Category Archives: Check this out:

Academic, Check this out:, CMLE, Public, Resources, School Media Specialist, Special

Advocacy from ALA! (Advocacy Series #1)

advocacy
Let’s talk about libraries!

This is a huge topic for all libraries! If you think your library does not need advocacy, ask yourself: do you like getting paid? Do you like to have materials for your patrons? Is it fun to have a building to shelter your stuff from the rain??

It can all go away without good advocacy!!

We all know it’s important, but it sounds scary. Halloween is over; so no need for terror. Advocacy in generally pretty simple. It goes like this:

  • We have good stuff
  • We tell people about our good stuff
  • We connect that message to them, in a way that resonates with them
  • We get more resources (money, etc.) to keep our stuff and get more
  • We have good stuff

See? It’s easy!

Okay, of course there is a little more to it. We can add in some details, work through some ideas – but this is the gist of it all.

And, like all the other big important topics in the library world – you are not alone here. The American Library Association has you covered with information and training. Continue reading Advocacy from ALA! (Advocacy Series #1) →

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

Strategies to Simplify: Tip 8: Stop drowning in papers

“Work simply. Live fully.”  This week CMLE focuses on the following work productivity tip from Work Simply, Carson Tate’s popular book.  At CMLE, we’ve boiled down Tate’s wealth of knowledge from Work Simply to a few key points; please see the book for more detail and resources. At the bottom, see links to earlier tips in the series! Let’s all be our best selves….

This week’s activity: Handle your paperwork efficiently

Do you struggle with paper clutter and have trouble locating necessary information when it is needed? These common situations prove Carson Tate’s statement that “Paper management is still important in today’s electronic world – in fact, it is vital.” In her book Work Simply, Tate shares the four steps to take when encountering new paper documents (you may recognize them – they are also the steps of the Email Agility system, tweaked slightly to be relevant to paper files)

Read

Decide: Does this document require some kind of action? If yes – skip to the next step. If no, ask yourself: Am I required to keep this paper for tax, legal, or compliance reasons? When would I need to access this information again? Where else can I find this information?

Act: Choose to complete the action required right now, delegate the action, or create a task to be worked on.

Contain: Clean up the paper chaos – use file folders, cases, baskets, etc. to keep your essential documents together. Tate suggests creating two main categories: Reference and Action, with subcategories in each group.

Continue reading Strategies to Simplify: Tip 8: Stop drowning in papers →

Academic, Check this out:, CMLE, Resources, School Media Specialist, Services

Visiting St. Cloud Technical & Community College Library

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This is such a nice library! The design, the services, the materials – all have been designed to connect to their patrons. That care taken in libraries for the needs of patrons is always impressive! On this trip I was escorted around the building by Vi Bergquist, CIO for SCTCC – and Treasurer for the CMLE Board.

 

comfy-chairs
We could just sit there and relax!

If you do not think “comfortable seating” in a library is important – you are missing an important element of good service! In a research study I did across the state of Illinois, this came up as one of the big things patrons wanted. In this setting, the furniture not only looks well designed and comfortable, but they have thought about user needs. You can see the entrance just behind the couch; these high backs help to block out noise and to let students continue to converse and work together. Great planning like this leads to great results for patrons!

 

pow-mia-table
POW/MIA Table

I absolutely loved this! As the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, I know some of the struggles veterans and their families face. The work this school is doing to reach out to veterans in the community is truly impressive! This table, part of a national tradition of remembrance, was set up in the common area, for everyone to see and to reflect. They have a Veteran Services department in the school, which can really help out veterans and family members. A couple of meaningful awards are listed on their page:

  • “The Military Times Best for Vets distinction recognizes St. Cloud Technical & Community College for its commitment to providing opportunities to America’s veterans.”
  • “G.I. Jobs, the premier magazine for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, has awarded St. Cloud Technical & Community College the designation of Military Friendly School® for the third year in a row.”

Continue reading Visiting St. Cloud Technical & Community College Library →

Check this out:, General, Training

How do you get a job?? (Hiring Series #6)

hiring
It’s so hard for everyone!

It’s a perpetual problem: Employers complain there are no good candidates applying for their jobs, and job hunters complain there are no good jobs.

Job hunting is just hard. Sorry. There are not going to be any easy strategies here, because they do not exist!

Don’t panic! We do have some suggestions from CMLE on ways you can get started looking for a job, and how to get through the hunt.

For our purposes, I are assuming you want to work in a library, or a library-adjacent job: archive, museum, etc. First: who would want to work anywhere else?? Second: you are part of a pretty specialized audience, reading a library system’s material. So I am just going to talk about libraries here; but if you know someone else who is job hunting in another area (gasp!), the advice will probably carry over to them. Continue reading How do you get a job?? (Hiring Series #6) →