System Spotlight
By Staff
Future Dates & Training Opportunities (All Times in CST)
May 27th – System Office Closed in Observance of Memorial Day
May 27th – Humanities Kansas Culture Preservation Grant Applications Due/Click Here for More Info & to Apply
May 29th – 1 PM – 2 PM – How to Get Your Board to Fundraise Webinar/Register Here
May 30th – 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM – Kansas Regional Library Systems Present – After Lunch Course: Advocacy in a Polarized World/Register Here
June 6th – 3 PM – 4:30 PM – Supporting Domestic and Sexual Assault Survivors at Your Library Webinar/Register Here
June 21st – 10 AM – SWKLS Board Meeting Online/Registration Coming Soon
Consulting
By Sara Wilson
Adopt a Kid Librarian!
Do you have older kids who tag along with their younger siblings to programs, but seem bored or restless? They might be interested in becoming a Kid Librarian. What’s that? It’s an older kid who is given the responsibility of helping with tasks like designing a display, reading to younger kids, or helping prepare craft materials.
This can be a program all on its own, as this librarian suggests on the ALA’s Programming Librarian website, or it can take place while another program is happening. Be sure to get the parents’ permission!
This is a great way to engage older kids, give them a sense of ownership of the library, and encourage growth of interest in the field of Library Science. Who knows? You may visit your Kid Librarian in their own library someday.
9 Places You Can Apply for Programming Funds
Are you looking for places to apply for grants for programming, but aren’t sure where to start? This comprehensive list includes some great links and bonus resources! If you’re tapped for ideas of where to apply, you may find some inspiration. It’s for programming only. Please check the terms of any grant that you apply for to determine if your library qualifies.
Reminder: SWKLS Retreat Coming in September
This is a reminder that we have our retreat coming up on September 26th and 27th in Syracuse, KS. We have a speaker lined up and it’s going to be a fun, relaxing experience! Come get to know your area colleagues, share stories, laugh, learn, and get away from it all.
Cataloging, Collection Development, and ILL
By Sara Wilson
Collection Development Inspiration
Adult Fiction
Children’s & YA Fiction
Fun Fact About ILL: Conditional Status
Most of the time, when you request an item, a lender will either fill the request or deny it for a host of reasons, but very occassionally, you’ll get a status that says “Conditional.” Since this happens so rarely, it’s common for ILL personnel to be stumped as to what this means. Conditional means that the library is willing to lend the material to you on a condition that they set (they might tell you the patron has to use it on site and it can’t leave your library, for example). If you get a request with the status of “Conditional,” it means that you need to check the lender notes and if nothing is there, call or email the lender to find out what the condition is. At that point, you can choose to accept or decline. If you accept their condition, they will fill the request. If you decline, the request will move to the next lender in the lender string. As in all things, communication is key! Happy resource sharing! 🙂
Collection Development Crash Course
The American Library Association is offering an online crash course in Collection Development. The courses are not free and the prices can be seen by clicking “Learn More” under each session. It is a four-session course that includes Developing the Youth Collection; Developing the Adult Fiction Collection; Developing the Adult Non-Fiction Collection; and Weeding Your Collection. If you need to brush up on your collection development skills, weeding skills, or you have someone new in the role that would benefit from this course, it could potentially be a great continuing education opportunity. Click here for more information.
Technology
by Christopher Dressler
Emma Used Weak Passwords and Got Hacked
Emma was alarmed when she received a text alert from her bank confirming a $700 transfer request she hadn’t made. When she tried to log into her bank account to cancel the transfer, her password was rejected. She tried to reset her bank password but then found that she couldn’t log into her email to get the reset link
That’s when Emma knew she’d been hacked—and it was because she’d used the same password on both accounts. Later Emma would discover her password was a part of a company breach that was posted online.
Emma spent many hours on the phone sorting through this mess and trying to reclaim her accounts. After many conversations, she finally got back into her email and bank.
Afterward, Emma knew she had to get serious about passwords. Her friend helped her set up a password manager, which was easier than she thought it would be. It suggests hard passwords when she makes new accounts. It also tells her which passwords are weak and helps make them stronger. She finally feels in control of her online safety.
Use Strong Passwords https://www.cisa.gov/secure-our-world/use-strong-passwords