"Reality Check: Augmented and Virtual Reality in Libraries"

The Connecticut State Library's Division of Library Development hosted a special program August 13 at the Farmington Library called "Reality Check: Augmented and Virtual Reality in Libraries." Approximately 60+ academic, public, school and special librarians/teachers from CT, MA and RI attended.  Presenters gave an overview of the technology, talked about specific projects using augmented and virtual reality in their schools and libraries, demoed the technology, and hosted a hands-on "play time" following the program so that attendees could try the technology.  Attendees were also able to tour the library's Maker Space, and "The Studio", for media production and virtual reality experiences.

Keep an eye out for future workshops and resources around this technology.

 

For more information on virtual reality in libraries, visit the Division of Library Development's Virtual Reality libguide.

 

LSTA Grant Information Sessions

 

Applications for LSTA Planning Grants will be accepted on a rolling basis every two months, with the next deadlines coming up in October and December. These six-month planning grants will provide up to $5,000 to assist libraries with planning initiatives to explore new services, assess and address the needs of changing population and patron bases, develop partnerships and collaboration, or write new strategic plans or long-range master plans.

 

Applications for LSTA Literacy Grants will be due in April 2019. These one-year literacy grants will provide up to $7,500 to assist libraries with creating strategic, sustainable partnerships and lifelong learning programs that address the seven literacies in their communities. The seven literacies are described in the Division's 2018-2022 LSTA Five-Year Plan as basic, early, civic/social, digital/information, financial, health, and legal literacy.

 

All potential applicants must attend an information session about the assessment and planning tools available from the CT State Library as well as grant application instructions, regulations, and fiscal management. Register for the session of your preference at http://cslib.libcal.com/ .

 

 

Additional sessions will be offered December through March. If you would like to host an information session at your library, please contact Maria Bernier, LSTA Coordinator, at [email protected] or 860-704-2204.

 

More information, including the grant instructions and application, is online at http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/lstagrants/grantapplication.

E-rate Funding for Internet Access and Connectivity

If your library is interested in receiving federal E-rate funding for internet access (including internet service from CEN), broadband connectivity, or new network and WiFi equipment, contact Maria Bernier, E-rate Coordinator, at [email protected] o r 860-704-2204 to learn about how to apply this fall for expenses incurred in July 2019-June 2020. In much of Connecticut, E-rate discounts are 50% or higher, leading to significant savings.

 

Please note: Libraries that accept E-rate funding for internet service or internal networks must be CIPA compliant or working to achieve CIPA compliance.

Annual Report of Connecticut Public Libraries

Information on completing the 2018 Annual Report to the State Library was e-mailed to all public library directors in July. The Annual Report is critical for state and national data gathering on public libraries.

 

Libraries will again be using an Excel report form (an .xlsx file) which you will fill out and then send back to me. See the Annual Report webpage http://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/stats/annreport for:

•                    A printable list of the questions on the report form

•                    An instruction sheet

•                    The report form itself (to download when you are ready to complete it)

There are almost no changes from last year.

The firm DEADLINE for submission is 4 P.M. on November 15, 2018. Public libraries are required by statute CGS Sec. 11-25 (a) to submit an Annual Report in order to receive borrowIT payments, or other state appropriations.

Please contact [email protected] with questions. Thanks in advance to all those who will be assisting with the annual report.

News for Youth Services Staff

 

Summer Reading: Watch the listservs in early September for the annual Summer Reading Survey. Remember, completing this survey is what earns you a free summer reading manual for the summer 0f 2019’s Space Theme: A Universe of Stories.

Children’s & Teen programs already scheduled and coming up in the fall and spring!

·         October 24, 2018 at the Wallingford Public Library: Everyone Included, Part 2: LGBTQIA+ Books & Services for Children & Teens. Keynote speaker is Robin McHaelen, Executive Director at True Colors, Inc.

·         November 30, 2018: Storytime 101 with Allison Murphy of Wallingford Public Library. This program is designed to be a running start for professional and para-professional library staff new to storytimes.

·         May 9-10, 2019: Early Childhood Literacy Consultant, Saroj Ghoting is back! On May 9, she will do her StarPower program, followed by Supercharging Your Storytimes the next day. One or both may be attended.

And don’t forget the CLA Children’s and Young Adult Annual Meetings, respectively on October 5 and November 14!

Memorandum of Understanding Extension

 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State Library, Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), and LYRASIS that made eGO progress possible to this point has now been extended to the end of October, 2018.

 

The original MOU defined roles and responsibilities for all parties. Among many other things, this included deployment and hosting of at least one circulation manager and the on-boarding of at least one public library in that circulation manager. 

 

Having exceeded that goal by a considerable distance, the MOU extension calls for successfully hosting the deployment of a circulation manager for each of the three regional library systems and the launch of all member public libraries in the SimplyE mobile application. At the same time, the State Library will acquire collections through the DPLA Exchange and serve them to those SimplyE libraries as a standalone, shared statewide collection. Library patrons will have access to the collection by way of the SimplyE app, to be available in the iOS and Android platforms at a later date.

findIT CT / requestIT CT update

Attention staff members from libraries participating in requestIT: FulfILLment, the software we are using for findIT and requestIT, has the ability to communicate and interoperate with your library's Integrated Library System (ILS). This interoperation automates some manual Interlibrary Loan (ILL) tasks and will make the ILL process much easier for your library's ILL and circulation staff members. This automation can also be used to keep your library's holdings in findIT CT up to date.

In order for the functionality to work, both findIT and your library's ILS need to support standards or protocols. Once we determine what standards your ILS supports, our vendor for findIT will be able to build 'connectors' that will provide the automation. We have created a survey to help us compile this data. If you haven’t done so already, please complete the survey at

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B3MMTFW  

Note: If your library participates in requestIT and is part of Bibliomation, CONNcert, Library Connection, LION, SECONN, or Primo/CSCU, you do not need to take the survey. We either have been or will be in touch with people who administer your network and we will get the answers from them.

Questions? Contact Steve Cauffman at [email protected] or 860-704-2223

Contact Judy Crooks [email protected] if you are interested in borrowing any of these titles.

For more new books at MLSC , visit https://libguides.ctstatelibrary.org/dld/professional

Professional Development & Training Opportunities – September

Book Trailers for Advanced Beginners

In person workshop

Saturday, September, 9 am to noon

Middletown Library Service Center, 786 South Main St., Middletown, CT 06457

Cost: Free

For details and to register, visit https://cslib.libcal.com/event/4305866

Customer Service in the Trenches

In person workshop

Wednesday, September, 19; 1 pm to 4 pm

Middletown Library Service Center, 786 South Main St., Middletown, CT 06457

Cost: Free

For details and to register, visit https://cslib.libcal.com/event/4489017

Stop Burnout: Five Steps to Re-Energize Your Work for Your Best Year Ever

In person workshop

Friday, September, 28; 1 pm to 4 pm

Middletown Library Service Center, 786 South Main St., Middletown, CT 06457

Cost: Free

For details and to register, visit https://cslib.libcal.com/event/4491719

For more professional development opportunities,

visit the Division of Library Development’s Continuing Education Calendar at

https://cslib.libcal.com/

MLSC Hours – September 2018

The Service Center will be closed Monday, September 3 in observance of Labor Day.

A reminder that in addition to 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday, the Middletown Library Service Center’s hours for September include:



Thursday, September 6: Open 8 am to 8 pm

Saturday, September 8: Open 9 am to noon

Questions?

Contact us at 860-704-2200, our main phone number.

Contact Linda Williams ( [email protected] ) for specific theme/grade level requests.

Contact Grace Burchard ( [email protected] ) to reserve book sets.

Contact Grace or Judy Crooks ( [email protected] ) to pull general selections of children’s books or

Books on CD in advance of your visit.