Re: Property Taxes and Special Levies

A webinar this Wednesday June 28 is of special significance because it will offer an explanation of House File 718, legislation recently passed by the Iowa Legislature this spring.  The webinar begins at 10:00AM, followed by a Q&A session at 11:15AM.  We encourage you to attend both, but please note: if you plan to join both the webinar and the Q&A session, you will need to register for both; registration links are provided below.

Iowa League of Cities Research Director Erin Mullenix, along with Ted Nellesen from the Iowa Department of Management, will explain House File 718.  One key piece of this legislation is the consolidation of numerous levies (including the 27Cent Library Levy) into one adjusted city general fund levy.  This webinar will be recorded by the League.

Register for the 10:00AM League Webinar

Following the 10:00AM program, representatives from the League of Cities and the State Library will be on hand to answer your questions about HF718 and its potential impact on your library and city budgets. This session will not be recorded.

 Register for Q&A Session in IALearns

Important Background Behind This Webinar 

Again, House File 718 was passed by the Iowa Legislature this spring and relates to property taxes in Iowa.  Among other things, HF718 concerns special levies that dozens of Iowa cities and towns have passed over the years.  One of the available special levies that benefited public libraries through additional funding was referred to as the Special Library Levy or the 27Cent Library Levy. 

Because this funding is now in question, the webinar and the Q&A session that follows will explain more about HF718, its impact on property taxes, and the disposition of the special levies. This is important information to share with your library boards as well.  

Read more about the law on the Iowa League of Cities website or
 visit this page for an article on the topic in June's Cityscape Magazine. 
 Hoping you and your trustees can make plans to attend the Iowa League
of Cities webinar this Wednesday June 28 to learn more. 

A Very Typical Family: July 13-27 

OverDrive’s Big Library Read is literally a global reading program.  It’s a worldwide digital version of a local book discussion club.  Sponsored by OverDrive, this program represents an opportunity to connect your local readers with book lovers around the world as they read and discuss the same book at the same time without wait lists or holds.  

The next opportunity for your library’s eager readers to join the fun is coming up July 13-27 when the title will be A Very Typical Family by Sierra Godfrey.  Point your patrons to Bridges on July 13 to download the book and to The Big Library Read website linked below for social media graphics, marketing materials, and a press release to help with local promotion.  

From GoodReads: “All families are messy. Some are disasters. Natalie Walker is the reason her older brother and sister went to prison 15 years ago. She fled California shortly after that fateful night and hasn't spoken to anyone in her family since. Now …  Natalie receives a letter from a lawyer saying her estranged mother has died and left the family's historic Santa Cruz house to her.  Sort of. The only way for Natalie and her siblings to inherit is for all three adult children to come back and claim it--together.

A Very Typical Family navigates the messy yet warm-hearted journey of a family struggling to find each other again. Written with delightfully dark humor and characters you can't help but cheer for, this debut from Sierra Godfrey will have you reveling in the power of family and second chances. No one can change the past, but every day is an opportunity to choose your future.”

A Very Typical Family will be available for simultaneous use in eBook
and audiobook formats between July 13-27.  Plan to connect your library
with others around the world during OverDrive’s next Big Library Read! 

More About OverDrive’s Big Library Read

Lunch with the State Library

From your Education & Training Team’s fevered imagination comes this new series: Lunch with the State Library 😊  Debuting next month, this series presents  quick bites of continuing education once-a-month.  Beginning with the new fiscal year in July, each month will focus on programs, products, and services from the State Library.  These are scheduled for the first Thursday of the month from 12:15-12:45PM.

Continuing Education Consultant Samantha Bouwers has a fun description: “Soup’s on! Introducing Lunch with the State Library, a year-long series of short sessions designed to give library workers a high-level overview of a featured product or service available to them through the State Library.  All intended for staff to learn and use these products and encourage patrons to use them, too." 

Learning Objectives

• Describe the product/service showcased that month
• Determine how you want to use the product / service in your library
• Explain the value of the product / service to your staff, board, and patrons

The dates and topics scheduled July through October show below.  And as Sam Bouwers says "Grab your lunch and make plans to join us for a quick 'bite of learning' about how the State Library helps you help your community."

• July 6 ==  WhoFi
• August 3 == Brainfuse
• September 7 == Library Statistics
• October 5 == Accreditation
  
  

Register in IALearns

In addition to the League of Cities webinar noted above, catch a youth services webinar this week as well—Check It Out 😊

Check It Out.  June 27 @ 11:00AM

Check it Out! is a monthly webinar series from the State Library
spotlighting the best new books for ages 0-18. Youth Services Consultant
Janeé Jackson-Doering will share new titles galore for kids and teens,
along with collection development tips and programming ideas.

Register in IALearns

Finally, file this under Ripley’s Believe It Or Not 😊
Next week is the July 4^th holiday. State Library offices will be closed on
Tuesday for the holiday, but an extended weekend for me means that the
next issue of Monday Morning Eye-Opener comes around again on July 10. 

Cheers to a happy and safe 4^th of July Holiday!