The SELCO Librarian

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

This recording is from the SELCO Advisory Committee meeting held on February 16, 2010. 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 into 4 segments for ease of viewing.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

This recording is from the SELS Advisory Committee meeting held on March 3, 2010. The SELS Advisory Committee is made up of nine elected representatives from public libraries, school media centers, public and private academic libraries, and special libraries. The group meets 4 times per year. This video has been broken into three segments for ease of viewing.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

Jonya Pacey and I had the opportunity to visit the Harmony Public Library Wednesday, 3/10 to talk about AquaBrowser to patrons, staff and board members. 

As we arrived we were able to engage a couple of patrons as they were checking out books about their experiences with the new catalog.  They miss some of the searchability of the iPac, but we were able to introduce them to the search refining features of AquaBrowsers facets.  While we were there, one of Harmony's board members also came in to talk to us.  He had questions about requesting items, both in AquaBrowser and MNLink that we were happy to answer for him.

While we didn’t talk to many people while we were there, it was great to be able to answer the questions and talk about the concerns of those we had the chance to visit with.  I am looking forward to other AquaBrowser visits I’ll be making in the next couple of weeks and being able to talk to more folks about our new catalog!

Posted on behalf of Jane Ryan, SELCO/SELS Board Member

The Saint Charles Public Library will host its second annual fundraiser "A Night at the Library" on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.  This event will feature hors d'oeuvres, wine and beverages, a silent auction, speakers and music.  Funds raised enable our library to continue to provide high quality services and resources to members of St Charles and surrounding communities.

We are excited to host two very interesting speakers, Dr. Amit Sood, Director of Research and Practice in the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic and Christian Milaster, a computer systems engineer.  Dr Sood is the author of ‘Log On: Two Steps to Mindful Awareness’.  Mr. Milaster is the designer, builder and homeowner of an “off-the-grid”, “off-the-well”, and “off-the-furnace” house in rural Lanesboro.

Community businesses and interested individuals can help support this event through attendance, sponsorship, in kind donations and items for the silent auction.  Sponsorship levels are Epic at $500; Novel at $250 and Short Story at $100.  Suggestions for the silent auction may include donations of items or services particular to a business, gift cards, gift baskets, wines, art pieces or other merchandise.

Please call Sharon Grossardt at the library, 932-3227 or email her at sherryg@selco.info regarding your decision about your donation.  Financial donations and items for the silent auction can be dropped off at the library by April 7th at the library.

Tickets are $20 in advance and can be purchased at the Library, St Charles City Hall or at Gatherings and Gifts on Whitewater Avenue.  Tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the event for $30.  The price of the tickets and donations are tax deductible.

Mollie Pherson, Regional Librarian

Recently, some libraries and library staff throughout the SELCO region have been in the spotlight for fantastic programs, celebrations, and achievements.  I wanted to create a blog post highlighting some recent articles that have been printed online or in local newspapers.

• The Lake City Public Library kicked off celebrating the 2010 Winter Olympics by hosting an Olympic Story Time and live webcasting the events at the library.  They broadcasted curling, hockey, speed skating, and other events.  Patrons stopped to watch while visiting the library to keep tabs on the medal count!  AND a local Sports Writer gave a shout-out to the library in a column featured in the Rochester Post-Bulletin .

• Congrats to the Rochester Public Library (RPL) for being a Top Public Library on Twitter !  RPL was named #149 to the list.  Top Public Libraries recognized on the list regularly update their page and communicate with their followers, use Twitter to advance/promote communications with their community, have a proportionate numbers of followers to following, and are currently active on Twitter.  Way to go, RPL!  To follow RPL on Twitter by clicking here .  Click here to check out the full list of libraries.

• The Chatfield Public Library celebrated the 95th Birthday of the historical Carnegie building with a birthday party, other festivities, and an art contest.  An article featured in the Bluff Country Reader shared the story of how the library transformed from a ladies' restroom to a fully-functioning library.  Yes, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  The original "library" was actually combined with the public restroom.  To read more about this incredible story, please click here .

Mollie Pherson, Regional Librarian

The Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) shared this invitation today:

For those not following the MHS's Twitter feed -- "Free:  To honor Ben Franklin's founding of a lending library, Librarians get free admission to MN History Center during March."  More about the exhibit can         be found at by clicking here .  Family members accompanying librarians and library staff are also included under the umbrella of "librarian," and all you have to do is mention it at the ticket desk on the first      floor of the History Center.  For more info, please call the MHS information line at 651-259-3000.

I just visited this exhibit last weekend and it's SUPER cool!  Plus, you can check out all the other exhibits, including Minnesota's Greatest Generation .  Check it out this month!

Jonya Pacey, Help Desk Manager

I am in the middle of a number of visits to our Online Libraries, observing how patrons are using the new SELCO catalog, powered by AquaBrowser, and making myself available to assist staff with their questions.

Playing a bit of catch-up here -- last Tuesday I was at the Northfield Public Library, meeting with the reference staff and then spending some time available at the iPAC stations. The meeting with staff went very well, mostly a questions and answers session and discussing what enhancements they would find useful. Unfortunately, during the time I was observing the iPAC computers, no one came up to use them that was having any problems. People sat down to look for call numbers and then popped right back up to go get their items; I didn't feel it apppropriate to interrupt their day.
On this Tuesday, I started with a visit to the Winona Public Library. Robin DeVries and Teresa Stevens were on the reference desk and we had a good time discussing how patrons were using the search bar - most of them 'get it' when you tell them it is similar to how google works. We also spent a lot of time discussing the social networking side of AquaBrowser. The public lists versus private lists, how tagging works, how to delete a tag, why you would do a review. Here again, I did not have any chance to observe or talk to patrons but I also throughly enjoyed working with Robin and Teresa.
Then in the afternoon, I met with Nancy Vaillancourt and her staff at the Blooming Prairie Public Library. Two of their patrons had indicated a wish to work directly with me and I really enjoyed myself! Both had different search strategies and we were able to tweak those strategies to optimize success. One was very familiar with the librarian-centric methods of using the indexes and Boolean searching and was thrilled to realize it really was OK to type title words and author and format all into the search bar.
I have one more visit before I go on vacation; Rachel and Aurora have scheduled some visits as well. And we hope to have more of our Online Libraries call to have one of us come visit - I am having a great time!

Mollie Pherson, Regional Librarian

SELCO/SELS Board President Don Regelman got a chance to visit some of the Steele County libraries during the first week in February 2010.  His first stop of the day was at the Owatonna Public Library , where Library Director Mary Kay Feltes showed Don around and introduced him to staff.  After the visit, the two made their way to Blooming Prairie to visit the Blooming Prairie Library.  Nancy Vaillancourt gave him the tour of the library and then drove him to the Blooming Prairie High School to meet with staff members at the school's media center.  He said it was a very educational day!     

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

A year ago, On a + Note, popped up in my email box.  Now my path and Kitty Pope’s cross regularly at conferences and most often at SirsiDynix functions as the Alliance Library System is a Symphony site and ours is a Horizon installation.  Both SELCO and the Alliance are library consortia serving a diverse multitype library membership.  So I read with interest my colleague’s comments and have come to appreciate her email message each week.  As part of the COSUGI Executive Track sponsored by SirsiDynix, Kitty shared her thoughts about Staying on Strategy in Difficult Economic Times, as well as the impetus for On a + Note.

She started writing a year ago while trying to stay focused and as a way to, in Kitty’s words, “push back the fear.”  Her first message focused on sticking to the facts and stressed:

• Communicate with folks more than ever
• Use your team
• Be patient and flexible
• Use your passion to sustain the dream.

Her staff suggested putting the article on the Alliance Library System website (and they are posted there) but Kitty opted for older technology and pushed her positive message via email so that it was in people’s mailboxes.

Each article has a candid photo and bits of personal information so that you feel an armchair familiarity with Kitty even if you’ve never met her.  During the time she has been doing this weekly article there have been reoccurring themes and she’s tracked those that resonate with her readers in these trying times. 

• Customer service
• Defining leadership
• Sustaining the dream
• Personal stories
• Humor
• Talking about the passion.

On the topic of fear, she has lead by example, taken advantage of distance learning, as well as assumed clerical tasks previously done by her administrative assistant prior to staffing reductions.  Her advice for how to control fear includes:

• Surround your self with the + (positive energy)
• Rely on your team
• Be kind to yourself
• Build in laughter.

Kitty evaluates everything and strives to appreciate the new ways of doing things. Everything is linked to the mission .  She recommends identifying 3-4 similar but stellar organizations and using them as organizational benchmarks.  Keep track of what they are doing, what’s new, what’s being discontinued and how do your stats compare.  When changes need to be made, accept the fact and proceed with grace while being honest with yourself and those involved.  On a + Note, budget reductions are an opportunity to keep the best staff, right size a department, restructure or consolidate.   Kitty defined three types of cuts:

• A strategic cut
• A political statement
• The least visible cut.

With a passion for libraries and the work of regional library systems, she has a vision for the next three years, however hard they may be.

• Survive … for the next 6 months
• Strive … move forward for the next 12 -14 months
• Thrive … the ideal virture in 2-3 years.

And, I am sure the Alliance Library System and central Illinois libraries will do just that with her leadership and On a + Note.

Left to right at the COSUGI Conference, March 5, 2010: Ann Hutton, SELCO Executive Director, Scott Johnson, ChiliFresh ,vendor representative, and Alliance Executive Director, Kitty Pope with her sparkling new ChiliFresh sunglasses.

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

There are so many social networking sites out there!  It seems that if you have an interest, there is a social networking site that focuses on it.  Reading is no exception.  I have recently discovered Goodreads and am really enjoying it so far. 

When a friend of mine started using Goodreads and emailed me about it last month, I figured I would use the site as a reading journal since you're able to specify what date you started & finished reading any given book.  I've actually been on the lookout for software or a website that allows me to do this for quite some time.  What I didn't expect were all the other things you can do on Goodreads.  Here is a list of just a few:

1. Rate and review books - pretty much a given for a book website.
2. Recommend books to your friends  - they don't even have to be a member of the site!
3. Join online bookclubs - there are tons of groups to join, and you can even create your own.
4. Swap books - mark a book you own as "Add to bookswap" and be ready to ship it for free to another Goodreader.  They just pay for shipping.

There are so many other things you can explore and enjoy about this social networking site  I recommend it to bookworms everywhere!

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

In Tomorrow’s Training Technologies Today, Judith Tigner, SirsiDynix Implementations Director, gave the COSUGI Executive Track a preview of their new Learning Management System (LMS).  This is the marriage of the best of onsite training and distance learning.  From years of experience, onsite provides the trainer with context and a real connection to the site and the particulars of a specific installation but offers too much content in too short a period of time.  The result - you simply cannot reach everyone.  Distance learning allows students to take classes as many times as needed working around schedules and with less expense but without the personal touch.

SirsiDynix will continue to offer direct, onsite training and will expand their instruction packet for  Symphony (and eventually to Horizon) customers  to include a hands-on lab, self paced sessions with practice time and study halls all under the LMS umbrella.

The Hands-On Lab enables the participant hands-on use of the software while the instructor observes each student’s screen as a window on a large monitor.  There is no web-cam interface for facial expressions, but the instructor can see who is doing what and who might be encountering difficulties.

Self-paced training is created using Captivate and allows for interactive online training, as well as assessment and even a final score or grade for the session.  Currently, there are 86 self-paced sessions in the SirsiDynix training library available 24/7.

Symphony customers can also signup for a Practice Session using their own ILS with a SirsiDynix instructor knowledgeable about a topic and letting participants “play” in their own environment with offsite support.  The Study Hall approach lets a customer “rent” time on a test server for independent study but with technical support on stand by to assist with any questions or difficulties.

Pricing for any of these services varies depending on what is needed and ranges from one-off class prices to a subscription that allows for a smorgasbord selection based on a library’s or consortium’s training needs.

The SirsiDynix LMS will serve as the training hub offering a variety of training modes and is in beta testing at this time.  LMS is self-paced and lets students stop and re-join where they left off.  Students will be able to print certificate and even get a transcript.  The Manager Console enables supervisors to work with staff to set training goals and monitor individual progress, even link dates and goals.

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

Once again there is energy in the air for Horizon customers at COSUGI.  (Think 7 Dwarfs – off to work we go, hi-ho, hi-ho…)  Unlike the past few years when the mix of Horizon and COSUGI felt more like the being the step sister relegated to sweeping the hearth without any hope of attending the ball, I am feeling the workhorse that is Horizon is more appreciated.  (Yes, I know I am mixing fairy tales – but I’m at Walt Disney World and the cartoon characters are all around.)  While Symphony continues to be their primary software platform, SirsiDynix is responding with Horizon developments for a group that constitutes a significant client (and financial) base.  A quick glance at COSUGI’s program offers a practical reflection with 65 of the 117 breakout sessions offering content for Horizon clients.  When I head home tomorrow, I do so with a slightly lighter step.  Hi-ho, hi-ho…

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

Ed Riding, SirsiDynix Product Manager, reviewed the 2009 accomplishments and he shared specifics about the Horizon 7.5 and 7.5.1 upgrades.  The upgrade to 7.5 will be significant and, when scheduled, SELCO headquarters and the 85 online libraries will experience downtown as this requires new hardware and software.  The multi-step approach will include an upgrade to Horizon 7.4.2, an installation of Sybase 15 and then a move to Horizon 7.5.

Due to the nature of this upgrade, SirsiDynix requests that each site complete a pre-upgrade survey to identify if the client has sufficient hardware and whether maintenance agreements are current.  While not as rigorous as when we migrated from DRA Classic to Horizon, the survey will be detailed.  Ed’s suggestions for how to prepare to this upgrade include:  Inventorying local server capabilities and, if staying with the same operating system, make sure all the patches are installed.  The server site will need Java 6, and if not already using some form of automated client distribution (which we have) then to put that in place.

Reporting on year-to-date activity, SirsiDynix has upgraded about 25 sites and they are scheduling 2-3 per week.  Their goal and ours too will be to minimize downtime for this 1-2 day process.  Tasks on the first half to full day focus on core processes and the possible second day for server room details will be to bring along add-on features.

The 7.5 upgrade includes a variety of enhancements that have been requested by Horizon customers and many developed for Australian and European clients.  The upgrade will offer:

• Greater refinement for floating collections
• Rotate collections by group or individual item and allow for predetermined rotation locations and durations
• SMS Text Notification
• School notices by homeroom
• Circulation enhancements including local decisions about fees for checkouts, renewals or rentals
• Restrictions by Itype groups
• Request enhancements will allow fees for requests, as well as setting a maximum number of requests on a title by a single patron

Horizon 7.5 will be the gateway for future software enhancements scheduled for later quarters as part of the Symphony/ Horizon medley that will eventually enable such patron driven functions as mobile applications.  Horizon 7.5 has all new documentation.  The last time a full set of documentation was created was 7.3.2.

Note:  Donovan Lambright, Automation Librarian, has been carefully following the developments surrounding the 7.5 upgrade, reading the release notes and planning our approach.  I encourage your questions and Donovan’s insights.

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

Interested in other details from the COSUGI conference?  Attendees are blogging and tweeting sessions --- click here .

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

The successful implementation of PocketCirc at the County of Los Angeles Public Library demonstrates effectiveness on a broad scale and with diverse possibilities.  I first fell in love with PocketCirc in January 2007 but alas it was not available on our integrated library system.  A year later at ALA Midwinter, SirsiDynix announced this upgraded service for its Horizon clients and since that time, SELCO has both tested and used this handy device.  Today’s session offered expanded potential.

PocketCirc incorporates a ruggedized PDA with a barcode scanner that transforms inventory from labor with a cart, laptop and barcode scanner and maybe even a long power cord into a sci-fi-like mobile task.  (Think interstellar travel with Captain Kirk or Commander Data using their tricorders.)

Migell Acosta, Head, ILS Operations at the County of Los Angeles Public Library discussed the technology at play – Windows CE, Active Sync, scanner drivers – and the need for sys admin and network managers to work together for the effective use this tool both offline and online.  He candidly shared that the devices (which are complicated) are slightly more prone to problems than the average laptop so if buying quantities (and he counts anything more than 12 as a quantity) to definitely buy backups.  Likewise, when considering quantities, the library or library consortium should also implement management tools for remote diagnosis and performing upgrades.  Acosta recommends, MobiControl from SOTI.net, which like Active Directory enables remote authentication, as well as security and asset management.
 
As an inventory tool, it not only checks shelf items with holdings data but catches, mis-shelved items, holds, lost titles, or out-of-order volumes.  If working online, all this happens in real time without needing to shuffle books back to the workroom or perform uploads at a later time.  Of course the choice of online or offline is just that --- the choice of the user depending on workflow, timing, etc.  But the tasks PocketCirc can handle don’t stop with inventory.  Consider:

• Back--up check outs when circ stations are full.  What a boom to moving kids in and out of the library after a class visit.  Or (thinking outside the circ box) replacing circ stations so staff can  check out items while roaming the library helping users.
• Circulation on the bookmobile and even “back room” tasks for those rare times when things are slow on the road.
• Using PocketCirc offsite at infrequent satellite locations such as a visit to a classroom or with outreach work during a regular trip to the assisted living center.
• Real time patron registration although a bit clunky this could be useful in a pinch.
• The Library even used PocketCirc to match new acquisitions for an opening day collection with accounting records. 

For whatever task might need a list of barcodes, there is probably a way to use PocketCirc to save valuable staff time and provide improved customer service. http://www.selco.info/display/TSL/2007/01/20/SirsiDynix+PocketCirc

Donovan Lambright, Automation Librarian

Recently, I've been following the story of the Lower Merion School District and Blake Robbins .  You've probably heard something about this but here's the short version:

Blake Robbins, a 15 year old student at Lower Merion, says he was called into the Assistant Principal's office and accused of engaging in "improper behavior", which turned out to be taking pills.  As proof, he says the Assistant Principal showed him a photo of himself in his bedroom at home eating (what he says is) candy.  Blake and his parents claim that the webcam built into his school-issued laptop was remotely activated by school information technology staff and used to take the incriminating picture.

That's what Blake and his parents say.  There's no real proof that the photo (if it exists) was taken by the school.  But lawsuits have been filed and people interested in technology, education, and personal privacy are watching closely.

The school says they are legally restricted from publicly discussing what might or might not have happened with Blake's call to the Assistant Principal's office, which I'm sure is true.  They did confirm that the laptops they issued to all students include a security application that can be activated remotely if the device is reported missing or stolen.  Among other actions, this software uses the webcam to take pictures which are sent back to the mothership to help locate the laptop.  The school admitted making a mistake by failing to disclose this fact to students and parents (and have promised not to use it again).  They flatly deny, however, using the security software to spy on any student.  They say they only activate the software in response to a report that a laptop is missing or stolen.  They say this has happened 42 times since the laptop for students program was started.

Again, there's no real proof here.  The student says one thing; the school says another.  And now that the courts are involved it seems unlikely we'll ever know for sure what happened.  Any settlement will almost certainly involve a non-disclosure agreement binding all parties not to speak publicly on the matter again.

It's possible that the student is on some sort of crusade against the school and is making this all up to escape responsibility for his behavior.  Stranger things have happened.  Let's imagine for a moment, however, that Blake is telling the truth.

If the school really did take a photo of him in his bedroom, the potential consequences are staggering.  How often did this happen?  Are there other photos of other students?  If there are photos of Blake without his clothes on, we're talking child pornography charges and that is a VERY bad place for the school to be.  People do hard time for that kind of thing.

Assuming (again, without proof this is merely an academic exercise) that the webcam was misused, the first questions likely to come up are:

• Did school staff do all this on instructions from their superiors on the staff?  Or were they acting on their own?
• If they acted on their own, what written policies were in place regarding the security software and student privacy?  What procedures were in place?  Did technology staff have to get some kind of written authorization to turn on the security software?  Who was authorized to file such a document and what procedures where they required to follow?

The answer to these questions would be the key to determining who exactly is going to have their careers ended (or at least damaged) and whether or not the school is about to be sued into financial oblivion.

In the February ILS Operations and Technology Policy Joint Committee meeting, Ann Hutton, SELCO Executive Director, announced that Jonya would be doing a series of visits to interested Online Libraries to discuss issues of patron privacy and policies governing library staff access to patron data and library property.  The story of Blake Robbins and the Lower Merion school district had not broken yet when this program was announced but it serves as a powerful reminder of why we need to discuss such issues.  When Jonya issues the call to schedule visits (which are optional), I hope she'll get some takers.

Stay tuned!

Ann Hutton, Executive Director 

I discovered this rear projection screen at the recent Association of Minnesota Counties annual conference but the vendor who had one didn’t have any product info.  So it was cool to find one at COSUGI in the Backstage Library Works booth.  The Minnesota regional system directors are working on a redesign of our vendor display for city, county and school meetings and this would be inexpensive, light weight and convey the message that libraries are techie.

Michael Scott, Assistant Director

The Lonsdale Public Library opened to the public at noon on Tuesday, March 2, 2010.  Jonya Pacey, SELCO Help Desk Manager, and Michael Scott, SELCO Assistant Director, were on hand to assist the Lonsdale staff with their Go Live day.  The Library saw a steady stream of new patrons come through their doors on their first day with 14 new patrons registered at Lonsdale and 67 items circulated their first day.

I know I enjoyed getting to know the staff at the Library and can see that they are very excited to finally have the doors open and welcome new patrons.  The staff has been working for months towards this day and it looks like their hard work has paid off.  There are beautiful shelves for their books and magazines and some very nice seating near the big windows that bring in large amounts of natural light.  Speaking of patrons, I'm happy to report that one of the first patrons at the Library was Lonsdale Public Library Board Member Penny Matchinski and her family.  To see photos from Lonsdale's Go Live day, check out the Lonsdale Public Library set on SELCO's Flickr site, especially those "animals" in the Children's area.

The Lonsdale Public Library is located at 1006 Birch Street NE in the Villages of Lonsdale, a new senior living complex in the city.  Hours for the Lonsdale Public Library are:

• Tuesdays 12 - 8 PM
• Wednesdays & Thursdays 12 - 6 PM
• Fridays 10 AM - 6 PM
• Saturdays 12 - 4 PM

The Library's collection is on the SELCO ILS and the Library currently receives 3 day per week delivery.  For libraries on SELCO Delivery, Lonsdale's delivery code is LON.  Lonsdale Library staff include Diana Tallent, Library Director; Kym El-Wailli, Circulation Clerk; and Deanna Jones, Shelver.

Here's wishing all the best to the Lonsdale Public Library. 

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

Part 2 of 4 of SELCOtv's miniseries highlighting the Internet Archive. This episode takes a look at the Archive's movie section.

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

This is a recording of the February 18, 2010 meeting of the SELCO ILS Operations & Technology Policy Joint Committee.  It  has been broken into 4 segments for ease of viewing.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

Part 1 of 4 of SELCOtv's miniseries highlighting the Internet Archive.  This episode takes a look at the Archive's webpage section.

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

Work began before the start of the fiscal year when the newly COSUGI Board enthusiastically accepted the job of managing a merged organization, COSUGI , Customer of SirsiDynix User Group, Inc.  This new user group mirrors the corporate and software structure of our ILS vendor, SirsiDynix.  While attending to an assortment of administrative details, a great deal of work has gone into planning the annual user conference.  Following in the footsteps of those who have planned great customer-based sessions with vendor support in the past, this first ever COSUGI Conference promises a wide assortment of programs and learning opportunities.  As a COSUGI Board Member, I will be blogging my conference experiences and sharing tweets with others on Twitter with the hashtag #cosugi10.  Follow along.

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

This recording is from the SELCO Board Executive Committee meeting held on February 22, 2010. The SELCO Executive Committee is made up of SELCO Board Officers, including four At-Large members.  It is broken into two segments for ease of viewing.

Part 1

Part 2

Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian

Ann Hutton, Executive Director, highlights the discussion points of the SELCO/SELS Executive Committee Meeting held on Monday, February 22, 2010. The Board Recap is a regular program posted once a month after Board & Executive Committee Meetings.

Do you have a new staff member that needs an @selco.info email address?  Does an employee need to be added or taken off a SELCO email distribution list?  This video steps you through the steps you need to take in order to add or update a SELCO email and web account.

Ann Hutton, Executive Director

SEMVA artist and website manager, Karin Neuvirth , offered a website development workshop at SELCO.  As an introduction for artists with varying comfort levels when working on the web, Karin shared basic terminology discussing links and sidebars, as well a outlined the architecture of the SEMVA website which includes general information about a unique cooperative and the individual participating artists.  Workshop participants were able to upload and resize photos of their artwork, add descriptive text about their style and medium, and submit content for publishing.  The four evening sessions were held in November and December 2009 and January 2010.  For a glance at workshop photos, click here .

SEMVA and SELCO are developing other cooperative plans including a juried travel art exhibit hopefully to be available for booking by libraries in the Fall 2010.

Mollie Pherson, Regional Librarian

SELCO held it's annual Summer Reading Program Kick-off on Thursday, February 11, 2010, where Collaborative Summer Library Program Manual Editor Patti Sinclair shared book suggestions and program and craft ideas with participants focusing on the 2010 theme, Make a Splash READ!  Looking for the perfect book, craft or website for ideas?  Hopefully, the info below will help you out! 

Some of the links shared for craft and programming ideas:

• Baby Shark Song
• Jellyfish Hat and other ideas
• Water Cycle Reader's Theater
• Insta-Snow
• Fortune Fish
• Form Wild DVD
• Splish Splash Bath Song
• Remember -- August 7th is National Sea Serpent Day!  Have a Sea Serpent Party and create a friend for Sammy !
• Minnesota Kids Fishing Forum
• Fun Things
• Have kids make their own I-Spy Jar
• Ask the local Fire Department to visit and talk about what they do -- a perfect program for schools and libraries
• Camp Songs

Some of the books mentioned during the workshop:

• Splash! (Baby Faces) by Roberta G. Intrater -- board book
• Boats by Byron Barton -- board book
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Annie Kubler -- board book
• Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins -- picture book
• Fish Eyes:  A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert -- picture book
• Fidgety Fish by Ruth Galloway -- picture book
• Move Over Rover by Karen Beaumont -- picture book
• Storm is Coming by Heather Tekavec -- picture book
• Do Pirates Take Baths? by Kathy Tucker -- picture book
• Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem by Mac Bennett -- picture book
• The Last Polar Bear by Jean Craighead George -- picture book
• Mother Osprey:  Nursery Rhymes for Buoys and Gulls by Lucy Nolan
• Winter's Tail:  How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again by Juliana Hatkoff

Melanie Olson, Delivery & ILL Assistant

SELCO staff have a variety of job titles and responsibilities. In this SELCOtv mini-series, we'll meet staff members and find out what they do here at SELCO on a day-to-day basis. This episode introduces you to Bob Olson, ILL/Delivery Assistant.

Melanie Olson, Delivery & ILL Assistant

Jonya Pacey, SELCO's Help Desk Manager, talks about pull list list logic and some of the frequently asked questions she is asked regarding requests.

Tyler Irvin, Project Librarian

On February 1, 2010, I had the opportunity to attend the Northfield Public Library's monthly Teen Advisory Board meeting. The group started out discussing their upcoming fundraiser of mini-golf at the library. The date has been set for February 21st at 1 pm. They are busy gathering sponsors for the holes and working on themes to represent them. In addition to the nine holes, there will be a driving range (using a wiffle ball) which will feature prizes for landing the ball on plates. After they finished hammering out the details, the board moved onto the LSTA kits that are being set up. I introduced the eight kits as they are to the group and we discussed the program requirements and what they thought would go over well at their library. Several ideas were thrown around until we reached a decision. The Northfield teens will plan a program entitled Giant Game Night at the Library by combining two of the kits, the Laser Tag kit and the Video Gaming kit. Their idea was to host the laser tag as the primary event and waiting players will play video games. The date they've selected for this is April 16. I'm really looking forward to setting this one up. Next time I meet with them we'll discuss the promotion involved.

On February 9, 2010, I made my way over the icy roads to La Crescent. The Teen Board of the La Crescent Public Library held their monthly meeting although the roads and scheduled kept the meeting brief. Once again, I introduced the eight kits to the group and left it to them to decide which program they'd like to plan out. The La Crescent group chose a more formal approach and voted for their personal selection. The consensus was to go with the Casino Night kit. The next step was more involved; the La Crescent group always comes with their schedules because they're just that busy most of the time. Eventually, the date was selected as April 9. Again, I'll be discussing promotion at next month's meeting.

Due to President's Day next week, the Red Wing and Rochester teen groups have postponed their meetings to the 22nd of February. When I next visit them we'll go through the same process as I just did with La Crescent and Northfield.

For photographs taken during this project, check the SELCO Flickr account .  For information on the various teen boards, check out their local webpages: Rochester's GOATs , Red Wing's TOOL , Northfield's TAB , La Crescent's TAB

Michael Scott, Assistant Director

On January 7, 2010, in addition to visiting the Dakota Area Community School, I had the opportunity to visit St. Peter's School in Hokah, Minnesota.  St. Peter's is a private Catholic school for grades PreK - 8th grade and is affiliated with St. Peter's Catholic Church in Hokah.

The Library is located on the main level of the school.  There are a number of fiction and nonfiction books available to students as well as a small video collection as well.  Debbie Peterson, who volunteers on Wednesdays at the School's library was my tour guide.  She and I discussed how she has worked to update the collection by adding more fiction titles to the collection as these types of materials are certainly the most popular.  She has slowly been adding new titles to the nonfiction collection as well.  We discussed ways to try and highlight parts of the collection to the students by focusing on things such as holidays or observations (National Poetry Month, etc.)  We also discussed ways to connect with the faculty at the school to find out when certain subjects in the curriculum will focus on a topic and Debbie could put together a display of the materials related to that subject, such as when students are studying the American Civil War.

We also discussed ways to maximize the space that the Library occupies.  One of the challenges in this space is that it needs to house a large meeting table that is used by both students during the school day and others for meetings after school.  Another challenge is in shelf space for materials and we discussed options for weeding the collection periodically and looking at alternative ways to display some materials.

Photos from my visit are available in a St. Peter's School set on SELCO's Flickr site.  Have a look at them and if you have any suggestions for Debbie, please feel free to email her as she'd welcome suggestions.  I want to thank Debbie for her time to meet with me and thanks to the students who came in and used the Library while I was there (check out the photo of the two young men who insisted on getting their picture taken!)