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.

Minnesota Library Association Conference Registration

Registration for the 2011 Minnesota Library Association Conference is now open.

Minnesota Library Association

2011 Annual Conference

Libraries: Superior Value for Life

October 12-14, 2011

Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, Duluth, MN

Visit http://www.mnlibraryassociation.org/mlaconference2011/ for complete details and registration.

Announcing Minnesota Library Association 2011 Annual Conference: “Libraries: Superior Value for Life”

Minnesota Library Association announces:

2011 Annual Conference: “Libraries: Superior Value for Life”

The 2011 Annual Conference of the Minnesota Library Association will be held October 12-14, 2011, in Duluth, Minnesota. This three-day conference features an exceptional lineup of presentations and professional development opportunities. This year’s keynote presenters include:

• William Kent Krueger, Minnesota mystery writer
• Dr. Scott Nicholson, gaming researcher
• Anita Silvey, author of Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book

In addition to these engaging keynote speakers, this year the conference will have featured speakers during some of the breakout sessions. Speakers confirmed so far include:

• Jenna Blum, leading the One Book, One Conference discussion of her novel The Stormchasers
• Rebecca Shlafer, sharing how libraries can support children of incarcerated parents
• Anita Silvey, delivering the Sharon Lerner Lecture

The conference also offers more than 50 sessions across eight simultaneous tracks (Administration & Leadership; Authors, Literature, and Programming; Children & Young Adults; Collection Management & Technical Services; Digital Information & Technologies; Support Staff Interests; Public Services; Library Trustees & Friends), as well as a silent auction fundraiser, countless networking opportunities, and an exhibit hall with more than 40 vendors showcasing library products and services.

Information about the conference is being published regularly at www.mnlibraryassociation.org/mlaconference2011. Complete details about sessions, speakers, and registration will be published by early August. Check the site often for new information and announcements.


About MLA: The Minnesota Library Association is an association of library supporters, representing all types of libraries by helping them accomplish together what none can do alone. MLA provides opportunities to meet library peers and associates, and meets the interests of its more than 625 members by facilitating educational opportunities, supporting strong ethical standards, and fostering connections between the library community and various constituencies. In addition to the annual three-day conference, programs are planned and sponsored year-round by MLA divisions, sections, roundtables, and committees. Find out more at www.mnlibraryassociation.org.