Are you an educator looking for additional funding? If so, you definitely should investigate the site GetEdFunding.
Sponsored by CDW-G, their mission is to help educators with the funds needed to supplement budgets that are already stretched very thin. The site features thousands of grants and awards that are updated daily. These opportunities are available to both public and private institutions, pre-K and K-12 educators, schools, districts, institutions of higher learning, and also nonprofit organizations that assist these places.
They do require you to register with the site, but once registered, you can do very specialized searches (including 43 areas of focus) to help find relevant grant and award opportunities. They also feature a handy “Deadline Alert” section that highlights which grants and awards will need to be submitted soon.
What’s in a title? When it comes to school libraries, those working in them have seemed to have a few different ones over the past few years. In Mobile County, in the state of Alabama, their Media Specialists just got a new one: Digital Literacy Leaders. But what’s in a title?
Today’s school library media specialists need to be a leader at school, know the curriculum, co-teach, mentor teachers and students, keep up on tech, and much, much more. The Mobile County administration wanted their staff to go beyond the walls of the school library and truly embed themselves with teachers and students. This led them to launch “a project last fall to transform the school system’s library media specialists into digital leaders, coaches and collaborative partners who work with students, teachers and school leaders to ensure appropriate technology is woven throughout the curriculum. As these library media specialists were taking on a new role, the school district gave the transformed position a new title: Digital Literacy Leaders.”
Does the title matter? Maybe. Some of the Media Specialists we’ve talked to have changed titles and/or responsibilities in the past few years. Technology Integrationist is one of the most popular title changes. Usually, this change in title is part of an overall change in direction of the school district; from Books to Tech, from Reference Sources to Digital Literacy. In Mobile County this seems to be the case too. “In addition to assisting students and teachers in the media center, the media specialists now go into the classrooms to help teachers incorporate new tools and strategies into their instruction, often co-teaching lessons and modeling digital technology use.” Mobile County changed the job responsibilities of the Media Specialist and a change in job title happened to come with it too.
Image by U of Fraser Valley. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
Hopefully, you haven’t already gotten tired of reading messages of thankfulness. Maybe you have had a great year, and you have not been tested emotionally, physically or professionally. Maybe your year was humdrum, and your things to include on your thankful list are much like they always have been. Or perhaps 2013 has been filled with challenges.
For me, by far, this has been the most difficult year both professionally and personally. However, I choose to think about it differently, especially as I approach Thanksgiving. As I look back, I am amazed at what has been accomplished despite the enormous amount of adversity that has occurred this year. I remind myself that I/we have control over how we choose to think about the hard things…. and I have learned a few things this year for which I give thanks:
I have an incredibly caring, supportive group of people on the CMLE Board
It was my good fortune to hire an exceptional temporary employee who convinced me in ten minutes that she was hungry, humble, and helpful (the 3 h’s)! I could not have gotten through the year without her.
I have wonderful family and friends who were there for me through thick and thin. Most memorable was the occasional lunch with the grandkids; a cherished memory.
I am very thankful that my other knee is healthy, and that I only have two hips and two knees!
I am thankful for my strength in handling adversity and bouncing back!
And, I am especially thankful that I will never have to repeat 2013!
Coming back to work has been challenging, exhausting and invigorating, but reminds me of what I am passionate about, and what makes me feel alive. With that in mind, professionally, I am also thankful for:
Engaged library staff (like you) who continue to use our services and engage in our programming. Whether you are commenting on our weekly blog posts or Facebook page, writing book reviews or other blog posts, suggesting ideas for programming, participating in our Quick Question Polls, or attending our events, you are the heart of what we define as resource sharing!
CMLE staff are thankful for the opportunity to serve your needs, and to work with you to increase the capacity of all types of libraries in Central Minnesota! It is our privilege to work with talented and engaged library staff and we thank you.
What about you? Although your year may have also included challenges, what are you most thankful for? Were there life changing moments as a result of a student or community member coming through the door to your library? Have your learned valuable lessons as a result of those interactions or others?
Tip: Use a whiteboard in the library with a “What are you thankful for?” heading, then sit back, and observe a showplace of thanks not just for this week, but consider continuing this through the new year.
SRRHS Students engaged in a makerspace program. Image provided by Maria Burnham.
In a previous post, Makerspaces in Your Library, CMLE talked about the potential power of these creative cultures, emerging in libraries across the country. This week, staff reports on a local library’s makerspace programs and events.
Under the direction of the Library Media Specialist, Maria Burnham, Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS) students are given an added opportunity to connect, collaborate and create. The library serves as a social collection point to grow and harvest new ideas; infusing technology and literature into the creative process. Burnham said, “Starting the makerspace was all about simply giving kids another choice in how to spend their time knowing that creativity is a skill that is vital for success in the 21st century.”
Examples of upcoming makerspace events include;
November: Still picture animations. Using iMotion HD app on an iPad to generate animations.
December: Yarn work-learn to knit or crochet. After school knitting/crocheting club meetings complete with hot cocoa and cookies!
January: Paper crafting. Paper crafts based off of the book, Paper Made: 101 Exceptional Projects to Make Out of Everyday Paper by Kayte Terry.
Tip: Sometimes these programs are more feasible in partnership with another entity. In SRRHS, Craft’s Direct graciously donated supplies for several of the events. Identify possible community members, art clubs, teachers, business owners and volunteers you could bring on board to support your library’s makerspace!
Are you an educator looking for additional funding? If so, you definitely should investigate the site GetEdFunding.
