Category Archives: Special
Which books are weeds?
I have got gardening on the brain, do you? It is exciting to see anything green push up through the dirt, even a weed! But soon enough, we know that for the sake of the garden, those weeds have to go. So goes it with our library collections too. As we remove the clutter, the truly good content can breathe, can shine through more brightly. This is the time of year when many of our readers are doing inventory and weeding collections, so this post seems timely. The key question always is….which books are weeds, and many a librarian are quite tortured by it! Deep down, I think librarians absolutely know something needs to be weeded, they just need absolution for discarding any book. In many cases, the act of discarding is painful, and fraught with indecision. Some people simply cannot do it!
If you have been reading our blog for some time, you have heard of Mary Kelly and Holly Hibner, two light-hearted Michigan librarians best known for their Awful Library Books blog. They also offer Advice to Reluctant Weeders Here. You might want to also check out their Hurdles to Weeding.
Good to go, or do you need to go deeper? Other resources that may help include:
- Weeding Tips: the Basics (Booklist Online)
- CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries (pdf)
- Weeding Library Collections: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for Library Collection Evaluation
- ALA Weeding and Collection Evaluation Factsheet
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/q3vaodr, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
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
State Library Updates: 5/3/2016
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.
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