All posts by Michelle

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

17 Ways To Be Happier at Work

Image by keterha. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons' licensing.
Image by keterha. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

Regardless of the type of library you work in, librarians are almost always a member of a team. Lets face it, at some point in our careers, we all have had that one person who continually takes credit for other people’s work. That one person, who makes decisions without thinking through the ramifications of that singular action. Or, that one person who disengages, leaving you to jungle even more pieces to the puzzle. Finding ways to build positive relationships are essential.

What most people don’t realize is that the key to success starts (and may even end) with themselves. For example; How a person talk themselves through less than ideal situations, is important. And, that mindset is mirrored in their interactions with colleagues and/or patrons.

How can you bring light to a difficult circumstance, group, work environment, etc?

This week, CMLE is highlighting a post by INC which lists 17 Ways To Be Happier at Work (March 2013.)  Just for fun, try one thing this week to see if it helped change your perspective at work.

Note: As an eternal optimist, who hopes for a long life filled with learning, I am partial to # 17.

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

Free Minitex Trials

This post was provided by Minitex, a cooperative purchasing and electronic resource service.

Minitext is offering a set of free trials for you to consider in your library now through October 31st.  Electronic resources are grouped by theme and include:

Image provided by Minitex.
Image provided by Minitex.

eBooks

  • eBook Business Collection Subscription

Nursing and Applied Science

  • EBSCO CINAHL Complete
  • EBSCO Applied Science & Technology Source

Humanities and Social Sciences

  • American Psychological Association PsycTESTS
  • American Psychological Association PsycTHERAPY
  • EBSCO Art Source
  • EBSCO Education Source
  • EBSCO Humanities Source
  • ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States

K-12 Resources

  • Rosen Publishing PowerKnowledge Science Suite
  • Rosen Publishing Core Concepts Periodic Table Database
  • Rosen Publishing Financial Literacy
  • Rosen Publishing Digital Literacy

For pricing and questions, please email cpers@minitex.umn.edu.

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

ELM Webinars & Brochure

As you know, the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) is a collection of free databases available to all Minnesota schools, libraries, and residents. In addition, each month, ELM hosts a series of free training sessions.  Consider attending one (or all) of the following webinars;ELM

  • Intro to ELM for Teachers: English Language Arts, Oct 21st Link
  • Points of View Reference Center (Oct. 24) Link
  • An Electronic Library for Adult Education ( Nov. 6th, 18th & Dec. 12) Link

Special Note: New ELM brochures are available for your library. Order Now!

Help us spread the word about ELM by requesting bundles of our new brochures! These are perfect if you’re looking for something to hand to people as you describe how ELM can help them.

The new brochures have only minor content changes, so if you have the five-paneled fold-out brochures with the cut-out circle on the front, please do feel free to continue to circulate those. In addition to the minor content tweaks (like highlighting the ELM Learning Center), the new brochures include the updated ELM logo.

Order in bundles of 100 and don’t be shy about ordering in quantity (there’s no charge for these, of course). Thanks for promoting ELM to your users!

Reprinted from Minitex Reference Notes, October 2013

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

The Influence of Technology on Student Writing

Image by PEW Research. Retrieved online October 8, 2013.
Image by PEW Research. Retrieved online October 8, 2013.

In 2012, PEW Research surveyed more than 2,400 teachers involved in Advanced Placement (AP) and/or National Writing Project (NWP) in the United States. The study asked teachers about their middle and high school student’s writing  in relation to, and perception of, the influence of digital tools/technologies.

The study findings indicated that digital tools created a wider, more diverse audience; and encouraged collaboration and personal expression across multiple platforms. Also, undesirable effects of these digital tools were noted which included the use of a more informal writing style and language. The research goes into further detail about copyrighting, plagiarism, comprehension, etc. Click here for the summary of findings,  full report and additional information about survey methodology for the PEW Research study, The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How Writing is Taught in School by PEW Research’s (July 2013).

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

Teen Read Week

Image by goXunuReviews. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons' licensing.
Image by goXunuReviews. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.

How is your library engaging teen readers?

For the past 15 years, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has sponsored Teen Read Week (TRW). It is a national adolescent literary initiative to sponsor continued readership. This year TRW will be held on October 13th-19th. The theme strives to encourage teens to discover the unknown and continue to explores mysteries, “Seek the Unknown @ Your Library.”

Click here for additional information about Teen Read Week from ALA.