Category Archives: School Media Specialist

General, Public, School Media Specialist

Be a Mentor for ALSC !

You have a lot to share!

As an experienced library person, you remember back to when you were new in libraries, or new in your job. Did someone help you? You can be that person who helps to make someone else’s journey easier and more fulfilling!

The Association of Library Service to Children is looking for mentors – and you may be just the person they need!!

You do not need to be a member of ALA or ALSC, or to have a library degree, to mentor someone. You just need to be willing to talk with someone who is new, and who could use a source for guidance in questions and support. I’ve been in CMLE libraries, so I know we have many people here who would just be great mentors!!

Apply today!! (Check in with us here at CMLE Headquarters if you want to talk about your application!) Continue reading Be a Mentor for ALSC ! →

Communication, General, Public, Resources, School Media Specialist

ALA 2017 Youth Media Award Winners

It’s award season! On Monday, Jan. 23rd, ALA announced the top books, video and audio books for children and young adults. Some of the awards announced include: Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards. Check out our previous article about Minnesota author Kelly Barnhill’s win of the Newbery award!

See below for a few examples of awards and winners!
Continue reading ALA 2017 Youth Media Award Winners →

General, Public, School Media Specialist

Minnesotan winner of Newbery Award!

This week it was announced that Minnesota author Kelly Barnhill won the Newbery Medal for her book The Girl Who Drank The Moon.

This article from the St. Cloud Times describes the plot of the book, in which a village fears a witch that lives in the nearby woods and to keep her happy (so they think) they bring a newborn baby to her forest each year. But the witch is actually good, and brings the babies to be with families on the other side of the woods.

In the article, Barnhill shares how the book can easily translate to real life situations for her young readers: “This notion of rumor spreading and of getting the wrong idea about a person,” she said, “that’s like real stuff for these kids, that’s what their life is like right now.” Barnhill is a teacher in Minneapolis for a nonprofit arts organization, and really enjoys interacting with the kids that read her books, and hearing how they interpret the story.

Fox Animation has acquired the rights to The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Barnhill looks forward to the interpretation into film.

You can read about another of Barnhill’s books, The Witch’s Boy, in this article from MPR, and keep an eye out for her next novel, The Sugar House, which should be released next year.

 

 

 

 

Academic, Communication, Public, Resources, School Media Specialist, Services, Special

Register now! SAMMIE’s Webinar for Librarians

Looking for a great Continuing Education opportunity? Another of Minnesota’s multitypes is hosting a webinar specifically for librarians!

The Southwest Area Multicounty Multitype Interlibrary Exchange (SAMMIE) is hosting an online conference on Friday, February 3rd beginning at 9am. The topics that will be covered include Event Planning at 9am, Grant Writing at 11am, Emotional Intelligence at 1pm, and Space Planning at 3pm. SAMMIE has gathered several different experts to present on the subjects.

Get more information and register here! Take advantage of this great Continuing Ed opportunity from a different multitype system! And if you are looking for more Continuing Education opportunities, make sure to check out our calendar.

CMLE, Resources, School Media Specialist, Services

Could your school library use some money? Try Donors Choose!

If you are in a public school library, you may have already heard of Donors Choose. It can be a great way to bring materials not otherwise in the budget, or to pay for a special program or set of materials for your students!

“We were started by a history teacher. In 2000, Charles Best, a teacher at a Bronx public high school, wanted his students to read Little House on the Prairie. As he was making photocopies of the one book he could procure, Charles thought about all the money he and his colleagues were spending on books, art supplies, and other materials. And he figured there were people out there who’d want to help — if they could see where their money was going. Charles sketched out a website where teachers could post classroom project requests, and donors could choose the ones they wanted to support. His colleagues posted the first 11 requests. Then it spread. Today, we’re open to every public school in America. Continue reading Could your school library use some money? Try Donors Choose! →