Author Archive: jscott

Summer Reading Planning Workshop

9:30-4:15
SUMMER READING WORKSHOP
FEBRUARY 2, 2016 (SNOWDATE 2/11)
9:30 AM TO 4:15 PM
SOUTHERN ADIRONDACK LIBRARY SYSTEM

ARRIVAL & WELCOME 9:30-10 AM

EXERCISE YOUR MIND
Jen Ogrodowski, Saratoga Springs Public Library 10-11 AM
Even if you’ve never tried coding and don’t know where to begin, this presentation will offer some suggestions on how to get started in hosting an introduction to coding workshop or series of workshops at your library. We’ll go over the free courses offered by code.org and talk about how to pick and choose activities you may want to focus on to accomplish your program goals with the time you have. We’ll also take a look at how different activities offered by code.org can be useful if you have a class full of participants with different levels of previous experience.
BREAK
Kathy Ceceri, Author and STEAM educator 11:15 AM -12:45 PM
Kathy Ceceri, author of “Paper Inventions” and “Making Simple Robots,” will show you how to create light-up paper designs using only inexpensive LEDS, batteries, and conductive tape! Paper circuits teach kids about electrical circuits, switches and sensors. They can even be used to talk about smart devices, robots, and beginning computer programming concepts such as “if-then” statements and logic gates. For more information on Kathy’s hands-on STEAM activity books and programs for kids, go to www.craftsforlearning.com
LUNCH –BYO, SNACKS AND BEVERAGES WILL BE PROVIDED

MINI MAKER SHOWCASE 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Libraries throughout the 4 counties are offering maker programs or lending out maker kits. If you have a program to share, please sign up. Each person will have 5 minutes to explain their program or materials, then attendees can walk around the room to check out your stuff and ask questions. Space is limited to 5. Jennifer will contact you by January 22nd to let you know if you are one of the lucky 5. Register when you RSVP online.

ON YOUR MARK GET SET…
Adam Feldman, Go Kids 2:30-4:00
Go Kids uses “imagination” games and active storytelling to help children prepare socially, emotionally and physically for school and the broader community. Meet Adam, the founder of Go Kids, and learn some tips and tricks to get your community moving, playing, and learning.

WRAP UP

RSVP by Wednesday January 27th 2016.
Register online now!

FactCite and Miss Humblebee’s Academy – Two Curriculum Supported Online Resources

Are Formal Learning Support, helping students who are enrolled in a formal program of education or who are pursuing their education through a program of homeschooling to attain their educational goals, or Basic Literacy, which addresses the need to read and to perform other essential daily tasks identified community needs that your library provides? (Nelson, Sandra. The New Planning for Results: A Streamlined Approach. Chicago: American Library Association, 2001. Print.)

If you answered yes to one or both, then you may be interested in evaluating FactCite or Miss Humblebee’s Academy.  Let Jennifer know if you are interested and she will set up a webinar demo as well as trial access to the software.

Continue reading→

SALS 2014 Executive Summary

Executive Summary of SALS 2014 Survey Responses

Library staff and trustees were asked to complete a satisfaction and use survey as required by the SALS Plan of Service 2012-2016.  One hundred thirty people completed the survey (forty-three staff, sixty trustees, twenty-seven directors). Here are some of the survey highlights.

98.23% of the respondents are satisfied with SALS services.

99.12% of the respondents find SALS services to be valuable and relevant.

SALS services rated the most used and most valued:

value & satisfaction graph

  • Delivery/Interlibrary Loan/Resource Sharing
  • Polaris/Automation
  • Central Library Services
  • Continuing Education and Consulting

SALS will continue to provide web based and/or face-to-face (your house or ours) consulting and continuing education to ensure all staff, volunteers and trustees receive the training they need to provide good customer service to their communities.

Continuing Education in 2016 will highlight strategic planning, orientation to SALS services, community based planning, early literacy, technology and social media, marketing and Polaris.

Continuing Ed Graph

The full survey and responses are available here.

Remarks

The SALS Board of Trustees approved a new hire to assist member library staff in outreach services and marketing.

SALS and the Crandall Public Library purchased two consortium wide genealogy databases.

Crandall Public Library, working with the SALS member library directors, continues to support eContent for every library in our system.

Delivery services and resource sharing continue to be very important to the membership.

SALS staff needs to work harder to promote all SALS services to the membership – trustees, directors and front-line staff.

The Construction Grant and the Technology Challenge Grant continue to be popular and well received.  Excellent building improvements and new programs were generated by these grant funds.

The Joint Automation staff continues to be an invaluable resource to the membership.