Tag Archives: Minnesota

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

MNLibLeg: Libraries in Bonding Bill and Update!

This CMLE Update has been provided by Mark Ranum, MLA Legislative Chair

Alice Hausman, Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, asked last week about a library request for the bonding bill being proposed this year.  We have submitted a request for $3M for the public library construction and accessibility grant program.  It’s HF1501 http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/bills/billnum.asp?billnumber=hf1501

All library bills we are pursuing as a part of the library platform have now been introduced.  The other bills are listed below.

2013 Library Legislative Platform Issues Status: Bills, Authors, and Committees

1. Fund Regional Public Library Basic System Support.

  • SF453    Wiger
  • HF630   Marquart

2. Fund Multicounty, Multitype Regional Library System Support.

  • SF453    Wiger
  • HF630   Marquart

3. Fund Telecommunications Equity Aid and Regional Library Telecommunications Aid.

  • SF453    Wiger
  • HF630   Marquart

4. Fund Minitex at $5,631,000 each year of the biennium.

  • SF995     Eken, Clausen
  • HF1150   Winkler, Nornes, Brynaert

5. Fund MnLINK at $400,000 each year of the biennium.

  • SF995     Eken, Clausen
  • HF1150    Winkler, Nornes, Brynaert

6. Fund Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) at current levels each year of the biennium

  • SF781      Hoffman, Johnson, Stumpf, Jensen, Nelson
  • HF1145   Brynaert, S. Erickson

7.  Dedicate the entire proceeds of the Permanent School Fund for school technology and library media resources to support Common Core Standards and other initiatives.

  • No action.  Lack of support from the Governor and House/Senate Leadership.

8.  Appropriate $750,000 in the first year and $600,000 in the second year of the biennium to subscribe, implement, and promote free, online homework help for all MN students.

  • SF781       Hoffman, Johnson, Stumpf, Jensen, Nelson
  • HF1145    Brynaert, S. Erickson

9.  Change the Regional Public Library Legacy funding formula by replacing the equalization factor in the formula with a “qualifying system entities” factor.

  • Elaine Keefe and Mark Ranum are working to include this in the appropriation language.
  • No specific lobbying effort is required at this time on this specific issue.

10. Fund Regional Public Library Legacy initiatives at $4,250,000 for each year of the biennium from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

  • No bill number.  The process to request funds does not require a bill.
  • We have testified in the House Legacy Committee on our request.  The Senate Legacy Committee has not met to hear requests from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

11.  Fund the Minnesota Digital Library at $750,000 to expand into a statewide digital preservation initiative from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

  • No bill number.  The process to request funds does not require a bill.

12.  Add data privacy protection for electronic materials and services to MS13.40.

  • SF745      Diedzic, Latz, Nelson
  • HF695     Simon

Mark Ranum, Director
Plum Creek Library System
Box 697
290 S. Lake Street
Worthington, MN 56187
507.376.5803 ext. 1 (office)
612.701.9989 (cell)
mranum@plumcreeklibrary.net

There will also be a Senate companion to HF 1501.  Sen. Alice Johnson has signed on as our chief author.  I hope to get it introduced on Monday. 
Elaine Keefe, Capitol Hill Associates
 
Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Register for the 2013 Technology and Communication Conference!

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Sponsored by MAP for Nonprofits & Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

Whether you consider yourself an early adopter — or you tend to pick up newer trends more cautiously — the 2013 Technology and Communication Conference is the place for you!

This conference is sure to help anyone stay (or get) up to speed with today’s tools and trends with an eye to the future of mobile marketing, cloud computing and much more. The event will be held in Minneapolis on Wednesday, April 10th early morning breakout sessions begin at 7:30 a.m..  Click here to read more=>

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Two Opportunities to Meet the Minnesota Book Awards Finalists!

MNbookawards-smAre you curious about who our state’s top authors are?  Here are two opportunities to meet the Minnesota Book Awards finalists!

First, consider attending the Meet the Finalists event sponsored by Minnesota Book Awards.  This is a free event in which all the available 2013 finalist authors will gather to share their work. In addition, copies of their books will be for sale by Magers & Quinn. Take this opportunity to have your book(s) personally signed!

      Friday, March 15 at Open Book
      1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis beginning at 7:00 p.m.
      This event includes a reception with wine and refreshments following the program.

Second, 2013 marks the silver anniversary of the Minnesota Book Awards Gala honoring the finalists. Awards will be presented to the winner in each of the eight book categories as well as the Kay Sexton Award and Book Artist Award. Renowned writer and comedienne, Lorna Landvik, will emcee the evening with her quick humor and wit and passion for all things bookish. Purchase your tickets today!

     Saturday, April 13 at the Hilton Minneapolis
      7:00 p.m.  Opening reception. Meet the finalists, book sales and signings, and cash bar
      8:00 p.m.  Awards ceremony. Wine and refreshments, celebrity presenters, and more
      9:30 p.m.  Epilogue Celebration with champagne, desserts, live music with Reina del Cid and the Cidizens

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Congratulations Paul Beckermann, Dassel-Cokato Schools!

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Paul Beckermann
Media & Digital Learning Specialist

We’ve Learned that CMLE member Dassel-Cokato Schools (ISD#466) is recognizing Paul Beckermann, Media and Digital Learning Specialist, who has been selected as a semifinalist in the 2013 Minnesota Teacher of the Year program!

This annual program honors excellence among Minnesota educators. Now in its 48th year, it is the oldest and most prestigious recognition program for the State. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year represents the profession as an advocate for education and spokesperson for teachers. The program chooses one teacher to represent Minnesota’s thousands of excellent educators. To learn more, go to Education Minnesota‘s website!

Congratulations to Paul!

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Librarians/Media Specialists and the Common Core

An article from Education Week titled Common Core Thrusts Librarians into Leadership Role is getting a lot of press and discussion lately in libraryland … and beyond. The article highlights the important role media specialists can (and should) play as their schools usher in this new phase in education. Namely, media specialists must be prepared to provide the necessary resources and learning opportunities for implementing the Common Core State Standards in their schools. The argument is that librarians/media specialists are natural “inquiry-based” teachers and practitioners, and are perfectly suited to model this way of thinking to other professionals as well as students. Additionally, the article highlights some of the ways libraries of all types are  impacted by the Common Core State Standards.

What impact do you see the Common Core State Standards having on your school and in your media center programming? Currently, Minnesota has only adopted the Common Core English Language Arts standards as a base, and has not adopted the Mathematics standards in any way. Since Minnesota has not adopted the Common Core Mathematics standards (citing our state’s superior standards and high testing performance for math), how might this separation or distinction from other states impact math education in the state? On the other hand, Minnesota has adopted the English Language Arts standards as a base, so how are you preparing for those standards in your schools? How are you taking part in this conversation, and what role are you playing in your school?

Additional information for those in the know! At this time, the NGA [National Governors Association] Center and CCSSO [Council of Chief State School Officers] will not be developing standards in other subjects and are focusing on implementing the standards in ELA and mathematics. However, other groups are working on standards in the arts, world languages, and science. To find out more, visit the section titled Why are the Common Core State Standards for just English-language arts and math? at www.corestandards.org/frequently-asked-questions.

Visit www.corestandards.org/ to learn more general information about the Common Core. Also, for a refresher on Minnesota’s K-12 Academic Standards checkout http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/StanCurri/K-12AcademicStandards/.