WI Science Fest, Direct File, AI survey, reminders and coming soon
IFLS Staff
February 27, 2025
Weekly Digest

Congratulations on another annual report season successfully completed!

Wisconsin Science Festival virtual kickoff party

The 15th Annual Wisconsin Science Festival is coming up on October 16-26.  Are you ready to start making plans for the fall? Just want to learn more? Join the kickoff party on Thursday, April 24 from 11:30-12:30 for networking and conversation about the 15th annual Wisconsin Science Festival.  Libraries in our system that participated last year include:  Hudson, Roberts, Hammond, Ellsworth, Chippewa Falls, Bloomer, Augusta, St. Croix Falls, Barron, Rice Lake, and Ladysmith!

Direct File 2025

The IRS has always had free filing options, but this year they’ve made it a lot easier to navigate. The IRS rolled out a free, simplified public online tax filing tool: Direct File.  It’s now permanent and currently includes 25 states, including Wisconsin.  The Coalition for Free and Fair Filing has put together a toolkit for sharing information.

If you’re interested in AI

Share information with WebJunction about what you need to know about AI so they can develop resources for the library community about this important topic. They say:

“The changes and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are coming at a rapid pace, and we’re curious to know how this is showing up in your library work. As we plan activities around AI-focused topics in the coming months, help us shape these plans by sharing your feedback in a short, four-question poll. We’ll post some of the findings next month on WebJunction and we look forward to learning more together.”

Don’t forget

There’s a lot going on right now. Here are some summaries of important information from Digests over the last couple weeks.

  • Send your library stories to DC:Please write a brief letter on your library’s letterhead to share your story. If you’d like to address your letter to a specific federal representative, you can find their contact information at Congress.gov. Then, send a digital copy of your letter to allyson.hanz@dpi.wi.gov by February 28.
  • Data Dashboard pilot extended to June 30, 2025.Find the dashboard, use training tools. For any questions about the dashboard pilot, please reach out to Kim at WiLS – her email address is kim@wils.org.

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