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

23 Mobile Things Update

icon_23_100px1Our Mobile Things participants are off to a great start!The adventure has started!

Registration opened on Jan 15; more than 300 people have registered to participate in 23 Mobile Things. And in the CMLE region, we currently have 56 people registered. A few individuals in our region are dangerously close to earning their first badge for completing five of the Things. I can’t help but notice that  many 23 Things On a Stick “grads” (from five years ago) have signed up for this version of the program. Individuals tell me that they enjoy learning at their own pace, in the privacy of their cube when they really mess up! I often learn the most when things don’t work out quite as I had planned! So, don’t be afraid to try things and take a winding trail if needed to meet your learning goals. But what if you mess up, and get really stuck? Now it might be time to look over your cube wall to your colleague! See how far they are in the program, and whether they may have the same problem. And, if you get really stuck, you can always email  us at minn23@gmail.com. When you get yourself out of the ditch, be sure to post about your struggle, as you may very well help someone else out as they read your blog post!

Reminder: 23 Mobile Things is open to all staff in Minnesota libraries, as well as their Boards & Friends. It may be helpful to find a group to connect with via your blogs or in person to provide mutual support & encouragement. You can see all of the registered blogs in a region by clicking on a region’s name in the sidebar of the site. Here are those who have registered in CMLE . Tip: See what people are saying on Twitter about 23 Mobile Things by following the hashtag #23ThingsMN  and  join the conversation.

Registration runs through Feb 15 and the program ends Jun 15. We estimate that it takes about an hour per app to do the program, so whether you are doing it on “library time” or on your own time, plan to spend about 25-30 hours over the course of the 6 months.

If you are undecided about the program, read the Welcome & the FAQs to get a sense of what’s ahead. Then fire up your device, register, & get appy!

Adapted from a recent  post by Metronet, the Twin Cities multitype library system.

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

26th Annual Minnesota Book Awards Finalists

MNBookAwardsAre any of your favorites on this finalists list?

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library and 3M Library Systems are pleased to announce the finalists in all eight categories for the 26th Annual Minnesota Book Awards. Chosen on Saturday, January 25, by 24 judges from around the state – writers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and others from the literary community – the finalists in each category are listed at http://tinyurl.com/n4k6vh7

Winners will be announced Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the Gala Awards Ceremony.  Tickets are now on sale.
Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

An Example of a Library of the Future

Some rights reserved by psychicdevelopmentgroup
Some rights reserved by
psychicdevelopmentgroup

Will the library of the 21st century still have books? YES, there is no doubt in my mind. However, what else might it have?

Read about how the downtown Chattanooga Public Library cleared out 14,000 feet of storage space and created a space for sewing machines, laser cutters, 3D printers, and more. Interaction is the key ingredient, with a light touch on any sort of warehousing of books!

Read the following two posts to get more detail:

Exciting stuff….but, are librarians prepared to function and support end users in these kinds of spaces?

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

Children's Book-A-Day Almanac

bookaday_271_biggerDo you know about author Anita Silvey’s Children’s Book-A-Day Almanac? I heard Silvey speak at a conference a few years back, and the love she puts into this work is heartwarming. She is a master at her craft, and brings to life the details behind the classics, which can be even more fascinating than the books themselves. According to her site, you can find:

  • Daily children’s book recommendations and events from Anita Silvey.
  • Discover the stories behind the children’s book classics . . .
  • The new books on their way to becoming classics . . .
  • And events from the world of children’s books—and the world at large.

Tip 1: Subscribe on the site to all of Silvey’s social media channels too.

Tip 2: Search the Silvey archives by: author/illustrator, age group, book type and subject!

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

Bookish scarves to keep you warm(er)

Image by Jayneandd. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Common's licensing.
Image by Jayneandd. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Common’s licensing.

If you have been bundled up to your eyeballs, you share Book Riot, Amanda Nelson’s frigid situation. Take a look at the collection of literary scarves she has identified for your viewing pleasure at http://tinyurl.com/meed6zl.

For good measure, note the link Amanda includes for coffee-themed sweatshirts too. Stay warm!