Category Archives: General

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, Special

HSLM Workshop and Annual Meeting 2013

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Jonathan Koffel, Clinical Information Librarian at the UMN Bio-Medical Library, will be presenting a workshop on Evidence Based Practice: A Refresher for Librarians, Friday, May 31st, 2013.

The goal of the session is to help librarians solidify and expand their own evidence based practice skills. It will cover 1) Why evidence based practice is important, 2) How to interpret core statistical measures and figures and 3) How to critically appraise cohort studies, randomized controlled trials, and systematic reviews. Attendees will have the chance to work in small groups to critically appraise example articles and practice what they have learned.

Registration: This event is co-sponsored by Health Sciences Libraries of Minnesota (HSLM) and Metropolitan State University’s Library and Information Service. Free to members or $25 to join! Click here for more information or including registration.

  •  The HSLM Annual Meeting will be held in the afternoon. Beverages, a light continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Location: Metropolitan State University Library & Learning Center Ecolab Room (Library 302), St. Paul Campus, 645 East Seventh Street St. Paul, MN 55106

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

Quick Question Polls are Happening!

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Some rights reserved by
psychicdevelopmentgroup

Recently, CMLE posed three quick question polls to better inform programming and to assist in providing better networking opportunities in the region. All library staff in Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties in Minnesota received an email containing the link to the 2-3 question polls, as they are the people CMLE is funded to serve. The polls have  different goals, but they all have a few things in common. One very quick poll per week, requiring only two to three minutes to complete,  within one week. In May,  if participants include their name while completing the poll, they are entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card. The polls we have done so far include:

  • Summer Engagement and How You Use CMLE Communication Streams
  • One-to-One Initiative Plans in Central Minnesota
  • Your Professional Development Needs

We highly encourage all staff in Central Minnesota libraries to participate in the polls, as we will be making decisions on programming based in large part on data from the polls. Please make your voice heard, get your needs met, and get your name in the drawing too!  There is no fee to be a CMLE member, and almost all of our services are available at no charge. If you work in a library or media center in any of the mentioned counties, consider yourself a CMLE member!

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

Are High School Seniors Ready for College?

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Some rights reserved by       Univers Beldbank

The ACT National Curriculum Survey is a nationwide survey of educational practices and expectations. Conducted every three to five years by ACT, the survey collects data about what entering college students should know and be able to do to be ready for college-level coursework in English, math, reading, and science. The 2012 ACT National Curriculum Policy report found that high school teachers think their students are ready for college, but college professors beg to differ. In fact, data showed that 89 percent of high school teachers report their students are “well” or “very well” prepared for college-level work in the subject they teach, while just 26 percent of college instructors say incoming students are “well” or “very well” prepared for entry-level courses. This discrepancy in perception has remained consistent to the 2009 survey results. An interesting dilemma for educators in both high schools and colleges! CMLE staff have noticed  a similar experience through our Bridging Information Literacy Across Libraries initiative work. We know that many high school media specialists teach information literacy skills, but somehow, some of the teachings don’t “stick” and students experience difficulty doing research, writing, and citing sources in college. Talking across library types can be a powerful beginning  to better understand this issue. CMLE will continue to act as a bridge for this conversation to happen between high school media specialists and college librarians. We also hope to include public librarians in future “Bridging” work too. We welcome your ideas for future programming in this area.

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist

Taking College Credit in High School a Successful Strategy

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Some rights reserved by Walt Stoneburner

A new brief from Jobs for the Future reports that over 75,000 high school students nationwide—most from underserved populations—are learning college-level material and earning free college credits in early college high schools. In Minnesota, our terminology is slightly different, but we certainly see how popular our PSEO and Senior to Sophomore programs are in a down economy. The brief reports that 94 percent of early college students earn some college credit for free, an average of 36 college credits, saving 30 percent toward a bachelor’s degree or 60 percent toward an associate’s degree. We know that families appreciate the financial break on college tuition, but what does it mean for the student after high school? It is also interesting to note the increased graduation rates and no great surprise that these students attend college at higher rates. And, we know how depleted media center budgets have been during the last decade. We need to ask ourselves if our high school collections contain the materials to best support these students? Read the full press release at http://tinyurl.com/cyrrm6x  and be sure to click on the Fact Sheet in the left frame too!

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

Spring Cleaning Your Electronics

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Some rights reserved by TheImpulseBuy

This year, bring your spring cleaning to the office and add your smartphone/laptop to the top of the to-do list.

Gizmodo is a blog, started in 2002,  that focuses on gadgets and technology. This month, they posted tips and trick to refresh your technology. In the article titled, “Give your smartphone or laptop a spring cleaning, read about how to tidy up your device(s) both inside and out.