WLA 2012: Reading Through Changing Vision

Jean Kalscheur and Debby Meyer from Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Handicapped shared Reading Through Changing Vision on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. Their program shared helpful insights and hints about individuals struggling with changing vision. They also brought along various goggles for participants to wear so they could experience macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, legal blindness.

"Vision issues should not keep you from creating or keep you from information."

 Their PowerPoint is available on the WLA conference webpage.

Thanks for coming to WLA 2012!

What a fantastic conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin! Thank you to all our presenters, organizers, volunteers, and attendees!

If you were unable to attend the Annal Conference of the Wisconsin Library Association, they have a page of session handouts on their website. Our blog will also be posting session information during the month of November December.

The next big conference is the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries' conference the first three days of May at Grand Geneva Resort & Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Next year's WLA Annual Conference will be October 22-25, 2013 at the KI Convention Center and Hotel Sierra in Green Bay, Wisconsin. We hope to see you there!

WLA is Almost Here!

Wisconsin Library Association's Annual Conference is just around the corner! Members of OSRT and EMEIRT are excited to be traveling to La Crosse for a three days of workshops, events, meetings, and time together. We hope that you are making the trek. Visit WLA's website for more information about attending the conference.

Our round table meetings are scheduled for Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 8:45am. We hope to see you there!

WLA is Coming!

Later this month, the Wisconsin Library Association will be hosting their Annual Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The conference runs from Tuesday, October 23 to Friday, October 26. Outreach Services Round Table and the Ethnic Multicultural Information and Exchange Round Table will be hosting numerous sessions throughout the week. Visit WLA's Conference webpage to view all the available sessions. 

We will also be hosting business meetings for members and other interested individuals during WLA. Our business meetings will be on Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 8:45am. We hope to see you there!

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Deaf Awareness Week

Deaf Awareness Week runs from September 23-29, 2012. Wisconsin School for the Deaf is focusing on Deaf Organizations and "Places". Their Bilingual Specialists blog offers a post entitled Deaf and Hard of Hearing Organizations. The link will ask take you to a warning page. If you click through you will be able to see the post. (They know about the warning page and are working to upgrade their certification.)

Is your library hosting any special event for Deaf Awareness Week this year? If so, let us know!

Any Interest in Aztecs?

AZTEC STORIES is coming to the greater CHICAGO AREAS – OCT. 7th – Oct. 13th 2012!

Aztec Stories is a cultural, educational, musically interactive presentation for all ages!  Through the mediums of music, oral tradition stories, poetry and narratives, Michael brings the ancient world of the Mexica/Aztec people alive and makes learning about this great culture fun and engaging!

Michael, and his supporting musician Sandy, bring over 30 hand-made indigenous instruments to demonstrate and share with audience members.  Instruments such as; Huehuetl drums, Teponaztli drums, Mayan Bubalek gourd water drums, numerous clay (Tlapitzalli) flutes, gourd rattles, Atecocolli sea shell trumpets, turtle shell drums, and more. Audience members will have the opportunity to play many of these instruments while learning about their significance.

During this tour I will be sharing information relative to the season. Since this is also during the harvest season I will share information on native foods (the Seven Warrior Foods) as well as referencing native knowledge regarding the topic of Micailhuitl – Dia de Los Muertos / Day of the Dead.

Q & A is always welcome at our presentations and encouraged.

It is our goal is to reintroduce this beautiful culture in a manner that makes those connected to this indigenous culture proud of their heritage and for those that are not connected (genetically) to come away with a greater appreciation and understanding of the great Mexica/Aztec culture. Embracing differences allows you to see the similarities – we are one!

Please visit the Aztec Stories web site for more information at: www.aztecstories.com

Stay in the Loop @ the Library



http://foxvalleyhearingloop.com/MapMarkers.aspx

Outagamie Waupaca Library System is sponsoring a continuing education opportunity about hearing loops on Wednesday, September 5, 5:30-6:30 pm at Appleton Public Library.

Dr. Juliette Sterkens, an audiologist from Fox Valley Hearing Loop LLC, will speak about the benefits of loops to improve services to patrons with hearing aids or cochlear implants. This event is open to the public and no registration is required. (Directors can earn 1 contact hour for recertification.) For additional information or questions about this program please contact Bradley from OWLS.

Outreach Service Award Nominations

The 2012 WLA Annual Conference in LaCrosse is less than 2 months away!  There is still time to nominate someone you know who has done exceptional outreach at his/her library. The award may be for a specific project or projects or for outstanding lifetime achievement in outreach services.

Download and fill out the nomination form from the OSRT website. Completed forms must be emailed to the current board chair by September 17, 2012.

The winner will be announced at WLA's Annual Conference in October and receive a monetary award of $250. The Outreach Services Award was formerly known as the Frances de Usabel Award. Thank you for your nominations!

Book Donation Spreads Joy in 4 Countries

The recent donation of 500+ books by Hector Marino was a bigger gift than even he could have imagined.  The books were first brought to René Bue, Bilingual Outreach Coordinator at Hedberg Public Library in Janesville Wisconsin by Armando Trejo, then president of the REFORMA Midwest Chapter.  With René’s connections to international libraries, the books were about to take a journey to 3 different countries, where they would bring smiles to many children.

The first group to receive some of the books was the Friends of Emiliano Zapata in Emiliano Zapata, Chiapas, Mexico.  As noted on their Face Book page, the “Friends of Emiliano Zapata began with 14 people from the United States traveling to Chiapas, Mexico after Christmas 2010, to learn about the long-time work of our United Church of Christ among the Maya people of Chiapas, Mexico's poorest state. In 2012 we will return to complete a comprehensive assessment of health, nutrition, and resources, in order to start a process to promote sustainable wellness for the beautiful people of this rural community of Emiliano Zapata.”  According to member, Shirley DiFrancesco, “A small group just returned from a trip down there and the books were greatly appreciated.”

The Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas (W/NP) Lending Library program in Nicaragua also received a box of books.  These books will be sent to Nicaragua via cargo ship in the near future to use in some of the more than 17 lending libraries. 

From the W/NP website (http://www.wisnic.org/): “According to the World Bank, Nicaragua is listed among the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Education efforts have improved over the years, yet at the present time, there are still approximately 300,000 children outside the educational system. The ability to read, write and understand printed material is a fundamental skill necessary for academic success, most employment and daily life in general. Access to quality reading material is nearly non-existent for many children.  The Lending Library project meets the acute need for accessible quality reading materials in rural and urban communities. The primary goal is to offer reading opportunities for children and adults in selected communities of Nicaragua. Being able to check out books and take them home encourage leisure reading and parental involvement in various reading environments (home, school and library.)”

The next program to receive books was Weave Hope Inc. in Santa Catarina Palopó in Guatemala.  Weave Hope’s founder, Erin Conway, came to Hedberg Public Library to pick up 2 boxes of boxes of books when she was home for a week in July.

According to the Weave Hope Face Book page (https://www.facebook.com/WeaveHopeInc/info), “Weave Hope Inc. is a non-profit founded to directly support literacy promotion in the community library Ru K'ux Na'oj in Santa Catarina Palopo, Guatemala.  Weave. Hope. Inc.'s mission is to promote a local and sustainable economic and educational circle in order to enhance the opportunities for academic advancement in the student and youth population for the Mayan village of Santa Catarina Palopó, Guatemala by providing support of traditional artisan crafts and the circulation of informational resources and learning support programs in a local library/community center that aids all levels of educational and community development.”

Weave. Hope. Inc. fills two specific needs in the village. It seeks to adapt and provide a market for these artisan creations as a means to increase a market for the women involved and provide an economic boost to the community as well as reinvesting the profit made on the sales into the support of the community library project. As a result, reinvesting in the village through educational resources and programs.

Since 2010 activities have centered on promotion of the library resources through reading contests, professional development provided by non profit literacy organizations working in Guatemala, principally Child Aid, workshops focusing on literacy instruction for teachers in the local primary school and community outreach. Weave. Hope. Inc. also officially formed in 2010, seeking primarily to solicit funds for a full time librarian, a larger space and the necessary furniture, tables, chairs, and bookshelves to house the growing student use.       

          

Ms. Bue was also able to keep some of the books to add to the Children’s Spanish collection at Hedberg Public Library and some to use as give-aways at their annual Día de los niños program in April.  This was a very generous gift that will change a lot of lives for children in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico and locally in Janesville, Wisconsin.  ¡Muchísimas gracias Señor Marino!

Written by:

René Bue

Bilingual Outreach Coordinator

Hedberg Public Library

hedbergpubliclibrary.org

Swipe Out Hunger Conference

This September connect with people, just like you, who are committed to a hunger-free Wisconsin!

 

Mark your calendars for Friday, September 14, 2012! The Swipe Out Hunger Conference will be held at Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Stevens Point. The opening session begins at 8:30am. Registration and additional information is available here.

 

 

 

 

National Diversity Council Webinars

The National Diversity Council is offering a webinar titled: Leading Transformation in Diversity and Inclusion – A Compelling Case with LaFern K. Batie, MBA, SPHR, on August 14th from 11-12p CST.  The webinar is designed to help you:

• Specify diversity and inclusion’s value to your organization;
• Assess your organization’s diversity and inclusion brand strength;
• Identify key relationships to support transformation and growth; and
• Create a road map for diversity and inclusion effectiveness priorities.

  

The 2nd National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color 2012

The second annual JCLC conference is taking place September 19th-23rd in Kansas City, Missouri.  Early bird registration ends today, so take advantage!  Advanced registration is open until August 8th.  The conference is sponsored by the American Indian Library Association, Asian/Pacific Librarians Association, Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Chinese American Library Association, and National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.   Speakers include, writers Sonia Manzano & Jamal Joseph.  Author luncheons include Lauren Myracle, Sharon Flake, Da Chen & David Treuer.

OSRT Elections

The Outreach Services Roundtable is seeking individuals who are interested in becoming the next Vice-Chair!

OSRT promotes awareness of outreach services to professional librarians by booking speakers for library conferences, updating the OSRT & EMIERT blog, and awarding the Frances de Usable Award annually presented to a librarian who has demonstrated excellent outreach services in their community.

If you are interested in running for the Vice-Chair of OSRT, please submit your name to our current Chair, Rene Bue or Vice-Chair, Cassie Payne.

EMIERT Elections

We are currently looking for individuals to fulfill the roles of Vice-Chair & Secretary.  Participating in EMIERT is a great opportunity to network with other librarians in WLA and learn about the interesting things other libraries are doing with regard to diverse populations.

As Vice-Chair, your role is to assist the Chair, succeed the Chair in office, and make arrangements for the following years annual meeting and programs.  The Secretary records & distributes minutes of the proceedings of the roundtable, notifies members of meetings, and maintains the roundtable membership list. 

EMIERT is a very new roundtable, so it is important to prove it’s sustainability by ensuring officers for the new year.  If you are interested in submitting your name for one of the positions, please email me at athiem-menning@apl.org. 

WeLead in WLA

Applications for the 2013-2014 WeLead class are now available on the WLA website! Librarians interested in becoming a protégé or a mentor are welcome to apply. WeLead pairs veteran librarians/WLA members and emerging librarians together to foster new library leaders. Chosen protégés will receive a WLA membership as well as

• stipends to attend the WLA annual conference for two years
• a stipend to attend one section conference during the two-year initiative
• a stipend to attend the Leadership conference
• an appointment to a WLA committee
• special leadership programming opportunities
• and the ability to network with their mentor

The application deadline is July 31, 2012. For additional information, please contact members of the WeLead Task Force or Lisa Strand at the WLA Office.

ABOS Annual Awards

The Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services, http://www.abos-outreach.org/, an affiliate of the American Library Association, offers annual awards that recognize outstanding service, support for conference attendance, and the education of a student currently enrolled in a Library Science degree program.
This year’s ABOS annual conference will take place in Richmond, Virginia from October 10 – 12.  Please share the following with your staff and encourage them to share this information.

John Philip Award - $300 The ABOS John Philip Award is given to recognize outstanding contributions and prominent leadership by an individual in Bookmobile and Outreach Services.
John Philip, known to all as "Mr. Bookmobile”, spent his long and honorable career as an advocate of Bookmobile and Outreach Services. He is the "Father" of the National Bookmobile Conference which started in 1986 and has now evolved into the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services. Through his strong leadership and high profile advocacy, Bookmobiles have been recognized as a viable library outreach service.
This award honors his dedication and tireless work and serves as a pinnacle for all Bookmobile and Outreach staff to aspire to reach.

Carol Combs Hole Travel Grant - Three (3) $500 travel grants Carol Combs Hole provided exemplary leadership on behalf of libraries, bookmobile and outreach services throughout her 32 year career as a professional public librarian. She retired from distinguished service to the Alachua County Library District on March 1, 2006 and died on October 1, 2007.
The three (3) $500 travel grants include free conference registration and a stipend for travel expenses and/or accommodations for the conference. The winners automatically will be registered for the conference. Carol Hole Award winners will be notified by August 7, 2012.

Bernard Vavrek Scholarship - $1,000 In order to contribute to the education and training of library staff working in the area of bookmobile and outreach services, ABOS has created the Bernard Vavrek Scholarship. It is awarded annually to a student who has been accepted into or is currently enrolled in a Library and/or Information Science graduate degree program, and who is interested in this particular field within the library profession. A check will be sent directly to the ALA accredited library school where the applicant is currently enrolled to be applied to the next term of study.  

Dr. Bernard Vavrek, Professor of Library Science and Chair of the Library Science Department at Clarion University, retired after teaching at Clarion from 1971-2008. He co-founded with John Philip the "Great American Bookmobile Conference", running it for many years until ABOS was formed and took over management of the conference.  This scholarship honors Dr. Vavrek's profound commitment to librarianship.

Check out the Awards on the ABOS website at http://www.abos-outreach.org/ABOSawards.html.
Application deadline for all awards is August 1, 2012.

Hungry to Read or Just Plain Hungry?

Gina Wilson and Laura Wichert from Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin presented Hungry to Read or Just Plain Hungry? at WAPL's 2012 Spring Conference in Stevens Point. Gina and Laura shared information about FoodShare's myths, facts, and statistics. Most importantly, FoodShare is helping individuals and families through tough times.

FoodShare is not welfare and you're not helping anyone else when you don't apply for benefits. You can see if you are eligible for FoodShare (and other programs) by visiting https://access.wisconsin.gov/. If Internet access isn't available, you can make a free call to the FoodShare helpline at 1-877-366-3635.

Libraries can help share the word about the FoodShare program by knowing the various benefits of the program, conversing with a patron about FoodShare, distributing FoodShare information, or including an article in the library newsletter. The goal of FoodShare is to help stop hunger and to improve nutrition and health.

Taking Your SLP on the Road

If you missed the session Taking Your Summer Library Program on the Road at WAPL, click on the link below to see what you missed! 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/pub?id=1QNv1MoBffXPmEDx-tu2aFI_GcDtqFA9MrwbzaLafuRk&start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Welcome to OSRT & EMIERT

OSRT, Outreach Services Round Table, is an organization within the Wisconsin Library Assocation, Inc. (WLA) which promotes the exchange of ideas connected with providing library services beyond the library building.

EMIERT, Ethnic Multicultural Information and Exchange Round Table, is also an organization within WLA. EMIERT provides support for library professionals who work closely with ethnic & multicultural groups and those who are interested in supporting diversity in Wisconsin libraries.

Both round tables are open to all WLA members. OSRT and EMIERT are especially useful to anyone who provides services to special populations or works with outreach service programs. The goal of the OSRT & EMIERT blog is to share programing ideas, presentations, meeting minutes and more! If you would like to contribute to the blog, please email us at OSRT.EMIERT@gmail.com. We can't wait to hear from you about what you're doing to reach out to your community!