Digital Inclusion Survey

NH State Library is encouraging all public libraries to participate in the new Digital Inclusion Survey, which is available through November 15, 2013.  The survey is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and conducted by the American Library Association and the Information Policy & Access Center at the University of Maryland College Park, in partnership with the International City/County Management Association.

 There survey is here:  http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu.  Start by clicking on the big orange check mark at the top of the page.

Some library directors may have already received a post card invitation to the survey because they were pre-selected as serving specific demographics.  We are asking all public libraries do the survey.  Please complete the survey by November 15, 2013

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is this survey all about?

The  Digital Inclusion Survey helps gauge public library service in the areas of digital literacy, economic and workforce development, civic engagement, educational support, health information and public access to the Internet.

Why should I participate?

It will enable your library to:

•  Get a better sense of your community's needs, challenges, and opportunities.
• Communicate with decision makers about the value of your library's technology-enabled services and public access technologies.
• Identify where your library's services and resources are meeting community needs and where there might be room for improvement.
• Interactively show public libraries in context with community-level data, e.g. graduation, income, unemployment rates, etc.
• Identify community impacts of public library computers and Internet access and demonstrate library contributions to community digital inclusion efforts.

How do I participate?

Go to http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/ and follow the Complete the Survey button.  In addition to the survey questions, libraries will be asked to complete an Internet speed test.  Instructions are on the first page when you log in to the survey. Speed capture is automatic. 

Can I see the survey questions before answering them?

Yes, you can access a PDF version of the survey sections on the survey project website. 

Can I save my answers and finish the survey later?

Yes, you can save your answers at any time by clicking the ‘stop and resume later’ button at the bottom of each survey question page. To get back into the survey later, use your ID to login, find your library and click the button that says ‘resume’ or ‘completed.’ You can also print a copy of the completed survey for your records.

 How long will it take to complete the survey?

From 20 minutes to 40 minutes.

Preservation Week

April 24-30, 2011 is preservation week. Brought to libraries across the country by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS), in partnership with the Library of Congress and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, this national awareness campaign was developed to promote the understanding and importance of care for personal and community cultural heritage collections regardless of their format.
American Libraries Magazine recently published an article that gives a nice overview of the project.
The ALCTS Preservation Week Website has lots of useful info and resources including preservation facts,
a bibliography, and ideas for getting kids involved.

“Let’s Talk About It: The Civil War” program grant

The ALA Public Programs Office and the National Endowment for the Humanities have announced an increase in funding for the “Let’s Talk About It: Making Sense of the American Civil War” reading and discussion program grant. Following the application process, 50 public, academic, and community college libraries will be selected to receive a $3,000 grant to support the reading and discussion series in their library, in addition to books, promotional materials and other programming support. Applications must be completed by April 19, 2011.

A Video Introduction to ALA

The current president of ALA, Roberta Stevens, has done a 5 minute video introducing ALA. What it is, why you should join, and how members can get involved. It gives a nice quick summary of a lot of ALA stuff and -- I am guessing here -- a look at what one of the really nice offices at the Library of Congress looks like.