Category Archives: Comments

Earth Day Book Talk: “A Sand County Almanac”

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earthday

When: April 22, 2013, 11 a.m. MDT

Book Talk

Public Discussions of the Influential Books of our Time

 

A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Sand County Almanac Book Talk [audio recording of this program, 44:48]

Some (somewhat random) Earth Day reflections [listener video]

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. These essays are the delights and dilemmas of one who cannot.”

So begins A Sand County Almanac from the writer that many describe as the father of the modern environmental movement. Aldo Leopold’s land ethic was simply, “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

How has reading Leopold influenced you, personally or professionally?

Please join us on Earth Day 2013, at 11 a.m. (Mountain Time). You are welcome to share your own personal story with this book, or please feel welcome to add your thoughts about this book in the comments area below.

Headset/ microphone not working for online learning?

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We have been doing a bunch of training lately using Adobe Connect. A main problem has been headsets/microphones not working. Here are some possible fixes, brought to you from people all over the USA, not just me, so thanks everyone for sharing.

As one of my colleagues said, “There are no problems, only situations.”  So in the spirit of that, here are some solutions for those buggy headset/microphone situations.

Fix 1: (easy) Make sure your headset/mic is plugged into the computer before logging into the classroom—or if you forgot, completely log out of the classroom, then re-enter it.  If that doesn’t work, reboot the computer with the headset/mic plugged in before restarting the computer.

Fix 2: Be sure to run the audio setup wizard upon entering the room. It is in Recording drop down on the top left of the screen. Sometimes people just click “next” “next” “next” without actually doing what the screen is asking them to do. Please read the screens and actually try adjusting settings if things aren’t working.

Fix 3: Go to your control panel and check the “sound” &/or “microphone” options to ensure that your headset/mic are the default settings. Make sure it is not muted, too.

Fix 4: Watch this tutorial produced by Steve Yacovelli, one of the PLA Turning the Page 2.0 presenters, on troubleshooting audio issues in Adobe Connect http://www.screenr.com/rl8s

Fix 5: Call your IT person. Maybe there is something locked down that only (s)he can fix.

Fix 6: Call Adobe Connect’s Technical Support. They can help. 800-422-3623.

Fix 7: Play this game http://www.kongregate.com/games/joojoo/microphone-test – it will help you know if your mic is working at all… or if it is just not working in Adobe Connect.

Fix 8: If you just can’t get it working, try a different computer. Maybe what you’re experiencing is beyond the normal limits of reality for the one you’re on.

The ARSL conference was really an “eye-opener” for me

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I was able to attend the ARSL conference for the very first time this year with the help of the UPLIFT Professional Excellence Grant.   I would like to give a big thank you to the Utah State Library for awarding me this honor.

The conference was really an “eye-opener” for me.  I was able to connect with other librarians dealing with issues similar to mine.  I attending many classes that gave me information I felt would benefit my library and our patrons.  I enjoyed the ideas and camaraderie with the other librarians.
I found that the classes were tailored specifically for small libraries on a budget and the ideas received from ALL of the classes I was able to attend were things I could actually implement reasonably quickly.  I didn’t feel like I was gathering bits & pieces of a class and trying to tailor it my own library.
I did learn that we have not had enough staff training on safety.  I attended a class called “The Black Belt Librarian” and was amazed that I hadn’t thought about more training on this subject!  I realized that even though we are small and a bit off the beaten track, we should think of training on all levels so that we are always prepared no matter what.

I am grateful that I was given this opportunity to attend this conference and am planning on adding it to my budget to attend in the future.  For any of the small libraries in Utah, THIS is the conference to attend!

Michele Graves
Director, Eagle Mountain Public Library

One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my time as Library Director

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Patrick Bodily, the Library Director of the Richfield Public Library in Richfield Utah, attended the ARSL Conference in September 2012, through a grant sponsored by the Utah State Library. Here are his thoughts on the conference.

“I was one of the lucky few who were able to go to the annual conference for the Association of Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) in Raleigh, North Carolina, thanks to a grant funded by the Utah State Library.  This was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in my time as Library Director, and I would recommend to anyone that can that they make it to the ARSL conference next year.  At the conference, you are surrounded by other people with a passion for libraries and want to make our services better and patrons happier.  It is a great reminder that the problems and challenges that we face here in Utah are also being faced across the country.

‘One of the sessions I got the most out of was entitled “De-Clutter Your Collection: Tips for Weeding Library Collections.”  The presentation covered reasons why we weed, as well as excuses that we make for not weeding.  In the Richfield Public Library, where I work, space is an issue.  This presentation helped me to make sure that I wasn’t just weeding for space; I was weeding items from the collection that were no longer useful to the patrons that I serve.  Again, I would like to give a big thank you to the Utah State Library for making attendance of ARSL possible.”