All posts by John

General

Short Summer Hiatus

beachThe CMLE blog posts will be on a short hiatus again during the summer months, but we will be back in the Fall! At that time, we will continue to scan the horizon, wrap our arms around the glut of library news and opportunity, filter and distill it down to an easy to digest format, and share it with you again starting in September. We remain committed to offering technology ideas and tips, best practices, cost savings, big picture concepts, library events, and application ideas too.  We hope this little blip in service gives everyone a refreshing “breather”. Watch our website in the event that time sensitive information surfaces that we feel a need to share immediately during the summer months. See you in the Fall!

Need something to read while you wait? Check out our top 10 CMLE blog posts for the academic year!

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/ (Joseph Barrientos), licensed under CC0 1.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Updates from MN State Library Services

state_mnTO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: June 5, 2015
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

Your Library Can Help Build the World’s Best Workforce

The Libraries and World’s Best Workforce mini grant initiative is designed to help libraries offer programs, services and learning activities that provide educational opportunities for children and young adults (ages 0-25), especially those living in poverty or facing other barriers to success, while tying in the goals of the World’s Best Workforce. An estimated $75,000 is available for grant awards of up to $10,000 each.

Join us for a grant guidance webinar to learn more about applying for this mini grant opportunity. Both webinars will cover the same content. There’s no need to pre-register, just click on one of the links below to participate:

Tuesday, June 16, 2015 10-11 a.m.
Thursday, July 16, 2015 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Over the last year we’ve seen libraries and schools come together to try out new ways to help kids be more successful in school and in life. This year, we’ve extended the application period until October 2 to give you a chance to build the partnerships that will allow you to creatively serve your community. And we’re looking forward to seeing how your library proposes making sure that kids have access to the tools and resources they need to be successful.

The application and instructions are available at the Minnesota Department of Education’s grants management site. For more information, please contact Jackie Blagsvedt at jacqueline.blagsvedt@state.mn.us or 651-582-8805.

Connect with Ignite Afterschool Statewide

Ignite Afterschool is a statewide network dedicated to developing high-quality afterschool and summer programs for all youth. With the help of their Regional Igniter partners, Ignite Afterschool is holding three meetings across the state to advance afterschool opportunities for youth. To learn more about the meetings and RSVP, follow the links below:

Attend the Northwest Minnesota Regional Meeting in Detroit Lakes, June 15, Noon-3 p.m.
Attend the Southeast Minnesota Regional Meeting in Rochester, June 23, 1-3:30 p.m.
Attend the Northeast Minnesota Regional Meeting in Duluth, June 24, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Each meeting will include a(n):

  • Opportunity to connect with fellow youth workers.
  • Introduction to Believe It. Build It. – Minnesota’s Guide to Effective Afterschool Practices.
  • Discussion on how to best put it the Believe It. Build It. guide to use.
  • Updates and next steps on statewide afterschool funding legislation.
  • Lunch or light snack.

This is a terrific opportunity to connect with out-of-school-time program providers in your region and find out how you can work together.

Upgrade Your Knowledge of Digital Learning

The Minnesota eLearning Summit is for K-12, college, and university educators and innovators in the Midwest who are committed to effective online and blended learning. Connect with more than 400 fellow educators at nearly 80 concurrent breakout sessions on July 29 and 30 at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Online registration and the draft program are available now; take advantage of the discount for early registration by July 1, 2015. Visit mnelearningsummit.org for more information.

School Librarians, You’re 2 Cool 2 Be 4-gotten–Stay in Touch This Summer

School is out—or nearly out—for the summer. If you’re looking at a work break over the summer, please stay connected with State Library Services. We promise to keep you updated about grant opportunities, workshops, programming and more. Email Jen Verbrugge at jennifer.verbrugge@state.mn.us with your personal email address, and she’ll get you signed up right away.

General, School Media Specialist

We’ve Learned

Lightbulb

There is a Media Generalist opening in the Elk River School District. It is a .5 FTE opening at VandenBerge Middle School. View the position description now.

Rodger Lindgren, District Media Specialist, Aitkin Schools, Aitkin, MN, has retired this school year.

We’ve also learned that Angie Kalthoff and Sara Norman will be hosting some summer workshops. All classes will be at Discovery Elementary School in Waite Park and are for Primary/Elementary teachers. Topics include a variety of classes from iPad Basics for Teachers to Augmented Reality. Check out the link below for the list of all 7 classes:

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

Public library summer reading programs in the region

Don’t let the summer slide affect your students! In the CMLE region we’re lucky enough to have two great public libraries with two great summer reading programs. Below are the two press releases from ECRL and GRRL about their summer reading programs. Get those kids signed up now and keep on reading!

ECRLEast Central Regional Library – 2015 – Read to the Rhythm Summer Reading Program

Have you heard?  It’s time to Read to the Rhythm at your local East Central Regional Library branch. Our libraries will be hoppin’ and boppin’ all summer long.  This music-themed program encourages children and teens to read through the summer. There will be a program for both kids and teens. Stop by your local ECRL library branch and pick up a flyer listing all the activities and events offered this summer for both kids and teens. You can also check out the News Bits section or the events calendar on our webpage at www.ecrlib.org for the big events being held around the region.

There will be contests, special programs and events, reading logs and prizes and tons of fun. Research has shown that reading over the summer prevents summer reading loss and those students who participate in their local summer reading program do better in school than those that do not. To kick-off the Read to the Rhythm summer program, the Teddy Bear Band will be performing at each of our 14 branch libraries.

Plus our Outreach program will be getting in the groove as well as every Outreach site will also be offering a children’s Read to the Rhythm program at each of our 7 sites. Glen Everhart will be presenting his Heebie Jeebies program at each of the Outreach sites as well. So hop and bop on over to your ECRL branch or Outreach Site this summer and Read to the Rhythm.

GRRLGreat River Regional Library – 2015 – Read to the Rhythm Summer Reading Program

Great River Regional Library (GRRL) will begin its annual Summer Reading Program for children and teens ages 0-18 on Monday, June 8, continuing through Saturday, Aug. 8. Two programs are offered, both with the theme, “Read To The Rhythm.” Both programs will feature activities built on a music theme, and include prize drawings.

The Read To The Rhythm program for children from birth through age 12 has two age groups:

  • Children from birth to age 5
  • Children from age 3 through 6th grade

Parents of children ages 3 to 5 may choose which group is best for their child.

Children in both groups will be given a reading record on which to mark their reading activities. Children may read as much as they want and complete as many records as they like. Each record represents five hours of reading. Reading records must be completed and returned to the library by the end of the program in order for the child to be eligible for prize drawings.

Teens in grades six through 12 are encouraged to complete and turn in reading records as the program progresses. Each completed reading record is an opportunity to win prizes in library prize drawings. Sixth-grade students may join either the teen or children’s program.

The goal for both programs is to encourage children to read during the summer school break. The Summer Reading Program emphasizes reading for pleasure, which has been shown to have beneficial effects on children’s reading skills. Participation in summer reading programs has been shown to reduce summer slide effects.

Libraries across the entire region are planning fun kick-off programs and special events to encourage participation. Numerous musicians will perform at area libraries. Singer/songwriter Paul Spring will perform at all 32 GRRL locations between June 8 and June 20. Check the events calendar on www.griver.org to find out about special programs at your local library.

General, School Media Specialist

Final call for EdCampMidMN!

7407206_origJoin the learning fun at EdCampMidMN on June 10, 2015. The EdCampMidMN event will be at the ISELF building on the St. Cloud State University Campus (St. Cloud, Minnesota). EdCamp follows the unconference process and is:

  • Completely free. Yes, you read that right. There is NO cost to attend.
  • You design the schedule. We give you the framework, you pick the topics.
  • Have conversations that matter to you. This event is about having rich conversations, not being lectured by experts.

June 10th is fast approaching so Register Now!