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Issue: 5    January 2010
Greetings!
 
Greetings from the Milwaukee County Federated Library System!

MCFLS AND NINE MCFLS MEMBER LIBRARIES ARE INCREASING INTERNET BANDWIDTH THIS MONTH.
 
TEACH (Technology for Educational Achievement), is a program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Enterprise Technology.  TEACH subsidizes much of the cost to provide telecommunications access (e.g. data lines and video links) to eligible schools, libraries, and educational institutions.
 
MCFLS and fourteen MCFLS member suburban libraries have been participating in the TEACH program for more than ten years. Milwaukee Public Library has been able to secure significant bandwidth via a fiber network, made possible due to significant E-rate subsidies, and therefore does not participate in the TEACH program.
 
Effective January 1, 2010, TEACH is now able to offer additional bandwidth increases, but each request for bandwidth increase must be justified based on utilization charts. MCFLS submitted applications/utilization charts last month for the MCFLS network hub as well as the fourteen MCFLS member suburban libraries.
 
We are pleased to report that MCFLS headquarters and nine of the suburban libraries demonstrated sufficient need for additional increases of subsidized bandwidth. As of January 1, 2010, the total bandwidth at the MCFLS network hub has increased from 40Mbps to 100Mbps.
 
Member libraries approved for increases (based on utilization charts) are:
 
Cudahy Family Library - January 6 - 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps
Franklin Public Library - January 6 - 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps 
Greendale Public Library - January 7 - 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps
North Shore Library - January 7 - 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps
Oak Creek Public Library - January 8 - 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps
Saint Francis Public Library - January 8 - 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps
West Allis Public Library - January 11 - 3.0Mbps to 5.0Mbps
Shorewood Public Library - January 25 - 3.0Mbps to 5.0Mbps
Wauwatosa Public Library - January 25 - 3.0Mbps to 5.0Mbps
 
In the months ahead, member libraries will likely reach ever higher thresholds of internet usage.  MCFLS staff will continue to monitor bandwidth utilization of  member libraries and make appropriate recommendations and applications, as needed, for additional TEACH subsidized bandwidth.
 
For more information about TEACH, see: http://www.teachwi.state.wi.us.
 
Thank you for your continued support of libraries and the Milwaukee County Federated Library System.
 
Sincerely, 
 
Jim Gingery
Director
Milwaukee County Federated Library System
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MANGO LANGUAGES

Access Newspaper Archive Free information resources for you!

Would you like to learn Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Italian, or English as a second language for Spanish speakers? Thanks to your local public library, now you can. Mango Languages database will debut in all Milwaukee County Federated Library System member libraries on January 1, 2010.

Mango Languages offers online language instruction with a conversational focus on several languages and English-language learning in native languages. Users can save their progress and return later by submitting an email address and password. You'll be able to access the database remotely.

Mango requires javascript and Adobe Flash 9 or higher.  Click here to test your version of Adobe Flash or upgrade Adobe Flash.

Click here to access Mango Languages!

2010 MILWAUKEE BUCKS READING CHALLENGE

Program runs from January 2nd to February 13th

The Milwaukee Bucks, The Northwestern Mutual Foundation and the Milwaukee County Federated Library System have once again partnered to execute the "Milwaukee Bucks Library Reading Challenge."

The reading challenge is open to all Wisconsin young-adults in the 3rd - 10th grades and runs this year from January 2nd through February 13th. The purpose of the reading program is to promote literacy and library usage by youth in Milwaukee and statewide communities.

"The more you read, the more you win!"

You score points for each page you read from a book, magazine, or newspaper. There is a 100-point limit to the points you can score by reading magazines and newspapers. There is no limit to the points you can score by reading books!

Score 500 points-for-pages to become an All-Star Reader! You'll earn a voucher good for a free ticket offer to a Bucks home game at the Bradley Center. In addition, all All-Star readers and their guests will have the opportunity to shoot a free throw on the Bucks Court after the game!

But wait...don't stop at 500 points!
Participants who read more than 750 pages/points, and report the total number of pages read to his/her librarian by the challenge deadline, will have their names entered into a drawing for an official Milwaukee Bucks Autographed Basketball for each game;

20 randomly selected children will participate in the Milwaukee Bucks Halftime High Five Tunnel for each game;

20 randomly selected children will participate in the Bucks Kourtside Kids for each game;

and 10 randomly selected children will be recognized on-court at halftime for each game!

For more information on the Milwaukee Bucks Reading Challenge, contact a participating local library or call (414) 286-3520.