Bits from Barb

DNR Recommendation Against Releasing Purchased Butterflies
As librarians plan their summer, one activity they may be contemplating is a butterfly release. At the October workshop we learned that the DNR recommends that NO purchased butterflies be released into the wild. The reason is that the purchased butterflies come from the same genetic stock. If they are released into the wild they could breed with wild butterflies and dilute the gene pool. If the library wants to release butterflies one approach is to create a small area indoors which contains the butterflies and where they can live out their short lives as adults.

These areas are fairly simple to create. The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay can help explain how to create an indoor butterfly release area. They routinely release Painted Lady butterflies in their indoor habitat at the Sanctuary.
Part of what we want to share with children is respect for insects and their environment. Avoiding the release of commercially bred butterflies can help maintain strong wild gene pools for insects.

For guidance on creating an indoor release area, contact Kim Diedrich, Sanctuary Naturalist at kimdi@ci.green-bay.wi.us or call 920-391-3677 or your regional DNR
etymologist.

LibraryPalooza Resources
Stephanie Stokes, who lives in California, is working with Mr. Anderson's Company. In the past she shared many great ideas with CSLP members as Chair of the CSLP Marketing and PR Committee. She has created a new library resource web site called LibraryPalooza.

She has a significant section devoted to the 2008 summer reading program themes. She will be adding new things continually. One of her featured items this month is the "Catch the Reading Bug" screen created by Carissa Christner, as part of her display at the SLP Workshop in October. There is a link to the font used by Harry Bliss is his 2009 "Catch the Reading Bug" artwork.

YALSA Book Club Grant
The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens, and Books) is a book club grant program organized by the American Library Association Public Programs Office (PPO), in cooperation with the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Major funding for the Great Stories Club has been provided by Oprah's Angel Network.

The Great Stories Club is a reading and discussion program that targets underserved, troubled teen populations. The program reaches teens through books that are relevant to their lives, inviting them to read and keep the books, and encourages them to consider and discuss each title with a group of their peers. It seeks to show that reading can be a source of pleasure, a tool for self-exploration, and a meaningful way to connect to the wider world. Its ultimate goal is to inspire young adults who face difficult situations to take control of their lives by embracing the power
of reading.

The program is built on partnerships between libraries and a variety of organizations that serve troubled teens, including juvenile justice facilities, alternative high schools, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, and other agencies.

All types of libraries (public, school, academic and special), located within or working in partnership with facilities serving troubled teens in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply for a Great Stories Club grant. Libraries that have already received a Great Stories Club grant are eligible to apply again, provided that the required final report has been submitted.

The online application will be available from December 3, 2007-February 1, 2008. All applications must be submitted by February 1. Libraries that are selected to receive a Great Stories Club grant will receive eleven sets of three theme-related books (33 books in all) to provide to members of the book club to keep, along with online resources to plan and implement the program. Some libraries (10-20) will also be selected to receive a small cash grant to support program-related expenses. See the
guidelines for complete details.


BadgerLink Parent Toolkit

The Reference and Loan Library has developed a BadgerLink Parent Toolkit to provide public libraries with materials and support to assist in the promotion of BadgerLink resources. One of the Toolkit components is a set of Resource Hunt cards that are designed to teach users how to use various resources on BadgerLink. The cards have questions on one side and answers on other and provide valuable experiences in learning specific techniques for using BadgerLink resources. There is a set of cards for parents and a set for students.

The BadgerLink Resource Hunt cards were distributed as a boxed set that can be placed next to a public access terminal and used to train users in various aspects of searching BadgerLink resources. The development of the cards was funded through the Gates Foundation as part of DPI's statewide project. Retired school library media center staff, Cindy Turner and Cara Cavins, assisted with the content development. Public library system youth service staff have expressed a willingness to assist library staff in ways to use the cards to promote BadgerLink use.

A template for the cards is available on the BadgerLink Toolkit site and can be used by any Wisconsin library to print additional copies of the BadgerLink Resource Hunt cards. Here is the web address.

There was a misprint on one of the questions from the Parent Set. Therefore, we have included in the mailing a replacement set for this particular question with the appropriate verbiage.

--from WISPUBLIB, Lisa H.
Reale, lisa.reale@dpi.state.wi.us
- System Youth Liaison Posting, December 2007