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Upcoming Library Training and Grant OpportunitiesProquest Digital Historical Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1922) WebinarsThe Historical Minneapolis Tribune is a great resource for local history, genealogy and History Day research. Bi-monthly webinars will help you increase your skills and knowledge. One-hour sessions are currently scheduled through March 2014. February and March sessions will be held:
Preregistration is not required. Login instructions and the full list of webinars are available on Proquest’s Training website. For more information, or to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in these events, contact Jennifer Verbrugge at 651-582-8356 or jennifer.verbrugge@state.mn.us. Public Library Annual Report TrainingData collection for the 2013 Public Library Statistical Survey will get underway on February 3, 2014. The collection period will close on Tuesday, April 1, 2014. State Library Services and Counting Opinions are offering a webinar to provide an introduction to the process and offer instruction in data entry. While this session is likely of most interest to individuals who have never used LibPAS, it may also serve as a good refresher. The training webinar will be held on Thursday, February 6, 2014, 1–2 p.m., and pre-registration is not required. Counting Opinions will also offer a special training session on using LibPAS to create reports. Reports can document your libraries’ annual activity in any area reported on, as well as identify trends over time. The session is scheduled for Friday, February 7, 2014, 11 a.m. –12 noon. Pre-registration is not required. Please enter the webinar by typing in your name. E-mail Jennifer Nelson jennifer.r.nelson@state.mn.us to let her know if you or other staff at your library are interested but unable to attend, as other sessions may be scheduled. Contact Mary Ann Van Cura maryann.vancura@state.mn.us to request a reasonable accomodation to participate. Note: The Minnesota Department of Education requires advance notice to provide the requested accomodation and a 48-hour notice to cancel requested accomodation. Legal Information Training at Your Public LibraryDo you dread getting asked legal questions? The State Law Library can help! State Law Librarian Liz Reppe can visit your library and talk to the librarians or the public about finding legal information. Classes can be tailored to a particular area of law, and Liz can provide recommendations related to your library’s collection. In the alternative, she can present a class on how to find people using free Web resources. The State Law Library serves the whole state. Legal reference questions from librarians or patrons can be directed to the library via e-mail (askalibrarian@courts.state.mn.us) or by phone at 651-297-7651. To set up a library visit, contact Liz Reppe at 651-297-2089 or liz.reppe@courts.state.mn.us. Department of Commerce Programming OpportunitiesBring the expertise of the Minnesota Department of Commerce to programming in your library. Commerce Department outreach staff will speak for free on topics ranging from avoiding scams and frauds to saving money through energy conservation. Sessions are available for all ages, preschoolers to seniors. Work with Commerce Department staff to customize presentations based on the specific interests and needs of your patrons. Sessions last one hour, which includes time for questions. There is no limit to attendance size. All you need to provide is a meeting room and a connection to the internet as well as assistance with publicizing the events. For more information about available programs and scheduling, contact Jennifer Verbrugge at 651-582-8356 or jennifer.verbrugge@state.mn.us. Library Services and Technology Act Competitive Grant RoundNow’s the time to start thinking about how grant funds can help your library. State Library Services will open a Library Services and Technology Act competitive grant round by Tuesday March 4, 2014. We anticipate that applications will be due April 22, 2014, for projects taking place between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015. An informational webinar will be held on Friday, March 7, 1–2 p.m.; advance registration is not required. Access the webinar site. Please contact Jackie Blagsvedt at Jacqueline.blagsvedt@state.mn.us or 651-582-8805 for more information or to request a reseasonable accomodation. Note: The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice to cancel a requested accommodation. 21st Century Community Learning Grant Program The Minnesota Department of Education is seeking applications from eligible applicants—Minnesota schools, school districts, non-profit agencies, city or county government agencies, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education and for profit-corporations—who seek funding for establishing, sustaining and/or enhancing community learning centers statewide as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Grant Program. The resources are intended to be used to provide a wide range of high-quality enrichment opportunities that complement the regular academic program of students during times when school is not in session, including before and after school, evenings, school release days and summer. The department estimates the initial grant period will be from August 1, 2014, until July 31, 2017, with anticipated extensions up to two additional years contingent upon progress and continued funding. Please visit the Grant Opportunity Web page and scroll down to this grant opportunity for the application documents. The application (cover sheet, assurances, narrative, forms and budget documents) must be received (not postmarked by) Monday, March 10, 2014, 4:30 p.m. CST. For more information or to sign up for this listserve, please contact Jennifer R. Nelson at 651-582-8791 or jennifer.r.nelson@state.mn.us. |
Tag Archives: Minnesota
23 Mobile Things Update
Our Mobile Things participants are off to a great start!The adventure has started!
Registration opened on Jan 15; more than 300 people have registered to participate in 23 Mobile Things. And in the CMLE region, we currently have 56 people registered. A few individuals in our region are dangerously close to earning their first badge for completing five of the Things. I can’t help but notice that many 23 Things On a Stick “grads” (from five years ago) have signed up for this version of the program. Individuals tell me that they enjoy learning at their own pace, in the privacy of their cube when they really mess up! I often learn the most when things don’t work out quite as I had planned! So, don’t be afraid to try things and take a winding trail if needed to meet your learning goals. But what if you mess up, and get really stuck? Now it might be time to look over your cube wall to your colleague! See how far they are in the program, and whether they may have the same problem. And, if you get really stuck, you can always email us at minn23@gmail.com. When you get yourself out of the ditch, be sure to post about your struggle, as you may very well help someone else out as they read your blog post!
Reminder: 23 Mobile Things is open to all staff in Minnesota libraries, as well as their Boards & Friends. It may be helpful to find a group to connect with via your blogs or in person to provide mutual support & encouragement. You can see all of the registered blogs in a region by clicking on a region’s name in the sidebar of the site. Here are those who have registered in CMLE . Tip: See what people are saying on Twitter about 23 Mobile Things by following the hashtag #23ThingsMN and join the conversation.
Registration runs through Feb 15 and the program ends Jun 15. We estimate that it takes about an hour per app to do the program, so whether you are doing it on “library time” or on your own time, plan to spend about 25-30 hours over the course of the 6 months.
If you are undecided about the program, read the Welcome & the FAQs to get a sense of what’s ahead. Then fire up your device, register, & get appy!
Adapted from a recent post by Metronet, the Twin Cities multitype library system.
MN Library Legislative Update
**This legislative update was written by Elaine Keefe, library lobbyist for the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) /MEMO**
Subject: Governor’s Capital Budget Recommendations, Wednesday, 01/15/14 at 1:54 pm
Today Governor Dayton released his capital budget recommendations. He did not include any funding for Library Accessibility and Improvement Grants in his recommendations. While this is disappointing, it is not a complete surprise. Since the inception of the program in 1994, no governor has included funding for it in his capital budget recommendations, and yet we have consistently been able to persuade the Legislature to include funding in the final bonding bill.
Commissioner of Management and Budget Jim Schowalter noted in his transmittal letter to legislative leaders that competition for funding was fierce. While the Governor is recommending a total of $986 million in capital projects, more than $2.9 billion in requests were submitted.
The only academic library project included in the Governor’s recommendation is on the Wadena campus of Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls and Wadena. It states that “renovations will combine classroom and new library space on the Wadena campus.”
You can see the entire list of recommendations on the MMB website: http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/critical.html
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Subject: Pre-Filed Bills, Wed 01/15/14 at 3:45 PM
Although the Legislature doesn’t convene until February 25, members of the House were given the opportunity to pre-file bills for introduction. The list was made public last night. Here are bills of interest:
HF 1923 (Newton) Repeals all state aid to nonpublic schools, including telecommunications equity aid.
HF 1978 (Scott) Makes a contract between a government entity and a private vendor unenforceable if it fails to include in the contract a requirement that all of the data created, collected, received, stored, used, maintained or disseminated by the vendor must comply with all state data practices laws as if it were a government entity. It applies to contracts entered into on or after August 1, 2014.
HF 1997 (Gruenhagen) Repeals current exemptions from obscenity laws for public schools and postsecondary institutions. It leaves exemptions in place for public libraries, churches, museums, medical clinics, physicians, hospitals and government sponsored organizations.
HF 2120 (Holberg) Creates a Legislative Commission on Data Practices and Personal Data Privacy.
HF 2126 (Quam) Requires cities and counties to have written procedures for charging and collecting fees and to make those procedures available to the public.
HF 2138 (Holberg) Requires that by January 1, 2020, any database maintained by a government entity that contains private or confidential data must have the capacity, within each individual record, to track the identities of users who access the data, including the date and time the data were accessed and the purpose for which the access occurred.
Elaine Keefe
Capitol Hill Associates
525 Park Street, Suite 310
St. Paul, MN 55103
office 651-293-0229
cell 612-590-1244
elaine@capitolhillassoc.com
From the Director: Holiday Message
Happy holidays to all academic, public, special and K-12 school library staff in the twelve-county Central Minnesota region! We hope that everyone gets at least a little bit of downtime during this season to savor moments of peace and rest.
We have intentionally begun tapering off the “weightiness” of posts this week, as we remind ourselves of the importance of honoring traditions and times with family and friends. With that in mind, we will take a short break from the Weekly Review during the holidays, and will be back in January to shepherd members to the registration link for the 23 Mobile Things Program. It is invigorating to hear the buzz in the air about this free, self-paced, online learning opportunity, and we are looking forward to it!
As the wind begins to howl, and road conditions deteriorate, the face-to-face library events typically slow down if only for a little while! Stay warm, focus on refining your craft, and build big plans and dreams for the new year. We will be doing the same. CMLE staffers remain dedicated to providing quality support services to library staff in 319 libraries in Central Minnesota.
Peace~
Patricia
2013 Best Books: Self Help
I believe, one of the greatest abilities humans possess is the aptitude to continue to learn and grow from experiences. As the year comes to an end, and with a new one just beginning, this can be an opportunity to reflect on events from 2013. If you are in the process of searching for helpful resources, for yourself and/or your library, CMLE’s book list this week features the Best Books 2013: Self Help, by Library Journal (December 2013.) For additional books, click on the post from O (Oprah) Winter Reading by Leigh Newman, Don’t Go It Alone: 9 Books That Will Help You Clean Up Your Life. O’s book list inspires and encourage positive changes both personally and professionally.
Special note: According to Brandon Gaille (November 2013), a small business blogger for entrepreneurs, “The self improvement industry [which includes a variety of market segments] is estimated to be worth $11 billion in the United States alone.” Gaille surmised that the American self help book industry is estimated to be worth $776 million.