WCCLS 2014-15 Year in Review

Did you know that WCCLS libraries have 1,629,422 items you can check out?

Or that our library users check out an average of 34,095 items per day?

Or that WCCLS member libraries see an average of 10,487 visitors each day?





Find out more fun statistics in the WCCLS 2014-2015 Year in Review, or in the At-a-Glance infographic.

As WCCLS Director Eva Calcagno points out, "Library service could not be provided without the cooperation and support of local governments, able staff who open and operate libraries each day, the legion of volunteers who donate their time to assist in this endeavor, and the thousands of patrons who visit our member libraries day in and day out. [WCCLS is] thankful for the dedication and inspiration [we] see every day. It is an honor to be part of this unique organization."

Meet the (pretty awesome) Catalog: "Try before you borrow" books

Raise your hand if you’ve ever checked out a book that you didn’t like after you got it home.

   (Yeah, it’s happened to us, too.)

Wouldn’t it be great if you could try before you buy borrow at the library?

But wait! You CAN get a sneak peek of books through Google Preview in our (pretty awesome) Catalog.

Google Preview can helpful when you want to read the first few pages of a novel before committing to putting it on hold.
   Or when you’re selecting fun picture books to read to your kids.
   Or if you want to make sure the cookbook you selected has plenty of inspirational
   photos.
   Or if you want to see if that non-fiction how-to book suits your needs.

Using Google Preview is easy: 

1. Search the catalog for a title you would like to preview.
2. Some (not all) books have a Google Preview button under the cover image. (Only titles in Google Book Search have previews in our catalog.)
3. Click the button and scroll through the selected pages.
4. If you want to check it out, close the preview, and place a hold!

Try it yourself!

PAC Cat likes Google Preview…

This is the third of eight weekly tips about our online library catalog.

New! Print from Anywhere to a WCCLS Library

Printing at the library just got easier! Washington County Cooperative Library Services is now offering a new cloud-based printing service that makes printing on-the-go convenient. With Print from Anywhere, you can print to a library printer from your laptop in the library, your computer from home, or your mobile device from almost anywhere.

With Print from Anywhere, you have three options for printing: web form, email, or mobile app. Once you successfully submit a document, it waits in a private queue at your library for at least four hours. At the library, release your print job by entering your email address and paying for the pages you print.

Print from Anywhere is currently available at many WCCLS libraries, and is expected to be at most locations within the next few months.

Meet the (pretty awesome) Catalog: Get emails about new titles

Have you ever tried to put a hold on a brand new movie that hasn’t even been released yet on DVD, and found out there were already 73 people ahead of you in line?

With Saved Searches, you can beat the crowd and put your hold on new items soon after they are available in our (pretty awesome) Catalog.

Saved Searches are helpful when you’re super-excited about an upcoming title.
   Or when you want to be first for new books by your favorite author.
   Or you want to read everything new about a particular subject.
   Or you want to know about every new DVD the library orders (hint, it’s a lot of titles!)

Creating a saved search is easy:

1. Search the catalog as
   
   specifically as possible. If you are waiting for a new title to appear, enter the title exactly, and select title from the drop-down menu.
2. Click Save Search and log into your account. (The first time you create a saved list, a pop-up advisory message will appear. If you agree, click OK.)
3. Determine the settings for your email notices.
4. When you want to stop receiving email notices, log into your account and click the red X next to the search.

Try it yourself!

PAC Cat has a saved search, but may need some help with his search strategy…

For more about saved searches, check out this three-minute video!

This is the second of eight weekly tips about our online library catalog.

Celebrate literature in April at Garden Home Library!

GardenHome Community Library is hosting two literary events this month.

 

First, celebrate National Poetry Month on Tuesday, April 19 from 7-8 p.m.  Portland Poet Susan Patterson (A.K.A. Earlene Grey) will read from a mix of her works, including some from “Musings with a Cuppa.”  Patterson’s writing includes: poetry, memoir and tea poetry.  And of course, there will be a “cuppa” to go along with the reading. 

Second, thou art invited to celebrate the birth of William Shakespeare.  The “Birthday Bash for the Bard” is an all-ages event on Saturday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m.  Festivities include: an armor and sword demo by NW Arzimare; a Shakespearean insult game (with prizes), a Shakespeare reading by Portland Actors Ensemble, plus a reading by 2016 Agatha Award nominee Cindy Brown of her marvelous mystery, Macdeath. And, of course, birthday cake!

Both of these events will take place at the Garden Home Community Store (& event space). This space is across the street from the library in the Lamb's shopping area. The Community Store is on the Oleson side of the building, 2 doors down from the Baskin-Robbins.

Meet the (pretty awesome) Catalog: Saved Lists

Think back to the last time your friend told you about an amazing book or movie.

   (Go ahead, we’re waiting.)

Now, raise your hand if you can actually remember the title of that book or movie.

   [Crickets chirping]

We agree that there are just too many things to keep track of, but our pretty awesome Catalog is here to help.

You can create a saved list to keep track of items you want to check out later.
   Or movies your whole family agrees on.
   Or cookbooks you want to refer to later.
   Or books on your “to re-read” list...

Creating saved lists is easy:

1. Log into your library account.
2. Find a title you want to add to your list, and click to Add to List.
3. Click on New List. (The first time you create a saved list, a pop-up advisory message will appear. If you agree, click OK.)
4. Name it and click Create List.
5. Add more titles!

Try it yourself!

PAC Cat likes to use it...

For more about saved lists, check out this two-minute video!

This is the first of eight weekly tips about our online library catalog.

Oregon Book Award winners announced for 2016

The Oregon Book Award winners for 2016 were announced on Monday, 4/11.  Below is a selection of the winners in some categories; find a full list of the winners here. Or view a list of titles in our library catalog. Congratulations to all the winners!  

Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw Award for Children's Literature 
With a Friend by Your Side by Barbara Kerley

Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Literature
Martin Marten by Brian Doyle

Frances Fuller Victor Award for General Nonfiction
A Long High Whistle by David Biespiel

Sarah Winnemucca Award for Creative Nonfiction
Objects in Mirror are Closer Than They Appear by Kate Carroll de Gutes

Ken Kesey Award for Fiction & Readers Choice Award
The Small Backs of Children by Lidia Yuknavitch



 

Warren McPherson chosen Story Slam Winner for 2016 Art of the Story Storytelling Festival

The audience cast their votes and chose Warren McPherson as the winner of the 2nd annual Story Slam contest. WCCLS is pleased to announce that McPherson will lead off the festival finale this Saturday evening, April 9th at the THPRD Garden Home Recreation Center. Hosted by the Garden Home Community Library – the 12th Annual Art of the Story Festival will cap off a week of storytelling throughout the county with an extraordinary showcase of storytellers – Warren McPherson, Amy Theberge, Tom Swearingen, Patrick Ball and Kevin Kling.

The festival finale reception with light hors d'oeuvres and beverages begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the performances from 7 – 9 p.m.

Sylvia Lee, WCCLS Automation Supervisor, recipient of 11th Annual International Beacon Award

WCCLS is pleased to announce that Sylvia Lee, Automation Supervisor, has been awarded the 11th annual Beacon Award from the Innovative Users Group (IUG).

The IUG was founded in 1991 as an international organization of member libraries who use the Innovative Interfaces’ integrated library software to meet the needs of their local library patrons.


Since 2007, IUG presents a Beacon Award to honor exceptional service by a member through presentations, collaboration, selfless dedication to libraries as a whole, and sage advice to others through their IUG list or forum.

According to IUG Chair Eeva Stierwalt, “it was our honor and pleasure to present our 11th Beacon Award to Sylvia Lee at our 24th Annual IUG Conference. Sylvia was a founding member of the Polaris Users Group, served as Chair of that group for two terms, developed the group's enhancements process and mentored the members for years. Sylvia continues to contribute selflessly as she joins the inaugural Polaris ILS Advisory Committee of the Innovative Users Group. The award this year coincided with the union of the two users groups into one IUG and Sylvia Lee is the first award winner to come from the Polaris ILS membership. We welcome her and look forward to her continued contribution and commitment to excellence.”

“We are exceptionally proud of Sylvia’s accomplishments and contributions. Through her experience leading the WCCLS Automation team over the last eight years, and from her previous experience leading a three county library consortium in Southern Oregon, she has been an ardent advocate for the needs of member libraries and library users. Working through the users’ group she has helped assure that the software that manages our library catalog and circulation functions meets our needs. She has always been willing to share her expertise with other library systems, answer their questions and mentor her colleagues. It is nice to have her peers recognize her in this manner,” notes Eva Calcagno, WCCLS Director.

Becoming Elected to Office at Cedar Mill Library

The Washington County Public Affairs Forum is hosting former Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse on Tuesday April 5 at 7:00 PM in the Cedar Mill Library upstairs meeting room.

One of the best ways to make a difference in your community, your state, the nation and internationally is to get elected and make your voice heard. Come and hear how it’s done and learn that you don’t have to be a millionaire.

Elizabeth Furse was elected to the U.S. Congress by being involved and getting grassroots support. She had never run for office prior to running for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. She wanted to change the nation’s budget priorities and decided to see if she could be elected. To her great surprise, as she says, she was elected and as a freshman was able to get a big cut in the inflated Pentagon budget and to obtain the funding for West Side Light Rail to Hillsboro.

There will be time for questions and answers and Public Affairs Forum members will be on hand. Come and hear how you, too, can be elected and make a difference.