Archive for the ‘Homework Kansas’ Category

State Library Has New Technology Consultant

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

The State Library has hired a new Library Technology Consultant to take over the projects that were being handled by Eric Gustafson. Earl Givens, Jr. is currently in the final year of the MLS Program at the School of Library and Information Management (SLIM) at Emporia State University and will be graduating in May 2010. He has focused his studies within librarianship on information technology. His technological experience ranges from database design and management to web design and development, and he has an overall familiarity with working technology.

earl-givens 

Earl’s Bachelor of Arts degree is in American History/Museum Studies with a second field of study in Anthropology. He also has over ten years of customer service experience. He is an Ordained Minister and has been an Assistant Pastor at his local church for over two years. In his spare time, Earl enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, fishing, and playing video games.

Earl will be working with Audiobooks, Music and More, ELMeR support, the State Library website, the Kansas Library Card, HomeworkKansas and WebJunction. The State Library staff members have been delighted to welcome Earl and fervently hope he will be very happy in his new professional home.

Posted in Announcements, AudiobooksMusic&More, Databases, ELMeR, Homework Kansas, KS Library Card, Library 2.0, Oct.09, SLK Newsletter, Tech services, WebJunction | No Comments »

Get Ready for the New School Year!

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Thanks to Kan-ed, the State Library of Kansas and indeed all libraries across the state will continue to be a hub for homework help through HomeworkKansas. 

Back to school with HomeworkKansas has never before been this exciting!  With the new Learning Suite there is more time and help available for patrons of all ages.

In addition to providing help for all students—kindergarten through adult education and college students—the service has greatly expanded hours—8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.  A new Live Homework Help® classroom is easy to use, and may be the one tool that helps more students succeed.  Subjects for assistance include math, science, English and social studies.  Assistance in Spanish is offered in the subject areas of math, science and social studies. 

New to the service is college entrance practice tests like ACT and SAT, graduate school exams like GRE and LSAT, Advanced Placement, ASVAB and TOEFL, and GED prep tests.  HomeworkKansas will also offer assistance with job searches, sample resumes and cover letters, financial literacy and assistance with proofreading of papers.

Use of HomeworkKansas during the 2008-09 school year averaged nearly 3,000 sessions a month at approximately 20 minutes per session.  This was during a 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. time frame, so the numbers for the 2009-10 school year should increase dramatically.  HomeworkKansas is powered by Tutor.com.

Tutor.com has webinar training sessions scheduled for Aug. 6 at 3 p.m. ET and August 19 at 1 p.m. ET.  The link for the Tutor.com webinars is www.tutor.com/suite.

Posted in Announcements, Aug09, Children's services, Homework Kansas, Library 2.0, Schools, SLK Newsletter | No Comments »

Advocacy Day Advances Library Issues

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

Librarians from across Kansas converged at the Statehouse on Thursday, February 19th, to participate in the Kansas Library Association’s Annual Library Advocacy Day.

Two briefings highlighted the day with updates on where the Legislature is with the State Library 2010 budget, and tips on what topics to focus on with individual legislators. The updates were made by Donna Lauffer and Roger Carswell, co-chairs of the KLA governmental relations committee.

Participants receive briefing from Donna Lauffer and Roger Carswell.

Tips included reminding legislators that state aid to community libraries comes directly through the State Library, and thus any reductions will be shared by all. The State Library’s 2009 budget reduction will result in an 8.5 percent reduction in State Aid payments to libraries ($204,983). Reductions for the 2010 budget probably will be worse, and will include the elimination of Homework Kansas. 

Librarians were asked to tell their legislators how important Kan-ed is to local libraries in both connectivity and in content. They were also asked to urge their legislators to support the Governor’s recommendations for Kan-ed funding at ten million dollars for 2010, with the funds coming from the Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF). 

 

And finally, the librarians were asked to explain how the potential loss of Homework Kansas will affect their communities. More than 37,000 sessions in 2008 documents the need for this important internet-based tutoring service. 

 

More than 80 members joined in the effort to meet with their legislators on Advocacy Day. In spite of the cramped quarters, breakfast and lunch were served in the State Library. Breakfast was underwritten by BCR; lunches were purchased by members.

 

Posted in Advocacy, Homework Kansas, Lib. stats & data, Librarians & libraries, Mar09, Marketing, Networking, SLK Newsletter | No Comments »