|
Updates from State Library Services
Host an Eco Exhibit at Your Library
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency created a second
tabletop exhibit, and we are again partnering with them to lend the exhibit to
libraries. Fix-a-Leak raises
awareness about water conservation at home. Toilets are the number one
source of home water loss, with the toilet tank flapper the most common place
that leaks. The good news is replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to
install yourself. The exhibit features a cross-section of a toilet sitting on a
table. People can move the flush handle to see how the flapper
works. State Library Services will supply a reproducible booklist related
to water conservation along with the exhibit.
The first table top exhibit is still available for loan. Your Resilient Community is an
interactive display that comes with a portable table, eco-themed booklist, and
button maker with templates for a fun, hands-on activity. We’re working with
Minitex to deliver both exhibits, so all you need to do is set them up in your
library – instructions are provided.
Libraries may have each exhibit for four to six weeks,
and we’ll try to work around your schedule. Please contact Emily Kissane (651-582-8508) if you
are interested in hosting Fix-a-Leak
or Your Resilient Community at your
library.
|
Making Summer Meals Work at Your Library
Public libraries can help make sure hungry kids have access to nutritious food when school is not in session. Begin planning your summer 2018 participation by viewing this informational Making Summer Meals Work webinar. In it, Jenny Butcher, USDA Summer Food Service Program Coordinator at MDE, shares how your library can get involved. State Library Services has also created a new Making Summer Meals Work webpage with resources to support your library’s efforts in offering summer meals. Please contact Jen Verbrugge (651-582-8356) with feedback, questions, or concerns.
|
|
|
Lexile Framework® for Reading Webinar
The Lexile Framework® for Reading is an innovative way of connecting children with books and other reading materials that meet and challenge their unique abilities. Matt Copeland of MetaMetrics recorded an Introduction to The Lexile Framework® for Reading webinar for librarians to help you learn how the Framework and Lexile measures can be used, discover free tools and research-based resources for utilizing Lexile measures, and get up to date on new and noteworthy research about Lexiles. The webinar runs about 50 minutes, and can be viewed on demand.
|
|
|
Updates from Our Partners
YALSA Seeking Feedback: Transforming Teen Services through Continuing Education
The American Library Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) received an IMLS grant for their project “Transforming Teen Services through Continuing Education.” Through April 30, 2018, YALSA is seeking feedback from the library community on its draft report about the teen services-focused continuing education needs of all library staff. If you have a few moments, please read through the YALSA report and submit your feedback. The input you provide will be used to refine the draft, and a final report will be published on May 31, 2018.
|
Future Ready with the Library Now Accepting Participant Applications
YALSA, in partnership with the ARSL, is implementing an innovative project to build the capacity of small, rural and tribal libraries to provide college and career readiness services for and with middle schoolers. YALSA and ARSL will work with library staff to build needed skills while also developing, testing and refining turn-key resources, which other libraries can adapt for their own use. The project is aimed at staff in libraries with a service population of 15,000 or fewer, as well as libraries that are 25 miles or more from an urbanized area. If this sounds like your library, you can apply to be part of this pioneering project.
The application process for cohort 3 is now open, and closes on May 15, 2018. Reserve your seat for an informational webinar for interested potential applicants on May 1, 2018 at 6 p.m. Those selected to participate in the third cohort of the Future Ready with the Library project will meet face-to-face for a two-day orientation in Salt Lake City, UT on November 1 and 2, 2018. Read through the Future Ready with the Library FAQ for more information about the project.
Federal Grant Opportunity Supports School Library Programs
Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) is a federal grant that supports high-quality programs designed to develop and improve literacy skills for children and students from birth through 12th grade in high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools. The U.S. Department of Education intends to promote innovative literacy programs that support the development of literacy skills in low-income communities. IAL supports the implementation of high-quality plans for childhood literacy activities and book distribution efforts that demonstrate a rationale. IAL also includes grants to develop and enhance effective school library programs, which may include providing professional development to librarians in high-need schools or books and other up-to-date library materials to such schools. Applications are now available, and the deadline for submissions is May 18, 2018. For more information, contact Beth Yeh (202-205-5798) at the U.S. Department of Education.
Three Anishinaabe Reservations Participate in National Book Foundation Initiative
Across the country, many people live in book deserts: vast geographic areas lacking libraries and bookstores. Without books within easy reach, children living in these regions often experience lower test scores and literacy skills. The Book Rich Environments (BRE) initiative aims to combat book deserts by connecting marginalized communities with books. To make the initiative possible, the National Book Foundation partners with like-minded organizations and book publishers to give free, high-quality, diverse books to children and families in HUD-assisted communities. This year, three northern Minnesota Anishinaabe reservations—Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth—are included among the 37 participating sites across 19 states, and the initiative aims to put 422,000 books in the hands of those children who need them the most. Each local partner pledges to hold at least three book-distribution events held at public housing buildings, community centers, and/or libraries. With a focus on providing free books, programming, and vital connections to local resources, BRE seeks to make a long-lasting impact, helping to create sustainable book-rich environments where literature is accessible and celebrated within the community. Visit the National Book Foundation website for more information.
|
|
|
State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), 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.
|
|
|
|