A message from WiLS members facilitating this exploration.

Dear Member Libraries and System Trustees,

We at WiLS are looking forward to working with both of your systems to develop an inclusive, transparent, well-researched, and empathetic system merger exploration. We come to this work with the sincere wish to facilitate a process that will allow stakeholders to feel confident in whatever the outcomes of the Committee might be. No decisions on outcomes have been made and we are building in check points at the end of each phase for the Committee to determine if the process should proceed.

Last week [December 15, 2021], the Committee met for the first time and we were able to get to know each other, share what each member hopes to accomplish, and start to make decisions about process foundations.

…two key documents will help guide our work and your participation throughout. First, there is a communication plan. It notes the main methods of communication the Committee will use to keep stakeholders informed as well as the ways that you can share your feedback, questions, and ideas. You will also find an overview of the process. The Committee views both of these documents as living and they will likely be updated to reflect what we learn through the process as well as the changing needs of the Committee and stakeholders.

A bedrock of the exploration is that we are all operating with the same information and that the information shared is factual. To help with this, we ask that you seek accurate information when you are not sure about something and don’t assume you’re the only one with a particular question! Odds are very good that others will have the same question. You can use the Committee email address (als-llsjointcommittee@wils.org – this address may not be active yet) when you have a question, suggestion or concern to share. It will be checked regularly. And, while you will receive a response, questions may not have answers readily available and there may be time before your request or suggestion is fully addressed, especially if it needs to be discussed at an upcoming Committee meeting.

We look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Melissa McLimans and Jennifer Chamberlain

Websites You May Wish to Bookmark

• Merger Exploration Committee Homepage/Blog
• Merger Exploration Google Drive

A $120,000 digital ad campaign promoting libraries as partners in workforce development will go live statewide on January 10, 2022, and run until February 27. The goal of the campaign will be to remind the public of the role Wisconsin public libraries can play to connect job seekers with existing programs and services. If all goes according to plan, you will see new faces in your library!

• New! Short video (13 minutes, 20 seconds) introducing all resources: https://vimeo.com/655433272
• New! DPI website with resources to prepare library staff (bookmark this site on staff computer stations!): https://dpi.wi.gov/pld/workforce-assistance

What can I do to prepare for this advertising push in under an hour?
Whether or not your library has been able to meet the needs of job seekers in your community in the past, in about TWENTY MINUTES you can position your library as a welcoming space for job seekers. Here’s how:

Have a little more time?
Check out the full marketing toolkit on the DPI website here. This new resource was created to help your library reach job seekers in your community and is customizable in Canva. Inside you will find Canva templates, tips, and best practices from the marketing experts at KW2, a digital marketing agency out of Madison.

Want to learn more?
Learn more about existing workforce partners and programs and find simple ways to help job seekers in your library here.

Watch this 13 minute recording (mentioned above) from system marketers about using the new toolkit resources and toolkit (recorded 12/13/2021).

Request a FREE 11×17 poster that looks like this Canva image by emailing Jennifer.Robertson@dpi.wi.gov.

Have a little more time?
Check out the full marketing toolkit on the DPI website here. This new resource was created to help your library reach job seekers in your community and is customizable in Canva. Inside you will find Canva templates, tips, and best practices from the marketing experts at KW2, a digital marketing agency out of Madison.

Want to learn more?
Learn more about existing workforce partners and programs and find simple ways to help job seekers in your library here.

Watch this 13 minute recording (mentioned above) from system marketers about using the new toolkit resources and toolkit (recorded 12/13/2021).

Request a FREE 11×17 poster that looks like this Canva image by emailing Jennifer.Robertson@dpi.wi.gov.

Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at the Madison Concourse Hotel

What’s the most effective action you can take right now to support libraries in Wisconsin? Signing up for Library Legislative Day! It just takes a moment online to sign up here and you can help libraries survive and thrive in 2022 and beyond.

Join WLA & hundreds of our colleagues at the State’s Capitol on Tuesday, February 8! Come tell your library’s story – this is our chance to let our legislators know how we’ve adapted and responded to our community needs during the pandemic—safely and effectively. More than ever, state support for libraries directly helps communities survive and thrive—we need to tell legislators how we’re helping people now, thanks to state and local support.

Legislative Day Deadline is Friday, January 14 at 5 PM.
Optional: Hotel Room Reservation deadline is Sunday, January 9, 2022.
Call the hotel directly to make your reservation – 1-800-356-8293.

Cost: $25 for staff/trustees/friends and $0 for students

Don’t know who your legislators are? Check here.
 Once you’ve signed up, WLA will schedule your legislator meetings.

The day will start out with a morning session at the Madison Concourse Hotel, followed by appointments with state legislators in the Capitol building.

AGENDA FOR THE MORNING SESSION: *Subject to change.

• 9:00-11:00 AM: Welcome!
  • Keynote Address
  • Opening Remarks
  • Appointment Tips
  • Talking Points for Appointments
• Afternoon: Appointments with law makers

Shared from https://resources.overdrive.com/libby

Reaching more readers with Libby
We’re excited to take the next step with Libby and make it the primary way to enjoy your digital library. Our goal is to simplify how you talk about your OverDrive service and promote the best reading experience for everyone, Libby.

To achieve this goal, we are winding down the legacy OverDrive app. As a first step, we will remove the OverDrive app from the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Microsoft Store in February 2022.

By the end of 2022, we plan to have most OverDrive app users migrated to Libby.

Hot off the press – new posters and bookmarks are now available to all Wisconsin libraries and organizations, shipped free of charge through library delivery.

Shared from a Libraries Transform email, 12/22/2021

This has been a year for the books. Never before has ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tallied more censorship attempts, nor have libraries experienced such assaults on the freedom to read. Across the country, people are attempting to ban books that address the voices and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color and LGBTQIA+ individuals.

Your gift of just $5 – $10 will be immediately put to use as we advocate and educate in defense of intellectual freedom — and protect the rights of library users to read and seek information as guaranteed by the First Amendment. And if donating isn’t an option at the moment, please consider helping us spread the word with the tools on our Year-end Giving page.