Category Archives: Communication

CMLE, Communication, Visits

Up for a group visit?? Let’s go!

We have had a lot of response to our write-up on our visit to St. Cloud State library. Now, we want everyone to go!

We have had some fun group visits, and it would be great to see everyone again. Plus, it would be nice to have everyone meet the new Dean.

Let’s narrow down some dates to see what will work best for people who want to attend. Right now we are thinking late December, after the semester ends, or early January before everything gets moving too fast. Give us some idea of your preferences, and we can set up a date for a visit.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Which is better for you?

Communication

Linking to Library News!

3D-Link

There is a whole world of news happening across the profession. Below are a few links to get you started with some of the exciting things happening in the world of Library Science!

CMLE, Communication

See local musician librarian in action!

This is part of our Libraries After Dark series, where we highlight some of the “hidden talents” of our librarian members. Do you have an interesting hobby or artistic talent that you’d like to share with CMLE members? Let us know, we’d love to feature you! 

This week we’ve featuring CMLE member (and Vice President of our Board, as well as frequent podcast guest) Susan Schleper! Susan is the librarian at Centracare Health hospital library in St. Cloud, as well as an accomplished musician!

You can see her perform with her band the Vista Jazz Club (pictured above) this Thursday, November 16th at the Olde Brick House Irish Pub in downtown St. Cloud from 7:00 – 10:00PM!

We wanted to find out more about Susan’s interest in music, so she kindly agreed to tell us a little about what got her interested in music growing up. She says she’s always loved music and her brother played a lot of classical music growing up. “He also introduced me to jazz through one of my favorite artists Sarah Vaughan.  I also love Latin music.  I spent a year in Brazil and was exposed to Samba and the music of Carlos Joabim and Elise Regina and Gal Costa.  Music for Brazilians isn’t a “nicety” it’s a necessity – everyone plays an instrument and sings.”

Susan has played with several different musical groups, and the longest running is a group called Random Road. “It’s a seven piece group that plays Irish, Americana, Folk, Latin, Jazz, you name it, we’ll do it :)”

She also plays a number of different instruments, including the harmonica, accordion, Irish drum, flute, and in high school played the French Horn. Plus, she sings! Susan’s favorite part of performing is the creative outlet that it provides. “I know that in the moment, I’m creating something that really can’t be replicated or happen again.  It’s there and it’s gone and either it’s had an impact or not.  Maybe that’s one reason I’m not too keen on recording because then it’s fixed or static.”

We are so grateful to Susan for her involvement with CMLE and for letting us share her musical history with our members! Make sure to go support Susan and the Vista Jazz Club this Thursday and enjoy some delicious Irish food at the same time!

 

 

Advocacy, CMLE, Communication

Vote for our next Postcard Party date and location!

Last May we had a great time connecting with our members and advocating for libraries at our first Postcard Party in the Park! If you missed it, check out the recap here. The goal behind our Postcard Parties is to share the value of libraries with legislators and other library stakeholders who may not hear enough about the incredible work that takes place in libraries.

And since library advocacy is always going to be necessary, we are planning our next Postcard Party! We will provide the postcards, facts about the value of all types of libraries to their communities, addresses for state and federal legislators (feel free to bring your own addresses for your library’s stakeholders), and sample text of what to write on your postcard. We will even mail your postcards after the event so no need to worry about postage.

We are offering a few different location and date suggestions in our poll below. Our system is large and we know that our events aren’t always conveniently located for all our members. You can vote for your preferred location and date ranges below. Don’t be shy, make your voice heard! We want to connect with you and work on some library advocacy together 🙂

Communication, General

Learning About Library Associations: Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association

Library science is an enormous field, home to every interest you could imagine! This means that there are many organizations out there for you to join, in order to connect with other people who share your professional interests.

So even if you work alone in your library, there are other people out there doing work similar to yours! Each week we will highlight a different library association for you to learn more about, and depending on your work, potentially join! You can also check out our page dedicated to Library Associations.

This week we’ll take a look at the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA). This association was founded in 1980 and is “organized and founded by librarians of diverse Asian and Pacific ancestries committed to working together toward a common goal: to create an organization that would address the needs of Asian Pacific American librarians and those who serve Asian Pacific American communities.” To learn more about the organization’s history, check out this article.

According to their website, the purpose of APALA is:

  • To provide a forum for discussing problems of APA librarians.
  • To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas by APA librarians with other librarians.
  • To support and encourage library services to APA communities.
  • To recruit and mentor APA librarians in the library/information science professions.
  • To seek funding for scholarships in library and information science masters programs for APAs.
  • To provide a vehicle whereby APA librarians can cooperate with other associations and organizations having similar or allied interests.

APALA gives out several different scholarships and awards each year, including a travel grant, an Emerging Leader Sponsorship, and the Talk Story program. APALA offers a newsletter and archived webinars to members on their site. They also offer a mentoring program.

To learn more about membership to APALA, or to find out ways to get involved, check out their website!