by FOPLED | Nov 26, 2019 | FOPL News
(La version française suit.) Dear friends of open government, Join us for a webinar on open data! We’ll explore how the history of open data can provide insight into future digital government initiatives. Looking ahead can sometimes require us to look back. As open and digital governments are becoming integral to better services to citizens, it is important to understand what was done in the past, what worked, and what didn’t (and why). Join our guest speakers, Dr. Tracey Lauriault, a member of the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Open Government, a Carleton academic and an open data advocate, and Jaimie Boyd, Chief Digital Officer for the Government of British Columbia, to explore the following questions: How did open data get started in Canada? What were some of the major milestones and issues along the way? What can we learn from the open data journey to improve future digital government initiatives? How can governments (at all levels) leverage open data lessons learned to improve services to Canadians? You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Services will be available for this webinar to increase accessibility for people who are culturally deaf, oral deaf, deafened and hard of hearing. Register now! You can register to this webinar by clicking the links below: Registration for the English webinar – November 28, 2019 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM EST Registration for the French webinar – November 28. 2019 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM EST (registration in French only) Can’t make this webinar work in your schedule? Stay tuned! You can request a recording of this webinar by contacting us at open-ouvert@tbs-sct.gc.ca. Know someone who might be interested? Feel...
by FOPLED | Nov 26, 2019 | FOPL News
Via EveryLibrary http://www.everylibrary.org “Wise investors know a good deal when they see it, which is why so many people who are smart and wealthy love and invest in their public library. That’s because the research repeatedly shows that the Return-on-Investment (ROI) for your local library is around $5 (but could be up to $9), for every dollar spent on them. It’s true: for every dollar that communities invest in library services they get five back in programs, services, and collections! It’s simple, really, if you consider what the average U.S. household pays for library services (~$7.50/month) and put that next to a public library’s vast offerings, the point is obvious. For under ten dollars you get thousands of books, music, movies, wholesome activities for kids, very expensive market research databases, and a much, much more. Is this a killer deal? Of course it is! It’s why nearly every personal finance guru sings the praises of libraries. Note, these are not abstract benefits like how libraries help build a stronger Democracy, or how they inspire curiosity in people, a library’s ROI is the institution’s worth in cold hard cash. This doesn’t just translate to value for the individual either, a well-funded library raises surrounding property values, helps develop an intelligent workforce (making your area attractive for cutting-edge companies), and makes local social services more efficient. Heck, as a teenager, I learned basic job skills through a program at my library. It’s where I wrote my first resumé! Increased property values, job skills development, and strengthening of social services are all examples of the public value libraries create. That means that these are ways in which libraries...
by FOPLED | Nov 25, 2019 | FOPL News
The third cycle of OCLC funding for small public and academic libraries has begun Lancement du troisième cycle de financement d’OCLC pour les petites bibliothèques publiques et les bibliothèques des établissements d’enseignement postsecondaire Library and Archives Canada Funding for copy cataloguing/reporting holdings and interlibrary loan services Eligiblity for LAC-Funded Copy Cataloguing and ILL Subscriptions November 2019 Financement visant les services de catalogage dérivé de signalement de mentions de fonds et de prêt entre bibliothèques Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce that its third application cycle for library subscription funding has begun. As part of LAC’s agreement with OCLC (signed in March 2017), LAC will cover the interlibrary loan and/or copy cataloguing subscription fees for small public libraries and small libraries at postsecondary institutions (community colleges, CEGEPs and universities) that meet the eligibility criteria. Please note that all small libraries that received funding during the first or second funded periods (February 2018–March 2019 or April 2019-March 2020) will automatically receive funding for the April 2020–March 2021 period. If you are already receiving funding, you are asked not to re-apply. LAC is sending this message not only to libraries that qualify for this funding, but also to all Canadian libraries and library associations on its distribution list. This is to ensure the broadest possible distribution of information. You are welcome to forward this message to others; thank you for your help in sharing this news. For libraries that did not receive funding last year: If you believe your library may be eligible for funding, please see the attachment that accompanies this email for more information on our eligibility criteria. Apply to the program...
by FOPLED | Nov 25, 2019 | FOPL News
Yes, your boss can fire you for things you say. What recent controversies tell us about the limits of free speech https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/11/24/yes-your-boss-can-fire-you-for-things-you-say-what-recent-controversies-tell-us-about-the-limits-of-free-speech.html “In the wake of Don Cherry’s firing by Sportsnet from “Hockey Night in Canada” for making anti-immigrant remarks in a Coach’s Corner segment, and a speech by controversial writer Meghan Murphy held at a Toronto Public Library branch, the Star spoke to legal experts about some of the public’s biggest misconceptions.” “”“People tend to confuse freedom of speech as a right against government with a right to say anything, anywhere, any time without consequence,” said Brenda Cossman, a law professor at the University of Toronto.” “Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak free from government censure and/or arrest, unless the speech crosses the line over to hate speech.”’ The article offers a discussion of the TPL rental issue in this context....
by FOPLED | Nov 25, 2019 | FOPL News
HOW TO DETERMINE THE READING LEVEL OF A BOOK https://bookriot.com/2019/10/24/how-to-determine-reading-level-of-a-book “Fountas and Pinnell, Lexile Level, Primer, Pre-primer, Beginning Reader are all terms you may have heard if you have a young reader in your house. Seriously, what does it all mean? Is there actually a way how to determine the reading level of a book? If your child can read The Cat in Hat, which is a level J in Guided Reading, can she independently tackle Diary of a Worm, which has a Lexile Level of 510L or is she ready for Keena Ford and the Second Grade Mix-Up, even though that one has a DRA of 30? Through this post, I am going to attempt to elucidate and explain reading levels. So scroll through to find the system that your child’s teacher uses or pour yourself a large cup of coffee and sift through all of the various ways educators, librarians, and book publishers level and categorize books for young readers.”...
