Save the Date! Reimagining School Readiness  Do you wonder what research really says about how to support school readiness? The Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit is a suite of research-backed resources created for library staff to help families prepare children ages 0 to 8 for success in school and in life. This summer, State Library Services will offer a virtual workshop to introduce library staff to the research, practical implications, and resources offered in the toolkit. The toolkit is available in its entirety for free online. Workshop participants will: understand key findings from current cognitive and developmental psychology research reflect on the implications of those findings for their daily work gain practical, ready-to-implement ideas for activities, as well as resources for staff training and for parents/caregivers Registration details will be in our next newsletter. Until then, mark your calendar to attend one of the workshops offered this summer: July 22, 2021, 1 – 5 p.m.August 17, 2021, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. You will benefit from this workshop if you work with children ages 0 to 8 and their families and would like to learn more about how to offer research-backed programming in your library. You won’t want to miss it! Join the Summer Youth Services Call  Join library staff serving youth from around the state for a mid-summer check-in! Take a deep breath and enjoy a collective moment of sharing, celebration and support. Monthly youth services calls will resume in the fall. When: July 14, 2021, 3 p.m. Where: Join the Zoom meeting  Have you checked out the Indigenous Representations newsletter? This a collaboration between Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, St. Cloud State University, the Master of Library and Information Science program at Saint Catherine University, the University of Minnesota Kerlan Collection, Birchbark Books, and the Minnesota Department of Education’s State Library Services and Office of American Indian Education. The latest edition, released May 2021, features Black Bears and Blueberries Publishing, and includes book and resource recommendations for use in the classroom or library.  Do you manage or post to your library’s social media accounts? Could you take five minutes to answer a short survey (it’s mostly yes/no questions) from researchers at the University of Dayton? The purpose of this project is to better understand the current use of social media by libraries to solicit and respond to questions and feedback. Feel free to pass this survey link along to anyone at your library responsible for maintaining social media accounts: Library Social Media Management and Engagement survey (https://udayton.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cGUbn7QK09ldkc6) The survey will be open through June 4. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jason Wardell, University of Dayton Libraries (937-229-1558). Funding  The NASA Office of STEM Engagement invites proposals from informal educational institutions, including libraries, in this 2021 NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Notice of Funding Opportunity. Community Anchor Awards for TEAM II will provide financial support of between $20K-$25K total to cover activities for a period of one to two years that allow awardees to: establish themselves as a new or emerging local NASA STEM informal education community resource, implement authentic NASA STEM experiences that benefit a diverse audience in their local community, participate in a NASA Informal Education Learning Cohort. Proposals for Community Anchor Awards are due June 17, 2021. Standard Awards, which typically involve partnerships with larger institutions like science museums, range from $500K to $800K for 2-4 years. See a list of Standard Award projects from past years. Proposals for Standard Awards are due July 19, 2021.  In a separate NASA-affiliated program, sixty public and tribal libraries in the U.S. will be selected through a competitive application process to become NASA@ My Library Partners. NASA@ My Library Partners will receive training and resources to implement NASA events and programming, access to a university subject matter expert (SME) to support patron engagement, and a $1,600 programming stipend to purchase materials for NASA STEAM activities and/or support presentations by local NASA-funded SMEs. The programming period is September 22, 2021 – August 31, 2022. Applications will be accepted now to July 21. View the project guidelines and apply online.  The new 23 Things on a Stick curriculum is off to a great start – 157 people have registered, and around 10 people have completed all the available Things! Media Landscapes: 23 Things (ML:23) was developed by the seven Minnesota Multicounty Multitype Library Systems in collaboration with Minitex. It is designed to help library staff engage more deeply with the issues and concepts addressed in the Media Landscapes Campaign. By working together through these Things, we will all have a greater understanding of disinformation, information/digital literacy, and how to address these issues in various library settings. The self-paced curriculum is available online. The Things will be released gradually as more Media Landscapes speakers are scheduled. The series will remain up indefinitely for Minnesota library staff and others to complete the Things. Everyone who has registered (and opted in) is subscribed to the newsletter, but if you’re curious and want to subscribe, you can subscribe to the ML:23 Newsletter. Minnesota Writers Director: Book Awards Version  Find Minnesota Book Award-winning authors on the Writers Directory! Many Minnesota writers, including past and recent Book Award finalists and winners, 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 is featuring a rotating list of writers from different genres each month who are available for virtual events. This month’s featured writers are recent Book Award-winners: Anika Fajardo, Brian Freeman, and Carolyn Holbrook. Photo/illustration credits: Justin W., Unsplash; Cover art from Ancestor Approved; Omkar Patyane, Pexels |
| 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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