Public Library & School Library Collaboration - Feedback Needed!

In the spirit of work at the national level through ALA’s State Ecosystem Initiative and the new Public Library & School Library Collaboration Toolkit done through collaborative efforts of AASL, YALSA, and ALSC, WEMTA, WLA, and DPI are working together to support and foster communications and collaborations among Wisconsin public and school librarians in order to better support the communities we serve. Each quarter we will share a resource, strategy, or example with you that could be used as a talking point in your community. Please use these ideas to initiate or continue to build relationships with public and school librarians.

Looking for Your Feedback - Supporting Collaboration Survey

Almost two years ago a small group of librarians started thinking about the great things happening with public and school libraries and wanted to find a way to both promote these efforts and encourage even more collaboration. We began with great conversations and created this “Tidbit” column, which has become part of the WLA and WEMTA newsletters. Now, as we look toward the future, we are looking to all of our colleagues throughout Wisconsin to participate and help channel our group’s energy in the most productive, and effective direction.

We began gathering feedback at the WLA Conference this fall where we interviewed and surveyed people who visited our table in the exhibit hall, which was hosted by the Department of Public Instruction. As a way to say thank you, each participant received a sticker proudly announcing, “I’m Connecting Wisconsin Libraries.” In March, we hope to do a similar activity at the WEMTA Conference. 

Since not everyone is able to attend these conferences, and we truly want to hear from as many public and school librarians as possible, here is a link to our survey. Please consider filling it out so that we can get a clearer picture of what public and school collaboration looks like in our state and begin to find ways to overcome some of the challenges that may be standing in our way. We will be analyzing the data and sharing the results of these surveys in spring of 2020. 

Thanks, in advance, for sharing your thoughts with us. And, if you want that super awesome sticker for your laptop or water bottle, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Monica Treptow, School Library Consultant, Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning, 2109 South Stoughton Rd, Madison, WI, 53716.

This message brought to you through the collaboration of Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Wisconsin Library Association (WLA), and DPI School and Public Libraries. If you are interested in working on future tidbits or have other suggestions for collaborations, please contact Marge Loch-Wouters (WLA) or Micki Uppena (WEMTA) .