Economic Impact of Wisconsin Public Libraries

The results are in!

According to the economic study performed by NorthStar, the annual return per dollar of public tax support is $4.06.

More interesting facts from the study:

• Direct spending economic impact in 2006: $326 million (Spending benefits Main Street businesses and jobs)
• The value of Wisconsin Public Library Services: $427 million
• Total jobs related to the economic impact of Wisconsin Public Libraries: 6280 FTE
• Total Economic Impact: $753 million--just over three-quarters of a billion dollars!

According to David J. Ward, founder of NorthStar Economics, Inc, the economic message for public libraries is as follows:

1. Public libraries are a good and necessary investment in a rapidly changing economy.
2. Public libraries are a consistent source of information and technology. They won't be acquired, closed down or moved off shore.
3. With an increasing gap in income levels, public libraries level the information and technology playing field.

To see the full study, visit the DPI website at: http://dpi.state.wi.us/pld/econimpact.html or on the NorthStar Economics, Inc website at: http://www.northstareconomics.com/index.html

Green Earth Book Recyclers

Green Earth Book Recyclers will be bringing a truck to SWLS headquarters on Wednesday, June 11th to pick up weeded/withdrawn books and CDs. Any library wishing to dispose of unwanted books and CDs may send them to SWLS for stockpiling for that pick up date .
Green Earth Book Recyclers does have some guidelines for packaging and SWLS has a few additional one:

 Green Earth book Recyclers will not take wet or mildewed material
 SWLS will be making a green label to attach to boxes of material that you intend to recycle. You will need to separate the books and CEs and label the boxes as such.
 You do not need to remove CDs from the cases
 Pack material in sturdy boxes—liquor boxes are great for packing
 All boxes must have lids that are securely closed flat—no bulges in lid
 Boxes must be packed fully so that they can be stacked without caving in
 Boxes must be of reasonable size—you need to be able to pick it up and carry it around your library

The last date for delivery to SWLS is June 3rd. The Green Earth Book Recyclers truck driver will call to see how many boxes are here to determine the size of the truck needed to haul the material.

As this is a trial run, SWLS will only stock pile the material until the cut-off date of June 3rd. If this service works out, SWLS may repeat it again later this year at the convenience of SWLS. You would be notified in advance when SWLS would start stockpiling material.

Each library may send up to three (3) boxes on their scheduled date. Contact Jo if you have more than three boxes and she will arrange for the material pick up after May 21st as time and room on the van allows. If any library does not plan to participate in this service, please let Jo know so she can revise the pick up schedule.

If you have an excessive number of boxes—10 or more—you may need to make other arrangements to have the books brought to SWLS. A second option would be for you to contact Green Earth Book Recyclers directly and have them to come to your library.
http://www.greenearthbookrecyclers.com/

Please have your materials properly boxed, labeled, and ready for pick-up on the following dates:
Monday, May 5: Montfort, Livingston, Cobb
Tuesday, May 6: Fennimore, Cassville, Bloomington
Wednesday, May 7: Lancaster, Platteville
Thursday, May 8: Dodgeville, Barneveld
Friday, May 9: Prairie du Chien, Gays Mills, Soldiers Grove

Monday, May 12: Blanchardville, Argyle, Shullsburg
Tuesday, May 13: Viola, Lone Rock, Muscoda
Wednesday, May 14: Mineral Point, Darlington
Thursday, May 15: Benton, Hazel Green, Cuba City
Monday, May 19: Belmont, Dickeyville, Potosi
Wednesday, May 21: Richland Center, Boscobel

Happy National Library Week

It's National Library Week.

How is your library celebrating?

$300 Grants Available for Writers and Illustrators

Using grants awarded by the Wisconsin Center for the Book, communities can celebrate and explore the literature of Wisconsin with its authors and illustrators. The Wisconsin Center for the Book will award up to 4 grants of $300 each to qualifying organizations wishing to sponsor a Wisconsin author or illustrator at a public event. The event must be open to the public and free of charge. The grants are made possible through the cooperation of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters and generosity of donors.

Wisconsin nonprofit organizations interested in books and reading are eligible to apply. Collaboration among groups is preferred. Such groups may include, but are not limited to, public libraries; public and private elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools; community organizations; and places of worship. Libraries are encouraged to look beyond their Friends groups for partnerships.

Applications may be obtained at:

www.wisconsinacademy.org

Then under: About Us
Then under: Center for the Book
Then under: Grant Application Information

Time line
• July 1, 2008: Applications due; if mailed, they must be postmarked on or before this date.
• July 30, 2008: Winners will be notified by this date.
• September 1, 2008 – April 30, 2009: Programs must be scheduled between these dates. A final report must be submitted within 10 days of the event or the honorarium will be forfeited.

Definition of a Wisconsin author or illustrator: Any author or illustrator who has lived in Wisconsin for a significant period of time, including someone who may no longer be living in the state.

More information may be obtained by calling Sarah McGowan, WAIS 2008-09 Chair. Please contact her at 920-748-2784 or windsong@centurytel.net.

NEH and ALA "Soul of a People" Grantgs

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"Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers' Project" is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Humanities, the American Library Association (ALA), and Spark Media, a Washington, D.C.-based production and outreach company. The library programs associated with "Soul of a People" are funded by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to the American Library Association.

"Soul of a People: Voices from the Writers' Project" will give public audiences the opportunity to participate in library-sponsored humanities programs that explore the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Writers' Project through the American Guide series of state and regional travel guides, regional cultural studies, oral history interviews, films, and photographs. "Soul of a People" will also showcase works of important authors of the twentieth century who got their start in the Writers' Project. 30 libraries will be selected to receive a $2,500 grant from the NEH to present five different public outreach programs during the period of the national broadcast of "Soul of a People" (Spring 2009). The application deadline is July 11, 2008.

The application and guidelines for "Soul of a People" and complete instructions for registering and applying through http://www.grants.gov may be found at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/SGL_Soul_of_a_People.html. For more information about "Soul of a People: Voices from the Writer's Project - Library Outreach Programs," visit http://www.ala.org/publicprograms.

From Channel Weekly, Vol. 10, No. 27, April 10, 2008

PLAC & Net SW Director's Council Meetings

Mark your calendars:

The next meeting for the PLAC and Net Southwest Director's Council is Friday, April 25th, 9-12, at System Headquarters in Fennimore.

Trustee Mini-workshops are back

Starting April 22, SWLS will begin to hold mini-workshops for trustees. This series, which began in 2007, has been expanded for 2008. Two new locations, Prairie du Chien and Dodgeville, have been added.

Here's the schedule and topics for this spring's workshops:

Tuesday, April 22: "What's My Role?"* at Prairie du Chien City Hall

Thursday, April 24: "Open Meetings Law and You"* at Dodgeville Public Library

Tuesday, May 13: "Evaluating the Library Director" at Brewer (Richland Center) Public Library

Thursday, May 15: "Developing Essential Library Policies" at Platteville Public Library


*The first two workshops were held in 2007 at the Richland Center and Platteville locations, so for some of you, they may sound familiar.

Library Directors are welcome and encouraged to attend any and all of the trustee trainings.