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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

They Don’t Teach You Politics in Library School!

RoadClosedOpen. hober
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The title of this blog post from the ALA Inside Scoop really grabbed me and made me think back to graduate school. I remember very little discussion there about politics and the importance of both national and state politics in our library world. It is possible that it simply did not grab my interest at that time like other subjects did.  Politics is messy, often not very much fun, and just plain hard work. Whether testifying at a hearing, sending email voicing your concern or support, or talking to your legislator while in line to pay at the gas station, your engagement is important. Why? Because libraries must be engaged with their communities. And, community engagement requires political engagement. It is that simple.

Read the full post at http://tinyurl.com/b8q45w5.

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

Digital Revolution Recap!

kingandbizzle
King & Bizzle at ALA

Laurie D. Borman writes: “Librarians learned a dazzling array of tips and tricks for increasing their public relations efforts on Facebook in a Midwinter ALA Masters Series session. Ben Bizzle, director of technology at Crowley Ridge Regional Library in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and David Lee King, digital services director at Topeka and Shawnee County (Kans.) Public Library, shared ideas with a packed audience on how to maximize reach and increase impact cost-efficiently.”

If you were not able to attend this session but would like to hear more about their case study, click here to learn more=>

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

Appreciative Inquiry and Community Engagement

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Some rights reserved by giulia.forsythe

Appreciative inquiry focuses on increasing what an organization does well rather than on eliminating what it does badly, and how to analyze that success in order to achieve greater success in future endeavors. And what if you discovered another organization that really excelled at the parts your organization did not do well, but still needed. There are exciting possibilities for new partnerships, new arenas of opportunity.

Read about what one participant reported as a result of attending this session at the recent ALA conference in Seattle. The full blog post appeared on Jan. 27 on AL Inside Scoop.

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

MNLibLeg: Libraries in Bonding Bill and Update!

This CMLE Update has been provided by Mark Ranum, MLA Legislative Chair

Alice Hausman, Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, asked last week about a library request for the bonding bill being proposed this year.  We have submitted a request for $3M for the public library construction and accessibility grant program.  It’s HF1501 http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/bills/billnum.asp?billnumber=hf1501

All library bills we are pursuing as a part of the library platform have now been introduced.  The other bills are listed below.

2013 Library Legislative Platform Issues Status: Bills, Authors, and Committees

1. Fund Regional Public Library Basic System Support.

  • SF453    Wiger
  • HF630   Marquart

2. Fund Multicounty, Multitype Regional Library System Support.

  • SF453    Wiger
  • HF630   Marquart

3. Fund Telecommunications Equity Aid and Regional Library Telecommunications Aid.

  • SF453    Wiger
  • HF630   Marquart

4. Fund Minitex at $5,631,000 each year of the biennium.

  • SF995     Eken, Clausen
  • HF1150   Winkler, Nornes, Brynaert

5. Fund MnLINK at $400,000 each year of the biennium.

  • SF995     Eken, Clausen
  • HF1150    Winkler, Nornes, Brynaert

6. Fund Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) at current levels each year of the biennium

  • SF781      Hoffman, Johnson, Stumpf, Jensen, Nelson
  • HF1145   Brynaert, S. Erickson

7.  Dedicate the entire proceeds of the Permanent School Fund for school technology and library media resources to support Common Core Standards and other initiatives.

  • No action.  Lack of support from the Governor and House/Senate Leadership.

8.  Appropriate $750,000 in the first year and $600,000 in the second year of the biennium to subscribe, implement, and promote free, online homework help for all MN students.

  • SF781       Hoffman, Johnson, Stumpf, Jensen, Nelson
  • HF1145    Brynaert, S. Erickson

9.  Change the Regional Public Library Legacy funding formula by replacing the equalization factor in the formula with a “qualifying system entities” factor.

  • Elaine Keefe and Mark Ranum are working to include this in the appropriation language.
  • No specific lobbying effort is required at this time on this specific issue.

10. Fund Regional Public Library Legacy initiatives at $4,250,000 for each year of the biennium from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

  • No bill number.  The process to request funds does not require a bill.
  • We have testified in the House Legacy Committee on our request.  The Senate Legacy Committee has not met to hear requests from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

11.  Fund the Minnesota Digital Library at $750,000 to expand into a statewide digital preservation initiative from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

  • No bill number.  The process to request funds does not require a bill.

12.  Add data privacy protection for electronic materials and services to MS13.40.

  • SF745      Diedzic, Latz, Nelson
  • HF695     Simon

Mark Ranum, Director
Plum Creek Library System
Box 697
290 S. Lake Street
Worthington, MN 56187
507.376.5803 ext. 1 (office)
612.701.9989 (cell)
mranum@plumcreeklibrary.net

There will also be a Senate companion to HF 1501.  Sen. Alice Johnson has signed on as our chief author.  I hope to get it introduced on Monday. 
Elaine Keefe, Capitol Hill Associates
 
Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Guest Bloggers Are Coming!

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We are excited to report that some of your colleagues (librarians/media specialists) have indicated their interest in helping us produce our What’s Happening blog posts. We are simply delighted in this interest and encourage you to consider joining in too. We will of course give guest bloggers a non-judgmental copy edit, give them their own byline, and include the title of their completed post in our Thursday CMLE Weekly Review email message. We are giving guest bloggers freedom in choosing what to write about and encourage them to use the space to share exciting news about “What’s Happening” in their world or to communicate what’s keeping them up at night.

When you see these guest bloggers emerge, please be sure to comment on their posts and give them kudos for their bravery in joining us in the blogosphere!