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Monthly Memo Newsletter | January 2019

ALS LOCAL NEWS

Transparent Language Online Comes to Rock County

Beginning February 1, 2019, Arrowhead Library System will offer Transparent Language Online for Libraries, the most complete language-learning system available anywhere. Transparent Language Online is a highly regarded and proven system providing the widest variety of high-quality learning material and seamless integration of real-life language use.

Each public library will have their own log in portal. Patrons should match their library card to the portal they use. For example, if I have a Janesville Card but always use the Beloit Library, I should still use the Janesville log in portal. Find links all the portals on ALS’s Transparent Language Online page.

This database has some great features, including.

  • crash course in Spanish for library workers.
  • immersion courses in six languages for kids (known as KidSpeak™).
  • English-Learner language courses: choose from Immersion or 29 native speaker options.
  • citizenship course for English Language Learners.
  • 110+ foreign language courses.

Sign up for a live, one-hour, online training webinar
Thursday, February 7 at 11:00 a.m.

Download ALS’s curated launch kit here.
Some materials are specific to the each library.

 Resources for Librarians & Patrons

Wisconsin Author Project 2019 Online Training: Support Your Local Author Community

Are you looking to provide tools to support your local authors while also growing your readers’ access to digital resources – all available for free and with no waiting? In the last year, the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium (WPLC) introduced new resources for Wisconsin writers and readers, in partnership with BiblioBoard and with funding from IMLS. For creators, those resources include PressbooksSELF-e, and the Wisconsin Author Project (which is about to enter its second round!). For readers, BiblioBoard Library provides access to much of this content created by Wisconsin authors and a lot more, all available to read immediately – no waiting for holds and no logging in.

Join WPLC Project Managers from WiLS, Melody Clark and Andi Coffin, in a free and virtual webinar as they share information about these four resources and how you can help users find and use them on Friday, March 8th at 1:00pm. This presentation will be recorded and shared. 

Register to attend by visiting https://goo.gl/forms/T4N0xElJhJoIXT5e2.

WLA Library Legislative Day

The deadline to register has passed, but we’re so excited about Library Legislative Day!

Invited speakers are Governor Tony Evers, newly appointed State Superintendent of Public Instruction Carolyn Stanford Taylor, Representative Amy Loudenbeck, Representative Mary Felzkowski and others to be announced. 

If you are registered to come, please make sure it’s in your calendar–you won’t want to miss this!

Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Check in is at 8:30 a.m.

Facebook Cohosting Reminder

Thank you to all the libraries that have been tagging Arrowhead Library System as a cohost on your Facebook events. It’s an easy way for both your library and ALS to get a little more visibility. Plus, it’s great for visitors to be able to see all the events happening around the system in one place, even if they’re already following your library.

Keep up the good work!

Job Openings at Member Libraries

Head of Programming & Partnerships

Beloit Public Library

Deadline: Open Until Filled

More info & application

Monthly Circulation Statistics

Total Circulations in December 2018

  • 95,324 Traditional Circulations 88% 88%
  • 9,915 OverDrive/Libby Circulations 9% 9%
  • 2,738 Hoopla Digital Circulations 3% 3%

Other Training & Development Opportunities

2019 Power Up Conference

March 28-19, 2019
at the iSchool @ UW-Madison

Information & Registration

BiblioBoard Trainings for Staff or Patrons

Create. Share. Discover. Staff Intro/Refresher
• Personal Training Webinars
• Author Workshops for Patrons

Information & Request Form

Updates to the Libby App

Helpful Shelf tips: We know one of your top priorities is managing patron demand for the highest circulating titles—and we want to help! We’ve added new Shelf tips, including one that encourages readers to return books once they’re done. Users will see this early return prompt based on their reading progress and the number of other readers waiting for a title. By promoting early return, your library’s titles will circulate faster for more readers to enjoy.

Mobile phone screen shot: new Updated Loans display: We’ve refreshed the look of the Loans screen, adding a reading progress bar and exact due dates. A simple tap on the due date for each book brings up options to return early, renew, or go to the details page.

Improved wait time display: Users can see their estimated wait time for a hold by tapping the new calendar icon on their Holds shelf. To create a consistent user experience, we’ve also added an approximate wait time to your library’s OverDrive site. Note that all wait times are estimates and a user’s actual wait time may change based on various factors, like early return and hold pickup time.

New Shelf summary: When visiting the Shelf, your users will be greeted with a quick summary of their current read, titles available to renew, recent returns, and more.

Improvements for your users with multiple library cards: We know many libraries serve users with access to more than one library card. To provide the best experience for all your patrons, Libby now allows users to borrow and place holds on the same title from more than one library (if they have a card at each one). OverDrive app users have long enjoyed this option, and it’s been one of the most popular requests for Libby.

Kindle updates (U.S. only): We’ve made it even easier for your library to serve readers who prefer to set Kindle as their reading preference.

You can see a summary of this and other recent releases directly in the Libby menu.
Menu > Libby > What’s New in Libby?

As a reminder, OverDrive is happy to provide support for users directly through the Libby app.

Recordings from WWWWC Available

Slides and webinar recordings from the Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference are now available .

See everything you missed at
https://wvls.org/continuing-education.

PLSR NEWS

What’s happening right now?

  • Visit the PLSR Updates Page for the latest news on the process, milestones, and next steps.

CONTACT US

 Contact the Tovah with comments, corrections, or library news.

Email: Tovah Anderson
Public Information Coordinator
608-868-2872

Email: Steve Platteter
Arrowhead Library System Director
608-868-2872

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
430 E. High St., Suite 200
Milton, WI 53563
als.lib.wi.us 

ALS CALENDAR

SHARE Directors’ Council:
Tues., February 5, 11:00 a.m. at Matheson Memorial Library 

Board of Trustees Meeting:
Wed., February 13, 6:00 p.m. at Arrowhead Library System (MPL)

Librarians Meeting:
Wed., February 20, 9:30 p.m. at Arrowhead Library System (MPL), Chair Mary Bieber

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