Things That Keep Us Up at Night

Have you read the article in School Library Journal entitled, “Things That Keep Us Up At Night”. Find it at http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699357.html . It was written by Joyce Valenza and Doug Johnson…two big names, and fairly interesting, if somewhat frenetic professionals.

Regardless of your library type, I suspect we all lose a little sleep over these same things.  Are we changing with the times as much as we should be? Hmmmmm….

 

Celebrate the 2009 MN Book Awards Winners

Check out our full calendar of free readings and discussions for all ages this fall. Discover the debut of an exciting new mystery series; immerse yourself in a groundbreaking Hmong family memoir; ruminate over a manifesto on eating meat responsibly; witness the coming of age of two Midwestern teens in New York; dive into a poetry collection questioning personal and national identities; and be charmed by a picture book about nighttime things.

 

New ELM Access

 Here is the eagerly anticipated ELM-access information for the new content that begins  Wednesday, July 1, 2009. 

 31 new databases in all!

ELM Set-up Instructions 

 Instructions on how to set up access to the new ELM resources are available at http://www.minitex.umn.edu/elm/access.aspx.

 Questions? go to  http://www.elm4you.org/contact/.

 

 

 

PBS Launches New Online Community for Educators

PBS has unveiled a new online community for preK-12 educators that aims to support the advancement of digital media content in education. “PBS Teachers Connect” provides Web 2.0 tools and opportunities for teachers, school library media specialists, technology coordinators, early childhood educators, and other education professionals to share ideas, collaborate, and support the effective use of technology to enhance learning. The new online community is built around PBS Teachers, the web portal to the wide-ranging multimedia instructional resources and professional development services that PBS offers preK-12 educators. At no cost, educators can search more than 3,000 standards-based classroom activities, lesson plans, interactive resources, and other materials on the PBS Teachers web site, then easily bookmark, annotate, share, and manage their tagged content within the PBS Teachers Connect community. The site also enables educators to form shared-interest groups online. The community features a personalized home page for each user, enhanced user profiles, a searchable database of resources and community members, bookmarking tools, and discussion threads. Additional components, such as private messaging, community feeds, friend feeds, online events, and a digital media gallery, will be available this fall, PBS said.

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/connect

 

MN Book Award Nominations are Open!

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

 

Save the Date! Be sure to mark your calendar for the 21st Annual Minnesota Book Awards gala. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Saint Paul Riverfront. Last year’s event was a sellout, so make your reservation early. Information available in early 2009. Multiply Your Gift to the Book Awards With Help From a Challenge Grant Even a small gift can provide meaningful help, particularly when matched by the Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation. Attention Writers! Visit the Loft Literary Center to find out about the 2008 Loft Inroads Program that offers writers the opportunity to engage in nine weeks of craft seminars, individual conferences and public readings, all with an established local mentor sharing the participant’s ethnic heritage: http://tinyurl.com/4krqm6 2008 Winning Titles Posters and Bookmarks Now Available Get yours at your local library today! If you would like a quantity for your bookstore, library or school, contact mnbookawards@thefriends.org. The Minnesota Book Awards is a Capital City project, led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Office of the Mayor of Saint Paul. Outreach partners and supporting organizations include: the Metropolitan Library Service Agency; Minnesota Department of Education—State Library Services; Minnesota Library Association; and Library Networks for Literature—a project of the Public Programs Office of the American Library Association.

Book Nominations Open Nominations for the 21st annual Minnesota Book Awards are open now through Friday, December 12, 2008.  The eight categories in which books may be entered are Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature.  Anyone may nominate an eligible book by completing the nomination form and submitting five non-returnable copies of the book, plus the $40 nomination fee, to The Friends’ office.  Nomination forms and the eligibility and entry guidelines are available online at www.thefriends.org or by calling 651/366-6497.   Meet the 2008 Winners! The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library presents a two-part conversation series with 2008 Book Awards winners and moderator Mary Ann Grossmann, Pioneer Press books editor.  Both events take place in the Magazine Room of Saint Paul Central Library, 90 West Fourth Street. The first program takes place this Sunday, September 28 at 2 p.m.  You’ll enjoy time with Children’s Literature winner Lynne Jonell (Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat), Readers’ Choice honoree Jill Kalz (Farmer Cap) and Young Adult Literature winner Will Weaver (Defect). Be sure to return the following Sunday, October 5 at 2 p.m. for these featured authors:  General Nonfiction winner Charles Baxter (The Art of Subtext:  Beyond Plot), Memoir & Creative Nonfiction winner Patricia Hampl (The Florist’s Daughter), Minnesota winner Doug Hoverson (Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota), Poetry winner Deborah Keenan (Willow Room, Green Door) and Novel & Short Story winner Wang Ping (The Last Communist Virgin).  For more information, visit us online at www.thefriends.org. Apply to be a Judge Applications for preliminary and final round judges are being accepted for the eight book categories.  Volunteer judge applications and eligibility requirements are available online at www.thefriends.org or by calling 651/336-6497.  Qualified individuals new to the book judging process as well as experienced judges are encouraged to apply.  The deadline for applications is Friday, October 10, 2008.   Book Artist Award Nominations Nominations are also open for the 2009 Minnesota Book Artist Award.  This annual award, sponsored by the Minnesota Book Awards and Minnesota Center for Book Arts, recognizes a book artist or long-standing book artist collaborative group for excellence of artistic work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book artist community.  Details about this award and nomination materials are available at www.thefriends.org or by calling 651/366-6497.  Nominations remain open until Friday, November 7, 2008.

 

Judges Needed for MN Book Awards

Dear Library Network Contacts,

 

Book Awards judge applications are now being accepted for both the preliminary and final round.  Can you please help by forwarding this information to all the library contacts in your network?  Thank you for your assistance, and here are the details:

 

Nominations for the 21^st Annual Minnesota Book Awards opened earlier this month, and I’m delighted to announce that we are now accepting applications from people interested in participating in the Book Awards by serving on a preliminary or final round judging panel. 

 

Applications are invited from individuals qualified and interested in judging one of the following eight award categories:  Children’s Literature, General Nonfiction, Genre Fiction, Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, Minnesota, Novel & Short Story, Poetry, and Young Adult Literature. 

 

The volunteer judge position descriptions and application form are available at www.thefriends.org/mba_judges.html.   Qualified applicants need not have previous judging experience to apply.  Applications are being accepted through Wednesday, October 15, 2008.

 

Preliminary round judge applicants should be comfortable reviewing and evaluating a large volume of books within a relatively short period of time, and need to be available to attend the judging panel session the afternoon of Saturday, January 31, 2009.  Final round judge applicants need to be available for the panel session on Saturday, March 7, 2009.

 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions related to the Book Awards, and be sure to visit www.thefriends.org for ongoing updates.  Thank you for your support of Minnesota authors and books.

 

Warmly,

 

Ann

 

 

Ann Nelson

MN Book Awards Coordinator

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library

325 Cedar Street, Suite 555

Saint Paul, MN  55101-1055

Direct:  (651)366-6497

Main:  (651) 222-3242

Fax:  (651) 222-1988

mnbookawards@thefriends.org

www.thefriends.org

 

 

New WebJunction!

WebJunction, the online learning community for librarians and library staff, has launched a new social and learning experience in close collaboration with partners in 15 state libraries. The new site builds on the deep repository of helpful content, relevant courses and active discussions that have been the hallmark of WebJunction since 2003.

The new capabilities make it easier for librarians and staff to:

• Connect with friends, peers and colleagues from across the library community using powerful new social tools such as friends, public profiles, groups, discussions, tagging and recommendations;
• Create their own content, conversations and spontaneous communities with fast, fun and easy-to-use tools;
• Learn the skills they need to thrive in their careers with new and more flexible online courses covering general business, technical and library skills, complimented by powerful social and learning management tools that add depth to the experience.

Originally launched in 2003 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, OCLC and partners from across the library community, WebJunction has grown to over 30,000 registered members, delivered thousands of courses and become a vibrant partner and community.

 

MN Book Award Winners!

From: The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library [mailto:mnbookawards@thefriends.org]
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 10:13 PM
To: Post, Patricia A.
Subject: Minnesota Book Award Winners Announced!

 

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.   The Minnesota Book Awards is a Capital City project, led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the Mayor’s Office of the City of Saint Paul.   Sponsors Marquette Financial Companies Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle, Ltd. Minnesota Department of Education—State Library Services Pioneer Press Saint Paul Cultural STAR Wellington Management, Inc. Xcel Energy   Supporters Anonymous Donor The Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts Huss Foundation The Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Sit Investment Associates Media Sponsors Minnesota Public Radio The Rake Saint Paul Neighborhood Network TPT-MN Channel Partners Barnes & Noble Booksellers Library Networks for Literature – A Project of the Public Programs Office of the American Library Association Metropolitan Library Service Agency Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minnesota Educational Media Organization Minnesota Library Association Minnesota Library Foundation Red Balloon Bookshop Minnesota Book Awards presented tonight – winners announced here first! The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is pleased to announce the winners of the 20th annual Minnesota Book Awards. In addition to winners in eight categories, the Book Awards presented the Readers’ Choice Award, which was selected by over 7,000 voters from across Minnesota. More than 700 people attended the gala award ceremony on Saturday, April 12, hosted by Cathy Wurzer of Minnesota Public Radio and TPT. Announced at the gala, the winners of the 2008 Minnesota Book Awards are: Award for Children’s Literature Sponsored by Xcel Energy: Lynne Jonell – Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat Published by Henry Holt and Company When Emmy discovers that she and her parents are being drugged with rat potions by her horrid nanny, Miss Barmy, she and her animal friends must foil the dastardly plot. Readers will enjoy the clashes between Emmy and the mischievous rat in this whimsical adventure.   Award for General Nonfiction Sponsored by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd.: Charles Baxter – The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot Published by Graywolf Press* Acclaimed writer and essayist Charles Baxter explores the hidden overtones and undertones in fictional work. As the author explains, “A novel is not a summary of its plot but a collection of instances, of luminous specific details that take us in the direction of the unsaid and the unseen.” Baxter teaches at the University of Minnesota. Award for Genre Fiction: William Kent Krueger – Thunder Bay Published by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster The seventh book in the Cork O’Connor series takes the protagonist into Canada where he attempts to locate the son his friend, the Ojibwe healer Henry Meloux, fathered several years ago. Reuniting the two proves more dangerous than anyone predicted. William Kent Krueger, winner of last year’s Genre Fiction Award, lives in St. Paul. Award for Memoir & Creative Nonfiction Sponsored by Wellington Management, Inc.: Patricia Hampl – The Florist’s Daughter Published by Harcourt In her most personal book to date, St. Paul author Patricia Hampl revisits her childhood as she experiences her mother’s death. Daughter of a Czech father whose floral work gave him entrée to high society, and a distrustful Irishwoman with an uncanny ability to tell a tale, Hampl paints a picture of herself as someone who remained a devoted daughter well into adulthood. Award for Minnesota Sponsored by Marquette Financial Companies: Doug Hoverson – Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota Published by the University of Minnesota Press* Starting with Minnesota’s first brewery in 1849, Doug Hoverson, a certified beer judge and award-winning homebrewer, tells the story of the state’s beer industry from small-town breweries to larger companies such as Schell’s and Grain Belt. The book also highlights the vibrant beer culture of today including a new wave of breweries and brewpubs. Award for Novel & Short Story: Wang Ping – The Last Communist Virgin Published by Coffee House Press* From the restaurants of New York’s Chinatown to the retail emporium of Bergdorf Goodman, and from remote Chinese military outposts to the streets of Beijing, Wang Ping’s stories open a window into the rapid transformations of an ancient culture. Born in Shanghai, the author currently teaches at Macalester College.   Award for Poetry: Deborah Keenan – Willow Room, Green Door Published by Milkweed Editions* Written over the course of three decades, this collection presents a body of work addressing themes of love and rage; vulnerability and authority; and distraction and focus. In this collection, the reader gets a sense of inhabiting the world with the poet, of walking through time, both historical and personal.   Award for Young Adult Literature: Will Weaver – Defect Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux David was born with different features than other people. Some are apparent to others, such as his hearing aids and misshapen face. Others are secret, terrifying to some and magical to others. Will Weaver has written many notable young adult novels as well as the short story on which the movie Sweet Land was based. The Readers’ Choice Award Sponsored by Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com: Jill Kalz – Farmer Cap Published by Picture Window Books* Eccentric Farmer Cap plants crops like spaghetti and popsicles. The other farmers laugh at him, but a spectacular harvest causes them to rethink their traditional views. This is the fourth book in Jill Kalz’s Pfeffernut County series. The author has written nearly 50 children’s books and lives in New Ulm. * Indicates a Minnesota-based publisher At the Book Awards gala on April 12, Don Leeper also received the previously announced Kay Sexton Award, for his lifelong contributions to Minnesota’s literary community. Founder and president of BookMobile (formerly Stanton Publications Services), Leeper has fostered the literary community for over 25 years with his design and production service, visionary capability and relationships with local and national publishers. The Award is sponsored by Barnes & Noble Booksellers. Also presented was the first annual Book Artist Award, co-sponsored by Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA). The award, presented to Jody Williams, recognizes a Minnesota book artist for excellence throughout a body of work, as well as significant contributions to Minnesota’s book arts community. Williams’ work is currently being shown at St. Paul’s Central Library, 90 W. 4th St., through April 20. Books written by a Minnesotan and first published in 2007 were eligible for the 20th annual Minnesota Book Awards. 250 books were nominated for awards this year, and 32 books were selected as finalists. The winners were chosen by panels of judges from the list of finalists. Nominations for next year’s Awards will open in early fall, 2008. For more information on the Book Awards process, and a complete list of finalists and winners since 1988, visit The Friends website, www.thefriends.org, and click on the Minnesota Book Awards icon. The Book Awards gala will be broadcast on the TPT-MN Channel in late May or early June. Check your local listings for the channel, date and time of broadcast. You are receiving this email because of your past interest in the Minnesota Book Awards.Unsubscribe papost@stcloudstate.edu from this list. Our mailing address is: The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library 325 Cedar Street, Suite 555 Saint Paul, MN 55101-1055 Our telephone: 651-222-3242 Copyright (C) 2008 The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library All rights reserved. Forward this email to a friend

 

Voting is Open!

Vote for Minnesota’s Top Book

Help pick the winner of the Book Awards Readers’ Choice Award

Sponsored by TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press

Vote anytime during March 2008.

Finalists have been chosen, and now the Minnesota Book Awards invites you to vote for the Readers’ Choice Award. The winner of the Readers’ Choice Award will be tabulated by TwinCities.com and announced at the Book Awards gala on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Saint Paul.For gala tickets or information, call The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library at (651) 222-3242 or visit www.thefriends.org.If you aren’t able to join us at the gala, check back on April 13 for a listing of all of this year’s winners.
Particiapte. Here’s how: Visit your local library or bookseller. Read up on the 32 finalists in contention for the 20th annual Book Awards. Pick your favorite book. Vote! To vote, go to http://www.twincities.com/bookawards and scroll to the bottom of the page for a list of finalists in each category and your opportunity to cast your vote.
Please be sure to read the complete list of finalists, presented alphabetically by category.

 

Round 3 of MN Reflections

Help us add collections to Minnesota Reflections

The Minnesota Digital Library will accept applications for digitization projects until March 28, 2008. You may submit your applications anytime before then. Projects are to digitize original photos, negatives, artwork, letters, journals, documents and maps. We spend our grant dollars to do the digitization work. Contributing organizations choose the projects and complete applications. Once our digitization work is complete, the contributors then fill in an Excel spreadsheet with information on each item (metadata work).Any organization that holds historic objects and is interested in doing a project should contact Marian Rengel, Minnesota Digital Library outreach coordinator, very soon to talk over the details. (mrrengel@stcloudstate.edu; 320-308-5625)In Rounds 1 and 2, conducted since August, the MDL committed to digitizing 1,690 photos, 18,770 document pages, and 1,009 maps. These projects, along with transcriptions for many of the documents, will spend 80 percent of our grant dollars. We still have ample funding for large and small projects.Our call for project proposals, which describes what we are looking for this year and which contains the application, is available at
http://www.mndigital.org/news_events/news_events.htm#phase4proposals

Marian Rengel
Outreach Coordinator
Minnesota Digital Library Coalition
St. Cloud State University
Office (320) 308-5625
Fax (320) 308-4778 (shared)Visit the Minnesota Digital Library’s collection site at http://reflections.mndigital.org/ and our home at http://www.mndigital.org/