions without leaving your office or home. The sessions are designed to be general enough for all library types and you may attend as many as you wish.&lt;br&gt;The first session is entitled, &quot;Love those Wikis: An overview of the PALS Ref Wiki.&quot; Brian Smith, presenter. The second session is entitled, &quot;Love those Meetings: The Open Meetings Act.&quot; Heather Kimmons from the IL Attorney General's Office, presenter. The third session is entitled, &quot;Love to Lead: Strategies for being an effective leader.&quot; Presenter TBA. The final session is entitled, &quot;Love those YA Books: Teen Book Discussion Groups.&quot; Cindy Welch, presenter.&lt;br&gt;Each session is listed as a separate event in CLeO and registration will be available this week in &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events/&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt;,our online event registration tool.&lt;br&gt;For additional information, please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Dawn DiVenti.&lt;/a&gt;
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    <title>Save the Date - OPAL Blitz #2</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2008/01/17#20080111_145028</link>
    <description>Please save the date of Thursday, February 14,2008 for our second OPAL Blitz. PALS will be providing four one-hour informational sessions on current topics of interest to all types of libraries. Registration and information will be available soon. For more information please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Dawn DiVenti&lt;/a&gt;.
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    <title>PALS/UW-Madison Wisconsin MLS Open House</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/10/24#20071024_121556</link>
    <description>Are you ready to enroll in a program of graduate study leading to a Master's Degree in Library and Information Studies?  PALS and the UW-Madison are in their third year of partnership to help librarians obtain an ALA-Accredited MLS.  As we look forward to a 4th year, we are planning our annual Open House on Wednesday, December 5 from 5-7:30 p.m.  This is a normal class night and all potential students are encouraged to attend at one of the three PALS service centers, Coal Valley, Rockford or Shorewood.  This informational session will take place during a regularly scheduled class where you can meet the current students and faculty and see how a videoconference class is conducted.  Attending this Open House does not mean you are committing to the program.  Just bring your questions!&lt;br&gt;More information is available on the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.slis.wisc.edu/academics/PALS/&quot;UW-Madison website&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;Contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dsshapiro@wisc.edu&quot;&gt;Deb Shapiro&lt;/a&gt; (608-262-9195), &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:janel@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Jane Lenser&lt;/a&gt; (877-542-7257 x4461), or &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:sandyr@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Sandy Ringstrom&lt;/a&gt; (877-542-7257 x2710) for further information about the Open House.
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    <title>Overview and Introduction of WebJunction Illinois and TechAtlas</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/10/15#20071015_160025</link>
    <description>Meet us at the crossroads! A crossroads is defined as a place that is centrally located, a crucial point, and a place where two or more roads meet. We want to invite you to meet us at the new crossroads for the Illinois Library Community – WebJunction Illinois.&lt;br&gt;In this overview and introduction, Lisa Barnhart and Dawne Tortorella will introduce you to key features, including free courses, participation in online forums, locating Illinois resources, tips for getting the most out of the site, and an introduction to the free technology planning tool – TechAtlas. Libraries of all types are encouraged to attend this session.&lt;b&gt;This meeting will take place at the LaSalle Public Library on December 5, 2007. The morning and afternoon sessions are the same; participants only need to attend one. Please register in CleO.&lt;br&gt;For additional information contact&lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Dawn DiVenti&lt;/a&gt;
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    <title>Library System All Conference Reception at ILA</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/10/05#20071005_124007</link>
    <description>You are cordially invited to attend the All Conference Reception, held during the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference and hosted by Illinois Library Systems!
&lt;br&gt;
What: A reception—we’ll have light refreshments and a DJ!
&lt;br&gt;
When: Wednesday, October 10 from 8:00-midnight (During ILA)
&lt;br&gt;
Where: President Abraham Lincoln Hotel and Conference Center in the Presidential Ballroom, Springfield, IL 
&lt;br&gt;
Why: To celebrate System members and to support the Fund for Illinois Libraries
&lt;br&gt;
In recent years, use of the Fund for Illinois Libraries, a service for libraries who don’t hold 501(c)(3) status to accept donation from companies that need to donate to 501(c)(3) charitable institutions, has increased dramatically.  This has meant greater access to dollars for Illinois libraries.  To continue this valuable service, we will be accepting donations at the door for the benefit of the Fund for Illinois Libraries.  
&lt;br&gt;
Special thanks to OCLC, Innovative Interfaces, Inc., and SirsiDynix for their generous financial support for the event.
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    <title>PALS to offer two CPLA courses</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/10/03#20070530_101537</link>
    <description>In partnership with the Public Library Association, PALS has been selected to offer two CPLA courses. &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pla.org/ala/pla/plaevents/cplacourses/CPLAcourses.cfm&quot;&gt;For information about the Certified Public Library Adminstrator program. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;On October 24-25, 2007, PALS will host &quot;Serving Diverse Populations.&quot; The event will be held at the Rockford Public Library Main Auditorium at 215 N. Wyman St, Rockford IL 61104.&lt;br&gt;On April 1-2, 2008, PALS will host &quot;Current Trends.&quot; The event will be held at the Moline Public Library at 3210 41st St, Moline IL 61265. Registration details to follow.&lt;br&gt;For more information about these events, please contact Dawn DiVenti, Library Services Coordinator, Continuous Learning. &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;
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    <title>PALS All-Member Meeting</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/09/21#20070921_125121</link>
    <description>PALS is premiering the first PALS all-member meeting via videoconference.  Join us from 9:30-12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 6 to meet some of the PALS staff, get updates on projects including delivery, grants, long-range plan, restructuring the webpage, PALS Day 2008 and other topics.  This meeting will be available at most of the 8 neighborhood locations.  &lt;br&gt;Networking within each neighborhood will follow the videoconference where we will discuss topics that pertain specifically to that neighborhood.  Door prizes consisting of a gift certificate for PALS Day 2008 will be awarded at each location.  You must be present to win.  &lt;br&gt; For additional information contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:judyh@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;judyh@pahsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:nancys@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;nancys@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href=mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;, or &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:sandyr@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;sandyr@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;.  &lt;br&gt; To register go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events/&lt;/a&gt;.
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    <title>Panel Discussion on Referenda</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/09/14#20070914_161716</link>
    <description>The PALS Service Centers and 4 neighborhood sites will host the panel discussion portion of the Is There a Referendum in Your Future? series via videoconference at 1pm on Tuesday, September 25th.  Six PALS member library directors who have experienced referenda on tax increase or annexation or bond issue will participate-- Carol Bird of Princeton Public Library, Lisa Ford of River Valley Library District, Eve Kirk of Cherry Valley PLD, Peggy Wogen of Malta Township Public Library, Jo Ann Potenziani of New Lenox PLD, and Sarah Skilton of Oswego PLD.  Register at &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt; www.palsnet.info/events &lt;/a&gt;.  Please be sure to pick the location where you plan to attend.

PALS members can submit specific questions or topics for discussion ahead of time to Nancy Smith (nancys@palsnet.info). 
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    <title>Public Libraries Meeting at Most Neighborhood Locations</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/09/14#20070914_150626</link>
    <description>Don't forget to register &lt;a href=&quot;www.palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt;(www.palsnet.info/events)&lt;/a&gt; and come to the Fall Public Libraries meeting on September 25th.  It will be videoconferenced to most neighborhoods as well as to the three Service Centers. Be sure to register for the location where you plan to attend.

You can arrive at 9 AM to network and enjoy hospitality.  The videoconference segment will start promptly at 9:30 AM and includes presentations on LACONI and the LACONI salary survey, a salary survey put together by the Management Association of Illinois, and updates on Advocacy, Reference, Public Libraries and PALS issues.  11 AM to Noon is reserved for networking with others attending the meeting.  
</description>
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    <title>MITBC Day registration closes Wednesday, September 12, 2007</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/09/11#20070911_101448</link>
    <description>Join in honoring Illinois veterans on September 19, 2007 when Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center presents &quot;A Salute to Veterans: Honor Their Service - Preserve Their Stories.&quot; Speakers will talk about the Library of Congress's Veteran's History Project and the Illinois Veteran's History Project. Participants will also recieve information on how to start their own local programs for veterans. Visit the Alliance Library System webpage at href=&quot;http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com&quot;&gt;www.alliancelibrarysystem.com&quot;&lt;/a&gt; to register. Event fee is $10 and included lunch.
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    <title>MITBC Day registration closes Wednesday, September 12, 2007</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/09/11#20070911_101340</link>
    <description>Join in honoring Illinois veterans on September 19, 2007 when Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center presents &quot;A Salute to Veterans: Honor Their Service - Preserve Their Stories.&quot; Speakers will talk about the Library of Congress's Veteran's History Project and the Illinois Veteran's History Project. Participants will also recieve information on how to start their own local programs for veterans. Visit the Alliance Library System webpage at &quot;href=&quot;http://www.alliancelibrarysystem.com&quot;&gt;www.alliancelibrarysystem.com&lt;/a&gt; to register. Event fee is $10 and included lunch.
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    <title>Reaching Forward South 2007 Conference</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/08/30#20070830_181945</link>
    <description>This is a reminder that the Reaching Forward South 2007 conference is right around the corner. For information about the conference and registration &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reachingforwardsouth.org&quot;&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br&gt;If you have further questions, please contact &lt;a href=&quot;http://dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;Dawn DiVenti, Library Services Coordinator&lt;/a&gt;.
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    <title>Bus Ride to ILA Exhibits</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/08/08#20070808_102910</link>
    <description>PALS is once again proposing to offer a bus ride from each of the Service Centers to ILA Exhibits at the 2007 Conference in Springfield.  Because of a change in the ILA Exhibits schedule, the ride is being offered on Wednesday, October 10th with arrival planned in time for the Opening Lunch Reception at 12:30 PM and the bus will leave for the return trip at 5 PM.  The cost of the ride is $30.  Besides the Service Centers, pickups may be offered at Rochelle, Peru, and Dwight.  

We ask you to please register in &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt; as soon as possible.  Because of the financial commitment involved in using a bus, we will need at least 20 riders per point of origin registered by September 5th.  If we do not meet that goal then we will endeavor to arrange an alternative ride for registrants. 

Questions about the rides should be addressed to Nancy Smith at nancys@palsnet.info or x4466.

It is the practice of the PALS business office to invoice the member library for the ride after the event.  If you need other financial arrangements made, please notify Debbie Fowler at debbief@palsnet.info.  
</description>
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    <title>Is there a Referendum in your Public Library's future?</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/08/01#20070801_141145</link>
    <description>Even if that future seems far away, take advantage of this PALS series of presentations to learn which factors to consider in making the decision, what steps--legal and otherwise--to take, and how other libraries have fared at the ballot box.

The series will open with a presentation by Shawnee Library System Director, Joe Harris, highlighting the considerations involved in the decision to ask your citizens to vote for either a tax increase, a building bond, or an expansion of territory.  This Thursday, August 9th presentation will be via OPAL--an on-line platform--so you can attend at your computer.

On Thursday, August 16th, Attorney Phil Lenzini will discuss the legal considerations and steps involved.  Because of the different ways of handling this for a tax-capped and a non tax-capped area, he will address each in separate OPAL presentations.

Tara Griffin of the Harris Bank NA will be sharing tips and techniques learned in her experience working with libraries on building and tax referenda on Thursday, August 23rd.  Tara's presentation will be via videoconference.

Rounding out the series will be a panel discussion by PALS member librarians whose libraries have had a referendum.  They'll share their experiences and talk about what worked and what didn't in their own case.  This program will be available by videoconference on the afternoon following the Public Libraries Fall Meeting on Tuesday, September 25th.  

To find out more information and to register, go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt;.  For additional information, contact Nancy Smith (nancys@palsnet.info or x4466)or Sandy Ringstrom (sandyr@palsnet.info or x2710)
</description>
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    <title>Reaching Forward South 2007 Conference</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/07/02#20070628_164518</link>
    <description>Outside the Box!
Reaching Forward South - 11th Annual Conference

The 11th annual conference, &quot;Outside the Box!&quot;, is scheduled for September 20 and 21, 2007, at the Northfield Inn in Springfield IL. &lt;a href=&quot;http://reachingforwardsouth.org&quot;&gt;Reaching Forward Web page&lt;/a&gt; 

&lt;a href=&quot;http://http://www.reachingforwardsouth.org/Flyer2007.htm&quot;&gt;This text goes to the program flyer&lt;/a&gt;
 
If you would be interested in attending, please contact &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt; PALS may provide transportation based upon member interest. The deadline to contact Dawn is August 1, 2007.
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    <title>Spanish for Library Staff</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/06/28#20070614_164034</link>
    <description>PALS, in partnership with the Lincoln Trails Library System, is offering a 15-hour introductory Spanish class for front line staff. Basic library phrases will be covered and materials will be provided. Classes begin June 25th and run for five weeks. Please register in CLeO. If you have any questions, please contact Dawn DiVenti at 815-229-4463 or &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt; 
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    <title>Basic Library Law at Mt. Carroll Township PL</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/06/26#20070626_162421</link>
    <description>A Basic Library Law workshop is being offered on July 11th at the Mt. Carroll Township PL.  This course is designed for Library Trustees and Library Directors.   To find out more about this session and/or to register, go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://palsnet.info/events&quot;&gt;CLeO&lt;/a&gt;.
 
</description>
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    <title>PALS to offer two CPLA courses</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/05/30#20070530_101233</link>
    <description>In partnership with the Public Library Association, PALS has been selected to offer two CPLA courses. For information about the Certified Public Library Adminstrator program go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.pla.org/ala/pla/plaevents/cplacourses/CPLAcourses.cfm&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;On October 24-25, 2007, PALS will host &quot;Serving Diverse Populations.&quot; The event will be held at the Rockford Public Library Main Auditorium at 215 N. Wyman St, Rockford IL 61104.&lt;br&gt;On April 1-2, 2008, PALS will host &quot;Current Trends.&quot; The event will be held at the Moline Public Library at 3210 41st St, Moline IL 61265. Registration details to follow.&lt;br&gt;For more information about these events, please contact Dawn DiVenti, Library Services Coordinator, Continuous Learning. &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;
</description>
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    <title>Reaching Forward Conference</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/05/24#20070221_154521</link>
    <description>Reaching Forward, the annual conference for library support staff, will be held on Friday, May 18, 2007 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. &lt;br&gt; To view the programs or to register, go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.reachingforward.org&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt; Transportation will be provided from the Shorewood and Rockford areas. Watch for transportation details in upcoming Prairie Views or on our web page at &lt;a href=&quot;www.palsnet.info&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt; 
 
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    <title>LTA classes through JJC</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/05/24#20070418_113836</link>
    <description>If you live within the Joliet Junior College district and are considering furthering your education, you might want to check into JJC's Library Technical Assistant (LTA) program!  &lt;br&gt;JJC is a great place to learn and form lifelong networks and they are accepting registrations for the Summer and Fall semesters.  Current course offerings are:&lt;br&gt;Summer--Libraries and Technology and Fall--Readers' Advisory and Programs, Cataloging and Classification, and Introduction to Libraries.&lt;br&gt;If you are interested in learning more about JJC's program, click on&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.jjc.edu/lrc/&quot; and click on Library Careers or contact Catherine Suchy &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:csuchy@jjc.edu&quot;.  
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    <title>LTA Open House</title>
    <link>http://palsnet.info/blogs/blosxom_cl.cgi/2007/04/30#20070430_172530</link>
    <description>If you've been thinking about or if you have questions about the LTA (Library Technical Assistant) program, this event is for you. Beginning in fall, 2007, the College of DuPage will be providing LTA courses via videoconference at the Rockford &amp; Coal Valley service centers. (Shorewood members are served by Joliet Community College--more information to come about that program.)&lt;br&gt;On Friday, May 11, 2007, Linda Slusar, the Coordinator for the LTA program at COD will be live in the Rockford Service Center and available via videoconference in the Coal Valley Service Center. She will address your questions and concerns about the program and how to get started.&lt;br&gt;Please register in CLeO if you wish to attend. For more information, please contact Dawn DiVenti &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:dawnd@palsnet.info&quot;&gt;dawnd@palsnet.info&lt;/a&gt;
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