We are passing on to you the material from the State Library Service, so you can keep up with the news going on around the state in the library world. There are always new, interesting programs out there to join or learn from, so consider subscribing to this weekly material yourself!
Updates From State Library Services
Help Wanted: Construction Grant Reviewers
Learn from the inside about what makes a good grant application! State Library Services is seeking volunteers to read and score the latest batch of public library construction grant applications in late April through May. Reviewers will receive training and will use established criteria to rate applications. A basic understanding of library infrastructure is helpful. Please contact Hannah Buckland no later than Friday, April 16, for more information.
Designing High-Quality Virtual Programs
This spring, artist and educator Keith Braafladt will lead a two-part discussion and demonstration on designing high-quality virtual programs with budget technology. Techniques demonstrated will be suitable for storytimes, art/crafting and STEM programs with patrons of any age. Part 1 – April 23, 1:30-3 p.m.Part 2 – May 7, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (This follow-up session will focus on needs and questions from the first workshop.) Register for both sessions with Keith Braafladt! Contact Leah Larson (651-582-8604) if you have any questions.
Digital Inclusion + Human Connection: Libraries Serving Youth Meetup
Did 2020 leave your patrons and students struggling to connect to reliable internet? Are they in need of new devices to fully participate and engage in distance learning? Could they find the support and instruction they needed to use new virtual tools? Ensuring equitable digital access has long been a focus of libraries, but the whirlwind of 2020 put a glaring spotlight on internet dead zones, inadequate equipment and insufficient support for youth and families. The seventh annual Meetup for school and public library staff serving youth will feature speakers finding solutions to digital exclusion in Minnesota. Join us for an afternoon to hear from these amazing advocates and discuss how we can create and improve digital inclusion efforts in our communities! When: Tuesday, April 27, 2-5 p.m. Where: A Zoom link will be sent to registrants one week before the event. Register for the 2021 Libraries Serving Youth Meetup by April 20. Speakers and panelists include: Keynote: Ini Augustine, Project NandiRawhi Said, Intercultural Mutual Assistance AssociationFatima Said,Project FINEDigital Navigators Toolkit Team, Minnesota Department of Education Community Technology Empowerment Program, Americorps Please contact Ashley Bieber (651-582-8849) for assistance with any questions.
Updates from Partners
Outstanding in Her Field
Congratulations to Leticia Snow from St. Peter Public Library! She was selected to join the 2021-22 cohort of the Outstanding in Their Field Leadership Institute of the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL). Beginning in August of 2021, this group of 30 library professionals from around the country will engage in residential, online, and conference experiences spanning 18 months to deepen their understanding of and commitment to professional values while they gain practical managerial skills. How Vaccines Affect Reopening The REopening Archives, Libraries and Museums (REALM) project is hosting a webinar to explore the topic of COVID-19 vaccines and how they impact the reopening and ongoing operations plans for organizations. Presenters will provide information on vaccine education, including resources available to help address vaccine misinformation in the community. They will also share aspects of what is known and unknown in the scientific community about vaccines, along with a general update about the REALM project. Register for the April 15 REALM project webinar: “Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines.” Follow the Funding Are you looking for resources to support your library’s efforts to innovate and build upon its crucial role in meeting the community’s needs? Check out the Visualizing Funding for Libraries’ Data Tool. Developed by Candid with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the data tool helps libraries and their supporters find funding opportunities, increase understanding of funding sources, and track funding trends. Using the tool, you can search foundation funding of all types of libraries in the U.S. since 2006 and filter by funder, recipient, year awarded, subject area, and more. There are also several visual pathways to help you see connections and possibilities in where the funding is flowing. Take a look! Steps to Diversify Children’s Librarianship To align with the Association for Library Services to Children’s (ALSC) strategic objective of increasing the intentional recruitment and retention of a diverse membership while reducing barriers to participation, ALSC is funding the memberships of 10 BIPOC library students and 10 paraprofessionals/library support staff (current position or position held within the last year) who want to become more involved with ALSC and within the children’s services profession. Recipients will receive one-year ALA/ALSC membership along with opportunities for meaningful engagement including regular virtual meetings with other recipients, activities and discussions, mentorship, shadowing committees, and more. Applicants should identify as BIPOC and be a library student, a paraprofessional and/or library support staff member, currently or recently unemployed. To apply, please submit this application by April 12, 2021. The EDI Taskforce and ALSC Membership Committee will be reviewing applications. Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2021. Photo/illustration credits: Adrien Coquet, Adnen Kadri, Nikhil, Noun Project; Ümit Yıldırım, 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.
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Partnering with libraries for visioning, advocating, and educating
Learn from the inside about what makes a good grant application! State Library Services is seeking volunteers to read and score the latest batch of public library construction grant applications in late April through May. Reviewers will receive training and will use established criteria to rate applications. A basic understanding of library infrastructure is helpful. Please contact Hannah Buckland no later than Friday, April 16, for more information.
This spring, artist and educator Keith Braafladt will lead a two-part discussion and demonstration on designing high-quality virtual programs with budget technology. Techniques demonstrated will be suitable for storytimes, art/crafting and STEM programs with patrons of any age. Part 1 – April 23, 1:30-3 p.m. Part 2 – May 7, 1:30-2:30 p.m. (This follow-up session will focus on needs and questions from the first workshop.) Register for both sessions with Keith Braafladt! Contact Leah Larson (651-582-8604) if you have any questions.
Did 2020 leave your patrons and students struggling to connect to reliable internet? Are they in need of new devices to fully participate and engage in distance learning? Could they find the support and instruction they needed to use new virtual tools? Ensuring equitable digital access has long been a focus of libraries, but the whirlwind of 2020 put a glaring spotlight on internet dead zones, inadequate equipment and insufficient support for youth and families. The seventh annual Meetup for school and public library staff serving youth will feature speakers finding solutions to digital exclusion in Minnesota. Join us for an afternoon to hear from these amazing advocates and discuss how we can create and improve digital inclusion efforts in our communities! When: Tuesday, April 27, 2-5 p.m. Where: A Zoom link will be sent to registrants one week before the event. Register for the 2021 Libraries Serving Youth Meetup by April 20. Speakers and panelists include: Keynote: Ini Augustine, Project Nandi Rawhi Said, Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association Fatima Said, Project FINE Digital Navigators Toolkit Team, Minnesota Department of Education Community Technology Empowerment Program, Americorps Please contact Ashley Bieber (651-582-8849) for assistance with any questions.
The REopening Archives, Libraries and Museums (REALM) project is hosting a webinar to explore the topic of COVID-19 vaccines and how they impact the reopening and ongoing operations plans for organizations. Presenters will provide information on vaccine education, including resources available to help address vaccine misinformation in the community. They will also share aspects of what is known and unknown in the scientific community about vaccines, along with a general update about the REALM project. Register for the April 15 REALM project webinar: “Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines.” Follow the Funding 
Are you looking for resources to support your library’s efforts to innovate and build upon its crucial role in meeting the community’s needs? Check out the Visualizing Funding for Libraries’ Data Tool. Developed by Candid with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the data tool helps libraries and their supporters find funding opportunities, increase understanding of funding sources, and track funding trends. Using the tool, you can search foundation funding of all types of libraries in the U.S. since 2006 and filter by funder, recipient, year awarded, subject area, and more. There are also several visual pathways to help you see connections and possibilities in where the funding is flowing. Take a look! Steps to Diversify Children’s Librarianship 
To align with the Association for Library Services to Children’s (ALSC) strategic objective of increasing the intentional recruitment and retention of a diverse membership while reducing barriers to participation, ALSC is funding the memberships of 10 BIPOC library students and 10 paraprofessionals/library support staff (current position or position held within the last year) who want to become more involved with ALSC and within the children’s services profession. Recipients will receive one-year ALA/ALSC membership along with opportunities for meaningful engagement including regular virtual meetings with other recipients, activities and discussions, mentorship, shadowing committees, and more. Applicants should identify as BIPOC and be a library student, a paraprofessional and/or library support staff member, currently or recently unemployed. To apply, please submit this application by April 12, 2021. The EDI Taskforce and ALSC Membership Committee will be reviewing applications. Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2021. Photo/illustration credits: Adrien Coquet, Adnen Kadri, Nikhil, Noun Project; Ümit Yıldırım, Unsplash