volume #4 issue#17

April 26, 2007

Prairie Views: the newsletter of the Prairie Area Library System

System News

Nominations Are Now Being Accepted for the FY2008 PALS Librarian's Advisory Committee - Deadline May 11, 2007
Nominations are sought for the Librarians Advisory Committee from persons working in the Freeport, LaSalle, Rockford, Shorewood, and Sycamore neighborhoods. Terms of office are for two years beginning July 1, 2007. The Librarians Advisory Committee is comprised of 15 representatives. Eight representatives are elected and seven are appointed by the PALS Executive Director. The committee's elected representatives who will be serving the second year of their term in FY2008 are Ava Ketter (Coal Valley), Cynthia Fuerst (Kankakee), and Gail Wright (Sterling). Nominees are being sought to represent the four remaining PALS neighborhoods for FY2008-2009. Self nominations are welcomed. Nominees should complete the online form or send a paper form to Cori Swanson at the Coal Valley Service Center (CVSG) no later than May 11, 2007. Please, follow this link to electronically submit a nomination form.

Events/Continuous Learning
CLeO: All continuous learning events sponsored by PALS are open to all staff or representatives of member libraries. Registration is required for all PALS continuous learning programs. To register, visit the PALS CLeO at http://www.palsnet.info/events/

Information on registration, how to set up a CLeO account, and PALS procedures for continuous learning can be found on the PALS website at: http://www.palsnet.info/services/cl/default.asp

PALS Events by Month

NIU Class at PALS Service Centers this Fall
"Instructional Technology Tools" (ETT 530) will be offered this fall via videoconference at the three PALS Service Centers (Rockford, Shorewood, and Coal Valley) from Northern Illinois University. The class will run on Thursdays from Sept. 13-Dec. 13 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. There are also two lab sessions required on the NIU campus in DeKalb. Those will be held on Sat., Oct. 20 and Sat., Dec. 1st from 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

A second class, "Introduction to Educational Research" (ETR 520) will also be held this fall. Students can take it online or attend class at NIU--Rockford, NIU--Naperville, or NIU--DeKalb. Both classes are media electives for those interested in school media certification, endorsement, or the master's degree in Instructional Technology. For specifics on registering or further information on the NIU/PALS program partnership, please contact Karen Woodworth Roman, Program Advisor, at 815-753-9321 or kwoodworth@niu.edu, Jane Lenser janel@palsnet.info, or Norma Applegate normaa@palsnet.info.

Fall 2007 LTA Classes at Rockford and Coal Valley Service Centers
Attention library support staff! Are you looking for opportunities to learn more about the library world? Are you looking toward advancement in your current position or in your career? Then the LTA (Library Technical Assistant) Program may be for you. In past years, PALS has offered the LTA program from the College of DuPage via videoconference at both the Rockford and the Coal Valley Service Centers. We are considering offering this opportunity again in fall 2007.

If you are interested or for additional information, please contact Dawn DiVenti dawnd@palsnet.info
This is a great way to enter or re-enter the academic environment.
Check http://www.cod.edu/LTA for more information.

How Not to be the Library the Press Attacks
When you hear "I demand that you take that terrible book off the shelf!” do you run for cover, get angry, or give in? Are there alternatives? The Illinois Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee invites library staff and boards to a Defending Access Workshop coming soon to your library system. Defending Access with Confidence (by Catherine Lord) is a step-by-step program that takes participants through the history of intellectual freedom and the law, related policies, and approaches to challenges against intellectual freedom in the context of libraries. Utilizing this program, trainers will help participants understand their role in protecting the right to access in library settings and find alternative ways to satisfy patrons whenever possible.
May 1, 2007 Prairie Area Library System at the Reddick Library in Ottawa
May 3, 2007 Alliance Library System in East Peoria
May 10, 2007 North Suburban Library System in Wheeling
May 17, 2007 Metropolitan Library System in Burr Ridge

To register for this program go to https://www.ila.org/events/reg_dawc.htm

Workshop On Shareable Metadata
The Illinois State Library will host "Metadata for You & Me: A Workshop on Shareable Metadata" on Friday May 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p. m. The workshop addresses the needs of library, museum and cultural heritage professionals in the creation, development and use of interoperable or shareable descriptive metadata. The content of workshops is based on the Best Practices for Shareable Metadata, an initiative of the Digital Library Federation and the National Science Digital Library, that provides guidance for creating metadata that can be easily understood, processed and used outside of its local environment. Registration and more information can be found at http://images.library.uiuc.edu/projects/mym/register.html

Member News

Our condolences
to the family of Gladys Keebler, long time children’s librarian at Oregon Public Library, who passed away this week. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this difficult time.

Missing Books - we've added a new section to Prairie Views where members are welcome to post information about materials that are missing in transit. As with all Prairie Views submissions, please send to prairieviews@palsnet.info.

No Missing Books this week.

Freebies/Exchanges/For Sale/Wanted

Prairie Area Library System offers a means for members to share discarded items to needy libraries. Procedures are outlined in the Reference Member Services Guide http://www.palsnet.info/services/reference/reference_guide.asp They are also outlined below.

Libraries wanting to offer up materials can email to Prairie Views, providing the following information:
*Library's name and phone number
*Title(s) of the items discarded

A list will be compiled for inclusion in the weekly Prairie Views newsletter. Anyone interested in freebies are to contact the library directly, (no earlier than Monday following the listing). Members are responsible for making their own arrangements. The PALS van delivery may be available for transporting items, as space and time permits. Contact your Service Center Delivery Manager to arrange for delivery of large shipments.

PALS Members - please remember that you are asked to not request or release any items whether they are Free or For Sale until Monday following the publication of the announcement in Prairie Views. This gives library staff a chance to see the message and request the materials if they are interested. Thanks for your cooperation - we have had several complaints in recent weeks about items being released before Monday.

Kaplan University
is offering the books in the attached list free of charge.

If interested contact:
Jennifer Smith at jsmith@kucampus.edu

Davenport Public Library
has some Martindale-Hubbell Directories that were donated but they already have. They are in great shape!
2005 v.1-12, International Law Directory (2 vol set),
International Law Digest 2006 v1, 5-7, 9-10, 12
Use the contact info below, Monday-Friday, 8-1. Thanks,

Kasey Shipley, Admin. Secretary
Davenport Public Library
321 Main Street
Davenport, IA 52801
563-328-6837
kshipley@davenportlibrary.com

Job Openings
Jobs can be submitted on the PALS website at http://www.palsnet.info/jobs/ or by sending them to prairieviews@palsnet.info. All jobs submitted by either method will be included in Prairie Views for one week and will be posted for 120 days on the PALS website unless the library posting the job requests that it be removed before 120 days. Visit http://www.palsnet.info/jobs/ to views all the job ads that PALS currently has posted.

Youth Services/Assistant Director
The Byron Public Library District is seeking applications for a full-time Youth Services/Assistant Director. The position includes responsibility for the management of all aspects of the Youth Services Department (preschool to teen), including by not limited to programming and materials selection. The position also includes assisting the Library Director and being responsible for the management of the library in the absence of the Library Director.
* Qualifications: This position requires a person with a creative, service-oriented, pleasant, out-going personality, who can work will with both adult and juvenile patrons. A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree is required, and a Masters in Library Science degree or comparable degree is preferred.
* Salary: $30,000-45,000

Contact:
Penny O’Rourke
Byron Public Library District
P.O. Box 434
Byron, IL 61010
E-mail: pennyo@byron.lib.il.us

Technical Services Specialist
The Des Plaines Valley Public Library District is seeking an energetic, motivated technical services department employee for a full-time (40 hours per week) non-supervisory position. This Technical Services Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the Technical Services Manager and will be responsible for cataloging, classification and data entry of all District materials. Qualifications: Requires an ALA accredited MLS, or a Library Technical Assistant (LTA) certificate with one year of relevant full time work experience, or ten years of appropriate library experience. Also requires the ability to pass relevant qualifying exams as prescribed by the State Library and/or the Prairie Area Library System. Pay range starts at $12.05 per hour, commensurate with experience. Excellent benefit package.

Please submit a resume and list of job references to:
Brandon Swarthout, Technical Services Manager
Des Plaines Valley Public Library District
121 E. 8th Street
Lockport, IL 60441
E-mail: bswarthout@dpvlib.org
Fax (815) 838-9131

Resumes will be accepted through May 21, 2007. The Des Plaines Valley Public Library District is an AA/EEOE.

Reference and ILL News
No Reference and ILL News this week.

Youth Services and School Library News

Davis Cup and Golden Ticket Awards
The nomination period for two ILA Youth Services Forum Awards-- the Davis Cup and brand new Golden Ticket awards is coming right up on May 15th. Please take a look at the details and consider nominating someone!

Public Library News
No Public Library News this week.

Academic Library News
No Academic Library News this week.

Special Library News
No Special Library News this week.

Support Staff News
No Support Staff News this week.

Technology Services News
No Technology Services News this week.

E-Rate Corner

In an effort to provide more assistance to our members and to encourage program participation, we are establishing an E-Rate corner to offer help to those of you who have struggled with your E-Rate filing and to encourage those of you who have given up on the process to try again. PALS offers help every step of the way and we encourage you to request the funds that you are entitled to even if it is only for your basic telephone service. Each week we will publish timely facts and offer tips on filing and collecting your money. Help is always available by contacting Marilyn Janssen at the Rockford Service Center. By email: marilynj@palsnet.info And by phone: 815-229-4470.

This week we will go over some important calendar/reminders. If you filed a form 471 you should have received or soon will receive your USAC Funding Commitment Decision Letter. This is an important milestone in the funding process. USAC color codes all the years so this current funding period – 7/1/2007 to 6/30/2008 is Pink and all the correspondence you receive from USAC for this particular year will be pink. Once you receive your Funding Commitment Decision Letter, you have another important step to complete. The Receipt of Service Confirmation Form 486 must be submitted no later than 120 days after receipt of the Funding Commitment Decision Letter. If you have questions or need help filing a form contact Marilyn Janssen at PALS – Rockford by phone – 815-229-4470 or email marilynj@palsnet.info.

Watch for next week when we will discuss collecting funds from the Yellow Year.

New Books at PALS
No New Books at PALS this week.

Library News Around the State & Nation

Entries For This Initiative Are Due May 10!
Woman’s Day initiative asks readers to share stories on how the library helped them start their businesses.
Every year, more than 500,000 entrepreneurs start new businesses in the United States. But how and where to they get the resources and support it takes to succeed? The answer is @ your library. From now until May 10th, Woman’s Day magazine, in conjunction with ALA’s Campaign for America’s Libraries, is collecting stories on how its readers have used the library to start their small businesses. The magazine announced the initiative in its March 6 issue, where it asks its women readers aged 18 and over to submit their stories in 700 words or less. Stories can be sent to womansday@ala.org. Four of the submissions will be featured in the March 2008 issue of Woman’s Day. Librarians can promote this initiative locally by downloading sample promotional materials from The Campaign for America's Libraries’ Web site at www.ala.org/@yourlibrary. Sample tools include a press release, newsletter copy and Web button.

IOUG Annual Meeting
This year's Illinois OCLC Users Group annual meeting will be held at DePaul University, Loop Campus in Chicago on May 16. The annual meeting will begin with registration and a continental breakfast at 8:00 am in Room 8005 of the DePaul Center located at 1 East Jackson Boulevard in Chicago. Opening remarks will begin at 9:00 am and the day's events will conclude at 3:00 pm. Go to http://www.islcleo.org to register ($40 fee includes breakfast and lunch) to attend this event.

Seeking Host Libraries
Thinking Outside the Borders: Library Leadership in a World Community, a program offered by the Illinois State Library and Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, has a unique opportunity for Illinois librarians this fall. The Illinois Library Host Program will couple with Thinking Outside the Borders for the fourth international leadership institute October 3 - 5. The previous leadership institutes consisted of in-depth leadership training that took place over several days. This institute will have a different format than the others: one day of leadership training followed by a two-day visit by an international librarian to host libraries in Illinois.

If you are interested in participating in this venture as a host library and would like to receive information on the application process and selection criteria, please contact Bonnie Matheis at the Illinois State Library at: 217-558-2065 or bmatheis@ilsos.net. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 2007.

Thinking Outside the Borders: Library Leadership in a World Community is a National Leadership Grant funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The grant is for the development, testing, and implementation of a library leadership program that promotes greater understanding and appreciation of the world community in which librarians work. The project was developed by the Illinois State Library and the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs at the University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign.

"Library Appreciation Night" at the White Sox
Baseball season is getting underway so it is time to make plans for "Library Appreciation Night" at the Chicago White Sox game on Thursday, July 5th at 7:11 p.m. On this special night, bargain priced tickets are available to librarians, library staff, trustees, and their families and friends. Tickets normally priced at $35 and $16 are available for $17.50 and $8 respectively. Tickets must be ordered ahead of time with a deadline of June 1st. Please see the flyer for more details.

News from Vendors
No News from Vendors this week.

Legislative/Advocacy News
No Legislative News This Week.

Just So You Know

Attention library support staff!
Joliet Junior College is a great place to learn and form life long networks. We are accepting registrations for the following LTA courses. Interested in knowing more about the LTA program at Joliet Junior College?

Contact Catherine Suchy at 815 280 6604 or visit http://www.jjc.edu/lrc/ and click on Library Careers. Current course offerings are:
Sum LTA 204 Libraries and Technology with Susan Prokopeak starting 5/15 T/R Fall
LTA 202 Readers’ Advisory and Programs with Mary Soucie starting 8/23 R
LTA 201 Cataloging and Classification with Catherine Suchy starting 8/22 W
LTA 101 Introduction to Libraries with Susan Prokopeak starting 8/20 M

Grant News
No Grant News This Week.

On the Internet
Our website picks of the week are supplied by Marylaine Block, Writer, Internet Trainer and "Librarian Without Walls," http://marylaine.com/.

NEAT NEW STUFF April 2007

No Neat New This Week!

Prairie Views will be published weekly on Thursdays on the PALS website. PALS member libraries are encouraged to send items for inclusion to prairieviews@palsnet.info by Tuesday of the week you would like your information to appear.

We will send an email reminder each week when the new issue is available on the PALS website. If you do not currently receive email reminders, please send a message to prairieviews@palsnet.info to have your email address added to the reminder mailing list or visit http://mailman.palsnet.info/mailman/listinfo to subscribe or unsubscribe yourself.