Outrider

March 2000


[Document URL: http://will.state.wy.us/slpub/outrider/2000/0003or.html]

Last Modified: 24 May 2007 - 03:48:16 PM

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Negotiations with database vendors to begin in spring
Legislature restores WSL exception budget request

Cuts made to the Wyoming State Library budget were restored by the Wyoming Legislature for Fiscal Year 2001-02.

The Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC) had eliminated the request in the exception budget allowing WSL to provide statewide licensing for electronic databases.

Currently, WYLD has five additional databases, including EBSCO, Wilson Web and Electric Library, which are licensed for use by WYLD libraries and their patrons; however, the licenses don’t cover use in non-WYLD libraries.

WSL’s plans are to extend the licenses to allow access in every library or from personal computers with Internet connectivity.

If everything goes as planned, it will give every resident of Wyoming access to these databases, said Lesley Boughton, state librarian.

Access can not occur until after July 1, 2000, when the additional funds become part of the state library’s operating budget. Negotiations with vendors will take place this spring. The approved budget also includes an increase of $450,000 in spending authority for WSL’s central acquisitions. Participating libraries in the state establish accounts and place orders for materials through central acquisitions. This allows the libraries to take advantage of the aggregate buying power and streamlined process the office provides.

Overall, "We did quite well," Boughton said.

Voyager to land at UW libraries in summer

Voyager is getting set to blast into the University of Wyoming Libraries in the summer of 2000.

Developed by Endeavor Information Systems Inc., Voyager supplies integrated library systems to academic and special libraries worldwide.

The new system will improve efficiency and service to library users allowing them to search for items in the university libraries and an electronic database without having to re-enter their search items.

If the university doesn’t own a particular item, the system can then search the University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado State University of Libraries systems.

The George W. Hopper Law Library, the American Heritage Center and the University Libraries are partners in the project at UW. The Arthur Lakes Library at the Colorado School of Mines joins them. The Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries will house the server for the Voyager system and will maintain the database for the four institutions. Each institution will have a separate database on the server so that they can customize it to meet their users’ needs.

The university libraries and the American Heritage Center have been on the CARL system since 1989 and 1991 respectively, and the law library has been using an in-house system. The Voyager system was selected for many reasons:

This program provides digital copies of images throughout the system. A team of representatives from the three UW entities will oversee the installation of the system. Each team will be responsible for working with a separate library, and the team will then work with the vender to customize the system to meet the needs of local users.

Still time to attend WSL cataloging videoconference

Although the deadline for submitting questions for the Wyoming State Library (WSL) cataloging videoconference has passed, it’s still not too late to attend one of the 15 sites in the state.

The cataloging video conference is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, April 17. To view the program, pre-registration is not required, but it will help with planning for adequate handouts and better site management.

To pre-register for the videoconference, by Monday, April 3, contact Bobbi Thorpe at bthorpe@wyld.state.wy.us 307/777-3668, Judy Yeo at 307/777-5914, jyeo@state.wy.us or 800/264-1281, selection 1, option 3.

Conference information is designed for library directors, catalogers, reference or other public service staff.

Agenda items will include:

The conference can be accessed at:

Buffalo, BUFS, Johnson County Schools, Schools Administration Office, 601 W. Lott Ave.;

Cheyenne, CHY2, State of Wyoming, Emerson Building, Room 101, 2001 Capitol Ave.;

Casper, CPR2, University of Wyoming (UW) Outreach Center, 951 N. Poplar, Room 107;

Douglas, DGL, Eastern Wyoming Community College, 203 N. 6th St.;

Evanston, EVN, Like Long Learning Center, 336 Summit St., Room 7A;

Gillette, GLT2, UW Outreach Office, 720 W. 8th, Annex D;

Jackson, JKSN, CWC Outreach Center, 220 S. Glenwood, Room 4;

Laramie, LAR3 UW, Beta House, East End of Fraternity Row;

Lusk, LSKS, Niobrara County High School, 702 W. 5th St., Room 100;

Newcastle, NEWC, Newcastle Education Center, 808 Birch St.;

Powell, PWL, Northwest College , Sinclair Orendorff Administration and Science Building, Room 122, 231 W. 6th Ave.;

Rawlins, RWL, Carbon County Higher Education Center, 600 Mahoney St., Room 1;

Riverton, RVN, Central Wyoming Community College, Classroom Wing, Room CW122;

Rock Springs, RKS, Western Wyoming Community College, 2500 College Drive, Room 1229 E;

Sheridan, SHR1, Sheridan College, Griffith Memorial Building, Room GMB 012; and

Torrington, TOR, Eastern Wyoming Community College, Tebbet Classroom Building, Room 252, 3200 W. C St.

Actually writing the words might ‘grant’ you a success

Excerpted from Grantseeker Tips, Feb. 4, 2000 - Number 28 Grantseeker Tips, now in its second millennium, is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter that helps you inspire, sustain and trouble-shoot your grantseeking activities.

For the next grant you write, try putting down your words as you would actually say them. Here’s what we do: we sit in front of the computer, "talking" though the keyboard to our imaginary reader on the monitor.

We write in plain English. We talk to the reviewer on paper. We write the way we talk. For example, we use common words and a variety of punctuation. This issue provides some examples; look for more in the next issue. We’ve adapted some ideas from a great paperback by Edward P. Bailey: The Plain English Approach to Business Writing. Put this one in your shopping cart.

Use common words when you write grants

Professional grant writers use common words unless they are writing very technical proposals.

Bad amateur grant writers use impressive words all the time unless they can’t think of them. Writing grants with common words doesn’t mean writing with kindergarten language or producing only simple-minded ideas.

Writing grants with impressive words makes the reviewer’s job harder. For example, look at this sentence with mainly impressive words:

"Subsequent to the implementation of this program, it is incumbent upon us to instruct our clients to comply with it."

And if we rewrite that sentenced with common words:

"After the grant starts, we’ll tell our clients to comply with it."

Would you rather read pages of the first version or the second?

Here’s a list of impressive (bureaucratic) words and some more common substitutes. Avoid using the first; instead, use the second in each word pair below.

Accomplish -- do

Advise -- tell

Anticipate -- expect

At the present time -- now

Commence -- begin

Demonstrate -- show

Endeavor -- try

Facilitate -- help

Implement -- carry out

In an effort to -- to

Inasmuch as -- since

Modify -- change

Numerous -- many

Provided that -- if

Review -- check

Therefore -- so

Utilization -- use

Viable -- workable

When you talk, you are more apt to use the second rather than the first in these pairs. Write as you talk. It’s easier for you and your reviewer.

To subscribe to Grantseeker Tips send a message to MinerL@mu.edu. Put "subscribe" in the subject line.

Copyright, Miner and Associates Inc., 2000. If you received this issue from a colleague and you wish to have your own free subscription, follow the above subscription procedure. We encourage you to pass along this issue of Grantseeker Tips, provided that you do not change the copy, you keep the opening and this closing material.

Park County director resigns after 34 years

After 34 years with the Park County Library System, the director submitted a letter of resignation to the Park County Library Board at their regular meeting on Thursday, March 9, 2000.

The board accepted Charlene Paben’s resignation as submitted.

Noting a desire for a smooth transition to a new director, Paben gave an effective date of July 1, 2000. Paben, who has been the director for 22 years said, "There are several unfinished projects that I would like to complete before leaving. I believe that I can still be effective on the task force, (which is currently working on library funding), in the preparation of this year’s budget, and working with the Friends of the Library on this year’s Greening of the Library campaign."

Paben also noted that she plans to continue in the role of library advocacy and fund-raising.

The board authorized Cynthia Thomas, chairwoman, to form a search committee for the process of hiring a new director.

"The library board gratefully recognizes the many years of work and dedication Mrs. Paben has contributed to the Park County Library System," Thomas said.

A public reception will be arranged in Paben’s honor at a later date.

New statistics paint a picture by numbers of services,
staffing and resources in Wyoming’s libraries

Wyoming Public Library Statistics FY99 and Wyoming Academic Library Statistics FY99 are now available in print and online.

The reports include data furnished by library directors for the fiscal year (FY) 1999, from July 1, 1998, to June 30, 1999. Copies were sent to library directors in early March.

The Wyoming State Library’s (WSL) business office produces the library statistics each year. The public library statistics are compiled nationally every year. Academic statistics have been compiled nationally every two years but will be compiled annually beginning next year.

Each year, WSL works to make the reports more accurate, but there are still some data that are questionable. However, in most cases, librarians should be able to make valid comparisons with other libraries in the same population group and with the averages for their group. Also, the National Center for Education Statistics now has a Web site at http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/publicpeer/, which allows public libraries to do some comparisons with other public libraries around the nation, and a site for academic libraries at http://www.nces.ed.gov/surveys/libraries/academic.html.

According to the Public Library Statistics, total revenue for public libraries increased. However, funding from mill levies, the primary source of funds, is expected to be lower in FY00. Library visits are on the increase, as are interlibrary loans.

For the first time, the WSL has posted these documents online at http://will.state.wy.us/slpub/stats/stats.html.

Both reports are available as Portable Document Format (PDF) files, which can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader.

WSL welcomes any questions, comments or suggestions on this report and will provide additional data and analysis on request.

For more information on this statistical report, or to request a print copy, contact Joe French, WSL budget officer, jfrenc@state.wy.us, 307/777-5916 or 800/264-1281, option 4-1-1.

Librarians to host cancellation reception for second-day issue

Librarians in five counties are planning events for a Second Day of Issue celebration on May 9 featuring the Library of Congress bicentennial postage stamp.

The Wyoming State Library (WSL) will host the cancellation reception at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 9, planned with the help of librarians from Laramie County Library System, Laramie County School District 1, Laramie County Community College and the Veterans’ Administration.

Related events will take place in the afternoon.

Sheridan, Goshen, Platte and Sublette County Libraries are planning events in their locations for the same day.

The Library of Congress stamp, picturing the dome of the LC, will be unveiled in a First Day of Issue ceremony on April 24 in Washington, D.C. Librarians around the country were invited to plan their own second-day events to promote libraries in the news.

WSL has designed a special cover (printed envelope) for the second-day event, featuring Mabel Wilkinson, an early library organizer in Platte and Park counties.

For a Second Day of Issue, the U.S. Postal Service creates a unique cancellation stamp, which is destroyed after 30 days. Often, participating groups will design a cover, as WSL has done. The cover, commemorative postage stamp and cancellation are considered a collectible.

The covers are priced at $3 each, and some libraries are taking pre-orders.

More information is available from participating libraries, or from WSL’s Public Programs, Publications and Marketing Office at 800/264-1281, option 1, selection 6; Linn Rounds at 307/777-5915, lround@state.wy.us; or Susan Vittitow at 307/777-6338, svitti@state.wy.us.

Workshop to focus on strengthening libraries’ foundations

"Strengthening Your Library’s Foundation,-- a one-day workshop, will be presented by the Wyoming State Library (WSL) in Douglas on Friday, April 28, and in Riverton on Saturday, April 29.

Sponsored by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds, the workshop is for foundation members, library trustees, library friends and staff.

"This will be the first of several actions to strengthen library foundations," said Jerry Krois, WSL deputy librarian. "The May 1998 public library funding retreat identified strong foundations as important to stable funding, and we will attempt to help establish the framework for quality foundations."

The free workshop will show participants how to:

Workshop participants will also network with others from throughout the state and learn about their successes, find-raising efforts and business plans.

The three speakers for the workshop are: Missy Falcey, Clare Payne Symmons and Suzanne Walters Clarke.

Falcey has spent many years in the private and not-for-profit sectors. Following a career in corporate finance, she moved into the foundation world with her work focusing on private support for California public education.

She currently coordinates the Teton County Library Foundation and is providing leadership for its endowment effort.

Symmons worked in a broad spectrum of fields, including the arts, health care and social services.

Currently serving as the executive director of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, Symmons has managed growth of organizational assets from $2.6 million to $9.2 million. Endowments grew from $250,000 to $4.5 million.

For 10 years, Clarke served as the director of Marketing and Development for the Denver Public Library. Her assistance with marketing and customer service strategies led to a successful bond issue to build new facilities and renovate current libraries throughout the city. A separate private capital campaign continued to enhance the new facilities.

Clarke has served as a marketing director in private industry as well as the public sector. The workshop schedule will include: Track One, "Board Dynamics and Maintenance," presenter, Sue Walters Clarke; "Getting the Foundation Moving," presenter, Clarke; Track Two, "The Teton County Library Foundation: A Case Study," presenter, Missy Falcey; "Personal Solicitation Strategies and Nurturing the Giver," presenter, Clare Symmons; and "Bringing In the Bucks."

Lunch is provided, and the WSL may be able to offer mini-grants for travel expenses. For information about the workshop or mini-grants, interested people should contact Judy Yeo, WSL, 2301 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne, Wyo. 82002, 307/777-5914, 800/264-1281, option 1, selection 3 or jyeo@state.wy.us.

From 10 cents to county court,
librarians work to close the book on overdue materials

Final in a series of two

Have you heard the one about the pregnant mother of two who spent a day in jail because she failed to return her overdue library books?

You can stop waiting for the punch line because there isn’t one.

In Florida, a 24-year-old woman became the second library patron in one week to be jailed for overdue books. Her excuse: she moved and had never received any notices concerning overdue materials that included books and videos with a value of $127.86.

She was arrested by two detectives on charges of failing to appear in court on seven counts of failing to return overdue library materials.

Librarians in Wyoming have many different methods for collecting fines and materials ranging from using collection agencies and holding students’ grades to having someone picked up on a warrant; after all, keeping library books past their due date is larceny.

Twice last year, the Crook County Library had to resort to the county court system to help out with the problem.

Jill Mackey, director, said one person was picked up on a warrant and another person went to trial.

One case resulted in a larceny conviction and a fine of $300. The other case was dismissed when the materials were returned.

Of course, libraries take many steps to retrieve the overdue materials before things get out of hand.

Fines around the state for overdue books range from 5 to 10 cents a day and 25 to 50 cents a day for videos. Some libraries then mail patrons overdue notices or make phone calls. Libraries also send out letters from the head librarian, a certified letter from the library director, and then some counties turn the problem over to the county attorney.

The Campbell County Library gives its patrons a five-day grace period before charges begin, and "house calls" to retrieve the items are not uncommon at Weston County.

Patty Myers, director at the Platte County Library, said they call a patron twice "as a reminder" and then send one letter. Their final process, a "letter from the county attorney is nasty, but we get about a 98 percent return." At Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) and East High School (EHS) in Cheyenne, the librarians have a different type of leverage to get their overdue materials back. Dorothy Middleton, EHS librarian, said they withhold a student’s grades if everything is not returned by the end of the year. They also will call parents if there is a real problem with the student.

Marilyn Miller, library director at EWC, said the library staff blocks the students from getting a transcript or registering.

"It may take 10 years, but we do sometimes get things back," she said.

As for the pregnant mother in Florida who was arrested for her overdue items, she spent eight hours in jail waiting for friends and family to post her bond. Where the overdue materials are is still unknown; in fact, she doesn’t even remember checking anything out.

Big Horn Basin librarians
look to share common goals,
information with others in state

Librarians from the Big Horn Basin Library are sponsoring a conference to share common goals and information access from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, 2000, at Northwest College.

The conference is for all librarians -- school, public, college and special. Speakers for the conference include: