Updates from State Library Services

department of education

December 14, 2017

Updates from State Library Services


Order Your Library’s 2018 Tax Season Outreach Materials

Tax time is an important moment in the lives of low- and moderate-income individuals and families. That’s why every year, Prepare + Prosper works with libraries across Minnesota to distribute outreach materials about free tax preparation and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Order your free materials soon in order to receive them for tax time. 

Libraries in the 9-county metro area: order your materials through the online Prepare + Prosper order form

Libraries in Greater Minnesota: order your materials through the Prepare + Prosper online order form

Please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508) for more information.

Get ready for the 2017 Minnesota Public Library Annual Report

2017 will be history soon. It’s time for public libraries to get ready to document their performance measures in the Minnesota Public Library Annual Report! The online survey tool opens February 1, 2018.

Library directors and annual report filers are invited to participate in a webinar on Wednesday, January 10, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., to learn about proposed indicators and modifications to current indicators and definitions and how to enter data into the online survey tool. This webinar will be useful for both experienced and new report filers. When it's time, join the 2017 Minnesota Public Library Annual Report meeting via WebEx. Registration is not required. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Joe Manion.

Minnesota 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

Calling All Kid Filmmakers!

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest that impels kid filmmakers to make movies that creatively tell the entire stories of Newbery Award/Honor-winning books in 90 seconds or less. Making the film is a fun, creative and multi-faceted educational exercise that ties directly into reading, writing and media literacy standards. Kids cooperatively adapt, write, storyboard, produce, direct, costume, act, film, and edit their own movies. 

Public librarians, school librarians, homeschool parents, and teachers are encouraged to work with their kids to make movies. Inspiration and more information, including how to submit films, can be found on the 90-Second Newbery website. Work with students should begin soon; the deadline to submit films is January 12, 2018.

Don’t forget to mark your calendar for the fourth annual Minnesota screening of the year’s best entries on Saturday, February 10, 2018, 3-4:30 p.m., at Hennepin County Library – Minneapolis Central. For more details, please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356).

Updates from Our Partners

Economic Impact Initiative Grants in Minnesota

Economic Impact Initiative Grants in Minnesota provide funding to assist in the development of essential community facilities in rural communities with extreme unemployment and severe economic depression. An essential community facility is one that provides an essential service to the local community, is needed for the orderly development of the community, serves a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings. Grants are available for up to 75 percent of eligible project costs based on need and funding availability. Funds may be used to construct, enlarge, or improve essential community facilities for health care, public safety and public service—including public libraries and museums. Additional criteria apply. Visit the USDA Economic Impact Initiative Grants in Minnesota website for more information, application forms, and local contact information.

MnSpin logo

Hennepin County Library Launches New Music Service MnSpin

This week, Hennepin County Library (HCL) launched MnSpin, a new music streaming and download platform funded by the Friends of HCL.

This new music platform represents a broad range of local talent, with a diverse array of music, including everything from Americana and bluegrass, to blues and jazz, to pop, rock, rap, hip-hop, and more.

Through this new platform, Minnesota-based musicians can connect with new audiences, and music lovers can enjoy their favorite local artists while also discovering new artists. Anyone can stream from the platform, and HCL cardholders can download songs for free.

Your State Library Agency

State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, partners with libraries to achieve equity and excellence in our collective work for Minnesotans. Division staff are consultants who help libraries plan, develop and implement high-quality services that address community needs. State Library Services administers federal grant, state aid, and state grant programs that benefit all types of libraries.