All posts by John

General, School Media Specialist

Can an immersive video game teach the nuances of American History?

Looking for a way to teach or expose your kids to American History? Mission US might be the answer. Currently FREE, the role-playing game gives students the experience of what it would be like to live during historical moments. The game is designed to encourage students to empathize with the game’s characters and build understanding and critical perception to think like an historian.

“The most encouraging to see is the games being launchpads for really in-depth conversations in which kids at varying academic levels feel equipped to participate and draw on their experiences with the game and the learning materials,” said Leah Potter, an instructional designer with Electric Funstuff

All the games are available both to stream and download. Although they are Flash-based, WNET producers said iPad compatible versions are currently under development.

Read the whole article now, or check out this video of Mission US in action:

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

CMLE Featured Service: Scholarships

More fall leaves...Are professional development funds tight in your work setting? Is the money to pay your registration to a conference in the budget, but there is no money for hotel or mileage, or to pay a sub so you can be away from your workplace?

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 engagement and/or professional development. All expenses mentioned earlier are appropriate and we encourage you to use the scholarships even if it can’t cover all of the costs. And, if you use our scholarship to help with costs, feel free to mention to your administrator that you have used our program!

Need help paying for that sub? CMLE scholarships come in very handy in settings that require your employer to pay for a “sub” while you are off enhancing your library skill sets. When you fill out the form, just indicate the amount you need to cover that expense. The ITEM Conference is coming up the first week in October and is in St. Cloud, the MLA Conference follows during the second week of October in S. Paul. We would love to help you get there through the use of our scholarship program, but now is the time to apply!

We all owe it to ourselves to keep our skill sets sharp. Confidence and new energy often result when we  take time to invest in ourselves and spend time with our peers. CMLE would like to support you to that end. For all of the details and to apply for a scholarship, go to https://cmle.org/services/scholarships/. The application is quite simple and should take no more than 10 minutes if you know what you want to attend and have the event information in hand.

For more info on the ITEM and MLA conferences and links to registration, go to our Upcoming Library Events listing.

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/kncgcov, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
 
Academic, General

Data, Files, and Passwords! OH MY!

Reading in the Digital AgeHow many documents do you have on your desktop right now? If you had a PDF called “Report1” would you know what it contained? Do you have scraps of paper with your passwords on them? Or are they in your phone? Hopefully at least one of these questions made you nod your head and got you thinking about Data Management. This is that pesky topic that forces you to think about how you manage your data, your files, and everything else related to your digital self.

Managing your data

We all have to manage our data effectively. That means making sure you are able to locate it when and where you need it. Wisconsin Data Services YouTube Channel to the rescue! From simple videos about File Naming Conventions to Data Citation there are tons of great resources to help you manage your data.

Protecting your data

Now that we’re managing our data and files, we have to make sure we can retrieve them if our computer or device fails. This means backup! eCampus News recently did a piece about how to protect research data that highlights the importance of on and offsite backup. Brian Chee, an IT specialist in the dean’s office of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, said “I’m trying to get people to do a combination of NAS—for backup, higher reliability, and high-access backup so you can get into archives easily—with offsite storage, either in the cloud or an offsite data center.

Need a taste of Data Management? Check out this great video talking about the 3-2-1 Rule:

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/lbvpyq7, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Academic, General

SJU Alcuin Library renovation and Learning Commons

sjulibThe academic library at St. John’s University was recently in the news due to some construction and renovation that officially began in June. Kathy Parker, Director of Libraries, said the project is a “culmination of years of mental energy…” and is “now becoming visible.” Check out floor plans and other information on this website. Besides a general refurbish of the space, there will also be:

  • Construction of an Archives and Special Collections Area in the basement of Alcuin Library.
  • Installation of a new elevator that will service all four floors of Alcuin Library.
  • Construction of The Saint John’s Bible gallery in the auditorium formerly know as AV1.

St. John’s is also adding a Learning Commons space that will be an addition to the Library and will start May 2016. The Learning Commons space will have “classrooms, and study spaces that will enable students to take advantage of technology…” According to St. John’s President Michael Hemesath, “Alcuin Library and Learning Commons will be the academic heart and soul of our campus.”

Check out this video where St. John’s President Hemesath is talking about the impact these developments will have on student experience.