Memorandum:
From: Mark Arend, Interim Assistant
Director
Subject: Report of System Activities
The following is a list of current activities. I would be happy to provide further details at our upcoming meeting, or feel free to give me a call or send an email.
County Planning:
All county plans and budgets have been adopted in their
respective counties. As you know, this
was a difficult funding year. In
anticipation of reduced State funding counties and municipalities are writing
very tight budgets. Libraries in all
but Winnebago County received less than requested, however there were increases
in each county. Funding is as follows:
Fond du Lac County – The libraries have been slowly
working towards full reimbursement of costs for serving rural residents. Libraries have been at 75% reimbursement for
the past two years and had requested 80% for 2003. The Finance Committee has approved 77.5%. Libraries will be receiving $537,845 in 2003. In addition, Fond du Lac Public Library is receiving a
$17.500 automation grant in 2003 and has been promised another $17,500 in 2004
to help defray their costs of joining WALS
Green Lake County – The
County Board approved a 7.22% increase over 2002. Libraries will be receiving
$222,617 in 2003
Marquette County – The County Board approved a 3% increase over 2002. Libraries will be receiving $133,061 in 2003.
Waushara County – The County Board approved a 3.81% increase over 2002. Libraries will be receiving $335,550 in 2003
Winnebago County – The County Board approved a 5.1% increase over 2002. The libraries will be receiving $1,764,874 in 2003. This includes a $5,000 grant to perform an audit to verify the accuracy of borrowers records.
Member libraries are reviewing and updating their policies in lieu of the Neighborhood Children’s Internet Protection Act (NCIPA) which requires that public libraries receiving E-Rate funding adopt policies addressing minors’ Internet safety.
Staff Developments:
We are in the process of collecting applications for the WCTS clerk/page position. Applications are being accepted through 22 Nov. and we anticipate interviewing during the first 2 weeks of December.
The “new” director of the Poy Sippi Public Library is Carol Cate. You may recognize her name, as she was the director there in 1999 and 2000.
LSTA Grants:
The 2002 grants are winding down. We anticipate that over 1,000 Spanish language items (books, video, and audio) will have been placed in libraries through the Special Needs grant. The Technology grant enabled 17 libraries to receive assistive technology hardware and software to enable persons with disabilities to more easily use their computers and the Internet
The Green Lake County libraries and the Ripon Public Library have cooperatively submitted a proposal in the 2003 Adult, Family, and Early Literacy category. We expect to hear in early December if this application has been approved.
Workshops and Training:
The two sessions of “Legal issues for library trustees” went over well. Thirty trustees from 13 libraries (including 1 Winnefox trustee) and 3 library directors attended.
Winnefox and UW-Oshkosh are co-sponsoring the local site broadcast of a teleconference on the USA-Patriot Act on 11 December. This is open to interested Trustees.
Many of the staff attended the Wisconsin Library Association annual conference in Middleton the last week of October. There was some very good information presented.
WLA is sponsoring a "Stand Up for Libraries" Train-the-Trainer Workshop on 21 November. Carla Basiliere and I will be attending. We will be learning techniques to become better library advocates and will receive materials to help train librarians, Trustees, and Friends here in Winnefox.
Library
Legislation Day:
It isn’t too soon to start thinking about Library Legislation Day in Madison scheduled for Tuesday 4 February 2003. This is an excellent opportunity to talk with legislators directly and encourage their support for programs that improve library services within the state. Registration is easy. The Wisconsin Library Association arranges for appointments with legislators. Those of you who haven’t attended in the past can rest assured that you will not be faced with the prospect of having to talk to legislators on your own. Those of you who welcome the opportunity to take the lead in talking will be supplied with briefing notes prior to the day. We encourage anyone who can to attend.