Blog Posts by Anne Abrams

Read Long & Prosper (for teens)

Anne Abrams — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:16:54 -0600

I’m pleased to announce “Read Long & Prosper” is the winning slogan for key-chain id wallets. Thanks to all 37 folks who voted. Here’s the breakdown—Read Long & Prosper, 16; Library: The Final Frontier, 7; Book-Obsessed, 5; and Need to Read, 9.

I still need your help! We are launching a Teen Read Week contest on September 10 (see http://libraries.idaho.gov/trw09) and I need some program ideas to post to our website. Could you send me some ideas—big or small (we’ll take them all)? Just give me a brief description of a program you’ve done in the past and how you got the word out to teens. Please include your library and contact email so we can credit you!

Summer Brain Drain?

Anne Abrams — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:57:01 -0600

We are Teachers provides great resources for both public and school librarians. Here are their recommendations that can give you ideas to help parents prevent summer brain drain!

Partnership ideas & more:

National Center for Summer Learning, Johns Hopkins University, School of Education

Link from your website:

Compact OPAC

Anne Abrams — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:41:44 -0600

I saw this while attending Meridian's Silverstone Branch opening. Doesn't take a lot of space, and the price is relatively small too!

School Librarians...drop in

Anne Abrams — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:27:29 -0600

...for an hour or more on this web conference on 21st Century Skills,* June 1-12.
If you missed one, link to the archives.

This is your opportunity to:

Engage in a nation-wide discussion to formulate recommendations for education practices and policies
Lend your voice to help forward the 21st Century Skills Movement
PARTICIPATE FOR FREE in a unique nation-wide, online event

See you there!

Niche Marketing to Toast Masters

Anne Abrams — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:36:45 -0700

I subscribe to Google Blog Alerts and last week a Toastmaster's blog came through mentioning that LILI now subscribes to Vital Speeches via ProQuest Central.

If you have a Toastmasters group in your area (and maybe they even meet at your library), find the time to contact them and let them know about this valuable resource. As a former Toastmaster (and graduate!) I know they'll appreciate knowing. To find Vital Speeches, select ProQuest Central from the LiLI portal's drop down menu, then search by publication. Vital Speeches does have an embargo, with abstracts given in the most current issues but full-text from June 1995 to June 1997.

Toastmaster members come from a wide range of professions and they love to make to make presentations. Keep that in mind in case you need someone well prepared to make a presentation on the benefits of your library.

A miracle!

Anne Abrams — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:07:38 -0700

You know how sometimes an idea takes hold of your imagination? That happened to me when I was introduced to Everett Roger’s Technology Adoption Lifecycle model at the 2006 PLA conference.

The Technology Adoption Lifecycle model illustrates new product adoption by people in a bell curve. I had this model in the back of my mind as an evaluation tool when I worked with my colleagues to begin our Web 2.0 makeover.

I used the standard evaluation tool for success--that is tracking web traffic (which increased by 44 percent!). In October 2008, 39,082 pages were viewed compared to 27,179 in October 2007.

And of course, I used a project evaluation survey via a LibIdaho message (thank you to all who responded to it!).

Here’s what I found out (N=80):

Librarians discovered the new website in a number of ways (hence, the findings don’t equal 100 percent): 68 percent through electronic publication or communication; 26 percent through a presentation or display; 20 percent through print publications; and 16 percent by word of mouth.

A big part of the makeover campaign was to help librarians feels comfortable with Web 2.0 features. Here’s a YouTube segment on how we used C3Library.com to help.

The underlying measure of the project's success what to see if the Idaho library community would use the new website more than they would use the old.

Of the 80 respondents who answered, “I think I will use the new website more than I used the old”: 2 strongly agreed and were active on C3library.com; 7 strongly agreed; 30 agreed; 29 neither agreed nor disagreed; 7 disagreed and 5 didn’t answer.

That’s where the Technology Adoption Lifecycle model comes in— I was amazed to see the model worked for our makeover (see below)! As far as I am concerned (who ever thinks that their project would match a theoretical model?), it’s a miracle!

Oh, and something else that's a wonder? I have since submitted this project for the John Cotton Dana Award. So, if you are going to the ALA's midwinter session and happen to hear anything, let me know!

School Librarians! The winner is...

Anne Abrams — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:40:41 -0700

…Marjean Rogstead! Come on down!

Marjean is a librarian aide at Spirit Lake Elementary. She won $500 in books for her library from Titlewave, generously donated by Follett Library Resources.

Congratulations to all 275 school libraries who submitted their school's A-List (contact information) in preparation of the upcoming school impact study. The study will help us better understand the contributions to education of Idaho school libraries.

You can help every Idaho school library media center be a winner by submitting your A-List Names today. To submit them through a simple online form, click here.

If you have any questions about the study, please contact Frank Nelson or our research team RSL Research Group.

Got 2 minutes?

Anne Abrams — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:23:33 -0700

If you have two minutes, please participate in a five question survey about our new website...even if you haven't visited it!

We'll use your responses to figure out what we are doing right and what we could improve upon.

Thanks!

Middle & High School Librarians: Treat Yourself!

Anne Abrams — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:27:57 -0600

And apply today to attend the March 8, 9 & 10 in-service designed for you and your key-players. Like last year, the in-service will focus on your critical contributions to student achievement in the context of 21st Century Skills.

Go ahead and dare to dream of the luxuries waiting for you in Idaho Falls...

networking with your peers from across the state
hearing from Keith Lance about a new Idaho School Library Media Center study
working with Bob Berkowitz to create exciting projects incorporating Big6 with scientific inquiry models

But there is more!
The Commission is using LSTA funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Service to cover travel, meal, and hotel costs for you and your team. Continuing education credit is available for you, your science teacher and your VIP if your VIP attends the entire in‐service. And you are eligible to apply regardless of attendance last year or your certification credentials.

Why wait? Check it out now because November 10 is the deadline for applications!

New ICFL Web Site Launch!

Anne Abrams — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:07:50 -0600

Be part of the virtual launch!
On October 2, ICFL will be rolling out the new website and WebJunction Idaho at ILA. You can be part of it and get rewarded for your efforts! Here's what you need to do (and here is how to do it!):

Create an account at icfl.idaho.gov
Write a blog post there to welcome others to the site
Join WebJunction
Create/Update your account
Request an Idaho affiliation
“Friend” Shirley Biladeau

A cool prize will be mailed to you! Even better, by affiliating with WebJunction Idaho, you can enroll in classes at no cost!