Early on it was recognized by Colorado libraries that despite the plethora of easily-obtainable information via the Internet, people were having trouble finding the “right information” and credible information. To address this problem, you joined forces to create AskColorado. Many librarians in the state, however, are not aware that not only was AskColorado one of the first statewide, multi-library-type, virtual reference services to open in the U.S., it remains one of only fifteen or so states that continue with such a service today.

“While states such as Massachusetts and California have discontinued their services, ours continues today to offer high-level service, along with other states such as Ohio, Maryland, and New Jersey,” said Kris Johnson, AskColorado Coordinator. “Our per-capita usage rivals that of those larger states.”

“We offer the human touch to an oftentimes impersonal Internet, and help put people in touch with information that they would otherwise be unable to locate themselves,” added Johnson. “And judging by our numbers, people need us!”

Recent comments from customers highlight the need and usefulness of AskColorado:

• Love that I can access a librarian 24/7 as I often am in urgent need for help when the regular library is closed and I can’t find what I need on the library website. Great friendly and quick service. Very impressed.
• I was so happy to find this service! I was lost navigating a variety of sites and the librarian helped me find the one I needed for my paper.
• The human touch was there. Doesn’t get any better than that!

Over the years, residents from every county in Colorado have logged in, with nearly 25% of those questions coming from rural areas. Questions range the gamut, from homework help for kids, to how to start a small business for adults. Recent research questions include:

• I am trying to find research studies on effective classroom routines or how such routines help with classroom management.
• What is the amount of water the entire state of Colorado uses in one day?
• I am researching the effectiveness of LinkedIn as a job search tool. I have lots of short articles but no substantial research. Help!
• I am sending invitations to our state senators and representatives. How do I address them on the envelope?

AskColorado has also received its share of whimsical questions:

• Can you help me find an article that has a list of the top 500 fictional villains…the evilest!?
• What is the circumference of a moose?

Interesting questions received on the service are posted at the AskColorado Twitter account  nearly daily. AskColorado also participates in popular social networking sites, including Facebook and Delicious.

The AskColorado service works on a model similar to public radio: it is grant-funded and paid for by member libraries. Federal monies through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) are supplied via the Colorado State Library, a unit of the Colorado Department of Education. In addition, member libraries contribute financially and through staff support.

Libraries throughout Colorado of every type — public, academic, school and specialized libraries — contribute money to pay for the software and 24/7 service. Local libraries also provide the staff time to work online with Colorado students and residents. If your library would like to join, or you would like additional information, please contact Kris Johnson.

Website: http://www.askcolorado.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AskColorado
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AskColorado
Operations Manager, Kris Johnson, johnson_k@cde.state.co.us, 303-866-6922

We received over 150 votes for this year’s pin (!), but one of the designs was the clear winner. View the final design. For those who asked, the star on the pin roughly marks the Bermuda Triangle. We think it’s a fun and unexpected design element.

Price: $0.63 each

Following the same procedure as previous years, the Colorado State Library will place a large pin order and would be glad to “piggyback” and add your order to ours. This is a great way to promote next year’s programs, and placing a large order will make it cost effective for all of us.

You will be emailed an invoice with the total amount owed, and this will be payable once you receive the pins in mid to late October. NOTE: Add $5 shipping & handling charge for orders being shipped outside of Colorado.

We will submit our bulk order on 9/1, so please submit your order NO LATER THAN Tuesday, August 31st.

Contact Michelle Gebhart with questions.

Vision: * Libraries move communities into the future. Every resident of Colorado will discover their library to be a place of curiosity & discovery; ideas & experiences; inspiration & imagination. They are places of endless possibilities.

Mission: * Libraries are excited about patron’s questions, we assist patrons with their needs during transitional times in their lives. What’s Next?!

Goals: * To shift the general public’s perceptions so they understand that libraries change with the times, are not just books and provide critical help to people during times of personal or community transition.  * To reinvigorate the value of libraries and secure future funding of Colorado Libraries.

Tagline: * What’s Next?! Your future. Libraries help get you there

We are moving forward and have the logo, mark, fonts and style guide. Please refer to the style guide for explanations on file types. These are all available on the Brand Items page.

We are working on the website and marketing kits which should be ready by the CAL conference in October 2010.

Contact Debbi MacLeod with any questions.

The summer reading theme is a little harder to identify this year… so we went for a globe or map concept.

• Children’s theme:  One World, Many Stories
• Teen theme:  You Are Here
• Adult theme:  Novel Destinations

Don’t forget to fill out the comment section if you have something extra to say.

VOTE NOW!
We need your responses by Friday, August 20th.

StoryBlocks.org is a project of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL), an advisory group to the State Library. CLEL received a federal grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to create the videos and Web site. The goal is to build awareness and to encourage parents and others to engage with children from birth on early language and pre-literacy skills. The methods used in the videos are based on brain and child development research that show the impact that songs, rhymes and stories have on very young children.

Eight Colorado public libraries helped to fund the project:  Arapahoe Library District, Denver Public Library, Douglas County Libraries, Fort Morgan Public Library, Lafayette Public Library, Salida Regional Library and Westminster Public Library. Donations also came from two non-profit organizations: Friends of Food for Thought and Library People and one anonymous donor.

View press release (PDF)

For more information on StoryBlocks.org, contact Patricia Froehlich, youth services senior consultant at the Colorado State Library, 303-866-6908.

What is summer loss?
The idea of students slipping in their reading abilities is called “summer loss.” The concept is based, in part, on the research of James Sangil Kim, Ed.D., assistant professor of education at Harvard University. Dr. Kim’s research suggests that while many students’ reading skills diminish over the summer months away from school, students who read a minimum of eight high-interest books at their Lexile level over the summer can achieve similar gains in reading growth as students who attend summer school.

How your actions help
Durham Public Schools in North Carolina have implemented a Lexile program based on Dr. Kim’s research with success. Watch a 4-minute video about how the program boosted their summer reading success. And here’s how the Durham County Library implemented the Lexile-based program with reading lists that could easily be replicated through WorldCat.org lists (rather than having to build a specific page on your Web site.)

It’s an important point to make to your community—your summer reading program is fun and engaging, but it’s also vitally important. The work you do gives students an important leg up for the next school year. Use the downloadable WorldCat.org summer reading materials to help promote your summer reading program—especially as an online component for your current program.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is offering free library subscriptions to care ADvantage, a quarterly publication for caregivers and individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses.

Each issue of care ADvantage presents articles written by top experts in their respective fields, offering valuable information and insight into a wide range of timely topics from the medical and practical to the emotional and inspirational.

Over 200 public libraries nationwide have subscribed thus far, and we would love to extend an invitation to you to join them in providing this magazine so patrons who are affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses can have greater access to the information and support that is available to them. We would also greatly appreciate your help in spreading the word to other libraries across the nation, if possible.

Every library in your system can each receive one free issue per quarter, with no end date to their subscription. Please call 866-AFA-8484, Ext. 111 or email Melissa Austen to subscribe or to request a sample copy of the magazine.

Nance, in her roles at the Colorado State Library as School Library Senior Consultant, has contributed much to Colorado.

Some highlights:

• She worked to develop standards for school libraries including
• http://www.cde.state.co.us/litstandards_index.htm http://coloradoschoollibrarystandards.pbworks.com/
• She produced a video: Your School’s Team Deserves a Star Player.
• http://www.cde.state.co.us/media/cdelib/video/StarPlayer/StarPlayer.html
• She served on a team to develop the nationally recognized Learner’s Bill of Rights
• http://aasl.ala.org/essentiallinks/images/e/e2/Learners_Bill_of_Rights1_24_09.pdf
• She conducted scores of school library workshops and presentation throughout the state and nationally on instruction, advocacy, and using data in school library programs
• She worked on school library alternative licensure and updated teacher librarian certification
• She liaisons with school library educational institutions for quality professional development
• She led several online resource projects including the Teacher Librarian Ning (url) http://coteacherlibrarian.ning.com/
• She coordinated the Power Libraries Program board activities
• She served on regional, state, and national committees including the Colorado School Library Leaders, Colorado Association of School Librarians, Am. Association of School Libraries, and the Colorado Technology leadership Forum.

Nance is as extraordinarily talented as she is humble so this list would be longer if she let me go on.  Suffice it to say, we are overwhelmingly grateful for the work and dedication Nance has made on behalf of the students in Colorado, as well as educators, administrators, and library staff.  She has been a vital part of the Colorado State Library staff and integral to activities in the Colorado Department of Education.  She will be missed by so many people in the education/library communities.  She will wrap up her time at CDE/State Library in August 2010.

In showing our gratitude for Nance, please take a moment to email her, thank her for something that made a difference to you, and wish her well.

Francine Fialkoff, Library Journal Editor-in-Chief, has asked me to bring this site to your attention if you haven’t already seen it: www.LosingLibraries.org.

Reduced hours in Boulder and Lafayette, and the closures in Aurora are listed, as is the BHAG advocacy initiative.

The prominent “Report Cuts” button allows sending of newspaper stories and annotations…and to report successes. The site seems geared toward public libraries, but doesn’t appear to restrict inclusion of layoffs, reductions, or closures in other types.

I encourage you to keep the site updated as changes happen in your library. While no one wants to flaunt bad news, showing an accurate picture is important as Colorado braces for further budget battles locally, and at the state level.

Once the site is more fully populated, Library Journal will send out press releases to major media around the country.

Thank you for your help on this.

Connect children and youth with your library’s space science resources! Join us for a FREE NASA-supported workshop designed to help you bring space science to your programs through hands-on activities.

Harmony Library
4616 South Shields
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
September 2-3, 2010

“Explore! Hero Moon” will acquaint you NASA’s investigations into the ongoing saga that has shaped our Moon. Discover our scientific, cultural, and personal understanding of Earth’s nearest natural neighbor. Scientists and educators from the NASA Lunar Science Institute and the Lunar and Planetary Institute will share space science information, resources, hands-on activities, and demonstrations developed specifically for you to infuse into your programs with children and youth ages 8 to 13 and their families.

The workshop is FREE. A $150 stipend is available for 30 participants. A stipend request form will be emailed to participants on a first-come-first-accepted basis.

Space is limited! Register by July 16, 2010.

View flyer (PDF)