TO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: November 9, 2015
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

Help Us Get the Word Out: MBTBL Advisory Committee Seeking New Members

The Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library (MBTBL) is seeking two members for its Advisory Committee. The MBTBL provides specialized statewide public library service to Minnesotans of all ages with visual, physical, and reading disabilities. The five-member advisory committee serves as a sounding board for library planning, priorities, policies, program efforts and service concerns. Individuals appointed to this committee must be active users of the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library. Applications are due on November 24, 2015. For more information about this committee, call the MBTBL at 1-800-722-0550 or visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Open Commission and Appointment website.

Take Your Learning Online: Upcoming Webinars

1) Basic Records Management for Minnesota Public Libraries

Charles Rodgers of the State Archives Department of the Minnesota Historical Society will present a brief webinar review of the state records laws, the definition of government records, basic records management issues, and the role of the State Archives on Wednesday, November 18 from 1-2 p.m. Special emphasis will be given to records created and maintained by public libraries, including retention and disposition guidance, and documents with historical value. Charles is familiar with general records retention schedules for Minnesota cities and counties, which include sections addressing public library records. There will be ample time for questions and answers. No registration is necessary, just join the WebEx meeting online or call 1-888-742-5095  (toll-free) or 1-619-377-3319 using conference code 874 403 3672 / meeting number 253 118 533. Please contact Jen Verbrugge at jennifer.verbrugge@state.mn.us with questions.

2) Attend Taxes 101 for Minnesota Libraries

Believe it or not, the 2016 tax season is right around the corner! To help libraries serve their communities during the tax season, State Library Services and Prepare + Prosper’s Claim it! campaign invite you to Taxes 101 for Minnesota Libraries on Thursday, November 19, 11 a.m.-noon. The webinar will cover topics such as who needs to file taxes, basics about tax credits for individuals and families with low to moderate income, free tax preparation sites, frequently asked questions, and community resources. Our goal is to give libraries the resources they need to make tax time a little less overwhelming. Register today and then join the WebEx meeting online or call in at 1-888-742-5095 (toll-free) or 1-619-377-3319 using conference code 874 403 3672 / meeting number 593 489 753. Please contact Emily Kissane at emily.kissane@state.mn.us with questions.

Note: The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requires advance notice in order to provide a requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice to cancel a requested accommodation.

Investigate the Future of STEM in Public Libraries

The Public Libraries & STEM Conference held in August 2015 brought together 151 leaders and decision-makers from both the public library and STEM education communities. As libraries nationwide have reexamined their roles in their communities, STEM activities have emerged with a widespread role in strengthening community‐based learning and fostering critical thinking and problem solving for people of all ages. The conference’s work and subsequent publications will help to guide future development of informal STEM learning programs in public libraries. Visit the conference’s website to find background papers, session PowerPoints and handouts, and related resources. Conference resources highlight public libraries’ current needs, obstacles, and opportunities to offering STEM programming. Jen Nelson, State Librarian, served as a member of the conference’s national organizing committee. Please contact Jen at 651-582-8791 or Jennifer.r.nelson@state.mn.us for more information about the conference or to learn more about how you can bring STEM learning opportunities to your library.

Calling All Kid Filmmakers!

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which kid filmmakers make movies that creatively tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in ninety seconds or less. Making the film is a fun, creative and multi-faceted educational exercise. Kids cooperatively write, storyboard, produce, direct, costume, act, frame and edit their films.

Public librarians, school librarians, homeschool parents, teachers, and scout leaders are encouraged to work with their kids to make movies. The deadline to submit films for the 2015-2016 film festival is January 10, 2016. Inspiration and more information can be found on the 90-Second Newbery website. Want to make a 90-Second Newbery video, but are daunted by the project? Download this handy guide of tips, tricks, and strategies. Mark your calendar for the second annual Minnesota screening of the best local entries on Saturday, February 27, 2016, from 3:00-4:30 pm at Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central. Co-hosts of the event will be James Kennedy (90-Second Newbery founder and middle grade author) and Kelly Barnhill (Minneapolis author of The Witch’s Boy). For more details, please contact Jennifer Verbrugge at jennifer.verbrugge@state.mn.us or 651-582-8356.

Look Up to the Stars!

Congratulations to top-rated Edgerton, Grand Marais and Ramsey County libraries. They are among the 261 Star Libraries on the Library Journal Index of Public Library Services.  The index compares U.S. public libraries with their spending peers based on loans, visits, program attendance, and public computer use. The number of competing libraries is at an all-time high, so earning star status is harder than ever.

Grand Marais Public Library received five stars, the highest rating, which it has earned every year the index was published. Edgerton Public Library moved up from a three to four star library. Ramsey County Library has earned three stars each year since 2013.

Library Journal Index scores are based on data reported annually by public libraries to their state library agencies. The 2015 ratings are based on 2013 data compiled nationally by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To be eligible for star-status, be sure to complete the Minnesota Public Library Survey which opens in February.  State Library Services looks forward to helping you collect and report data that will lift your library into the national constellation. For help, contact Joe Manion, State Data Coordinator, at joe.manion@state.mn.us or 651-582-8640.