This is a guest blog post from Debbie Binsfeld, library assistant at Holdingford High School. Read more mini grant reports on our page.

First, I want to thank you for allowing us at Holdingford High School library the opportunity to receive this CMLE Mini Grant.  We are finding that most of our monies are spent on fiction materials for our reading students in our Junior/Senior High School leaving a void in our nonficton materials for updating.  Especially materials, involving more current topics and biographies, which we have a need to provide as well.

This Mini Grant allowed me to purchase biographies of Prince, Adam Thielen, Judy Garland and Johnny Cash.  We were also able to purchase some current nonfiction items regarding Electric Cars, Education, Health Care, Economics, Art Animation, Graphic Arts, Racial Profiling, Vaping and more.  

Many of these topic materials purchased were a result of student interest in research topics as well as just wanting up-to-date information.  The need for current information in this ever-changing time has been an important goal in the high school library. Although older historical information is important, it needs to be balanced with current research information as well.  Thanks to this mini-grant, I was able to address a few of those topics.

Our biographies are also a highly used section of our library.   It was great to add a few new biographies, especially Minnesota related ones to our resources.  

This CMLE Mini-Grant was a welcome resource to us here at Holdingford High School.   So thank you again for making this available to our school communities.