Academic Desk closings & schedule reminder – Collaborative-only starts tomorrow!
As in previous years, the Academic Desk will be closed throughout the month of December and the first week of January to accommodate library closings and availability. This means that beginning on Thursday, December 1st, all staff normally scheduled to cover Academic during this time should check the Collaborative Desk box rather than the Academic Desk box when logging in for their scheduled shifts. Also, here are the remaining statewide Ask a Librarian closing dates (Collaborative and Academic Desks) in the December thru January schedule: • Wednesday, December 21 (closing at 5 pm) • Thursday, December 22 thru Monday, January 2 (closed – service reopens on Tuesday, January 3) • Monday, January 16 (closed) Note: These closings are for the statewide service, so your library is still free to staff local desk hours during those days. Have a great week!
Holiday Closings
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, Ask a Librarian will close at 5 pm Wed., Nov. 23, and remain closed on Thurs., Nov. 24 and Fri., Nov. 25. We will reopen on Sat., Nov. 26.
Also, as in previous years, the Academic Desk will be closed throughout the month of December and the first week of January to accommodate library availability and closings. This means that all staff normally scheduled to cover Academic during this time will log into the Collaborative Desk instead for their scheduled shifts.
Here are the remaining statewide Ask a Librarian closing dates (Collaborative and Academic Desks) in the November thru January schedule:
• Wednesday, November 23 (closing at 5 pm)
• Thursday, November 24 thru Friday, November 25 (closed)
• Wednesday, December 21 (closing at 5 pm)
• Thursday, December 22 thru Monday, January 2 (closed – service reopens on Tuesday, January 3)
• Monday, January 16 (closed)
• Thursday, December 23 thru Monday, January 3 (closed)
• Monday, January 17 (closed)
Happy Holidays from all of us here at TBLC!
Register now for our Hot Topics: Gale Resources (FEL) Webinar!
Hot Topics: Gale (FEL) Resource Tips and Tricks in Ask a Librarian
Tues., Dec. 6, 2-3 pm ET
Have you been utilizing the Gale resource (FEL) links in the Ask a Librarian agent console? How about some tips and tricks for navigating through the databases and making your search strategies even more efficient?
Julie Pepera from Gale Cengage will cover the Gale resources available to you through the Florida Electronic Library. This session has been specially designed for the Ask A Librarian group to focus on using tools in the Gale resources to streamline chat reference questions. A variety of different subject areas and assisting patrons and students from different backgrounds will be discussed.
Click here to register today!
Spanish Email Promotion at JPL
Here’s a terrific example of how one library is marketing Ask a Librarian’s statewide Spanish email service to their patrons!
Check out the Jacksonville Public Library monthly e-newsletter at http://jpl.coj.net/lib/newsletters.html, and scroll down on the left to see their promo for the Ask a Librarian Spanish email service.
Promoting the service in their newsletter not only informs their patrons, but also serves as a reminder to all JPL staff and administrators that Spanish email is available. In addition, they sent an announcement to the email distribution list for all JPL staff, and will link the announcement on the home page of the City employee portal.
Remember that all member libraries – that means yours! – have this service available now for their patrons. Follow JPL’s nifty marketing ideas to make sure your Spanish-speaking patrons know about this valuable service.
Way to go, JPL!
Chat, Text, Email Statistics – October 2011
The following statistics are now available for the month of October 2011:
FEL Training through the State Library
This is just a friendly reminder that the State Library of Florida offers terrific on-demand and live webinar training opportunities (in-person by request) on Florida Electronic Library resources through this link: http://www.flelibrary.org/training/
“The Florida Electronic Library—your gateway to superior electronic resources that offer access to comprehensive, accurate, and reliable information—offers a training program designed to meet the needs of all library staff. With its blended curriculum, you can take advantage of the training that best suits your learning style: on demand, live webinar, or on-site in your library.”
They offer training on many topics:
Getting Started with FEL/Gale Resources
FEL/Gale Resources and Mobile Access
Gale Databases – Behind the Scenes
Homework Help Using FEL Resources
Integrating eResources into the Classroom
The Power of Web 2.0: Best Practices Using FEL Resources
What You Don’t Know About FEL Business Resources
What You Don’t Know About FEL Health Resources
Have a great weekend –
Traci
Feelin’ generous?
Your help is still needed with the following Ask a Librarian shifts:
Mon., Nov. 7, 1-2 and 2-3 pm ET (collaborative)
Sat., Nov. 12, 11a-12p (collaborative)
Mon., Nov. 14, 2-3 pm (collaborative)
Wed., Nov. 16, 3-4 pm (collaborative)
Fri., Nov. 18, 12-1 pm (collaborative)
If you can help, please amail Traci at avett@tblc.org.
Thank you!
LSTA Long Range Plan evaluation survey
Please consider participating in this valuable LSTA survey from the State Library, as described below. If you have questions about the LSTA evaluation, please contact Sondra Taylor-Furbee at Sondra.Furbee@DOS.MyFlorida.com. If you have questions about the survey, please contact Karen Strege at kstrege@msn.com. Please read on for further details:
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The Division of Library and Information Services is conducting an evaluation of the use of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds, as specified in the Division’s LSTA Long-Range Plan, 2008 -2012. As part of this evaluation, we invite you to complete a survey developed by Nancy Bolt and Associates designed for library staff members from all types of libraries. This survey asks for your opinions about all aspects of the Division’s LSTA program and for your views about the use of these funds in the upcoming years.
Please complete the survey and share the following survey link with other staff members in your library.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VPVHM7B
The time it will take you to complete the survey will depend on how many of the survey sections you answer. The deadline for survey responses is November 7, 2011.
If you have questions about the LSTA evaluation, please contact Sondra Taylor-Furbee at Sondra.Furbee@DOS.MyFlorida.com. If you have questions about the survey, please contact Karen Strege at kstrege@msn.com. Thank you in advance for your help.
Judith A. Ring
Division Director
Department of State
Division of Library and Information Services
R.A.Gray Building
500 South Bronough Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250
850.245.6600
judi.ring@dos.myflorida.com
The evaluation of the current plan and the development of the new five-year LSTA plan is funded through a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.
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