Tag Archives: funding

Advocacy, CMLE

Urgent! Contact your MN Senator about Library Funding

From the MLA Legislative Committee:

Please immediately contact your Senator about including SF 1033 in the Senate Omnibus Education Finance bill. Time is of the essence!  Regional public library systems & the multitype systems need your support for their requested funding increases. Hearing from constituents is important for this issue.

 

Don’t know what to say? Here are some talking points–feel free to customize/tailor as you wish:

  • No new dollars have been invested in MN library systems since FY2009. An increase in funding for Minnesota’s library systems will provide a stable funding source to allow systems to strengthen & maintain current services & move into the future stronger & better able to serve all Minnesotans.
  • Multitype systems support rural & urban school library media programs, special & academic libraries through training around ever-changing library products and services including information literacy, ELM, MnLink, eBooks, use of portable devices, & more.
  • Regional public library systems serve as a cornerstone for public library services throughout the state and provide the foundation for Minnesota residents to access cooperative statewide services including Minitex/MnLINK interlibrary loan, ELM databases, reciprocal borrowing privileges, staff training, and more.

If your Senator is not on the Committee, ask her/him to ask their colleagues to include SF 1033 in the omnibus education finance bill. Senate Information: https://www.senate.mn/members/

Don’t know your Senator? Find them here: http://www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts/

 

If your Senator is on the E-12 Finance Committee (roster below), ask her/him to please include SF 1033 in their omnibus education finance bill.

 

E-12 Finance Committee Leadership

Carla J. Nelson (26, R) 
Chair
651-296-4848

sen.carla.nelson@senate.mn
Eric R. Pratt (55, R) 
Vice Chair
651-296-4123

sen.eric.pratt@senate.mn

Charles W. Wiger (43, DFL)
Ranking Minority Member
651-296-6820

Email form: https://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1067&ls=

Committee Members
Paul T. Anderson (44, R)
651-296-9261

Email form: https://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1232&ls=

Justin D. Eichorn (05, R)
651-296-7079

Email form: https://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1219&ls=

Melissa H. Wiklund (50, DFL)
651-297-8061
sen.melissa.wiklund@senate.mn

Roger C. Chamberlain (38, R)
651-296-1253
sen.roger.chamberlain@senate.mn

David J. Tomassoni (06, DFL)
651-296-8017

Email form: https://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1064&ls=

Gary H. Dahms (16, R)
651-296-8138
sen.gary.dahms@senate.mn

Patricia Torres Ray (63, DFL)
651-296-4274

Email form: https://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1151&ls=

 

Questions? Contact Jami Trenam, MLA Legislative Chair (jamit@grrl.lib.mn.us)

or Ann Walker Smalley, Incoming MLA Chair (ann@metronet.lib.mn.us)

 

Thank you for contacting your Senator.

Advocacy, Resources

Let the world know what angry librarians are like!

CMLE members: it’s time!

Angry tiger
We get a pittance of money at all levels to provide an extraordinary amount of services to our communities – and our federal money is being threatened. Our federal money is threatened, our federal office is threatened – and our libraries will suffer!

DO NOT STAND FOR THIS! Let the world know just how valuable libraries are, and about the work that you do!! Let’s NOT just sit passively and quietly as our structures are dismantled, and our organizations ruined!!

Be proud of yourself, and of your library!

Our work is important – and should not be devalued and defunded!!

Even if your library does not directly receive money from IMLS, you receive services through the state from IMLS. Losing our federal agency – the only voice our profession has in the federal government – will be a disastrous blow to us.

In 2016, Minnesota received $2,732,686 from IMLS. That money goes to individual libraries in LSTA grants, and helps support  statewide programs and services we all use. Let’s not let this go!

Read this press release from the Young Adult library services association of ALA, and DO SOMETHING today!!

YOUR VOICE MATTERS!!

If you have other questions, or want to talk about emails you can send, phone calls you can make, or other things you can do to, you can always reach out to us here at CMLE Headquarters! We are here to support you, and the work you do for your community. Continue reading Let the world know what angry librarians are like! →

CMLE, Resources, School Media Specialist, Services

Could your school library use some money? Try Donors Choose!

If you are in a public school library, you may have already heard of Donors Choose. It can be a great way to bring materials not otherwise in the budget, or to pay for a special program or set of materials for your students!

“We were started by a history teacher. In 2000, Charles Best, a teacher at a Bronx public high school, wanted his students to read Little House on the Prairie. As he was making photocopies of the one book he could procure, Charles thought about all the money he and his colleagues were spending on books, art supplies, and other materials. And he figured there were people out there who’d want to help — if they could see where their money was going. Charles sketched out a website where teachers could post classroom project requests, and donors could choose the ones they wanted to support. His colleagues posted the first 11 requests. Then it spread. Today, we’re open to every public school in America. Continue reading Could your school library use some money? Try Donors Choose! →

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Infographic: What do the MN multitypes do?

multitype_infographic_p1The MN multicounty, multitype library systems play an important role in the statewide fabric of libraries, but it is sometimes hard to explain exactly how.  Why? While we all have some common focus areas, we are also tasked with responding to specific needs in our respective regions. So services can vary by region. In the case of CMLE, we respond to the needs of 320 libraries in 12 counties in Central MN. Does this sound like a tall order? Why yes it is, and the hardest part is gathering up a good picture of the regional needs. Stay tuned for a member needs assessment coming soon, where we will give you an opportunity to provide input. For now, feel free to get the big picture of multitypes by taking a look at the infographic we recently created to help legislators understand the work we do. Multitype funding has been flat for eight years, so we are making the case for a funding increase, and hope we are successful. If we are, lots of exciting possibilities are on the seven multitype wish lists!

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

From the Director: A CMLE Wish List

PPphotoIf you have been following our legislative updates, you will notice that the Minnesota Multitypes have requested a funding increase. Just as it is fun to fantasize a bit about winning the lottery, so goes it with multitype funding. The multitypes were created in Minnesota Statute in such a way that our funding stays flat until we ask for an increase. This means that sometimes our funding can stay flat for 10-15 years, which has happened in the past. Needless to say, flat funding presents special problems when the cost of doing business increases each year!

I think you will be excited to hear what CMLE might be able to do if we should get the requested funding increase.

With this funding increase, CMLE would acquire additional infrastructure/staff/expertise to do the following either regionally or more broadly, in collaboration with others. Of course, if we get less than we ask for, things will need to come off this list, so please consider it a draft! CMLE could….

  1. Replicate tried, true, and evaluated programs (some by other multitypes) in the CMLE region. Possible examples are Camp Read a Lot, and the MILI Information Literacy Program (scaled for Greater MN region)
  2. Support better access, understanding, and hands on skill sets with media specialists and teachers around ELM resources, including the new Learning Express
  3. Explore expansion and/or provision of eBook collections to K-12 schools
  4. Increase the number of professional development events and activities for library staff from all library types
  5. Contract with an evaluation expert to assist libraries in evaluating their efforts and crafting their stories. Then, assist libraries in telling their stories through various venues, ranging from social media to the Legislature
  6. Contract with a copyright expert to respond to questions from the field
  7. Create an online professional library collection that supports librarians needs
  8. Increase CMLE’s ability to capture presentations (video) and share content more broadly
  9. Add the ability to bus Central MN library staff to Twin Cities events like MN Book Awards, Teen Lit Con, and Library Legislative Day

Are there CMLE member services on your wish list, but not on ours? Are there things on the list that surprise you? We are always interested in your input and feedback, so send them pronto to admin@cmle.org