WebJunction

Visit WebJunction @ ALA 2008

Come join the WebJunction team in Anaheim, CA, for ALA Annual 2008. Stop by our Member Reception on June 27; then attend our Library 2.0 Roundtable the next afternoon. As usual, we'll have our exhibit booth, and we'll also be giving sneaks peeks of the new version of the site that will launch this summer. Read more about what we will be doing at ALA Annual and how you can get involved.

Next WJ Features: Coming soon to a blog near you

Curious about the next version of WebJunction? Starting in June, staff members will blog on some of their favorite new tools, features, and capabilities of the new WebJunction site. Expect regular peeks into the ways it will help you Connect, Create and Share. Stay up-to-date by following BlogJunction's Next WebJunction category.

WJ Community of the Month: Maine

Visit WebJunction Maine to see how this state library agency is using online tools to stay connected to their community. BlogJunction Maine is an active blog—Maine's members subscribe to 11 RSS categories specific to their interests; link to the Maine State Library page, MSL Flickr, and MSL LibraryThing; and regularly comment on updated posts. The Maine Library Community Schedule of Events and Workshops also connects library staff to all the great events available to their community.

Staff Spotlight: Betha Gutsche

In the spring ALA elections, WebJunction staff member Betha Gutsche was elected to serve a two-year term on the Board of CLENE, the Continuing Library Education Network and Exchange Round Table. Betha works on learning initiatives and curriculum development at WebJunction and has been developing a Competency Index for the library field. She will be talking competencies at an ALA Anaheim pre-conference on Competencies For Your Staff: From Implementation to Integration. Congratulations, Betha!

Meet Up with ARSL and SLO

The ARSL fall conference is right around the corner and early bird registration is open. For those going to Anaheim in June, please join us for the WebJunction Spanish Language Outreach Program and Association for Rural and Small Libraries Celebration Reception on June 28, 4:00–5:30 PM at the Hilton Anaheim, Manhattan Room. This gathering combines friends and alumni from the Spanish Language Outreach Program and the Rural Library Sustainability Project, along with members of ARSL. Come celebrate the impact of these programs, share successes, and brainstorm future directions for these communities of practice.

Course Catalog Update

WebJunction will be introducing a new course catalog in late July. It will feature a much larger selection of courses with an increased focus on library-specific content. IT Skills, General Business, and Desktop Application courses will be migrated from MindLeaders to SkillSoft, at which time the MindLeaders courses will no longer be available. Starting on June 20, there will be a one-month period during which new course enrollments will not be permitted. We encourage any members with MindLeaders courses in progress or incomplete to finish up the courses and print your certificate by July 14.

WJ Community Guidelines: Love 'em or Hate 'em?

As we prepare for the next WebJunction experience we'd like to encourage members to provide input on our community guidelines. These guidelines have served us well, but may require updating to better reflect our 2.0 world. We've created a wiki workspace and hope you’ll share your guideline thoughts through the magic of Wiki editing. For more information stop by BlogJunction.

Government Information in the 21st Century

Government Information in the 21st Century (Gi21) trainers have been very busy—training over 630 library staff in the use of electronic government information. Our 21 subject modules in WebJunction are updated frequently based on feedback from the training sessions. The new Introduction to Electronic Government Information module is a good place to start learning if you are beginner.

Rural Webinars: Motivating Your Board—Money, Lawsuits, and Facilities

The Association for Rural and Small Libraries and WebJunction offer free monthly webinars on topics of interest for Rural and Small Libraries. Join us on July 31 for the second webinar in our 2008 series on board relationships and strategies. Ellen Miller and Jim Connor will facilitate a session on proven techniques for motivating your board and empowering them to make the most from their position. View information on our upcoming July webinar and archives of all 21 previous webinars on the Rural In Focus Webinar page.

Maintain IT Webinar: Notes on setting up wireless at your library

On June 18, grab a comfy chair and participate in a 30-minute discussion where contributors to the Cookbooks share their insights, their secrets, and what you can do to get started with projects like theirs. Join Sharon Moreland from Tonganoxie Public Library (KS) and Liz Rea from the NE Kansas Library System (NEKLS) to learn how they set up wireless in their libraries. This session will be fun, informative, and accessible: no complexities, just the basics on how you can set up wireless without being a super-techie.

TechAtlas Webinar: Writing SMART Goals

Have you ever asked for something and ended up getting something totally different? Whether you are submitting a request for more public access computers or assigning a project to a staff member, clearly identifying the way things currently are and where you are headed helps to ensure you arrive at your intended goal. Join us for a free 1-hour webinar on July 16, where you will learn to write goals and objectives—whether it is for a technology plan or an employee performance improvement plan—using the SMART format—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timebound. Please register in advance for the webinar and review these instructions for joining the Webinar.

In Depth Webinar: Athens Regional Library Outreach Success Story

Mark your calendar for a free 1-hour webinar on June 10, where you will learn about the Pinewoods Library and Learning Center from guest speakers Kathryn Ames, Director of the Athens Regional Library System, and Miguel Vicente, Manager of the Pinewoods Library and Learning Center. They will discuss the design and implementation of this successful multi-year IMLS grant designed to improve the educational level of immigrants, increase use of library and arts center facilities by the Mexican-American community, and provide opportunities for educational and cultural exchange. For webinar details, visit Spanish Language Outreach In Depth Webinars.

Learning Webinar: Cultivating a Culture of Learning at the Library

On June 10 a free 1-hour webinar will be presented to discuss why you need to get your staff out of the classroom and focusing on creating a culture of learning in your library. Presented by Lori Reed, Training Specialist for the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County. To register and receive an email reminder, visit the WebJunction Calendar of Events. For webinar details, visit Learning Webinars.

Change is good—come see how we are changing!

Late this summer we are launching an all-new version of WebJunction, and we want to give you an early look at it. Join presenter Michael Porter for a special Preview Webinar on July 1 from 11 am-12 pm, Pacific. Take this opportunity to ask questions by registering now. Access instructions for joining the webinar. If you happen to be at ALA Annual 2008, make sure to stop by our booth for a personal demo in the Sneak Peek Suite.

87,190 unique visitors came to the site in April.

31,158 messages are in the Discussion Boards as of April.

732 online course new enrollments occurred in April.

68 people attended WJ webinars in April.