DLS Service Survey Results

Hundreds of DLS members have answered the question - What DLS services are most important to you? 

Online surveys were issued by DLS in December requesting members to rank DLS services. The ranking of DLS services by members will be used in determining how to implement the 16.5% cut in the DLS area & per capita grant.

Survey responses from more than 300 persons working in DLS member libraries are available here.

Survey responses from more than 100 library directors/official DLS contacts are available here.

"With more than 400 DLS members taking the survey, we now have a clear understanding of which DLS services are most important to the success of libraries," said Tom Sloan, Executive Director. "The DLS Board of Directors and I will be using the survey findings to develop a plan for services and staffing that is based on a balanced budget."

In the News

DLS libraries are in the news:

Julie Blackwell, Carol Stream Public Library's Assistant Director is quoted in this article from the Carol Stream Press on the Macy's Museum Adventure Pass Program.

The Naperville Sun featured this article on how the library is serving the teen population. 

Denise Cote, a College of DuPage Assistant Professor and Reference Librarian is consulted for a book on "Hybrid Learning." More in this TribLocal post.

Take the DLS Survey!

DLS needs your response to our service survey, which should take only a few minutes to complete. We are asking DLS members to rank in order of importance the DLS services that are funded by the Area and Per Capita Grant for Illinois Library Systems. The ranking will be used to determine how to implement a 16.5% cut in grant funds. 

The survey has been released to two groups of members. The first group is library directors/DLS official contacts. The second group is any person working at or affiliated with a DLS member library. Survey findings will be compiled and reported for each group.

You may wish to review and prioritize this list and description of DLS services prior to taking the survey.

The survey for library directors/DLS official contacts is available at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LHXCH3V

The survey for persons working at or affiliated with a DLS member library is available at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/V26FL6P

Please feel free to forward this to other persons working in or affiliated with your library so that DLS receives the largest possible number of survey responses.

Deadline: 5 p.m. December 18, 2009

Registration Now Open for DuKane School Library Institute Day

Registration is now open for the 2010 DuKane School Library Institute Day, February 26, 2010.  Joyce Valenza from Erdenheim, Pennsylvania will take us on a musical exploration to the Wizard of Apps. If learners were iPhones, and we could "load" them with the really critical apps to inspire digital citizenship, information fluency, creativity, and collaboration, to take out into the world, how would we do it?  Other sessions: 2011 Monarch and Caudill lists; preview of Abe titles; and introduction to new books. Other topics will include copyright, e-books, coping with change, how to bring an author or illustrator to your school, I-Sail (Illinois Standards Aligned for Instruction) and much more. The entire program will be held at Glen Crest MIddle School in Glen Ellyn. Use the L2 calendar to register.

Building a Strong Foundation - CAF Educational Resources

Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009.
Location: Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF), 224 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL.

The High School Library Media Association (HSLMA) will be holding a presentation of the educational resources available to you, your colleagues, and your students.

Earn CPDUs. View the free “Chicago Model City” exhibit in the Atrium Gallery or participate in one of the CAF afternoon tours. Information regarding the CAF activities, directions, and more can be found at the Chicago Architecture Foundation website.

Please register by Wednesday, December 9th to: mediamanjay@comcast.net.
Annual dues for HSLMA are $15 for 4 meetings; and $5 for students.

Meeting Agenda:
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Meeting registration and breakfast refreshments.
9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Business meeting and "Get to Know You" activity.
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. “Building a Strong Foundation” presentation.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) offers engaging ways for children, youth, educators, and families to explore architecture and the built environment. Placed-based learning experiences using buildings and structures as primary sources are CAF's most important offerings for youth audiences. From humble bungalows to soaring skyscrapers, CAF helps teachers create field trips to meet the needs of K-12 students. To support teacher learning, CAF offers professional development workshops that introduce strategies for exploring the built environment and directly linking learning to the Illinois Learning Standards.

The hostess and presenter at the December meeting will be Jean Linsner. Ms. Linsner, CAF's Vice President of Youth Education, will introduce the variety of ways CAF can work with you and your students in the coming year.

Author Visit via Skype

Pam Gutmann, Library Media Center Director at Kendall Elementary School coordinated an author visit via Skype (a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet). She partnered with Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville to connect children with London author Victoria Holmes, who spoke about her best selling children's book series. More from the Daily Herald.

November 22 to 28 is National Game and Puzzle Week

Did you know that November 22 to 28 is National Game and Puzzle week? Even better, did you know the Kids! @ your library® Campaign tool kit has free, printer-friendly games and puzzles with library themes for you to share with young patrons at the library and during school visits?

Challenge kids with crosswords, mazes, hidden picture puzzles, word searches, "mad libs" and more. All are free to download and print from the Kids! Campaign website. Or, go to the ALA website and click on the “Tool Kit” link.

From the Press: Hard Work at Clow Elementary

The Library Media Center at Clow Elementary School (Indian Prairie School District 204) is in the news. This article in the Naperville Sun captures the excitement at a reception held to celebrate the Center being named the 2009 National School Library Media Program of the Year by the American Association of School Librarians.

Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom

When the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act was enacted in 2002, librarians hoped that it would provide some clarity on copyright exceptions for the digital delivery of content for distance education. In reality, understanding what is permitted under the TEACH Act in combination with the Digital Millenium Copyright Act and existing exceptions like fair use have become more confusing to many practitioners.

The American Library Association (ALA)  and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) have prepared  “Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom” (PDF file) to provide guidance on digital delivery of content to the physical classroom. This is to clarify what is permitted under the TEACH Act of 2002 in combination with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and existing exceptions, such as fair use.
Read Performance of or Showing Films in the Classroom for a clear explanation of what you can and cannot do.

As seen in the District Dispatch, Sept. 10, 2009

ACT NOW! Contact Your Legislator Today!

State budget cuts have put Illinois libraries in jeopardy just at a time when usage is soaring. Don't Delay! The time to act is NOW, before things get worse!

If you have already contacted your legislator, THANK YOU! But your job isn't over! Please contact him or her again via another method--fax a letter, phone with your message, or visit your legislator! We want each legislator to receive 250 contacts so spread the message!

Go to SaveIllinoisLibraries.com, the Illinois library community's response to the grant funding cuts. Let legislators know that their constituents are passionate about keeping their libraries open and funded. At SaveIllinoisLibraries.com you'll see:

• Links to send email messages to your legislators via CapWiz
• Details of the pledge we're asking our legislators to make to Illinois libraries
• Tips on ways to take action on this issue
• A website badge you can put on your library's homepage to show your support
• Stories about library usage, libraries' needs, and the effect of the cuts -- and a place for you to tell your story, too
• A listing of Illinois legislators noting the "good guys" who have signed the pledge. We only have ONE to date!
• A link to a Facebook site that has 900+ fans! Become a fan and increase the fan base by posting info on your personal and library Facebook accounts.

Visit http://www.saveillinoislibraries.com today! Time is of the essence: the Illinois General Assembly will convene this week on Wednesday, October 14, for the Veto Session. The legislators are focused on the budget and they need to hear from the library community.

Send your message today and be prepared with six (6) other email addresses when you do so. You will be prompted to add in these addresses. We need many advocates to make this campaign effective.

For more information about the campaign to Save Illinois Libraries, here's a blog post.