All posts by Michelle

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

Symposium: Enhancing Quality Staff

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The University of Minnesota is hosting the 21st Annual Enhancing Quality Staff Symposium on Tuesday, May 21st at the St. Paul Campus. This event is sponsored by Continuing Education and offers registrants the opportunity to customize their day. Session topics include;

  • What makes an award winning children’s book?
  • Difficult conversations: Are you prepared?
  • Liberating eBooks from difficult publisher platforms.
  • What you can learn from cookbooks.
  • The role of libraries in the success of first year students, and much more.

Click here to find additional sessions and locate registration information. Early bird registration ends on Tuesday, April 30th!

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

Flexbooks May Save Your School Money!

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Textbooks and materials consume a fair amount of a schools budget. CK-12 Foundation aims to reduce the impact of educational resources needed nationally and globally. This nonprofit organization  provides tools to help increase student learning and engagement by increasing access to learning content. The Foundation has developed the “Flexbook” concept. This is an open-source tool that allows teachers and experts to edit and compile digital textbooks which can then be freely shared within any defined community. Click here to learn more about “Flexbook” in an article written by Edshelf.

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

CMLE Interview: Book Trailers in the Making

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Deb Disher, Media Specialist
Deb Disher, Media Specialist

Last week QR Codes were CMLE’s featured Recommended Ed. Tech Tool & App. This week we interviewed Debbie Disher, Media Specialist at Holdingford Area Public Schools. Debbie is incorporating these little black boxes in a very unique way!

Book Trailers: Take one and ACTION!

Q: How are you using QR codes?
A: At Holdingford Public Schools we are creating QR Codes that hold book trailers so students will be able to access additional information about a book using their iTouch or iPad. We are currently focusing on content appropriate for 5-6th graders. In the high school we are thinking about using QR codes to create short how-to videos for students using their Edline account or certain databases.

Q: What sparked the idea?
A: I had been reading articles. I also heard about QR codes at a couple of conferences I had recently attended.

Q: Your goal was to…
A: Get students excited about books (new and old titles) that they might not check out otherwise.

Q: What resources have you been using?
A: For the trailers, we use Google search and YouTube in which the bulk of the trailers have been done by other students. The QR Codes themselves are generated using a free site made available by QR Stuff.

Q: Any challenges?
A: Finding quality book trailers.
A: The process from start to finish is more time consuming then we anticipated.
A: Finding unique ways to display the QR Codes themselves. We are planning on placing them on the back of the books by the check-out bar code and designing a display for the wall that can be posted in the library.

Debbie’s question(s) for other CMLE Members?
Submit your responses in the comment section below.
Q: How have others incorporated QR codes in their libraries and/or teaching?
Q: Are kids really using them?

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

Apply Now-ALA Leadership Institute!

This post was submitted by Mary Mackay and Dhaivyd Hilgendorf.

CHICAGO — Applications are being accepted through May 10 for Leading to the Future, a unique four-day immersion leadership development program for future library leaders offered by ALA in Chicago, Aug. 12-15, 2013. Led by ALA President Maureen Sullivan with ACRL Content Strategist Kathryn Deiss, this inaugural Leadership Institute will include a structured learning track as well as the opportunity for individual development and is limited to 35 participants.

Designed for mid-career librarians ready for increased leadership responsibility, the institute will help participants develop and practice their leadership skills in areas critical to the future of the libraries they lead. The curriculum will include, among other topics:

  • Leading in turbulent times
  • Interpersonal competence
  • Power and influence
  • The art of convening groups
  • Creating a culture of inclusion, innovation and transformation

Participants in the program will have the opportunity to form a vibrant learning community and network—an essential and powerful element of effective leadership growth and development. Participants will also: return to their institution with greater self-awareness and self-confidence, equipped with better skills for leading, coaching, collaborating and engaging within their organizations and in their communities; return as better leaders, prepared to identify, develop and implement solutions that will benefit all stakeholders; and earn approximately 30 hours of continuing education contact hours.

The Leadership Institute selection committee seeks a diverse participant mix based on type of library (public, academic, school, special, etc.), organizational responsibility, geography, gender and race/ethnicity. The selective process will be based on demonstrated leadership potential, professional achievement and community or campus involvement.  Particular attention will be given to applicants’ personal statements as well as those of their references.  Additional criteria can be found on the ALA Leadership Institute page. Inclusion in the institute is by online application only, and applicants may nominate themselves or be nominated by their employer. Thanks to a subsidy from ALA in this inaugural year, the total cost for each participant (including food, lodging, and materials but excluding travel) will be $750.

Completed applications are due by May 10, 2013

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

Volunteers Fill Technology Gaps!

Financial awareness was one of the theme’s in this week’s CMLE posts.  Obtaining technology and then training patrons and/or students how use these programs are common challenges facing many libraries today.

Sarah Houghton, San Rafael Public Library, shares her experience coordinating volunteers and overseeing a computer chat program to assist their patrons-filling the technology gap. Click here to read more=>

Tip: If you are interested in creating a volunteer program(s) or developing a training session(s) in your library consider whether it could be a viable grant opportunity.

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