Check out the latest update from the State Library Services, with news and updates from across the state!
Updates From State Library Services
Message from Jen Nelson, State Librarian
Wow. 2020 was not the year I expected it to be last December. I thought it would be a year marked by few changes, with most parts of my life continuing as is. I could not have been more wrong. Reflecting on the year as we’re poised to enter 2021, I find myself thinking about the things I am grateful for. The relative health of family members. The Minnesota Department of Education’s deepened focus on equity in the midst of the pandemic. The opportunity to work on interesting projects that will make a difference to the lives of people in Minnesota. But perhaps most of all, gratitude for the library community in Minnesota. Watching from the sidelines as our libraries shifted to “pandemic mode” has been nothing short of inspiring. I am humbled by the ways in which you continue to serve your communities while keeping staff safe; the extra steps you’ve taken to ensure that elderly patrons are cared for; and the effort you’ve expended to make sure that kids have access to books and technology to help in learning. The shift to virtual program models may go down as a watershed moment for public libraries. The hundreds of programs offered online have kept people connected to literacy, and learning, and one another. I wish you peace in the new year, and I thank you for your service.
Hardhats Ready?
On October 14, the Minnesota Legislature passed a $1.87 billion bonding bill that included $2.951 million for the public library construction grant program. Stay tuned as we prepare to publicize program information, application materials, and an informational webinar in early January! To tide you over in the meantime, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners recently released an outstanding library space planning resource. This resource creates a formal set of best practices for designing library spaces, taking the reader through the step-by-step process of determining what to consider when designing a new library. If you have questions about the construction grant program, please contact Hannah Buckland.
Updates From the State
Unemployment Benefits for Teens
On December 1, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that qualified high school students who lost a job or suffered loss of income can now claim Unemployment Insurance Benefits. Students can apply for unemployment to be retroactive even if they are back at work, but the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) encourages them to apply as soon as possible. Steps to apply: Determine if your employment was impacted by COVID-19 since March (hours cut, laid off, business closed, etc.) Collect your Social Security Number, State ID/Drivers License, Employer information (address, date of employment, pay rate) Visit the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Benefits System to apply Please share with everyone you know to make sure all youth in Minnesota are aware!
Heat for the Holidays
As the weather is getting colder, make sure your library patrons are aware of the federally funded Energy Assistance Program (EAP), which helps lower-income Minnesotans keep warm during the winter months by helping them pay their energy and heating bills.
The Energy Assistance Program can help by providing financial assistance:
To pay past due energy bills to avoid disconnection
To purchase fuel for delivery in emergencies
To repair or replace homeowners’ old or malfunctioning furnaces.
Do you know a young person involved in advocacy, civic engagement, racial justice, leadership, or community service? Applications for a Youth Voice Service Grant are open to students grades 6-12 throughout Minnesota, and the deadline for applying is January 15, 2021. This opportunity from the Youth Service Zone coalition offers young people the chance to showcase their ongoing youth-led advocacy and organizing efforts. Grants will be determined based on four focus areas: Juvenile Justice, Education Equity, Environmental Justice, Health and Wellness. Grants will be awarded in amounts ranging from $50 to $350, giving young people adequate funds to implement projects with meaningful impact amplifying youth voice and youth solutions to some of the most critical issues facing our young people. Questions can be directed to Samara Eltahir at Minnesota Alliance With Youth.
Code Club
There is still time to renew or launch a virtual Girls Who Code Club in the spring. Clubs are free and can meet for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes with the option for Club members to work on coding tutorials independently or in groups. If you had a Club last year and want to renew, follow these instructions. To start a new Club, complete the Clubs application and make sure to list Minnesota State Library Services as your affiliated partner for extra support and benefits! If you have any questions, reach out to our Community Partner Representative, Kibret Yebetit at kibret.yebetit@girlswhocode.com. Teens Teaching Tech Looking for ways to help teens with career and college readiness? Connect them with Cyber-Seniors, helping senior citizens with their technology. As Teen Tech Mentors, teens volunteer by teaching seniors on webinars, or via one-on-one phone or video calls. Potential resume-boosting projects are available, in topics like video editing, journalism, and language translation. The teens first participate in Cyber-Seniors’ virtual training sessions, including empathy training, and then receive their Cyber-Seniors Technology Mentoring certification, allowing them to start volunteering with senior citizens (virtually for now),working with seniors once weekly for about an hour (or more, if their time allows), teaching seniors to learn to more effectively use their smartphones, tablets and computers, which can be life-saving — especially as we limp into a Minnesota winter!
About State Library Services State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), partners with libraries to achieve equity and excellence in our collective work for Minnesotans. Division staff are consultants who help libraries plan, develop and implement high-quality services that address community needs. State Library Services administers federal grant, state aid, and state grant programs that benefit all types of libraries.
Related
Partnering with libraries for visioning, advocating, and educating
Wow. 2020 was not the year I expected it to be last December. I thought it would be a year marked by few changes, with most parts of my life continuing as is. I could not have been more wrong. Reflecting on the year as we’re poised to enter 2021, I find myself thinking about the things I am grateful for. The relative health of family members. The Minnesota Department of Education’s deepened focus on equity in the midst of the pandemic. The opportunity to work on interesting projects that will make a difference to the lives of people in Minnesota. But perhaps most of all, gratitude for the library community in Minnesota. Watching from the sidelines as our libraries shifted to “pandemic mode” has been nothing short of inspiring. I am humbled by the ways in which you continue to serve your communities while keeping staff safe; the extra steps you’ve taken to ensure that elderly patrons are cared for; and the effort you’ve expended to make sure that kids have access to books and technology to help in learning. The shift to virtual program models may go down as a watershed moment for public libraries. The hundreds of programs offered online have kept people connected to literacy, and learning, and one another. I wish you peace in the new year, and I thank you for your service.
On October 14, the Minnesota Legislature passed a $1.87 billion bonding bill that included $2.951 million for the public library construction grant program. Stay tuned as we prepare to publicize program information, application materials, and an informational webinar in early January! To tide you over in the meantime, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners recently released an outstanding library space planning resource. This resource creates a formal set of best practices for designing library spaces, taking the reader through the step-by-step process of determining what to consider when designing a new library. If you have questions about the construction grant program, please contact Hannah Buckland. 
On December 1, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that qualified high school students who lost a job or suffered loss of income can now claim Unemployment Insurance Benefits. Students can apply for unemployment to be retroactive even if they are back at work, but the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) encourages them to apply as soon as possible. Steps to apply: Determine if your employment was impacted by COVID-19 since March (hours cut, laid off, business closed, etc.) Collect your Social Security Number, State ID/Drivers License, Employer information (address, date of employment, pay rate) Visit the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Benefits System to apply Please share with everyone you know to make sure all youth in Minnesota are aware!
Do you know a young person involved in advocacy, civic engagement, racial justice, leadership, or community service? Applications for a Youth Voice Service Grant are open to students grades 6-12 throughout Minnesota, and the deadline for applying is January 15, 2021. This opportunity from the Youth Service Zone coalition
Looking for ways to help teens with career and college readiness? Connect them with Cyber-Seniors, helping senior citizens with their technology. As Teen Tech Mentors, teens volunteer by teaching seniors on webinars, or via one-on-one phone or video calls. Potential resume-boosting projects are available, in topics like video editing, journalism, and language translation. The teens first participate in Cyber-Seniors’ virtual training sessions, including empathy training, and then receive their Cyber-Seniors Technology Mentoring certification, allowing them to start volunteering with senior citizens (virtually for now),working with seniors once weekly for about an hour (or more, if their time allows), teaching seniors to learn to more effectively use their smartphones, tablets and computers, which can be life-saving — especially as we limp into a Minnesota winter!