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SELCO Librarian
Michael Scott, Assistant Director
I had the opportunity on July 1, 2009, to visit the Media Center at Goodhue Schools to assist Media Specialist Corrie Westphall with a re-design of space. A bank of 18 computers had been removed from the media center to be used in another part of the school which left a fairly large open space on the elementary side of the Media Center. It also left Corrie with an opportunity to make some changes to the space! The ultimate goal for Corrie was to create a more defined space for elementary students in the media center. One of the challenges the Goodhue Media Center staff faces in this shared space is the mix of age groups that could potentially use the space at the same time. The staff noticed that a number of younger elementary students felt apprehensive to use the Media Center when older students were present. Another goal was to open up the elementary portion of the space a bit more to accomodate a variety of uses, including classroom space, a larger reading area for elementary students, and better patron and staff traffic flow through that space. We were joined by Goodhue Elementary Principal Mark Opsahl to discuss several options that Corrie had put together. After many trips back and forth across the space and asking "What about this idea?" I think we came up with a workable plan, including adding back a few of the computers that were to be taken from the space.
I enjoy these types of opportunities (or challenges) so if you have an upcoming project that you'd like assistance with figuring out how to redesign or rearrange space or just want another set of eyes to look at the space and offer some ideas, I'd be happy to visit with you. Please feel free to contact me at mscott@selco.info or at (507) 288-5513.
Thanks to Corrie and Mark for allowing me to assist them with their project. Just in case you're wondering, I forgot my trusty digital camera at the office so no photos to share from this visit.
Ann Hutton, Executive Director
Excerpt from the Pine Island News-Record -- PI City Council approves hiring Van Horn Library Director | |
Ann Hutton, Executive Director
As outlined in an earlier SELCO Librarian blog post describing the complicated nature of the amended Library Maintenance of Effort (MOE) statute, MOE for 2009 and 2010 will be especially difficult to calculate due to the number of variables. Here is a general outline of how MOE will be calculated in the coming years, based on information currently available from the Minnesota Departments of Education, Finance and Revenue.
For 2009
Each local entity will be allowed to reduce its level of local support by an amount comparable to the percentage of Local Government Aid (LGA) or County Program Aid (CPA) unallotments as announced by the Governor or up to 10%, whichever is less. If this is needed, the library and the city or the county will need to initiate a request for re-certification. This request should be sent to Ann Hutton, SELCO Executive Director. The request will be forwarded to Nancy Walton, State Library Development and Services Specialist, at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). SELCO has already started this process for one library and received an email response from Suzanne Miller, State Librarian, that recertification is pending while awaiting financial data from the Department of Revenue. If other libraries, cities or counties are interested in a revised Maintenance of Effort certification for 2009, please contact the SELCO office.
For 2010
MDE will review the 2008 and the 2007 amounts of local library support for operating purposes and will certify a 2010 MOE based on whichever is less, the 2007 or 2008 level of funding. This amount may be reduced further if there have been reductions to the local Adjusted Net Tax Capacity (ANTC) and/or there are further reductions due to LGA or CPA unallottments which will impact the local unit of government in 2010. The funding amounts used for certification are taken directly from the annual reports submitted by each public library as required by Minnesota Statute.
For 2011
The Maintenance of Effort amount will be the funding level provided in the second (2009) or third (2008) preceding years, whichever is less.
What factors into the calculation?
The final MOE calculation prepared by MDE requires three figures for each library funding entity:
- R01 from each library’s annual report and provided by SELCO to MDE as a required element in the Regional Library Basic System Support (RLBSS) grant application. This data was submitted June 24 for the 2010 calculations.
- Population estimates from the State Demographer’s Office. MDE uses the most current estimates as of July 15 and available on the Demographer’s website.
- Property values as determined by the Minnesota Department of Revenue.
Once MDE has all three figures and runs the formula, the letters for the 2010 MOE certification will be prepared and distributed to cities, counties and libraries. Generally the Certification of Minimum Local Support letters are distributed in late-July or early-August. Although, delays may occur if a library has not submitted financial data or does not meet MOE as previously certified.
Ann Hutton, Executive Director
If local funding for library operations trends upwards, even ever so slightly, then library Maintenance of Effort (MOE) is an aspect of fiscal management that never crosses the administrator’s desk. However, when MOE questions arise, the topic is often confusing due to the complicated nature of the formula and the need to review levels of support from multiple years. This year in particular Library MOE is even more confusing with an amendment to Minnesota Statutes 134.34, Subd.1 and Subd. 4 and the unprecedented actions by the Governor unallotting at the beginning of the State’s biennium to balance a budget shortfall.
The new statutory language incorporates the suggestions of the hard working Minnesota Library Funding Committee. The supporting documents listed below explain the outcome of the changes to the statutory language regarding Minnesota library funding, both the minimum level of support and maintenance of effort. Please share these with public library boards, other library staff and city or county staff and elected officials interested in the topic.
- The MOE Legislative Outcomes document is meant to be used as a handout when talking to library boards, city councils and county boards. (PDF 58KB)
- The MOE Talking Points will give the presenter in the above scenario more detail. Either can be widely shared. (PDF 55KB)
- The final Library MOE statutory language approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. (PDF 64KB)
There were many issues raised during the discussions by the Minnesota Library Funding Committee that did not involve a statutory language change as part of the solution, but do nevertheless change the definition of maintenance of effort. An example is the list of items included under “capital costs”. State Library Services was instrumental in both defining and allowing these changes, which represent significant positive changes to MOE.
Libraries across the state owe their thanks to Peg Werner, Viking Library System Director and Chair of the Minnesota Library Funding Committee, Ken Behringer, Dakota County Library Director and 2009 MLA President, Elaine Keefe, Capitol Hills Associates and MLA/MEMO Lobbyist, and Mark Ranum, Plum Creek Library System Director and 2009 MLA Legislative Committee Chair, for shepherding the Library MOE amendment through the 2009 legislative session, including finding passionate authors, testifying and providing prompt, meaningful and illustrative data.
Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian
Mike Flores, SELCO's User Technology Manager, talked to Linda Weinmann,Winona Public Library's Automation Contact, about how they use Pharos for the Public PC computer management. This video shows a few extras WPL uses, such as Pharos Printing & Sign-up/Queue Stations.
Melanie Olson, Delivery and ILL Assistant II
This was my second venture to this symposium, and I had just as great a time, if not more, as last year while still learning quite a bit. The classes I attended were all informative, interactive and just downright fun.
My first class was titled “Cybercrime – What this means for you” and was presented by Special Agent Craig W. Sorum, Minneapolis Division FBI. Amid funny and more serious stories about catching “cyber-bandits”, Special Agent Sorum showed us how a seeming innocent little machine like your work or home computer can become a thief’s super-highway into your personal information. Even worse, how easy it is for predators to get at your children and especially teens through your home computer without your knowledge. He discussed several ways to safeguard your computers, and what to do if you think your security has been violated, or your children have been solicited. Scary stuff, but I felt really safe to have someone like Special Agent Sorum out in cyberspace protecting the innocent.
My next class was supposed to be Family History 101, but unfortunately it was cancelled. Instead I sat in on “Extreme Googling” which I had attended last year, but wanted to see if any new tools had been created. Most were unchanged, but some had been upgraded to be more user-friendly. One of the tools had even gone from beta status to actually launched as a tool, so that was very interesting.
Next was lunch, where we were joined at our table by Special Agent Sorum. It was great chatting with him again about his career and other aspects of his life. He truly loves his job, and keeps saying how he’d do it for free, but they keep paying him. ☺ After lunch it was on to “The Visual Bridge: Getting Kids Interested in Reading Through Comics and Graphic Novels”. The presenter was Brent Schoonover, a young freelance illustrator. He spoke about how parents, educator and librarians can spark interest in reading for young people using comic books and graphic novels.
After a break with some ice cream (boy, they sure feed us a lot at these things!), I headed off to "Pass It Along: How Wanda Gag’s Picture Book ‘Millions of Cats’ was Imagined, Retold, Written, Illustrated, Archived, Researched and Translated to Impact Readers”. This class was presented by Karen Hoyle, curator for the U of M Children’s Literature Research Collections, a part of the library that holds many original manuscripts of children’s books, including the book “Millions of Cats”. This funny, sad, uplifting story, written & illustrated by Wanda Gag, has been in print since 1928, and has been translated into many languages around the world.
My final class was by far the most fun. “Geocaching 101: Use Multimillion Dollar Government Satellites to Find Tupperware in the Woods”. This class was tag-teamed by Andrew McCracken from the MN Geocaching Association, and Therese Sonnek, a librarian at White Bear Lake Public Library. The first part of the class we learned all about what geocaching is, what kind of GPS devices are best, where you can go online to get more information and to sign up, and why this has become a great tool to get patrons into the library via their GPS! For the rest of the class we all got a loner GPS and went outside to find some caches they had set out for us earlier. It was great fun using the GPS to navigate to each of the caches; some of them were hidden really well! We had such nice weather that it was great to get out of the classroom environment for a bit & laugh & run around like kids on a treasure hunt. As a matter of fact, I am buying a GPS myself soon and taking up this hobby that I can share with my nieces & nephews. Good fun and good exercise, all wrapped up together.
Michael Scott, Assistant Director
I came across an excellent article in the May/June 2009 issue of Marketing Library Services entitled "Five Ways You Can Save Money by Marketing" by Kathy Dempsey. The main point of the article was that even in the most difficult of financial times, marketing is one of the last things that should be cut from a library's budget. Dempsey goes on to outline five ways that marketing can cut costs:
- Use customer input to determine which services to keep (and which to cut)
- Use better marketing and promotion to tell patrons what you've already got
- Use quick tutorials or videos to save training time
- Make your website work for all it's worth
- Lean more on colleagues and consortia
The other point that Dempsey makes is that marketing is a circular process. By studying the habits of your current patrons AND potential patrons, you can divide them into groups and really find out what they want from you. Knowing more about them will allow you to create products and services that each group wants, release them, then publicize and promote them so patrons know they're available. Later, ask for feedback about what you've offered and use that feedback to improve your services, relaunch & re-promote, thus continuing the "circle" of offering products and services your patrons really want. This same process can be used if you discover from studying your current and potential patrons that some of the products and services they want you actually provide. Go ahead and relaunch & re-promote these too. Sometimes those things we take for granted as things we've always done may actually be "new" to potential patrons but also to current patrons.
Jonya Pacey, ILS Help Desk Manager
On May 19, I attended Minitex’s 18th Annual Interlibrary Loan Conference in order to gleam ideas and suggestions for the Help Desk from the speakers. Marshall Breeding, Vanderbilt University Libraries in Nashfield, TN, writes about developing network technologies and automation systems, analyzing trends and speculating on the future based on his experience and knowledge. Some tools on his website are very professionally useful and I recommend you take a looks-see. Having a resource to check Today, with travel in my near future, the lib-web-cat advanced search feature for finding libraries that offer wifi caught my eye. (Fortunately, Iowa reststops have free wifi so most of my journey’s blogging can be right on I35.)
Ray Wilson, president of Ray Wilson & Associates, author and afternoon speaker, spoke about 7 continuous improvement tools we could use. Some were for time management, some for figuring out how to narrow and focus energy. As I find the time, I want to revisit his suggestions, probably via his published work, to put more of it into practice. Reviewing my notes, the "Force Field Analysis" and the 'Cause Analysis" tools were both making parts of my brain work; I was doing some of these there at the conference. I really need to do them here, at work, where I can apply them.
Patti Tieskoetter, Red Wing Public Library
Note: Patti was one of 4 SELCO member library staff from across the region who were sponsored by SELCO to attend the 18th Annual Minitex ILL Conference on May 19, 2009.
On Marshall Breeding, “Next Generation Library Automation & its Implications for Resource Sharing":
Marshall Breeding operates the website http://www.librarytechnology.org on which he organizes his ideas, maintains statistics, archives his journal articles. His quest is a library operating system that uses the technology and vision of web presences that so many library users are familiar with. He feels that Open Source software is the direction that libraries should go, and that the proprietary companies should be looking at what Open Source programming offers library users. "Real competition for the major companies isn't themselves, but Open Source..."
He uses e-commerce (specifically Amazon.com) as a comparison point for software developers: "If users can't figure out where to click, they're not going to send their money." He owns a copy of a Harry Potter book because "it was too easy" to buy through Amazon (and conversely, hard to get through library catalogs). Users love contributed ratings and reviews. Users love cloud computing.
Interlibrary loan module is by far the most difficult to design to work smoothly, and that's why it's the last to be developed. OCLC's record sharing protocol is the direction to go. Cloud technology (our own private cloud?) High level of usability. Innovative Open Source software. All will help the ILL process.
As part of the comments from participants, Breeding asked whether we want to allow Google/Amazon to provide library services. “we need to be sure that searching Google will profit libraries.” He pointed out an article appearing that day, May 19, in the Washington Post : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/18/AR2009051802637.html “How Google threatens books” / Brewster Kahle, which makes it clear that libraries need to watch what the commercial world is doing.
Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian
This recording is from the SELCO Advisory Committee meeting held on June 9, 2009. The SELCO Advisory Committee is made up of the directors from all of the public libraries in the SELCO region. The group meets 6 times per year in February, April, June, August, October, and December. This video has been broken up into four segments for ease of viewing.
Amy Lerum, SELCO-EQS Scholarship Recipient, Red Wing Public Library
This was my first time attending the EQS Symposium and it was a great experience! All of the sessions I attended throughout the day were informative but I especially enjoyed "The Hirschfield Materials" session. I have to be honest and say that I knew nothing about this collection and figured if nothing else, I could maybe learn a little something about special collections. Well…when Jean-Nickolaus Tretter started telling us about the collection, I was amazed! This collection was purchased from the Magnus Hirschfield Estate and is now in the Tretter Collection at the University of Minnesota. The Nazis burned down The Hirschfield Library on May 10, 1933 in Germany but Mr. Hirschfield had some of the items with him on tour at the time. The rest of the journey for these items is pretty amazing so if you get a chance to read up on it, do so. It will be worth your time to learn all about the collection. http://special.lib.umn.edu/rare/tretter/tretterletterjan07.pdf
I want to thank Selco for giving me the opportunity to attend this event!
