News from April, 2009

April 1, 2009 -- The order form for the Spring 2009 Cooperative PC Purchase has been released and emailed to Online Library Directors and Automation Contacts.  The deadline for orders is Thursday, April 30, with SELCO placing orders in the first week of May.  Equipment installations will be carried out as orders arrive.

April 2, 2009 -- SELCO Regional Librarian Mollie Pherson has been selected for the WebJunction Minnesota Member Spotlight.  Her picture and information will be featured on the WJMN home page for the next few weeks.  To learn more about Mollie, click here.

April 03, 2009 -- Overdue, Hold and other notices for some Online Libraries were lost today when someone attempted to delete notices for their own library during the 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM window set aside for notice processing.  SELCO can restore the lost notices but must do so this evening to avoid disrupting system operations for Online Libraries.

Once notices are restored, each affected Online Library will have to re-select the notices they wish to have sent and/or deleted.  The notices selected for mailing will go out on Monday, April 06, 2009.  Preoverdue notices are not affected by this issue and are going out on their normal schedule.

Online Libraries affected by this issue were contacted by telephone.

Online Libraries are reminded that SELCO staff process each day's notice batches from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM.  Any attempt by Online Libraries to select or delete notices during this window can result in notices for multiple libraries being lost.

Please contact the SELCO Help Deskat 866-529-4469 wth any questions.

April 3, 2009 -- A new page has been added to the Advocacy page on the SELCO website to assist libraries with their advocacy efforts.  The Tools of Advocacypage contains information from a variety of sources including documents prepared by SELCO staff.  Currently the page contains information geared towards school media centers and public libraries but as more resources are discovered they will be added to the page.  If you find resources that you'd like us to add to the page, please let us know!  Feel free to contact Michael Scott or Ann Hutton.

April 6, 2009 -- A "Reference in the Electronic Age" workshop will be held in 7 locations in MN April 6-30, 2009.  SELCO will host the workshop Monday, April 27 from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM.

Presenter Bobbi Newman, Digital Services Librarian at Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City, MO, will provide a workshop on useful reference techniques for the electronic age.  Bobbi will show attendees how to conduct effective reference interviews, incorporate computer based resources and new technology into library services, how to fill information using resources beyond the immediate collection, and federal, state and local requirements for Internet and computer usage in the library environment.  This workshop meets competencies for MN Certification and counts for 5 contact hours.

To register online, please click here.

After the workshop, attendees will be expected to provide group or one-on-one training for targeted library patrons as described in the MN LSTA Plan on how to find reliable information quickly and accurately to meet their information needs.  This can include using key word searching, using online databases, and explaining how end users can submit reference requests to the library staff.  To see the workshop brochure for more information, please click here.
This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

April 7, 2009 -- The meeting materials for the April 2009 SELCO Advisory Committee Meeting have been posted to the Advisory Committee's Meeting Materials page.  The next SELCO Advisory Committee Meeting is scheduled for April 14, 2009 from 9:30 - 11:30 AM in the Avila Room at the SELCO office.  This meeting will also be available online and instructions are included in the meeting materials.  Look forward to seeing/hearing everyone there!

April 9, 2009 -- The April 16th meeting materials for the ILS Operations and Technology Policy Joint Committee Meeting has been posted to the SELCO website.

9:56 PM, April 09, 2009 -- The Research Vendor Databases are now accessible again.  Thank you for your patience and understanding and again we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

9:24 AM, April 09-2009 -- We are currently experiencing authentication problems accessing any the research databases.  We are working on the problem and hope to have it resolved as soon as possible.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  Updates will be posted here and as email to Online Library Directors and Automation Contacts.

April 10, 2009 -- Information for the 2008-2009 Annual School Library Media Center Report has been added to the Library Annual Reports page on the SELCO/SELS website.  Information includes a worksheet and definitions to the fields in the report, a letter from Minnesota Commissioner of Education Alice Seagren, and other helpful information.  The 2008-2009 Annual School Library Media Center Report opens for data entry on April 15, 2009.

April 10, 2009  12:14 PM -- Horizon DayEnd did complete and your reports will now reflect correct information.  Thank you for your patience.

April 10, 2009  7:23 AM -- Horizon Day End did not run automatically for April 9, 2009.  Day End is currently being run, and will complete shortly.  An update will be sent out when it has completed.

April 13, 2009 -- The month of April is full of celebrations of libraries.  April is School Library Media Month; check out this pagefor information on School Library Media Month from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).  Author James Patterson is the Spokesperson for this month.  All libraries are celebrated during National Library Week, which runs April 12 - 18, 2009.  Author and actor Jamie Lee Curtis is the Honorary Chair of National Library Week.  Click here for more information.

April 14, 2009 -- Since 2003, National Library Workers Day (NLWD) has been a day during National Library Week to "honor the contributions of all library workers, including librarians, support staff, and others who make library services possible."    For more information on National Library Workers Day, check out their website for more information, including a special NWLD podcast and downloadable poster.  In addition, you can let everyone know about your stellar staff by "submitting a star."  This year's "star" themes are great library students, great student workers, and great supervisors.

A special thank you to all staff members from libraries around the SELCO and SELS region for all the services you provide to your library patrons.  Libraries Work Because You Do!

April 16, 2009  8:18 AM -- We have identified and resolved the issue with accessing the Vendor Research Databases.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

April 16, 2009  8:06 AM -- We are currently experiencing a problem with accessing the Vendor Research Databases.  We are working to identify the problem and will let you know when it is working again.  Sorry about any inconvenience this may cause.

April 17, 2009  -- St. Charles Public Library has closed early as city officials have evacuated downtown St. Charles due to a fire at North Star Foods.  The library will most likely remain closed for the rest of the day and staff aren't sure when or if they will reopen on Saturday, April 18.

April 19, 2009 -- Minitexis proud to announce a new portal that gives Minnesotans one-stop access to five statewide services:  MnLINK Gateway, Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM), Minnesota Reflections, AskMN, and the Research Project Calculator.

April 20, 2009 -- Just a quick update on the St. Charles Public Libraryand the large fire at North Star Foods.  Sheri Grossardt, St. Charles Public Library Director, reported that the Library was closed on Saturday but has reopened today (April 20, 2009.)  She says that you can smell a little smoke in the air but there doesn't seem to be any damage at the Library.

April 21, 2009  6:45 PM -- Dayend has finally completed for 4/20.  The issues today were much more complex than we've seen in the past.  There was a database error that occurred at about 12:30 this morning at the time that DayEnd was running, and caused DayEnd to crash.  This prompted us to do some database checking this morning to make sure we did not have a more extensive problem.  All reports for 4/20 will now be available and preoverdue notices are being sent out this evening.  Regular notices will now be available in notice review.  We will send out regular notices from today with tomorrows notices.

April 21, 2009  7:44 AM -- There was a problem and Day End did not run last night.  We are working on resolving the issue and will let you know when Day End is done.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

April 23, 2009 -- Ann Hutton, Executive Director, was elected to the Customers of SirsiDynix User Group, Inc. (COSUGI) board.  COSUGI is the merger of two distinct user groups, CODI (Customers of Dynix, Inc.) and UUGI (Unicorn User Group, Inc.)  The merger will officially occur in June, forming a new non-profit corporation.  Hutton will participate in monthly conference calls with COSUGI Board members and SirsiDynix corporate officers.

April 24, 2009 -- The Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor(OLA) recently announced the study topics for the coming year.  While the OLA Topic Selection Subcommittee had not included public libraries in its recommendations, the full Commission did select public libraries.  A Background Paperoutlines the possible evaluation issues.

The OLA will begin work immediately on six of the topics selected, and then will study the remaining three topics as staff become available.  Public Libraries are in this second and later round.  In total nine topics will be studied.

April 28, 2009 -- The Friends of the St. Paul Public Libraryannounced the winners of the 2009 Minnesota Book Awards at a gala event on April 25. Eight Minnesota authors were recognized as the best in their category.

Based on more than 2,000 votes cast by readers from around the state, the Readers' Choice Award was presented to Kao Kalia Yang for her memoir "The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir" published by Coffee House Press.

Kao Kalia Yang

 The 2009 Minnesota Book Award Winners are:

• Children's literature: Susan Marie Swanson, "The House in the Night"
• General nonfiction: Catherine Friend, "The Compassionate Carnivore: Or, How to Keep Animals Happy, Save Old MacDonald's Farm, Reduce Your Hoofprint, and Still Eat Meat"
• Genre fiction: Julie Kramer, "Stalking Susan"
• Memoir/creative nonfiction: Kao Kalia Yang, "The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir"
• Minnesota: Barbara W. Sommer, "Hard Work and a Good Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota"
• Novel/short story: Louise Erdrich, "The Plague of Doves"
• Poetry: Heid E. Erdrich, "National Monuments"
• Young people's literature: Brian Malloy, "Twelve Long Months"

With a special congratulations to Catherine Friend, Zumbrota Public Library Board Chair, former member of the SELCO/SELS Board of Directors and winner in the general nonfiction category !

April 28, 2009 -- The agenda for the May 2009 SELCO Technology Users Group meeting has been announced.  Topics include:

1. Welcome
2. AquaBrowser Implementation Update
3. SirsiDynix Users Group Conference Report
4. SELCOtv Brainstorming
5. MnKnows
6. What is Twitter and Why am I Hearing So Much About It?
7. Online Catalogs: What Users and Librarians Want
8. Investing in the Future: Automation Marketplace 2009
   The meeting will be held in the Avila Room at the SELCO/SELS office on May 12 from 9:30 to 12:00.  An online meeting will be available for those who cannot attend in person.  We'll also record the meeting in it's entirety and post the video to the SELCO/SELS website within a few days.

See you on the 12th!