Altoona's New Teen Zone

During a summer reading program workshop called “Express Yourself @ the Library”, Altoona Public Library teens painted and decorated their TEEN ZONE lettering.  Youth Services Librarian Regina Arndt’s husband painted the teen zone walls red and added vinyl wall decals.  The “Friends of the Altoona Public Library” paid for the paint supplies, decals and the cool zebra rug.  Librarian Martha Spangler made the black and white pillows.  The end result is quite attractive. 

This is a very popular spot for the kids to hang out and enjoy a good book after school.

Does Your Library Director Have These Skills?

From  PM Magazine.

• Participates. Library leaders belong “at the table” with other local government decisionmakers, involved in overall planning for community betterment and service provision.
• Shares your mission. Libraries and other service providers should know and share the strategic mission of your local government. They should find areas of commonality and ways to share resources and efforts with other departments.
• Builds partnerships. Partnerships with public agencies, nonprofits, and the private sector strengthen programs. Effective partnerships require time and effort to establish, but they are worth the effort if they support the vision of the community.
• Appreciates diversity. Differing cultural norms (organizational and community norms, for example) should be recognized, understood, and respected; and adjustments should be made as needed in program planning and execution. Flexibility and adaptability are key characteristics, needed by all involved in joint ventures.
• Communicates. Communicating with partners, stakeholders, and the larger community is important to grow and nurture partnerships.
• Fosters champions. Champions and advocates are important to make programs successful and sustainable. Library champions have a clear understanding of library services and the role the library plays in the quality of life of a community. They can contribute support in any number of ways, including time, funds, influence, services, goods, and related items.
• Embraces innovation. Reinforcing the library’s transformational nature and having it viewed as a great place to help change people’s lives is critical during tough budget times and when local government must be constantly changing how it does business. The library should be an engine for innovation in a community.

Frederic Public Library Aids Delta Airlines

Here's a good library story from Frederic Public Library:

Wednesday morning we received a call from Delta Airlines in Georgia.  Agent Susana said they had found a carry-on duffel bag with no identification in it, except for a library book with the Frederic Public Library stamp!  She must have traced our address to find a telephone number and contacted us in order to unite the lost luggage with its owner.  We took it from there - looked up the book, called the Ladysmith patron, and she was delighted to learn the bag had been found, since her carry-on held all her traveling essentials.  This is yet another example of how important libraries are to our everyday lives!  BTW, in yet another kind gesture, we waived the 10-cent overdue fine on our book and renewed it for the patron.  

Celebrate AskAway Awareness Week Sept. 13-17!

What is AskAway? AskAway is an online information service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is staffed by librarians from across Wisconsin, the United States and the United Kingdom. These librarians are online to help you find resources to satisfy your academic, professional, and personal information needs. You can access AskAway from anywhere there is an Internet connection including home, school, work, the library, or wherever there's Wi-Fi access. For more information and PR materials, click. All ALS libraries and their customers have access to AskAway.


Deaf iPhone Users Connect with Video Relay Interpreters

WRelay, a company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, just launched IWRelay VRS, the iPhone's first mobile video relay app. With it, deaf or hearing-impaired iPhone users can have easy video-based phone calls with hearing friends and family members. The app connects deaf iPhone users with video relay interpreters using the iPhone's new FaceTime feature.

Using FaceTime, a deaf caller communicates by sign language with the interpreter. The interpreter then translates for the hearing caller. The hearing caller's words are then signed back to the deaf caller. The company says that product testers have been overwhelmingly positive in their

feedback. The app is available for free download. Deaf and hearing-impaired callers can access video relay interpreters through the app for free as part of the FCC's Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services Fund. http://www.appscout.com/2010/07/iphone_gets_first_mobile_video.php

Ogema Public Library's Summer Reading Program

Ogema Public Library’s Summer Reading Program had 56 participating children  plus some parents that stayed to help or join in the fun! 

Ogema, Wisconsin, located in Price County, has a population of 840 people.  Jay Heims, the library director, had fun reading and doing activities with the Primary group (4-8yrs.), with the help of Sharon Klassen, volunteer.  

Susan Freiboth, library aide, did reading and active activities with the Tweens group (9-12 yrs.). Connie Grapa and Wendy Rebne had both groups at different times for a Healthy Snack/Game time.

All the participants enjoyed many different water themed activities. A hit with the Primaries was the "Sink or Float" activity with Jay.

On the last day, the Tweens had fun participating in a Pirate Scavenger hunt using written clues along with the Card Catalog to find the corresponding book which then led them onto the next clue to find the wooden "Treasure Chest" filled with goodies!

All that attended were winners!

I Love My Librarian Award

Nominate your librarian for the third year of the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award! 

Nominations for 2010 stay open through September 20.
Nominate a librarian in a:
School Library
Public Library
College, Community College, University Library

There are nearly 123,000 libraries nationwide, and librarians touch the lives of the people they serve every day.  The award encourages library users like you to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians.  We want to hear how you think your librarian is improving the lives of the people in your school, campus or community.

Up to ten winners will be selected this year and receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York hosted by The New York Times.  In addition, a plaque will be given to each award winner’s library.

The award is administered by the American Library Association with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York and The New York Times.

Questions? Contact Megan Humphrey: mhumphrey@ala.org