Continuing Education and Training

The Circulation training class, scheduled for today from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM has been cancelled.  We will look at re-scheduling this for a later date.

Greetings!  Please save the date for an upcoming summer workshop called Sharing Between Friends on June 18, 2013, 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the SELCO Headquarters in Rochester.  This day-long workshop will feature Chris Olson, MELSA Director and former Minnesota Association of Library Friends (MALF) President, in the morning.  The afternoon session will feature a series of best practices and programs from regional Friends groups and time for sharing and discussion.

If you have a project in the works or a past successful project you'd like to share with the group that day, please contact Mollie Stanford at mstanford@selco.info by Thursday, May 9, 2013.  The official workshop agenda and registration info will be released the week of May 13.  Please help us spread the word to regional Friends and board members!

With the announcement in June 2011 that the Library of Congress will switch their cataloging standard from AACR2 to RDA on March 31st 2013 the rest of the country has been gearing up to learn, identify and to catalog using RDA. A few weeks ago the first four SELCO RDA Copy Cataloging Classes were posted. Demand for these classes was so great that  an additional May 15th class has been added for the spring/summer series.  You can register for one of these 5 classes by going to Coursewhere. Additional fall classes will be scheduled later this spring and will be announced.  

Unable to attend the PLA Virtual Spring Symposium on March 20, 2013?  Not to worry!  The entire symposium was recorded and SELCO has been provided access for up to one year to the recorded sessions.  To access the recordings, you need to create an INDIVIDUAL login.  Instructions for how to access the recordings AND how to set up your individual account can be found on the SELCO PLA Virtual Spring Symposium 2013 page.  Enjoy!

DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013 @ 12:00 PM!

SELCO will offer five scholarships of up to $225 to defray the costs of expenses for the Enhancing Quality Staff symposium on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  This conference, presented by the University of Minnesota Libraries, provides an opportunity for library paraprofessionals and support staff to learn about a range of timely professional topics, to share ideas and experiences with peers, to enhance skills with continuing education and to work toward personal well-being.  The Continuing Education Scholarship will help cover basic costs including:

• Early Bird Registration
• Parking
• Round-trip mileage from your library to the conference and back @ 56.5 cents/mile

SELCO will directly write a check for the registration fee.  Parking and mileage will be reimbursed only after blog posts have been submitted and receipts for parking have been submitted to SELCO.

Requirements:

• Library staff employed in a SELCO/SELS library
• Willingness to summarize conference highlights for posting to the SELCO Librarian Blog during or shortly following the conference
• Complete the Continuing Education Scholarship web application form here.  Choose Enhancing Quality Staff Symposium from the application's drop-down menu.

In the event there are more than five eligible scholarship applicants, names will be drawn by lot.

The application deadline for those interested in being considered for a scholarship is Friday, April 12, 2013 at 12:00 Noon.  If you have already registered for this conference, we will reimburse your registration fee if your application is selected.

THIS IS YOUR ONE WEEK REMINDER!

SELCO is pleased to offer Beyond an Apple a Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library on Thursday, April 11, 2013, from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Owatonna Public Library (Note that this is NOT at the SELCO office.) Our presenter for this workshop is Samanthi Hewakapuge (MA, MLS), Consumer Health Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine/Greater Midwest Region at the University of Illinois-Chicago.  Registration for this course can be found at http://www.solutionwhere.com/selco/cw/showcourse.asp?129.  Please review the registration information for additional information about this special workshop, which I also share below.  This workshop is open to all SELCO and SELS member libraries.

This workshop is a "hands-on class will cover the health information seeking behavior of consumers and the role of the librarian in the provision of health information for the public. Come learn about the evolution of consumer health, health literacy and the e-patient. Participants will be equipped with knowledge of top consumer health sites, e-patient resources and collection development core lists. We will discuss creative ideas for health information outreach. The class will wrap up with an opportunity to explore effective marketing approaches and develop an elevator speech."

As this is a hands-on course, access to a device that can connect to the Internet is important.  SELCO will provide at least 4 laptops and the Owatonna Public Library has a few Netbooks available as well as some desktop computer.  However, be assured that these devices will require having attendees double-up for use (at least.)  If you have your own laptop, Netbook, or tablet that is WiFi-ready, please plan to bring it along with you.  NOTE:  IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE, PLEASE NOTE THIS IN YOUR REGISTRATION.  We will do our best to accommodate your request.   Space is limited so please sign up early.  Additionally, you are encouraged to bring any staff from local public health departments as well.

SELCO will have both of its vans heading to Owatonna that day.  If you would like to have a seat in the van (again, limited seating), please note this in your registration as well.  We will plan to leave the SELCO office no later than 8:15 AM that day.

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Scott, SELCO Assistant Director, at mscott@selco.info or 507-288-5513.

THIS IS YOUR TWO WEEK REMINDER!

SELCO is pleased to offer Beyond an Apple a Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library on Thursday, April 11, 2013, from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Owatonna Public Library (Note that this is NOT at the SELCO office.) Our presenter for this workshop is Samanthi Hewakapuge (MA, MLS), Consumer Health Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine/Greater Midwest Region at the University of Illinois-Chicago.  Registration for this course can be found at http://www.solutionwhere.com/selco/cw/showcourse.asp?129.  Please review the registration information for additional information about this special workshop, which I also share below.  This workshop is open to all SELCO and SELS member libraries.

This workshop is a "hands-on class will cover the health information seeking behavior of consumers and the role of the librarian in the provision of health information for the public. Come learn about the evolution of consumer health, health literacy and the e-patient. Participants will be equipped with knowledge of top consumer health sites, e-patient resources and collection development core lists. We will discuss creative ideas for health information outreach. The class will wrap up with an opportunity to explore effective marketing approaches and develop an elevator speech."

As this is a hands-on course, access to a device that can connect to the Internet is important.  SELCO will provide at least 4 laptops and the Owatonna Public Library has a few Netbooks available as well as some desktop computer.  However, be assured that these devices will require having attendees double-up for use (at least.)  If you have your own laptop, Netbook, or tablet that is WiFi-ready, please plan to bring it along with you.  NOTE:  IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE, PLEASE NOTE THIS IN YOUR REGISTRATION.  We will do our best to accommodate your request.   Space is limited so please sign up early.  Additionally, you are encouraged to bring any staff from local public health departments as well.

SELCO will have both of its vans heading to Owatonna that day.  If you would like to have a seat in the van (again, limited seating), please note this in your registration as well.  We will plan to leave the SELCO office no later than 8:15 AM that day.

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Scott, SELCO Assistant Director, at mscott@selco.info or 507-288-5513.

As posted on the ALA Washington Office's District Dispatch blog on March 26, 2013 with additional links added.

As governments continue to move services online, many public libraries need assistance providing the public with the government services that they need. To assist libraries in providing e-government services to patrons, the American Library Association will host the no-cost webinar Libraries & E-government on Friday, April 12, 2013, from 1:00--2:30 PM.

As part of the webinar, participants will learn:

• How to use LibEGov (www.libegov.org), an easy-to-use web tool that helps libraries serve the e-government needs of their communities.
• Online resources available from government agencies and non-governmental organizations that deal with issues, such as immigration and taxation.
• How to use the virtual Ask A Librarian feature through Government Information Online service.

The website is the result of an Institute of Museum and Library Services funded national leadership grant and was developed by the Information Policy & Access Center at the University of Maryland and the American Library Association through, and is intended to foster collaboration between libraries and government agencies, as well as offer guidance on the provision of e-government services and roles to assist libraries as they continue to serve as critical community providers of e-government to a range of populations.

Speakers will include University of Maryland John Carlo Bertot; University of Maryland doctoral student Ursula Gorham-Oscilowsk; University of Maryland Graduate Research Associate Natalie Greene; and American Library Association Office of Government Relations Assistant Director Jessica McGilvray.

Register now

THIS IS YOUR ONE MONTH REMINDER!

SELCO is pleased to offer Beyond an Apple a Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library on Thursday, April 11, 2013, from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Owatonna Public Library (Note that this is NOT at the SELCO office.) Our presenter for this workshop is Samanthi Hewakapuge (MA, MLS), Consumer Health Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine/Greater Midwest Region at the University of Illinois-Chicago.  Registration for this course can be found at http://www.solutionwhere.com/selco/cw/showcourse.asp?129.  Please review the registration information for additional information about this special workshop, which I also share below.  This workshop is open to all SELCO and SELS member libraries.

This workshop is a "hands-on class will cover the health information seeking behavior of consumers and the role of the librarian in the provision of health information for the public. Come learn about the evolution of consumer health, health literacy and the e-patient. Participants will be equipped with knowledge of top consumer health sites, e-patient resources and collection development core lists. We will discuss creative ideas for health information outreach. The class will wrap up with an opportunity to explore effective marketing approaches and develop an elevator speech."

As this is a hands-on course, access to a device that can connect to the Internet is important.  SELCO will provide at least 4 laptops and the Owatonna Public Library has a few Netbooks available as well as some desktop computer.  However, be assured that these devices will require having attendees double-up for use (at least.)  If you have your own laptop, Netbook, or tablet that is WiFi-ready, please plan to bring it along with you.  NOTE:  IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE, PLEASE NOTE THIS IN YOUR REGISTRATION.  We will do our best to accommodate your request.   Space is limited so please sign up early.  Additionally, you are encouraged to bring any staff from local public health departments as well.

SELCO will have both of its vans heading to Owatonna that day.  If you would like to have a seat in the van (again, limited seating), please note this in your registration as well.  We will plan to leave the SELCO office no later than 8:15 AM that day.

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Scott, SELCO Assistant Director, at mscott@selco.info or 507-288-5513.

THIS IS YOUR ONE-WEEK REMINDER!

SELCO will be hosting the 2013 PLA Virtual Spring Symposium on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM at the SELCO office. Moderated by Stephanie Gerding, librarian, author, and trainer, the PLA Virtual Spring Symposium will be a full day of rich education with:

• Eight education programs,
• Lunchtime updates highlighting digital learning, the Edge Initiative, and e-book communications, and
• A closing session with keynote speaker Garry Golden, Futurist

We will be utilizing the Avila Room and Conference Room #3 for the day and attendees will have the option of attending sessions from a total of 4 tracks:

1. Administration/Leadership (Morning, 10:15 AM - 12:30 PM)
2. Youth Services (Morning, 10:15 AM - 12:30 PM)
3. Marketing/Customer Services (Afternoon, 1:30 - 2:45 PM)
4. Technology (Afternoon, 1:30 - 2:45 PM)

Registration for this workshop can be found here.  To ensure that we have the appropriate room set up, if you could indicate in your registration which tracks you plan on attending, that would be appreciated.  There is no charge for this workshop and lunch AND morning and afternoon snacks will be provided!

For more information, find the Schedule here.  Hope to see you on March 20!

SELCO is pleased to offer Beyond an Apple a Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library on Thursday, April 11, 2013, from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Owatonna Public Library (Note that this is NOT at the SELCO office.) Our presenter for this workshop is Samanthi Hewakapuge (MA, MLS), Consumer Health Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine/Greater Midwest Region at the University of Illinois-Chicago.  Registration for this course can be found at http://www.solutionwhere.com/selco/cw/showcourse.asp?129.  Please review the registration information for additional information about this special workshop, which I also share below.  This workshop is open to all SELCO and SELS member libraries.

This workshop is a "hands-on class will cover the health information seeking behavior of consumers and the role of the librarian in the provision of health information for the public. Come learn about the evolution of consumer health, health literacy and the e-patient. Participants will be equipped with knowledge of top consumer health sites, e-patient resources and collection development core lists. We will discuss creative ideas for health information outreach. The class will wrap up with an opportunity to explore effective marketing approaches and develop an elevator speech."

As this is a hands-on course, access to a device that can connect to the Internet is important.  SELCO will provide at least 4 laptops and the Owatonna Public Library has a few Netbooks available as well as some desktop computer.  However, be assured that these devices will require having attendees double-up for use (at least.)  If you have your own laptop, Netbook, or tablet that is WiFi-ready, please plan to bring it along with you.  NOTE:  IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE, PLEASE NOTE THIS IN YOUR REGISTRATION.  We will do our best to accommodate your request.   Space is limited so please sign up early.  Additionally, you are encouraged to bring any staff from local public health departments as well.

SELCO will have both of its vans heading to Owatonna that day.  If you would like to have a seat in the van (again, limited seating), please note this in your registration as well.  We will plan to leave the SELCO office no later than 8:15 AM that day.

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Scott, SELCO Assistant Director, at mscott@selco.info or 507-288-5513.

The Working Family Resource Center is sponsoring a FREE webinar called Social-Emotional Development in the Early Years on Wednesday, March 13, noon-1 p.m. (central time).  This presentation will describe social-emotional development as it pertains to young children and discuss elements crucial to healthy social and emotional development. The presentation will describe ways in which parents and caregivers can support social-emotional development in their growing child, as well as ways to identify if development is off track. The presentation will include video clips of positive social-emotional development and examples of screening instruments that can be used to screen for social-emotional development.

Presenter Lynnea Myers, M.S., is a certified pediatric nursing practitioner and an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Gustavus Adolphus College. She currently serves as the president for the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She has many years of experience working in primary care, public health, and hospital settings caring for children of all ages. Additionally, Lynnea has volunteered for Early Childhood Screenings across the state. She is passionate about child growth and development.

To register for this free webinar, click HERE.

SELCO will be hosting the 2013 PLA Virtual Spring Symposium on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM at the SELCO office. Moderated by Stephanie Gerding, librarian, author, and trainer, the PLA Virtual Spring Symposium will be a full day of rich education with:

• Eight education programs,
• Lunchtime updates highlighting digital learning, the Edge Initiative, and e-book communications, and
• A closing session with keynote speaker Garry Golden, Futurist

We will be utilizing the Avila Room and Conference Room #3 for the day and attendees will have the option of attending sessions from a total of 4 tracks:

1. Administration/Leadership (Morning, 10:15 AM - 12:30 PM)
2. Youth Services (Morning, 10:15 AM - 12:30 PM)
3. Marketing/Customer Services (Afternoon, 1:30 - 2:45 PM)
4. Technology (Afternoon, 1:30 - 2:45 PM)

Registration for this workshop can be found here.  To ensure that we have the appropriate room set up, if you could indicate in your registration which tracks you plan on attending, that would be appreciated.  There is no charge for this workshop and lunch AND morning and afternoon snacks will be provided!

For more information, find the Schedule here.  Hope to see you on March 20!

Greetings!  The Working Family Resource Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education, is hosting a free online webinar event called Literacy Begins at Home on Wednesday, February 13, noon-1 p.m.  Angele Sancho Passe will present the workshop in Spanish and the event will be archived for future listening.  Click HERE to register for the event!  Patrons can hear the English presentation of Literacy Begins at Home on the Working Family Resource Center website HERE, along with a number of other literacy-based webinar recordings.  A flyer has been created for this event - please click HERE to help spread the word to your patrons!

Greetings!  You are invited to participate in a new webinar series called Intro to ELM for Teachers!  Half hour long sessions will be held on Tuesdays from February 12 to March 12 at 3:30 p.m.  If these times don't work for you, contact the Minitex Reference Outreach & Instruction at mtxref@umn.edu to schedule a webinar time that does.  Individual sessions include:

Intro to ELM for Teachers: Elementary School
Tuesday, February 12, 3:30-4:00 PM
This 30-minute webinar will introduce the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) and discuss ways elementary school educators from across the state use ELM in the classroom. The session is geared toward classroom teachers looking for trustworthy online content to support classroom preparation, lesson plan building, and student projects.

Intro to ELM for Teachers: Social Studies
Tuesday, February 19, 3:30-4:00 PM
This 30-minute webinar will introduce the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) and discuss ways social studies teachers from across the state use ELM in the classroom. The session is geared toward classroom teachers looking for trustworthy online content to support classroom preparation, lesson plan building, and student projects.

Intro to ELM for Teachers: Science
Tuesday, February 26, 3:30-4:00 PM
This 30-minute webinar will introduce the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) and discuss ways science teachers from across the state use ELM in the classroom. The session is geared toward classroom teachers looking for trustworthy online content to support classroom preparation, lesson plan building, and student projects.

Intro to ELM for Teachers: English Language Arts
Tuesday, March 5, 3:30-4:00 PM
This 30-minute webinar will introduce the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) and discuss ways English language arts teachers from across the state use ELM in the classroom. The session is geared toward classroom teachers looking for trustworthy online content to support classroom preparation, lesson plan building, and student projects.

Intro to ELM for Teachers: Education Professional Development
Tuesday, March 12, 3:30-4:00 PM
This 30-minute webinar will introduce the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) and discuss ways educators from across the state use ELM to stay current in their field. The session is geared toward classroom teachers looking for education-related news, research, and best practices.

To sign up for the entire series or just one of the sessions, click HERE.

Lake Superior Libraries Symposium 2013: Libraries by Design
June 7th, Superior, WI

Do you enjoy watching designers create a dream space on a budget? We’ve all seen the design shows that encourage us to think critically about our space and examine what we truly need. For the 2nd annual Lake Superior Libraries Symposium we’re bringing a designer’s eye to libraries! How do we intentionally design our space, skills, and services? Do we love it or list it? Keynote speaker, Nate Hill, Assistant Director at the Chattanooga Public Library, will provide design expertise to kick off the day. The Symposium, hosted in Northern Wisconsin at WITC-Superior, is conveniently located to librarians from northern Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The organizers of the second annual Lake Superior Libraries Symposium (LSLS) invite proposals for 60-minute breakout sessions in 3 tracks:

Designing Space
How have you designed virtual or physical space for your patrons? Suggested topics include website design, online tutorials, classroom re-design, and space planning.

Designing Skills
Libraries are nothing without the people behind them. Suggested topics include professional development, collaboration, budgeting, public service, and leadership.

Designing Service
What programs have been effective in your institution? Suggested topics include reference, information literacy services, e-book programs, ILL, digitizing collections, and outreach.

Successful presentations include 10-15 minutes of question and answer, showcase effective and innovative practices, and are applicable to many types of libraries.
Presenters should submit their proposal electronically at http://bit.ly/lsls13propose by Thursday, February, 28th. Presenters will be notified of acceptance by March 2nd. A call for poster presentations is forthcoming.

LSLS allows educators and librarians to share their expertise, learn from their colleagues, and network to develop a stronger community of information professionals. Individuals from academic, K-12, and public libraries, IT professionals, archives, library school students, and friends of the library groups are encouraged to submit proposals and attend. The Symposium will be held Friday, June 7, 2013 at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in Superior, Wisconsin. The event is organized by librarians and educators from WITC, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Wisconsin Superior, Superior Public Library, Duluth Public Library, Marshall School, Arrowhead Library System (MN), Northern Waters Library System (WI), the College of St. Scholastica, and other organizations.

For questions about proposals and submissions please contact Matt Rosendahl at Matt.Rosendahl@witc.edu. Complete listing of speakers, agenda, and costs will be released in mid-March 2013.

Greetings!  Check out the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) Webinars below!  Perfect for History Day research!

ProQuest Newsstand Webinars
Access the most current national and international newspaper coverage. Join an online session with one of our trainers to get an introductory overview of the platform and database or refresh your awareness with an update. This course covers content, functions, and features of, as well as tips for using, ProQuest Newsstand on the new ProQuest platform. We will also try to answer any questions and show you how to access support, including tutorials, help pages and documentation. The session is scheduled for 60 minutes to cover content review, basic and advanced search functions, view and output options, and more!

• Tuesday, January 22, 2013
  10-11 a.m. (Central time)
  Click HERE to register
• Thursday, January 24, 2013
  3-4 p.m. (Central time)
  Click HERE to register

ProQuest Historical Newspapers, Historical Minneapolis Tribune
ProQuest Historical Newspapers offers full-text and full-image articles for significant newspapers dating back to the 18th century. Every issue of each title includes the complete paper cover-to-cover, with full-page and article images in easily downloadable PDF format. Join an online session with one of our trainers to get an introductory overview of the platform and database or refresh your awareness with an update. This course covers content, functions, and features of, as well as tips for using, ProQuest Historical Newspapers on the new ProQuest platform. We will also try to answer any questions and show you how to access support, including tutorials, help pages and documentation. The session is scheduled for 60 minutes to cover content review, basic and advanced search functions, and more!

• Wednesday, January 30, 2013
  11 a.m. - noon (Central time)
  Click HERE to register
• Monday, February 4, 2013
  2-3 p.m. (Central time)
  Click HERE to register

NEW Britannica School Webinar
Join Darcy McCanless of Britannica to learn about the NEW Britannica School (part of ELM) in this one-hour webinar. In this new edition of Britannica School, you'll find more content and a wider variety of resources – thousands of articles, images, videos, primary sources, e-books, editor-recommended websites, dictionary, thesaurus, and world atlas – to promote rigor while students read, write, research, and develop vocabulary in the content areas. A consolidated search feature now brings all the resources together in one place for time-saving review. It's an ideal tool for project-based learning too!  An easy toggle now enables every student to access the same content at their specific reading level at the same time. Text-to-speech and built-in translation features engage students with special needs and ELLs. And, a new elementary interface offers an age-appropriate information destination designed to appeal to students in these grades.  New lesson plan builders allow teachers to dynamically create, save, and share interactive activities with other teachers or students. Learning games, animated lessons, and study guides offer even more opportunities to connect with the content.  With the new Britannica School, students and teachers can now enjoy the same viewing experience on a tablet, smartphone, laptop, desktop computer, or any Internet-connected device with a Web browser. Retrieve and explore content anytime and anywhere... classroom, library, or at home.  Britannica School is a service to Minnesota schools funded through Minitex. Attendance Certificates provided!

• Tuesday, February 5, 2013
  11 a.m. - noon (Central time)
  Click HERE to register
• Thursday, February 7, 2013
  3:30-4:30 p.m. (Central time)
  Click HERE to register

Greetings!  The 2013 Mock Newbery/Caldecott/Printz Discussions, sponsored by the Children and Young People's Section of the Minnesota Library Association, have been rescheduled due to inclement weather!  Please see new times and locations below:

Newbery and Caldecott
Sunday, January 20, 2013
1:00-3:00 p.m. Newbery book nominees
3:00-5:00 p.m. Caldecott book nominees
Attend either or both discussions
Location: St. Catherine University, Coeur de Catherine, Room 362, 2004 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, map available HERE

Printz
Sunday, 20 January 2013
3:00-5:00 pm
Location: St. Catherine University, Coeur de Catherine, Room 361, 2004 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, map available HERE

Please note that the Caldecott discussions will coincide with the Printz discussions next door.

If you can't make it in person, please send Gail Nordstrom (gnordstrom@viking.lib.mn.us) your comments and she will share them at the discussions.

From ALA's District Dispatch, 12/4/12:

Registration Open!  Free ALA Webinar on Digital Literacy and Libraries

How do librarians and educators keep up with the continual stream of new advancements? How do they motivate and support library staff in staying current?  To facilitate a national dialogue on digital literacy education, the American Library Association (ALA) will host the free webinar "Assessing Digital Literacy: Outcomes and Impact" on December 11, 2012 from 7:00-8:00p.m. EST.  The December webinar, which will be hosted by the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) and the ALA Digital Literacy Task Force, is a follow-up to the highly attended web-based forum that the ALA hosted in November.  Attendees will hear from participants who are exploring ways to measure the effectiveness of digital literacy programs. Speakers include:

• Karen Hanson, federal program officer, National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce
• Julie Coiro, assistant professor, University of Rhode Island School of Education
• Moderated by: Renee Hobbs, ALA Office for Information Technology Policy Fellow

To RSVP for the webinar (which will be streamed live HERE), email OITP Assistant Director Marijke Visser at alawash@alawash.org, using "Digital Literacy" in the subject line.

Greetings!  Please see some upcoming free Continuing Education Opportunities below!

Outreach Programs in Rural Communities: Simple Steps for Surprising Results

Thursday, Dec. 6, 1 pm Central, 60 min.

Registration: Click HERE

The PEARL (Promoting and Enhancing the Advancement of Rural Libraries) Project has been successful in helping Texas rural librarians reach out to groups and organizations in their communities and to raise visibility of and appreciation for their libraries. Community outreach plans, designed to identify and fill a need in the community, are at the heart of this unique model. The process is supported by an actionable template which leads participants from community assessment, through strategic planning, to implementation, and concludes with evaluating outcomes. This webinar, co-sponsored with WebJunction and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries, will explore the outstanding results achieved by participants in the PEARL project and share how community outreach plans have led to unexpected outcomes and some surprising results.

Presented by: Barbara Blake, Outreach Coordinator for the PEARL Project, University of North Texas; and Louise W. Greene, Association for Rural and Small Libraries and PEARL Mentor.

What Would Walt Do?: Quality Customer Service for Libraries

Wednesday, Dec. 12, noon Central, 60 min.

Registration: Click HERE

Looking for some magic to improve customer service in your library? The Disney Institute on Quality Service has set high standards for creating a quality customer experience and their ideas can be applied at your library. Our panel of Colorado librarians attended the Disney Institute Quality Service pre-conference sponsored by ALA's LearnRT at the annual conference in Anaheim in 2012. Since then, they’ve been waving their magic wands to improve customer service in Colorado libraries and they’d like to share their discoveries with you. Learn how to define quality service, set a common purpose for all library staff, and better understand your customers. You’ll walk away with ideas to make your library’s customer service sparkle.

This WebJunction webinar is presented in collaboration with ALA's LearnRT. Did you attend the Disney Institute? Join this conversation and share your ideas and successes.

Presented by: Crystal Schimpf, Trainer, Colorado State Library; Elena Rosenfeld, Associate Director of Public Service, High Plains Library District; and Suzanne McGowan, Branch Manager, Anythink Wright Farms.

For more free library webinars, please click HERE.  Also, if you can't make the live sessions, they are archived HERE.  Staff can register from that page or return to the page for archived recordings and handouts.

SELCO is offering six scholarships of up to $350 to defray the cost to attend the 2013 Library Technology Conference at Macalester College, March 20 & 21, 2012. Scholarships are limited to one per library and recipients must be willing to share conference experiences on The SELCO Librarian blog.  The application deadline for those interested in being considered is 5:00 PM on Tuesday, December 11, 2012.  We realize that this is a short deadline but registration opens on 12/10/2012, is limited to 500 attendees, and fills up rather quickly.

To apply for a scholarship, click here for the SELCO online scholarship or go to SELCO's Continuing Education page and click on the CE Scholarship Form tab.

From the Conference website: The LibTech Conference provides an opportunity for librarians to come together to discuss the changing technologies that are affecting library services; to see examples of what libraries are doing with these technologies; and to provide a venue where participants can learn skills or knowledge that they can take back and adapt for use within their own library. Sessions are offered on a wide range of topics and at varying skill levels. Anyone interested in the changing technologies that are affecting libraries should plan to attend.

Greetings!  The 2013 Mock Newbery/Caldecott/Printz Discussions, sponsored by the Children and Young People's Section of the Minnesota Library Association, have been scheduled!  Please see times and locations below:

Newbery and Caldecott
Saturday, 12 January 2013
9:00-11:00 am Newbery book nominees
11:00-1:00 pm Caldecott book nominees
Attend either or both discussions
Location: St. Catherine University, Coeur de Catherine, Room 361, 2004 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, map available HERE

Printz
Sunday, 20 January 2013
3:00-5:00 pm
Location: St. Catherine University, Coeur de Catherine, Room 361, 2004 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul, map available HERE

All library staff, school staff, and anyone interested in children's literature are welcome to attend!  If you can't attend the discussions in Saint Paul, you can still nominate titles!  To nominate a title by Monday, November 5, please send Gail Nordstrom (gnordstrom@viking.lib.mn.us) your nomination, along with your name, institution and phone number.

The Minnesota Digital Library is holding an information webinar on Tuesday, September 25, 2012.  See below for more information, including registration information.
The Minnesota Digital Library, Minnesota Reflections, and Digitizing your Collections

Tuesday, September 25, 2:00 p.m - 3:30 p.m.

Click here to register

Description

The Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) is now accepting applications for Phase 9 of its Minnesota Reflections digitization project. Join Marian Rengel, Outreach Coordinator for the Minnesota Digital Library, to learn how to plan new projects to digitize photos, documents, sound, and more. You may attend to have your questions answered, to learn about the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL), and to learn about the benefits of collaborating with the MDL on your digital projects. 

Minnesota Reflections (http://reflections.mndigital.org) is an online collection of more than 120,000 photographs, maps, journals, documents and sound recordings, representing 33,000 titles, contributed by more than 135 Minnesota cultural heritage organizations. 

New! Phase 9 now includes a call for projects based on a list of Specific Content topics, in addition to the traditional general content call. The Minnesota Digital Library will accept applications through April 1, 2013, or until we have committed all of our digitization funding. The Phase 9 call for project proposals and application forms will be posted to the Minnesota Digital Library website soon.

Who Should Attend?

The session is planned for staff of any Minnesota library, historical society, archive, museum, or other type of cultural heritage institution interested in starting a digital project or any organization that has worked with the Minnesota Digital Library and is interested in doing another project.

Good afternoon!  Please save the date!  SELCO is pleased to kick-off a series of Reader's Advisory workshops on Thursday, November 8, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at the SELCO Headquarters in Rochester.  The first session will focus on History and will feature Historical Fiction, Civil War titles, and Historical Nonfiction.  Speakers include Kim Edson, Rochester Public Library, SELCO's Donovan Lambright, and Sarah Nagle, Carver County Library.  A formal invitation will be sent out in later weeks, but if you are interested, please mark it on your calendar and sign up here!  Hope to see you there!

Greetings!  SELCO has registered for the group rate for the Public Library Association´s Alternative Reads webinar focusing on ways to discover and share great indie fiction books with patrons. This hour-long webinar will be broadcasted live on Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 1-2 p.m. from the SELCO Headquarters in Rochester.  This engaging, one-hour webinar will feature the latest books from small and independent presses, hybrid-publishers, and self-published works.  Help your readers sort through the onslaught by learning about great reads from this newly explosive area of publishing.  Expert readers' advisors will guide you to undiscovered choice picks and great resources for you and your patrons.  Staff who provide readers' advisory, collection development managers, and anyone hoping to gain knowledge of this continually growing source of fiction are encouraged to attend.  Please click here to reserve your spot at SELCO!  Questions?  Just let us know!

Your one-week reminder!

Please join us!  SELCO has registered for the group rate for the Fast-Forward Online Conference focusing on the future of audio visual materials and will be broadcasting the conference live from the SELCO Headquarters in Rochester.  The all-day conference is scheduled for Friday, September 7, 2012, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  The keynote speaker in the morning is George Blood, who oversees George Blood Video, a company responsible for the digitization of historic analog and born-digital video collections, and George Blood Audio, a company providing recording services for classical musicians and ensembles that digitizes approximately 1,000 hours of audio collections from around the country each month.

For a detailed look at the agenda, information about the sessions and speaker bios, please click here.  We will be serving a $5 pizza lunch during the scheduled break so folks have an opportunity to continue the discussion and brainstorm with each other.  Libraries will be invoiced after the conference.  To reserve your spot at SELCO, please click here.  Questions?  Just let us know! 

Received via email on August 15, 2012.  Good opportunity to apply for a SELCO/SELS CE Scholarship.  You can find that form on the Continuing Education and Training page, under the CE Scholarship Form tab.

The Early Bird Registration deadline for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries Annual Conference is fast approaching; you have only until August 31, 2012 to get the best rate on this year's fantastic conference in Raleigh, NC!  To take advantage of early bird pricing, register here:  http://arsl.info/registration/.  Preconference sessions are scheduled for Wednesday, September 26th and the full conference runs from that evening's reception through two full days on Thursday and Friday and closes at 12:30 PM on Saturday, September 29th.

Speaking of preconference sessions, they are selling out quickly!  As follows please find registration availability as of yesterday (August 14, 2012) afternoon:

• "A New Model for a New World"  1 space left!
• "Community Impact Planning"  10 spaces left!
• "What Do I Do Next"  FULL!

The hotel reservation deadline (to take advantage of the conference rate of $139/night plus tax) is August 28, 2012.  The official conference hotel is the Sheraton Raleigh Downtown.  Please register by calling 800-325-3535, and be sure to identify yourself as registering for the Association for Rural & Small Libraries Conference.  The conference hotel this year offers free internet access and much more!

As always, you may direct questions about the conference to arslannualconference@gmail.com.

Please join us!  SELCO has registered for the group rate for the Fast-Forward Online Conference focusing on the future of audio visual materials and will be broadcasting the conference live from the SELCO Headquarters in Rochester.  The all-day conference is scheduled for Friday, September 7, 2012, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  The keynote speaker in the morning is George Blood, who oversees George Blood Video, a company responsible for the digitization of historic analog and born-digital video collections, and George Blood Audio, a company providing recording services for classical musicians and ensembles that digitizes approximately 1,000 hours of audio collections from around the country each month.

For a detailed look at the agenda, information about the sessions and speaker bios, please click here.  We will be serving a $5 pizza lunch during the scheduled break so folks have an opportunity to continue the discussion and brainstorm with each other.  Libraries will be invoiced after the conference.  To reserve your spot at SELCO, please click here.  Questions?  Just let us know! 

Interested in learning more about Lean Library Management and how libraries across the state are creating efficiencies in the workplace?  Minnesota’s Council of Regional Public Library Administrators (CRPLSA), Minitex, Minnesota’s Multi-County/Multi-type Library Systems, and the Fargo-Moorhead Area Libraries are sponsoring Lean Library Management: Eleven Strategies for Reducing Costs and Improving Customer Services on Friday, September 14, 2012, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the St. Cloud Public Library.  This full day session will include a keynote presentation by John Huber, author of Lean Library Management, and a best practices overview by Minnesota library staff from across the state.  Please see the agenda below:

9-9:30 a.m. -- Registration & Refreshments
9:30 a.m.-noon -- John Huber Presentation
Noon-1 p.m. -- Lunch (catered into the meeting room)
1-4 p.m. -- Minnesota Lean Library Management Presentations:  A best practices overview featuring Anoka County Library, Ramsey County Library and Rochester Public Library and a Q & A session

To register for this day of lean library management, please click here.  The registration deadline for this event is September 1, 2012.  When registering, you’ll notice a $20 pay-at-the-door registration fee.  SELCO will be picking up the cost for regional attendees, so if you are interested in attending, please get your name on the registration list by the deadline and we’ll take care of the fee.  John Huber will also be presenting at the Minnesota State University-Moorhead Campus on Thursday, September 13, 9 a.m.-noon.  If you are interested in this session, there is a spot on the registration form.

SELCO staff will be traveling to the St. Cloud Public Library session, so if you are interested in carpooling, please save a spot by registering here.  The vans will be leaving the SELCO parking lot in Rochester at 6:30 a.m.  Let us know if you have questions!  Hope to see you there!

The 33rd Annual Children's Literature Workshop will be held Monday, June 25 and Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at the Atwood Center, St. Cloud State University.   This year's keynote authors are Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Margi Preus and the keynote new books presenter is Julie Riemer.  There will be sessions on the following topics:

• Kirigami (Origami but allows cutting in addition to folding!)
• Text Sets
• Google Lit Trips
• Award Winning Books (No overlap with the new books presentation!)

PLEASE NOTE:  Earlybird Registration is $200 and ends at 4:00 PM on Friday, June 1, 2012.  After June 1, registration is $225 and ends at 4:00 PM on Wednesday, June 20, 2012.

For more information, see the link to the workshop above.  Note that this workshop would qualify for a SELCO/SELS Continuing Education Scholarship so consider applying!

The Public Library Association (PLA) offers their PLA Facebook Forums as opportunities for Facebook users to discuss a specific topic with guest "experts" and other users.  These forums are free, one-hour interactive events that are available from the PLA Facebook page.

The next PLA Facebook Forum will be on Thursday, May 17, 2012 from 1:00 - 2:00 PM Central, entitled "A Fab Lab at the Library."  Guest "expert" Lauren Britton, the Transliteracy Development Director of the Fayetteville (N.Y.) Free Library, will talk about the Library's Fabrication (Fab) Lab, a creative space that supplies innovative software and equipment, including a 3D printer, to make things.  FFL is the first public library to offer such a lab for free.

For more information about the PLA Facebook Forums, including access to previous Facebook Forums, go to the PLA Facebook Forums page.

The Introduction to Library Service Day 2 Session scheduled for Thursday, May 3 in Mt. Iron has been postponed.  Please stay tuned for a make-up date.  Thanks for your patience!

Save the Date for MALF's Statewide Workshops

The Minnesota Association of Library Friends (MALF) is pleased to present Drafting the Blueprint: Strengthening Relationships Between Library Friends and the Community a workshop series designed to help Library Friends and Trustees develop the tools they need to better support the library.

The workshops will take place across Minnesota in July and August.

METRO: Saturday, July 21 at Brookdale Library

NORTHEAST:  Monday, July 23 at Grand Rapids Area Library

SOUTHEAST: Wednesday, July 25 at the SELCO office, Rochester

NORTHWEST: Wednesday, August 22 at Perham Area Library

SOUTHWEST: Friday, August 24 at Redwood Falls Public Library

For more information, click here.

Greetings!  Please help spread the word about an upcoming Minnesota Certification Day 2 workshop with library staff who wish to continue learning about library services in Minnesota and who complete the assignments from Day 1 in advance.

Introduction to Library Service – Day 2 (5 contact hours)

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Time: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (registration starts at 9, program starts at 9:30)

Location:  Arrowhead Library System (5528 Emerald Avenue, Mt. Iron, MN  55768)

Day 2 is a discussion of the homework from Day 1.  Learn about the mission of libraries, the funding for libraries, and the library in the political process.

Agenda:
9:00 Registration/Refreshments
9:30-4:30 Program

What to bring:

• Handouts from Day 1
• Completed assignments from Day 1
• Standards for Minnesota Public Libraries
• Learning Journal
• New Behavior Check-List
• Five or more articles from popular magazines or newspapers on issues or trends that could/can/do impact libraries

Presenters: Mollie Pherson, SELCO; Kathleen James, MELSA

Audience: This course is required for Minnesota Certification and open to participants of Introduction to Library Service – Day 1.

Registration: No charge, but registration required.  Please contact Chris Carlson at 218-741-3840 or ccarlson@arrowhead.lib.mn.us by Tuesday, May 1, 2012.

Sponsored by the Minnesota Certification Program and Arrowhead Library System.

Greetings!  ALA is offering an online webinar called How to Deliver Great Library Customer Service on Thursday, April 19, 2012, 1:30-3 p.m.   Please see info below:

How to Deliver Great Library Customer Service
Thursday, April 19, 2012, 1:30 p.m. Central, 90 min.
Registration:  click here 

Drawing on 20 years’ experience as a trainer and coach, Laurie Brown will show you how to create a welcoming, friendly experience for patrons, students, and other library users.  Satisfied customers mean good vibes, and happy library users are part of a strong library. In addition to learning how to fulfill the expectations of the people who use your library, you will also get pointers on listening and communications skills to help your conversations with angry, chatty, or overly demanding patrons as gracefully as possible.

Topics include:

• The top three customer service qualities for your library and how to achieve them
• Defusing conflict with difficult patrons
• Ensuring that staff makes positive customer service experience a priority
• How to question library users efficiently

This workshop has also been approved for the following MN Library Certification Competencies:

• Public Service Competency B.3 and 1.5 Contact Hours
• Participants must complete the two homework questions and turn into Cert. Contact:  #1.  List the top three customer service qualities and describe how you would achieve them at your library.  #2.  Share an experience you've had with a difficult patron and the steps you took to defuse the situation.

Plum Creek Library System has purchased group access and will be hosting the workshop for folks interested in attending.  If you are interested in attending, please contact Chris Lang at clang@plumcreeklibrary.net.  Questions about the MN Certification program?  Check out the website here.

 
Greetings!  You are invited to celebrate National Preservation Week at SELCO!  Please join us for the Pass It On: Celebrate Preservation Week workshop on Thursday, April 26, 2012, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the SELCO office in Rochester for a day of expert discussion and information about statewide projects and opportunities focusing on the preservation of photos, documents, and more!  The workshop is free, but there is a $12 fee to cover the cost of a catered lunch.  Registrants will be invoiced after the workshop.  Click here to see the agenda for the day.  Click here to register for the workshop.  Please register by Tuesday, April 24, 2012.  Questions?  Give us a call!  Hope to see you there!

Just a reminder!  The USA Toy Library Association and Think Small: Leaders in Early Learning are offering a day-long conference titled Let’s Play It Up! Libraries for Literacy to be held Friday, May 4, 2012 at Think Small in St. Paul.  Librarians, early childhood professionals, literacy coaches, childcare providers, health care providers, caregivers, and the public at large are encouraged to attend.

Sue Kirschner of Ohio’s Cuyahoga County Public Library will be presenting the keynote: You Want Me to Lend WHAT??!  Several Minnesota librarians will also be presenting, so go out and support them.  The cost is $75 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and an anniversary reception.  Click here for the program brochure and more information. 

Greetings!  Please join us for the Copyright Workshop with Nancy Sims at SELCO on Wednesday, March 21, 2012,  9:30 a.m.---12:30 p.m.  Copyright librarian Nancy Sims will briefly cover some copyright basics and will spend time discussing issues related to your pre-submitted copyright questions.  She will also go over some of the special copyright provisions for libraries and how libraries can help enable legal use by patrons and the communities we serve.  Presenter Nancy Sims is a library subject specialist on copyright issues.  She is a librarian with several years of experience working in academic libraries.  She is also a lawyer and fascinated by the pervasiveness of copyright issues in modern life. 

To register for the Copyright Workshop, please click here.  Please register by Thursday, March 15, 2012.  Questions?  Give us a call at 1-800-992-5061.

Greetings!  The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development and The Program in Education, Afterschool & Resiliency at Harvard (PEAR) are hosting a webinar called The Importance of Youth Purpose and How to Support It on Thursday, March 22, 2012, 12:30-2 p.m. central time.  This workshop is free, but registration is mandatory.  Please click here to register.  Please see description below:

Do youth today have or need a sense of purpose in life?  Does it matter if they do?  This webinar examines whether youth have a sense of purpose in life and what the research shows about the importance of purpose as well as the current state of efforts to support the development of purpose in all young people.  The concept of youth purpose is based on work by William Damon at the Stanford Center on Adolescence over a number of years.  This topic was the focus of the Winter 2011 New Directions for Youth Development entitled "Support and Instruction for Youth Purpose."  Guests will include Jenni Menon Mariano from the University of South Florida, who edited the volume, as well as authors Betsy Levine Brown from George Mason University, and Devora Shamah, a researcher with Gateway to College National Network.  The discussion will be moderated by Dale A. Blyth from the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development.

Greetings!  Please join us for the Copyright Workshop with Nancy Sims at SELCO on Wednesday, March 21, 2012,  9:30 a.m.---12:30 p.m.  Copyright librarian Nancy Sims will briefly cover some copyright basics and will spend time discussing issues related to your pre-submitted copyright questions.  She will also go over some of the special copyright provisions for libraries and how libraries can help enable legal use by patrons and the communities we serve.  Presenter Nancy Sims is a library subject specialist on copyright issues.  She is a librarian with several years of experience working in academic libraries.  She is also a lawyer and fascinated by the pervasiveness of copyright issues in modern life. 

To register for the Copyright Workshop, please click here.  Please register by Thursday, March 15, 2012.  To view the event flyer, please click here.  Questions?  Give us a call at 1-800-992-5061.

 
Greetings!  This is a reminder!  El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day) is a celebration every day of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.  Join SELCO staff at the SELCO office in Rochester on Friday, March 2, 1-2:30 p.m., to attend a webinar and to learn more about this important American Library Association (ALA) event.   This webinar is open to library staff of all experience levels and no prerequisites are required.  Folks attending the webinar will:

• learn about large-scale Día events
• learn about ways to expand their Libraries’ Día offerings
• discuss marketing strategies to increase participation in Día events
• review grant sources and other funding opportunities for Día programs
• review and have an opportunity to brainstorm opportunities for partnerships and collaborations in Día events
• have the opportunity to share ideas for successful Día events with colleagues

To reserve a spot to attend the webinar at SELCO, please click here.   Click here to watch the SELCOtv episode about El día de los niños!

Received from several email lists. 

The Lake Superior Libraries Symposium (LSLS) is placing a Call For Proposals to librarians, teachers, IT professionals and educators for our inaugural conference on Friday, June 1, 2012 at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Conference Center in Superior, WI. The Lake Superior Libraries Symposium (LSLS) is the brainchild of librarians from Northern Wisconsin and Northern Minnesota who seek to develop and foster an enhanced network of skills, programs, and literacy types that will benefit the libraries of Northern Wisconsin, Northern Minnesota, and beyond. Recognizing the limitations of budgets and time available to most library staffs, the LSLS was born to provide a low-cost, centrally located conference for the Northland. We encourage attendees from all of  Minnesota, Wisconsin, Canada and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to attend and experience the beauty of Lake Superior in the summer.

We are actively seeking presenters in the tracks of Leadership, Teaching & Learning,  and Technology/Technical Services.  If you believe you can share a program, message, workflow, idea, demonstration, discussion or other experience in a breakout/classroom/lecture format, then we encourage you to submit at our site:  https://sites.google.com/site/lakesuperiorlibrariessymposium/home/presentation-proposals. Sessions are 45 minutes in length. The LSLS will provide audio visual support.  Presenters will be also thanked for their service, and will also be able to go to the front of the buffet line for Deluxe Taco Bar. 

Call for Proposals closes on February 24, 2012. Presentation schedule released in mid-March 2012.  The conference will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012, at Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College - Superior. Registration costs will be minimal.

Questions and inquiries can be directed to adam.brisk@witc.edu.

Information taken from email sent to us on Thursday, February 2, 2012, from Sharon Kambeitz, Senior Knowledge Consultant and Coordinator, Library Outreach Programs, Allina Hospitals and Clinics on behalf of Midwest Chapter/MLA.  For additional information, please contact Sharon via email at sharon.kambeitz@allina.com.

Save the Date – Midwest Chapter/MLA 2012 in Rochester

THE most stunning event of The Midwest Chapter, Medical Library Association this year is our annual meeting in Rochester, Minnesota from October 6 through 9, 2012. We call this event, Growing Opportunities, a program planned especially for medical librarians to view themselves and medical librarianship, as through a kaleidoscope, viewing change and growth as new opportunities.

Rochester is host to thousands of people each year.  Home of the IBM Corporation and the Mayo Clinic, Rochester is positioned as a hub of innovative research both clinical and technological.

Our keynote speaker is the famous e-Patient Dave, a successful speaker, cancer survivor, and blogger noted for activism for healthcare transformation through participatory medicine.  An engaging speaker and accomplished writer in his professional life, he is an advocate for Participatory Medicine as it evolves in which patients become strong agents in managing their own health care in partnership with physicians.  You can find more information about e-Patient Dave (David deBronkhart) on his website http://epatientdave.com.

We welcome you to grow your opportunities, network with colleagues through papers and posters, and continuing education classes (to be announced shortly). Please join us in Rochester!   More details to come.

Greetings!  Please save the date!  SELCO will be hosting a copyright workshop with University of Minnesota Copyright Program Librarian Nancy Sims on Wednesday, March 21, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  In order to tailor the workshop to the needs in our region, Nancy has asked for some feedback.  If you are interested in attending this session, please complete the following survey by clicking here.  Please complete the survey by Tuesday, February 14, 2012.  To register for the workshop, click here.  Official workshop PR will come out with agenda details four weeks before the actual program, so keep your eyes out for it!

Greetings!  El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day) is a celebration every day of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds.  Join SELCO staff at the SELCO office in Rochester on Friday, March 2, 1-2:30 p.m., to attend a webinar and to learn more about this important American Library Association (ALA) event.   This webinar is open to library staff of all experience levels and no prerequisites are required.  Folks attending the webinar will:

• learn about large-scale Día events
• learn about ways to expand their Libraries’ Día offerings
• discuss marketing strategies to increase participation in Día events
• review grant sources and other funding opportunities for Día programs
• review and have an opportunity to brainstorm opportunities for partnerships and collaborations in Día events
• have the opportunity to share ideas for successful Día events with colleagues

To reserve a spot to attend the webinar at SELCO, please click here. 

Minitex has announced its Spring Semester (January - May) 2012 ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) Webinars.  They are offering over a dozen new ELM, created for the purpose of sharing practical information that can be applied at work.  The slate of webinars, linked to more information on specific class dates, times, and descriptions, is shown below.  To register, click here.

• Creating Timelines in Britannica
• ELM and Wikipedia
• Delivering Curriculum Content through Shareable Online Lesson Plans
• ELM After School: K-5
• ELM After School: 6-8
• ELM After School: 9-12
• ELM After School: Teaching Resources
• Getting to Know the Presidential Candidates
• Using Maps in Student Resources in Context
• Britannica's Interactive Learning Materials
• Smart Resources for the Smart Board
• ELM: More Than Just Articles
• Making ELM Access Easy
• Just Search: EBSCOhost
• Just Search: InfoTrac
• Just Search: ProQuest
• ELM and Local Government
• Health and Medical Resources in ELM
• Accessing Your ELM Usage Statistics
• The All-New ProQuest

Greetings!  WebJunction Minnesota is offering an online webinar called Developing and Maintaining E-Reader Policies and Procedures for Libraries on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 2 p.m.   Please see info below:

Developing and Maintaining E-Reader Policies and Procedures for Libraries
Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, 2 p.m. Central, 60 min.
Early Registration:  click here 

As debates rage on about e-books, publishers and privacy, how are libraries approaching policies for managing e-readers? Join us for this webinar focused on the nuts and bolts of serving patrons with gadgets, including policies and procedures for libraries lending e-readers and for patrons using their own readers to access library e-book collections. Hear from a library who has e-reader policies and procedures in place, including how they review and update polices; and from a library who’s recently developed policies and procedures after researching and learning from many other libraries.
Presenters: David Newyear, adult information services manager, Mentor Public Library, Ohio; and Daniel Schwartz, library director, Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library, Kerrville, Texas.

This workshop has also been approved for the following MN Library Certification Competencies:

• Technology Competency #3 and 1 Contact Hour
• Participants must complete one of the following homework assignments and turn into Cert. Contact:  Write a one page paper discussing three new things you learned about e-books/e-readers and how they affect libraries and patron use OR If you have implemented e-books at your library, create a policy or procedure that is not in place at your library.

Questions about the MN Certification program?  Check out the website here.

Received via email on November 8, 2011.  Registration information can be found within this announcement.  This event is free to those who register.

Polaris Library Systems and Syracuse University's iSchool Host the Grand Challenge Summit for Academic Libraries

Keynote speaker R. David Lankes, Ph.D., to lead an interactive discussion on how libraries can engage and improve the communities they serve

Syracuse, NY, October 28, 2011 - Economic and technological changes have had a profound effect on the way libraries engage with their communities. These changes have presented academic libraries with some Grand Challenges related to the services they provide, the role they play on campus and globally, and in how they organize and disseminate information. Polaris Library Systems and the School of Information Studies (iSchool) at Syracuse University are providing a forum for academic librarians to discuss these challenges with each other and with industry thought leaders during the first Grand Challenge Summit for academic libraries on Thursday, November 10th, 2011. This is an online event, open to academic librarians, and will be an interactive session. Best practices, questions, opinions and action steps will be documented and compiled into a position paper to be distributed after the event.

Grand Challenge Event Agenda 
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
Via Adobe Connect
10am - 4:15pm Eastern Standard Time (EST

Note:  Information from Minitex sent on November 7, 2011

Using The New Minnesota Reflections
Tuesday, November 22, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.

Description
As of November 1, 2011, Minnesota Reflections has a new look! The software that runs Minnesota Reflections (CONTENTdm) was upgraded to the latest version. This upgrade contains many new features, making Minnesota Reflections easier to navigate for end users. Marian Rengel, MDL Outreach Coordinator, will demonstrate some of the new features such as:

• New Minnesota Reflections Homepage
• New Collection Landing Pages
• Searching all of Minnesota Reflections or within specific Collections
• Browsing by Collection and Topic
• New Image Viewer
• New features like tagging, commenting, and RSS feeds
• Newspapers in Minnesota Reflections

See what’s changed (or not changed) in Minnesota Reflections! There will be plenty of time for questions, and the webinar will be recorded for later use.

Who Should Attend?

The webinar is designed for staff of organizations that contribute to Minnesota Reflections, library staff and school media specialists, or any other organization that makes use of Minnesota Reflections as a teaching or research tool.

Prerequisites

None

To register for this no charge webinar, see:  http://www.minitex.umn.edu/Training/Details.aspx?SessionID=366

Due to low registration numbers, SELCO is cancelling the Imagine, Program, Share:  Library Programming with Scratch and SMILE workshop on Friday, October 21, 2011 at the SELCO office in Rochester.  We are sorry for this inconvenience and are hoping to reschedule this workshop in Spring 2012.  Thanks for your understanding!

Are you prepared to deliver great service that brings patrons back to the library?  What if you don’t speak the native languages of patrons?  Can you identify and meet the needs of all your patrons?  The fact is anyone who interacts with patrons on a daily basis knows creating a positive, respectful service experience takes work.  To learn new techniques, please join us for the At Your Service:  Working with Multicultural Customers workshop on Friday, November 4, 2011, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the SELCO Headquarters in Rochester.  Associate University of Minnesota Extension Professor Bruce Schwartau will present research on customer service excellence combined with cultural awareness training to create an extraordinary, multi-faceted workshop. 

All attendees will:

• Learn how to establish a pleasant, genuine rapport with multicultural patrons
• Build skills to identify and respond to customer needs and expectations
• Discover how to manage their own attitudes – even in difficult situations
• Gain strategies to deliver exceptional service that drives repeat library visits

This workshop is free, but there is a $15 fee to cover the cost of lunch.  Registrants will be invoiced upon registration.  To register for the workshop, please click here or give us a call.  Please register by Wednesday, November 2, 2011.  Click here to see the workshop brochure.  Hope to see you there!