Category Archives: Special

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Connect, Converse, Engage!

We want to hear from you! And, we want to make it easier for you to engage with one another as well! We all have something to offer, and although many of our CMLE members come from different library types, we all really do have a lot in common! Let’s learn from each other. Let’s talk. Let’s get this 12-county region of library staff communicating, sharing, and learning from one another!

“How?” you ask?

Well, as you may have noticed, here at CMLE, we have been hard at work rethinking and retooling to better facilitate conversation and sharing across the region. We have a new Facebook page which we’ve connected with our Twitter account and blog, and we’re sending out the “CMLE Weekly Review” via email to all our members.

Our new Facebook page is located at http://www.facebook.com/CentralMinnesotaLibrariesExchange We hope you’ll “like” CMLE on the Facebook page itself — or, on the upper right side of this page, you’ll notice that you can click the “Like” button for the CMLE Facebook account. We will use the Facebook page to connect with those that have “liked” us in an informal yet useful way. We also hope that you will use the comment area on the CMLE Facebook page to talk with other library personnel!

The CMLE Twitter account handle is @CMLEMN! Here, you’ll see updates, reminders, useful links, etc… from CMLE on a regular basis. “Follow” us on Twitter and we’ll be sure to “follow” you right back! That’s the name of the game, and we know you’re sharing useful stuff on Twitter, too! Like Facebook, this is an informal space that we’re hoping to keep fresh, light, energizing, and most of all — helpful!

Additionally, don’t forget you can comment on our blog posts as well in the “Leave a Reply” box!

We know your time is valuable, and hope that these new social media options will make it easier for you to connect with CMLE and other libraries around the region. Please remember that Patricia and Kate are always interested in hearing directly from you, too! Send an email, give us a ring, talk with us face-to-face at an event or conference… whatever is comfortable for you! Hope to hear from you soon!

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

Welcome & Service Changes: From the Director

First off, welcome back to a new academic year! Our K-12 and college libraries are gearing up just as the public libraries breathe a sigh of relief after their summer reading programs come to an end. We have lots of exciting news at CMLE, so hang in there for a few minutes, and let me know if you have concerns or questions! Hopefully, during our eight month strategic planning process, we did our homework, and our plans for the future will meet your needs. If not, please know that I welcome any and all of your suggestions!

Our mission: CMLE is a Central Minnesota library hub, a clearinghouse of talent, materials, and expertise for all types of libraries.

Our new strategic focus areas for the next three years include:

  1. Refined focus on K-12 media center needs
  2. Convening and bridging libraries around issues
  3. Stretching dollars: Cost avoidance and cost savings

For more detail on our Strategic Framework and our Strategic Workplan, go here

New Communication Streams: Our staff strives to get you important library/school media information, yet keep your life uncluttered. With our new communication strategy we hope to reach you wherever you are:

  • Each Thursday, you will receive a CMLE Weekly Review message recapping our blog posts of the week. Just click on the links of what interests you; it is as easy as that! So, going forward, you will receive fewer emails from CMLE, but will lose no content from us.
  • Twitter: Find us, follow us, and we’ll follow you back!  Our Twitter handle is CMLEMN
  • Facebook: Find us by searching for “Central Minnesota Libraries Exchange”.  Please “Like Us” right away so you never have to do this search again!

Service Changes….

Interlibrary Loan (ILL): After conducting  a 10-year trend analysis which showed consistent drop in ILL requests,  and a cost-benefit analysis of what it costs us to provide this service, our governing Board is in agreement that we sunset our physical ILL service. However, we do not want to end our tradition of resource sharing in Central MN and will evolve resource sharing into more digital resources. We will spend this academic year helping users of the ILL service to find alternative methods for getting the resources they need before our end date of June 30, 2013. We will also be unveiling new resource sharing strategies soon, so stay tuned!

 Annual Meeting: After careful debate and thought, the Board agreed that we can serve more of you better if we convene some smaller, targeted gatherings around the region rather than one big event. Please watch for more detail about possibilities, and if there is a conversation you would like us to convene, please let us know. Example: Would you enjoy a conversation about information literacy with academic, K-12, public, and special librarians to hear what works best in their settings? Information literacy and e-books are already on our wish list of possibilities, what is on yours?

As we work through this exciting but difficult transitional year, know that we are seeking ways to further assess and serve your needs, and engage you. We hope that some of our new ideas including our new communication streams provide new opportunity and energy in your world.

Patricia Post, Director of CMLE

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Minnesota Library Futures Initiative Update and Announcement

The message below is from the Minnesota Library Futures Initiative…

What will your library look like in 2025?

Looking to the future, the challenges facing libraries may seem daunting, but libraries have always evolved to meet the needs of their communities.

The Minnesota Library Futures Initiative was developed to spark conversation about the future of libraries in Minnesota. The MNLFI Steering Committee selected 24 participants from all types of libraries through an open application process. MNLFI Futurists gathered to research and discuss factors likely to impact the future of libraries and possible ways libraries might respond to those opportunities and challenges. What we discovered is that being engaged in the conversation about the future is more empowering and energizing than reading about it and everyone has something to contribute.

The Minnesota Library Futurists would like to help your library or organization facilitate a conversation about the future of library services. We invite you to consider planning an MNLFI Workshop for your library or organization.

What is an MNLFI Workshop?

Gather your staff, organization or community for a workshop led by representatives from the Minnesota Library Futures Initiative. MNLFI members trained in Technology of Participation (ToP) methods will facilitate a conversation at your location based around your intended outcomes. We will help you to develop a workshop which will ensure your entire staff will be engaged in discussing the future and empowered to meet its possibilities and challenges.

Want to lead your own discussion?

The MNLFI Toolkit is a set of resources intended to support local conversations and personal exploration about the future of libraries without facilitation from the MNLFI group. The Toolkit includes demographic information, suggested readings on the future of libraries and MNLFI 2025 Scenarios which describe potential aspects of the library environment of 2025.

Visit our Website

On the new MNLFI website you’ll find more information on MNLFI, our workshops and the MNLFI Toolkit. You can keep up to date with our latest events or fill out a request form if you’d like to schedule an MNLFI workshop for your library or organization.

Join the Conversation

As we facilitate workshops throughout the state, we’ll post outcomes on the Shared Visions page where you can discover and discuss ideas developed by our workshop participants. We invite you to add your own vision of the library in 2025 to the conversation.

We Look Toward the Future

The MNLFI Futurists were given the charge to “envision the library of 2025”. We have been inspired and empowered through our own conversations about the future of libraries and we look forward to sharing that enthusiasm with your library as we envision the future of Minnesota libraries together.

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

We’ve Learned…

We’ve Learned… is designed to keep our readers informed about news concerning personnel in CMLE libraries/media centers. Please keep us informed of any “happenings” regarding staff members in your area so that we can include them in the next write-up! Happenings can include: changes in staffing, awards, honors… you get the idea!

  • Mic Golden, Collection Development Coordinator at Great River Regional Library is currently on phased retirement.
  • Jake Grussing has been hired as the new Collection Development Coordinator at Great River Regional Library.
  • Morgan Hewitt, former Media Specialist at North Elementary in Princeton is now working at two media centers in Anoka.
  • Terri Kerwin will be serving both the Princeton Middle School and the North Elementary media centers in the Princeton School District this year.
  • Jeanne Skaj, Medical Librarian from the St. Cloud VA Health Care System – Medical Library retired from her position this summer after 36 years of government service.
  • Dana Woods, former Media Specialist at Maple Lake High School is now working at the Middle School and High School media centers in Cass Lake-Bena.
  • Ruth Zietlow, former Interim Dean of Learning Resources Services and Associate Dean for Library Services at St. Cloud State University, is now working at Metropolitan State University as an Associate Professor and Librarian.
  • Keith Ewing is now the Interim Dean of Learning Resources Services at St. Cloud State University.