Category Archives: General

Books, CMLE, Communication, General

Goodreads for March!

We are excited to continue our Goodreads book groups into the month of March! Nothing like some good books to help us look forward to spring. Join us in our Librarian Professionals group, our Librarians Enjoying Books group, or both! Feel free to read along with us and add your thoughts to the discussions.

For our professional development group, Librarian Professionals, we will be reading What If I Say the Wrong Thing?: 25 Habits for Culturally Effective People by Vernā Myers

Goodreads describes this book as featuring “innovative and surprising ways to keep your personal diversity journey moving and the diversity commitment of your organization. Written to make this information bite-size and accessible, you’ll find quick answers to typical What should I do? questions, like: What if I say the wrong thing, what should I do?”

For our fiction group, Librarians Enjoying Books, we will be reading Love Overdue by by Pamela Morsi. It’s the story of a shy book-loving woman that takes a job at the library in a small town only to run into someone from her past!

We hope you will read with us this month!

 

General, School Media Specialist

AASL Recommended Apps: Books: Ryan North’s To Be or Not to Be

ryan_north to be or not to beIn June 2016, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announced their 25 Best Apps for Teaching and Learning. The apps encourage qualities such as innovation and active participation, and are user-friendly.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is experienced from a whole new perspective with the use of this app. The reader can make their own plot choices, and read from the point of view of Hamlet, Ophelia, or King Hamlet. This app can help start conversations about how Shakespeare has been adapted over the years, and also about the different impacts that can be created by a change in setting and point of view.

This review from Touch Arcade gives the app five stars and explains the features in detail. The review warns the beginning may be a bit slow, but the story becomes very entertaining as you continue. This post from Steam also includes several reviews from individuals as well as a video of the app.

Cost: $5.99
Level: Middle and High School
Platforms: iOS and Android

Books, CMLE, General

March Monthly Topic: Reader’s Advisory

Reading-booksWe are continuing to provide ideas, materials, and suggestions for you in our Monthly Topics! These were all taken from our annual Needs Assessment of our members – ideas identified as areas they need more information in for their work.

March’s topic is Reader’s Advisory!

This is a fun topic, because we all like to talk about books (regardless of format!), and to share our love of reading! And of course it’s tough to do sometimes, because none of us can know everything about all the books.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/253538653992984835/

This month we will share some suggestions on making your RA skills sharper and broader. You should also feel free to write in and give some of your best suggestions!

Let’s talk about books together!!

CMLE, General, Visits

Do you like food? Library people? Then join us!

Philippine Food
We are getting excited about our second regular social gathering for CMLE library people, and other friends!

Wednesday, March 15
5:30 pm
Old Chicago
4040 2nd St S, St Cloud, MN 56301

This was a common request from our members, to have time away from work, where we can meet people we only see online, to talk with other people who are doing what we do, and to help build bonds across the CMLE system. Whether you are alone in your library, or have lots of other people around, you are part of the CMLE system team!

We had fun last time, and are looking forward to meeting more people – and enjoying some pizza! 🙂 (I had a calzone last time, and it was great!)

We would love for you to attend! This is going to be casual, everyone paying their own way, and no agenda. The only purpose is to have a regular opportunity for all of us to get together, maybe meet some new people (or people you only know online), and to talk about library stuff. Of course, if photos of kids, pets, or vacations come out to be shared too – absolutely no one will mind!

We will be happy to see you, no matter what. If you can RSVP below, so we have an idea of how many to expect, that will make our planning easier!

Looking forward to hanging out with you!

Are you attending Wed 3/15?