Tag Archives: State Library Service

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

State Library Updates: 3/16/16

MDE logo retrieved online 12/17/13..

TO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: March 16, 2016
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

Now Open – Two 2016 LSTA Grant Opportunities
State Library Services is pleased to announce two 2016 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) competitive grant opportunities.

2016 LSTA Competitive Grant 
An estimated $650,000 is available to fund grant projects that help to achieve Minnesota’s LSTA Five-Year Plan (2013-2017). Grant awards will support projects that address LSTA Goal One and one of its four subgoals. The overarching goal is to expand library services for learning and access to high-quality information resources for all Minnesotans.

2016 World’s Best Workforce Mini Grant
An estimated $35,000 is available to help libraries offer programs and services that address Goal 1.2 in the Minnesota LSTA Five-Year Plan (2013-2017) and the World’s Best Workforce legislation by improving library-based learning opportunities for children and young adults.

Applications for both opportunities are available on the Minnesota Department of Education’s Grants Management site.To learn more, visit the LSTA webpage, view the 2016 grant opportunities timeline and join us for a grant guidance webinar on Thursday, March 31, 2016, 1:30-2:30 p.m. or Tuesday, April 12, 2016, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Please contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) for more information.

Register Today for the Libraries Serving Youth Meetup
Join the nearly 40 other librarians who have already registered to attend this annual opportunity for school librarians and public librarians to meet, network and share ideas in a casual setting. We’ll meet at MDE in Roseville on Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get creative ideas, connect with like-minded professionals about issues important to you, and learn about diversity in children’s literature from Cathy Camper—author of the critically-acclaimed and fan-favorite graphic novel, Lowriders in Space. At the Meetup, you’ll also get a sneak peek at the sequel, Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, scheduled to hit bookstore and library shelves on July 5, 2016. Lunch is provided so register today to ensure we’ll have enough food. For more information, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Attend Regional Meetings to Strengthen Adult Learning Communities
Mark your calendar and plan to join colleagues from adult education, libraries and workforce development for Better Together, a full-day learning opportunity. The workshops are designed to increase our collective capacity to work together to improve adult literacy and workforce outcomes for Minnesotans.

At each session, you’ll hear promising practices for collaboration across organizations and learn about free resources that promote digital literacy and workforce skills. You’ll also have a chance to work with your local partners to develop a collaborative project.

April 29, 2016 – Roseville at Minnesota Department of Education
May 9, 2016 – Mankato at Country Inn and Suites
May 16, 2016 – Grand Rapids at Saw Mill Inn

Register today for the workshop nearest you. For more information, to request an accommodation, or to be included on a mailing list for future announcements, please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508).

Brush Up on Legal Reference Basics
The Minnesota Coalition of County Law Libraries (MCCLL) and the Minnesota State Law Library invite you to join your local law librarians to learn more about:

– Navigating the new Minnesota Judicial Branch webpage (court forms) and a look at the new State Law Library webpage
– Protecting yourself and diffusing difficult customers
– Making appropriate referrals and avoid unauthorized practice of law
– What is the Conciliation Court (small claims) experience really like?

The training will take place in the Plato Conference Room at 90 Plato Boulevard in Saint Paul on April 22, 2016 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. There is free on-site parking. For more information, please contact Mary Ellen Gallagher (952-891-7135).

Take Part in ESSA Planning
Beginning in April, MDE will hold weekly topic area meetings with stakeholder groups to delve deeper into ESSA requirements and opportunities for Minnesota. The calendar of these meetings will be posted soon to MDE’s ESSA webpage. MDE has posted an executive overview—in working draft form—of the legislation and its potential implications for Minnesota. Federal guidance should be released for public comment toward the end of May, and final regulations released in late October. Please refer to the ESSA timeline available on the MDE website for more information. Contact mde.essa@state.mn.us if you are interested in participating in topic area meetings or would like additional information.
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

MN State Library Updates 3/9/16

MDE logo retrieved online 12/17/13..

TO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: March 9, 2016
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

Libraries Serving Youth Meetup – Registration Now Open
Be part of this annual opportunity for school librarians and public librarians to meet, network and share ideas in a casual setting. Join your colleagues at MDE in Roseville on Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get creative ideas, connect with like-minded professionals about issues important to you, and learn about diversity in children’s literature from Cathy Camper, author of the critically acclaimed and fan favorite graphic novel, Lowriders in Space. At the Meetup, you’ll also get a sneak-peek at the sequel, Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, scheduled to hit bookstore and library shelves on July 5, 2016. Space is limited so register today! For more information, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Sustainable Building 2030 Training
Are you planning for a new building or for a substantial renovation? The Center for Sustainable Building Research is offering a series of three training sessions on Bridging from Design to Operations: Designing, Owning and Operating a High Performance Building. The sessions will focus on how to design and operate buildings that meet the B3 Sustainable Building 2030 (SB 2030) Energy Standard.

All Minnesota State bonded projects — new and substantially renovated — that started the Schematic Design Phase on or after August 1, 2009, are required to meet the SB 2030 energy standards. Read the guidelines. This requirement applies to Library Construction Grant projects.

The cost is $100 per session or $275 for the entire series of three classes which will take place on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus in April, May and June 2016. Find more information and register here to attend. 

Better Together Regional Meetings – Registration Now Open
Join colleagues from adult education, libraries and workforce development for a full-day workshop designed to increase our collective capacity to work together to improve adult literacy and workforce outcomes for Minnesotans. At each session, you’ll hear promising practices for collaboration across organizations and learn about free resources that promote digital literacy and workforce skills. You’ll also have a chance to work with your local partners to develop a collaborative project.

April 29, 2016 – Roseville at Minnesota Department of Education
May 9, 2016 – Mankato at Country Inn and Suites
May 16, 2016 – Grand Rapids at Saw Mill Inn

Register today for the workshop nearest you. For more information or to be included on a mailing list for future announcements, please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508).

Apply for a Summer Food Service Program Grant
Public libraries can help make sure kids have access to nutritious food when school is not in session. Limited access to free food programs, particularly during the summer, leaves many children hungry. Fewer than 15 percent of Minnesota kids who benefit from the free or reduced-price school lunch program have access to summer and afterschool food programs. Build your library’s capacity to help keep their bellies full through a summer food service grant from Second Harvest Heartland. Libraries located in Second Harvest Heartland’s service area are eligible to apply, and applications are accepted until May 2, 2016. For more information, please contact Second Harvest Heartland (651-403-6060). For more information about how your library can be a summer food site, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

90-Second Newbery Film Festival – That’s a Wrap for the 2015-16 Season!
The second annual Minnesota 90-Second Newbery Film Festival screening played to a full house on February 27 at Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central’s Pohlad Hall. 90-Second Newbery founder James Kennedy and co-host Minneapolis author Kelly Barnhill, lit up the stage with an uproarious opening number and comedy bits between the films. Each film told the story of a Newbery-winning book in 90 seconds or less (give or take) and was written, directed, acted, filmed and edited by kid filmmakers. Download the list of the many creative films submitted by Minnesota K-12 students.

If you’re inspired by this year’s movies, find out how you can participate next year by visiting the 90-Second Newbery website. Now’s a perfect time to get your students and community partners thinking about filming for next year. It’s a great project to promote media and digital literacy for kids in a creative, collaborative setting. If you started a movie but missed the entry deadline for this year’s festival screening, don’t give up. Finish your masterpiece and send it in. Mr. Kennedy accepts 90-Second Newbery films all year round. For more information, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Let Us Know How We’re Doing
Whether you’re a new subscriber to this listserv or have received more than you can count, please share your thoughts with us. We’d love to know if the information we include is helpful to you or if there’s more you’d like to know about. Please email Jen Verbrugge with comments and/or questions. Thank you!

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Leap into the new "public" face of eBooks Minnesota!

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ebooks minnesotaMinitex is pleased to announce the official public launch of Ebooks Minnesota. Peruse 2,500 titles in the collection at EbooksMN.org.

Ebooks MN is now available at elm4you.org and MnKnows.org. It will be available through MnLINK later in the year. You are encouraged to add it to your web pages at this time, with helpful “how to” information at EbooksMN.org/about.

Get more information including videos, tutorials, poster and bookmark order information, a feedback form, and information about publishers here.

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Update from State Library Services 2/29/16

mde logo

TO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: February 22, 2016
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

Learn How Your Library Can Feed Hungry Minds and Bodies This Summer–Webinar This Wednesday

Fewer than 15 percent of Minnesota kids who benefit from the free or reduced-price school lunch program have access to summer and afterschool food programs. Limited access to free food programs, particularly during the summer, leaves many children hungry. Public libraries can help make sure kids have access to nutritious food when school is not in session. Begin planning your summer 2016 participation by attending an informational webinar on February 24, 2016 at 11 a.m. Jenny Butcher, USDA Summer Food Service Program Coordinator at MDE, will share how you can get involved. There is no need to pre-register. Please join the WebEx meeting online (meeting number 594 625 833) or call in at 1-888-742-5095 (conference code 874 403 3672). Please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356) with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event. Note: MDE requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice in order to cancel a requested accommodation.

Everybody Get Supercharged–Learn How at This Week’s Webinar

Minnesota’s Supercharged Storytimes website is now archived and open for all Minnesota library staff to explore throughMarch 31, 2016. To learn more about this unique training resource, join our 30-minute introductory webinar on February 26, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. Jackie Blagsvedt will highlight for you the best of Minnesota’s Supercharged Storytimes online community. You may also join the webinar by phone at 1-888-742-5095 with conference code 132 628 9594. Please contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) with questions.

Experience the Creativity of Minnesota’s Kid Filmmakers

Please join us this weekend in celebrating Minnesota’s finest kid filmmakers! 90-Second Newbery Film Festival founder and middle grade author James Kennedy has chosen his favorite entries from Minnesota, and will share them at the second annual Minnesota screening on Saturday, February 27, 2016, in Pohlad Hall from 3-4:30 p.m. at Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central. Co-hosts of the event will be James Kennedy and Kelly Barnhill (Minneapolis author of The Witch’s Boy). On-site book sales will be provided by Addendum Books. Make your free reservation to attend the screening today.

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual nationwide video contest in which kid filmmakers make movies that creatively tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in ninety seconds or less. Making a film is a fun, creative and multi-faceted educational exercise that builds 21st century skills. Kids—with some help from an adult—cooperatively write, storyboard, produce, direct, costume, act, frame and edit their films. We are thrilled that 89 films were submitted by students from Minnesota this year. For more details about the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Register Today for the Libraries Serving Youth Meetup

Be part of this annual opportunity for school librarians and public librarians to meet, network and share ideas in a casual setting. Join your colleagues at MDE in Roseville on Saturday, April 16, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get creative ideas, connect with like-minded professionals about issues important to you, and learn about diversity in children’s literature from author Cathy Camper–the author of the critically-acclaimed and fan-favorite graphic novel, Lowriders in Space. At the Meetup, you’ll also get a sneak-peek at the sequel, Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, scheduled to hit bookstore and library shelves on July 5, 2016. Space is limited so register today! For more information, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Save the Date: Better Together – Strengthening Adult Learning Communities – Libraries, Adult Education and Workforce Regional Meetings

Mark your calendar and plan to join colleagues from adult education, libraries and workforce development for a full-day learning opportunity. The workshops are designed to increase our collective capacity to work together to improve adult literacy and workforce outcomes for Minnesotans.

At each session, you’ll hear promising practices for collaboration across organizations, learn about free resources that promote digital literacy and workforce skills, and have a chance to work with your local counterparts to develop a collaborative project.

April 29, 2016 – Roseville at Minnesota Department of Education
May 9, 2016 – Mankato at Country Inn and Suites
May 16, 2016 – Grand Rapids at Saw Mill Inn

For more information or to be included on a mailing list for future announcements, please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508).

Now Open for Business: The Public Library Report Survey 

We greatly appreciate the time and expertise library directors and filers put toward the completion of the annual public library report. All twelve regional library systems and 141 public libraries complete the survey, which is required by law. (That’s one sure way to get a 100% response rate!) It’s that time of year again, and the 2015 online survey is open now until April 1, 2016. Please contact Joe Manion (651-582-8640) with questions about the survey.

State Library Services has kept Minnesota public library annual reports published since 1899. Over the past hundred years the reports have demonstrated tremendous growth as well as persistent values.

Minnesota Public Libraries Then and Now

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

State Library Update 2/11/16

MDE logo retrieved online 12/17/13..TO: Minnesota Libraries
FROM: State Library Services
DATE: February 11, 2016
SUBJECT: Updates from State Library Services

We’re Hiring! Position Open at the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library
State Library Services is excited to announce that the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library is now hiring an Audio Visual Education Specialist. Based in Faribault, this new position will run the library’s volunteer-driven recording program, creating digital audio recordings for library patrons. Applications will be accepted through February 16. To access the job posting and apply online, visit Minnesota’s Online Job Application website and search for job opening ID #2799. For more information, please contact Catherine Durivage (507-384-6860).

Learn More about Supercharged Storytimes
Last fall, 80 Minnesotans participated in Supercharged Storytimes–a dynamic online early learning training program–sharing their experiences, challenges and triumphs in amping up their storytimes. The Supercharged Storytimes curriculum is now available to all through the end of March, and we’d like to invite you to join in the fun.

Please join Jackie Blagsvedt for a 30-minute webinar on February 26, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. when she’ll highlight the best from Minnesota’s Supercharged Storytimes online community. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can join the conversation by phone at 1-888-742-5095, conference code 132 628 9594.

Contact Jackie Blagsvedt (651-582-8805) with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event. Note: MDE requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice in order to cancel a requested accommodation.

Learn How Your Library Can Feed Hungry Kids
Fewer than 15 percent of Minnesota kids who benefit from the free or reduced-price school lunch program have access to summer and afterschool food programs. Limited access to free food programs, particularly during the summer, leaves many children hungry. Public libraries can help make sure kids have access to nutritious food when school is not in session. Begin planning your summer 2016 participation by attending an informational webinar on February 24, 2016 at 11 a.m. Jenny Butcher, USDA Summer Food Service Program Coordinator at MDE, will share how you can get involved. There is no need to pre-register. Please join the WebEx meeting online (meeting number 594 625 833) or call in at 1-888-742-5095 (conference code 874 403 3672). Please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356) with questions or to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event. Note: MDE requires a two-week advance notice in order to provide the requested accommodation and requires a 48-hour notice in order to cancel a requested accommodation.

Save the Date: Better Together – Strengthening Adult Learning Communities – Libraries, Adult Education & Workforce Regional Meetings
Mark your calendar and plan to join colleagues from adult education, libraries and workforce development for a full-day learning opportunity. The workshops are designed to increase our collective capacity to work together to improve adult literacy and workforce outcomes for Minnesotans.

At each session, you’ll hear promising practices for collaboration across organizations, learn about free resources that promote digital literacy and workforce skills, and have a chance to work with your local counterparts to develop a collaborative project.

April 29, 2016 – Roseville at Minnesota Department of Education
May 9, 2016 – Mankato at Country Inn and Suites
May 16, 2016 – Grand Rapids at Saw Mill Inn

For more information or to be included on a mailing list for future announcements, please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508).