We look forward to seeing you at Tech Day.
Month: August 2023
Weekly Wrap-U.P.! August 18, 2023
System Spotlight
By Christopher Dressler
Tech Day+ August 25th, 2023
Tech Day+ is almost here. T-shirt orders are closed but there is still time to register to attend. If you are interested, please RSVP here.
Southwest Kansas Regional Friends Day
Join Hamilton County Library Director Amy Brucker for the Southwest Kansas Regional Friends Day on Friday, 09/15!
Future Dates & Training Opportunities
August 16, 2023 1:00 pm – Niche Academy “Fighting for the First”, Registration Link
August 22, 2023, 1:00 pm – PLA & ACRL Webinar “Project Outcome 101”, Registration Link
August 25, 2023 9:30 am – TechDay+
September 8, 2023, 10:00 am – RNR & Budget Hearing, Full Board Meeting, Registration Link
September 11, 2023, 10:00 am – Solar Eclipse Activities Workshop, Registration Link
Sept 20 – 23, 2023 – ARSL Conference/Wichita, Hotel Booking/Conference Registration
Nov 1 – 3, 2023 – KLA Conference/Wichita
Consulting
By Richard Brookman
Image provided by pixabay.com contributor Kyra_Starr (A.I. Generated)
CSLP Committee Looking for New Members
Do you enjoy the Summer Library Program? Creating all of the decorations and thinking up all of the programming and crafts that your community enjoys? If so you might want to consider joining the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Committee.
All CSLP committees, except “Artwork Committee” are looking for members. Terms for committees are for generally one calendar year. The committee work meets through a virtual room, email, and/or phone. CSLP does have an Annual Meeting, but volunteers for the committees do not have to attend.
If you are interest visit the CSLP site through this link for more information and the application form can be reached through this link.
The application period is now open and runs through October 3, 2023.
Movie Programming Ideas for the Month of September
Here are some ideas that Swank has sent out that libraries can consider doing for the month of September:
September 1 – American Chess Day/Queen of Katwe;
September 7 – Clean Air Day/An Inconvenient Truth;
September 9 – Emergency Service Day/Ambulance;
September 18 – Cartoon Day/Bad Guys; and
September 21 – Day of Peace/Gandhi.
All of these movies are available through the System’s Movie License. Remember you can also use Swanks site to build promotion material for your event as well.
Cataloging, Collection Development, and ILL
By Sara Wilson
Collection Development Inspiration
Adult Fiction
Children’s & YA Fiction
In Literary News
Robots Being Used in Book Ban Efforts
Like something out of a sci-fi novel, robots are now being used to help Iowa educators comply with new state law, requiring them to eliminate books containing certain subjects from their library catalogs. ChatGPT, which does not have a spotless reputation when it comes to information accuracy, is being charged with analyzing literature that educators argue they don’t have the time to sift through. Click here for more information.
Recent Book Challenge Issues Making the News
Libraries are feeling the impact of book challenges across the country. Here are some recent news reports involving censorship, book challenges, and bans across the United States. (Special thanks to Sara Koehn, Director of Haskell Township Public Library and Sean Bird, Interim Dean of University Libraries at Washburn University for their contributions to this list!)
Georgia School Board Fires Teacher for Reading a Book to Students About Gender Identity
‘Knowledge is Power’ : New App Helps US Teens Read Books Banned in School
The National Debate Over Books Has Come to West Texas. And Librarians Are Stuck in the Middle
Washington Library Could Close Over LGBTQ+ Books
First Amendment Coalition: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/news-opinion/first-amendment-news/
Empowered by Reading (Unitedagainstbookbans): https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Empowered-by-Reading-final.pdf
ATTENTION: DEI Taskforce Meeting Date Change!
The next meeting of the DEI Taskforce will be held on MONDAY, AUGUST 28th, at 3 PM. We will be preparing for the upcoming Train UP and giving feedback over that as well as discussing challenges, the upcoming ARSL conference, and any issues that have come up over the summer break. As a reminder, the DEI Taskforce is a group based on support, collaboration, and education and we discuss issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as book challenge issues, opportunities to make our collections more accessible, and ways to reach underserved populations in our area. Meetings are virtual and are open to all library staff and administration who would like to attend. We would love to see you there!
For ILLers
Statewide ILL Training
The State Library of Kansas and Auto-Graphics will be hosting a state-wide ILL training event coming up next month, on September 13th and 14th. The first training will be in Great Bend, at Central Kansas Library System and the second will be in Emporia, at Emporia Public Library.
If you are interested in attending and would like to sign up for the training, the State Library would like for you to fill out this sign up sheet and include the kinds of topics you would like to hear about at the training. (If you don’t know, or can’t think of any, you can always just type “No” or “N/A.”
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Nikki Hansen at nicole.hansen@ks.gov or (800) 432-3919.
Resource Sharing Taskforce Meeting Coming Up
The next meeting of the Resource Sharing Taskforce will be held on Thursday, August 31st, at 10 AM. We will be talking about the upcoming statewide training and your needs/ideas for topics as well as FAQs and what’s going on in your little corner of ILL. This meeting is open to all ILL personnel as well as all directors. If you would like to join the meeting, please mark your calendar. I will send out a reminder as well as a Zoom link as the time gets closer. Hope to see you there!
Need Barcodes?
I’m getting ready to place another order for barcodes. If your library would like to order some, please contact me no later than 08/22. If you order barcodes through SWKLS, we will have them shipped to us and we’ll send them to you on the courier, along with the amount your library owes.
The information I would need from you would be:
1. The barcode number that you would like this batch to start with.
2. How many barcodes you would like. I can order in batches of 1,000.
3. Whether you would like barcodesheets or barcoderolls. The difference in price is about $5, with the rolls being more expensive.
4. Your library name as it appears at the top of your barcodes.
5. A picture of 3-4 of your barcodes in order.
If you have any questions or would like more details, please get in touch with me directly! Thanks!
Technology
by Christopher Dressler
Life in Techville
In the vibrant town of Techville, software engineer Alex was renowned for their innovative creations. One day, a malicious virus struck, causing chaos. Alex developed a powerful antivirus but faced resistance in convincing townspeople about updates. They organized a meeting, explaining updates as digital home fortifications.
As townsfolk realized the gravity, they embraced updates. With united efforts, computers were secured, and Techville recovered. This incident taught the community the importance of software updates in maintaining a safe digital environment, ensuring their collective digital wellbeing.
Always feel free to contact me for training requests, library cards, or technology issues at cdressler@swkls.org or (620)225-1231. – Christopher Dressler – 8/4/2023
Digital Signage Notice
Hey everyone,
Bernardo here to let everyone know that an app that we’ve been pushing for our member libraries to use for digital signage ‘Posterbooking’ has, without notice, eliminated their free tier. It came as a surprise to everyone in their community as they were still promoting their 10 free screens last month. Anyone still running the app will notice that any playlist still running on a screen will have this pop up at the end of the playlist before it loops again.
We have been vetting alternatives that would meet the requirements of allowing current devices, while maintaining a similar feature set and We’ve landed on a product called Yodeck. The main drawback in comparison to the 10 free screens that Posterbooking had is that Yodeck only has 1 free screen.
I will be creating documentation on how to get started with Yodeck in the following weeks as time permits, but if you’re looking to give a go yourself, you have our number if you hit any snags in your setup!
Weekly Wrap-U.P.! August 11, 2023
System Spotlight
By Christopher Dressler
Tech Day+ August 25th, 2023
Tech Day+ is almost here. T-shirt orders are closed but there is still time to register to attend. If you are interested, please RSVP here.
Future Dates & Training Opportunities
August 16, 2023 1:00 pm – Niche Academy “Fighting for the First”, Registration Link
August 22, 2023, 1:00 pm – PLA & ACRL Webinar “Project Outcome 101”, Registration Link
August 25, 2023 9:30 am – TechDay+
September 8, 2023, 10:00 am – RNR & Budget Hearing, Full Board Meeting, Registration Link
September 11, 2023, 10:00 am – Solar Eclipse Activities Workshop, Registration Link
Sept 20 – 23, 2023 – ARSL Conference/Wichita, Hotel Booking/Conference Registration
Nov 1 – 3, 2023 – KLA Conference/Wichita
Consulting
By Richard Brookman
Solar Eclipse Kit Workshop
The State Library of Kansas wants to make sure everyone knows about the upcoming Solar Eclipse Kit Workshop at the Manhattan Public Library. As you can see above it will be September 11, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Andy Schafer, Director of Statewide Services of the State Library, is working with SEAL to get a kit for each Library System. If the kits are obtained they would be available for checkout to our membership for programs.
This is an in-person event so you would need to travel to Manhattan for the workshop. If you are interested in attending you can register through this link. Registration is limited so only one staff member per library can register and once the capacity is reach you will not be able to register.
Image provided by Pixabay.com Contributor Peggy_Marco
Registration Open for RNR & Budget Hearing and System Board Meeting
September 8 will be the Southwest Kansas Library System’s RNR and Budget Hearing. After these two hearings we will have the System’s Board Meeting. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. This is a Hybrid Meeting so you can attend through Zoom or attend in-person. The hearings and meeting will be held in the Dodge City Public Library, in the downstairs meeting room.
Lunch will be a Quizno’s sandwich platter and will provided for the in-person attendees. If you have any dietary needs please contact Tandy.
After lunch, beginning at 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., we will have an in-person training session on Book Challenges: News, Updates, and Discussion points.
To attend in-person you can register through this link.
Project Outcome 101 Webinar
The Public Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries is providing a free webinar on August 22, 2023, at 1:00 pm CT entitled “Project Outcome 101”.
This webinar in to provide an introduction to the Project Outcome toolkit and learn how to measure meaningful outcomes. The webinar will provide participants knowledge on: “Discover how Project Outcome can help libraries measure meaningful learning outcomes; learn how to use the Project Outcome toolkit, from administering surveys to visualizing results; Understand how other libraries have used outcome data for action; and learn how to utilize data to improve library services and better advocate for the library.”
If you are interest in attending this webinar you can register through this link.
Cataloging, Collection Development, and ILL
By Sara Wilson
Congratulations to Kelli at Fowler Public Library on finishing Very Merry VERSO!
Kelli finished our Very Merry VERSO catalog clean-up project on August 10th and is now enjoying a customized catalog, organized to her specifications. If you would like to be like Kelli, contact our office at 620-225-1231 or email swilson@swkls.org and I will be happy to get you started! 🙂
Collection Development Inspiration
Adult Fiction
Children’s & YA Fiction
In Literary News
Robots Impersonating Established Authors
Author Jane Friedman recently discovered that someone has been posting books for sale on Amazon under her name, in her writing style – books that she’s never written! And she’s not alone. Other authors are having the same issue, with people contacting them excited about their newest book that they didn’t write. This poses problems not only for authors being impersonated, but for consumers who are unwittingly buying counterfeit books. How did this happen? Is Amazon going to do anything about it? Click here to find out.
Recent Book Challenge Issues Making the News
Libraries are feeling the impact of book challenges across the country. Here are some recent news reports involving censorship, book challenges, and bans across the United States. (Special thanks to Sara Koehn, Director of Haskell Township Public Library and Sean Bird, Interim Dean of University Libraries at Washburn University for their contributions to this list!)
A Georgia Teacher Wants to Overturn Her Firing for Reading a Book to Students About Gender Identity
Proposed Florida Rule Would Favor Only One Side in Book Challenges
‘Heartstopper’ Books Temporarily Removed from Mississippi Public Library
‘Criminal Liability for Librarians’: The Fight Against US Rightwing Book Bans
ALA OIF Blog 08.11.23: https://www.oif.ala.org/intellectual-freedom-news-08-11-2023/
First Amendment Coalition: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/news-opinion/first-amendment-news/
Empowered by Reading (Unitedagainstbookbans): https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Empowered-by-Reading-final.pdf
DEI Taskforce Meeting Coming Up!
The next meeting of the DEI Taskforce will be held on Thursday, August 24th, at 3 PM. We will be preparing for the upcoming Train UP and giving feedback over that as well as discussing challenges, the upcoming ARSL conference, and any issues that have come up over the summer break. As a reminder, the DEI Taskforce is a group based on support, collaboration, and education and we discuss issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as book challenge issues, opportunities to make our collections more accessible, and ways to reach underserved populations in our area. Meetings are virtual and are open to all library staff and administration who would like to attend. We would love to see you there!
For All VERSO Users
Versed in VERSO Recording Now Available
From VERSO Product Manager Rae Schneider:
The August Versed in VERSO recording and slides have been posted on the support page and customer portal.
Here are the questions/topics we covered:
- The New Reports Module
- Improvements to Search Alerts
- How to set up a carousel for a new material type?
- Is there a way to prevent patrons from changing their PIN, email, and address when they login online?
- How are patron reserves deleted if the item is no longer needed?
To access the recording and slides, go to Support à VERSO. Then scroll down to the Versed in VERSO section.
For ILLers
Statewide ILL Training
The State Library of Kansas and Auto-Graphics will be hosting a state-wide ILL training event coming up next month, on September 13th and 14th. The first training will be in Great Bend, at Central Kansas Library System and the second will be in Emporia, at Emporia Public Library.
If you are interested in attending and would like to sign up for the training, the State Library would like for you to fill out this sign up sheet and include the kinds of topics you would like to hear about at the training. (If you don’t know, or can’t think of any, you can always just type “No” or “N/A.”
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Nikki Hansen at nicole.hansen@ks.gov or (800) 432-3919.
Resource Sharing Taskforce Meeting Coming Up
The next meeting of the Resource Sharing Taskforce will be held on Thursday, August 31st, at 10 AM. We will be talking about the upcoming statewide training and your needs/ideas for topics as well as FAQs and what’s going on in your little corner of ILL. This meeting is open to all ILL personnel as well as all directors. If you would like to join the meeting, please mark your calendar. I will send out a reminder as well as a Zoom link as the time gets closer. Hope to see you there!
We Still Need Your Videos!
Thank you to everyone who has sent videos for our 1-minute video request for Tech Day! 🙂 We have 16 videos out of a desired 30 (and they are so fun, creative, and all-around awesome!) So, 14 to go! I’m extending the due date for this project to August 15th to give you a little more time so we can hopefully meet our goal! 😉
This is a friendly reminder that we need your help! We are hard at work preparing for the 15th annual Tech Day+ coming up this month. I am working on a special project and to make it GREAT, I need to ask you a small favor.
If possible, between now and August 15th, I would like you, directors, or any staff member from your library to record a single, 1-minute video (the time is very important; it needs to be a minute long) where you introduce one programming idea.
We just need a single idea for a library program. It doesn’t have to be fancy, Pinterest-quality, never-seen-this-before creative or even something you’ve attempted, yourself. We just need one programming idea. Whether that’s a program that you’ve done, one that you’ve been to, one that you’ve seen online or somewhere else, or even one that you’ve thought of but haven’t tried, yet. One idea in one minute.
I’m asking you early so that we can get as many videos as possible, with a goal of 30. Do you have more than one staff member who would like to do a video? Send it! What kind of video? One that you record on your phone is fine! 🙂 Also, no one has to appear in the video. Get creative with it! You can add music, you can do an all-text slideshow if you want – however you want to do it is up to you.
Thank you for considering it . . . I look forward to seeing what you come up with! 🙂 Please send all videos to my email address. I will send out reminders between now and 8/15!! Have fun & I can’t wait to hear all of your amazing ideas. 🙂
Technology
by Christopher Dressler
What is MFA?
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), also known as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), is a security mechanism that requires users to provide two or more different types of authentication factors to verify their identity before gaining access to a system or account. These factors fall into three categories:
- Something you know: This is typically a password or a PIN.
- Something you have: This can be a physical device like a smartphone, security token, or a smart card.
- Something you are: This refers to biometric traits like fingerprints, facial recognition, or retinal scans.
By combining these factors, MFA adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password, making it significantly harder for unauthorized individuals to access an account even if they manage to obtain the password. It’s an effective way to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access.
As we continue our journey through cyber security, and I want to talk about one of many resources I use. CISA.gov is a government funded agency that “to defend against today’s threats and collaborate to build a more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future.” “CISA is the operational lead for federal cybersecurity and the national coordinator for critical infrastructure security and resilience. We are designed for collaboration and partnership. Learn about our layered mission to reduce risk to the nation’s cyber and physical infrastructure.” You can read more about MFA by clicking here. Please call the office if there is a topic that piques your interest that you would like to know more about. I bet many of us would benefit from your suggestions.
Always feel free to contact me for training requests, library cards, or technology issues at cdressler@swkls.org or (620)225-1231. – Christopher Dressler – 8/4/2023
Weekly Wrap-U.P.! August 4, 2023
System Spotlight
By Christopher Dressler
HOT?
Ashland patrons finding ways to enjoy the heat.
Tech Day+ August 25th, 2023
Tech Day+ is almost here. T-shirt orders are closed but there is still time to register to attend. If you are interested, please RSVP here.
Future Dates & Training Opportunities
August 16, 2023 1:00 pm – Niche Academy “Fighting for the First”, Registration Link
August 25, 2023 9:30 am – TechDay+
September 8, 2023, 10:00 am – RNR & Budget Hearing, Full Board Meeting,
Sept 20 – 23, 2023 – ARSL Conference/Wichita, Hotel Booking/Conference Registration
Nov 1 – 3, 2023 – KLA Conference/Wichita
Consulting
By Richard Brookman
Costumes through the System
Don’t forget that you can checkout a variety of costumes through the System Office. Visit this link to see what is available. However, there are two that are not up on the site yet, Cat in the Hat and a Red Book costume. The other costumes are Hello Kitty, Cat Costume (looks like SkippyJon Jones), Minion, Beast, Grinch, Santa, and Sponge Bob. The library can use them for programs, parades, and fairs. The person wearing the costume just has to be willing to have fun!
Contact Tandy at tritchhart@swkls.org or Richard at rbrookman@swkls.org. Please include in your email the date you would like to use the costume and the specific character you would like to borrow.
“Fighting for the First” Webinar
Wednesday, August 16, at 1:00 pm CT Niche Academy is having a free webinar entitled “Fighting for the First”. The presenter for this session is John Chrastka, Founder and Executive Director of EveryLibrary, a national political action committee for libraries.
“Censorship and book bans are a singular challenge facing public libraries. Attempts to ban or censor materials come in many shapes and from several different directions. When they originate with concerned parents or community members, it is important to engage in difficult conversations. But when they become politicized or performative, it is necessary to understand that an agenda may drive them. Knowing the differences – and being properly equipped with digital tools, skills, and policy frameworks – is key.”
If you are interested in attending this webinar you can register through this link.
Image provided by pixabay.com contributor JillWellington
More Continuing Education You can Share
As librarians we try to keep up with issues related to the library world. Don’t forget that the State Library has avenues to obtain continuing education. One way is through the portal to WebJunction that each staff member can sign up for a free account. Once your account is established you can start viewing CE sessions. They have an archived link to past webinars and a calendar of events link for upcoming webinars.
Be sure to check the links out and see if there is anything that interests you. Some upcoming sessions are: Climate Action Planning Pt 1; Libraries helping Refugees and Immigrants learn the US Financial System; Building Community Relationships for better Library Services; and others.
If you attend a webinar or watch an archived webinar remember to send me an email of the webinar’s title and time of session (most are 1 hour in length). This way I can get it recorded in your personal CE file and I can add it to your library’s Accreditation Count for yearly CE hours.
Cataloging, Collection Development, and ILL
By Sara Wilson
Collection Development Inspiration
Adult Fiction
Children’s & YA Fiction
In Literary News
Dolly Parton & Her Imagination Library Come to Kansas
Have you heard? Dolly’s coming to Kansas! Iconic country music star and actress Dolly Parton will be in our great state of Kansas on August 14th to celebrate the success of the expansion of her Imagination Library program in Kansas. The Imagination Library is a program that offers free books to children ages 0-5. To read more about Dolly’s visit and about the Imagination Library program, click here.
Recent Book Challenge Issues Making the News
Libraries are feeling the impact of book challenges across the country. Here are some recent news reports involving censorship, book challenges, and bans across the United States. (Special thanks to Sara Koehn, Director of Haskell Township Public Library and Sean Bird, Interim Dean of University Libraries at Washburn University for their contributions to this list!)
Book Banners, 1st Amendment Advocates Clash at Meeting
Urbandale [IA] Pauses Removing Banned Books Referencing Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation
An Arkansas Judge Has Blocked a Law Targeting Librarians Over ‘Harmful’ Books
Beaufort County [SC] Schools Ban Fourth Book in Book Review Process
ALA OIF Blog 07.21.23: https://www.oif.ala.org/intellectual-freedom-news-07-21-2023/
First Amendment Coalition: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/news-opinion/first-amendment-news/
Empowered by Reading (Unitedagainstbookbans): https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Empowered-by-Reading-final.pdf
For All VERSO Users
Register For Versed in VERSO Coming Up 08/08
From VERSO Product Manager Rae Schneider:
Dear VERSO Users,
The next Versed in VERSO will take place on August 8, 2023, at 11:00 AM Eastern / 8:00 AM Pacific.
Please register via this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3281654514090628190
If you have a question or topic you’d like covered, submit it via this form: https://forms.office.com/r/C8amFqJRiq
As we get closer to the date, we will send out a tentative agenda of topics we will cover.
We Still Need Your Videos!
Thank you to everyone who has sent videos for our 1-minute video request for Tech Day! 🙂 We have 7 videos out of a desired 30 (and they are so fun, creative, and all-around awesome!) So, 23 to go! I’m extending the due date for this project to August 15th to give you a little more time so we can hopefully meet our goal! 😉
This is a friendly reminder that we need your help! We are hard at work preparing for the 15th annual Tech Day+ coming up this month. I am working on a special project and to make it GREAT, I need to ask you a small favor.
If possible, between now and August 15th, I would like you, directors, or any staff member from your library to record a single, 1-minute video (the time is very important; it needs to be a minute long) where you introduce one programming idea.
We just need a single idea for a library program. It doesn’t have to be fancy, Pinterest-quality, never-seen-this-before creative or even something you’ve attempted, yourself. We just need one programming idea. Whether that’s a program that you’ve done, one that you’ve been to, one that you’ve seen online or somewhere else, or even one that you’ve thought of but haven’t tried, yet. One idea in one minute.
I’m asking you early so that we can get as many videos as possible, with a goal of 30. Do you have more than one staff member who would like to do a video? Send it! What kind of video? One that you record on your phone is fine! 🙂 Also, no one has to appear in the video. Get creative with it! You can add music, you can do an all-text slideshow if you want – however you want to do it is up to you.
Thank you for considering it . . . I look forward to seeing what you come up with! 🙂 Please send all videos to my email address. I will send out reminders between now and 8/15!! Have fun & I can’t wait to hear all of your amazing ideas. 🙂
Technology
by Christopher Dressler
Password Managers!
Always feel free to contact me for training requests, library cards, or technology issues at cdressler@swkls.org or (620)225-1231. – Christopher Dressler – 8/4/2023