Ruth Culver Community Library Ribbon Cutting and Dedication

LINK

The ribbon cutting and dedication took place at 9:30 this morning.   (Sorry I had to miss it, but my wife and I will be in Neenah - her best friend's daughter's high school graduation party -- in a few hours.)  I'll have to take a short road trip in the next week or so to take some pictures.

Related articles:
Work is officially underway.  (10/28/2011)
Interior work begins at Prairie du Sac's Ruth Culver Library. (10/6/2011)
Help the library receive $50,000.  (9/11/2011)
Bids come in over budget.  (8/3/2011)
Site work boosts costs of new library.  (6/22/2011)
Library project to get underway this year.  (1/19/2011)
$500,000 gift boosts Prairie du Sac's Library fundraising effort.  (10/26/2010)
Building committee votes to extend fundraising effort for new Prairie du Sac library.  (8/23/2010)
The Ruth Culver Memorial Library.  (6/4/2009)
Culver's donates facility for new Prairie du Sac Library.  (5/22/2009)

Welcome to Wisconsin, Virginia Woods Roberts

Chippewa Falls hires library director. (Chippewa Herald, 6/13/2012)

Excerpt:   Virginia Woods Roberts figures she’s going to busy July 4. 

“I’ll probably spend the day unpacking,” the new director of the Chippewa Falls Area Public Library said Tuesday. 

Woods Roberts starts her new job July 1. She succeeds Darryl Eschete, who left April 16 to take a job with the West Des Moines Public Library.   [West Des Moines welcomes new library director.  Retired library director Ray Vignovich used to work for the Appleton Public Library.]

“I’m just looking forward to it,” she said of her new position. 

Woods Roberts is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she has a masters in library and information studies and a masters in art history. 

She is in her seventh year as library director in Suttons Bay, Mich., about 80 miles due east of Green Bay. 

Woods Roberts said she has experience at all levels of library work, including at a high school, college and public and private libraries. She has also worked in the private sector, in insurance and real estate. 

Woods Roberts is married and has three children, including one who recently graduated with a master’s degree from University of South Dakota. (After earning an undergrad degree at MSU in 2010?)

Mind on Vacation, Mouth Working Overtime

Obama Health Care Law: Where Does the Public Stand?  (Pew Research, 6/15/2012)

"Wary" as defined by Merriam-Webster: marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchfulness especially in detecting and escaping danger. 

Pew, are you sure this is the adjective you wanted to use?

And "cross-pressures" is a euphemism for.........?

Who Needs Libraries? Aurora, Illinois!

Aurora library plans technology, space for new building. (Daily Herald, 6/15/2012)

Excerpt: Aurora residents this fall may begin to notice visible progress toward the $28 million downtown library that received funding approval in April. 

Work on the building’s foundation at River and Benton streets is expected to begin in October or November in hopes of completing construction in May 2014, library board member John Savage said.  

With $30 million in bonds to be supported by a city tax increase, the library also is designing changes to the layouts of the Eola Road and West Branch facilities, improving technology and identifying locations for two satellite libraries.

Current main library

1969 – Expansion project completed, tripling the size of the Main Library by adding wings to the east, west and north sides of the building for added space and passenger elevators; original Carnegie façade is demolished.

"Fool me once......."

LINK

Excerpt:    With his second election victory within two years confirmed, Walker was in a mood to reach out to Democrats.

For a day.

According to a legislator's Facebook post,  Governor stayed at the grill and did not mingle. Line waiting for photo ops with him 

Not exactly a "reach out" with the Four Tops' intensity.
.

LINK

Excerpt:    How else do explain that less than a day after serving up brats, beer and good vibrations at the Governor's Mansion, Walker jetted off to Washington, DC and told that group that public worker benefits were "a virus."

Who's Running for State Office in Wisconsin 2012: 6th Assembly District

LINK

Public libraries in the 6th Assembly District.

• Brown County Public Library (Pulaski Branch)
• Clintonville Public Library
• Hortonville Public Library
• Shawano City-County Library  (including branch in Bonduel, Tauchen's voting address)
• Shiocton Public Library

The Republican Incumbent

Born Rice Lake, November 23, 1953; single. Graduate Bonduel H.S. 1971; attended UW-Madison 1971-72; B.S. in Animal Science, UW-River Falls 1976.

Dairy farmer. Member: Wisconsin Farm Bureau; Badger AgVest, LLC (dir.); Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (fmr. dir.); Dairy Business Assn.; Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (fmr. dir., fmr. chm.); Shawano, Oconto, Outagamie, Waupaca Co. Republican Party; Shawano Area Chamber of Commerce; Shawano Co. Dairy Promotions (fmr. dir.); Cooperative Resources International (fmr. vice chm.); AgSource Cooperative Services (fmr. chm.); National Dairy Herd Improvement Assn. (fmr. dir.); UW Center for Dairy Profitability (fmr. chm.); Shawano Rotary.

Elected to Assembly 2006; reelected since 2008. Minority Caucus Sergeant at Arms 2009.

Ran unopposed in 2010.  Defeated John Powers in 2008.

Ballotpedia

The Democratic Challenger:  John Powers

A retired teacher, Powers taught for 31 years in the Shawano County School District

Former teacher to take another run at Assembly seat. (Shawano Leader, 5/29/2012)

John Powers to run in Assembly District 6.  (Appleton Post-Crescent, 6/11/2012)

Wittenberg author gives inspiring presentation. (Shawano Leader, 6/5/2012)

Bean Camp to Briar Patch

.
John Powers on Linkedin.

Related posts:
Assembly District 1.
Assembly District 2.
Assembly District 3.
Assembly District 4.
Assembly District 5.

Who's Running for State Office in Wisconsin 2012: 5th Assembly District

Public libraries in the 5th Assembly District

• Black Creek Village Library
• Kaukauna Public Library
• Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library (portion of Little Chute only)
• Muehl Public Library, Seymour

The Republican Incumbent

Biography.  

Born Milwaukee, November 23, 1970; married. Graduate Wauwatosa West HS 1989; attended UW-Milwaukee and UW-Oshkosh. Regional manager.

Former realtor, salesman.

Former member: Realtors Assn. of Northeast Wis.; Wis. Realtors Assn. Town supervisor, Town of Vandenbroeck, 2005-07; town chp. 2007-11. Outagamie Co. supervisor, 2006-11.

Elected to Assembly 2010.

Ballotpedia

Jim Steineke announces re-election bid to Assembly. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 3/16/2012)


The Democratic Challengers
Ryan Ferguson.

Jeff McCabe
From Board Minutes, Kaukauna Area School District, 3/28/2011.   Mary K. Weber presented Jeff McCabe with a gift of appreciation for his fifteen years on the Board of Education.  He lost to Sue Gertz in the April 2011 election.

Related posts:
Assembly District 1.
Assembly District 2.
Assembly District 3.
Assembly District 4.

Pomona Library Bears the Brunt of Layoffs

Already a low priority.  A library in a community of 150,000 is open just 27 hours per week.

Pomona residents worry about future without library. (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 6/14/2012)

Excerpt:   Although a decision on the future of the Pomona Public Library will not be made until Monday night when the City Council meets, some people have begun to think about how they and others would function without it. 

This week employees learned the library could close in August and remain closed for a year as a result of the city's mounting fiscal problems. 

The city expected to issue a total of 29 layoff notices, 15 of them to library employees, by week's end, said Mark Gluba, assistant to the city manager. 

The remainder of the notices were going to personnel in other departments, he said.

Man Shot in Rest Room of Minneapolis' Franklin Library

Man shot in back, paralyzed in Mpls. library bathroom; suspect at large.  (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 6/14/2012)

Excerpt:   A 42-year-old man was shot in the back by a gunman in a public library bathroom in Minneapolis, and police say the victim is paralyzed from the waist down from this "unprovoked attack."

The shooting occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Franklin Community Library, 1314 E. Franklin Av., police said.

No arrests have been made, but police say a witness has given them information about the suspected gunman and that he goes by the street name "Xavier."

The "totally innocent victim in an unprovoked attack" has a bullet lodged in his spine and is being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center, police Lt. Mike Fossum said Thursday. Authorities have yet to release the man's identity. He is homeless and moved to the United States from Sudan about two years ago, Fossum added.

Among those who came to the wounded man's aid was Ahmed Ahmed, a library employee who shares the Muslim faith with the victim.

"When we went into the bathroom, we found this body," Ahmed said, adding that he read the man his last rites.

CAGGNI is Taking a Road Trip to the Allen County Public Library

 

LINK

Not this Cagney.
.

Fargo Public Library is....downtown, baby!

And on the web.

 

And in your head.

"Major Changes" of the Unhappy Kind @ the Dougherty County Public Library in Georgia

Library board closes two library branches; lays off employees. (Albany Herald, 6/14/2012)

Excerpt:   A fiscal year budget shortfall of more than $121,000 has prompted the closure of two of the five Dougherty County public libraries. 

The Library Board of Trustees have voted to close the Southside Library branch on Habersham as well as Westtown on Waddell Avenue immediately and lay off six employees until further notice. 

The library board has hoped to close the branches but keep the employees, however the closing and the layoffs was determined to be the most "fiscal responsible" alternative.

Massena (NY) Public Library Administrative Meltdown Leads to Temporary Closure

Now open for business

Massena Town Council Reopens Library. (Massena Daily Courier-Observer, 6/14/2012)

Warning(s) apparently went unheeded.
Remaining library board member Lisa C. Bero and approximately one dozen other current and former library employees and patrons attended the meeting. Ms. Bero said she tried to alert [Councilman] Raiti and Deputy Supervisor Albert N. Nicola to internal strife at the library prior to the resignations but was ignored.   (Former Director Lynn Fountain @ Linkedin.)

“I felt it important in that crucial situation that they come to bat,” she said. “We could have avoided a closure of the library had someone responded.”

So what the hell is going on here?  I'm wondering why the library board was unable to take any action, or "come to bat".

Massena Library to close temporarily.  (WNYF, 6/8/2012)

Excerpt:    The closure is the latest development in a controversy that began over the hiring process process for a new director that led to mass resignations of all but one member of the library board. 

Still a lot of blanks to be filled in.

Personnel changes at Massena Public Library questioned.  (Massena Daily Courier-Advance, 6/17/2012)

Excerpt: Concerns over personnel changes at the Massena Public Library surfaced at Wednesday’s town board meeting.

Brief History of the Massena Public Library.   Massena has been particularly fortunate with the library directors since 1962: William Slemmer, Barrie Robinson, Alice Bero, Ed Szynaka, David Needham, Paul Schaffer and currently, Lynn Fountain.

I wonder if Lisa is related to Alice.

Springfield (Mass.) City Library to Close 3 Branches

East Forest Park Branch (open 15 hours per week)

Springfield officials, residents saddened by planned closure of 3 branch libraries. (Springfield Republican, 6/13/2012)

Excerpt:   Molly Fogarty, the city’s director of libraries, and Stephen Cary, chairman of the Library Commission, said they knew budget cuts were coming, but hoped for the best. The city budget recommended by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno currently calls for 12 layoffs in the city and the elimination of 96 vacant positions, which includes three layoffs in the libraries and four unfilled vacancies. 

Liberty Branch (open 15 hours per week)

“We are hoping this is not permanent,” Fogarty said. “We certainly regret having to close any libraries. I feel the city is a city of neighborhoods and every neighborhood cherishes its library. The idea right now is we just don’t have the staff.” 

The city is reducing the library department budget from $3,671,611 to $3,555,318, a cut of 3.2 percent. The department also receives about $473,000 in grant funds.

Pine Point Branch (open 15 hours per week)

Springfield, Massachusetts, is my mother's hometown.  The "City of Homes" ain't what it ued to be.  In the 1930s, Mom and her three sisters would walk from Hartford Terrace to the Forest Park Branch Library, one of Springfield Carnegie libraries, on a regular basis.

Who's Running for State Office in Wisconsin 2012: 4th Assembly District

Public libraries in the 4th Assembly District:
Brown County Public

• Ashwaubenon Branch
• Weyers-Hilliard Branch Library

The Republican Incumbent

Biographical information.

His public service includes working for State Senator Robert Cowles, serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Mark Green, working as the Chief of Staff for Mayor Jim Schmitt, serving in the Foreign Service in Africa, working as an international election observer, and serving as City Clerk for the City of Green Bay.

First elected to the Assembly in 2010, Weininger received 58% of the votes in 2010.

The Democratic Challenger

Michael Malcheski was elected to Ashwaubenon Village Board on April 3, 2012.



 Michael  Malcheski on Facebook.

Related posts:
Assembly District 1.
Assembly District 2.
Assembly District 3.

Who's Running for State Office in Wisconsin 2012: 3rd Assembly District

Public libraries in the 3rd Assembly District:

Appleton (portion of service area)

Brillion

Kimberly-Little Chute (portion of Little Chute)

Menasha (portion of service area)

The Republican Incumbent

Born Green Bay, June 19, 1949; married; 4 children, 7 grandchildren. Graduate Brillion H.S.; UW-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course 1968; 1st Class of Participants in WI Rural Leadership Program 1986.

Former agri-business salesman, owner/operator of independent agri-business, tenant dairy farmer, and cash crop farmer.

Member: Republican Party of Wis.; Calumet Co. Agricultural Assn.; Calumet Co. Farm Progress 1993 Exec. Com. (chm.). Calumet Co. Board 1973-92 (vice chp.), chp. of its Ag/Extension Educ. Com. and vice chp. of its Land Conservation and Planning/Zoning Coms.; Wis. Land Conservation Bd. 1984-88 (secy.).

Elected to Assembly since 1986.  Ran unopposed in 2010.

Project Vote Smart.


The Republican Challenger

Brandi Lefeber:  Liberty Candidate for State Assembly, Wisconsin
The Fox Valley Ron Paul 2012 Meetup
Brandi on Facebook
Stockbridge:  Horsemanship at HavenQuest.  (Chilton Times-Journal, 7/14/2010)


The Democratic Challenger
                          City of Appleton

Oswold for Assembly on Facebook.

From Blue Cheddar. The Appleton Taxpayers United web site was even kind enough to supply the names of the alderpersons who voted for same sex domestic partner benefits. They are Christoph Wahl, John Robin Hill, Curt Konetzke, Jeff Lutz, Kathy Plank, Joe Martin, Peter Stueck, Teege Mettille, Cathy Spears and Kole Oswold. Remember to thank them individually if you have the chance.



The Independent Challenger

Josh Young survives nomination challenge by Wisconsin Rep. Al Ott.  (Appleton Post-Crescent, 6/11/2012)

Excerpt:   Ott challenged the validity of 16 of the 214 signatures Young submitted. Had all 16 challenges been upheld, Young would have ended up with fewer than the 200 signatures required to make the ballot. Ott accused Young of certifying with his own signature some nomination papers circulated by others on his behalf. It’s acceptable for others to circulate nomination papers, but the person who circulates them is required to vouch for them. “

It was a legitimate error on my part,” Young said. “I circulated 90 percent of the papers and noticed a page didn’t have a signature so I signed it and handed it in.” 

Young said he doesn’t fault Ott for making the challenge. 

“It’s just part of the process,” Young said. 

Young for Assembly on Facebook.
Josh Young's personal Facebook page.

Related posts:
Assembly District 1.
Assembly District 2.

Doubling Fines to Increase Library Revenue

Central Georgia Library Fines Set to Double. (WMAZ, 6/12/2012)

Excerpt:  Right now, late fines are $0.10 per day per book, but they're going to rise to $0.20. The library said the economy has played a big factor in needing to ink the increase.

But Thomas Jones does point out late fines are just a small fraction of the money it takes to run a public book lender. In fact, the fines make up less than one percent of the total library operating budget -- between $50,000 and $70,000 per year, according to Jones.

LINK

Who's Running for State Office in Wisconsin 2012: 2nd Assembly District

LINK

Public libraries in the 2nd Assembly District.

Brown County Public Library

• Denmark Branch Library
• Kress Branch Family Library, De Pere
• Wrightstown Branch Library

Lester Public Library, Two Rivers

Academic library:  The Miriam B. and James J. Mulva Library, St. Norbert College.

The Republican Incumbent

Biography:   Born Beaver Dam, October 13, 1980; married; 2 children. Graduate Green Bay Southwest 1999; B.S. UW-Madison 2003. Full-time legislator. Former transit planning coordinator, communications director, grant-writing consultant. Member: Green Bay Area Crimestoppers (bd. mbr.); Brown Co. Teen Leadership (bd. mbr.); Brown Co. United Way (marketing and communications com.); Brown Co. Taxpayers Association; Pro-Life Wisconsin; Wis. Right to Life; Knights of Columbus; National Rifle Association. Higher Educational Aids Bd., 2001-03. Elected to Assembly 2010. 

Rep. Andre Jacque seeks re-election to Assembly,  (Herald Times Reporter, 5/24/2012)
Andre Jacque for Assembly 2010 letter.
Meet the Majority

Won his seat handily in 2010.

.

The Democratic Challenger.
Larry Pruess.

The 5/24/2012 HTR article, cited above, notes that [p]otential Democratic Party challengers include Laurie Burke, Larry Pruess and Jeanette Lynn Greenwood.

Larry filed his nomination papers on 5/18/2012, but the other two potential challenges did not meet the deadline.  At that time, Larry had a campaign email but no website.

Apparently, Larry, a Two Rivers resident, doesn't have much of a web presence.  When I asked my wife, a Two Rivers native,  if she knows Larry, she replied, "No, but I do remember a Preuss family that lived on the east side."

Her spelling is different, so I tried a "Larry Preuss" search.

"Unfortunately, that page can't be found."

I give up for now.

Sorry to jump the gun here, but I gotta say Andre Jacque in a cakewalk.

Breastfeeding in Public as a Teachable Moment

Mom Speaks Out After Being Told Not To Breastfeed In Public. (WCCO, 6/7/2012)

Excerpt:   According to Hennepin County Security manager Kirk Simmons, the security officer with whom Barrows spoke later found a county police officer who explained the law. 

“The county officer had told him that she didn’t need to move, she could breastfeed wherever she needed to,” 

Simmons said. But Barrows said she was never directly told that she could stay. 

“I left so mad,” she said. 

Hennepin County Security said it’s trying to use this incident as a teachable moment, which Barrows said she appreciates.

LINK

Wisconsin is among 45 states that  have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location.

LINK

The Senate version of this bill was co-sponsored by Democrats Fred Risser, Jon Erpenbach, Jim Sullivan, Bob Wirch, and John Lehman; Republicans Alberta Darling, Rob Cowles, and Dale Schultz.

Wisconsin is among 28 states that exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws.

Multnomah County Library Lovers Tell Their Stories

LINK

See for yourself.

LINKcat Survey Says.....

...."searching online" is least satisfying feature of Koha.  "Personal lists" least used.

LINK

Related posts:
Getting the bugs out of the new LINKcat system. (7/19/2011)
The LINKcat upgrade.  (5/28/2011)