IFLS Fast Facts

Here are some Fast Facts on Indianhead Federated Library System (compiled from 2010 data)

•  The Indianhead Federated Library System (IFLS) has 53 public library members that serve a population of 460,759 people.
• Over 50% of the residents are registered library users. They visited an area library over 2.6 million times in 2010.
• Over 1.8 million books, magazine, sound recordings and videos are owned by IFLS public libraries.
• Over 5.5 million items were circulated by IFLS libraries in 2010. Over 1/3 of these circulations were children’s materials. Over the past 5 years circulation has increased by over 17%.
• Library programs designed for children were attended by over 120,000 people. Children’s events included preschool and afterschool programs as well as summer reading programs. Programs for adults included computer training, author visits, book discussions, financial literacy, and nature talks.
• Over 550,000 users accessed an Internet computer. They used computers for such things as searching for a job; filing unemployment; networking with individuals; reading emails; researching a question; or finding a local attraction. Nearly all IFLS libraries offer wireless Internet access as well as access to electronic books and downloadable audio and video files.
• Interlibrary loan traffic to and from other libraries reached new heights at over 2 million items, an increase of over 2270% since 2000.
• The average support per capita in the IFLS area is $33.09 or about 9 cents per day for public library operations.
• Patrons have access to a variety of databases such as:
• Ancestry Library Edition ­
• Hobbies and Crafts 
• Small Engine Repair 
• Home Improvement 
• NoveList Plus

 see them all at www.more.lib.wi.us/screens/research.html

Webinar: Public Libraries as Financial Literacy Providers

Tuesday, December13th
1:00-2:00 CT

Join CFS Affiliate, Kristin Eschenfelder as she presents her research which examined the activities public libraries use to increase the financial literacy of their service populations. This will include an overview of an analysis of the finance-related hyperlinks contained on a sample of Wisconsin public library websites, findings of interviews with librarians about their perceptions of the challenges of offering financial-literacy based information and services while also summarizing the results of on-site and remote examinations of the physical collections at each library site where interviews were conducted. Discussants Billy Hensley of NEFE and Ken Hall of Fond Du Lac, WI Public Library will offer their in-the-field expertise.

To register for the free webinar, go to 

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e5ecnv5x4b1f564d&oseq=

FREE Library Grants Center

Salem Press launches FREE Library Grants Center Salem Press has launched The Library Grants Center, http://salempress.com/store/grants/grants.htm,  a free, online directory of grants for libraries. Developed and edited by Mirela Roncevic for Salem Press, the grants tool empowers librarians to locate library grant funding sources on the national, state, regional and local levels (US sources). The center is free, requires no login or authentication, and will be updated on a regular basis. It also contains a how-to area with a tutorial, FAQ, and lists of resources. 


 According to the Salem press release, the web site focuses on grants available to all types of libraries and from a range of sources—public and private— including professional organizations, large corporations, and family foundations. “Everyone’s aware of the financial pressures on libraries. They are enormous and growing,” said Peter Tobey, Salem Press’s Director of Sales & Marketing. “So we were motivated to try to relieve some of that pressure by developing self-help tools for librarians. The Library Grant Center is that tool.” 


The Library Grants Center consists of three distinct sections: 

• National Library Grants features a sophisticated search tool that lets grant seekers perform simple keyword searches or narrow their search options. A range of browsing options is also provided, including browsing by grant category, purpose, and deadline. 
• State Library Grants is a state-by-state guide that points librarians to grant information specific to their state and to the foundations in their area that support libraries. 
• Library Grants How-To provides in-depth information on the grant applications process, complete with extensive lists of resources for further research and pointing to grant writing tools available online at no cost. 

“We hope librarians will help us add to the Center so that, as a community, we can keep it up-to-date and growing,” added Tobey. “We are committed to keeping it current and useful.”


According to Roncevic, “the proliferation of social media outlets has inundated the library and publishing industry with relentless dialog. While dialog is important, we shouldn’t forget the tools. The more free tools we build and share, the more we grow our community’s footprint. The bigger that footprint, the greater the benefit for all involved. The Library Grants Center is a free tool that addresses the needs of librarians looking for funding but also a practical reminder to publishers and vendors that their support still matters a great deal.”


http://salempress.com/store/grants/grants.htm