From Laurie Slattengren of Duluth Public Library:
I attended the Minnesota Library Association conference on Thursday, October 13, 2011. During the day I was able to attend three workshop sessions, one keynote address and spend time looking at the vendors. The first session I attended was “Empowering Older Adults: Research-based Training for Web Information and Access.” I chose this topic because I currently teach computer classes for an audience that is largely comprised of older adults or seniors. I was hoping to get tips to use in my work with older adults but the presentation focused more on research the presenters had done on the topic than on practical advice.
While I did find some of the information interesting and helpful in my work with older adults, I have been able to find the most value from the resources that are available online through the presenter’s presentation. These include outlines for teaching classes on computer basics, email and Internet, which are three topics I currently teach to the public. These resources will be helpful in further developing the classes I teach.
Next, I attended the panel session on the popular topic of ebooks. I also teach sessions at our library on this topic and I was interested in hearing about how other libraries in Minnesota are dealing with this trend. The panel consisted of several library professionals from around the state giving their opinions and experiences with ebooks in libraries.
The last session I attended was called “Things in a Flash: The Latest web 2.0 Tools.” I found this presentation to be the most interesting and I have already started using some of the featured programs in my life. Some of the programs we learned about are good for productivity (Evernote) while others are just fun (Get Glue). I found it interesting to see how library’s can have a presence on Foursquare (a location application where people can check in to a place on a website) and I now have a better idea of how a library can take advantage of a program like this.
Friday, October 28, 2011
MLA Conference Report #10
From Linda Rau of Duluth Public Library:
Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery
Presenters: Chad Lubbers, Washington County Library
Jennifer Peterson, Community Manager, WebJunction
Jennifer explained the program that has been developed by WebJunction to help libraries serve patrons who are unemployed and looking for jobs. She cited a couple of websites where webinars can be watched at no cost to train Minnesota library staff. WebJunction provides tools for libraries to understand basic needs of job seekers.
Chad Lubbers talked about Washington County Library’s program and stressed that collaboration and partnership with businesses and agencies made their program successful. Their target audience was job seekers and people who want to start small businesses. They also developed a program that provided legal resources for people who were going into foreclosure on their homes.
Engagement through Games: Reaching Library Users through Playful Ways Presenter: Dr. Scott Nicholson
Scott explained how games can be used to connect people across generations & cultures and create shared experiences. He talked about games that are free or do not cost a lot of money for libraries. Games at libraries can attract people who are not currently users.
E-books: What’s All the Excitement About?
Presenters: Rita Baladad, Melissa Gray, Brian Kraft, Michele McGraw, Amy Springer
This session on E-Books was very interesting as it included discussion on e-books in both public and academic libraries. This is still a new format to most libraries, and how it will fit into the collection, and how statistics will be collected is still a topic for discussion. Most of the talk centered on Overdrive.
Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery
Presenters: Chad Lubbers, Washington County Library
Jennifer Peterson, Community Manager, WebJunction
Jennifer explained the program that has been developed by WebJunction to help libraries serve patrons who are unemployed and looking for jobs. She cited a couple of websites where webinars can be watched at no cost to train Minnesota library staff. WebJunction provides tools for libraries to understand basic needs of job seekers.
Chad Lubbers talked about Washington County Library’s program and stressed that collaboration and partnership with businesses and agencies made their program successful. Their target audience was job seekers and people who want to start small businesses. They also developed a program that provided legal resources for people who were going into foreclosure on their homes.
Engagement through Games: Reaching Library Users through Playful Ways Presenter: Dr. Scott Nicholson
Scott explained how games can be used to connect people across generations & cultures and create shared experiences. He talked about games that are free or do not cost a lot of money for libraries. Games at libraries can attract people who are not currently users.
E-books: What’s All the Excitement About?
Presenters: Rita Baladad, Melissa Gray, Brian Kraft, Michele McGraw, Amy Springer
This session on E-Books was very interesting as it included discussion on e-books in both public and academic libraries. This is still a new format to most libraries, and how it will fit into the collection, and how statistics will be collected is still a topic for discussion. Most of the talk centered on Overdrive.
MLA Conference Report #9
From Kim Lindberg of Duluth Public Library:
I attended the Thursday October 13th session of the 2011 Minnesota Library Association Conference. I took advantage of four programs: 40 in 60, Engagement through Games, Children of Incarcerated Parents, and The Customer is Always Right. The programs were informative, insightful, and fun.
I was looking forward to the 8:00 AM seminar, Merchandising Matters, but unfortunately the presenter was unable to attend and the session was canceled. Instead I choose 40 in 60: Great Books for Kids and Teens, another early session. This session featured 40 youth and young adult recommended titles in 60 minutes. The presenters were both enthusiastic and well informed. We were given nice handouts with plenty of room for notes and comments. The books covered a broad spectrum from book club suggestions to gritty young adult novels and lavish non-fiction books. I found that our library has most of the titles and I will be sure to recommend these books to our patrons.
The dessert keynote, Engagement through Games, followed an informal lunch. The desserts were fantastic and the presentation was fascinating. We learned how games have been used in libraries for years to attract patrons. Especially interesting to me was the fact that circulating toy collections began in the Great Depression. We collectively played a game that involved imaginative storytelling. It was a relaxing and regenerative way to kick off the afternoon sessions.
I was going to attend the E-book session at 1:00 PM, but since most of my colleagues were already going to that session we decided to split up and then share information. Instead I went to Children of Incarcerated Parents. This was a very informative but somewhat somber presentation. Prison populations have risen dramatically in recent years and the children of incarcerated parents face many obstacles, for example, increased risk for school failure, substance abuse, and adult incarceration themselves. Libraries can provide a valuable community service on both a public and personal level with programming for children and their parents and caregivers. The presenter shared some suggested titles and encouraged collaboration between libraries and corrective facilities.
The last session I attended was The Customer is Always Right. This session examined new trends in library design and showcased the Roseville Library. Recent library design trends encourage flexibility; furniture and shelves that can be rearranged, electrical outlets built into the floor, and neutral color schemes. Additionally, new library designs favor environmentally friendly multi-use facilities. Library patrons are also changing. These patrons want library services that are “now/fast/personalized”. The renovated Roseville Library really tried to balance the needs of the community, patron suggestions, and the changing library customer. The Roseville library has an open first floor plan with plenty of computers, a convenient grab-your-hold and go, and a spacious children’s area. The first floor is “where the action is”. The second floor holds the adult fiction and non-fiction books and study rooms and is a quieter space for patrons. Interestingly, this session had quite a few more men in attendance than the other two presentations. This session had a sophisticated vibe and was a lovely end to a thought-provoking day.
In conclusion, I just had a great time. Additionally, I learned many new things and connected with a wide variety of colleagues. I have already shared the booklist from the first session with a patron and talked to my co-workers about the Roseville Library. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend the MLA conference.
I attended the Thursday October 13th session of the 2011 Minnesota Library Association Conference. I took advantage of four programs: 40 in 60, Engagement through Games, Children of Incarcerated Parents, and The Customer is Always Right. The programs were informative, insightful, and fun.
I was looking forward to the 8:00 AM seminar, Merchandising Matters, but unfortunately the presenter was unable to attend and the session was canceled. Instead I choose 40 in 60: Great Books for Kids and Teens, another early session. This session featured 40 youth and young adult recommended titles in 60 minutes. The presenters were both enthusiastic and well informed. We were given nice handouts with plenty of room for notes and comments. The books covered a broad spectrum from book club suggestions to gritty young adult novels and lavish non-fiction books. I found that our library has most of the titles and I will be sure to recommend these books to our patrons.
The dessert keynote, Engagement through Games, followed an informal lunch. The desserts were fantastic and the presentation was fascinating. We learned how games have been used in libraries for years to attract patrons. Especially interesting to me was the fact that circulating toy collections began in the Great Depression. We collectively played a game that involved imaginative storytelling. It was a relaxing and regenerative way to kick off the afternoon sessions.
I was going to attend the E-book session at 1:00 PM, but since most of my colleagues were already going to that session we decided to split up and then share information. Instead I went to Children of Incarcerated Parents. This was a very informative but somewhat somber presentation. Prison populations have risen dramatically in recent years and the children of incarcerated parents face many obstacles, for example, increased risk for school failure, substance abuse, and adult incarceration themselves. Libraries can provide a valuable community service on both a public and personal level with programming for children and their parents and caregivers. The presenter shared some suggested titles and encouraged collaboration between libraries and corrective facilities.
The last session I attended was The Customer is Always Right. This session examined new trends in library design and showcased the Roseville Library. Recent library design trends encourage flexibility; furniture and shelves that can be rearranged, electrical outlets built into the floor, and neutral color schemes. Additionally, new library designs favor environmentally friendly multi-use facilities. Library patrons are also changing. These patrons want library services that are “now/fast/personalized”. The renovated Roseville Library really tried to balance the needs of the community, patron suggestions, and the changing library customer. The Roseville library has an open first floor plan with plenty of computers, a convenient grab-your-hold and go, and a spacious children’s area. The first floor is “where the action is”. The second floor holds the adult fiction and non-fiction books and study rooms and is a quieter space for patrons. Interestingly, this session had quite a few more men in attendance than the other two presentations. This session had a sophisticated vibe and was a lovely end to a thought-provoking day.
In conclusion, I just had a great time. Additionally, I learned many new things and connected with a wide variety of colleagues. I have already shared the booklist from the first session with a patron and talked to my co-workers about the Roseville Library. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend the MLA conference.
MLA Conference Report #8
From Julie Levang of Duluth Public Library:
I was able to attend MLA all three days, thanks to the NCLC scholarship. These are the sessions that I went to:
Why Should We Use Social Media to Promote the Library? - Presentation by Rochester Public Library about different ways they use social media tools in their library. Lots of good tips about ways we could be using free social media tools at DPL.
Libraries in the Cloud - Another presentation by Rochester Public Library staff, that provided a good introduction to what cloud technology means, and ideas about how libraries can make use of it. Some cloud-based technologies discussed included Google Docs, Office 365, Zoho, Gliffy, Dropbox, Spotify, Pandora, Picassa, Flickr, and ChiliFresh.
Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery – Presenters from WebJunction and Washington County Library talked about libraries that have successfully implemented programs and services that target patron’s workforce recovery needs, and how they went about it. They discussed ways that library staff can utilize existing resources, and also how to develop beneficial partnerships. A copy of the publication Project Compass Workforce Recovery Workshops, was given to everyone attending the session.
E-Books : What’s all the EXCITEMENT About? – An overview of the growing role e-books are playing in libraries, given by librarians from a mix of libraries from around the state. Each presenter talked about e-books in their library, including how usage has grown, problems, and tips and recommendations. It was interesting to learn that we made Overdrive available to our patrons ahead of many libraries in the cities.
Things in a Flash : The Latest Web 2.0 Tools – A quick overview of new Web 2.0 tools, presented by staff members from a variety of libraries. Each talked about their favorites, and ways that they can be used in libraries. Topics included QR Codes, Get Glue, WunderList, Everynote, Google API’s, PB Works, Google Groups, and FourSquare,
Minnesota Library Futures Initiative – Background information about the formation of the Minnesota Library Futures in October 2010, and a report on their progress thus far. We broke up into small groups, and brainstormed about what the future of libraries might look like, and ways that libraries might want to respond to the changes.
I was able to attend MLA all three days, thanks to the NCLC scholarship. These are the sessions that I went to:
Why Should We Use Social Media to Promote the Library? - Presentation by Rochester Public Library about different ways they use social media tools in their library. Lots of good tips about ways we could be using free social media tools at DPL.
Libraries in the Cloud - Another presentation by Rochester Public Library staff, that provided a good introduction to what cloud technology means, and ideas about how libraries can make use of it. Some cloud-based technologies discussed included Google Docs, Office 365, Zoho, Gliffy, Dropbox, Spotify, Pandora, Picassa, Flickr, and ChiliFresh.
Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery – Presenters from WebJunction and Washington County Library talked about libraries that have successfully implemented programs and services that target patron’s workforce recovery needs, and how they went about it. They discussed ways that library staff can utilize existing resources, and also how to develop beneficial partnerships. A copy of the publication Project Compass Workforce Recovery Workshops, was given to everyone attending the session.
E-Books : What’s all the EXCITEMENT About? – An overview of the growing role e-books are playing in libraries, given by librarians from a mix of libraries from around the state. Each presenter talked about e-books in their library, including how usage has grown, problems, and tips and recommendations. It was interesting to learn that we made Overdrive available to our patrons ahead of many libraries in the cities.
Things in a Flash : The Latest Web 2.0 Tools – A quick overview of new Web 2.0 tools, presented by staff members from a variety of libraries. Each talked about their favorites, and ways that they can be used in libraries. Topics included QR Codes, Get Glue, WunderList, Everynote, Google API’s, PB Works, Google Groups, and FourSquare,
Minnesota Library Futures Initiative – Background information about the formation of the Minnesota Library Futures in October 2010, and a report on their progress thus far. We broke up into small groups, and brainstormed about what the future of libraries might look like, and ways that libraries might want to respond to the changes.
MLA Scholarship Report #7
From Cynthia Gronroos Of Duluth Public Library:
I attended three sessions at the MLA Conference on Oct. 13, 2011. I also attended the Dessert Keynote Session. The sessions I attended were informative and educational.. I attended 40 in 60: Great Books for Kids and Teens, Children of Incarcerated Parents: Who’s Counting and Why We Care?, and One Book, One Conference: The Stormchasers.
40 Books in 60: Great Books for Kids and Teens
The three booktalkers were well informed about their materials. They kept the interest of the audience with their enthusiasm, even the “just for fun” non-fiction books. They were entertaining as well being educational. I enjoyed the session because of the light-hearted way the booktalkers presented themselves. If the youth Librarians can be this enthusiast doing their job, they could inspire many young readers to enjoy most books, even the ones that they have no interest in. Now I understand why story time is so important, because different type of books are presented opening children’s minds to new types of books. I was pleased to find our library carries most of the books discussed in this session. I was going to attend another, but it was cancelled, I was glad I went to this one.
Children of Incarcerated Parents: Who’s Counting and Why We Should Care?
Rebecca Shlafer informed the audience with the shocking news of the number of children who have parents who are incarcerated in Minnesota totals 10,000 to 15, 000. The number of fathers who are prisoners total 4604, and the mothers who are prisoners total 374. The children of these prisoners are at risk of poor academics, internal behavior problems, external behavior problems, substance abuse and chance of adult incarceration themselves. These children face a difference of housing, 10% are homeless. Parents who are at home have financial difficulties, most make less that $2000 a month.
Ms Shlafer did comment on the education of the prisoners. She claimed that 68% of the population did not graduate from high school. I would have liked if she would have talked more on the subject. I researched the illiteracy of prisoners and it showed that 70% of the prisoners do not read above the fourth grade level. Illiteracy is one source of why some of these prisoners are there. I would have liked that she stressed the children of the incarcerated need to have access to books and education or they could follow in their parents footsteps. Without an education the children’s future looks dim.
She did inform us of two books that she thought were good for the children to read about the family and the parent when the other parent is incarcerated. The books were “Visiting Day” and “Nine Candles”.
Because of confidentially it is very difficult to reach out to these children. She had no clear way to find these children and to get these children to the library and to storytime.
The best advice she gave was “give a child a book and they will read”. I left the session feeling frustrated and helpless. I feel the Librarians and the staff should encourage children to read, suggest to join a children’s book club and maybe with luck one the children who joins the group will be a child of a incarcerated parent wanting to read and educate themselves.
One Book, One Conference: The Stormchasers
Jenna Blum, the author of The Stormchasers was the presenter of this session. As a child she would watch her father at work. He was a writer for numerous television stations and celebrities. She learned by watching him that she would like to write also.
At age four she was staying with her grandparents in Southern Minnesota when she witnessed her first tornado. She loved the excitement that surrounded the storm. She watched the television show The Stormchasers and loved it. She began working with the program and follows the storms whenever she gets a chance. Her writing skills and the love of the storms lead her to write her second book The Stormchasers. She talked of the pressure of meeting a deadline, of having to locked herself in her own house and do nothing but write. She said you either love or hate your agent and publisher. She would have to rewrite parts of her book because of her agents’ or publisher’s input. She expressed to write a book your have to know your subject, research it and enjoy it.
I was happy to know our library has both of her books, Those Who Save Us and The Stormchasers.
I enjoyed going to the MLA Conference. The sessions were interesting and educational. Even though I was feeling helpless after the one session, I still learned a lesson. To be a friendly face and be patient with others may encourage someone to come back to the library.
I attended three sessions at the MLA Conference on Oct. 13, 2011. I also attended the Dessert Keynote Session. The sessions I attended were informative and educational.. I attended 40 in 60: Great Books for Kids and Teens, Children of Incarcerated Parents: Who’s Counting and Why We Care?, and One Book, One Conference: The Stormchasers.
40 Books in 60: Great Books for Kids and Teens
The three booktalkers were well informed about their materials. They kept the interest of the audience with their enthusiasm, even the “just for fun” non-fiction books. They were entertaining as well being educational. I enjoyed the session because of the light-hearted way the booktalkers presented themselves. If the youth Librarians can be this enthusiast doing their job, they could inspire many young readers to enjoy most books, even the ones that they have no interest in. Now I understand why story time is so important, because different type of books are presented opening children’s minds to new types of books. I was pleased to find our library carries most of the books discussed in this session. I was going to attend another, but it was cancelled, I was glad I went to this one.
Children of Incarcerated Parents: Who’s Counting and Why We Should Care?
Rebecca Shlafer informed the audience with the shocking news of the number of children who have parents who are incarcerated in Minnesota totals 10,000 to 15, 000. The number of fathers who are prisoners total 4604, and the mothers who are prisoners total 374. The children of these prisoners are at risk of poor academics, internal behavior problems, external behavior problems, substance abuse and chance of adult incarceration themselves. These children face a difference of housing, 10% are homeless. Parents who are at home have financial difficulties, most make less that $2000 a month.
Ms Shlafer did comment on the education of the prisoners. She claimed that 68% of the population did not graduate from high school. I would have liked if she would have talked more on the subject. I researched the illiteracy of prisoners and it showed that 70% of the prisoners do not read above the fourth grade level. Illiteracy is one source of why some of these prisoners are there. I would have liked that she stressed the children of the incarcerated need to have access to books and education or they could follow in their parents footsteps. Without an education the children’s future looks dim.
She did inform us of two books that she thought were good for the children to read about the family and the parent when the other parent is incarcerated. The books were “Visiting Day” and “Nine Candles”.
Because of confidentially it is very difficult to reach out to these children. She had no clear way to find these children and to get these children to the library and to storytime.
The best advice she gave was “give a child a book and they will read”. I left the session feeling frustrated and helpless. I feel the Librarians and the staff should encourage children to read, suggest to join a children’s book club and maybe with luck one the children who joins the group will be a child of a incarcerated parent wanting to read and educate themselves.
One Book, One Conference: The Stormchasers
Jenna Blum, the author of The Stormchasers was the presenter of this session. As a child she would watch her father at work. He was a writer for numerous television stations and celebrities. She learned by watching him that she would like to write also.
At age four she was staying with her grandparents in Southern Minnesota when she witnessed her first tornado. She loved the excitement that surrounded the storm. She watched the television show The Stormchasers and loved it. She began working with the program and follows the storms whenever she gets a chance. Her writing skills and the love of the storms lead her to write her second book The Stormchasers. She talked of the pressure of meeting a deadline, of having to locked herself in her own house and do nothing but write. She said you either love or hate your agent and publisher. She would have to rewrite parts of her book because of her agents’ or publisher’s input. She expressed to write a book your have to know your subject, research it and enjoy it.
I was happy to know our library has both of her books, Those Who Save Us and The Stormchasers.
I enjoyed going to the MLA Conference. The sessions were interesting and educational. Even though I was feeling helpless after the one session, I still learned a lesson. To be a friendly face and be patient with others may encourage someone to come back to the library.
MLA Scholarship Report #6
From Kathy Bushey of the Duluth Public Library:
I attended six of the sessions offered at MLA this year:
-If You Encourage Them They Will Come – Strategies for Building eBook circulation
-Summer Reading Programs: Rethink, Retool, Refresh
-To Boldly Go: Fantastical Journeys through Science Fiction Advisory
-Ebooks: What’s All the Excitement About?
-The Customer is Always Right: Trends in Library Design
-50 in 60 Book Blast
I attended sessions that I thought would be useful to me at DPL. I work in Fiction and Media and I thought they dealt with a lot of topics that libraries, including DPL, are confronting. The two sessions on eBooks had some really good information about this format, including who uses it and what they read, and its impact on libraries – from staff time to budget issues. The session on Trends in Library Design was also helpful since DPL may be undergoing future renovation. The impact of all the new technology (including ebooks) and what patrons expect from the library are greatly influencing designs. It all forces you to think about the library in a different way. If we want to be relevant and useful to the public, we need to be aware of what’s going on in technology – since it’s becoming more and more a part of people’s lives. We need to be able to change and adapt in ways that, for some, could be difficult. It all makes it an interesting time to be a librarian.
I also found the Summer Reading Program useful since DPL is about to start working on its summer program. Since I’m involved with preparing ours, I was hoping to get some good ideas about better promoting it and hearing how other libraries get funding. Even though it was geared for Youth Services, many of the ideas could easily by translated to Adult programs.
The Science Fiction Advisory session was great! The presenter was funny and knowledgeable about the genre (she’s a trekie) and even though I’m familiar with science fiction, she really broke down the genre and discussed all the different types of sci-fi - I think it will prove useful for future science fiction questions.
I attended six of the sessions offered at MLA this year:
-If You Encourage Them They Will Come – Strategies for Building eBook circulation
-Summer Reading Programs: Rethink, Retool, Refresh
-To Boldly Go: Fantastical Journeys through Science Fiction Advisory
-Ebooks: What’s All the Excitement About?
-The Customer is Always Right: Trends in Library Design
-50 in 60 Book Blast
I attended sessions that I thought would be useful to me at DPL. I work in Fiction and Media and I thought they dealt with a lot of topics that libraries, including DPL, are confronting. The two sessions on eBooks had some really good information about this format, including who uses it and what they read, and its impact on libraries – from staff time to budget issues. The session on Trends in Library Design was also helpful since DPL may be undergoing future renovation. The impact of all the new technology (including ebooks) and what patrons expect from the library are greatly influencing designs. It all forces you to think about the library in a different way. If we want to be relevant and useful to the public, we need to be aware of what’s going on in technology – since it’s becoming more and more a part of people’s lives. We need to be able to change and adapt in ways that, for some, could be difficult. It all makes it an interesting time to be a librarian.
I also found the Summer Reading Program useful since DPL is about to start working on its summer program. Since I’m involved with preparing ours, I was hoping to get some good ideas about better promoting it and hearing how other libraries get funding. Even though it was geared for Youth Services, many of the ideas could easily by translated to Adult programs.
The Science Fiction Advisory session was great! The presenter was funny and knowledgeable about the genre (she’s a trekie) and even though I’m familiar with science fiction, she really broke down the genre and discussed all the different types of sci-fi - I think it will prove useful for future science fiction questions.
MLA Scholarship Report #5
From Dan Buckanaga of Duluth Public Library:
MLA 2011
I’ve attended the Minnesota Library Association conference the previous two years, and I knew I didn’t want to miss MLA when I learned it was being hosted in my home city of Duluth, Minnesota. I’ve always enjoyed myself in years past, and this year was no exception. Winning a silent auction for an autographed picture of Minnesota Viking, Percy Harvin didn’t hurt either.
I was only able to attend the conference on Thursday, October 13th. The first session I attended was “C3. Empowering Older Adults” with Chris Anning and Joyce Yukawa presenting. This class was particularly interesting to me, as I have taught many computer classes in the past and will likely be doing so at some point in the future. As a majority of our students that signup for the class are older adults, I thought this would be a natural fit. I was interested to learn that their idea of an older adult was 85+, though most of our students range from 40-70, however much of what they said can still be potentially applied towards helping our current classes. For instance, senior volunteers can be a big help, because many older adults feel more comfortable being instructed by someone older.
My second session I attended was “D5. Ebooks: What’s all the EXCITEMENT about?”. This was definitely the most packed session I attended, with every seat taken and people standing in the aisles. It was more of a question and answer panel, with the presenters debating and discussion questions that seemed to be predetermined ahead of time, as well as questions from the audience. No one took a strong stance one way or the other about the future of print media, and I would of liked to hear more about the 3M library e-readers and software. Overall it was still interesting to hear library professionals opinions.
My final session that I attended was “E10. Things in Flash: The latest Web 2.0 tools”. I enjoyed this session last year as well in Rochester. I always find it interesting to see what new technology other library workers are using, and how they find ways to fit it into libraries. Some of the tools presented were more of a stretch for actual use in libraries, and some had some interesting possibilities. One of the presenters talked about QR codes, and they were actually able to get QR codes into their library catalog, so when a patron pulls up a record, they can scan the QR code on their smart phone and have the call number pulled up right on the phone.
All in all I had a great time attending the sessions, and the conference in general. I will look into seeing if our library can find a senior volunteer to help with computer classes and keep everything else I learned in the back of my head. I look forward to attending MLA conferences in the future, and seeing what new sessions are available.
MLA 2011
I’ve attended the Minnesota Library Association conference the previous two years, and I knew I didn’t want to miss MLA when I learned it was being hosted in my home city of Duluth, Minnesota. I’ve always enjoyed myself in years past, and this year was no exception. Winning a silent auction for an autographed picture of Minnesota Viking, Percy Harvin didn’t hurt either.
I was only able to attend the conference on Thursday, October 13th. The first session I attended was “C3. Empowering Older Adults” with Chris Anning and Joyce Yukawa presenting. This class was particularly interesting to me, as I have taught many computer classes in the past and will likely be doing so at some point in the future. As a majority of our students that signup for the class are older adults, I thought this would be a natural fit. I was interested to learn that their idea of an older adult was 85+, though most of our students range from 40-70, however much of what they said can still be potentially applied towards helping our current classes. For instance, senior volunteers can be a big help, because many older adults feel more comfortable being instructed by someone older.
My second session I attended was “D5. Ebooks: What’s all the EXCITEMENT about?”. This was definitely the most packed session I attended, with every seat taken and people standing in the aisles. It was more of a question and answer panel, with the presenters debating and discussion questions that seemed to be predetermined ahead of time, as well as questions from the audience. No one took a strong stance one way or the other about the future of print media, and I would of liked to hear more about the 3M library e-readers and software. Overall it was still interesting to hear library professionals opinions.
My final session that I attended was “E10. Things in Flash: The latest Web 2.0 tools”. I enjoyed this session last year as well in Rochester. I always find it interesting to see what new technology other library workers are using, and how they find ways to fit it into libraries. Some of the tools presented were more of a stretch for actual use in libraries, and some had some interesting possibilities. One of the presenters talked about QR codes, and they were actually able to get QR codes into their library catalog, so when a patron pulls up a record, they can scan the QR code on their smart phone and have the call number pulled up right on the phone.
All in all I had a great time attending the sessions, and the conference in general. I will look into seeing if our library can find a senior volunteer to help with computer classes and keep everything else I learned in the back of my head. I look forward to attending MLA conferences in the future, and seeing what new sessions are available.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
MLA Scholarship Report # 4
From Becky Norlien of Two Harbors Public Library:
Thank you for the opportunity to attend the MLA conference in Duluth.
I went Thursday, October 13. It was overall a good chance to pick up inspiration from all the other librarians and library staff. My plan to go also helped the current chair of our Friends of the Library make the decision to go and we carpooled, an extra chance for discussion.
The sessions I attended:
Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery (with a great handout booklet from Project Compass)
Small and Rural Libraries Subunit Meeting (focus on getting more workshops of particular relevance in future conferences and working with the Regional Library Systems.)
Dessert Keynote, Engagement through Games: Reaching Library Users throught Playful Ways (a variety of ways to use games; I liked that many of the ideas did not involve electronic games.)
E-books: What's all the EXCITEMENT about (a panel on potential and integration in libraries: I was particularly impressed by Rita Baladad from MINITEX.)
The customer is Always Right: Top Trends in Library Design (Roseville Library's recent project--the variety of input they sought before deciding on the design was especially interesting.)
And of course a tour of the vendors was interesting.
Our Friends and I also went to the dinner group for Friends and Trustees. (At our own expense, not in the NCLC funding request.) This added chance for discussion and social time was interesting but made for a very long day.
The City of Two Harbors made the initial payment on my behalf after learning I had been approved for NCLC reimbursement; I believe a copy of that record is coming to you from Michele Monson. Unfortunately I did not remember to save my DECC parking stub to send you.
Thank you again for the chance to go to a day at MLA!
Thank you for the opportunity to attend the MLA conference in Duluth.
I went Thursday, October 13. It was overall a good chance to pick up inspiration from all the other librarians and library staff. My plan to go also helped the current chair of our Friends of the Library make the decision to go and we carpooled, an extra chance for discussion.
The sessions I attended:
Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery (with a great handout booklet from Project Compass)
Small and Rural Libraries Subunit Meeting (focus on getting more workshops of particular relevance in future conferences and working with the Regional Library Systems.)
Dessert Keynote, Engagement through Games: Reaching Library Users throught Playful Ways (a variety of ways to use games; I liked that many of the ideas did not involve electronic games.)
E-books: What's all the EXCITEMENT about (a panel on potential and integration in libraries: I was particularly impressed by Rita Baladad from MINITEX.)
The customer is Always Right: Top Trends in Library Design (Roseville Library's recent project--the variety of input they sought before deciding on the design was especially interesting.)
And of course a tour of the vendors was interesting.
Our Friends and I also went to the dinner group for Friends and Trustees. (At our own expense, not in the NCLC funding request.) This added chance for discussion and social time was interesting but made for a very long day.
The City of Two Harbors made the initial payment on my behalf after learning I had been approved for NCLC reimbursement; I believe a copy of that record is coming to you from Michele Monson. Unfortunately I did not remember to save my DECC parking stub to send you.
Thank you again for the chance to go to a day at MLA!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
MLA Scholarship Report #3
From Michele C. Monson, Director - Two Harbors Public Library:
I am writing to say thank you! I am so grateful that I was chosen for an NCLC scholarship to attend the Minnesota Library Association's annual conference in Duluth. Thanks to your generous support, I was able to attend the entire conference, and my three Library Assistants were each able to attend for a day. NCLC provided an opportunity that we would not have otherwise had.
I've been working in Minnesota Libraries for the past five years, but am new to being a Library Director (I just completed my second month on the job...still learning!) I found the conference to be extremely valuable: I attended sessions on library design, board gaming in the library (something that we hope to implement in the next year or so), and many others. I enjoyed the keynote speakers and chatting with other library staff from around the state. I also had a chance to meet some of the other Arrowhead Directors and staff - people that, without the conference, I would have just known by name.
MLA was a great experience for me. It came at the perfect time - a few months into my new position, when I've got the day-to-day operations of the library down and can start thinking about the "big picture". Thank you again for your generosity.
I am writing to say thank you! I am so grateful that I was chosen for an NCLC scholarship to attend the Minnesota Library Association's annual conference in Duluth. Thanks to your generous support, I was able to attend the entire conference, and my three Library Assistants were each able to attend for a day. NCLC provided an opportunity that we would not have otherwise had.
I've been working in Minnesota Libraries for the past five years, but am new to being a Library Director (I just completed my second month on the job...still learning!) I found the conference to be extremely valuable: I attended sessions on library design, board gaming in the library (something that we hope to implement in the next year or so), and many others. I enjoyed the keynote speakers and chatting with other library staff from around the state. I also had a chance to meet some of the other Arrowhead Directors and staff - people that, without the conference, I would have just known by name.
MLA was a great experience for me. It came at the perfect time - a few months into my new position, when I've got the day-to-day operations of the library down and can start thinking about the "big picture". Thank you again for your generosity.
MLA Scholarship Report #2
From Shannon Haveri, Children's Services, Two Harbors Public Library:
As a recipient of the Continuing Education Scholarship I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your support of ALS libraries and their staff.
Through the support of NCLC, several members of our library's staff were able to attend the 2011 Minnesota Library Association Annual Conference. Because it was held nearby in Duluth, it was a great opportunity for the director and all the library assistants to attend at least one day with a minimum of scheduling changes or conflicts.
I attended MLA on Friday, October 14. The session I originally planned to attend Summer Reading Programs: Rethink, Retool, Refresh
was moved to Wednesday. Another staff member went to that one for me and took handouts and notes, which I can use when planning next year's program. My second choice was one of the featured presentations: Trend Tracking: A Tool to Help Your Library Better Serve the Needs of Your Community. It sounded interesting and relevant. Unfortunately, it was cancelled at the last minute due to illness. Instead I attended Transition...then What: Faculty Perception of IL Skills of Undergraduates. I felt it would be useful to know what information literacy skills students have when entering college, and which they are lacking. There is a huge gap between what students are expected to know and what they actually do. Learning vital information literacy skills in high school or early college would make research and learning much more effective during the college years. The five most important information literacy skills for undergraduates are: 1) Determine nature and extent of information needed, 2) Assess needed information effectively and efficiently, 3) Evaluate information and its sources critically, 4) Use information effectively to accomplish a purpose, and 5) Information accessible and usable. I also attended the luncheon with keynote speaker William Kent Krueger. Krueger's mysteries are extremely popular in our library. It was fun to listen to him talk about how books and libraries influenced his life. He also spoke of the internet, and how our fast-paced society might lose the ability to contemplate. Being able to read, think, and imagine has been the driving force to mankind's advancements. If we lose the ability to slow down and ponder, what does that mean for us as a society?
MLA is a great way to grow and learn -- it's a chance to expand my knowledge, get new skills and ideas, and meet other library professionals. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
As a recipient of the Continuing Education Scholarship I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your support of ALS libraries and their staff.
Through the support of NCLC, several members of our library's staff were able to attend the 2011 Minnesota Library Association Annual Conference. Because it was held nearby in Duluth, it was a great opportunity for the director and all the library assistants to attend at least one day with a minimum of scheduling changes or conflicts.
I attended MLA on Friday, October 14. The session I originally planned to attend Summer Reading Programs: Rethink, Retool, Refresh
was moved to Wednesday. Another staff member went to that one for me and took handouts and notes, which I can use when planning next year's program. My second choice was one of the featured presentations: Trend Tracking: A Tool to Help Your Library Better Serve the Needs of Your Community. It sounded interesting and relevant. Unfortunately, it was cancelled at the last minute due to illness. Instead I attended Transition...then What: Faculty Perception of IL Skills of Undergraduates. I felt it would be useful to know what information literacy skills students have when entering college, and which they are lacking. There is a huge gap between what students are expected to know and what they actually do. Learning vital information literacy skills in high school or early college would make research and learning much more effective during the college years. The five most important information literacy skills for undergraduates are: 1) Determine nature and extent of information needed, 2) Assess needed information effectively and efficiently, 3) Evaluate information and its sources critically, 4) Use information effectively to accomplish a purpose, and 5) Information accessible and usable. I also attended the luncheon with keynote speaker William Kent Krueger. Krueger's mysteries are extremely popular in our library. It was fun to listen to him talk about how books and libraries influenced his life. He also spoke of the internet, and how our fast-paced society might lose the ability to contemplate. Being able to read, think, and imagine has been the driving force to mankind's advancements. If we lose the ability to slow down and ponder, what does that mean for us as a society?
MLA is a great way to grow and learn -- it's a chance to expand my knowledge, get new skills and ideas, and meet other library professionals. Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
Monday, October 24, 2011
School Libraries
A blog post by Buffy Hamilton, also known as The Unquiet Librarian, announces the publication by Smashwords of a free ebook about trends in school libraries, written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. This crowd-sourced publication is free to download in a variety of formats for reading on the device of your choice.
Here's the brief description of the publication right from the Smashwords site.
"School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come
Ebook By Kristin Fontichiaro
Rating: Not yet rated.
Published: Oct. 15, 2011
Ebook Short Description
A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton. Foreword by R. David Lankes. Photographs by Diane Cordell.
Extended Description
A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton. Foreword by R. David Lankes. Photographs by Diane Cordell. CONTRIBUTORS: Kelly Ahlfeld, Diane Erica Aretz-Kernahan, Emilia Askari, Kathleen Atkin, Robert Baigent, Susan D. Ballard, Angela Washington-Blair, Dan Bowen, Holli Buchter, Jennifer Branch, Len Bryan, Jennifer Colby, Diane Cordell, William Cross, Meg Donhauser, Joanne de Groot, Stacy Dillon, Andrea Dolloff, Laura Fleming, Lorna Flynn, Elizabeth Friese, Rachel Goldberg, Beth Gourley, Dorcas Hand, Alida Hanson, Violet H. Harada, Heather Hersey, Valerie Hill, Kimberly Hirsh, Shannon Hyman, Pamela Jackson, Melissa P. Johnston, Jesse Karp, Sara Kelley-Mudie, Tricia Kuon, Neil Krasnoff, Jennifer LaGarde, Teri S. Lesesne, Margaret Lincoln, Kate MacMillan, Adrienne Matteson, Kathleen McBroom, Walter McKenzie, David Meyer, Ben Mondloch, Leslie L. Morgan, Cathy Jo Nelson, Beverley Rannow, Howard Rheingold, Nikki D. Robertson, Daniella Smith, Evan St. Lifer, Jennifer Stanbro, Caitlin Stansell, Jeff Stanzler, Carolyn Jo Starkey, Wendy Steadman Stephens, Michael Stephens, Linda Straube, Cathy Stutzman, Mega Subramaniam, Margaret Sullivan, Joyce Kasman Valenza, Karen Villegas, Jeanna Walker, Donna Watt, Holly Weimar, Senga White, Erin Drankwalter Wyatt, Amanda Yaklin, Alice Yucht, Marci Zane."
Take a look. Read and ponder. Share with those who need to know.
All the more important in view of the fact the the ESEA has moved along from committee without the inclusion of school libraries as there was NO support for their inclusion.
Here's the brief description of the publication right from the Smashwords site.
"School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come
Ebook By Kristin Fontichiaro
Rating: Not yet rated.
Published: Oct. 15, 2011
Ebook Short Description
A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton. Foreword by R. David Lankes. Photographs by Diane Cordell.
Extended Description
A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton. Foreword by R. David Lankes. Photographs by Diane Cordell. CONTRIBUTORS: Kelly Ahlfeld, Diane Erica Aretz-Kernahan, Emilia Askari, Kathleen Atkin, Robert Baigent, Susan D. Ballard, Angela Washington-Blair, Dan Bowen, Holli Buchter, Jennifer Branch, Len Bryan, Jennifer Colby, Diane Cordell, William Cross, Meg Donhauser, Joanne de Groot, Stacy Dillon, Andrea Dolloff, Laura Fleming, Lorna Flynn, Elizabeth Friese, Rachel Goldberg, Beth Gourley, Dorcas Hand, Alida Hanson, Violet H. Harada, Heather Hersey, Valerie Hill, Kimberly Hirsh, Shannon Hyman, Pamela Jackson, Melissa P. Johnston, Jesse Karp, Sara Kelley-Mudie, Tricia Kuon, Neil Krasnoff, Jennifer LaGarde, Teri S. Lesesne, Margaret Lincoln, Kate MacMillan, Adrienne Matteson, Kathleen McBroom, Walter McKenzie, David Meyer, Ben Mondloch, Leslie L. Morgan, Cathy Jo Nelson, Beverley Rannow, Howard Rheingold, Nikki D. Robertson, Daniella Smith, Evan St. Lifer, Jennifer Stanbro, Caitlin Stansell, Jeff Stanzler, Carolyn Jo Starkey, Wendy Steadman Stephens, Michael Stephens, Linda Straube, Cathy Stutzman, Mega Subramaniam, Margaret Sullivan, Joyce Kasman Valenza, Karen Villegas, Jeanna Walker, Donna Watt, Holly Weimar, Senga White, Erin Drankwalter Wyatt, Amanda Yaklin, Alice Yucht, Marci Zane."
Take a look. Read and ponder. Share with those who need to know.
All the more important in view of the fact the the ESEA has moved along from committee without the inclusion of school libraries as there was NO support for their inclusion.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
MLA 2011 Annual Conference Report #1
Scholarship recipient Sally Peterangelo (Mountain Iron Public Library Director) offered the following report for her conference scholarship:
"First of all, I would like to "Thank You" for providing me with the opportunity to attend the 2011 MLA Convention that was held in Duluth on October 12, 13 and 14th. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able attend this yearly event.
On Wednesday, Oct. 12 I listened to keynote speaker Anita Silvey, author speak about the benefits of children's books and how they shape adults into leaders. She gave many examples of that during her speech.
The afternoon I attended 3 various sessions
A1. New to the Game? This was a great session that provided tips and tricks on how to navigate and get the most of the convention. it was excellent and glad I chose this as it really helped me decide what sessions to attend, what not to miss, etc. I left this a bit early to also go to "Why Should We Use Social Media to promote the library?" I wanted more tips and ideas for using Facebook/Twitter/You Tube, Google to market the library. This was an excellent session. One of my favorites!
From 4-5 p.m., I attended Summer Reading Programs for 1/2 of the session and Organize your ordering. I learned some valuable information from both of these. I didn't intend to split sessions but since they were only offered one time,k I opted to go to both and I managed to get plenty of handouts, etc to use for my library needs.
Thursday, October 13:
Everyone is a Library Advocate! I really enjoyed this session. They broke us up into small groups where we could discuss various ways we promote our library. Always be an Advocate. They gave many examples how to work with the community, contact funders, policy makers. It was a very positive session.
Dessert Keynote: Engagement Through Games: Dr. Scott Nicholson. Enjoyed this speech. Much of this I wouldn't use for our library but it was interesting.
Afternoon Sessions: I listened a bit to E-books..what's all the excitement about and also Positively Friends. Joe Owens spoke on behalf of the Ely Friends of the Library group and he was incredible. He presented all the ways their group has raised money and awareness of all they do for the Ely Library. It's too bad every town doesn't have a Joe Owens running their Friends group. His energy, his creativity, his passion and his ideas were inspiring. I felt this was beyond valuable that I attended this session. He gave me so many ideas for our Friends group.
Last Thur Session: Things in a Flash: I loved this session. They had "6" different presenters and each one had 10 minutes to talk about technology and favorite apps, downloads, and ideas and things they like for their libraries or personal development. This was my personal favorite of the conference. So many great ideas that were shared by the six Library staff from all over the state. Thumbs up on this class!!
Fri, Oct 14:
"50 in 60" Book Blast: Outstanding Reader's Advisory session. 50 books discussed in 60 minutes. Love this!
Finale: Luncheon Keynote: William Kent Krueger, mystery writer was our final speech. Excellent as always! He spoke about going out and making a difference. Great speech toe nd and wrap up an outstanding MLA.
Again, my most sincere thank for this gift. I will use the information and ideas and use them at the Mt. Iron Library."
"First of all, I would like to "Thank You" for providing me with the opportunity to attend the 2011 MLA Convention that was held in Duluth on October 12, 13 and 14th. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able attend this yearly event.
On Wednesday, Oct. 12 I listened to keynote speaker Anita Silvey, author speak about the benefits of children's books and how they shape adults into leaders. She gave many examples of that during her speech.
The afternoon I attended 3 various sessions
A1. New to the Game? This was a great session that provided tips and tricks on how to navigate and get the most of the convention. it was excellent and glad I chose this as it really helped me decide what sessions to attend, what not to miss, etc. I left this a bit early to also go to "Why Should We Use Social Media to promote the library?" I wanted more tips and ideas for using Facebook/Twitter/You Tube, Google to market the library. This was an excellent session. One of my favorites!
From 4-5 p.m., I attended Summer Reading Programs for 1/2 of the session and Organize your ordering. I learned some valuable information from both of these. I didn't intend to split sessions but since they were only offered one time,k I opted to go to both and I managed to get plenty of handouts, etc to use for my library needs.
Thursday, October 13:
Everyone is a Library Advocate! I really enjoyed this session. They broke us up into small groups where we could discuss various ways we promote our library. Always be an Advocate. They gave many examples how to work with the community, contact funders, policy makers. It was a very positive session.
Dessert Keynote: Engagement Through Games: Dr. Scott Nicholson. Enjoyed this speech. Much of this I wouldn't use for our library but it was interesting.
Afternoon Sessions: I listened a bit to E-books..what's all the excitement about and also Positively Friends. Joe Owens spoke on behalf of the Ely Friends of the Library group and he was incredible. He presented all the ways their group has raised money and awareness of all they do for the Ely Library. It's too bad every town doesn't have a Joe Owens running their Friends group. His energy, his creativity, his passion and his ideas were inspiring. I felt this was beyond valuable that I attended this session. He gave me so many ideas for our Friends group.
Last Thur Session: Things in a Flash: I loved this session. They had "6" different presenters and each one had 10 minutes to talk about technology and favorite apps, downloads, and ideas and things they like for their libraries or personal development. This was my personal favorite of the conference. So many great ideas that were shared by the six Library staff from all over the state. Thumbs up on this class!!
Fri, Oct 14:
"50 in 60" Book Blast: Outstanding Reader's Advisory session. 50 books discussed in 60 minutes. Love this!
Finale: Luncheon Keynote: William Kent Krueger, mystery writer was our final speech. Excellent as always! He spoke about going out and making a difference. Great speech toe nd and wrap up an outstanding MLA.
Again, my most sincere thank for this gift. I will use the information and ideas and use them at the Mt. Iron Library."
Free Booklist Webinars
From an American Libraries newsletter: Booklist editors host leading practitioners, authors and publishers’ representatives at least once a month in webinars on a variety of topics offering immediate tips, tools, resources and new ideas for collection development and readers’ advisory work. Upcoming webinars support collection development, specifically in audiobooks and series nonfiction, and in choosing titles to engage reluctant readers. All Booklist webinars are on Tuesdays starting at 1 p.m. Central Time. Visit the Booklist Online webinars page to register for upcoming events and to access the full archive of past webinars....
Upcoming in brief:
October 25 - Audiobooks
November 1 - Reaching Reluctant Readers
November 8 - Series Nonfiction
November 29 - Gale's Virtual Reference Library (Digital Book platform)
Upcoming in brief:
October 25 - Audiobooks
November 1 - Reaching Reluctant Readers
November 8 - Series Nonfiction
November 29 - Gale's Virtual Reference Library (Digital Book platform)
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