Grant for gardens on public land

Grant: "Growing Community: The Library Food Garden"

Available to Ohio libraries

The State Library of Ohio has announced the availability of Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds for a special grant program entitled "Growing Community: the Library Food Garden."

This special grant program was developed in recognition of the 2010 National Library Week theme, "Communities Thrive @ Your Library," and the water theme of the 2010 Summer Reading Program. Growing Community encourages libraries to partner with other community entities to establish food gardens on library or school property, or other public land, during the 2010 growing season. In order to be funded projects must demonstrate community partnerships as well as include library-based activities in the areas of "Health and nutrition," "Sustainability and ecology" and/or "Hunger/poverty issues."

Funds may be used to purchase seeds and plants, gardening tools and supplies, copies of materials and titles on gardening in various formats, marketing and promotion of the program, and speaker fees and other costs associated with program activities. All types of Ohio libraries are eligible for this grant program which has a federal request limit of $7,500. A local cash match of 25% of the total project cost is required. Electronic proposals are due at the State Library midnight on March 1, 2010. Approved proposals will run from May 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010. For RFP, see http://oh.webjunction.org/ohlstagrowcomm

Gardens designed to produce vegetables, fruit, nuts, and/or herbs provide a living lesson in the origins of our food. They promote appreciation for the agricultural heritage of Ohio. They give communities the opportunity to thrive by literally feeding community members. Through direct involvement in the work of the garden, and through educational programming and books and other media, food gardens engage residents of all ages and of different abilities in learning about plant life, gardening practices, life cycles, ecology, nutrition, hunger, and more.

[Text source: Press release, State Library of Ohio, 1/14/2010]

[Photo source: © UW-Madison University Communications]

"The Wisconsin Gardener" video series

"The Wisconsin Gardener" is a long-running series of Wisconsin Public Television. Master gardener Shelley Ryan and her guests present information and advice specifically for gardening in the Midwest.

Transcripts for over 60 episodes are available for free from the show's website, and ten DVDs are available for purchase directly from WPT. Many libraries lend one or more of the 30-40 minute episodes on videotape or DVD for free, including:

• Appleton Public Library


• Beaver Dam Community Library
  
• Berlin Public Library


• Brown County Library
  
• DeForest Public Library


• Door County Library (Sturgeon Bay)


• Elkhorn Public Library


• Indianhead Federated Library System


• Kenosha Public Library


• Ladysmith Public Library


• Madison Area Technical College Library
  
• Madison Public Library


• Manitowoc Public Library


• Marshfield Public Library


• Middleton Public Library


• Milwaukee County Federated Library System
  
• Northeast Wisconsin Public Library System


• Oconto Falls High School Library


• Olbrich Gardens' Schumacher Library (Madison)


• Oshkosh Public Library


• Ripon Public Library


• South Central Library System


• Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Library


• Tomahawk Public Library


• UW-Stevens Point Library


• Wauwatosa Public Library


• WI DPI Reference & Loan Library


• Winnefox Library System
  

Wiscard photo ID cards + Library cards

Photo ID cards
Beginning January 5th, students, staff and faculty will visit the Wiscard office’s new location in Rm.4316 Memorial Union for UW-Madison photo ID cards, passport photos and other services. The old Union South office's last open day is December 22nd. Upon completion in summer 2011, the Wiscard office will return to the new Union South.

Library cards
UW-Madison students, staff & faculty use Wiscard as a library card. For MadCat, WorldCat or Library Express book & article delivery requests, use your Wiscard ID number (the 10 digits under your name plus the 11th "issue code" digit. Use your NetID instead for off-campus access to e-books & online journal subscriptions.

Wisconsin residents can get a FREE borrowing card to check out materials at Steenbock Library (agricultural & life sciences) and Ebling Library (health sciences), or Wisconsin's Water Library.

The following are additionally eligible for a FREE courtesy card to borrow materials from ANY UW-Madison library:

• Spouses, domestic partners, & children of UW-Madison faculty, staff & students
• Employees of the Wisconsin Historical Society, UW Credit Union, Wisconsin Union, State of Wisconsin, Dane County, & City of Madison
• Wisconsin social work coordinators and public PK-12 educators
• Faculty of Wisconsin private colleges, MATC, Edgewood College, Beloit College, CIC & OCLC institutions
• Students & staff of MATC, Edgewood College, and Beloit College
• Donors (Friends of the Libraries)

For $30 per year, the following are eligible for an annual fee card to borrow materials from ANY UW-Madison library:

• Wisconsin residents
• Corporations registered with the Wisconsin Dept. of Financial Institutions

All other individuals and businesses may use their public library's interlibrary loan services, or one of our fee-based information services on campus.

Anyone can use UW-Madison library resources on site for FREE.