Category Archives: Special

Laughs from the @Lousy Librarian

Smiling BalloonsOk, I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting much.  Probably a few giggles as I read through the article, but truly expecting tasteless jokes.  Not so!  Here is your library laugh for the week. Some laugh-out-loud quotes from the @LousyLibrarian.  (Hint: you may want to follow this person on Twitter yourself.)

Some highlights to get you to click…

“I requested a book this morning. Is it there yet?”
“Depends. Did you click the ‘Defy All Laws of Time and Space’ box?”

Patron: “Someone here was unpleasant to me five years ago.”
Me: “Wow, that’s impressive; you’re like a grudge archivist.”

“Do you have any recommendations for someone who just doesn’t like books?”
“How about this nice stapler?”

Librarians: Here’s a little snark for your day

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/jxmreu5,licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

Did you miss any of these? Ed Tech Trends of 2015

Think bigHow many of these notable tech trends have you looked into or possibly implemented in 2015?  No worries if you haven’t used some of these yet or even heard of them.  These resources can stir your thinking to dream big in 2016!

Just a couple of the ideas and available resources touched on:

  • 3D printing
  • Combining tactile toys with iPads
  • Rethinking delivery in the classroom
  • Staying social among educators

Educator tech trends of 2015

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/ (Drew Hays), licensed under CC0 1.0

 

Need tips to stimulate or quiet the mind?

photo-1444312645910-ffa973656ebaAlthough this article was listed under the Classroom Management column on Edutopia, I see great promise here for many venues. Many of our readers are indeed teachers, but these tips and tricks could work with story time and youth groups, grandkids and maybe even with adults who have been sitting in a never-ending meeting that has drained the life out of them!

This article includes:

  • Nine simple strategies to stimulate thinking and creativity. And, for those moments of a racing mind with a thousand thoughts flying way too fast, there are also:
  • Seven techniques to calm and focus the mind. Give it a try, you might be surprised.

 

ECRL and GRRL highlighted by MN Digital Library

mdl-logoRecently, the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) announced recent exciting contributions by both East Central Regional Library and Great River Regional Library. Congratulations to both in this noteworthy accomplishment!

ECRL: New contribution to Minnesota Reflections

According to Minnesota Digital Library News, The Kids Design Glass project was funded by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Fund and began with a summer reading program art contest. The contest was open to kids ages 5 to 10. One drawing was chosen from each of East Central Library’s 14 branches. The winning drawings were transformed into three-dimensional blown-glass sculptures by Anthony Michaud-Scorza of Cambridge, Minnesota. This project is fully documented in Minnesota Reflections with scans of the original 14 drawings, the artist statements, photographs of the sculpture, and a short video of each sculpture rotating on a turntable. View the collection here

GRRL: New MDL contributor

The Great River Regional Library (GRRL) was one of the participants in the recently completed MDL/DPLA Public Library Partnerships Project. According to Minnesota Digital Library News, “…we were looking for content on the history of libraries in Minnesota and GRRL came through with a project that included exterior and interior images of the St. Cloud Public Library’s original Carnegie building, built in 1902 and torn down in 1981. It was great to preserve these pictures of a “Lost Minnesota” structure. GRRL also contributed images of St. Cloud’s second library building, in use from 1979 to 2009, the Great River Regional Library Bookmobile, the Little Falls Public Library, and the Royalton Community Library. View the images here.

Two of the images were used in the DPLA’s online exhibition, “A History of US Public Libraries,” in the section on Carnegie libraries.”

 

 

 

Fireside Reading Series & Podcast

fireside-thumbStarting January 20th thru February 24th, there will be six weeks of free fireside readings by some of Minnesota’s finest writers. At 7 pm each Wednesday, people are invited to come and sit by the fire in the Hamline Midway Library in St. Paul.

Now in its 22nd season, the Fireside Reading Series is one of The Friends’ oldest and most popular events. The series annually highlights the work of some of Minnesota’s finest writers who have published a new work in the previous year. This year’s lineup includes: Faith Sullivan, Rick Shefchik, Beth Dooley, Erika Lee, Anton Treuer, and Catherine Madison.

Continuing last year’s efforts, The Friends will offer the entire season as a free podcast, available on the website  and on iTunes.

Credit image: Logo promoting Fireside Reading Series & Podcast