Tag Archives: member event

Books, CMLE

Unexpected Member Event: John Scalzi at St. John’s!

It’s no secret that all of us at CMLE HQ love to read books – we have a whole podcast book group about it after all! And we have a lot of book fans around the system, who cheerfully tell us how much they like the book recommendations in our Linking Our Libraries podcast, the book suggestion series on our blog, and the series CMLE Reads Across Minnesota (complete with Google mapping!)

So, yeah. We are fans of reading. You are fans of reading. It’s pretty much a professional requirement to be a fan of reading – and we are all doing it well.

And when one of my favorite authors is announced as a speaker at a wonderful member library – am I pleased? Reader: Yes.  There may possibly have been joyous dancing around the office as I celebrated that news!

Kathy Parker, the head of the libraries at St. John’s and St. Ben’s, was a Guest Host on our Books and Beverages book group podcast the week we discussed SciFi.  She broke the exciting news – and thankfully she told us in advance, or I would have hijacked the entire discussion to talk about nothing else! (We had fun in this episode – definitely go listen to it!)

So I was excited to go! I dug out my Red Shirts paper book (I own all his other books in audio format – great to listen to, but awkward to have signed) and trudged out to St. John’s.

Not only was it a very fun presentation on technology, and the not-always-apparent impacts it has on us, but this turned into an impromptu CMLE member event! We had a bunch of people there from Great River’s St. Cloud library, and from St. John’s and St. Ben’s.  We even had unofficial “members” we adopted right into the group. Thanks so much to Gerri Moeller from the Viking Library System (and her husband), and to Chris (with the excellent Glacier hat!), who joined in the fun!

There were books available for sale at the end, and John was signing books. Did I make a fool of myself in my overflowing excitement at getting to talk to one of my favorite authors? Yes. Yes I did. But, who cares? We all had fun, it turned out to be a good CMLE member event, and I was very happy! (Ariel got her book addressed to “My favorite Shakespearean mermaid” – so obviously he’s cool!)

Thank you so much to all the CMLE members (and adopted members!) who came to the event. It is always wonderful to see you!!

Thank you to Kathy Parker for alerting us, and organizing the event. And for being such a great podcast guest!! Check her out on the Strategic Planning episode, as well as the SciFi episode.

Thank you to St. John’s for making this event open to the public, so we could all enjoy it!This was my first time in this auditorium, and it was very nice.

And, of course, thank you to John Scalzi (@scalzi on Twitter) for providing us with interesting entertainment, and for all the books!! (And for not getting distressed at an overly-excited librarian who gushed maybe a little much; but is a much calmer fan most of the time! And who really does take your books camping; they are wonderful to listen to when alone in the dark woods!)

CMLE, Programs

CMLE Members Gather!

You can tell from the slightly blurry photo that we were all having fun! Of course, you probably already knew that – any time you get a group of CMLE members together to hang out and talk libraries, it’s going to be a good time!!

This was another member social event, and you can see that not only did we have nice food we also had great company! Members have requested a way to get together and chat about unstructured stuff, and to just have the chance to put names to faces.  And we always enjoy hanging out with members, hearing more about their work, and discovering all the great things going on around the system!

Part of the value in belonging to a multitype system is the chance to chat with all kinds of people who do what you do, in different locations. (Note: EVERYONE in our geographic area belongs! We love all of your libraries!!) Speaking as someone who has worked in and with a bunch of different libraries, of all types, I can tell you: Libraries all do the same kind of work. We provide information, we help our community members get information they need, and we are all pretty amazing about it!

Okay, yes: I’m biased. But libraries are excellent!! And having the chance to chat with library people, and to find out all the neat things they are doing, is just so fun!

Stay tuned for our next member social event!! We want to talk with you, and to hear all about your library!