Category Archives: Programs

Programs

Spotlight Program: ‘Stranger Things’ at the Library

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Stranger Things logo
At CMLE, we so enjoy all our different types of libraries, archives, and other members! Seeing all the work you are doing is so inspiring; and we want to return the favor by helping you to find some of the great programming going on around the profession.

Each week we will share an interesting program we find. It may inspire you to do exactly the same thing; or to try something related; or just to try out some different programming ideas. (On November 9, 2017, we will drop a podcast episode on Library Programming; you can tune in here to check it out! Or, of course, subscribe or stream to enjoy any of the episodes!)

Stranger Things is a really popular TV show, and Season Two starts this week. Your library can connect to this trend with some fun programming! Check out this blog describing a craft program going on in the Mt Prospect library.

“The second season of the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things” will be released Friday, Oct. 27, and fans are pumped. One way to tap into the excitement is by hosting a library craft night leading up to the release.

Why crafting? Working on activities together creates a low-pressure environment that allows participants to connect with one another over the show. Plus, everyone gets to leave the event with their creations!”

They make buttons, magnets, canvas art, and coasters. Wouldn’t you like to try them?? If so – invite us over!

CMLE, Programs

CMLE Members Gather!

You can tell from the slightly blurry photo that we were all having fun! Of course, you probably already knew that – any time you get a group of CMLE members together to hang out and talk libraries, it’s going to be a good time!!

This was another member social event, and you can see that not only did we have nice food we also had great company! Members have requested a way to get together and chat about unstructured stuff, and to just have the chance to put names to faces.  And we always enjoy hanging out with members, hearing more about their work, and discovering all the great things going on around the system!

Part of the value in belonging to a multitype system is the chance to chat with all kinds of people who do what you do, in different locations. (Note: EVERYONE in our geographic area belongs! We love all of your libraries!!) Speaking as someone who has worked in and with a bunch of different libraries, of all types, I can tell you: Libraries all do the same kind of work. We provide information, we help our community members get information they need, and we are all pretty amazing about it!

Okay, yes: I’m biased. But libraries are excellent!! And having the chance to chat with library people, and to find out all the neat things they are doing, is just so fun!

Stay tuned for our next member social event!! We want to talk with you, and to hear all about your library!

Books, Programs

Weekend fun: Dewey’s Read-A-Thon!

What are you doing this weekend? Because I have an amazingly fun idea! Starting at 7am central time on Saturday, I’m spending 24 hours reading books!!

Yeah, it does sound excellent!

Of course, this is a flexible 24 hour period. I’m stocking up on audio books from Overdrive to have books to listen to as I am out doing things. I have a stack of paper books from the library, just ready and waiting for me to dive into that massive TBR pile! I’m accumulating a stash of all important reading snacks. And I’ll probably have some cool beverages too – after all, we have a fun Books and Beverages Podcast filled with suggestions!

How can you join in the fun of it all?? Sign up right here!

“What is the 24 Hour Read-a-thon?

It’s sort of a reading challenge, only everyone participates at the same time. For 24 hours, we read books, post on social media about our reading, and visit other bookworms online. We also participate in mini-challenges throughout the day and win prizes. In recent years, this event has grown to encompass Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Goodreads, Litsy, a Facebook group, and other channels as well!”

What else can you do? Use the official hashtag #readathon. And CMLE members can use our hashtag #CMLEReads.

Join me! Read books! Enjoy working you way through your pile of books, in any format! Spend a super-fun 24 hours, or any portion of that, having some book-related joy!

Programs, Services

CMLE Resources: Gamification

CMLE is here for you with all kinds of resources and information. Each week we will share a look at another piece of that information, to help draw some attention to resources that may help you as you serve your community.Gamification techniques 5

Gamification Resources

Libraries can be leaders in gamification. You can use these tools to help your staff and patrons to build skills, to learn about your resources, to explore information literacy, or whatever else you want to accomplish!

Gamification is not “just” playing games; it’s a strategy to learn things, try things, and to practice things without so much pressure to avoid failure. Want to encourage people to try something new or hard? Gamify it!

Thinking that learning needs to be dull, or done in a specific way just because it has been done that way, is limited. Expand your possibilities by gamifying your library!

We provide several resources for you to read on this page, and are happy to chat with you about gamifying work in your own library!

Programs

Spotlight Program: Blankets in the Library

At CMLE, we so enjoy all our different types of libraries, archives, and other members! Seeing all the work you are doing is so inspiring; and we want to return the favor by helping you to find some of the great programming going on around the profession.

Each week we will share an interesting program we find. It may inspire you to do exactly the same thing; or to try something related; or just to try out some different programming ideas. (On November 9, 2017, we will drop a podcast episode on Library Programming; you can tune in here to check it out! Or, of course, subscribe or stream to enjoy any of the episodes!)
Blankets 5

Library blankets for the win

by Ned Potter

I’ve had a number of emails recently asking after our blankets in the library at the University of York, so I thought I’d blog about them.

Getting blankets for the library is probably one of the best things I’ve ever done in libraryland, honestly.  It took almost no effort and very little money. The students LOVE them. Everyone’s a winner.

The quote in the title is from our feedback board where we asked students for tips for their peers…

We bought 30 blankets for each of our sites. We get them from a local laundry who also launder them for us – but you can also buy perfectly serviceable and cheap examples from for example IKEA if you have your own laundry service to hand. They’re laundered termly unless there’s a reason to bring that schedule forward…

They sit in a bucket near the entrance of each library, and people can help themselves to them as they come and go….

You’ll notice the blankets are a fairly drab grey – this is deliberate, to make them less tempting to abscond with…

Origins

Like all academic libraries, our number 1 complaint for users is about the temperature – and it’s equally split between too hot and too cold most of the time. We don’t actually control the temperature anyhow, so we adopted the UX mentality of ‘if you can’t fix the problem at least make the user experience better in any way you can’ and tried to improve things in what small ways we could…

The students involved were really pleased but the great thing is EVERYONE was really pleased.

So as we head into the colder months, see if you can do this for your library. Or even better, get your students SLANKETS so their arms are still free for reading. 🙂 ”

(Read the entire article here!)