Check out this material from the latest newsletter from State Library Services! You can subscribe yourself, if you would like to be sure you receive all of them.
Digital Inclusion Toolkit
The Minnesota Department of Education divisions of Academic Standards and Instructional Effectiveness, Career and College Success, Equity and Inclusion, and State Library Services have combined forces to create a digital inclusion toolkit. This toolkit, designed for educators including public library staff, provides information and strategies to improve technology access for families. Questions about this toolkit can be directed to the Academic Standards division at mde.academic-standards@state.mn.us.
Strategies to Face the Future
This April, join Minnesota’s Futures School Cohort to learn a strategic framework that enables you to lead discussion and action in the transformation of libraries. This will be a three-day, live online workshop from April 6 to 8, 2021. To participate, you must commit to the three consecutive days of training. Register for the Futures School Cohort by February 26. Registration is limited. We are looking for a diverse group of library staff to participate, including academic, public, school and special library staff. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Bieber at ashley.bieber@state.mn.us.
Updates from Partners
Seeking Outfielders
The Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) recognizes that there are people working in small and rural libraries who would benefit from a comprehensive leadership institute, so they created Outstanding in Their Field as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Participants, a.k.a. “Outfielders,” will undertake 18 months of online and in-person interactive sessions to gain skills and confidence as leaders and build a network of colleagues throughout the country. There are 30 spots open, and applications are due February 24, 2021. More information including the Outstanding in Their Field application can be found in the ARSL website. Find Authors on the Minnesota Writers Directory Virtual events may be here to stay! Did you know that many Minnesota writers are available for virtual events for classrooms, libraries, and beyond? The Minnesota Writers Directory, a project run by the Minnesota Center for the Book, connects writers across the state with people who want to hear more about their stories and their craft. Browse the site by author, genre, and skype/zoom availability to find a writer who is a good fit for your audiences. The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is featuring a rotating list of writers from different genres each month who are available for virtual events. This month’s featured writers are: Molly Beth Griffin, Bryan Thao Worra, and Dr. Artika Tyner. Black History Month Programming? The Black Caucus of the ALA (BCALA) invites you to participate in a study on Black History Month Programming. While virtually every public library across the U.S. conducts some programming during Black History Month, there has never been a systematic study to assess the content, scope, target age groups, and focus of that programming. A planning grant from IMLS has allowed BCALA to bring together partners from key American Library Association Divisions and Offices, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the University of Michigan’s Program for Research on Black Americans, and other experts in the field to explore and catalog current Black History Month programming. In order to participate in the survey, you must work at a public library in the United States or one of the U.S. Territories. Access the Black History Month Programming survey. Please complete the survey by March 1, 2021. Share Culture Through Stories Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture is a literacy program that reaches out to Asian Pacific American (APA) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) children and their families. The program celebrates and explore APA and AIAN stories through books, oral traditions, and art to provide an interactive, enriching experience. Children and their families can connect to rich cultural activities through Talk Story in their homes, libraries, and communities. This grant is aimed to give financial support to libraries and community organizations who want to introduce a Talk Story program, focusing on APA or AIAN cultures. Apply for Talk Story grant funding by April 1, 2021. Libraries and community organizations that serve APA and/or AIAN children and their families are eligible to apply. We encourage libraries and community organizations to work together on a Talk Story program. With the exception of cross-border tribal organizations, all organizations must be based in the United States or U.S. territories. Talk Story grant funding is available due to the generous support of Toyota California Community Foundation for APALA Talk Story grants and the American Indian Library Association for AILA Talk Story grants. Photo/illustration credits: MRFA, Noun Project; Tran Thanh, Unsplash
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.
The Minnesota Department of Education divisions of Academic Standards and Instructional Effectiveness, Career and College Success, Equity and Inclusion, and State Library Services have combined forces to create a digital inclusion toolkit. This toolkit, designed for educators including public library staff, provides information and strategies to improve technology access for families. Questions about this toolkit can be directed to the Academic Standards division at mde.academic-standards@state.mn.us.
This April, join Minnesota’s Futures School Cohort to learn a strategic framework that enables you to lead discussion and action in the transformation of libraries. This will be a three-day, live online workshop from April 6 to 8, 2021. To participate, you must commit to the three consecutive days of training. Register for the Futures School Cohort by February 26. Registration is limited. We are looking for a diverse group of library staff to participate, including academic, public, school and special library staff. If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Bieber at ashley.bieber@state.mn.us. 
Virtual events may be here to stay! Did you know that many Minnesota writers are available for virtual events for classrooms, libraries, and beyond? The Minnesota Writers Directory, a project run by the Minnesota Center for the Book, connects writers across the state with people who want to hear more about their stories and their craft. Browse the site by author, genre, and skype/zoom availability to find a writer who is a good fit for your audiences. The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is featuring a rotating list of writers from different genres each month who are available for virtual events. This month’s featured writers are: Molly Beth Griffin, Bryan Thao Worra, and Dr. Artika Tyner. Black History Month Programming? 
The Black Caucus of the ALA (BCALA) invites you to participate in a study on Black History Month Programming. While virtually every public library across the U.S. conducts some programming during Black History Month, there has never been a systematic study to assess the content, scope, target age groups, and focus of that programming. A planning grant from IMLS has allowed BCALA to bring together partners from key American Library Association Divisions and Offices, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the University of Michigan’s Program for Research on Black Americans, and other experts in the field to explore and catalog current Black History Month programming. In order to participate in the survey, you must work at a public library in the United States or one of the U.S. Territories. Access the Black History Month Programming survey. Please complete the survey by March 1, 2021. Share Culture Through Stories 
Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture is a literacy program that reaches out to Asian Pacific American (APA) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) children and their families. The program celebrates and explore APA and AIAN stories through books, oral traditions, and art to provide an interactive, enriching experience. Children and their families can connect to rich cultural activities through Talk Story in their homes, libraries, and communities. This grant is aimed to give financial support to libraries and community organizations who want to introduce a Talk Story program, focusing on APA or AIAN cultures. Apply for Talk Story grant funding by April 1, 2021. Libraries and community organizations that serve APA and/or AIAN children and their families are eligible to apply. We encourage libraries and community organizations to work together on a Talk Story program. With the exception of cross-border tribal organizations, all organizations must be based in the United States or U.S. territories. Talk Story grant funding is available due to the generous support of Toyota California Community Foundation for APALA Talk Story grants and the American Indian Library Association for AILA Talk Story grants. Photo/illustration credits: MRFA, Noun Project; Tran Thanh, Unsplash