Yearly Archives: 2009

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

CMLE Annual Meeting/Workshop, a Success

This year’s meeting/workshop was on November 5th, and it was a hit according to our evaluations. The event took place at Northern Lights Ballroom and Banquet Center in Pease, MN. CMLE staffers presented four topics in forty minutes, and Julie Kramer,  author of Stalking Susan and Missing Mark,  was the featured speaker. Forty five people attended the event, and many admitted that this was their first encounter with Pease, MN! Over twenty prizes  were given out thanks to our many discount vendors. Thanks to all who attended and helped make this a fun event.

To see pictures from the event, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmle1/sets/.

P.S. Plans were hatched for the Spring Meeting (an annual counterpart to the fall annual meeting). The spring meeting  is a East Central MEMO/CMLE Event. Co-chairs Kristina Kampa and Laura Kary-Smith will lead the planning for this event which will happen on April 27, 2010 at the new St. Michael/Albertville High School. Watch your email for more details soon.

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Things That Keep Us Up at Night

Have you read the article in School Library Journal entitled, “Things That Keep Us Up At Night”. Find it at http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699357.html . It was written by Joyce Valenza and Doug Johnson…two big names, and fairly interesting, if somewhat frenetic professionals.

Regardless of your library type, I suspect we all lose a little sleep over these same things.  Are we changing with the times as much as we should be? Hmmmmm….

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Celebrate the 2009 MN Book Awards Winners

Check out our full calendar of free readings and discussions for all ages this fall. Discover the debut of an exciting new mystery series; immerse yourself in a groundbreaking Hmong family memoir; ruminate over a manifesto on eating meat responsibly; witness the coming of age of two Midwestern teens in New York; dive into a poetry collection questioning personal and national identities; and be charmed by a picture book about nighttime things.

Check this out:

The Great Stories CLUB for Teens

Connect troubled teens with the power of reading with a Great Stories CLUB reading and discussion series!

  The ALA Public Programs Office and YALSA are now accepting online applications through November 2 for the next round of Great Stories CLUB grants at www.ala.org/greatstories <http://www.ala.org/greatstories> .

Funding was provided for this program by Oprah’s Angel Network. 

 The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens and

Books) is a book club program designed to reach underserved, troubled teen populations through books that are relevant to their lives. All types of libraries (public, school, academic and special) located within or working in partnership with facilities serving troubled teens in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply.  Potential organizations for Great Stories CLUB partnership include juvenile justice facilities, drug rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children, shelters serving homeless and runaway youth and other agencies.

 More information about this exciting opportunity at the ASCLA blog:

 http://ascla.ala.org/blog/2009/09/02/greatstoriesclub09-applicationsopen

Please share this e-mail and blog post with other individuals, groups or organizations you know who may be interested.

School Media Specialist

Target Grants for Schools

Target, the retail firm, makes school library grants through its Community Outreach Programs. Access Community Outreach information here.

The June Streaming News had an article about Target’s School Library Makeovers, which provides more extensive assistance. The company program, in partnership with The Heart of America Foundation®, refurbishes elementary school libraries, improves their equipment, including new technology, shelving, carpet and paint, and provides volunteer time. Additionally, each library media center receives 2,000 new books and each student receives seven books to begin a home library. President Ann M. Martin, on behalf of American Association of School Librarians, awarded Target the because of its Target School Library Makeovers program.