Janice Dekoff, Executive Director jdekoff@cclslib.org
NYLA Travel Grants: Today is the day! CCLS is offering 13 grants of up to $500 each to attend the 2019 NYLA conference in Saratoga Springs. Applications will be due on May 31, 2019. We have moved the application process to May in order to allow all members to take advantage of the early bird registration. We recommend that you book your hotel early, especially if you want to be in the conference hotel. Hotels fill up quickly.
NYS Library Construction Aid Are you considering applying for NYS construction aid this year? Reach out to Jan nowto discuss your project and schedule a site visit. Information on the application process will be coming soon.
System Staff News
Fast Cataloging Update
Great News!!
The Fast cataloging process is working quite well. Wendy and Chris are nearly finished with last week’s brief MARC records added by member libraries.
There have been far fewer duplicate records added; there are also fewer for which we have to request more information to locate full MARC records. Good for you!
Thanks to all of you for your cooperation and patience while we worked out the whole process! To express our appreciation, we are increasing the limit on new Fast cataloging records for member libraries from 20 to 30 titles per week! The new limit takes effect immediately.
Remember, the items you add to existing catalog records don’t count against the limit.
Keep up the great work!
Youth Services
Summer Reading Elevator Speech
Memorial day is around the corner, and for those of us who work in children’s services at public libraries, this means Summer Reading. Traditionally, summer is a time we encourage children to read (often for prizes), help children meet their page-total goals, and ramp up our child-centered program offerings. It’s one of the most fun, exhausting, and rewarding times of the year to be in this field. Because of this focus in children, it’s also an excellent time to advocate for services to children and their families. We have a myriad of positive stories to share, as discussed in a blog post from last summer, and often a willing and eager audience in the many families that visit our libraries.
Sharing our stories is vital. It is even more vital in light of the 2018 OCLC report From Awareness to Funding.
According to the report, the belief that “libraries just aren’t as important in kids’ lives as they once were” has risen from 24% of respondents in 2008 to 36% of respondents in 2018. In the same vein, those who see the library as “an excellent resource for kids to get help with homework” has fallen from 71% in 2008 to 51% in 2018.
The rise in the perception of the library’s irrelevance to children’s lives is startling. We are still providing the essential services we were a decade ago, and expanding our offerings and partnerships all the time.
In my library, and libraries across the country, we don’t simply offer readers advisory and prizes during the summer. We have free snacks and lunches, free tutoring, and free camps on top of our more traditional programming. These initiatives provide children most in need access to services traditionally filled by schools when those schools close for break. We are meeting a vital need in the community. Feeding children who would go hungry is not irrelevant or unimportant. It is quite the opposite.
We know our services are just as vital as they ever were. So how do we lower that 36%? One ways is through summer advocacy.
Before you dust of your trusty Summer Reading elevator pitch, be sure to look at the breadth of services you offer and the positive outcomes those services have for children. Summer is not simply about books and reading goals.
“I help [target audience] [verb phrase] at the library so that [proven, expected positive outcome for target audience.]”
When someone at the grocery, park, or community council meeting asks “what do you do,” don’t just say “I’m a children’s librarian.” Talk about some of the amazing programs and services you will be offering your youngest patrons this summer. Try “I help children get a nutritious meal in order to combat childhood hunger and thus lessen the summer achievement gap.” Practice your elevator speech. Summer will be here before you know it, and, if your library is anything like mine, you won’t have a shortage of fantastic initiatives about which to speak.
Bridgid Gallagher-Sauter, Advocacy and Legislation Committee
Valle’s idea – “I help children stay engaged with reading and learning during the summer to help prevent the ‘summer slide’ – losing some of what they learned in school last year.”
Adult Literacy Grant Opportunity
New one-on-one Tutoring Opportunity!
For the first time, CCLS is working with Literacy Volunteers of Chautauqua County (LVCC) to find community members interested in becoming a tutor. No experience is necessary, LVCC provides tutor training for free!
Thanks to the CCLS Adult Literacy Grant, literacy tutors from Cattaraugus Community Action, Inc. are available to work with patrons who are in need of tutoring in adult literacy all types.
If you have questions about the Adult Literacy Grant,
please contact Valle Blair, vblair@cclslib.org, 716-664-6675 x230
Calendar
June 4, 2019 9:30am-11:30am WNYLRC Office: Opioid Overdose Recognition & Naloxone (Narcan) Training (FREE) Register Here: https://wnylrc.org/workshops/359
June 4, 2019 1pm - 2pm PLA Free Webinar: The Public Library’s Role during Elections: Voter Education in the Age of Misinformation
To register: https://tinyurl.com/y29tdm8m
June 4, 2019 6:30pm: Prendergast Library - Internet Safety for Families
Tracy Mitrano will present internet safety tips for parents and kids. Specific issues, including sexting, appropriate use of social networking, how to guard against child predators, and how to protect your identity will be addressed, and Tracy will take your questions.
June 5, 2019 3pm-6pm The San Jose State University School of Information’s free web conference: Library 2.019 Open Data Property maps, 311 data, school rating information, and census statistics are all examples of open data. How can librarians use all of this data to help our communities? Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/library-2019-open-data-registration-55158398254
June 6-8: Prendergast Library - Half-off bargain book sale
Our daily book sale will feature half-off prices. All books for $1 or less and fill a bag of books for $10!
June 7, 2019 10am-Noon Mayville Library: Library Hacks: KOHA and WordPress with Carolyn Hughesman and Megan Disbro
Q&A session, may register to attend or join via webinar. To register email: mdisbro@cclslib.org
June 8, 2019 11:00-3:00pm: Prendergast Library - Summer Reading kickoff
The Jim Roselle Summer Reading Kickoff will feature a petting zoo at 1:00 pm, outdoor games, and Makerspace activities.
June 12, 2019 10am-Noon Olean Public Library: Library Hacks: KOHA and WordPress with Carolyn Hughesman and Megan Disbro
Q&A session, may register to attend or join via webinar. To register email: mdisbro@cclslib.org
June 12 & 19 The New York State Library, through its Ready to Read at New York Libraries initiative, is pleased to offer the following Title: An Introduction to STEM in Preschool Library Programming: What It Is, Why Do It, and How to Get Started Flyer
Part 1: Wednesday, June 12, 2019, 1:30-2:30 PM Part 2: Wednesday, June 19, 2019, 1:30-2:30 PM
June 19, 2019 10am-Noon James Prendergast Library: Library Hacks: KOHA and WordPress with Carolyn Hughesman and Megan Disbro - Q&A session, may register to attend or join via webinar. To register email: mdisbro@cclslib.org
June 27, 2019 10am-Noon King Memorial Library, Machias: Library Hacks: KOHA and WordPress with Carolyn Hughesman and Megan Disbro - Q&A session, may register to attend or join via webinar. To register email: mdisbro@cclslib.org
Do you know a cat who needs to be in the 2020 B&T Calendar?? Send submissions to meow@baker-taylor.com and include: Cat's name, age, breed, and what makes him/her special.
Submissions close on June 1.
System Headquarters
106 West Fifth Street
Jamestown, NY 14701 716-664-6675
Fax: 716-484-1205
Extensions:
Valle Blair, Youth Services, Delivery, Interim Outreach Coordinator x230
Wendy Crawford, Processing and ILL x250
Janice Dekoff, Executive Director x 228
Megan Disbro, Digital Services x251
Kathy Gustafson, Business Office x254
Carolyn Hughesman, ILS Specialist x259
Mike Jones, IT Manager x257
Chris Spink, Technical Services Supervisor x248
Jackie VanOrd, Tech Services and Deposits x250
All emails are first initial last name @cclslib.org