Guest Leader Column

 Help Us Tell the Story of Indiana Libraries

By Malcolm McBryde, Communications Committee Chair

 

National Library Month is winding down, and Indiana libraries have been engaged for the past few weeks in reminding people of how fun, useful and educational we are.

While individual libraries focus on that message each April, the Indiana Library Federation does it on behalf of all of us year-round. I'm thinking, for example, of several initiatives that ILF has been working on for the past year or so that are always available to help member libraries tell their stories:

• A photo and video bank built from a contest ILF ran during 2018. Looking for images you can use in a brochure or on your website? Want to make sure that it looks and is real? Even better, that the people you see in those photos actually live in Indiana and are being portrayed in Indiana libraries? ILF has it, and you can find it here. Read More

Featured Story: Book Clubs To Go

The Lake County Public Library staff wanted to find a way to give a "second life" to multiple copies of former bestsellers that were still in good condition but no longer in demand. In 2008, they started lending "Book Clubs to Go" kits. The kits can be kept for six weeks and may be reserved up to 18 months in advance so that book clubs may plan in advance. The kits usually contain 15 copies (including three large print editions when available) and a resource folder with a summary, author information and discussion questions.

Their first 150 or so kits were created out of books they already had in their collection. By 2012, they had so many people clamoring for more and newer titles that library director Ingrid Norris set aside part of the book budget for purchasing kits and software to handle the reservations.

Kits are available to staff and patrons and to staff of other library systems. However, kits must be picked up and returned to a Lake County Public Library. (Sorry, no interlibrary loans.) In 2018, the kits were checked out over 600 times.

History programs feature unique stories

An exciting lineup of programs is scheduled for the Franklin County Public Library District's Hooked on History series, which begins this month.  Read More

Honda gives library $12,000

Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (HMIN) recently awarded a $12,000 grant to the Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library for their 2019 Summer Reading Program.  Read More

Library raises $36,751 in one-day fundraiser

Eckhart Public Library joined a coalition of libraries to raise funds Wednesday through the International Library Giving Day campaign, and the local library succeeded well past its goal.  Read More

Library hosts 'Talk to a Lawyer' event May 1

In honor of National Law Day, the Wabash Valley Volunteer Attorneys will be conducting a “Talk to a Lawyer Today” program from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1 at the Monticello-Union Township Public Library. Read More

KHCPL bookmobile celebrating 60 years of service: Library has two bookmobiles catering to schools and public

Twelve U.S. presidents have served in office during that span, and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling wasn’t even born yet when the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library bookmobile began rolling out its services to the community in 1959.  Read More

New Southside Lafayette Library Breaks Ground

The Tippecanoe County Public Library broke ground on its newest location Tuesday. The southside Lafayette branch is now the third neighborhood library a part of TCPL.  Read More

Digital Scholarship team gives blind students unique senior portraits

Dressed in their emerald green graduation gowns and mortarboards, the 19 graduating seniors from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired lined up for their class pictures. Read More

Alexandria library gives out trees for Earth Day

An area library celebrated Earth Day early by handing out two tree saplings to all interested over the weekend. Read More

Art Spaces, Vigo County library announce sculpture inspired by work of Terre Haute native Dreiser

Art Spaces, Inc. and the Vigo County Public Library have announced a new public sculpture inspired by the work of Terre Haute native Theodore Dreiser. Read More

The case for the public humanities

Two weeks ago, Lilly Endowment Inc. gifted a $10.9 million grant through the IU Foundation to support renovations to Lilly Library.  Read More

Kristi Palmer named dean of University Library at IUPUI

Kristi Palmer has been named the founding Herbert Simon Family Dean of University Library at IUPUI, subject to formal approval by the IU Board of Trustees.  Read More

Oxford puppet touring Indiana libraries

A puppet from the Oxford Public Library has embarked on a trip to hopefully visit all the libraries in Indiana. Oxford Public Library Director Brittany Hays spoke about what led to the puppet’s state-wide travel plans.  Read More

PROPERTY TAX AND LIBRARIES FOR LIBRARY BOARD MEMBERS

We are pleased to announce a web-based session on Wed, May 1, 10amET/9amCT. Tax experts Tamara Ogle and Larry DeBoer from Purdue will offer "Property Tax and Libraries." This abbreviated and customized web-based session will help library board members understand property taxes and levies specific to libraries and in comparison with other units of government. There is no cost to attend.

Register here. Or distribute this one-page flyer .

Budget Workshop set for May 16 at Plainfield-Guilford Township Public Library

Grab your budget information and laptop and join us for a one-day workshop on Budget Preparation.

Are you a newer director who feels overwhelmed by the budget process or a director who has always relied on another staff member to complete the budget for your library? This workshop is for you!

Complete your library budget step by step, form by form. Registration rate: Members - $50/Non-members - $65. Register now! Space registration is limited.

ILF offers Virtual Exchanges, where members engage in dialogue with experts and with each other from the comfort of your home or work computer. Learn more and register below.

After registering, you will receive a link and call-in information so that you may join by computer or phone. We encourage members to use cameras (even your cell phone camera) so members get to know each other.

Nominate

Your Peers!

Nominate a person, library or organization for an ILF Award.

Who demonstrates excellence in Indiana public, academic or school libraries ? Who goes out of their way to advance literacy, marketing, intellectual freedom or library advocacy?   Learn more  about eligibility, past winners or criteria. 

Help support the future of librarianship by helping outstanding teachers and library staff pursue the Master of Library and Information Science at IU or IUPUI or the AS through Ivy Tech. Help us promote ILF Scholarships.

Please consider nominating your peers or library! Deadline for nomination packets is June 30 . Awards are presented at our Annual Conference November 3.

ILF convened four Regional Conferences around the state in April. Attendees gained understanding of Bystander Intervention, Implicit Bias and Intellectual Freedom issues related to our theme, Libraries, where everyone is welcome.

Many thanks to all our speakers, host libraries and attendees!

Members Only benefits

ILF Members have access to

* monthly reports from Bose Public Affairs

* discounts at conferences and events

* eligibility for certain awards, honors and scholarships

* serving in leadership within ILF-- Volunteer today

* certain voting rights (election of the ILF Board of Directors, etc.)

Forgot your login or password?    Contact the office   and we can tell you and/or reset. A member from a prior year? Please " renew . " By clicking "join," you might create a duplicate account.  NOTE: ILF Membership is on a calendar year.