Tag Archives: public libraries

Check it Out:, Public

If You Enjoy Local Music, Check Out MNSpin!

Minnesota libraries are always doing such amazing work, and the Hennepin County Library system is no exception! They recently added over 90 new albums to their FREE online streaming platform MNSpin. That means if you’re looking for local music to keep you company while wrapping gifts, cooking, or just enjoying the holidays, MNSpin has you covered! Below is an excerpt from the article and you can read the whole thing and watch the video here.

“MNspin, the online music service with the Hennepin County Library, has released it’s 2020 collection. That means there are 92 additional albums by local artists and also means the platform now has more than 300 albums. Local artists include Nur-D, The Bad Man, Kiss the Tiger, Mary Bue and more.”

Visit their site to find out more!

Advocacy, Public

September is Library Card Sign-up Month!

It’s Library Card Sign-Up Month! As library people, we probably know most of the wonderful benefits of having a library card, but not everyone is aware of all the great things that become available with a library card!

Library Card Sign Up Month began in 1988. For more about the event’s history, read a thoroughly-detailed accounting in the August 24, 2015 entry at the American Library Association Archives Blog, A Library Card for Every Child: Library Card Sign-Up Month, by Cara Bertram. Then follow this link to view the American Libraries Association Council Resolution that started Library Card Sign Up Month.

ALA has some great resources you can use this month, including this press kit that has resources like this downloadable pdf containing twenty quotable facts about libraries. And I Love Libraries.org has this great list of ways to celebrate Library Card Sign Up Month!

Finally, watch and share this short video from Overdrive that details all the benefits of having a library card:

Children's services, Programs, Tech

ALA, Google Seek Libraries to Apply for Coding Pilot this Summer

Month of Military Child 150425-Z-CH590-276

(From School Library Journal)

“Is your library ready to code? The American Library Association (ALA) and Google want you. As part of Phase III of the Libraries Ready to Code initiative, ALA and Google are forming a cohort of 25-50 school and public libraries, which will receive resources and support to create youth coding programs to serve their communities. In turn, participating libraries will help inform the creation of a toolkit to be used to inform coding programs at libraries nationwide.

The $500,000 initiative—announced at Google Chicago June 22, during ALA’s annual conference—will involve a competitive application process set to open in mid-July and run until the end of August 2017. Both school and public libraries are encouraged to apply, according to Marijke Visser, associate director of ALA’s Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP).

Continue reading ALA, Google Seek Libraries to Apply for Coding Pilot this Summer →

Advocacy, Programs, Public

How public libraries help build healthy communities

People icon(Article from Brookings.edu, By Marcela Cabello and Stuart M Butler)

“In a previous blog post, we’ve noted the importance of “third places” in strengthening communities – meaning those places that are neither one’s home (first place) nor workspace (second place). A range of such third places, from churches to beauty salons, play an important role in community building. They are the informal spaces that are often mainstays in a neighborhood, places where both random and intentional in-person relationships are made.

Several things are necessary for a particular place to play this role. Location and accessibility are important, of course. But so are trust and a sense of neutrality; they are usually the keys to success, whether the place is a house of worship, a family-owned diner, or a barbershop.

As the earlier piece explained, public spaces and buildings can become important and successful third places. And one particularly interesting, emerging and important example is the public library.
Continue reading How public libraries help build healthy communities →

CMLE, Public, Visits

Visiting the Royalton Public Library

It is always fun to visit libraries, and of course this one was no exception!

This is a very neat location; it is multi-use, headquartering not only the library but also the police station and a local museum. These kinds of buildings are fun to visit, and it’s always interesting to see how the organizations can cooperate together!

This Children’s department has a great design. There are a lot of fun books, lots of colors and shapes to see, and it is a clearly defined area for kids to enjoy while parents and guardians browse nearby in easy sight.

And check out this very cool activity center! Kids can come in the library, and immediately head to a place where a variety of fun things will be available for them to play with in the library. (Okay, yes – I played with a few things too. Look how fun this is!) Continue reading Visiting the Royalton Public Library →