Trying new tools . . . always something new

 

I have just purchased a little Asus eee pc netbook and am exploring it while also setting up tool bars and preferences and buttons for Delicious etc etc. In the course of doing this I’ve found a number of new buttons on various toolbars that allow different things to happen.  I’m now experimenting with Windows Live Writer to see if it is a tool that will allow me to post directly to this blog. I’m going to have to spend a lot of time playing with all the options that are now available to me – it’s exciting, far more time consuming than expected, and leaves me with lots of questions about how I will ever learn to use all the Web 2.0 tools effectively.

MN Knows!

Take a moment to look at the new information portal available that showcases the  statewide information services that fall under the Minitex umbrella.

MnKnows - Dig Deeper @Your Library : the new portal gives Minnesota’s citizens one-stop access to five statewide library services:

MnLink Gateway
The Electronic Library for Minnesota
Minnesota Digital Library “Reflections” project
AskMN
Research Project Calculator

Take a moment to check it out, to book mark it, add it to your website, and share it with your patrons. Wonderful bookmarks have been distributed, but if you didn’t get any and would like some, let the NLLN office know or contact Minitex directly.

Libraries and the Recovery Funds

The massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)  — also known as the stimulus funds — will bring hundreds of million dollars to Minnesota. How do libraries stand to benefit? There are numerous places in this act that include libraries but whether or not libraries will be included depends on our ability to dig in and do the work required. We have to be at the table when proposals are made and when policy discussions are taking place.

One of the best places to start is the ALA overview of ARRA and Libraries found at http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/wo/woissues/washfunding/fedfund/arra101.cfm . Another place is to look at our state’s plan to handle the funds which is found in the office of Management and Budget. http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/recovery and to get details on the actual funds coming to Minnesota and how allocated go to: http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/doc/citizen/summary.pdf.

There is a lot of money. How it will be used is detailed and complicated. If it is to be used for libraries, it will be necessary for us to pay attention at all levels, to work with others, and to share our plans.

NLLN Governing Board to meet

Looking forward to demonstrating and playing with “23 Things” and “More Things” at the Feb 21 Governing Board meeting in Detroit Lakes, 10am, lower level of the Graystone Hotel. Agenda,Minutes, and Director’s Report available at here.

This is a test post from my phone.

Meet Your Destiny Conference

Calling all school media center staff — beat the winter doldrums by attending the “Meet Your Destiny” conference/workshop planned for the evening of  Sunday, Jan 25 and Monday, Jan 26, 2009, at the Arrowwood Conference Center in Alexandria, MN.  More information can be found on the conference wiki and the online registration form.

This will undoubtedly be the social and learning event of the winter season — don’t miss it!

NLLN Continuing Education Scholarships

Are you thinking about a special continuing education event you’d like to attend?  Do you need some financial help?

Are you curious about the experience of others that have received scholarships?

NLLN Scholarship recipient reports for 2008-09 are posted on the NLLN website, along with the guidelines and application form.

Take a moment to look at the reports, review the guidelines, and then consider applying for an NLLN Scholarship the next time you need a little help to participate in a special continuing education event of your choice.

Any library staff member in an NLLN library may request up to $500 per year in scholarship funds. Each request is reviewed by the NLLN Scholarship Committee and notice of their decision is sent promptly. Don’t hesitate — more than 50 people received scholarships in 2007-2008 and their reports illustrate just how valuable, and how varied, these events were for the scholarship recipients.

Interested in The Big Read?

From the IMLS Newsletter:

Time to Apply for The Big Read
Application Deadline: February 3, 2009
IMLS, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), announces the fifth deadline for The Big Read. The purpose of The Big Read is to revitalize the role of literature in American popular culture. Grants ranging from $2,500 – $20,000 are available to encourage local communities to inspire reading by developing and carrying out programming revolving around a single work of literature. Programming must be conducted between September 2009 and June 2010. This will be the only application deadline in 2009.

Complete application and much more information is available at: http://www.neabigread.org/

In our region, the Fergus Falls area has been successful grant winners for the past 3 years. Check out how that program has grown and flourished since first beginning with a Community Read in 2002.

Party on a Stick at MLA Conference

Michael and Nancy

Originally uploaded by NLLN.

“Party on a Stick” was well attended by conference goers at the recent MLA Conference in Bloomington. Here Michael Scott and Nancy Steele man the ice cream cart — a popular part of the party.

For more pictures from MLA, go to the NLLN flickr site on the side bar or at www.flickr.com/photos/nlln

Tim Spaulding of Library Thing

Tim Spaulding of Library Thing

Originally uploaded by NLLN.

Tim was the opening key note speaker at the 2008 MLA Conference. He was sponsored by the MN multitype library system directors and was a very popular speaker. As the creator of “Library Thing” (which was one of the 23 Things on a Stick), Tim was able to speak not only of the creation/growth of LibraryThing, but also about the tremendous impact social networking, especially in the area of tagging and content creation, can have on library catalogs.