NTRLS Awards

It is time to recognize those hard working individuals and libraries that are making a difference in our communities. There are many differenet categories including staff, volunteers, government officials and specific projects at your library. The application is online. Send this link on to your Friends, Board of Directors, government officials and others that might be interested in nominating someone.

NTRLS Awards Application

March of the Librarians

Watch the March of the Librarians video on You Tube- taken from ALA in Seattle. Very creative!! It is worth your time - take a 5 minute break and enjoy!

After Hours Book Pickup

The Library Administrator's Digest (February 2007) spotlights the Springfield Public Library's innovative solution for after hours material pickup. The materials are waiting for the patron in a secure locker located near the library's front doors. It's easy to use and available 24/7 for pickup. The patron uses the last seven digits of their library card barcode number to access the locker. The coded system will only open that patron's locker when the barcode is entered. This is a great way to offer after hours service without the expense of keeping the doors open.

LSAA Board Selects a System Funding Formula

The Library Systems Act Advisory(LSAA) Board met last Friday, February 23rd. During the meeting, the LSAA Board selected a System Funding Formula to recommend to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. The formula uses three criteria. First, it divides up 34 percent of the System Grant evenly among the Ten Systems. Thirty-three percent is allocated based on capita. The final 33 percent is divided among the Systems based on the number of member libraries in each System. NTRLS will receive $631,500 in FY08 and $548,094 in FY09 under this new formula. This is a slight increase for NTRLS over what we would have received under the old formula. The LSAA Board is looking for public comments. Please take a few moments to make comments here.

Communicating Your Library's Value

This link will take you to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation website where you can request materials to assist you in expressing your library's value to your communities and local governments. You will get a DVD and ten free brochures.

On the Road to Libraries.........

I have spent the last 2 days traveling the road visiting various NTRLS libraries. This is always good for my library lovin' soul - seeing what is going on out in our communities.

The Justin Public Library had a generous donation that allowed for a new front door - that was badly needed. The city was inspired to add a new sign out front and a covered area for the front door. It is amazing what simple changes can do.

I also visited the Newark Public Library and was graciously welcomed by an iced cold coke and chocolate chip cookie at the Book Café out front. It was a beautiful day and they had their front door open with sunshine streaming into the library. They have a very generous selection of DVDs so if you're in the area and need a movie - run by the library.

Finally, I visited the Pilot Point Public Library. Their building is in an old bank building - vault and all. They have been extremely creative and turned the vault into a children's reading area - it is designed as a park. There is green carpet for grass, murals all around the walls and even a glider to sit and relax. What a great idea!

Loan Star Libraries Funding Formula

At the System Assembly meeting on March 22, Kerry McGeath, Director of the Southlake Public Library and co-chair of the Lone Star Libraries Funding Formula Task Force, will speak briefly on the new proposed formula for the Lone Star Libraries program. TSLAC also sent me a document explaining the new formula including how much library will receive if the formula is adopted. You can find this document here. The document includes ways you can express your opinion about the new formula. I encourage everyone to look over the document carefully and be ready to ask questions at the System Assembly meeting.

Letter from TSLAC on the System Funding Formula Process

Deborah Latteral of the Texas State and Library Archives Commission asked us to post the following letter about the System Funding Formula Process.


Dear library directors:
The Sunset Commission has recommended that the funding formula for the systems be moved from statute to rule. This change in the law will be part of the agency's Sunset bill that will be filed this session. In order to have a new rule in place in time for systems to plan and to have contracts for next fiscal year we need to start now and move quickly. We have a website that gives you information on the process and also has some sample formulas to consider, along with a comment box to register your comments and see what others have said. These are sample formulas only; please send in your thoughts and ideas. The website is http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/libsysact/background.html
Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Deborah Littrell
Director, Library Development division
Texas State Library and Archives Commission PO Box 12927 Austin, TX 78711-2927
512-463-5456
512-463-8800 fax
deborah.littrell@tsl.state.tx.us

Enhancing your Website Using Web 2.0 Workshop

I presented a workshop on enhancing your library website with Web 2.0 tools to 12 wonderful people yesterday. I went over about 45 tools that they can use with their websites including Flickr, Youtube, Delicious, Thinkfree, box.net, etc. We also discussed how a public library can better position themselves to improve their website. As many of you know, public libraries often face challenges from both their city technical staff, who are security conscious, and the political realities of being a city entity. The library must conform to the city standards for websites and be embedded within the city's overall website. This arrangement limits what a library can do to make its website better.

One idea from the workshop attendees that I thought was pure genius was that the library can create a "Gadget Garage" on their website where patrons can go to test out new website features and tools. For example, you want to place a search box on your website for Worldcat. You would place in in the Gadget Garage before placing it on your library's website. In this way, people can test it out and let the library know what they think. The library can then turn around and use this feedback as justification to permanently add the tool to their website.

One attendee, Richard Posey of the Arlington Public Library, sent me a email after the workshop.

couple things I thought you might want to include in the future ...

Look for the November 18 post on http://www.acplinfo.blogspot.com/ This is the Allen County, Indiana library site: http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/

This is the mashup: http://blog.acpl.lib.in.us/amzamash/book_wall.php Very cool concept ... making books visual in a way that a catalog doesn't. It always seemed to me that since the catalogs "know" the sequence of the books, that they could allow you to "browse" the covers as though you were browsing book-by-book down the shelves.

Great sites. Thanks Richard.

If you want to access the handouts from this workshop, you can get to them here.

Photo Story 3 from Microsoft

If you haven't discovered Photo Story 3 - take a look. This presentation tool is very quick and the results are professional. The download is free as long as you have other Microsoft products on your computer.

Photo Story 3 includes features that enable you to create a slideshow with your digital pictures, edit your pictures, create your story with original music, add narration, and share them with your family and friends.

Create a photo story. You can create a photo story that includes motion, narration, and music. Photo Story 3 includes dramatic pan and zoom effects, picture rotation, and cropping tools to customize your photos. You can also compose an original soundtrack from directly within Photo Story 3, narrate your story and add special effects, transitions, and much more.

Edit and save your photo story. The new smart touch-up features make it easy to instantly remove red eye, and correct the lighting in your pictures. There are also several different options for saving a story and its associated project so that you can edit the story later or share it immediately.

Import pictures. If you have a collection of pictures on an MSN Group Web site, you can import these pictures into your photo stories.

Altered Books and Other Creative Tidbits

NTRLS just hosted Julie Ousley from the New Braunfels Public Library for an altered books workshop. Do you have books leftover from your booksales? They can still make money for the library. Julie makes altered books, book purses and furniture that is sold at the library. She gets many of her ideas from Crafters. Here are some of her designs. What a creative way to discard those books!

Internet Funding Study Survey

If you have a moment, please read the text below and fill out the survey. Thanks!

The answers you provide will provide public libraries, state library agencies, the American Library Association, policymakers, and others with extremely important data regarding public library computer and Internet access issues, what it takes to sustain public access computer and Internet services in your library, and the impacts of such public access services on the communities that your library serves.
You may access the survey at http://survey.pnmi.com. The survey is web-based and has a total of 21 questions that will take you about 30 minutes to complete. PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY BY MARCH 1, 2007.
You will need your state assigned Library ID code included in the survey announcement letter that library directors received to initiate the survey. If you have lost that ID number, you can look it up on the survey site. If you have any questions, or need further assistance, please e-mail PL2006@ci.fsu.edu.
We appreciate all your help with this important study. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks again.
Deborah Littrell
Director, Library Development division
Texas State Library and Archives Commission PO Box 12927 Austin, TX 78711-2927
512-463-5456
512-463-8800 fax
deborah.littrell@tsl.state.tx.us

Customer Service

Kerry McGeath, the library director at Southlake Public Library presented two workshops on customer service for NTRLS. Kerry has over 20 years of experience in the retail world and is bringing that experience to the public library arena.

One comment that really stood out to me was to remember that your patrons do not know your rules. Even if you have signs posted, know that people often miss the signs. We might get irritated at having to answer the same questions over and over, but just remember the next time you walk into an unfamiliar environment - how do you feel? Do you know who to ask questions, where to go, or what the policies are?

At the end of the day, and I know it sounds cliché, but it all comes down to treating people with respect, professionalism and courtesy. Treat everyone as if they were your mother, child, spouse, etc... - well that is, if you like those people!

System Funding Formula Under Review

The Texas Library Systems Act Advisory Board(LSSA) met yesterday. This board advises the Texas State Library and Archives Commission(TSLAC) on the Systems and they have been tasked with the responsibility of revising the System funding formula. As a reminder, TSLAC uses the funding formula for the distribution of grant funds to the ten Texas Systems. For additional background information, please check the background document TSLAC provided to the LSAA for yesterday's meeting. The LSAA approved this timeline and is looking for public comments after the new proposed formula is finalized at the February 23rd meeting. TSLAC gave the LSAA some funding formula examples for their consideration. If you look at the examples, the first one given is what our FY2008 budget would be if the formula did not change at all ($619,077). If one of the other examples is adopted, we could receive anywhere from $569K to $631K. I highly encourage anyone interested in how the Systems are funded to look at this process very carefully and take a few minutes to comment on the proposed funding formula. I will post the URL for public comments as soon as TSLAC makes it available.

Two New NTRLS Board of Directors Members

Hi. The NTRLS Board of Directors met last Thursday and appointed two new board members. Carl Campbell will represent Region 6 libraries while Patricia Jefferson will represent Region 2 libraries. You can find their contact information here. Welcome to our new Board members!

Library Round-Up!

Welcome to Tanya Ochoa, the new library director at the Betty Foster Public Library in Ponder Texas! Tanya comes with vast customer service experience.

Yesterday, I met with Tanya and changes are in the air. The library has been rearranged and new furniture highlights the updated design. While this library is small square footage wise, it is outreaching its community well.

I also visited The Colony Public Library and received the grand tour from Joan Sveinsson, the library director. The library was remodeled in 2000 and like so many of our libraries, is growing fast and needs space. While I was there, around lunch time, all of the computers were full, there were many parents with their children, and staff busily helping patrons. I was surprised to learn that The Colony was incorporated in 1977 - so it is a relatively young "official" community. Joan and her staff are busy working on a local history project to coordinate the community's history - including details of original landowners and gifts. Once completed, this will be vital resource for the community.

Second Round of NTRLS HELP Mini-Grants

The NTRLS Services Planning Committee has decided to offer a second round of HELP Mini-Grants to member libraries in the amount of $18,000. Extra funds became available when NTRLS staffing levels fell to six employees. The applications for this second round of grants are due by March 15, 2007. Awards will be given in April 2007. All grant funds must be spent by August 11, 2007. As a reminder, the scope of the grant has been expanded “to fund projects that are enhancements of existing services; however, first priority will be given to projects that request the assistance of paid consultants for specific library development projects (taken from the HELP Mini-Grants Application form found on the NTRLS website).” In the first round of funding, the Services Planning Committee gave awards for a variety of projects including: (1) producing a video to introduce children to library services; (2) hiring a consultant to perform a space needs assessment; and (3) renewing an electronic subscription as well as purchasing equipment to process books. I must stress that Grant applications will be evaluated heavily on the ability to meet the spending deadlines specified above. If you have a summer project needing funds, please do not hesitate to apply. Applications can be found on the NTRLS website under Featured Links. If you have any questions, please call me at 800-856-3050.

Bedford City Council Decides to Look into Outsourcing Library

This article explains the situation in Bedford concerning the possible outsourcing of the library operations to a private company. I attended part of the city council meeting last night and was impressed with the support the library received from the Bedford residents. Maria Redburn, director of the Bedford Public Library, did a fantastic job presenting her business plan to the council. I lasted through four of the presentations done by the citizens. All of them were very passionate and logical in their arguments against outsourcing, and it surprised me that the council voted in favor going forward with the RFP process. NTRLS will be watching, and reporting, on developments over the next few months.

Strengthening Library Staff Through Training

The North Texas Regional Library System held the third meeting of the ad hoc Continuing Education Provider's Committee on January 9, 2007. This committee was created for resource sharing and idea brainstorming. With shrinking funds for libraries, it is often difficult for librarians and other staff to develop skills and tools for professional growth. NTRLS strives to provide relevant workshops which are presented throughout our area, and are open to anyone - free of charge.

If you would like to check out what workshops we currently have available, check our CE Portal. If you would like to be involved in the CE Provider's committee, email Carolyn Davidson at cdavidson(at)ntrls.org.

New Jersey Library Locks Doors After School

I read about this article on Michael Stephen's Tame the Web. It states that the Maplewood Public Library has decided to lock its doors between 2:45 pm and 5 pm to keep rowdy teens out of the library. These teens apparently descend upon the library and cause chaos.

In consultation with a lawyer, the library board came up with behavior guidelines in May 2005 that prohibited activities like “hairdressing or grooming of another person” and “refusal to leave the building.” The policy includes some politely precise language common to those who speak softly from behind a reference desk: “If a patron seems to be placing a staff member in the position of providing a nonlibrary-related function, the staff member may bring the interaction to a prompt conclusion."

But library officials felt that a bigger stick was needed. Last week, the board posted a notice on its Web site and library doors saying it had “struggled with this problem for over 10 years” and voted “with great reluctance” on Dec. 20 to close after school.

When I worked for the Houston Public Library, I worked at a branch located between a elementary school and a middle school. Everyday, we had 50 to 100 children come to our library. At my branch, we worked hard to provide a structured environment for the children so it was just an extension of their school day. We met the children at the door, walked them into the library and gave them assigned seats. We then monitored the stacks assisting children when needed. Did it work all the time? No. We often asked children to leave because of their behavior. I find it hard to believe that a library would be forced to close its doors to avoid dealing with children. There has to be a better solution!!