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MN Libraries in the News

MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries
Public Library Statistics in Session Weekly
May 14th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

Thanks to Karla Gedell, Minnesota Attorney General Library, for sharing this news item.

“The current issue of Session Weekly [5/13/2010] has “Public Libraries” as the topic of its Minnesota Index. Among other statistics, it compares the largest public library system in the state (Hennepin County Library System) with one of the smallest (McKinley Public Library).”

The Minnesota Index provides a one-page summary of selected statistics. For those who like detail, the state and regional compilation of the official 2008 Minnesota Public Library Statistics is available on the State Library Services website.

Fyi—“Session Weekly is a nonpartisan publication of Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services.” – website
Legal, Library Value, MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries, Reference, Tough Economic Times
County Law Libraries Assist With Do-It-Yourself Legal Work
April 20th, 2010 | Permalink | 1 Comment

In tough times, people try to do quite a few things for themselves, including legal work. The services provided by open-to-the-public, county law libraries are profiled in a great article in today’s Star Tribune.

The new legal aid: Do it yourself
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 4/20/10
In bad economic times, public law libraries boom with visitors needing legal advice. Do-it-yourself legal work has become the way, from bankruptcy filings to fighting an eviction.

Librarians referenced or quoted:
Susan Larson, Minnesota State Law Library, which coordinates county law library service
Sara Galligan, Ramsey County Law Library (MN)
Gene Myers, Anoka County Law Library (MN)
Judy Meadows, Montana State Library

If you are looking for a county law library near you, check out the Minnesota County Law Library Directory. If you are asked to assist patrons with legal questions and could use some direction, take a look at Legal Reference and “Do It Yourself” Resources (Guest Blogger, Sara Galligan).
ELM, Electronic Resources, MN Libraries in the News
One of the State’s Best Kept Secrets
December 18th, 2009 | Permalink | 1 Comment

If you are interested in promoting ELM, the Electronic Library for Minnesota, take a look at the article in today’s Alexandria Echo Press (MN), Learn about one of the state’s best kept secrets.

It’s a great example of local promotion of the ELM databases to the public, written by Betty Ann Hegland, Reference Librarian, Douglas County Library.
Awards, Library Associations, MN Libraries in the News, MN Library Staff
Emerging Leaders in Our Midst
November 5th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Two Minnesota library staff have been selected for the prestigious 2010 ALA Emerging Leaders program.

Cody Hanson, Technology Librarian, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, sponsored by LITA

Cynthia Matthias, Teen Services Librarian, Hennepin County Libraries, sponsored by the Minnesota Library Association

The Emerging Leaders program is a leadership development program for newer library workers from across the country. 100 library staff were selected for the 2010 program.

Both Cody and Cynthia have been busy. Read the ALA Tech Source blog for a recent posting, Cody Hanson: Highlights of the 2009 LITA Forum. View Cynthia Matthias’ presentation from the 2009 MLA Conference, Developing Best Practices for Innovative Technology Programming.

For more details about the program, including selection criteria and application information, click here. For a complete list of the Emerging Leaders class of 2010, click here.

Congrats to both of you and to your libraries!
MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries
ECRL Celebrates 50th Anniversary!
November 5th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

East Central Regional Library (ECRL) begins a month-long 50 anniversary celebration with an open house 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., November 5, at the Cambridge Public Library. Music and refreshments will precede a short program at 4 p.m. featuring Bill Asp, ECRL director between 1967 and 1970 and a former State Librarian. Per ECRL website: “Patrons, local City and County officials are invited to join State Legislators, State Librarian, Suzanne Miller, and present and former library staff for this momentous occasion.”

Each of the other 13 branches will have its own celebration with entertainment and refreshments. Access the calendar of events here.

The counties that East Central Regional Library encompasses and the years that they joined are: Aitkin (1964), Chisago (1970), Isanti (1959), Kanabec (1967), Mille Lacs (1959) and Pine (1959).

Congratulations to ECRL for a long history of service to the residents of the region and for a well-organized model celebration!
Grants, MN Libraries in the News, MN Library Staff, Research, School Library Media Programs, Technology
Robbinsdale Schools to Study Effectiveness of Interactive Whiteboards
October 22nd, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

School library media specialist and Robbinsdale schools program director for media and instruction technology, Jane Prestebak, was quoted in yesterday’s Star Tribune article, “Interactive boards get screened in class”. *

Jane and her district are working to find out whether interactive whiteboards make a difference in student achievement. See the article for the details. Jane clarified by email that she and her staff are involved in several aspects of the grant and implementation process.

District Media Services does much of the background work for finding, researching, preparing and submitting grants. We ensure that those we hire to coordinate and train have the resources they need to be successful. We will ensure that reporting is completed. In most of our grants, I sometimes participate in training, especially teaching about research process. I run around and take pictures and collect stories to use in promotional materials. (The photo they used was one that I took–not a great photo to be sure, but better than none.) I read a lot of stuff about technology so that when an opportunity arises, I have data to support an application.

How cool is that? interactive whiteboards are hot right now and it’s great to see a Minnesota school library media specialist involved in pragmatic research on student impact and quoted in the press. If other school library media specialists are involved in current research, add a comment or send me a note!
MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries, Technology
Two Online Catalogs Merged Into One for Hennepin County Library
August 27th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

When Hennepin County and the former Minneapolis Public libraries merged a couple years back, they took time to sort out how and when to merge their operations. Since the two library systems used different automation vendors for their public access catalogs/integrated online library systems (Dynix Horizon for suburban Hennepin, Innovative Interfaces for Minneapolis), there were some serious conversations about “data migration”. Let’s just say that the staff thought long and hard and made a plan before moving ahead with the merger of their online systems.

Congratulations, Hennepin County Library! As of today, August 27, the library has one merged catalog for its 41 locations, and access to over 5 million items in one online place. Library users no longer have to search separate catalogs for resources in Minneapolis and the suburbs. Minneapolis’ system data was merged into Hennepin County’s Dynix Horizon system. Want to know more? Read, HCL’s Catalog News.
Advocacy, Library Value, MN Libraries in the News, Public Access Computing
Traffic up at library (Fergus Falls Journal, 06/27/2009)
June 29th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Walt Dunlap, director of the Fergus Falls Public Library, and Peg Werner, director of the Viking Library System, contributed to this story in the Fergus Falls Journal.

Traffic up at library (Fergus Falls Journal © 06/27/2009)
“Library traffic is up in Fergus Falls as residents look to capitalize on budget-friendly reading material and Internet availability.”
Academic Libraries, Awards, MN Libraries in the News
ACRL Award Presentation to U of Mn, 4/22 – Open to Public
April 20th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Join in the celebration! Wednesday, April 22, the University of Minnesota Libraries will be presented with the 2009 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award by ACRL President Erika Linke during a ceremony on campus. Kudos are in order – vision and hard work resulted in this national recognition.

Celebration Details:
Free and Open to the Public
3-5pm (Refreshments served beginning at 3:00; Award Presentation at 3:15)
Walter Library Great Hall, 117 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, East Bank campus

For more information, see News from the Library and BlogJunction Minnesota, 2/4/09.
Library Value, MN Libraries in the News, Tough Economic Times
Local library offers relief from bills, job hunting resources and friendly atmosphere (Caledonia Argus, 4/7/2009)
April 7th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Straight from the press in southeastern Minnesota, here’s a good-sized article about the services and community support provided by the library in Caledonia. A small town library on the eastern edge of the state with a powerful service message.

http://hometownargus.com/content/view/1619/9/

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MN Libraries in the News

MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries

Public Library Statistics in Session Weekly

Legal, Library Value, MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries, Reference, Tough Economic Times

County Law Libraries Assist With Do-It-Yourself Legal Work

ELM, Electronic Resources, MN Libraries in the News

One of the State’s Best Kept Secrets

Awards, Library Associations, MN Libraries in the News, MN Library Staff

Emerging Leaders in Our Midst

MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries

ECRL Celebrates 50th Anniversary!

Grants, MN Libraries in the News, MN Library Staff, Research, School Library Media Programs, Technology

Robbinsdale Schools to Study Effectiveness of Interactive Whiteboards

MN Libraries in the News, Public Libraries, Technology

Two Online Catalogs Merged Into One for Hennepin County Library

Advocacy, Library Value, MN Libraries in the News, Public Access Computing

Traffic up at library (Fergus Falls Journal, 06/27/2009)

Academic Libraries, Awards, MN Libraries in the News

ACRL Award Presentation to U of Mn, 4/22 – Open to Public

Library Value, MN Libraries in the News, Tough Economic Times

Local library offers relief from bills, job hunting resources and friendly atmosphere (Caledonia Argus, 4/7/2009)