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by Nancy Robertson, State Librarian
We are pleased to welcome back our newsletter
“LM4X” (so-called because it is quarterly) after a hiatus of a few years. As most of you know, the
Library of Michigan (LM) weathered several difficult years, working
under a cloud of possible elimination from state government. Now, after some regrouping and reinvention, LM and our wonderful staff have emerged leaner but
stronger going forward.
In each issue of LM4X we will alert you to new programs,
services, or products that we have to offer to our governmental and public patrons, and libraries of all types throughout the state. You will hear
from staff members and others. We will be interested in
hearing back from you about what LM means to you; how much
you value the programs and services we have to offer; and suggestions about
what programs and services, related to our special collections or our library
consultation services, you would like to see in the future.
LM4X is a virtual-only publication sent straight
to your desktop, so it's easy to scan and enjoy. It includes links to more information about current topics. We hope you
will share it with your state government co-workers, friends
and neighbors, and others in the Michigan library community. This first issue features a special focus on
schools and school libraries and librarians, now that the new school year is underway.
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by Nancy Robertson, State Librarian
It is hard for me to accept that summer has come
and gone and the new school year has started already. During the summer we
learned that several school librarians received notices about reassignment to
the classroom, leaving their libraries either unattended or staffed
only by caretakers. It is distressing to students, other teachers,
parents, and community members. But with the economic
situation and the tough choices school districts are forced to make, we have to be realistic in forecasting the trend will continue.
At the Library of Michigan we have been working with
school librarians through the Michigan Association for Media in Education
(MAME) for a number of years now to determine just how the Library
can make a positive difference for school libraries, and
students. We co-produced a
promotional video “21st
Century Media Center” and updated the “Michigan School Library Media Program
Guidelines.” The Guidelines were endorsed by the Library of Michigan Board of Trustees in
early 2007, and were incorporated into the recent revision of the
SL21 benchmarks.
One of our most important efforts continues to be the “SL21
Measurement Benchmarks for School Libraries for 21st Century
Schools” (SL21), a benchmarking and recognition program that facilitates feedback and review of school library services and how they matter to
student success. This program has recognizes 120
school libraries to date, and many more are
in the process of submitting SL21 recognition
applications.
Our other ongoing effort is the continued cultivation
and alignment of myriad online resources for teachers, parents, and
students to use in strengthening curriculum and lesson plans in accordance with
the state standards. The Michigan Online
Resources for Educators (M.O.R.E.) component of the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) is a treasure trove of
curriculum materials (many of which are searchable by state
standard), readily available to Michigan residents 24/7.
For those of you making contributions in the field of
school librarianship in Michigan, we thank you for all you do, even if your efforts are not always visible. For everyone who cares about preparing youths for college and careers, please thank your school librarian, principal or
superintendent for supporting their school library program.
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 by Edwina Murphy, Michigan Collection Curator
On September 21, the Library of Michigan hosted the Michigan Rails
Conference. One of the core missions of the
Library is to meet the needs of state government agencies and employees. Perhaps the most visible agency statewide
would be the Department of Transportation. But MDOT is more than the perennial sprouting of Michigan orange barrels: it has a
division dedicated to rail transportation. One of the 2013 recipients of the Michigan
Notable Book Award was Michael H. Hodges. Author of the popular book, Michigan's Historic
Railroad Stations, he was the keynote speaker.
Given the economic importance of freight and the resurgence of passenger
travel, we wanted to cover
both historical and modern rail in the state.
The conference
was truly a collaborative effort of four non-profits, two state departments
and five individual researchers. Five panelists from MDOT spoke on numerous rail projects from
Detroit to Houghton. Also, attendees had a private showing of the Martha Griffiths
Rare Book Room collection.
This was a great beginning for a new series
of events. Next up? Michigan Nautical to be held at LM on October 4, 2014.
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Article by Karren Reish, LSTA and Youth Services Coordinator
Pictures of kick-off event by Diane Donham, Reference Librarian
What’s new with the Michigan Reads program?
We are now in the 9th year of the Michigan Reads!
program with Woolbur by Leslie
Helakoski, and the program is going strong. We estimated more than 580,000 kids
in the state participated in the program last year, and are hoping for even
better numbers this year.
That said, we are looking at new ways to expand and improve the
program. This year we are doing two pilots for the program. We’ve partnered
with the Department of Education Office of Great Start and the Resource Centers
for certified day care providers to provide sample kits and encourage training
in early literacy for day care providers. We encourage the providers to look to
their local public library for children’s books and programs for their charges.
We’ve also partnered with the Lions Club of Michigan in
2013. The Lions Club is encouraging their members to volunteer at their local
schools and libraries to help with Michigan Reads! programs. For interested libraries, the Lions Club can also do vision screening for children at
events.
For more information on the Lions Club of Michigan
partnership, as well as materials for parents, caregivers and teachers you may
be working with, go to www.michigan.gov/michiganreads.
And don’t forget the program survey that will be posted there in November. We
take every suggestion and book recommendation to heart as we try to improve the
program each year.
The kick-off event this year was held at the East Lansing Public Library on Sept. 9th. Representatives from our sponsor, Target, the Library of Michigan Foundation and the City of East Lansing attended. Special guests were: Bullseye, the Target mascot, guest reader Julie Calley, author Leslie Helakoski, State Librarian Nancy Robertson and a friendly local sheep.
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by Shannon White, Continuing Education Coordinator
The Health Insurance Marketplace opened up on October 1 and
healthcare reform questions are on the minds of many library staff members in
Michigan. The Library of Michigan has a
number of resources for librarians to review as they work to learn how best to
answer questions from their patrons on the Affordable Care Act.
For resources and information visit our Affordable
Care Act Web site. Here you can find
links to healthcare reform resources in MeL.org, as well as resources directed
to library staff.
Front line staff can prepare for questions by doing the
following:
Libraries should also make sure that front line staff members
are comfortable and clear with their library’s reference policies so they can
provide the best possible service to all patrons. Reviewing the Guidelines
for Medical, Legal and Reference Responses from the Reference and User
Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, is the perfect starting point if staff
have questions about how to best respond to questions or if your library is
developing a policy. Be sure to review
any new library policies with your legal counsel.
Don’t forget that Michigan residents can also find
information and resources about healthcare reform on MeL.org’s Health
and Wellness Gateway.
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 by Shannon White, Continuing Education Coordinator
The Library of Michigan is partnering with Connect Michigan
to help sponsor the upcoming 2013 Michigan Broadband Conference.
Michigan library staff members are welcome to attend the conference at no charge
but you do need to register.
Registration for the conference is open now and more information can be
found here: http://www.connectmi.org/broadband-summit. Michigan library staff should use the promo
code Libraries4Broadband when registering online.
The conference is an opportunity for
libraries, educators, technology providers, local government officials and others to share best practices and collaborate on new ways to expand broadband
technology access across Michigan. If you are interested in learning more about
the use of broadband and its adoption in communities throughout Michigan, be
sure to attend the conference on Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Kellogg Center in
East Lansing from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
LM is sponsoring two sessions related
to libraries and broadband at the conference. Check the program schedule for the
chance to learn from Michigan library leaders who are making a difference in
their communities with broadband access.
Attendees will hear from panelists exploring how broadband enhances
their local businesses’ bottom lines, as well as what a gigabit connection means
to rural libraries in Michigan.
In addition to the breakout sessions, the 2013 event will
feature keynote speakers and a Broadband Hero Awards Presentation. Connect Michigan welcomes you to nominate an
individual or organization you feel is making a difference locally or statewide
to expand broadband technology access, adoption or use for a Broadband Hero
Award. Be sure to take a look here for more information about the award and a Broadband Hero Award nomination
form.
We hope to see you in East Lansing!
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by Deb Biggs Thomas, MeL and Library of Michigan Outreach Coordinator
The Library of Michigan was
pleased to partner with the Secretary of State this summer on promoting their new
online venture, ExpressSOS. Using this
service, Michigan residents can renew their tabs, change their address,
order copies of vehicle registration records and even sign up to be an organ
donor on Michigan's Organ Donor Registry, all online. Realizing that libraries are an internet hub
in their communities, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson reached out to Nancy
Robertson, State Librarian, to initiate this partnership.
Michigan Library Cooperative directors agreed to facilitate with their member libraries. Nancy encouraged all
libraries “to participate…if at all possible, as the light that shines
positively on libraries will help raise all the boats in the harbor…” Many
libraries around the state answered that call. Sterling Heights Public
Library Director Tammy Turgeon called the partnership a good fit.
"Our library is definitely a busy hub for this community," she said.
"A partnership with the Secretary of State's office can only bring more
value to the service we offer our patrons and that's a big plus."
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by Diane Donham, Reference Librarian
Fall 2013 saw the launch of the Michigan Department of Education’s African American Young Men of Promise Initiative, a 3-year pilot study aimed toward closing the achievement gap in Michigan for African-American young men. This project has provided opportunities for Library of Michigan staff to share our expertise and skills with our MDE colleagues in support of our department’s priority efforts to increase the educational outcomes of our state’s under-performing African-American males.
For the past year, catalog and reference librarian Tim Watters and other library staff have been attending various MDE Achievement Gap meetings, such as Brown Bag sessions, conference calls and all-day retreats. Tim has applied his researcher’s sensibilities to what he hears at these discussions, searching the MeL databases for articles that will further inform the group’s conversations. For articles that he cannot find through MeL, he enlists the services of our Interlibrary Loan staff to request them from other libraries.
Randy Riley and Deb Biggs Thomas, the Library’s MeL Outreach team, have attended numerous MDE achievement gap-related programs, keeping a well-trained ear to the dialogue to learn how MeL might best be used to help these under-performing schools and students. Their involvement has taken them to schools throughout the state, and Randy was invited to speak at the African American Young Men of Promise program launch.
Reference librarian Diane Donham has provided MDE staff with bibliographies of culturally-relevant books, geared towards reading levels throughout the K-12 spectrum. Deb and Randy have used these lists to evaluate e-book options for MeL as a means of providing statewide access to a sampling of these titles. Diane has also researched what the Department might learn from other states that are focusing on issues with achievement gap.
The Library is hoping that as the study progresses, so will our opportunities for involvement.
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by Shannon White, Continuing Education Coordinator
The Library of Michigan has a number of upcoming events to
help you keep current with your professional development and day-to-day library
work. Be sure to visit the Library
of Michigan Continuing Education page for more information on all of our continuing
education events.
The 2014 Rural Libraries Conference is right around the
corner. This year we have an exciting
new location, the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Be sure to look for registration in early
2014 to secure your spot to attend this biennial conference aimed at rural and
small libraries in Michigan.
We will be one of the first groups to have access to the
Grand Hotel from April 30 to May 2 this year. The conference will feature many of the
usual activities such as the awards luncheon, dozens of sessions, exhibitors
and exciting keynote speakers. This year’s keynote speakers include Jessamyn
West, librarian, blogger and public speaker; Betsy Diamonte-Cohen of Mother
Goose on the Loose and Rhoda Janzen, author of Mennonite in a Little Black Dress.
Of course, this conference doesn’t happen
without the hard work of our local Michigan library community. Anyone with a creative eye should consider submitting a conference logo for the
logo design contest. The lucky winner
will receive free registration to the conference and their artwork will be emblazoned
on our program, Web site and conference bags. What
a way to see your design shine! For more
information on the contest visit the Rural
Libraries Conference Web site.
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 by Deb Biggs Thomas, MeL and Library of Michigan Outreach Coordinator
The
Michigan eLibrary, http://mel.org continues
to grow and develop. To the right, see a shot of the new MeL business resources training in Grand Rapids in August of 2013.
We are working on a
redesign for the entire MeL Web site which is scheduled to debut in late Fall
2013. Stay tuned for more information on
that in the next issue of LM4X. Meanwhile, we’ve added some exciting new
content! Governor Snyder earmarked
$800,000 in his budget which was subsequently approved by the legislature to
add resources to MeL that would assist with economic development in
Michigan. We are pleased to announce
that the following are now available in MeL:
DemographicsNow, BusinessDecision, BusinessInsights: Global, Gale Legal
Forms and new business reference ebooks in the Gale Virtual Reference Library. We did in-person training over a two week
period in August in seven locations around the state with our vendor trainers and had high attendance. You will find the new
business resources in the MeL databases and in the Business and Jobs Gateway, http://mel.org/bizandjobs. Look for
additional webinar training opportunities on MeL’s promotions page: http://mel.org/promotions.
But wait! There’s more…we have also added new early
literacy resources to MeL. In support of
the Michigan Department of Education’s goal of every child being able to read
at grade level by 3rd grade, these new resources will definitely
encourage beginning readers. You can
find World Book Kids (including a Spanish version), World Book’s Early World of
Learning, EBSCO’s eBook K-8 Collection and NoveList K-8 Plus along with
Scholastic’s BookFlix in the MeL databases and in the Kids Gateway, http://mel.org/kids. We will be
offering training on the early literacy resources along with promotional
materials soon.
Speaking of training, we offer
that for all the MeL subscription
resources! You can find what’s available
in MeL Promotions, http://mel.org/promotions. Just click on the
link that says “MeL Databases Training.” In addition, you will find promotional
resources that you can either download and print, or order. What about statistics? We have those too! You
can find MeL usage statistics for the last three years here.
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by Kathy Webb, State Aid Coordinator
Another year has gone by,
which brings us to the start date of the Annual Report/State Aid Application
filing process. This year, eligibility for state aid will be based on the
following: a legally established library must meet the required local financial
support and all staff certification requirements.
The Annual Report/State Aid
Application can be submitted electronically on or before February 1, 2014. Also, the “Certification of Information” with
original signatures must be received
and postmarked by February 5, 2014 before State Aid can be processed.
The estimated per capita of
state aid for FY2014 will be $ .29454262 for both 16(2) Direct State Aid and $
.29454262 for 16(4) Cooperative Membership State Aid. The first 50% will be
paid at the completion of the review of each state aid application. The remaining 50%
will be paid after 7/41/2014. File early!
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by Karren Reish, LSTA and Youth Services Coordinator
The
Library of Michigan and the Michigan Center for the Book invite you to
encourage your students or patrons to participate in Letters About
Literature. We are joining with the Library of Congress to promote this
outstanding program to schools and libraries.
Letters About Literature is a free national reading-writing contest that invites readers in grades
4 through 12 to write letters to authors of books that have changed their
lives. Children and young adults may submit letters individually or through
school, a library group, or other organization by December 10, 2013 for grades
9-12 and by January 10, 2014 for grades 4-6 and grades 7-8. The program
encourages reading, writing, art and personal reflection. More information and
entry forms are available at www.read.gov/letters.
You can read letters from our previous
winners at www.michigan.gov/youthlibraryservices
in the Letters About Literature section.
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