Category Archives: General

General, Public, School Media Specialist

Featured book: Dare to Disappoint

DareToDisappointThis post is part of an original series created by librarians/media specialists across Central Minnesota featuring books.

Title: Dare to Disappoint by Ozge Samanci
Review by: Maria Burnham, Media Specialist at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School

Graphic memoir has become such a wonderful genre, and Dare to Disappoint by Ozge Samanci is no exception. This book is the story of Ozge’s childhood in Turkey and touches on the restrictive government the people of Turkey lived under during her childhood. But the book is really a coming-of-age story where Ozge is forced to choose between what she loves (the theater and the arts) and what society thinks she should do (engineering, math or science).
This graphic memoir is a journey of typical growing pains for every child–sibling rivalry, fighting with parents, and social situations in school with friends–and yet the book is so much more. I learned about the Turkish government and their educational system. Ozge highlights how her liberal parents balanced their liberal views in a conservative society. There were some heavy topics in the book, yet I never felt weighed down in sorrow when reading the book. Perhaps it was because the illustrations are whimsical and easy to read and digest.

I love that this book is part of my print collection!

Would you like to review a book for CMLE readers? It is easy, we let you take the reins on the length and tone of your review. Send an email to admin@cmle.org if you are interested in adding your name to the book review corral!

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Collections, events, and makerspace funding ideas!

Are you looking to update your school library collection? Maybe put on an event that promotes literacy, reading, or authors? Both of these opportunities come from AASL, but happily they do not require a membership. Read on for details and links to apply:

  • Inspire Collection Development Grant
    • This grant is intended to help public middle or high schools “extend, update, and diversify the book, online subscription and/or software collections” in order to increase student learning and achievement
    • Award amount: direct assistance grant capped at $5,000
    • Deadline: May 23, 2016
  • Inspire Special Event Grant
    • The goal of this grant is to assist public middle or high schools “create new or enhance educational activities in order to engage students within the library and to promote books, reading, literacy, and authors.”
    • Award amount: direct assistance grant capped at $2,000
    • Deadline: May 23, 2016

Have a great idea for a makerspace, or even just a classroom project? Check out these sites for grants to help fund your enterprise:

  • MakerSpace Lab Grants Page
    • This page features 16 different makerspace grant opportunities in amounts ranging from $500 – $75,000! They also have some non-monetary grants that award Adobe software and e-subscriptions to news services.
  • e-School News Funding Section
    • Check out this link to 14 different crowdfunding sites specifically geared towards classrooms. They also have some helpful tips before deciding on a site to use, which includes looking at who uses the platform, the pricing structure, and what features are included (in this case, less can be more.) Remember, there’s really no limit to how much you can raise!

Remember that CMLE wants to help fund your projects for your library, school or classroom! Check out our grants page here. 

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/, licensed under CC0 1.0

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

State Library Updates: 5/3/2016

MDE logo retrieved online 12/17/13..TO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: May 3, 2016
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

Team Up with Workforce and ABE Colleagues
Thank you to the more than 100 people who attended the first Better Together workshop last Friday! We were excited to see connections being made across organizations, and plans beginning for partnerships among libraries, adult basic education, and workforce organizations in the metro area.

There is still time to register for the Mankato and Grand Rapids workshops.

Monday, May 9, 2016 – Mankato at Country Inn and Suites (Registrations received after April 29 are not guaranteed a lunch)
Monday, May 16, 2016 – Grand Rapids at Saw Mill Inn (Register by Friday, May 6 to make sure lunch will be available for you)

At Better Together, you’ll learn about promising practices for collaboration across organizations and learn about free resources that promote digital literacy and workforce skills. To help put your own ideas for collaboration into action, we are offering a competitive grant opportunity that will award up to ten grants with a maximum of $5,000/applicant. At least one of your project partners must attend a Better Together workshop and proposed projects must show promise for sustainability. Applications and more information will be available at Better Together sessions. For more information, to request an accommodation, or to be included on a mailing list for future announcements, please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508).

Submit Your LSTA Grant Application Soon
Apply for a mini grant or a larger competitive grant today! Applications are due Tuesday, May 17 for our two 2016 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) competitive grant opportunities. Mini grants (up to $10,000) are available to help libraries offer programs and services to improve learning opportunities for children and young adults. The larger competitive grant opportunity will fund grant projects from $10,000-$100,000 with an overarching goal to expand library services for learning and increase access to high-quality information resources for all Minnesotans. Applications and further information for both opportunities are available on the Minnesota Department of Education’s Grants Management site. To learn more, visit the LSTA webpage and view the 2016 grant opportunities timeline. Please contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) for additional information.

Take a Look at the Supercharged Library
Supercharge your storytimes, collections, family engagement, and more through the OCLC-created Supercharged Library. Resulting from last fall’s Supercharged Storytimes project, the Supercharged Library is a compilation of resources generated by public library storytime providers from around the country and intended to invigorate your ongoing early literacy and learning work with kids and families. Please contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) for more information.

Go a Little North of Normal – ARSL Conference 2016
Take advantage of this unique close-to-home opportunity to connect, learn and share with your rural and small library allies from across the country. The 2016 Association for Rural and Small Libraries Conference is in Fargo, ND from Oct. 27-29, and early bird registration is now open.

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

CMLE Weekly Review: 5/5/2016

This issue of the Weekly Review recaps our blog posts from April 29-May 4, 2016

CMLE Updates: State & Regional News
– Under construction at St. John’s More
– Legislative Update More
– Are you or someone you know retiring, changing jobs, or receiving an award? More
– Follett acquires Baker & Taylor More
– Carpool karaoke! More

Upcoming Events and Registration Information
– Check out the calendar of library PD events More

Tech Bits and Ideas
– Best virtual reality headsets More
– Professional development and tech in 1:1 districts More

Resources You Can Use
– 9 Instagram tips More
– AASL recommended app – Skitch More
– Circulating neck ties? More
– Novels to help you escape – Booklist! More

Food For Thought
– Fewer Americans are visiting libraries, according to Pew More

Just For Fun
– Library jokes! More

General, Public

Fewer Americans are visiting libraries

pew logoRecently, at the PLA Conference in Denver, results of the Pew Research Center survey were released. Here are a few interesting facts, but as usual, since there is beauty in details, we encourage you to peruse the full report.

  • Fewer Americans are visiting libraries—which means they are missing out on many things libraries offer
  • Once again, Pew has been asking American adults whether they visited a public library in the past year. The first time, in 2012, 53% said yes; that has dropped steadily, to 44% in 2015.
  • And, in case you want to account for this drop by citing more online visitors, the number of visits to library websites has leveled off!
  • On an encouraging note, library users think of themselves as lifelong learners.
  • The study also found that many adults do not know they can borrow ebooks, study for high school equivalency tests, and take part in other programs at their libraries.

Could most of this be a result of a failure to communicate? Librarians are always seeking better ways to do exactly that, and those with social media outlets are experimenting in that venue too.

Please consider all of the facts from the report, and comment about what was striking to you!