Category Archives: Services

Supercharge your storytime!

Make the most of storytime

Storytime is a fun and important time in all libraries. In order to get even more out of storytime programs, the Library of Virginia has created 12 new videos on how to “supercharge” your storytime.

They define supercharging storytime as incorporating two main characteristics: intentionality, where they focus on making connections between the storytime activities and early literacy, and interactivity, so both the kids and parents participate and get more out of the program.

You can find more resources, including videos and links to articles, on early childhood literacy expert Saroj Ghoting’s website here.

Learn the basics and benefits of supercharging your storytime by watching this short video:

Interested in an ACRL virtual focus group??

CMLE members: we are passing on some info on recent ACRL materials, and a chance for you to participate in a focus group to help them better serve you and your professional needs!

Dear Colleagues,

At its Fall Board Meeting on October 23, 2015, the ACRL Board of Directors approved the ACRL Libraries Transform Task Force to support the new ALA advocacy campaign and was charged to develop messages and resources that will address the needs of academic and research libraries using the new ALA campaign, Libraries Transform. Continue reading Interested in an ACRL virtual focus group??

Preserve your past; Think about the future!

Internet Archive logo and wordmark
As library people, we think about making our information and materials available to our communities every day.  Part of that work is a responsibility to think about making it all available to people in the future. The Web is like a living thing – it changes, grows, and pieces can die; thinking about preserving information needs to take into account those potential changes.

The Digital Preservation Network is already thinking about this, and helping to establish a safe system as well as best practices for you to preserve information. Their audience is academic environments, potentially producing unique material that may not be available elsewhere. As we have seen in the recent news, turbulent political changes can cause information to disappear or to be suppressed; the DPN can help libraries to preserve and share their information. Likewise, natural disasters can destroy buildings holding both paper materials and servers holding backups, ransomware attacks can happen, institutions can change or fall, and just bad luck and bad planning can destroy years of work. Having information available through something like the DPN will help to ensure its survival. Continue reading Preserve your past; Think about the future!

Free online training for your patrons!

https://www.agitraining.com/library-partner-program

Would you like to give your patrons free access to Photoshop training? Would helping them learn about video and animation at no cost to you or to them be good? How about your patrons who need to learn to use Microsoft Office – would you like some free training??

I’m sure the answer to all of that is yes!

The American Graphics Institute has established a Library Partner Program, that gives you access to self-paced online classes and digital books your patrons can use in your library. Read on, for all the details! Continue reading Free online training for your patrons!

Wrapping up January Monthly Topic: Grants

This month we have talked about a few different strategies for grant writing, and shared some ideas on places to go for grants. All of this will be collected on our website, under Monthly Topics. We will also have material available in our Grants and Fundraising section.

And what are a few things we can take away from this month of grant learning? Continue reading Wrapping up January Monthly Topic: Grants