Grant opportunities
IEEE Grant Opportunity deadline is Jan 14, 2024
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Science Kits for Public Libraries Grant project is offering up to $2,000 per library in funding for public libraries across the Midwest for 2024. The grant is focused on the creation of a circulating science kit collection for primary and secondary education students (K-12). Applications will be accepted from public libraries in the IEEE Region 4 from November 1, 2023–January 16, 2024. Those libraries which have previously applied for the grant but have not received funding are invited to submit again.
For grant program details and application, visit the SKPL website, Contact Doug DeBoer (Douglas.DeBoer@Dordt.edu) with any questions.
Penguin Random House Grants for Small Libraries deadline is Dec 15, 2023
This grant is available to libraries that meet both the IMLS definition for small libraries (a service population of 25,000 or fewer) and the definition for rural libraries (libraries located 5 or more miles from the nearest town of 25k or more). Based on need and first-time applicants given priority.
Monetary grants may be used for everything from library programming and books to resources like hotspots that help community members access important information. Libraries seeking support for digital collections should request a monetary grant. Applicants may request:
- One (1) monetary grant in support of a community-oriented project for up to $1,000. or
- An in-kind grant donation of up to $1,000 in equivalent value to support a circulating collection in your library.
The application will be posted on the ARSL website on Dec. 4. Applications may be submitted beginning December 4, 2023. Deadline to submit applications is December 15, 2023. Dates on these sample applications are from 2022-23 grant cycle. The questions for the 2023-24 grant cycle will be the same as last year.
- Download a preview of the in-kind donation requests grant application*
- Download a preview of the monetary requests grant application*
The Tip Jar
ILL Tip-o-the-week
Need an ILL renewal? Request early because reaching out to the lending library to request a renewal can take some time!
Got ILL questions? Please don’t hesitate to ask! Email ill@ifls.lib.wi.us, or you can directly email or call Katie Shay, ILL Consultant, at shay@ifls.lib.wi.us and 715- 715-839-5082 ext. 1 – please leave a message!
Surveys
DPI survey: shape library initiatives!
You input is crucial to help the Department of Public Instruction do a better job of aligning their efforts with your needs. This survey is anonymous–names and email addresses will not be collected.
ARSL and Bklyn Public
Assoc of Rural and Small L is partnering with Brooklyn Public Library to share an important survey on cardholder signup policies at public libraries across the United States. By responding, you are contributing to the first known sampling of card access trends nationwide. The survey closes on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Learn. Cool. Things.
Learning Express Library
There’s a NEW video about using LearningExpress Library (through BadgerLink) to help with Career Preparation. You can access it directly on the Training Webinars & Guides page of DPI’s Library Staff Resources to Assist Wisconsin’s Workforce section of the website. There are some other great webinars for librarians there, too!
WI Libraries Talk About Race: Understanding and Challenging Implicit Bias in Decision Making
Thursday December 7, 1:00-2:30 pm (Zoom) Scholars and researchers continue to demonstrate that we all carry implicit bias involving social identities like race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, and religion, among others. This unconscious bias can work against an organization’s stated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals, affecting everything from hiring and promotion decisions to how staff work with patrons, the larger community, and each other. This workshop addresses what we’ve learned, and how we can use this knowledge to challenge implicit bias in all our decisions.
On the IFLS Calendar
- Scholarship Applications Due for Public Library Association Conference Fri Dec 1st
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Fri Dec 1st 10:00am – 1:00pm
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Thu Dec 7th 1:00pmTech corner
Tech Corner
Brad says (end-of-year purchasing)
There are some limits if you still want IFLS to purchase computer equipment before the end of the year.
- After tomorrow, Friday, December 1, IFLS will only be able to process emergency ordering. (Some limited exceptions possible, please contact Brad.)
- The 24” monitors dropped in price to be $99 (down from $137.50) from the previous general quote. The rest of the pricing remains the same at this point in time.
Job Seeker page broken link alert
Many of you added a Job Seekers Resources page to your websites. Some of those links need to be updated, so now would be a good time to pop over there and check.
Geek out with me: accessibility!
The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and the Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (AG WG) have published Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 as a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Recommendation.
WCAG 2.2 adds nine new Success Criteria to WCAG 2.1 (which added 17 Success Criteria to WCAG 2.0) and includes links to supporting documents that explain how to make web content more accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities.
The additional Success Criteria address barrier encountered by people with visual, mobility, hearing, and cognitive disabilities, but not covered by WCAG 2.1 or 2.0.
The new requirements in WCAG 2.2 address ways to help users navigate and find content, operate functionality more easily through various inputs beyond keyboard, develop webpages to appear and operate in predictable ways, and readily avoid and correct mistakes. Additionally, WCAG 2.2 includes personas to help explain some aspects of the WCAG Success Criteria.
Staff updates
(Want your staff updates in Weekly Digest? Send them to Reb with “Weekly Digest” in the subject line. You can use the HelpDesk or my email.)
Miss Debbie is retiring
After 19 years, Debbie Nelson is retiring from youth services in Menomonie. Colleagues near and far are invited to join a grateful community at an open house celebration to honor her. December 13, 3-6 pm at the Menomonie Public Library Meeting Room.
MORE 2024 Officers
8 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do With Your Library Card
L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire is behind this great article in Volume One.