System Spotlight
By Staff
Bow-WOW What a Great Program!
This is SWKLS Consultant/Program Coodinator Sara Wilson’s family enjoying the Paws to Read program at Dodge City Public Library! The library partnered with a local animal rescue to promote literacy and pet adoption by inviting patrons to come in and read stories to dogs. Sara can personally verify that it was a fun program for dog lovers of all ages! Doggone terrific, DCPL! 🙂
Future Dates & Training Opportunities
Jan 9, 2024 – 2:00 pm CT, Twosday Takeaway: Netizen 101 – Teaching Patrons Internet Safety/Registration Link
Jan 12, 2024 – 10 am – 3 PM CT, State Reports Workday at Grant County Library in Ulysses/Registration Link
Jan 16, 2024 – 10 am – 3 pm CT, State Reports Workday at Meade Public Library in Meade/Registration Link
Jan 19, 2024 – 10:00 am – Full SWKLS Library Board Meeting (Online Only)/Registration Link
Jan 23, 2024 – 10 am – 3 pm CT, State Reports Workday at Protection Township Library in Protection/Registration Link
Jan 29, 2024 – 10 am – 3 pm CT, State Reports Workday at SWKLS Office in Dodge City/Registration Link
Jan 31, 2024 – 10 am – 3 pm CT, State Reports Workday at Scott County Library in Scott City/Registration Link
February 5, 2024 – State Reports DUE
February 23, 2024 – 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, Summer Reading Workshop Featuring Will Stuck/Registration TBD
Consulting
By Sara Wilson
You won’t want to miss this month’s Twosday Takeaway with SWKLS Technology Supervisor Steve Andrews! Register here!
KLA PLS Grants for Attending APPLE
If you have been invited to attend APPLE 2024, please make note of the following from PLS President April Hernandez:
This year the Public Library Section of KLA has two $500 grants available to fund library director participation in APPLE 2024. The application is now open and applications will be accepted through February 9, 2024. These grants are available to library directors who have no other funding options for the program.
The application can be accessed at: https://forms.gle/RZtvpgNN7c6JyE3A6
More information: APPLE (APplied Public Library Education) is a year-long training program exclusively for public library directors in Kansas. Managing a library has no counterpart in other types of work and day-to-day library operations are not the focus of library science schools. The APPLE program covers the vast array of topics required to operate a Kansas public library and connects the cohort of new directors with resources: fellow directors, regional system staff and experts from around the state.
If you have any questions you can email plsofkla@gmail.com.
Don’t forget to check out the PLS website to access wonderful resources http://www.plsofkla.org/. If you have resources you would like to share or think we should add, please let us know.
January 2024 SWKLS Library Board Meeting – Richard Brookman
January 19, 2024, is the first SWKLS Library Board Meeting of the New Year. This meeting is an on-line meeting only. We will begin at 10:00 am CT. Please register for attending the board meeting at this link. This will allow the office to monitor quorum needs. The Zoom Link will be sent out when the office sends out the board packet.
Image provided by pixabay.com contributor Pexels
New 2024 IRS Mileage Rate – Richard Brookman
The IRS has distributed it latest memorandum for the 2024 mileage rate. In IR-2023-239 document, the Internal Revenue Service has stated that the standard business rate for mileage will be .67 cents.
To view the complete document you can do so through this link.
Image provided by pixabay.com contributor ranagy
Kansas Library Legislative Day – Richard Brookman
The Kansas Library Association’s Governmental Affairs Committee announced during the last committee meeting that the Kansas Library Legislative Day will be held on January 31, 2024. There are four main talking points that KLA would like to concentrate on for this year.
Here are the talking points –
1 Support the Kansas State Librarian’s proposed budget by:
Increasing funding for the State Grants-In-Aid to Libraries Act including a #3,000 base grant and an increase in per capita allocation for each eligible public library.
Providing more support to the statewide library courier which shipped 859,709 items between 356 libraries last year at a rate of 1/4 the cost of using the postal system.
Continuing funding for the Blind Information Access Program, which provides news and information resources to blind and print disabled Kansans.
Maintaining funding for the statewide databases and eBooks available to every Kansan.
2 Support legislative efforts to expand broadband access in Kansas:
In 2021 Kansas libraries provided internet access in more than 320 communities through public wifi access and over 1 million public computer sessions.
3 Support Kansans freedom and the 1st Amendment by:
Rejecting legislation intended to censor library materials.
Affirming Kansans right to privacy and ability to access information without judgement at their library.
4 Support local control in Kansas by:
Dismissing any one size fits all legislation that imposes restrictions on libraries ability to serve their unique communities.
Cataloging, Collection Development, and ILL
By Sara Wilson
Collection Development Inspiration
Adult Fiction
Children’s & YA Fiction
For ILLers: Sharing About SHAREit
From SHAREit Product Manger Deborah Hensler:
The next Sharing about SHAREit Q&A is scheduled for Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 11am PT / 12pm MT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET.
Please let your libraries know that registration is open at: https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/4322155354930999040
Additional Sharing about SHAREit webinars are scheduled for:
- Wednesday, February 21, 2024
- Wednesday, March 20, 2024
The link to register for each session will be sent about a month in advance.
Also, the December User Group meeting information is posted on the UG page: https://www.auto-graphics.com/shareit-user-group/ (case-sensitive pw: SHAREitRocks). The 2024 quarterly meeting schedule is also posted.
Don’t Forget to Get Your Downloadable ILL Tracker
Making an ILL tracker can be time-consuming! Have no fear, SWKLS has done the work for you. To download a tracker for all your ILL statistics-keeping needs, click here and enjoy. The tracker includes all information you are required to keep for documentation, plus it’s fully customizable, so if your library has additional metrics you’d like to track, you can add those to the sheet as well. It’s sure to make your end-of-year statistical reporting a little easier.
For All VERSO Users: January Versed in VERSO Coming Up
From VERSO Product Manager Rae Schneider:
Happy New Year!
Versed in VERSO is next Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 11:00AM Eastern / 8:00 AM Pacific.
We had to postpone last month’s Quarterly Product Update, and it will take place during the upcoming Versed in VERSO.
The first 15 minutes of the session will be the product update followed by the regular Q&A session.
If you have a question, please ask it here: https://forms.office.com/r/PiyFwiL73M
To register for the next Versed in VERSO, please do so here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4540939478066474333
Technology
by Christopher Dressler
SWKLS Website Updates
Our new website is now live. Please take a moment to visit and reorientate yourself. The menu has changed a bit.
If you have any questions or comments. Please feel free to email cdressler@swkls.org or give us a call at the office.
