No. 07-05                                                                                                                  February 2, 2007

• ANNETTE BIRDSALL, Youth Services Coordinator

Winter is for Youth Services at FLLS!  We have YA Reader’s Advisory on February 22 and Summer Reading on March 26 (You have the details – don’t forget to RSVP!) 

And we also have the Storytime Application Workshop for Growing a Reader on Monday, March 26^th 9am registration to 4:30pm.  Lunch will be provided.

This is the workshop you requested on your evaluations so I hope to see you there.  This is an all day fun-filled storytime workshop with Sue McLeaf Nespeca. A flyer and link from our website will be sent soon, but if you can’t wait to register go to:

http://earlyliteracy.sals.edu/workshops/training-schedule.html  

***A small prize will be awarded to the first one to register***

  

• CAROL HENDRIX, Administration

I will be on vacation from February 2 through February 19.  Please contact Elaine at ext. 23 if you need any assistance.

  

• JAN AGUIRRE, Specialist & Training Coordinator

If you access Reports off the Utility Menu on the Polaris Shortcut Bar, you may not see the Custom Folder, where all the custom reports are located. If the Custom Folder does not show up on the list, you may need to left click on the Refresh button in order for it to display.

 

Displayed below is a link to the 2007 Training survey. This survey will give me an idea on what training topics to offer in 2007.  I have suggested a few but feel free to offer suggestions of your own.

 Thanks so much for taking the time to fill this survey out. 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=367563231556

 

•  MARISA IACOBUCCI, Adult Services Coordinator

Annual Report Information

The mini-workshop on the Annual Report on Tuesday generated several questions that may be of interest to all of you out there doing the report.  Below are the questions I sent to DLD and the answers I received.  Please pay particular attention to #6. 

If you notice some odd, quirky things happening to the site as you’re working on your report, please let me know so I can pass them on to DLD.

As always, let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks! 

1.   One of our libraries has several donated magazines.  They keep copies only three months due to space issues.  Should they still count each magazine as one volume (1 year) on the report?

Answer from DLD:  They shouldn't count them as volumes (2.9) but can count them as serial titles (2.25) in their collection. 

2.      Line 2.9 - Are reference books that are serials (ie – Encyclopedia of Associations) included in this count?  The librarian who asked also wondered if annual books, like the World Almanac and the Guinness Book of World Records would be included as well. 

Answer: If the reference books are truly serials, they should be counted as such.  The "annuals" are not serials. 

3.      Line 2.9 (again) – True or False (for both statements): The microfilm that is counted in 2.9 is magazines, etc. and these counts should not be included in 2.22.  However, microfilm of non-serial items, such as genealogy records, should be counted in 2.22.

Answer: True for both statements. 

4.      One of the libraries had half of their roof replaced last year.  Should that expense be placed in line 12.10 – capital expenditures, or 12.13 – building maintenance?

Answer: To keep it consistent with the public library construction program, roof replacement is a capital expenditure; roof repair would be maintenance. 

5.      Each member library has a ‘contract’ with the system for automation services.  In the past, I have had people put that in 12.24.  Is that correct?

Answer: Yes. 

6.      The very last page of the report is ‘Suggested Improvements’.  If a librarian has no suggestions, do they still need to fill out library name, person filling out form, etc.?  I assumed that the form mentioned was the suggested improvements form, not the annual report, but I wanted to be sure.

Answer: You are correct; they don't have to fill it out unless they have suggestions.

 

•  LINDA BEINS, ILL/Reference Coordinator

ILL

Reminder: Phillips Library, Homer closed on January 26 while they move into temporary space. There won’t be any deliveries to HOM until they reopen on February 12. 

Now that winter is here, Please remember to clear paths and steps to your library so that FLLS deliveries can be made safely.

 

RECYCLED REFERENCE BOOKS

Please let me know by February 16 if you are interested in any of the following:

• 2004 PDR for Nonprescription Drugs and Dietary Supplements

• 2005 PDR for Nonprescription Drugs and Dietary Supplements

• 2005 Harris New York Manufacturer’s Directory

• 2006 Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR), 60^th Ed.

• Encyclopedia of Associations 43^rd ed. 2006 (3 vols., 5 books)

 DATABASES

 FLLS has subscribed to RosettaStone for all of the FLLS member libraries. Patrons will be able to learn to speak, read, and/or write any of thirty languages. RosettaStone can also be used to learn English when English is a second language. As soon as the link is established I will send you some instructional and promotional material.

Last Question of the Week On Dec. 24, 2006 the Soufriere Hills volcano on Montserrat in the West Indies began a burst of activity; in January 2007, it  “shot a cloud of ash more than five miles into the sky.”¹ Evacuation orders have now been issued.² What is the capital of Montserrat?

¹ Volcanic blast deemed “warning call” for Montserrat, The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), 01/09/07.

² Montserrat blow-up, Sunday Times (London, England), 01/14/2007.

Answer from Julia, TRU Montserrat’s capital, Plymouth, was abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat. An official capital has not yet been established.

For information about countries around the world try Grolier Online or one of these excellent websites:

CIA Factbook includes detailed information about each country or territory’s geography, demographics, government, economy, communications and media, transportation, military, international issues

Library of Congress - Portals to the World  has selected electronic resources from around the world

World Statesmen is a complete and up to date encyclopedia of all the leaders of nations and territories. International organizations and recent religious leaders are listed separately. This site provides detailed chronologies, flags, national anthems, maps, and indexes to research the world of history and politics. 

 

This Week’s Question of the Week This weekend’s Superbowl XLI is historic because for the first time a team led by an African-American coach is playing in the Superbowl; more significantly both teams playing this year have African-American coaches: Tony Dungy, Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears.  In keeping with the theme of African-American great athletes, who were William Henry Lewis and Charles Follis aka “Black Cyclone from Wooster”? See Jim Crow and Sports.

 

Celebrate February 2007 Black History Month with a sample of the many websites designed to honor the African-American experience:

African Americans by the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence has links to 61 websites with essays, digitized resources, and information about significant historical events and people.

African American Mosaic  is a Library of Congress resource guide for the study of Black history and culture. It draws from the Library of Congress’ book, periodical, prints, photographs, music, film and recorded sound collections. 

The African Presence in the Americas 1492-1992  from the NY Public Library’s Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture the migration, work, culture, and struggle of African Americans with short essays, digitized resources and links to other online resources.

Black History Month from Infoplease.com includes history, contemporary issues, holidays, education, and other special features related to African-Americans.

Black History Month from Thomson/Gale Black provides resources (free) that does not require a patron card.

Black History Month: February 2007 is one of the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features that profiles socioeconomic demographics relating to the African-American population in the United States.

Celebrating Our Black History from Biography.com includes notable African Americans, a timeline, 101 Fast Facts, video clips, and a biography of Martin Luther King.

Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Black History  has short essays about the African-American experience and achievements.

Faces of Science – African Americans in the Sciences  by Mitchell C. Brown, Princeton University profiles African-American men and women who have contributed to scientific advances.

History of Jim Crow is an educators’ site, developed to accompany the PBS special The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow that offers historical resources on the era of segregation, violence, and disenfranchisement of African-Americans. It includes information on Jim Crow and Sports.

Patchwork of African-American Life from AT&T Knowledge Network Explorers links to websites Black History Hotlist, Black History Past to Present, Sampling African America, Tuskegee Tragedy and Little Rock 9, Integration 0.

• DIRECTORS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL (DAC) MEMBERS:

If you have any questions or concerns regarding FLLS library service, you are welcome to contact a DAC member from the list below. 

Janet Steiner, TCPL, Ithaca
Judy Barkee, Ulysses Philomathic Library, Trumansburg
Lois Maki, Newfield Public Library
Kay Zaharis, Cortland Free Library
Mary Frank, Peck Memorial Library, Marathon
Sally Otis, Hazard Library, Poplar Ridge
Stephen Erskine, Seymour Library, Auburn
Beverly Dann, Waverly Free Library.