Tag Archives: CMLE

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

Volunteers Fill Technology Gaps!

Financial awareness was one of the theme’s in this week’s CMLE posts.  Obtaining technology and then training patrons and/or students how use these programs are common challenges facing many libraries today.

Sarah Houghton, San Rafael Public Library, shares her experience coordinating volunteers and overseeing a computer chat program to assist their patrons-filling the technology gap. Click here to read more=>

Tip: If you are interested in creating a volunteer program(s) or developing a training session(s) in your library consider whether it could be a viable grant opportunity.

Some rights reserved by izzymuchted
Some rights reserved by izzymuchted
Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

100 Things Kids Will Miss (if they don’t have a Teacher Librarian in their School)!

2 Comments
Some rights reserved by eyllom
Some rights reserved by eyllom

April is a month long celebration of school librarians and their programs!

Use this list as a proactive way to share the merits of school library programming and staffing sometime this month. The list is taken from Standards for the 21st Century Learner by the American Association of School Librarians, suggestions from members of the American Association of School Librarians, and students in the school libraries of the United States. Released by Dr. Nancy Everhart President, American Association of School Librarians May 19, 2011.

Tip: This list would be good to keep on hand in case you need to defend the existence of the media center in the future too!

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

A Waterfall of Recycled Books in Spain!

Casa de America, Madrid
Casa de America, Madrid Photo by Cubeme

Linares Palace is in a privileged location in Madrid. Its façades are juxaposed to the Plaza de Cibeles Square, Recoletos Avenue and Alcalá Street. The building was constructed in 1873, by order of the Marquis of Linares. It is now home to the Casa de América, and its rooms serve as a venue for a range of cultural activities.

Last year, Spanish artist Alicia Martin created a unique sculpture incorporating recycled books. Marin’s eye-catching work features a cascade of more than 5,000 books falling from the second floor window and continue to spill onto the street below. This creative book sculpture looks like a waterfall frozen in time.

Just for fun, take a moment to peruse other work by this artists.

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

Grant Writing Tips!

Some rights reserved by Aaron Patterson
Some rights reserved by Aaron Patterson

Like many industries, libraries look to grant writing to secure additional funds to grow their existing collections and/or enhance programming.

The CMLE website lists a series of grants available throughout the year specifically for libraries. You can find important details about the terms and conditions of each grant along with a contact name in case you have additional questions. In the upper right corner, click on the button to suggest a grant or share your grant writing experiences with our members.  Also, for those who are new to the grant writing field, Scholastic lists 10 tips for you to consider when writing your next grant. Click here to learn more.

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

Feature Libraries: National D.E.A.R. Day!

1 Comment

DEAR-holding_03You may remember Beverly Cleary, author of more than 30 books for young adults and children. In 1992, she wrote about D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Since then, “Drop Everything And Read” programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Mrs. Cleary’s birthday (4/12/1916.)  Libraries, families and individuals across the country are asked to honor this special day-long celebration and encourage families to take time to read together.

Click here for more information about D.E.A.R.

How can I participate?

As an organization, library, school, or bookstore, you can participate by hosting a “Drop Everything And Read” event at your location (or elsewhere) during the month of April. As an individual, you can participate by attending an event in your community or by reading at home with your children, siblings, or friends. And, ultimately set aside time not just on the 12th but on a daily basis to read.

If you would like help identifying a book to read, here is a link to favorite books read during D.E.A.R. Day, you can find a list of books by Beverly Cleary or review the 2013  Most Notable Children’s Books for young readers published by Booklist.