Category Archives: Public

Academic, Public, Training

Webinar: “Movin’ on Up: Advancing into Academic Library Middle Management”

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Webinar
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
 
2pm Eastern (11am Pacific | 12pm Mountain | 1pm Central)
 
Register: https://goo.gl/DTk8qO
Description:  
Can an academic librarian who has only worked on the front lines compete with those who have supervisory experience for middle management positions? What traits are hiring committees looking for in middle managers for public services, especially in applicants with no prior supervisory experience?

This webinar presents the findings of a qualitative study consisting of interviews with academic librarians who have served on hiring committees for middle-management positions, and with public services librarians who have recently made the transition from the front lines to their first supervisory position; and an analysis of the preferred and required qualifications in job ads for middle-management public services positions in academic libraries from the last five years. The presenters use these results to provide guidance on the steps frontline academic librarians can take in order to successfully translate their abilities, knowledge, and skills into their first supervisory position.
 
About the Presenters:
Megan Hodge is a Teaching & Learning Librarian at Virginia Commonwealth University. A former ALA Emerging Leader, Megan currently serves as an ALA Councilor-at-Large and is a doctoral student in educational research and evaluation.
Nicole Spoor is the Business Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She currently serves as the Leadership Development Director for ALA New Members Round Table and is a doctoral student in educational leadership.
Can’t make it to the live show? That’s okay. The session will be recorded and available on the Carterette Series Webinars site for later viewing.
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To register for the online event
1. Go to registration page: https://goo.gl/DTk8qO
2. Complete and submit the form.
3. A URL for the event will be emailed to you immediately after registration.
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Contact a member of the Carterette Series planning team with questions or suggestions:
carteretteserieswebinars@gmail.com

 

Public, Services

How Denver Public Library Balances Books and Being A Homeless Shelter

Denver Public Library 1
(From Colorado Public Radio, by Michael Sakas)

“A visit to the library likely means checking out a book or movie. But the Denver Public Library says its central location has another job these days — it’s somewhat of a homeless shelter.

“That is a role that we have not asked to play, but are playing,” says Michelle Jeske, the city librarian for Denver.

When the doors of the library open at 10 a.m. a mix of people usually wait outside to be let in. Some have materials to return or pickup, and others are seeking shelter.

James Short, who describes himself as residentially challenged, is one of the group waiting to get in. He’s a writer, and says he comes to the library nearly every day to work. Without a home, “I’d be drinking a lot more Starbucks coffee and using their internet,” Short says.

Of the crowd gathered at the Central Library on this day, Short was the only one willingto be interviewed. One man said he was too high to talk. Another didn’t want the plasma center to know he was homeless or he wouldn’t be able to donate.

Elissa Hardy, one of the Denver Public Library’s social workers, points out that the library is one of the few public bathrooms in the city. “We don’t open until 10 a.m. [weekdays]. So as you can imagine, if you’re leaving shelter at 5 or 6 in the morning, that’s five to six hours that you don’t have access to the bathroom.” Continue reading How Denver Public Library Balances Books and Being A Homeless Shelter →

Advocacy, Communication, Public, Services

Library Futures Task Force explores options for future

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(From the News Review,  by CARISA CEGAVSKE)

“The Sage Library System could offer Douglas County libraries a catalog system as well as courier service to share 1.7 million books with other Oregon libraries. Sage is a consortium with 77 member libraries in 15 Eastern Oregon counties.

Beth Longwell, systems manager for Sage, told the Douglas County Library Futures Task Force Friday that the cost for all Douglas County branches to join the system would be about $40,000 a year. Sage wouldn’t be involved in staffing or operations of the libraries themselves.

Joining Sage is one of many possibilities the task force is looking into as it ponders possible long-term solutions to restore a countywide library system. The county government, struggling with the loss of federal timber money, has announced it will pull funding for the library system at the end of this fiscal year. Most smaller library branches are already closed, and the Roseburg branch is slated to close at the end of this month.

Continue reading Library Futures Task Force explores options for future →

Children's services, Programs, Public

Would your younger patrons like a summer pen pal?

Fountain pen writing (literacy)

“Hello,

I’m looking to find libraries from around the country who are interested in participating in a pen pal situation with my library, the Windsor Public Library in Windsor, CT.  I’ve reached out to librarians I know and have had a few friends suggest their local librarians, I’m excited to see how wide a range we can get.

The idea behind the program was to get our patrons to draw pictures and write letters that can be sent to another children’s department somewhere in the U.S. My initial thoughts were not to necessarily have a one-on-one exchange, but for kids to tell each other about what it’s like where they live, tell each other about what they like and draw pictures to be passed on to another Children’s Department.  In the case of my library I have a bulletin board space where I could hang the letters and pictures we receive and place a card box for them to place the letters/cards/pictures they want to send.  I could periodically gather those items and send them off.

I think there is an option for children who want to participate in a more direct exchange, but this would involve signing up, parent permission and ultimately there’s the risk that the patron on one end would fall out of interest and stop responding.  This is why I think the more passive program option is best, it allows for one-off participation but might also encourage certain children to participate every time they visit.

For those libraries that are doing the Build A Better World summer reading theme this ties in nicely as a program but for those who are not, I think it still nicely fits the core values of librarianship and it presents a great opportunity for children who have not yet or might never see beyond their own community.

Let me know if you’re interested in participating, or have any questions!

Thanks,

Shana Morales

Head of Children’s Services

860-285-1917

Windsor Public Library

www.windsorlibrary.com“

CMLE, Public, Visits

Visit to the Annandale Public Library

One of the most fun parts of my job is the chance to go visit our member libraries! As someone who has spent years traveling around the country, visiting libraries, I can say there has never been a library that did not have something fun/interesting/unique to see. Being able to visit the CMLE members, and to see how much work they are doing in helping their communities is fantastic!

Annandale Public Library, part of the Great River Library System, is another library doing some great work. You can see immediately how much thought is put into making the library a welcoming place. Art in a library can be such an important tool for reaching out to patrons, and for helping everyone to feel comfortable.  (Check out our podcast, Linking Our Libraries, episode seven for a look at art in libraries!)

 

Look at these books and the plant! At CMLE HQ, we love plants and gardens (Podcast #7: Library Gardens, with a mention of Annandale!) As I always do, I struggled to keep from grabbing books off the shelves to take home. It’s a constant struggle for library people, when out visiting! Continue reading Visit to the Annandale Public Library →