Masterclass, Microsoft Certification, and a Bright Spot

You may have heard that Prairie Lakes libraries have been granted free licenses to Masterclass  for a full year. Yesterday Rob sent in an application for the same access for KCLS patrons. Stay tuned for word on whether we will be selected for this limited time offer.

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This week we put our hat in the ring to become a Microsoft Certification Hub. Here's what the project entails and how we would participate, if chosen. We'll know in January.

The project: DPI is partnering with multiple agencies that support training and certification via Microsoft Learn. Within Microsoft Learn, individuals  can achieve industry-recognized credentials of different Microsoft certification tracks (including everything from .NET, Microsoft 365, the Microsoft Office Suite, and more). These credentials can help position job seeking patrons throughout Wisconsin communities to acquire high-paying, technology-relevant careers.  Microsoft was awarded a grant through DPI to provide these certifications at no extra cost to schools and libraries; this program can provide patrons (and even interested library staff) with Microsoft Office Specialist and Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certifications offered by Certiport.

 

DPI is looking to work directly with Library Systems to identify specific libraries throughout different regions of Wisconsin that will have the capacity to serve as certification proctoring hubs, whom in turn could work with other local libraries in the region to promote the opportunity – ensuring patrons throughout the whole state can easily locate a nearby space to seek credentialing. Best of all, Certiport has confirmed that testing can occur both in-person and remotely – with librarians facilitating virtual proctoring. This means folks with a home internet connection can easily access the credentialing process without having to worry about travel.

 

Timeline: Come January 2024, Ben Miller & Chris Baker from DPI Library Team will contact the selected libraries to work with them on this project.

 

“Hub” libraries: What does this mean for the selected libraries? Here is what they can expect:

• Library capacity & commitment: Relative to patron interest, the time commitment will be similar to test proctoring if that is already offered at a library. So if a community shows interest in Microsoft certifications, a library might want to donate more time to it. Generally, it works well when a library staff member plans for certain hours each week to be set aside (just in case) for certification.
• Example: This might be promoted as “Microsoft Certification Proctoring by Request on Tuesdays from 1:00-3:00 pm and Thursdays from 5:00-7:00 pm; reserve a timeslot “here” [insert link] and contact us for special requests.”  
• Library responsibilities: Similar to proctoring; making sure that users seeking certification are following all expected steps to successfully complete their credentialing along certain proctoring guidelines. This may include a few more technology-based pieces for virtual proctoring (DPI can get clarification on that when/if needed and can involve proper system IT).  
• Library staff training: Library staff involved will receive approximately 30-minute training via webinar with ongoing direct support/clarification as needed or requested.
• Will they need to be Microsoft experts?: No! However, if a staff person is interested in getting Microsoft certification themselves, they are welcome to take advantage of the opportunity themselves.

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This week's Bright Spots come from Michelle:
" Last week when I was sick and unexpectedly gone for the entire week, Katie E. kept our department running seamlessly.  She is such an asset to KPL and to me, and I am continually grateful for everything she does. I could not do this job without her!"
I'll add my thanks, as well. Katie is a perfect match for our admin team and we are thrilled to have her on board! Barb

And from Marcia:

"I received a call from a senior patron, LD, to say how wonderful and surprising the Lobby Stop was at Saxony Manor this month. She went on to rave about how Kristen S and Hillary are just the best outreach providers and she is so happy to have gotten to know them this year. LD also went on to say that she heard Kristin Kornkven is retiring and she wanted to just wish her the very best retirement and thank her for all the genuinely fantastic library service she has given her for many years.  She used to be a Simmons patron for a long time before she moved, and then she continued to call Kristin for things just because she was a great librarian."

(Great job, Kristen and Hillary! And we will certainly miss you, KK!) BB

Happy holiday weekend, everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful time. I'll be out starting tomorrow until the new year, with a sneak appearance on the 29th to sign checks. 

Barb

Wage increases on the way

Here's a blog post that fits into my favorite category- the annual announcement of a staff wage increase. This year there is another layer to the increase- an additional step to each position that frees those people at the top of their scale to finally get an additional step. On January 1st, everyone will receive a 2.5% increase in their wages. If you also get a satisfactory performance review this year, your wages will move up to the next step on your anniversary date. Each step is a variable increase that's most often around the 2.5% mark. So most people will see a 5% increase in their wages this year.

Our new date for occupancy of the Uptown Children's Library is May 24, 2024, about a month after we expected to move in. So we'll be hiring new staff a little later in the year and the Playmaker training for all YFS staff will also be moved to spring.

We were not awarded the much anticipated NEH grant for the Simmons restoration. So instead of major construction, we'll be working with city capital funding to tuckpoint the limestone joints and rebuild some collapsed drainage pipes to make the building as water tight as possible.

The Northside Library will get a new air conditioning system this year, replacing the original units that barely made it through last summer.

We'll be bringing around a small holiday gift for everyone tomorrow. If we miss you, we'll leave it with your manager, so check in with them if we don't see you. Hope it brings you some cheer this holiday season.

I'll be with the grandkids next week. I'm always available by phone, but if you can't reach me, Brandi is next in line for any emergencies.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Barb

A little News for the week

Ellen Kupfer and I went to the Potawatomi Casino last night with high hopes of bringing home a big check for $25,000. So did 140 other organizations. Twenty went home with a check, but all we got was a belly full of tacos and a crazy little momento of our visit. But we had a lot of fun and we'll try again next year!

We have an occupancy day from our builders- the day they hand over the keys to a finished new children's library:

May 24, 2024

So we can breathe a little and take some extra time to pull it all together. Construction begins Monday and we'll start taking pics every week to track progress and share with all of you. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch this come to life!

Lots of staff are sick already- it's going to be a tough winter season. Remember to drink a lot of water, wash your hands a lot, and sleep more than usual. The city is arranging to offer the next round of free COVID vaccines for both FT and PT staff at the transit center. It's not a booster shot- it's a whole new shot for protection from the latest virus variant. I'll let you know as soon as those are available. I understand that in the future they plan to combine the flu and COVID shots, but not yet, so get that flu shot separately if you haven't already.

We have a little holiday gift for each of you that we'll distribute next week. 

Happy weekend, everyone!

Barb

Congratulations and Kudos

Is it nearly mid-December already? We'd better hurry up and celebrate!

• Congrats to Megan on the acceptance of her program submission to ALA! Megan will share her wisdom on library outreach to people experiencing homelessness at next year's ALA Annual conference in San Diego.
• Congrats to the Uptown Children's Library Capital Campaign Committee for raising $1,342,550 toward the completion of the space!
• Congratulations to Kristin and Debbie K on their impending retirements! Look for party announcements soon.
• Let's celebrate the holidays on Thursday at the Civil War Museum with pizza provided by the Mayor
• And hopefully Brandi and I will bring home $25,000 from the Potawatomi Casino on Thursday evening!

Our December Library Board meeting is Tuesday at 5:30pm at SW.

I'm taking a day off on Monday but will be online Tuesday and Wednesday from home as I have work done on the house.

This week Bright Spots:

From Amy Rae:

"I was just chatting with one of our regulars, who called out DJ Hanson specifically as someone who's been helpful to her family in the past - "he's SO nice, he's great." She told me about a time he discovered a picture book she'd brought back hadn't been checked in before it went back on the shelf.  In addition to fixing the problem, he made sure to reach out to the patron to ensure she and her kiddo had had a chance to read the book.  They ended up checking it out a second time because of his thoughtfulness.  She hastened to add that she thinks we're all awesome, but DJ received high praise in particular.  It sounds exactly like the above-and-beyond customer service I see him provide every day, so I wanted to make sure I passed it on.  "

From Barb: Thanks to Aaron for always going out of his way to help me with resizing files and other tech stuff. You're the best!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Barb

Casino Grant Making, a Retirement, and Bright Spots

The road to collecting $3 million for the new children's library has been quite a ride with a lot of unexpected turns, and this week's invitation to a Milwaukee casino for a chance to win $25,000 from the Potawatomi's Heart of Canal Street grant funding  promises to be a good time. Twenty organizations selected from the pool of finalists (that's us) will share the $500,000 prize. Hopefully Lady Luck is on our side and if we win, Brandi and I will try hard not to gamble it all away on the way out (just kidding). 

In another intriguing fundraising scheme, we have an insider connection to producer Ron Howard and the Netflix execs who are creating a film from Kenosha's own Florence Parry Heide's Shrinking Treehorn series. Will they make a gift to the campaign in Heide's honor? We'll see...

And, in a less flashy but even more potentially lucrative turn of events, the Governor has announced a surprise matching grant for shovel ready construction projects and the city's grant writer is completing the application on our behalf. We'll ask for $1 million.

A retirement announcement from Debbie Kresal, whose last day at KPL is January 16, 2024. " I am looking forward to enjoying my retirement with my family and friends, but I will miss everyone here who has become my second family."

This week's Bright Spots:

From Jennifer: "I wanted to submit a Bright Spot this week for Brandi. She has had a lot going on these first two weeks as our new Assistant Director (while also balancing CPP in the interim!), and I've immensely appreciated her measured, supportive, and compassionate approaches to the various things we've thrown at her in such a short time. It is already clear to so many of us that she is going to thrive in this role, lifting up KPL along the way."

From Amanda: "Quick shoutout to the SI staff for helping make the decorations for this year's tree. It's looking awesome! Plus extra kudos to Lina for making a pseudo book topper for it."