Category Archives: Academic

Things That Keep Us Up at Night

Have you read the article in School Library Journal entitled, “Things That Keep Us Up At Night”. Find it at http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699357.html . It was written by Joyce Valenza and Doug Johnson…two big names, and fairly interesting, if somewhat frenetic professionals.

Regardless of your library type, I suspect we all lose a little sleep over these same things.  Are we changing with the times as much as we should be? Hmmmmm….

Celebrate the 2009 MN Book Awards Winners

Check out our full calendar of free readings and discussions for all ages this fall. Discover the debut of an exciting new mystery series; immerse yourself in a groundbreaking Hmong family memoir; ruminate over a manifesto on eating meat responsibly; witness the coming of age of two Midwestern teens in New York; dive into a poetry collection questioning personal and national identities; and be charmed by a picture book about nighttime things.

PBS Launches New Online Community for Educators

PBS has unveiled a new online community for preK-12 educators that aims to support the advancement of digital media content in education. “PBS Teachers Connect” provides Web 2.0 tools and opportunities for teachers, school library media specialists, technology coordinators, early childhood educators, and other education professionals to share ideas, collaborate, and support the effective use of technology to enhance learning. The new online community is built around PBS Teachers, the web portal to the wide-ranging multimedia instructional resources and professional development services that PBS offers preK-12 educators. At no cost, educators can search more than 3,000 standards-based classroom activities, lesson plans, interactive resources, and other materials on the PBS Teachers web site, then easily bookmark, annotate, share, and manage their tagged content within the PBS Teachers Connect community. The site also enables educators to form shared-interest groups online. The community features a personalized home page for each user, enhanced user profiles, a searchable database of resources and community members, bookmarking tools, and discussion threads. Additional components, such as private messaging, community feeds, friend feeds, online events, and a digital media gallery, will be available this fall, PBS said.

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect

MN Book Award Nominations are Open!

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library

 

Save the Date!
Be sure to mark your calendar for the 21st Annual Minnesota Book Awards gala. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Saint Paul Riverfront. Last year’s event was a sellout, so make your reservation early. Information available in early 2009.

Multiply Your Gift to the Book Awards With Help From a Challenge Grant
Even a small gift can provide meaningful help, particularly when matched by the Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation.

Attention Writers!
Visit the Loft Literary Center to find out about the 2008 Loft Inroads Program that offers writers the opportunity to engage in nine weeks of craft seminars, individual conferences and public readings, all with an established local mentor sharing the participant’s ethnic heritage: http://tinyurl.com/4krqm6

2008 Winning Titles Posters and Bookmarks Now Available
Get yours at your local library today! If you would like a quantity for your bookstore, library or school, contact mnbookawards@thefriends.org.

Minnesota Book Awards free bookmark

The Minnesota Book Awards is a Capital City project, led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Office of the Mayor of Saint Paul. Outreach partners and supporting organizations include: the Metropolitan Library Service Agency; Minnesota Department of Education—State Library Services; Minnesota Library Association; and Library Networks for Literature—a project of the Public Programs Office of the American Library Association.

Book Nominations Open

 

Nominations for the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards are open now through Friday, December 12, 2008.  The eight categories in which books may be entered are Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature.  Anyone may nominate an eligible book by completing the nomination form and submitting five non-returnable copies of the book, plus the $40 nomination fee, to The Friends’ office.  Nomination forms and the eligibility and entry guidelines are available online at www.thefriends.org or by calling 651/366-6497.
 

Meet the 2008 Winners!

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library presents a two-part conversation series with 2008 Book Awards winners and moderator Mary Ann Grossmann, Pioneer Press books editor.  Both events take place in the Magazine Room of Saint Paul Central Library, 90 West Fourth Street.

The first program takes place this Sunday, September 28 at 2 p.m.  You’ll enjoy time with Children’s Literature winner Lynne Jonell (Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat), Readers’ Choice honoree Jill Kalz (Farmer Cap) and Young Adult Literature winner Will Weaver (Defect).

Be sure to return the following Sunday, October 5 at 2 p.m. for these featured authors:  General Nonfiction winner Charles Baxter (The Art of Subtext:  Beyond Plot), Memoir & Creative Nonfiction winner Patricia Hampl (The Florist’s Daughter), Minnesota winner Doug Hoverson (Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota), Poetry winner Deborah Keenan (Willow Room, Green Door) and Novel & Short Story winner Wang Ping (The Last Communist Virgin).  For more information, visit us online at www.thefriends.org.

 

Apply to be a Judge

 

Applications for preliminary and final round judges are being accepted for the eight book categories.  Volunteer judge applications and eligibility requirements are available online at www.thefriends.org or by calling 651/336-6497.  Qualified individuals new to the book judging process as well as experienced judges are encouraged to apply.  The deadline for applications is Friday, October 10, 2008.

 

Book Artist Award Nominations

 

Nominations are also open for the 2009 Minnesota Book Artist Award.  This annual award, sponsored by the Minnesota Book Awards and Minnesota Center for Book Arts, recognizes a book artist or long-standing book artist collaborative group for excellence of artistic work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book artist community.  Details about this award and nomination materials are available at www.thefriends.org or by calling 651/366-6497.  Nominations remain open until Friday, November 7, 2008.