If you didn’t already know that we are really excited about libraries, and love to talk about them, then: Hello! Welcome to your very first day with CMLE!! We’re into libraries here, and we hope you are too!
The Minnesota Library Association (MLA) organizes Library Legislative Day each year. This year, it is Tuesday, March 6.
Check out this MLA/ITEM Legislative Legwork Committee site – new this year with a TON of great info!! If you have ever wanted to know even the smallest detail of what it’s like to go to Legislative Day (spoiler: it’s fun!), it is here!
If you would like to attend Legislative Day, CMLE members can apply for scholarships to cover the costs of finding a sub, traveling, or other costs associated with your attendance. We will give you a scholarship for this event, even if you have already received one this year or are planning to attend something else. Legislative Day is important to libraries, and we want to support you in attending!
BUT!!!! AND!!!!
What if you can’t make it to this very good event? No worries – the MLA/ITEM site has you covered there too!
There is a bunch of information about being part of Virtual Library Legislative Day activities! You can participate all week long, from your desk, at night after the kids go to sleep, in the morning while you wait for coffee to brew – whenever is best for you!
CMLE knows we have members who are not able to attend, but want to advocate for their libraries and for their library systems. We will host an in-person event at our Headquarters on Tuesday, March 6. From 9:00 to 3:00 that day we will be in our Headquarters (570 1st Street SE – next door to Target), advocating for libraries. Join us!!
- We will provide postcards, a computer, a phone, pens – all the tools for communication.
- We will have information on the 2018 MLA/ITEM Legislative Platform and the 2018 Key Messages.
- We will have email and physical addresses of legislators.
- We may possibly also have Lady Grey in house, to provide support and encouragement. (She’s a big library supporter!)
What will happen?
- Send an email to your legislator. Get a cookie.
- Call to support one of the bills. Get a cookie.
- Tweet to legislators. Get a cookie.
- Write out a postcard to a stakeholder for us to mail. Get a cookie.
You are seeing how this works, right?? We are unashamedly buying your library advocacy efforts in the hopes that you will get some experience in quickly sharing the message of “Yay Libraries!” with stakeholders – and that you feel comfortable doing so!! Advocacy is just telling people about libraries; and really – that’s always fun!
(Note: there will be other rewards for people who are not currently eating cookies, and want to support libraries. We support your healthy choices!)
People like libraries. They (generally) want to help us! It’s just our job to tell them what we need.
REGISTER TODAY!!!!
Be sure that MLA and ITEM know you are on the job and ready to advocate! Whether you go to the in-person event (it’s really fun!!!!!), or attend the CMLE Virtual Event, or participate virtually on your own – numbers matter. Let everyone know that you are ready to support libraries in Minnesota!!
Right away we knew that this library was a fun place, from the welcoming banners on each floor to the happy snowman in an office space.
Outside the Dean’s office area is the main computer area, with lots of spacious areas for students to spread out. We heard about students who would set themselves up to work at a computer and stay so long they went through multiple meals! Whatever it takes to get those assignments finished!
It was great to see a library providing access to vending machines and a microwave for students to use. It was a busy area and hard to take a picture without including students!
We were also able to tour some of the classrooms the library has available for both librarians and faculty to use. This room is the favorite because the design allows for more collaboration. It’s easier to have discussions sitting at a circular table, plus the many whiteboards and giant screen on the wall allows for ideas to be shared easily.
The design of this library is very open and airy, and these high ceilings definitely help that feeling. We admired the architecture while students busily worked together at the long tables.
After the basement, we went up to the third floor which is also an area for quiet work. The windows are lovely, and you can look down on a lot of the library from here. It’s pretty cool!
We turned the corner to discover the archives! They had a bunch of books on display that were written by faculty, and of course I recognized a favorite former professor, so I had to take a picture. There were also very cool artifacts on display from the William M. Lindgren East Asian Art Collection.
We continued across the third floor into the children’s area. The Education building also has children’s materials. This area was cheerful with lots of stuffed animal friends adorning the shelves.
