09-28-03 or 1227

[ Back ] [ Search ] [ Next ]

From: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults and Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>
To: "PUBYAC: PUBlic librarians serving Young Adults and Children" <pubyac@prairienet.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 28, 2003 2:02 PM
Subject: PUBYAC digest 1227

PUBYAC Digest 1227

Topics covered in this issue include:

1) HIT: computer usage in children's room (long)
by "ehobson" <ehobson@ansernet.rcls.org>
2) Ancient Egypt
by "Kim Dolce" <kdolce@co.volusia.fl.us>
3) Book Vendors
by "Maria Trinca" <mtrinca@ansernet.rcls.org>
4) instructions for evaluating internet resources
by Jennifer Baker <jbaker93711@yahoo.com>
5) Re: mpaa ratings & community standards of decency
by "Melissa MacLeod" <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>
6) Re: mpaa ratings & community standards of decency
by seanps@george.net
7) RE: Harry Potter -Spanish Edition
by "Tatar, Becky" <bltata@aurora.lib.il.us>
8) Re: Research paper
by Lorie O'Donnell <Lodonnell@midyork.org>
9) Stumper
by Pteet@aol.com
10) Thanks! Re: video policy
by jmaskell@sover.net
11) Re: Programming Space name
by "Mary Voors" <Mvoors@acpl.lib.in.us>
12) Board Book Displays
by Sue Jones <sjones@ci.pleasanton.ca.us>
13) Re: rights and choices
by seanps@george.net
14) Children's Department Manager opening
by Susan Stonesifer <stonesis@hclibrary.org>
15) Oct. program ideas?
by "Diana Cook" <dcook@rpl.regina.sk.ca>
16) Re: mpaa ratings & community standards of decency
by seanps@george.net
17) Teen Programmes
by "Jess and John Dafoe" <jdafoe@telus.net>
18) stumper
by "Patricia Hull" <phull@slco.lib.ut.us>
19) More on Alternative Funding for Libraries
by Stephen Coffman <coffmanfyi@earthlink.net>

From: "ehobson" <ehobson@ansernet.rcls.org>

To: <PUBYAC@prairienet.org>

My apologies for the lapse time in posting this hit, but I was gratified to
know I wasn't alone in this situation.
Elizabeth Hobson
LIU Palmer School MSLIS student & Information Specialist
Nyack Library Children's Room
Nyack, NY

We have a variation of this problem, in that we have two terminals here in
Children's that have Internet access and actually have CD-ROM's loaded on
them that are suitable for younger kids to play. (we also have two Internet
access terminals with no CD-ROM's, so technically kids could get to games on
them as well).
We approach it from two angles - #1 children are not to be left unattended.
So the first response will be, "Are you here with your mom or dad? Oh,
you're here with your nanny? Let's go let her know you need some help." This
response lets the child know they should be checking with their responsible
adult, and when we talk to the adult, lets the adult know they are
responsible for knowing if the child they brought needs help. #2 if the
computer freezes up (happens with some of the games), we go ahead and
restart it. We do not provide instructions on how to play the game - not
even for the very young ones. We will help them get to the game (start the
CD-ROM, find the game address), but we just tell them that "lots of kids
come in and play, but I don't know how to play this game myself". The kids
do very well with this response, and usually just plug ahead themselves and
work on it. If an adult questions why we have a CD-ROM loaded that we don't
know how to play (see, you're ahead with Internet games - they definitely
are not your responsibility to know how to play), we tell them that we
provide the CD-ROMS because patrons have indicated they enjoy them, but we
do not have time to sit down and play the games. This logic will work with
Internet games, also - just as we don't have time and unfortunately) don't
get paid to read every book in the library, we also don't have time and
don't get paid to work through every game on the Internet.
I realize, writing this, that it all sounds rather harsh. We are always
pleasant and use smiles when we talk with patrons about this - so far no one
has been offended with our answers.
Good luck!
Leslie Hauschildt
Head, Children's Services
Evergreen Library, Jefferson County Public Library


Hi--we also have two computers (well, only one right now,
technically, as one is being replaced) in out kids department. We
clearly state that we are NOT available to assist with the computers.
Parents must remain with young children, and we do not provide
instruction. We allow children 12 and under to use the kids
computers. We also have two teen computers for those 13-18--no
adults allowed. Parents uncomfortable with the teens being
unsupervised may supervise their kids at the 8 adult terminals.
Linette Ivanovitch
YA Librarian
Missoula Public Library
Missoulla, MT


Our children's room has one computer for patrons and one for staff. Our main
room upstairs has four patron access computers. Our philosophy is that
computer games are in no way necessary to a child's upbringing - they are a
luxury and if their parents wish them to have this luxury they, not we,
should provide them. Therefore our policy is that all our patrons may not
use games, IM's, or chat rooms. The children's room computer is for research
only, the adult ones for research and e-mail. They are limited to 30 minutes
per day, which is flexible if we're not busy.
We have had some patrons question this, especially if they are used to a
library that allows games or if they are avid game addicts, but we haven't
backed down. One storytime mother told me her friend prefers another library
in our system. It seems this other library allows games and it was on this
alone that she based her preference. Imagine choosing your library based on
who offers the best computer games. We don't miss her.
Peg Siebert
Blodgett Library

We have a very similar problem and have yet to come up with a good
solution. I hope you will post any responses you get!
Thanks,
Mary
Mary R. Voors
mvoors@acpl.lib.in.us
Children's Services manager
Allen County Public Library
200 East Berry
Fort Wayne, IN 46802




--
Elizabeth Hobson
Information Specialist

"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment."
Mark Twain
--

From: "Kim Dolce" <kdolce@co.volusia.fl.us>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Hello;

I have a homeschool mother who is looking for a good historical novel set in ancient Egypt for her 7th grader. I've tried Genreflecting for Teens and What do Young Adults Read Next, but didn't find too much. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,



Kim E. Dolce
Port Orange Regional Library
Port Orange, FL 32129
kdolce@co.volusia.fl.us

From: "Maria Trinca" <mtrinca@ansernet.rcls.org>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Dear Colleagues,


I am looking at the possibility of using new (and/or) different book vendors
for next year.
What vendor do use/and recommend , or not recommend?

I am specifically interested in your experiences
regarding (a)returns , (b)cancellations, (c)back
orders {when the status changes from BO to cancelled} ; (d)turn-around time
for invoices and
(e)electronic services provided by the vendor.


My primary interest is looking at a vendor that has
a substantial fiction, non-fiction juvenile inventory, my secondary
interest, juvenile materials
in large print, foreign language, and multicultural
materials.

Please reply to : mtrinca@rcls.org

Thanks in advance for your information....



Maria Trinca
Head of Children's Services
Middletown Thrall Library
11-19 Depot St.
Middletown, New York 10940
Phone: 845.341.5470
Email: mtrinca@rcls.org
Fax: 845.341.5494

From: "Jennifer Baker" <jbaker93711@yahoo.com>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

if any of you have information you use for instructing
patrons on how to evaluated internet websites i would
love to see a copy. i'm doing a class next thursday
and need some support materials.

please email to jennifer.baker@fresnolibrary.org
or if it's only in print i'd appreciate a fax also:
559-488-1971 (attn: jennifer baker)

thanks so much!
~j.

=====
~jenniferbaker
fresno co. public library

"I may not be an explorer or an adventurer or a treasure seeker or a gun
fighter Mr. O' Connell, but I am proud of what I am." "And what is that?" "I
am a librarian!"
~ Evelyn, The Mummy

__________________________________

From: "Melissa MacLeod" <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

From: <seanps@george.net>

To: <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>

From: "Tatar, Becky" <bltata@aurora.lib.il.us>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

If I remember correctly, when I asked on Reformanet list this summer about
this, I think it was the rep from Lectorum who said it wouldn't be out until
sometime in 2004, between January and May. Also, for anyone that's
interested, I saw somewhere that the German edition is just being released.

Becky Tatar
Unit Head, Periodicals, Audiovisual
Aurora Public Library
1 E. Benton Street
Aurora, IL 60505
PHONE: 630-264-4100
FAX: 630-896-3209
www.aurora.lib.il.us
E-mail: bltata@aurora.lib.il.us

From: "Lorie O'Donnell" <Lodonnell@midyork.org>

To: <draekan58@hotmail.com>

For several reasons, adults should definitely be allowed in the Children's
Room.

1. Children's caretakers are adults. They have to be able to select items
for the children in their care, even if the children are not with them.

2. College students are adults. They have to be allowed to utilize the
resources for their classes and projects (i.e. Reading, education, child
care majors)

3. Age discrimination.

4. Some adults are reading at children's levels.


Lorie

Amy Newcomb said:

> I'm conductiong research to write an Issues paper for my Library Science
> class and my topic is: Should adults be allowed iin to the children's
> section of the library?
>
> I'd appreciate any links to articles, or personal experiences I could use
in
> writng my paper.
>
> I can be reached at draekan58@hotmail.com
>
> If you have a personal experience to relate, please let me know who you
are
> so I can put you in my citations.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Amy Newcomb
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Instant message in style with MSN Messenger 6.0. Download it now FREE!
> http://msnmessenger-download.com
>
>

Lorie J. O'Donnell
Children's Librarian
Jervis Public Library
Rome, NY 13440
lodonnell@midyork.org

--
"Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way
myself)."
-- Anonymous

From: <Pteet@aol.com>

To: <PUBYAC@prairienet.org>

From: <jmaskell@sover.net>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

From: "Mary Voors" <Mvoors@acpl.lib.in.us>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

From: "Sue Jones" <sjones@ci.pleasanton.ca.us>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Hello Theresa,

If you have the room and the money, Gressco LTD has some darling large
animal multi-media displays. We have one of their alligators for our board
books and darn if our BB's don't have the highest level of circulation in
the entire children's collection! Its toddler-high and extremely well-made.
Besides th alligator, they also have a purple hippo and a higher elephant
book display. I can tell you that the kids make a bee-line for it!

You can see them at www.gresscoltd.com <http://www.gresscoltd.com> and
enter "large animal multimedia displayers" in the search box or call
1-800-345-3480.
These aren't cheap, but we've had our alligator for 3 years and its
weathered mightly rough treatment.
My supervisor tells me that they can be ordered less expensively through
Ross McDonald here in our neck of the woods, ( www.rossmcdonald.com
<http://www.rossmcdonaldco.com> ) (925) 455-1635.

Good luck

Sue Jones
Pleasanton Library, CA
sjones@ci.pleasanton.ca.us <mailto:sjones@ci.pleasanton.ca.us>

From: <seanps@george.net>

To: <Bonita.Kale@euclidlibrary.org>

From: "Susan Stonesifer" <stonesis@hclibrary.org>

To: <PUBYAC@prairienet.org>

Howard County Library
Partners in Education

Why do people love their jobs at HOWARD COUNTY LIBRARY? Because we are
a first-rate, dynamic organization that stands for "excellence in
education." Ranked in the top 10 nationally for quality and service,
Howard County Library offers a friendly, collaborative work environment
with a generous benefits package which includes 14 paid holidays. Join
our team to find out why 95% of Howard County residents have Library
cards and why two million people visit us each year to check out five
million items.

CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN - GLENWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY. Salary starts at
$35,367.00 pa. Desire lively, energetic person to fill leadership
position in the children's department of our newest branch library.
Located in a delightful country setting in picturesque western Howard
County, Maryland, this position places you at the children's reference
desk working with children from birth through sixth grade. Extensive
knowledge of children's materials and programming is essential. Duties
will include reference and reader's advisory services, program planning
and presentation, collection development and assisting customers of all
ages with materials and equipment. Supervisory experience as well as an
M.L.S. are required.

Please visit our web site at www.HCLibrary.org for specific details.

DEADLINE: Applications must be received in Administration by October 9,
2003. Application available at all HCL branches and at
http://www.HCLibrary.org. EEO/M/F/D Howard County Library,
Administration, 6600 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045.





--
Susan L. Stonesifer
Branch Manager, Glenwood Library
Howard County (MD) Library
2350 Rt. 97, Cooksville, MD 21723
410/313-5580 410/313-5575 (fax)
stonesis@hclibrary.org

From: "Diana Cook" <dcook@rpl.regina.sk.ca>

To: "Pubyac@Prairienet. Org" <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Hello, everyone! I'm wondering if anyone has any good program ideas for the
following:

I'm doing an Anansi program and I would like to do some kind of craft for
school age kids

and I'm doing a "Junior Science" program for ages 7-10 entitled "Creepy
Spooky Science". We were intending to do something with dry ice, but I have
since discovered that is not an option. I have been doing Junior Science
for about 5 years and usually have no trouble, but I'm in a position where
we are short a staff person, and my brain just can't seem to focus on
anything at all for these programs...!

So if anyone would like to share some ideas with me, I would be grateful.
It's not that I'm too lazy to do my own research, it's just that you guys
have been a terrific resource in the past, so I thought I would ask before I
get truly desperate...!

Thanks a million,
Diana Cook
dcook@reginalibrary.ca

From: <seanps@george.net>

To: <mmacleod@sailsinc.org>

From: "Jess and John Dafoe" <jdafoe@telus.net>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

I had a terrific time at our teen programme this month so I thought that =
I would share.
We purchased 4 pieces of very thin plywood each about the size of a =
large bulletin board and primed them with white latex. Then we penciled =
in 4 different Picasso like drawings (Cubism). We invited the teens to =
come and paint. They worked 4 or 5 to a board and the results were =
breathtakingly beautiful! We didn't show them the originals until they =
were finished, not wanting to stifle their creativity and they had a lot =
of fun comparing their work with Picasso's own. We finished up with =
sundaes. Each of the 18 participants even brought their parents down =
after to show off the creations. We will be displaying the pannels in =
the YA section and in the teen room.

Always looking for "cool" programmes for youth, so drop me a line if you =
have one too.

jdafoe@telus.net
Jess Dafoe
Children's Services
Terrace Public Library
Canada

From: "Patricia Hull" <phull@slco.lib.ut.us>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

This is a tough one . It is a picture book that has a boarder with a
storyline about a mouse playing the violin. The main story is maybe
about a musician writing music. We vaguely remember the mouse looking
over the boarder at the man writing?? The art is similar to Jan Brett.
It is not Mole Music Or Berlioz the bear. Any help would be
appreciated. Please contact me at phull@slco.lib.ut.us. Thanks in
advance.

From: "Stephen Coffman" <coffmanfyi@earthlink.net>

To: <pubyac@prairienet.org>

Good Afternoon You All

First off, just want to let you know that the response to upcoming LearningTimes Webinar on Exploring Alternative Funding Sources for Schools and Libraries has been very strong --- which either indicates there is a powerful interest in investigating new revenue sources for schools and libraries --- or there's a whole lot of you lining up to throw brickbats --- I guess we'll just have to wait and find out on October 2nd. However, the great thing about Webinars is that no matter how many hundreds of you register, there is always room for one more --- so if you're interested in exploring alternative funding models for libraries --- or if you think it's the nuttiest idea since OCLC sued The Library Hotel --- be sure to logon to the free LearningTimes Webcast Alternative Funding Sources for Public Schools and Libraries. The webcast will take place on October 2, 2003 at 3pm EDT/7pm GMT. For more information and registration for this FREE webcast, log-on to http://www.libraryconference.com/freewebcast.shtml.


Here are a few more recent developments of note for those interested in diversifying library revenues and exploring alternative funding strategies:


o The Library Community Foundation just released the results of an in-depth year-long project to study fundraising in Illinois libraries. In general, the report found a "deep disconnect in the library psyche when it comes to fundraising." Stephen Daniels the Chair of the Library Community Foundation Board said that the research showed that "almost everybody agreed that public libraries need to diversify their revenue base to stay viable (over 85% of the respondents agreed that the future viability of libraries depended on diversifying revenue sources -- SC)" yet very few had "made the link to fundraising, and fewer still fewer still had written any kind of a fundraising plan." The study found that most library fundraising was fragmented and centered on sporadic special events like book sales and that most librarians felt a high degree of discomfort soliciting charitable support from their constituents and that most were woefully unprepared to do so since those skills are not generally taught in library school. So there's clearly a lot of work to be done here, but the good news is that so many librarians now recognize that future of the library depends on diversifying revenue sources and not being so entirely dependent on tax dollars --- now we just need to develop some effective tools and strategies to help us achieve that. Full details are available on the project Website IL Libraries Becoming Fundraisers at http://www.librarycommunityfoundation.org/lbf/graphs/graph5.shtml.

o The Internet Librarian Conference is sponsoring a special full-conference evening plenary session called Saving Ourselves: Alternative or Adventuresome Funding Strategies from 7:30-9:00pm on Tuesday, November 4th at the Internet Librarian Conference in Monterey, CA. The program will feature a panel of presenters on all sides of the issue including: Caroline Punches, Director of Development for the San Jose State University Library, Helen Kennedy and Jim Lewis CFRE of Lewis / Kennedy Associates a long-time fundraising consultancy to public radio, libraries, and other non-profits, Stephen Slade, Development Director for Santa Cruz public radio station KUSP, Barbara Quint, Editor, Searcher Magazine and ardent opponent of alternative funding strategies, Steve Coffman, an ardent proponent of new funding strategies and VP, Product Development, LSSI, and Rebecca Jones of Dysart & Jones Associates, the ever-patient moderator. For further information on the program and the conference, please see the Internet Librarian Website at http://www.infotoday.com/il2003/tuesday.htm. And, by the way, if you are at all interested in alternative funding, there could be few better places to explore it than Monterey, CA in November. Look forward to seeing you all there.

o Alternative funding strategies are not just for public libraries, in fact academic and major research libraries have been focusing on fundraising and development for some time now -- and, of course, they have an excellent model to follow since many major public and private universities are now raising significant percentages of their operating budgets through contributions, gifts, bequests, memberships, sponsorships and other sources of non-tax revenue. Their libraries are beginning to follow suit and for an excellent example of what one library has done, check out the UC Santa Cruz Libraries Development Office page at http://library.ucsc.edu/development --- they have been particularly successful raising funds through endowed collections---which is a strategy that could work successfully for any library --- publics included. The academic and research library fundraisers even have their own organization --- it's called ALADN (Academic Library Advancement and Development Network) and they've been getting together for an Annual Conference every year since 1995, and you will find many interesting presentations from past conferences on their Web site at http://www.library.arizona.edu/aladn . They also sponsor the LIBDEV listserv --- subscription information at http://www.library.arizona.edu/aladn/libdev1.html


Finally, I'd like to take a moment to address a few of the objections that some have been raised on the listservs over the past few weeks:


o Objection #1: The NPR model is about running libraries solely on donations and pledge drives. We've already tried that and it will never work.

Answer: Public radio does not run its operations solely on donations or pledge drives --- and I'm not suggesting that libraries do that either. What public radio has learned to do is to effectively exploit every source of funding available to them including tax revenue (from state, federal and local sources), listener memberships, and underwriting and sponsorships. Technically the model is called plural funding since the revenue comes from many sources, and it's not just used by public broadcasting --- it's used virtually every major and minor cultural and educational institution in our society --- including museums, colleges and universities, zoos, orchestras, science centers (and I could keep on listing for a long time here) --- except for libraries. And if the Illinois study cited above is right, and the future vitality of libraries does lie in diversifying our revenue base, then it is high-time we started learning how to do it.

o Objection #2: A recent Washington Post article "Public TV Learns to Do Without"(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10749-2003Sep14.html) says that revenue for public television is declining --- therefore libraries should not seek to diversify their funding.

Answer: Those that read the article found that funding for public television has been made up of a "patchwork of revenue sources including pledge drives, taxes, and sponsorships." Traditionally, the article goes on the "system's strength has been its diversity: When one stream of contributions dried up, another flowed." Now, however, all sources were declining .. and the primary culprit is the declining audience for public television programming because of competition from very similar offerings on commercial cable channels. The article also notes that Public TV's faltering financial picture stands in "stark contrast to public radio stations, which are on sounder footing. While many public radio stations are also losing state and institutional funding, they're attracting bigger audiences, which traditionally have supplied about half of a radio station's operating budget." Now, if you believe that the audience for public libraries is drying up, as it appears to be for public television, then I say to you that we've got a problem, no matter what type of funding we are relying on --- but, if you believe, as I believe, that the audience for public libraries is growing and has the potential to expand well beyond where it is today --- then I think the pubic radio model has a lot to teach us.

o Objection #3: Steve Coffman is writing about it, Steve Coffman is with LSSI, therefore alternative funding is an LSSI thing and we shouldn't pay any attention to it.

Answer: First off, I've been interested in alternative funding for a very long time long before I joined LSSI. In fact, here is an article I wrote on it for Searcher back in January 2000, (http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/jan00/coffman.htm) when I was still bona fide government employee on the staff of the County of Los Angeles Public Library. Now, you bet, we are interested in the NPR or plural funding model at LSSI --- and the reason is that we are interested in providing the communities we work for with the best library service possible --- and that means more books, longer hours, more programs, better pay, and nicer facilities --- and a stable and diversified revenue base that can grow and expand as the audience for library services grows and expands --- just like public radio. We would hope that you all share those goals for your library, no matter who you work for and you certainly don't have to be an LSSI library to accomplish it. Many libraries have already started down the path to diversified funding (as you can see when you take a look ALADN website) and many others want to .. if the results of the Illinois study are any indication. So please get over this evil empire fixation and examine the issue on its merits.

Yours,

SC