State Library Services Updates!

As always at CMLE Headquarters, we want to keep you up to date on library happenings around Minnesota; so we are sharing the regular updates from the State Library Services. It is always good to know what is going on in the larger world of library work, beyond just what you do every day. As a group of very excellent library people, we are all doing so many neat things it can be tough to keep up! So follow the CMLE blog, check out all the training we list on our calendar, see what we are saying on Twitter – we are here to help you keep track of the best things in libraries!

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Learn Stop-Motion Animation During MEA Break
The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which kid filmmakers make movies that creatively tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in ninety seconds or less. Making a film is a fun, creative and multi-faceted educational exercise that builds 21st century skills. Entries are accepted year-round, so this is an ideal project to keep kids engaged with learning in a fun, creative way.

Make your own animated film at no cost through the upcoming From Page to Screen Workshop presented at the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), 550 Vandalia Street Suite 170 in Saint Paul, on Thursday, October 20 from 9 a.m.-Noon. Learn creative techniques to set the scene and animate using materials such as clay, felt, shoe boxes, and more. While this event is being promoted for families, librarians and teachers are encouraged to attend. The experts at SPNN will guide you step-by-step through the creation of a 90-second stop-motion animation. Please share this workshop flier to help spread the word to the kids and families that use your library.

Mark your calendar for the third annual Minnesota screening of the 2016-17 season’s best films! James Kennedy co-hosts the fun alongside a special literary guest on Saturday, February 25, 2017 from 3-4:30 p.m. at Hennepin County Library–Minneapolis Central. For more information about the 90-Second Newbery, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Register Today for an Early STEM Literacy Workshop Presented by the Science Museum
Play and learn with instructors from the Science Museum of Minnesota at a hands-on workshop. Discover how early literacy and early science learning are intertwined and deepen your understanding of early childhood scientific thinking, problem solving and inquiry. Come ready to explore curriculum and activities designed by the Science Museum to help Minnesota libraries offer high-quality early STEM experiences. Leave prepared to facilitate children and caregivers in playful STEM learning experiences that capture their imaginations and prepare them for kindergarten.

There is still room in the following workshops. Click on the hyperlink to register.
– Tuesday, October 25, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Grand Rapids Area Library
– Thursday, November 10, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Waseca County East Annex

Please contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) for more information. This training is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [LS 00-16-0024-16] and the Minnesota Department of Education.

Tax Season Is Slowly Approaching–Order Outreach Materials and Mark Your Calendars
Your library probably receives at least a few questions about taxes during the tax season. State Library Services is working again with Prepare + Prosper’s statewide outreach campaign, Claim it!, and the Department of Revenue to provide your library with free resources and a webinar in December.

Order outreach materials from Prepare + Prosper for your library to help individuals find out if they qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and to help them locate a free tax preparation site. Place your order before Monday, October 31 and you’ll receive the free materials in December.

Prepare + Prosper and the Department of Revenue will host a webinar for libraries with resources and information to help you during the 2017 tax season. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, December 14 at 11 a.m. Please register for the webinar today and join us in December. Please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508) with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event. Note: MDE requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice in order to cancel a requested accommodation.

Conference: Technology Solutions for Sustainable Buildings 2030
Want to learn how to make buildings sustainable and energy efficient? Join the Center for Sustainable Building Research for their fifth annual conference on Thursday, December 8, 2016, from 1-6 p.m. at the Science Museum of Minnesota. The cost is $26 per person and includes parking, tea, coffee, and hors d’oeuvres. See more information—including an agenda and registration.