This Month at CLC: April 2019
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Jennifer Keohane
Executive Director
SPRING FEVER!
April is one of the busiest times here at CLC. It feels like everyone is coming out of hibernation (as if librarians ever rest - ha!). One of the most joyful aspects of this month is the increased communication we have with you. This time of year, our phones ring more often, and our inbox gets even more overflowing as we answer questions about potential pricing for renewals and new products, respond to ideas for professional development, and help you register for the events and conferences that take place in the month ahead. This time of year is also a critical one for library funding, including CLC’s state grant. Thank you all for your
letters of support
for CLC and all
CLA legislative initiatives.
These really make a difference! We will continue to need you to
voice your support
and make the case for library funding in the weeks ahead.
Thankfully, we have a wonderful new staff member to help answer those busy phones and frequent emails. Jennifer Van Nostrand joined our staff this month as our Member Relations Manager, Public & Special Libraries. Jen started working in libraries as a teenager when she served as a page at the Enfield Public Library - and she has never stopped. She has an MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh, and has held professional positions in reference and programming in several CT public libraries, most recently the Welles-Turner Library in Glastonbury. She also launched a successful and ongoing webinar program for ALA, and has served on the CLA Legislative Committee. We are delighted to welcome Jen to our team, and hope you will reach out to her early and often! Meet her and the rest of our wonderful staff at the
CLA Conference
on April 29 and 30 in Groton. Please stop by, say hello, and see what fun we’ve come up with this year!
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Jennifer Van Nostrand
Member Relations Manager, Public & Special Libraries
Greetings, everyone! My lifelong passion for Connecticut’s incredible public libraries has led me to my new role as CLC’s Member Relations Manager, Public & Special Libraries. I have spent the past seven years in library public service as a reference librarian, so a few of you may already know me – if not, I look forward to visiting your town and introducing myself in person!
I am thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful and welcoming team here at CLC. Not surpringly, I fervently believe in the importance and value of Connecticut’s libraries, and I am looking forward to supporting our state’s public and special librarians in any way I can. Please feel free to reach out with questions or just to say hi!
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Amanda Stern
Events & Special Projects Manager
If your library is a member, you're a member too!
Happy spring, everyone! On Saturday, March 23, I attended the Friends of Connecticut Libraries (FOCL) Fundraising Expo at the University of Hartford. More than 85 Friends members gathered to learn about fundraising options for their libraries. CLC does not currently do any fundraising programs, but we do save our members a lot of money!
My goal in attending the FOCL Fundraising Expo was to bring them one simple message:
If your library is a CLC member, you’re a CLC member too!
That means our Friends groups can benefit from the same discounts used by our member libraries, since the Friends are really – in our eyes – an extension of the library.
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Friends of the Library groups often fund programs and can use our
Programming Catalog
to find performers for summer reading or other library celebrations. Friends groups who use funds to purchase museum passes for their libraries can use our
museum pass page
to find all the information they need to make these purchasing decisions.
Let’s not forget about
roundtables,
discounts on events, and
bus trips!
Friends members can take advantage of these opportunities as well.
This message I shared with FOCL is one of my favorites. CLC is for everyone at the library. For our school members, CLC is for everyone at the school, not just the librarian. No matter your role, whether you’re in administration, on the front lines of customer service, responsible for technical processing, a classroom teacher or college faculty member, or an active Friend of the library, CLC has something for you. We hope you’ll take advantage of all we have to offer. And remember ...
If your library is a CLC member, you’re a CLC member too!
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You may have heard about the mysterious "swaps," "circuits," or "co-ops" that CLC runs, but do you know what they are? These terms all relate to our cooperative collections, which we define as collections shared among multiple CLC member libraries. CLC offers cooperative collections of general DVDs, foreign language and independent film DVDs, and books on CD. Most co-ops operate on a regional basis - we have western and eastern region groups, each managed by one of our two circuit coordinators, Kate Bengtson and Laura Marcella. Buying into a shared collection saves your library time, money, and space, and ensures that library users have a continuously updated selection of materials. It's almost time to sign up for co-ops for 2019-2020, so this seemed like a fine time to introduce them to the uninitiated! Learn more at
ctlibrarians.org/circuits
.
Western Region
Laura Marcella, Western Region Circuit Coordinator
Well, it is business as usual in the Western region media circuits. I have been busy purchasing and processing the latest movies and audio books for our circuit collections. Each meeting we vigorously weed old titles and replace them with the most current selections, keeping each of our packets fresh and appealing. Why consider joining the media circuits? For a few hundred dollars a year, you get continuously updated collections. No need to invest in titles for your own collection that will sit around after the demand wanes. Another benefit is saving shelf space. Finally, not only are circuits a great way for your library to save some money, but the swaps also provide a welcome opportunity to network with others in the library community. I have learned so much about what is going on in the library world, while sharing ideas on programs and resources and making some great library friends! That’s what the Connecticut Library Consortium is all about!
Eastern Region & FLIC (Foreign Language & Independent Cinema)
Kate Bengtson, Eastern Region Circuit Coordinator
And here in the Eastern region, we are busy enjoying the best new movies and audiobooks as well! Each month, subscribers get access to a new batch of materials that are in high demand. Audiobook selections include favorite long-time authors as well as some of the newest writers on the scene. I purchase a wide variety of DVDs including children’s movies and award nominees to ensure that there is a little something for all of your patrons.
Thinking about trying something new? How about foreign and independent films! Try out our FLIC circuit and gain access to a bag of 60 DVDs each quarter. Patrons will discover a new world of entertainment without breaking your budget. FLIC libraries particularly love our Hindi, French, German, and documentary selections.
At each of these swaps, I get a chance to meet with library staff of every level from libraries around the state and just hear what is going on in CT libraries. This excellent chance to network is open to anyone in eastern Connecticut or, in the case of FLIC, the entire state. Visit
ctlibrarians.org/circuits
to learn more!
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Western Region Coordinator Laura Marcella (left) and Eastern Region Coordinator Kate Bengtson, meeting for the first time at a CLA conference!
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Western region DVD bags - ready to move on to the next library in the circuit
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Connecting and collaborating at a western region swap
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Selection of DVDs from a western region DVD packet
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FLIC bags ready for swapping
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Checking out this month's goodies at the FLIC swap!
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RIDE THE CLC BUS TO BOOK EXPO!
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CLC will be running two buses to
BookExpo conference
in New York City on Thursday, May 30. Join your colleagues for a fun and stress-free trip to this great event!
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BOOK EXPO BUS FAST FACTS
DATE:
Thursday, May 30 ONLY
WHY ONLY THURSDAY?
While BookExpo is a three day event, Thursday 5/30 is the only FULL DAY, with the event open from 9:00am to 5:00pm. We want you to be able to maximize your time.
STOPS:
Choose the I-84 bus with stops in Manchester, Farmington and Waterbury, or the I-95 bus with stops in Groton, North Haven and Westport.
FARE:
$20 per person for CLC members, $30 for non-members and guests.
REGISTRATION:
Registration for the buses is open! Get all the details and sign up today:
MORE ABOUT BOOK EXPO:
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR - CLC'S ANNUAL MEETING
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CLC's 16th Annual Meeting
Thursday, June 6, 2019
4:00 - 6:00 pm
CT Public, Hartford
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Join us at the CT Public studios to hear about trends in public broadcasting and how libraries can participate in and benefit from all that
CT Public
has to offer. The event includes a social hour with beverages and hors d'oeuvres, brief business meeting, networking, and celebrations! Save the date!
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Thursday, April 4, 12:30pm
Edith Wheeler Memorial Library, Monroe
TOPIC: FORMS, FORMS, AND MORE FORMS!
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Each of us uses many forms to complete our daily tasks at our job; these forms can be great tools or give us great big headaches! Wouldn’t it be wonderful not to “reinvent the wheel” when it comes to forms? Bring a form that either (1) works well for you, which might help someone else; or (2) brings you grief, and we'll brainstorm ideas for improvement.
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Wednesday, April 17, 2:00pm
Ridgefield Library
TOPIC: SUMMER PROGRAMS
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Join us at the Ridgefield Library to discuss summer programs: performers, special events, and all things space! Please come ready to share your successes, struggles, or programs you’d like to try. Light refreshments will be provided.
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Friday, April 26, 11:00am
Ferguson Library, Stamford
TOPIC: PARTNERING WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SERVING IMMIGRANTS
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Join us as we meet to discuss community partnerships to help meet the needs of Immigrants in our communities. We'll hear about Ferguson Library's community partners and their roles of serving immigrants and English learners, the formation of the Lower Fairfield County Immigration Collaborative, the Ferguson Library's services and programs for immigrants and non-English speakers as well as their passport service. Lunch will be provided. Please be sure to register.
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These meetings are just a sample of upcoming roundtables -
8 meetings are happening in April
, and we already have 8 more on the calendar for May. Please explore and register for your favorites. Everyone is welcome at a CLC roundtable.
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New CLC Twitter just for job listings!
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When you send CLC a job opening to post on our website,
ctlibraryjobs.org
, your listing already gets thousands of pageviews, plus delivery to over 2,300 RSS subscribers - all free for CLC member libraries. Last fall, we started posting jobs to CLC's Twitter account - and now, we're giving job listings their own exclusive account! Follow
@CTlibjobs on Twitter
for new jobs posted daily. Submit your openings to
jobs@ctlibrarians.org
.
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"W
e really couldn't do what we do without you all at CLC. You make our job so easy and it's wonderful to have your support and assistance. I am equally impressed that someone from CLC usually attends our roundtables, too! Thanks again for all you are doing."
--Allison Murphy, Children's Librarian, Wallingford Public Library, and co-chair of the Children's Librarians Roundtable South
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HAPPY SPRING FROM YOUR CLC TEAM!
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L-R: Jen Datum, Amanda Stern, Julie Yulo-Medeiros, Jennifer Keohane, Tracy Monterville, Jen Van Nostrand, Christine Sarrazin. Reach out to any of us at
ctlibrarians.org/contact
- we'd love to hear from you!
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