All posts by John

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

MLA Annual Conference

MLA-2015-Conference-LogoThe 2015 MLA Annual Conference is fast approaching. This year’s event will be at the St. Paul RiverCentre on Thursday-Friday, October 8-9, 2015.

REGISTER NOW!

Search, Create, Inspire, this year’s conference theme, chosen by MLA President Maggie Snow, is an opportunity to showcase and share the work we do every day – searching for answers, creating learners, inspiring minds to grow and communities to take action! Other features will include:

  • Keynote and featured presentations by authors
  • More than 60 breakout presentations
  • Sessions tailored to your area of interest, including academic libraries, children and young people, Friends of the Library, diversity, intellectual freedom, government information, leadership excellence, paraprofessionals, public libraries, reader advisory, reference services, rural libraries, technical services, and trustees/advocates. View the Schedule now!
  • An exhibit hall with 50+ vendors showcasing library products and services
  • Hundreds of library professionals to network with

No Money? A CMLE scholarship of up to $200 is yours to use for registration, hotel, mileage, meals, or to subsidize the cost of your employer hiring a substitute worker so you can be away. If you approach your boss to say you have found a way to contribute  $200, they will know you are invested and have taken initiative. The application process is easy, CMLE would love to exhaust its scholarship budget this year, so go for it!

Finally, remember you can stay up to date with upcoming events in our events table.

General, School Media Specialist

EdCampMidMN 2015 recap

15 - 1If you were one of the nearly 140 lucky people to attend the first EdCampMidMN you were at a truly unique event right here in central Minnesota. The event followed the EdCamp format. This means the event was completely free and followed the unconference model where participants decided the content and shaped the conversations. CMLE was an event sponsor, and CMLE staff were lucky enough to attend this fast-paced, open format. Besides in the “classrooms,” many of our conversations took place in hallways and at impromptu moments. From Makerspaces to Gamification, subjects from across the board were covered.

“I appreciate all you did to make this day happen. What an exemplary collaborative bunch you are! Your work sparked a lot of fires today.” – EdCamp Attendee

The event was put on by local educators and they knocked it out of the park! The best part, is that the content is still available on their website. Organizers promised a round 2 for next year, so take a look at the 2015 materials and get ready for next year!

Here is our very own Patricia Post getting ready to talk about 21st Century Media Centers:

General

Libraries to visit in your lifetime

Vancouver_Public_Library_AtriumAs if you needed more libraries, let alone places, to visit in your lifetime! Recently Business Insider came out with their “27 libraries to visit in your lifetime” list and there are some good ones. From Canada’s Vancouver Public Library to Trinity College Dublin Library in Dublin, Ireland there is a variety to choose from. Check out the list and see if maybe you’ve already been!

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/pvvckqx, licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist

Recommended App: David Wiesner’s Spot

spotRecently, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) came out with their 25 Best Apps for Teaching & Learning for 2015.  The apps were chosen because they foster innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration.

This week we highlight David Wiesner’s Spot.  This app allows users to “zoom closer and closer into the illustrations and discover unseen worlds, which, in turn, beg to be further investigated. They will delight in dust bunnies that hop when touched, welding ladybugs, a family of insects enjoying a winter day, and a host of other unexpected surprises.”

The app is recommended for early Elementary K-2 students.  It is available on IOS for $4.99.  This video gives you a quick introduction to the app:

General, School Media Specialist

Local Computer Science workshops available

stickers_largeInterested in learning some more about computer science? District 742 Technology Integrationist, Angie Kalthoff will be putting on some computer science workshops over the next few months in conjunction with Code.org. Check out the full list here: bit.ly/codewithangiews

10/10/15 – 8:00-3:30 K-5 Coding, Google Student Clubs, and Robotic Fun – Onalaska, WI at Globe University

10/15/15 – 8:00am-4:00pm Prince of Peace Lutheran School – St.Cloud, MN

11/14/15 – 10:00am -5:00pm Great River Regional Library – St.Cloud, MN

11/21/15 – 8:30am -3:30pm Grand Forks – Grand Forks, ND

 

What’s in a workshop?
In-person instruction from an experienced computer science facilitator, including an intro to computer science, pedagogy, overview of the online curriculum, teacher dashboard, and strategies for teaching “unplugged” classroom activities.

What you’ll receive (at no cost)
  • Printed curriculum guide
  • Certificate of completion
  • Classroom supplies for the unplugged lessons
  • Fun Code.org swag