State Library offers 4th round of PLOW

The State Library is getting ready to offer the fourth round of PLOW training sessions.  To help determine the level of interest and decide where to hold the training, please complete and return the Letter of Intent.

http://www.statelibraryofiowa.org/ld/plow/letter-of-intent/

The deadline to return the Letter of Intent is November 30, 2009.

When all the Letters of Intent have been collected the State Library will determine training sites as close to the participating libraries as possible. Each library will be assigned a training date and location. Staff will be required to attend 2 six-hour training sessions.

Dates of the Training in 2010:

• Class 1: February 2, 3, 9, 10

• Class 2: February 23, 24, March 5, 6
  

The Web site and e-mail hosting service is provided free of charge to Iowa Public Libraries. It is for Iowa public libraries that:

• Want to improve library service to their community by having their own Web site, but don't know how

• Already have a Web site and want to make it even better
• Dislike having to change e-mail addresses each time they change Internet service providers (ISP)
• Want to offer every library staff member with their own e-mail address
  

The Web sites are be preloaded with a variety of local information specific to each library, including links to local catalogs, location, hours, contacts, and trustees.   Library customers will also have access to state-wide resources, such as EBSCOHost and FirstSearch databases, through their local library's Web site.  As library staff members are trained and become comfortable with their library's Web site, they will be able to add their own content.

Through the e-mail hosting service, regardless of the ISP, each public library will be able to have consistent and stable e-mail addresses making it easier to communicate with customers.  In other words, when a library changes ISPs, the library's e-mail address will remain the same.

In addition, there will be technical support provided by a full-time computer / technical support person available to public libraries by phone and e-mail.  Training will be provided on Intro to Directory and E-mail Services, Getting Your Web Site Started, Customizing Your Web Site and more.  Each class lasts six hours.

To participate in the project, your library must:

• Have high speed Internet access and continue to pay for it

• Complete and return a Letter of Intent

• Attend the required training (two six-hour classes)

• Be able to devote at least one staff hour per week to maintain and update your Web site

 If you have questions please contact Marie Harms.