All posts by admincmle

The Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange (CMLE) is one of seven regional multitype library systems established to meet the needs of and share the resources of all types of libraries. We love libraries, and are here to support them!
Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

A Message of Thanks from the Director

Image by U of Fraser Valley. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons' licensing.
Image by U of Fraser Valley. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

Hopefully, you haven’t already gotten tired of reading messages of thankfulness. Maybe you have had a great year, and you have not been tested emotionally, physically or professionally. Maybe your year was humdrum, and your things to include on your thankful list are much like they always have been.  Or perhaps 2013 has been filled with challenges.

For me, by far, this has been the most difficult year both professionally and personally. However, I choose to think about it differently, especially as I approach Thanksgiving. As I look back, I am amazed at what has been accomplished despite the enormous amount of adversity that has occurred this year. I remind myself that I/we have control over how we choose to think about the hard things…. and I have learned a few things this year for which I give thanks:

  • I have an incredibly caring, supportive group of people on the CMLE Board
  • It was my good fortune to hire an exceptional temporary employee who convinced me in ten minutes that she was hungry, humble, and helpful (the 3 h’s)! I could not have gotten through the year without her.
  • I have wonderful family and friends who were there for me through thick and thin. Most memorable was the occasional lunch with the grandkids; a cherished memory.
  • I am very thankful that my other knee is healthy, and that I only have two hips and two knees!
  • I am thankful for my strength in handling adversity and bouncing back!
  • And, I am especially thankful that I will never have to repeat 2013!

Coming back to work has been challenging, exhausting and invigorating, but reminds me of what I am passionate about, and what makes me feel alive. With that in mind, professionally, I am also thankful for:

  • Engaged library staff (like you) who continue to use our services and engage in our programming. Whether you are commenting on our weekly blog posts or Facebook page, writing book reviews or other blog posts, suggesting ideas for programming, participating in our Quick Question Polls, or attending our events, you are the heart of what we define as resource sharing!
  • CMLE staff are thankful for the opportunity to serve your needs, and to work with you to increase the capacity of all types of libraries in Central Minnesota! It is our privilege to work with talented and engaged library staff and we thank you.

What about you? Although your year may have also included challenges, what are you most thankful for? Were there life changing moments as a result of a student or community member coming through the door to your library? Have your learned valuable lessons as a result of those interactions or others?

Tip: Use a whiteboard in the library with a “What are you thankful for?” heading, then sit back, and observe a showplace of thanks not just for this week, but consider continuing this through the new year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Patricia-

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Join the State Library Services Team

Please note the following  job opportunity at State Library Services and feel free to pass this information along as it makes sense. Deadline for applications is December 4, 2013. 

State Library Services Recruiting  Library Program and Partnership Coordinator

State Library Services is now accepting applications to fill a new position, Library Development Specialist – Library Program and Partnership Coordinator. Based in Roseville, this is a great professional employment opportunity for librarians interested in working in a leadership role in the state. Primary position responsibilities include developing and maintaining internal and external partnerships and collaborative activities that improve the capacity of Minnesota’s libraries to provide responsive and high quality services to adult patrons. The position will also administer state Arts and Cultural Heritage allocation for regional public libraries and federal LSTA statewide initiative funds.

We are looking for candidates with a background in library services, program management, budgeting, and grants management who have excellent communication skills. Applications will be accepted on the State Jobs website through December 4, 2013.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Nelson at 651-582-8791 or Jennifer.r.nelson@state.mn.us.

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Metro Libraries Embrace E-Book Sharing

Image by flickingerbrad. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons' licensing.
Image by flickingerbrad. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

Recently, Minnesota made the news around a consortial lending model for  eBooks. Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA) is the state organization created to support cooperation and collaboration among the seven-county Twin Cities area libraries. And, 3M is right in MELSA’s backyard! What is exciting is that a  conversation happened between the two, and after a year of working together, 3M has developed CloudLink, a new feature for its eBook lending system for consortia!

Many consortial  arrangements involve member libraries contributing eBooks to a common pool that patrons from all libraries can use. In addition to this functionality, CloudLink also enables any patron from any MELSA library to check out eBooks from the private collections of any other MELSA library, provided there are no holds for the title. Unless a publisher has a policy that prohibits consortial lending, the CloudLink system will allow eBooks to be checked out by patrons from any library.

CMLE staff continue to work with others to monitor possibilities for regional or statewide sharing of eBooks. As you can imagine, the needs of academic, public, K-12 and special libraries can be quite different (yet overlapping in some areas). Existing consortial models are often not a “one size fits all”  and at this moment in time, I remain skeptical that a statewide model exists to serve all needs with one solution. But that is today, the wild west of eBooks is changing every day! Stay tuned……

Read the full Digital Shift article (Nov.5)

Also, read an infoDOCKET article on this subject (Sept.18)

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

23 Mobile Things Preview Webinar

23 Mobile Things Logo
23 Mobile Things Logo

Recently, we announced that CMLE, as the Central Minnesota component of  the statewide multitype library systems, will begin  the 23 Mobile Things program in mid-January. Start shining  up your mobile devices for a fun, online, self-paced program that is sprinkled with incentives, discoveries, and prizes too! Can we break our record of 300 CMLE participants from the 23 Things on a Stick program from five years ago? 

News Flash! Metronet is the Twin Cities multitype, and LeAnn Suchy will be offering a free  Apps in a Flash: 23 Mobile Things Preview  webinar on December 5th, as part of the Minitex Outreach & Instruction Guest Webinar Series. Tune in to learn about apps for photos, videos, notetaking, presentations, education and more!

Register now for the webinar! Peek into the future of the 23 Mobile Things Program!

Didn’t see our earlier post about the 23 Mobile Things Program?

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

AASL’s Lesson Plan Database

Image by Jonathan Barragan. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons' licensing.
Image by Jonathan Barragan. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

Update 9/22/2014: “AASL has received word that the organization that hosts and provides technical support for the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner Lesson Plan Database has refocused their mission and will no longer be providing these services. As such, the lesson plan database will be archived and future plans are currently under consideration” (AASL Lesson Plan Database).

Whether you are looking for a lesson plan on digital citizenship or wanting to share the snazzy lesson plan you created on screen-casting, there is now a place to do so. After all, why should every school media specialist re-invent the wheel, right?

AASL gets credit for creating this database, and contributors get credit for what is in it! This lesson plan database is meant to support school media specialists and other educators too as they teach essential learning skills within the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner.

You can do free searches by standards and indicators, content topic, grade level, type of lesson or schedule, and of course keyword too. Registered users can bookmark lesson plans, rate and comment on content, print to PDF and socially share content too. Again, it is free.

Submissions to the Lesson Plan Database are vetted by AASL reviewers to ensure lesson plans published are of the highest quality. The lesson plan template was developed using the Action Example Template from Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action. All lesson plans published are aligned with AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and are crosswalked with the Common Core Standards.

Search the AASL Lesson Plan Database Now!

Do you still have lots of questions? Go directly to the FAQ’s on the site!