Tag Archives: Libraries

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

MNLibLeg-Legislative Update!

This update is from Elaine Keefe, MLA/MEMO Library Legislative Lobbyist

State Economic Forecast:  A new state economic forecast was released today, and it contains good news.  The projected budget deficit for the next biennium has shrunk to $627 million.  This is an improvement of $463 million over the $1.1 billion deficit that was projected in December.

The forecast also contains good news for the current biennium.  The state is now projected to end the current biennium with a positive balance of $295 million.  Under current law, $5 million of that will go into the state’s budget reserve and $290 million will go to repay the education funding shift.

Budget Process:  Governor Dayton is expected to issue a revised budget proposal in about two weeks.  Soon after that, legislative leaders will set budget targets.  House rules require a budget resolution to be adopted no later than March 25, but House leaders have said they hope to do it sooner.  Senate leaders will also set budget targets, but the Senate does not adopt a formal budget resolution in public.

Data Privacy:  Our data privacy bill for public libraries, HF 695/SF 745, will be heard on Friday in the House Data Practices Subcommittee and on Tuesday, March 5 in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Minitex/MnLINK:  Our bill providing a funding increase for Minitex and MnLINK will be introduced in the House this afternoon. Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley) is the chief author.  Co-authors are Rep. Bud Nornes (R – Fergus Falls) and Rep. Kathy Brynaert (DFL – Mankato).

Elaine Keefe Capitol Hill Associates

525 Park Street, Suite 310
St. Paul, MN 55103
office 651-293-0229
fax 651-293-1709
cell 612-590-1244
elaine@capitolhillassoc.com

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MEMO

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

ARLD Dialogue: Moving Beyond the One-Shot Instruction Session

The Academic and Research Libraries Division (ARLD), a subunit of MLA, is hosting an informal discussion about strategies for expanding our role in the classroom beyond a single library session- Friday, March 15th at the U of M, Duluth Campus. Topics for discussion will include current techniques, develop ideas for the future, and talk about current trends and potentially flipping the classroom, tutorials, and/or embedded librarianship.

This session is free for ARLD members, but space is limited. Registration ends March 8th-click here for additional information.

Minnesota Library Association

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Metronet Wind Down: Leadership Lessons from the NFL

Some rights reserved by ElvertBarnes
Some rights reserved by ElvertBarnes

With football season coming to a close, you may be wondering what your library can learn from your endless hours of watching football. You may be surprised, but Amy and Robin say there is a lot you can learn about leadership from the NFL.

Develop your leadership lens using lessons from the NFL. A leadership lens is a tool that allows you to view leadership decisions and scenarios from other fields and apply it to libraries and librarianship. Develop your leadership skills by relating leadership successes and failures of the National Football League (NFL) to your library. Analogies from recent NFL seasons will help us think about future library scenarios that we may face. We will use examples from the NFL to illuminate leadership issues.

Amy Springer, Government and Business Librarian, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, and Robin Ewing, Reference Services Coordinator, St. Cloud State University, will present this interesting, fun program at ACRL in April, but for those of you who can’t make ACRL, you’re in luck. Amy and Robin will present this program as a Metronet Wind Down and you’re invited! Library staff in all different types of libraries are welcome to attend! No RSVP required.

Cost: Free

Date: March 7, 2013

Time: 3:30-5:00 p.m.

Location: Metronet Board Room 320, 1619 Dayton Ave, St. Paul

Directions: Google Map. Parking is free.

Contact: Metronet 

General, Public, School Media Specialist

Contract Scorecard for EBooks!

Some rights reserved by Kodomut
Some rights reserved by Kodomut

Recommended Ed Tech Tool

If you are like many libraries, a larger number of collections are becoming electronic books or eBooks. With several companies offering eBooks for sale, it can be difficult to know what your library may want or need in the next eBook contract? ALA (American Library Association) recently released a report titled, “EBook Business Models: A Scorecard for Public Libraries”.  This report examines fifteen specific eBook licensing variables often seen in library contracts. Click here for more information (pdf). This tool may be helpful in crafting your next list of must haves!

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Minnesota Budget-Bite Sized!

logo-mcn-budget-programThe Minnesota Budget Project, an initiative of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN), recently released a snapshot of Governor Dayton’s budget proposal specific to education. This information is broken down into various areas of specialization/interests such Special Ed., MnSCU, Early Childhood Ed., E-12,  Higher Ed., etc. This format makes it a quick, must read to help you stay connected. Click here for more information.

Two additional articles that were mention included  Health Care Reform and Tax Reform.