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!
Image retrieved online at Library Journal 11/19/13.
Aha, we are getting close to the end of a calendar year, and the flurry of lists begin, which is always popular! And book lists rank supreme with our readers!
Library Journal’s review editors are now sharing their Top Ten List, and as you read their blog post you feel their pain. They briefly chronicle their struggles in just choosing ten titles. They lament a bit about the “ones that got away” too, simply because other books grabbed them with more intensity. I like that image….
Some of us read for plot, others for character development (that’s me), and yet others for flowery language (not me) among other things, so it is possible you will love a title on the discard list too! Take a look at their More of the Best List too!
Tip: If you read one of these books and would like to submit your short review to our offices, we can include it in our Featured Book blog posts. Thanks!
A recent press release shared an exciting new development in our region. In addition to the expected bibliographic data we see in our GRRL search results, that information is now fortified with a service called NoveList Select!
According to the press release….” It makes book searches fun by providing recommendations readers will see as they browse online. For example, readers who look for Catching Fireby Suzanne Collins will not only see that the library owns multiple copies, but also that it is the second book in a series: the Hunger Games trilogy. They will also see covers of other series and other books recommended for readers of Catching Fire. Additional enhancements include listings for recommended authors, reader ratings and reviews, a link to the NoveList website, and extras from NoveList in the form of award winner listings and booktalk links.
NoveList Select turns a static catalog into a place for book discovery. The recommendations are created by a large team of experts at NoveList including numerous professional librarians. “Traditionally, readers would speak with their local librarian to get book recommendations,” said Jake Grussing, the library’s associate director for collection development. “That reader’s advisory still takes place, but large numbers of patrons now visit us online, and the addition of NoveList Select makes it possible for us to provide an equivalent kind of service to the online browser.”
Great River Regional Library’s website address is griver.org. GRRL provides library services at 32 public libraries in Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright Counties. It provides Central Minnesota residents with nearly 1 million books, CDs and DVDs, 250 public computers, programming and information services.
Are professional development funds tight in your work setting? Did you know that CMLE offers scholarships of up to $200 per fiscal year per individual for staff affiliated with any type of library in Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties in Central Minnesota? The scholarships can be used to attend workshops, conferences, library meetings or task forces, and other library-related activities to promote professional development. CMLE scholarships also come in handy in settings that require your employer to pay for a “sub” while you are off enhancing your library skill sets. Past recipients of the scholarship program were able to use CMLE scholarships towards attendance at national library conferences such as ISTE, AASL, and ALA. Locally, members received scholarships for attending the Children’s Literature Workshop in St. Cloud, the TIES conference in the Twin Cities, the Library Technology Conference at Macalaster College, and for annual MEMO and MLA conferences too. Keep watching the Upcoming Events portion of our Weekly Review message for upcoming opportunities.
We all owe it to ourselves to keep our skill sets sharp. Confidence and engagement often result when we take time to invest in ourselves. CMLE would like to support you to that end. For all of the details and to apply for a scholarship, go to www.cmle.org/scholarships.asp.
Image from Strategies for Creating and Delivering Value by Brian Mathews 2013
Brian Mathews is an Associate Dean at Virginia Tech, and I always enjoy hearing what he has to say about the future of libraries. I find his writing style refreshing, clear, and always full of great examples. This paper talks about how academic libraries are being barraged by advancements in publishing, pedagogy, and user preferences. The intent of this paper is much broader than academics however and is simply: What do people need to do and how might libraries help them?
If I haven’t convinced you yet, and you are a football fan, Brian’s epilogue discusses when the “forward pass” was introduced into the game, and how it was a game changer. This change made the players faster and more nimble. It reinvented the role of the quarterback too, much like the role of librarian can be reinvented. We all struggle at times with fast and nimble, but the times we are in dictate it! Although seventeen pages, this paper is definitely worth a read!
We’ve Learned… is designed to keep our readers informed about news concerning personnel in CMLE libraries/media centers. Please keep us informed of any “happenings” regarding staff members in your area so that we can include them in the next write-up! Happenings can include: changes in staffing, awards, honors… you get the idea!
Honorable Staff Mentions
Joe Franklin, promoted to Access Services Manager, St. Cloud State University
