Engage with Environmental Education Exhibits
State Library Services has partnered with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to create several traveling tabletop exhibits that are loaned for free and distributed via interlibrary loan service.
There are seven interactive exhibits available, highlighting different actions we can take to protect and improve the environment and human health. Exhibit loan periods are 4 weeks. Exhibits are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. The available exhibits are:
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- Climate Change in Minnesota
- Climate Resilient Communities
- Food and Climate Change
- Save Your Food!
- Karst and Water Pollution
- Fix a Leak
- Pollinators, Bee Aware
To see details and reserve an exhibit, go to the MPCA Exhibit Scheduler. Dates available are predetermined and not adjustable. Once an exhibit is fully booked for 2024, it will be removed as an option from the reservation site.
Note: When in a specific exhibit reservation area, a quick way to see which dates are available is by clicking on "month," and clicking the arrow left of "today" until you see “Make reservation” in blue.
Seeking Grant Reviewers
State Library Services is seeking qualified individuals willing to serve as grant reviewers. Grant reviewers independently read and score applications for grant funds that support library initiatives across the state.
The ideal reviewer pool will include workers from a diverse array of Minnesota libraries (rural, urban, tribal, special, law, public, etc.), so if you have experience working in any library type, consider becoming a grant reviewer!
Requirements for Grant Reviewers:
- Participate in virtual grant reviewer training and a post-review session.
- Commit to thoroughly read, evaluate, score and provide detailed written comments for up to 10 assigned applications over a two-week period.
- Maintain strict confidentiality, sign a nondisclosure agreement, and certify no conflict of interest.
If you’re interested, please complete and submit the Grant Reviewer Interest Form. As opportunities arise throughout the year, we will contact you about serving on a grant panel. For more information, please contact Emma De Vera.
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Got a School Library?
State Library Services is gathering information on pre-K through grade 12 school libraries in our state, and we need your help! We’ve developed a short status report in order to determine:
- whether each school serving pre-K–12 students in Minnesota has a library.
- how the library is staffed.
In 2024, the multicounty multitype library systems will be conducting a more extensive census of the quality of school library programs across the state.
But for now, the status report should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete and will help us better direct resources and funding toward supporting library services for pre-K through grade 12 students across the state.
The survey will remain open until November 30.
Check this list to see if your school has already responded. If no one has responded for your school, use this link to report the status of your school’s library:
Submit status report for your school.
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Please contact Verena Getahun if you have questions, or join a drop-in session on Tuesday, November 28, between 4 and 5 p.m. to get help filling out the report: Drop-in for School Library Status Report.
Neurodivergence and Libraries Summit
Did you miss the online Neurodivergence and Libraries Summit in September? The summit, hosted by the Washington Library Association, offered programming to equip library staff to feel confident advocating for neurodivergent patrons and staff.
State Library Services is providing access to the recordings of the summit for all Minnesota library staff. To watch the recordings, please email Ashley Bieber for the access code.
If you have watched the recordings, please take a moment and let us know your thoughts, so that we can continue to provide this type of training.
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Complete the Technology Survey
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Is your public library one of the magnificent seven in Minnesota that has already filled out the Public Library Association's (PLA) 2023 Technology Survey? Don't leave them in the lurch!
If 50% or more of Minnesota's public libraries complete the survey, PLA will generate a statewide summary of the data to inform elected officials, the media, and other stakeholders about the valuable digital services libraries provide. And there are benefits for each library as well:
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- Survey participants will be entered into a drawing to win free group registration for up to three staff members for a live or on-demand PLA webinar. Four winners (one per locale type – rural, town, suburban, city) will be announced in January 2024.
- Survey participants are eligible for discounted subscriptions for upgraded access to the Benchmark data dashboards.
The survey is easy to complete, with five sections containing mostly multiple choice and check-all-that-apply questions. It should only take about 30 minutes and it doesn’t require any annual output data.
The survey is open through Saturday, Dec. 16. To complete it, login to your library’s free Benchmark account at https://librarybenchmark.org. Your login ID is your library’s FSCSkey. If you have questions about the survey or gaining access to your Benchmark account, send an email to plabenchmark@ala.org.
Grants for Science Kits in Public Libraries
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Science Kits for Public Libraries Grant project is offering up to $2,000 per library in funding for public libraries across the Midwest for 2024. The grant is focused on the creation of a circulating science kit collection for primary and secondary education students (K-12).
Applications will be accepted from public libraries in the IEEE Region 4 from November 1, 2023–January 16, 2024. Those libraries which have previously applied for the grant but have not received funding are invited to submit again.
For grant program details and application, visit the Science Kits for Public Libraries website. If you have questions, please contact Doug DeBoer.
Take Your Child to the Library Day
Take Your Child to the Library Day is an international celebration that encourages families to take their children to their local public library. Take Your Child to the Library Day is held annually on the first Saturday of February. To celebrate, libraries across the country and around the world welcome families with programs, activities, and special events.
Last year, the Take Your Child to the Library Day team launched a new public-facing website: takeyourchildtothelibrary.org. The site features information about Take Your Child to the Library Day and the benefits of libraries for children, including an interactive map for families to find a participating library near them.
Coming soon is a librarian resource page with information and tools to make participating even easier, but for now there are short videos about planning your events and making a publicity plan. Participation is completely customizable – it can be as simple as handing out bookmarks, or as elaborate as a full-day extravaganza.
When libraries register, they’ll be placed on the map for their community to find. Register your library for Take Your Child to the Library Day.
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