State Library Services update

state-library-services

CMLE libraries – we are working to bring you information from libraries across the state and the country. Here is the latest newsletter from the State Library Services department, to get you caught up on some important issues happening across the state!

Bringing Early STEM to Libraries
The Science Museum of Minnesota is offering early STEM training to library and early education staff through a series of workshops across the state this October and November. Over 180 library and early childhood professionals have attended or are registered to attend the workshops. There is still room to register for the Nov. 10 workshop in Waseca.

To support library efforts after the training, the museum is developing early STEM activity plans, kits and prompts as well as educational messaging to help library staff and volunteers facilitate early STEM experiences for children and their caring adults. We look forward to sharing more information and new resources after the training sessions have wrapped up. Contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) with questions.

Evaluating Our LSTA Five-Year Plan 
We are working with the Management Analysis and Development (MAD) consulting group to assess our progress toward meeting the goals of the current LSTA Five-Year Plan. On November 1, we launched a survey to aggregate input from the library community that will inform the required evaluation of our 2013-2017 plan. Your input truly is helpful as we determine how well we have achieved the goals of the plan. You should have received an email from Karen Gaides with an invitation to complete the survey. If you did not receive an email invitation, please contact Karen Gaides (651-259-3822) to request the link.

Also this month, MAD is facilitating three small-scale, in-person focus group discussions across Minnesota to gather feedback from a variety of library stakeholders. The focus group input will help us understand the direct impact of our LSTA activities since the beginning of the current LSTA Five-Year Plan in 2013. The evaluation is due to IMLS at the end of March 2017.

Minnesota’s next Five-Year Plan (2018-2022) will be submitted to IMLS in June 2017. As we get this work started, we have asked a team of graduate students from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs to design a process that will engage a wide range of stakeholders who can identify and prioritize future library needs in their communities. For more information about the work we are doing with students from Humphrey, please contact Joe Manion (651-582-8632).

Progress Update on Minnesota’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Plan
Commissioner Cassellius and other MDE staff were on the road throughout October to talk about the basics of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and answer questions and gather input from stakeholders about the new education law. Feedback received at these meetings will be utilized as MDE writes its plan outlining Minnesota’s implementation of ESSA requirements for assessments, accountability and supports.

At the request of several people who attended the recent ITEM/AASL session on ESSA, we are holding an additional listening session for school librarians/media specialists. Please consider this an opportunity for you to ask questions and offer your thoughts about ESSA and Minnesota’s engagement activities. The meeting will be held on Thursday, November 10, 4:30-6 p.m. in MDE’s Conference Center A, Room 14. Contact Jen Nelson (651-582-8791) with questions about the upcoming listening session.

Later this fall, there will be additional opportunities to discuss the plan as it takes shape, including a survey for parents, educators and community members. Visit MDE’s ESSA webpage for updates and information, and email MDE with questions or concerns.

Public Library Afterschool Programs Survey
The Minnesota Department of Education is partnering with Ignite Afterschool, Minnesota’s afterschool network, to map afterschool programs throughout the state. Ignite Afterschool publishes “Afterschool by the Numbers” which includes demographic, economic, educational, and afterschool program information at the state, regional and county levels. State Library Services would like to showcase the work public libraries are doing by contributing to the report information about afterschool programs in public libraries. We will soon distribute the optional survey, which will remain open throughout November. Contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356) with questions.

There’s a New Data Element for the 2016 Minnesota Public Library Report
We are updating the 2016 Annual Report to reflect changes from IMLS. Last year’s IMLS definition changes for electronic materials and electronic collections eliminated usage counts for some downloadable media such as Zinio and Freegal from the public library survey. The addition of a new data element, Successful Retrieval of Information for Electronic Collections, will capture the use of online content that does not require a traditional check-out and return. This element will highlight commercial database use that has not been reported in the past. Collecting use of information databases and downloadable platforms will show a more accurate usage of library resources. Reporting is voluntary for 2016 but is required for federal reporting in 2017.

State Library Services will offer a webinar in December covering the changes and additions to the 2016 public library survey. We will share the date, time and login information via our listserv. Contact Joe Manion (651-582-8632) with questions.

(M3) Huddle Up!
At the MLA Conference, MDE Learning Specialist Eric Billiet and State Library Services staffer Jen Verbrugge presented a session about Making Meaning with Multiple Data Sets (M3)a fairly new way to collect and evaluate program data. Whether or not you attended the session, you may want to learn more about it. Afterschool programs across the state use M3and your library can, too! Visit Ignite Afterschool’s website or listen to this introductory preparation webinar to learn more.

An M3 huddle is a six-hour session that brings program teams together to intentionally make meaning of their data and plan action steps. Follow the links below to register for a huddle session near you: 
St. Paul – Sprockets Huddle Session- 1st Option
St. Paul – Sprockets Huddle Session – 2nd Option
Southeast Huddle Session (Rochester)
Southwest Huddle Session (Willmar)
Northwest Huddle Session (Bemidji)
Northeast Huddle Session (Duluth)

Registration will soon open for the Minneapolis and greater metro sessions, and we will include that information in our listserv when it is available. Please contact Matt Ramirez at Ignite Afterschool with any questions or concerns.

Libraries Serving Youth Meetup
Public and school librarians are invited to MDE every April to network and learn from each other. Jen Verbrugge is convening a small advisory group to plan the third annual Meetup. Contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356) with questions.

Eco Experience Traveling Exhibit
State Library Services, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Minitex are collaborating to bring part of the State Fair favorite Eco Experience exhibit to libraries. Libraries are able to borrow a table-top version of Resilient Communities. The exhibit has traveled to a few metro area libraries, and soon will go to greater Minnesota. Contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508) with questions or to request a visit.

90-Second Newbery Film Festival
For the third consecutive year, State Library Services is bringing to Minnesota the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, an annual video contest in which kid filmmakers create movies that compress the stories of Newbery-winning books into 90 seconds or less. Kids cooperatively adapt, write, storyboard, produce, direct, costume, act, film and edit their own movies. MDE’s English Language Arts Specialist put together a synopsis of how a 90-Second Newbery film project ties into reading, writing and media literacy standards.

Parents, teachers, public and school librarians, are encouraged to work with their kids to make movies. Film submissions are accepted all year-round, but the deadline to submit films for the 2016-2017 film festival is January 7, 2017. The Minnesota screening will be Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, 3-4:30 p.m., at Hennepin County Library—Minneapolis Central. Inspiration, tips and tricks, and more information can be found on the 90-Second Newbery website. Contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356) with questions.