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 April 27, 2006

Published by the Southern Ontario Library Service

The introductory page for the Southern Ontario Library Service is www.sols.org . From that page, you can move to any other pages created by staff at the Southern Ontario Library Service, as well as to links to resources and professional information.

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Client Services Information Collection Form – Deadline May 5, 2006
2. Helpdesk UPDATE
3. charitable/consortia purchasing agreements (CPA)
4. COOL - NetLibrary Ebook collection – Funding subsidy continued for 2006
5. COOL - Audiobooks
6. Library Book Rate Information
7. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES  
a) Ontario Trillium Foundation –Next deadline July 1, 2006
b) RBC After-school grants – Deadline: May 1, 2006
8. LITERACY GRANT
9. First Nation Public Libraries’ Spring Gathering 2006
10. SOLS TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR SPRING 2006 – Now underway
11. TRUSTEE COUNCIL MEETINGS – Scheduled for April – May 2006
12. LIBRARY COMMITTEE MEETINGS – Spring 2006
13. UPCOMING SURVEYS – Training and E-books
14. EXCEL REGISTRATION – Deadline: May 12, 2006
15. First Nation Poster and MATERIALS – Now available
16. TD Summer Reading program 2006 – Official website now available
17. SOLS in the Community
18. SOLS CEO LISTSERV
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1. Client Services Information Collection Form – Deadline May 5, 2006 

In September 2001, SOLS retained dmA Planning and Management Services to develop a model similar to The Library's Contribution to Your Community but designed to help SOLS document and communicate its value to funders and potential funders. The model identifies several contributions that capture the benefits of SOLS' services to local libraries. For each contribution, the model identifies the associated services and the measures to be collected.  

Clearly, some of this data is available internally at SOLS but for other data, the library itself is the only source of the information. It is for these services that we are asking library staff to complete the Client Services Information Collection Form. The Form is available on the SOLS website.  There is a link from the main SOLS page and the direct link is www.sols.org/aboutsols/clientservices/index.htm. The Form has been kept as brief as possible, and is designed to be answered and submitted online. You can also print the form and fax the completed data to 1-416-961-5122.  Please complete the form by  Friday, May 5, 2006. 

If you have a question about the Client Services Information Collection Form or SOLS' Contributions to Libraries, please contact Laurey Gillies at 416 961 1669 extension 5118 or by e-mail to . You may also view last year’s SOLS’ Contribution to Libraries report on our website at www.sols.org/aboutsols/reports/SCTYL/Final%20SCTYL%202004-2005.pdf

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2. Helpdesk UPDATE 

Please be advised that Gale Thompson of the SOLS Helpdesk is away indefinitely from her duties due to illness. We urge interlibrary loan and other public library staff to avoid using Gale’s specific e-mail and telephone extension and direct their requests for support to the general HelpDesk contact information shown below.  Other SOLS staff are handling these calls but we do ask for your patience during this time when we are short-staffed. 

Email:
Telephone: 1-416-961-1669 or 1-800-387-5765, press 4

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3. charitable/consortia purchasing agreements (CPA) 

SOLS negotiates charitable/consortia purchasing agreements (CPAs) on behalf of SOLS libraries. CPAs are ‘economies of scale’ pricing for the purchase or lease of a range of goods and services.   

A new consortium purchase agreement has been negotiated with Dell Computers for computer hardware. The new contract will be run from March 31, 2006 through May 31, 2006.  There is no minimum order, and no shipping charges apply.  The hardware comes with a three-year on-site parts and labour warranty.  In some cases, for particular items, prices have been adjusted to provide additional savings.  More details about this offer are posted in the CPA section of the SOLS website at:  http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/coolcpa/cpa/computers.htm 

Further information on all Charitable/Consortia Purchasing Agreements can be found at http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/coolcpa/cpa/index.htm or contact Daryl Novak, Director of Operations, at 1-800-387-5765, ext. 5135.

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4. COOL - NetLibrary Ebook collection – Funding subsidy continued for 2006  

Again, SOLS and OLS-N have agreed to fund small public library participation in the Provincial Shared Ebook Collection. Additional information on how to participate in this initiative will be available shortly on the SOLS website and listservs.  

This will be the second year that the OLSs are subsidizing the cost for libraries to participate in the NetLibrary Ebook collection at a rate of $100 per library. This will cover the cost of participation for libraries serving populations under 15,000 (up to 200 libraries). SOLS will also be introducing another pricing tier in the fee schedule for ebooks. For those libraries serving populations of 15,001-30,000, the cost will be $250. If you require additional information, please contact Barbara Franchetto at or 1-800-387-5765, ext.5104.
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5. COOL - Audiobooks 

In January 2006, SOLS hosted an all day session on audiobooks. Two vendors, NetLibrary and Overdrive, presented their products to approximately 20 attendees from public libraries across southern Ontario. A number of libraries have expressed an interest in pursuing the licensing of audiobooks.  

Pricing for the NetLibrary product is already available on our website at http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/coolcpa/cooldata/product.aspx?prod=80. Information from Overdrive is forthcoming. If your library is interested in audiobooks, please contact Barbara Franchetto at or 1-800-387-5765, ext.5104. Discounts are offered by NetLibrary based on the number of libraries that subscribe to their product, while costs for Overdrive can be shared among participating libraries. Overdrive product and pricing information will be posted on the SOLS website and on the COOL listserv as soon as it is available.

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6. Library Book Rate Information (LBST) UPDATE 

In the previous Signal, we included information regarding the Canada Post Library Book Rate.  Canada Post has extended the current Library Book Rates to January 15, 2007.  As part of this extension, libraries will be required to use electronic web-based software (called Library Book Shipping Tool or LBST) to create shipping and return labels for mailing Interlibrary Loan items using the Library Book Rate system.  

Effective May 1, 2006, libraries will be required to register for a username and password to use LBST by completing the application form found on the Canadian Library Association (CLA) website at http://www.cla.ca/EOE_SCE_Prod/index.htm. Libraries will have until September 30, 2006 to move to one of the electronic shipping tools in order to access the Library Book Rates, otherwise full tariff rates will apply. 

The “Library Book Rate Postage Information” section of the SOLS website has now been updated with new information on the Library Book Rate and Canada Post’s Library Book Shipping Tool (LBST).  This section can be found at http://www.sols.org/resourcesharing/INFO/policies/postage/index.htm

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7. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES  

There are a number of valuable links to “Funding Development Resources” that can be found at http://www.sols.org/links/clearinghouse/fundingdev/index.htm#Grants .  The following grants might be of interest to libraries in Ontario. 

a) Ontario Trillium Foundation –Next deadline July 1, 2006 

Public libraries became eligible for the OTF community program two years ago.  Applications for grants for municipal libraries serving small communities (populations of 20,000 or less) must be submitted through the municipality.  Applications for grants for county libraries serving small municipalities (populations of 20,000 or less) must be submitted through the County Library Board.  Applications for grants for First Nation libraries must be submitted through the First Nation's Band Council.  A copy of the application process is posted on the Foundation’s website at http://www.trilliumfoundation.org/OTF-English/new/index.htm.  There is also a link to the Trillium website from the main SOLS page at www.sols.org.  The remaining deadlines for the 2006 round of applications are July 1 and November 1 – at 5:00 pm on the deadline date.   

b) RBC After-school grants – Deadline: May 1, 2006 

RBC Financial Group is inviting community-based providers of after-school programs to apply for grants for the 2006-07 school year. In order to qualify for a grant, after-school programs should offer structured, supervised activities in an environment that provides what RBC has termed the 3Ss: safety, social skills, and self-esteem. Programs should also offer activities such as computer instruction, sports, literacy tutoring, music and art lessons, nutrition guidance, and homework-help. Each of the community-based programs selected will receive between $25,000 and $40,000. The deadline for submissions is May 1. For more information, visit: www.rbc.com/community/donations

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8. LITERACY GRANT 

In response to queries and requests from libraries around the Ministry’s $6 million initiative to “boost literacy and learning” in rural, remote, francophone and First Nations public libraries, SOLS will be providing a spectrum of ideas to help libraries focus on providing literacy services and materials. We intend to focus on three areas:

• Literacy and Numeracy
• Lifelong Learning and Love of Reading
• Family Literacy.
   

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9. First Nation Public Libraries’ Spring Gathering 2006  

The southern Ontario First Nation public libraries’ Spring Gathering, traditionally held in southern Ontario in late April, is incorporated, for 2006, into a First Nations Public Libraries’ conference being held in North Bay from May 9-12.

Program and registration information for this conference organized by Ontario Library Service-North and SOLS, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, is available at: http://www.olsn.ca/conferences-first-nations.php or contact: Patty Lawlor, First Nations Consultant, at 1-800-387-5765, Ext. 5107 or .

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10. SOLS TRAINING WORKSHOPS FOR SPRING 2006 – Now underway 

The SOLS Spring 2006 workshops are underway.  There is still time to register for the workshops, with the remaining workshops being offered:  

Workshop 2 - Who’s on first? Making sense of fundraising roles and responsibilities

Workshop 3 - Know where you are: Understanding your library’s current reality by means of a Situational Analysis

Workshop 4 - Science Fiction and Fantasy: Explore the genre that expands the mind

Workshop 5 - The Other Official Collection: “yes, you can buy that in French!”

Workshop 6 - Community Development – Public Libraries at the table

Workshop 7 - Choosing and Using Books for Boys (and Girls)

Workshop 8 - TD Summer Reading Program Orientation 

For your information, the science fiction and fantasy workshop set for the Lakeshore Branch of the Innisfil Public Library is now full. 

Several people have asked for more details on our community development workshop entitled Community Development: Public Libraries at the Table. In 2003, the concept of the library as a partner in community development was the key theme at the Ontario Library Association’s Leadership forum. At the forum, the role of the library staff and board as advocates for community problem-solving was articulated. But what does it look like to be a community development partner? Obviously, staff and board need to be present and active with community groups, but what is the nature of community development? In our workshop, Lorna Heidenheim, Executive Director of the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition, will discuss principles, values and process. There are various types of community development strategies, and partners can contribute through different types of collaborative roles. Providing opportunities to enhance community development will favour libraries whose management and trustees understand the principles and process. 

Further information about all SOLS workshops is posted on the SOLS website at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/training/clinicsworkshops/index.htm  

To register, please use the specific registration form for each workshop as provided on the SOLS Training page, at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/training/clinicsworkshops/index.htm . Maps for each of the training venues will also be available, by a web link, within the registration forms. 

11. TRUSTEE COUNCIL MEETINGS – Scheduled for April – May 2006 

Trustee Councils meet twice a year and all public library boards may send a representative. While all appointed trustee council representatives will receive a print mailing of the agenda, the dates of the upcoming meetings, in chronological order, are as follows. Further information is posted under “Networking Opportunities” at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/networking/trusteecouncils/index.htm

 While some of the Trustee Council meetings have already taken place, the following five remain:

Trustee Council 1 – Saturday, April 29, 2006 from 10am to 1pm – Norfolk County – Simcoe Branch
Trustee Council 2 (Escarpment) – Saturday, April 29, 2006 from 9am to noon (new time) - Oakville Public Library, Central Branch (This meeting will be followed by one offering of Workshop #2, entitled “Who’s on First? Making Sense of Fundraising Roles and Responsibilities” that is being run at Oakville from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.  Registration for that workshop is being handled separately at )
Trustee Council 8 - Saturday, April 29, 2006 from 10am to 1pm - North Grenville Public Library- South Gower Branch
Trustee Council 5 – Saturday, May 6, 2006 from 10am to 1pm – Kawartha Lakes – Lindsay Branch
Trustee Council 4 – Tuesday, May 16, 2006 from 6pm to 9pm   - Barrie (At 7 pm, the Trustee Council will participate in the OLBA/OLA Education Institute’s teleconference called “Board Evaluation and Trustee Recruitment” with Mel Gill)

As this will be an election year for municipalities, the current term for library board appointments will also end.  Part of the discussion at the Trustee Council meetings may focus on relationships with municipal councilors and Library Board Recruitment.  In the ‘Publications’ section of the SOLS website, there is a link to the series of publications called Trustee Tips.  SOLS produced two titles in this series which would be of interest to trustees concerning these topics:

Trustee Tip #24 – Library Board Recruitment 2003 (September 2003)
Trustee Tip #25 – Building Effective Relationships between the Library and the Municipality November 2003)

The direct link to the Trustee Tips section is http://www.sols.org/publications/trusteetips/index.htm  

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12. LIBRARY COMMITTEE MEETINGS – Spring 2006 

SOLS provides an opportunity for library staff members to meet and discuss issues of common interest. This spring, the clinic connected to the Library Committee meetings will revolve around book-based programming.  Meeting agendas will be posted in early April on the SOLS website at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/networking/librarycommittee/index.htm.  

The next round of Library Committees will be held as follows:
Monday, May 15^th – Collection Assessment Clinic for the Prescott-Russell area libraries (Comité des services en français) at the Russell Public Library
Monday, May 29^th - Saugeen area libraries at the Meaford Public Library
Monday, May 29^th - Peterborough area libraries at the Keene Branch of the Otonobee-South Monaghan Public Library
Wednesday, May 31^st - Simcoe-Muskoka area libraries at the Ramara Public Library
Wednesday, May 31^st - Leeds and Grenville area libraries at the Prescott Public Library
Thursday, June 1^st - Renfrew area libraries at the Greater Madawaska Public Library (Calabogie)
Monday, June 5^th – Hastings-Northumberland-Prince Edward area libraries at the Tweed Public Library
Tuesday, June 6^th - Lanark area libraries at the Carleton Place Public Library
Monday, June 12th – Regular meeting of the Prescott-Russell area libraries (Comité des services en français) at the Clarence-Rockland Public Library

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13. UPCOMING SURVEYS – Training/EXCEL and E-books 

For almost 20 years, through distance education, SOLS has been offering the EXCEL program.  This is a program which offers a certificate in managing a small public library.  Registration for this program remains strong and diverse and there have been over 530 graduates.  SOLS staff are now exploring the idea of developing a formal program of courses that builds on EXCEL, and provides more advanced learning for public library staff and CEOs.   

Who would benefit from an advanced certificate program in public library management? What areas of training are most needed? What training formats are preferred?  To assess the need for training, we are preparing a survey that will be posted on the SOLS website this spring. In future correspondence, we’ll invite EXCEL graduates and CEOs to complete the survey, and there will be a link on the main page. 

SOLS staff are also planning to undertake a second survey towards the end of May.  The second survey will concern the use of E-books.  While we realize that two short surveys in one month may seem overwhelming, the feedback we receive from client libraries is greatly appreciated and really helps us to plan for future programs. 

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14. EXCEL REGISTRATION – Deadline: May 12, 2006 

EXCEL is a training program in managing a small public library or a community branch library, specifically designed for public library staff or volunteers who have little or no formal library training. It also provides an opportunity to upgrade library skills and management techniques, within a flexible and practical program. It is offered, in both English and French, through the Southern Ontario Library Service and Ontario Library Service-North, as a correspondence program with telephone tutors. 

For the Summer 2006 semester, we are offering these courses in English:

• Introduction to Public Libraries
• Information Services (revised)
• Collection Development for Children 
• Professional Development

For the Summer 2006 semester, we are offering these courses in French:

• Introduction aux bibliothèques publiques
• Développement des collections pour enfants - révisé

The registration deadline is Friday, May 12^th.  The course material will be shipped to students beginning on Tuesday, May 23^{rd ,} with the semester commencing during the week of June 5^th.  Information about the EXCEL program, as well as a registration form, is posted at http://www.sols.org/librarydev/training/excel/registration.htm.  

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15. First Nation POSTERS AND MATERIALS – Now available 

a) First Nation Communities Read 2006 Poster  

Copies of the First Nation Communities Read 2006 poster are available, free of charge, to southern Ontario First Nation public libraries. The poster prominently features the 2006 honour recipient, As Long as the Rivers Flow by Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenden, with illustrations by Heather D. Holmlund, and also includes the cover art for 15 additional titles recommended by the jury for the 2006 program. The poster is full colour and 18” X 24.”

• To obtain folded posters, please include contact name, library name, SOLS courier route letter, and number of posters desired in an email message to Patty Lawlor, First Nations Consultant at .
• To obtain rolled posters via the SOLS courier, please send an appropriately-sized poster tube containing a return label and indication of the number of posters desired to Patty at SOLS – Toronto, Courier Route E. Please include a return label for your library in the tube.

SOLS acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) for this project.  

b) National Aboriginal Day – June 21, 2006 

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada offers information and FREE promotional material to support National Aboriginal Day celebrations each year. It’s not too early to check out what’s available for 2006 and place your order. Information about National Aboriginal Day is available at http://www.pch.gc.ca/special/canada/11/aboriginal_e.cfm. The product order form is available at http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ks/12050_e.html. 

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16. TD Summer Reading program 2006 – Official website now available 

The 2006 TD Summer Reading program theme is "Quest for Heroes", which includes community heroes, family heroes, heroes in myths and legends, modern heroes - the whole works!!  The illustrator for the 2006 TD Summer Reading program will be Martha Newbigging.  Sample clip art for this program is been posted on the SOLS website at http://www.sols.org/marketing/summerreading/clipart/index.htm. 

Library and Archives Canada has now posted the official bilingual website for the program at http://www.td-club-td.ca/   An electronic copy of the Staff Manual is also posted on that site under the link for “Librarians”.

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17. SOLS in the Community 

On April 22, Patty Lawlor, First Nations Consultant, attended the DVD premiere of AUT-SO-KE-WIN (OUR ELDERS’ STORIES) at Cape Croker (Chippewas of Nawash). The DVD project, undertaken by the Ninda-Kikaendjigae-Wigammik Public Library in partnership with the community’s Language Nest Program, is a response to the lack of resources available to teach and preserve the Ojibwa language and its dialects. The fully subtitled DVD uses footage of community Elders speaking about such issues as residential school, fishing, local history, and land claims. The premiere included a feast and entertainment. 

Patty Lawlor, First Nations Consultant, will participate in speaker and convenor capacities at the following sessions at the Canadian Library Association (CLA) Conference in Ottawa in June:

 “The Aboriginal Service Challenge: Improving Access through Understanding and Building Profile through Programming” – Concurrent Session B9 on Thursday, June 15, at 1:00 p.m.

Book/Readers’ Salon: First Nation Communities Read (FNCR) presents the authors and illustrator of As Long as the Rivers Flow, the 2006 FNCR program’s title selections for a reading, book give-away, and book signing on Thursday, June 15. (Time to be confirmed.) SOLS acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDP) for this project.

“Native Resources Alert: What’s Good, What’s Not and Why” – Concurrent Session D22 on Friday, June 16, at 9:00 a.m.

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18. SOLS CEO LISTSERV 

SOLS maintains a list of all the e-mail addresses for SOLS CEOs. It is this list that is used to distribute Signal. Several times through the month, you may also receive other messages from SOLS. This month, the following messages were sent:  

·         On April 4^th, Barbara Franchetto sent a message regarding the National Summit on Libraries and Literacy. The “Moving Forward” Summit will take place on Wednesday, June 14th, 2006, in Ottawa, as a pre-conference event of the 2006 CLA Conference.  Specifically, library staff were invited to complete a brief to solicit feedback from public libraries that support and promote adult and family literacy initiatives

·         On April 19^th, a copy of the OLBA Spring Report was provided to every CEO in the SOLS area.  The Report is also posted on the OLA website at http://accessola.com/olba/agendamin.html

·         On April 20^th, Laurey Gillies sent a message regarding the completion of the Client Services Information Collection Form.  More information appears earlier in this edition of Signal

·         On April 21^st, Laurey Gillies sent a message regarding a Municipal Cultural Planning Forum scheduled to take place in Perth on May 12, 2006. Registration information and background on this rural municipal cultural planning event is posted on AMO's website (www.amo.on.ca) on the front page, and in the Events area (Events of Interest to Municipal Sector)

If you did not receive these messages, and would like further information, please contact the SOLS HelpDesk at 1-800-387-5765, ext. 4, or by e-mail to

All issues of SIGNAL can be viewed online at http://www.sols.org/publications/signal/index.htm . However, if anyone would like to receive the e-mail version of this newsletter, please send a message to .  You can reach the editor of SIGNAL at:  or by telephone at 1-866-380-9767.