CRPLSA

Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators

Tag: SELCO

SELCO Executive Director Search

Job search underway in the southeast.  SELCO seeks an individual with strong leadership skills to provide direction for a diverse membership and manage SELCO staff at its headquarters in Rochester.

SELCO has created customized webpages offering information to prospective candidates and SELCO/SELS stakeholders.  The candidate information includes a warm invitation with an awesome testimonial video and photo essays. Additional links provide information about the regional public and multitype system and libraries around the region,  as well as an outline of the search process.

The minimum qualifications require a MLS from an ALA-accredited school. Extensive management experience. Knowledge of multitype library systems. Resumes, with cover letter, will be accepted until January 31, 2017 and interviews will start in February.  For more information, contact Sue Hall at Library Strategies, a consulting group of the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.

Hot Reads in LARL

SELCO Winter Reading Program 2017

Lake Agassiz Regional Library is thrilled to invite it’s reading public to participate in Hot Reads for Cold Nights, an annual winter reading program for adults.

The LARL program rules are simple: read or listen to four books, audiobooks, eBooks, or eAudiobooks for a chance to win prizes.  The program will begin on Monday, January 2 and end Tuesday, February 28. All of LARL’s 22 locations are offering this reading opportunity. Prizes include mugs, totes, calendars and more!

LARL even offers an online resource of title suggestions to make reading choices easier.  Use Next 5 Books, LARL’s recommendation program

Winter Reading Programs

Blustery weather and long winter nights provide the perfect excuse to snuggle down with a good book (or two, or three).  The Arrowhead Library System and SELCO winter reading programs will enhance the reading enjoyment whether the reader chooses a paper copy, an audio version or an eBook.

ALS Winter Reading Program 2017
ALS Winter Reading Program 2017

SELCO Winter Reading Program 2017
SELCO Winter Reading Program 2017

Minnesota Loves Libraries close to launch

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It’s almost here — Libraries throughout the state are nearly ready to launch the first-ever, statewide Minnesota Loves Libraries campaign! The time has come to begin gathering stories of how libraries make a difference in people’s lives so we can share those stories with our legislators during the 2017 session.

There will be two ways of collecting stories from library users — 2-sided postcards that libraries may print and cut for patrons to write on and leave at the library and an online form that can be filled out anywhere. Libraries may promote either or both methods, whatever works for a particular location.

A special Minnesota Loves Libraries website has been created for collecting comments. There is a tab on the site with resources for library staff — posters, postcards, and images for use in social media. Some of the posters contain a QR code that will enable patrons to immediately access the website on their mobile devices.  Check out the website for FAQs.

A statewide press release will be issued early next week and more details will be shared then, so stay tuned.

CRPLSA thanks the hard working statewide team (Jon Tatting – ECRL, Bernadette Stevens – GRRL, Hillary Stevens – LARL, and Jennifer Harveland – SELCO) that developed the campaign.  We hope it will be fun and rewarding for all who participate!

SELCO approves formula change initiative

Hand writing formula on blackboardThe SELCO Board of Directors unanimously supports the resolution to seek a formula change and an increase in the annual appropriation of Regional Library Basic System Support (RLBSS).  The proposed formula change will reduce the Equalization factor of the formula from 25% to 15% and increase the Basic System Services factor from 5% to 15%.  This will will minimize volatility and stabilize the flow of state financial support.

Proposal to amend the current RLBSS formula tied to a funding increase

SELCO’s approval of the proposed legislative initiative, brings the tally of regional votes to nine of 12, with a goal of unanimous endorsement for future support by the Minnesota Library Association.

Hullabaloos: History Day Research Days

MHS History Day logo History Day Hullabaloos are research open houses held at a variety of metro librariess as well as libraries in Duluth, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Cloud.  Check the the 2016-2017 Hullabaloo schedule for a complete listing of locations, dates, and times

During the Hullabaloo students will:

  • Conduct primary and secondary research with the guidance of library staff
  • Get one-on-one help from History Day staff and mentor
  • Attend a mini-lesson on a range of topics.

Each year,  a broad theme is selected that will help students direct their research to show a connection between the theme and their topics. The 2017 theme, Taking a Stand in History, will allow students to research topics on all levels from local history to ancient history.

Find National History Day MN on Facebook and 0n Instagram

ELM Expo

PrintJoin fellow librarians from across southern Minnesota to learn more about ELM – the Electronic Library for Minnesota.

This day-long training event will provide the chance to explore in-depth all that ELM has to offer.  Minitex librarians will  provide training on the specialized databases and participants will discover which database is best for what. Learn with the experts about how to best search, save, and share the  results as well as how to teach accessing the database resources to users back home. Various database vendors will also be on hand to talk about new resources, interfaces, and features.  All levels of experience welcome!

Saturday, November 5, 2016 | 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Minnesota State University Library – Mankato
601 Maywood Avenue, Mankato, MN
$25 per person registration fee – Participation limited to first 100

Sponsored by Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative, SAMMIE, SELCO/SELS, Minitex, and Minnesota State University-Mankato.

LSTA 2016 Results

IMLS logoThe results of the most recent Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) competitive grant round have been released and three public libraries are among the recipients.  These include MELSA member: Hennepin County Library and SELCO members:  Albert Lea Public Library and Austin Public Library.

Albert Lea Public Library – $72,505 for Check Out the Internet @ ALPL
Albert Lea Public Library (ALPL) will bridge Freeborn County’s digital access gap with a mobile technology lending program. Grant funds will capitalize on a popular pilot project by adding 60 Wi-Fi hotspots and 25 iPad Airs to its circulating collection. In partnership with Albert Lea Community Education, ALPL will present classes and hands-on demonstrations of the mobile technology to Adult Basic Education students.

Austin Public Library – $43,064 for Austin Area Science Fair Mentoring Project Expansion
Austin Public Library (APL) will take a pivotal role in expanding the Austin Area Science Fair Mentoring Project, a successful community initiative that pairs local STEM professionals with third and fourth grade science fair participants. In doing so, APL aims to increase science literacy and students’ interest in STEM careers. The project will double the number of mentor-student pairs, increase science fair participation and success rates, and connect science fair participants with the library’s mobile technology and high-quality STEM resources.

Hennepin County Library – $53,544 for Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration
Five percent of Minnesota children have had a parent in jail or prison at some point in their childhood. Hennepin County Library (HCL) will create programs and resources to strengthen families affected by incarceration. Additionally, HCL will educate librarians and other social service professionals about the unique needs of families impacted by incarceration.

Five successful school districts will receive the balance of the $544,843 awarded in the 2016 LSTA competitive grant round.  Click here for a list of all eight grant recipients and the project abstracts.

SELCO’s Camp Read-a-Lot in a month

Plans are underway for SELCO to host its 8th Annual Camp Read-a-Lot!
Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Camp is a professional development opportunity for library staff, teachers, and interested adults who work with children’s literature, focusing on specifically on grades 2-5.Camp Read-A-Lot Logo COLOR  Campers have the chance to read from a set list of books prior to Camp and then spend the day discussing the titles.  Campers will have a chance to hear from Lisa Von Drasek, Curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collection at UMN Libraries and Minnesota children’s book author Trisha Speed Shaskan.

More details on the SELCO Camp Read-a-Lot website

Library advocacy theme unveiled!

PrintLibrary advocates from across Minnesota began planning for the 2017 Minnesota Legislative session during the annual Library Legislative Forum on July 12, held at the St. Cloud Public Library (GRRL).

Minnesota Loves Libraries will be unifying theme for 2017 library advocacy efforts.  A  smart-looking new logo was unveiled. The original art for the logo is the work of Bernadette Stephenson, GRRL.

Details about the new campaign are still in development  by a CRPLSA Advocacy sub-committee.  Regional staff include:

  • Jon Tatting – ECRL
  • Bernadette Stephenson – GRRL
  • Hillary Stevens – LARL
  • Ken Behringer – MELSA
  • Jennifer Harveland – SELCO

ECRL Director Barbara Misselt is the 2016 Legislative Chair of the Minnesota Library Association.  She is working closely with the sub-committee.

As proof that Minnesotans do indeed love libraries. State Librarian Jen Nelson reported to the Forum that there were 24,340,258 visits to Minnesota’s 355 public libraries in 2015. She also said that 3,860,346 library card holders checked out 52,512,434 physical and electronic library items.

Lunch at the Library

Public libraries are helping make sure kids have access to nutritious food when school is not in session by hosting summer food programs.

  • Once again this summer, Northwest Regional Library (NWRL) staff are reading at meal sites that provide free meals for children and their caregivers in Thief River Falls. The Library Ladies read stories to children as they eat their lunches. NWRL also uses the Once Upon a Reader story strolls to promote early literacy.
  • The Winona Public Library in SELCO is collaborating with the Winona Area Public Schools to provide a FREE lunch program at the library for children ages 18 and under, June 13 – August 26, from 11:30 am-1:00 pm, Monday thru Friday. Children can “grab and go from the lunch bus” or may eat in the bus or on the library’s old front steps.
SELCO Winona Public Library Lunch Bus 2016-06
The Lunch Bus at the Winona Public Library

Ten Pigs Wrap Up in SELCO

Today was the final day of Once Upon a Reader trunk shows in SELCO. Author/illustrator Derek Anderson traveled the region, reading, singing and playing with children in an energetic show based around his book, Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure.

Library staff throughout the region did a great job promoting the shows and, after six days and 12 trunk shows in 11 communities, Derek said he thoroughly enjoyed his time in southeastern Minnesota.

Hundreds of children, caregivers and parents who participated in the high-energy trunk shows agreed. Aimed at pre-K children and their families, this statewide one-book program promotes Minnesota children’s literature and encourages families to Talk, Sing, Read, Write and Play together – five practices critical to early literacy skills development.

Additional resources for libraries and parents are free and downloadable at www.onceuponareader.org .

A CRPLSA sponsored Library Legacy activity with funds from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Hutton to retire

Ann Hutton, SELCO Executive Director since 1996, has announced her plans to retire May 1, 2017.  In her letter to the SELCO Board of Directors she stated:

Having started my library career as a school librarian in Wisconsin, a state with strong regional libraries, I had a goal of working at a strong region.  Each move — Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota — were steps in that direction.  I will admit that when I started at SELCO on August 27, 1984, I thought I would be in the region just a few years before moving to the metro.  But, southeast Minnesota captured my heart and fulfilled my professional goals.  It has been an honor to work at SELCO as Regional Librarian, Assistant Director, and Executive Director.

More information about SELCO’s Executive Director Search

SELCO’s MNBA Publicity

MNBA logo purpleSELCO created personalized press kits for nine Minnesota Book Award finalists and winners to help promote recent author visits.  The press materials always include a general press release, a sample Facebook post, and a tweet for the library’s Twitter account. Several have expanded  biographical information when it was readily available.

Feel free to use this Library Legacy publicity if an author visits your community!

  • Brenda Child
  • Tricia Cornell
  • Allen Eskens
  • Michael Hall
  • Nicole Helget
  • Julie Klassen
  • Nancy Koester
  • Larry Millet
  • Laura Purdie Salas

SELCO’s 2016 Minnesota Book Award Author Tour press kits

Refresh and Revitalize Your Friends Group: MALF Workshop

MALF Brings a New Workshop Series to Minnesota Libraries

By popular demand, “Revitalization” is the focus of this year’s Minnesota Association of Library Friends (MALF) annual workshop series.  Sally Gardner Reed, Executive Director of United for Libraries, will lead and keynote Refresh and Revitalize Your Friends Group in half-day workshops in four locations across Minnesota.

Questions to consider:  Does your Friends group organize the same slate of events year after year, without appreciable growth or diversification? Does the same handful of long-time volunteers assume all leadership responsibilities, with no real prospect of “new blood” in sight? Is your membership roster stagnant, or worse, declining?

If you answered yes to any (or all) of these questions, rest assured that you and your Friends group are not alone and Refresh and Revitalize Your Friends Group  is just what you need.  Please join library Friends at one of  four locations across Minnesota:

MALF workshop map 2016Austin Public Library (SELCO)
323 4th Ave NE, Austin, MN, 55912
Wednesday, September 14 (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Rum River Library (MELSA)
4201 6th Ave, Anoka, MN, 55303
Thursday, September 15 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.)

Robert Trail Library (MELSA)
14395 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, MN, 55068
Friday, September 16 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.)

Douglas County Library (VLS)
720 Fillmore St., Alexandria, MN, 56308
Saturday, September 17 (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

Of these sessions, Sally Gardner Reed promises, “We will cover a lot of ground, but focus on how to change the typical ‘structure’ of the Friends group to attract new, young, and active volunteers.”

In addition to the keynote, attendees will participate in small group roundtables, plus have a chance to share thoughts and experiences during an hour-long idea exchange session – a MALF workshop staple, and one of participants’ best opportunities all year to network and share with Friends from across Minnesota.

Refresh and Revitalize Your Friends Group is FREE to attend, and it is not necessary to be a member of MALF or any Library Friends organization. A complimentary lunch will be provided at each location.  Pre-registration is required, to ensure the appropriate number of lunches and informational packets. Registration for all four sessions opens Monday, July 18 and will close in early September. Stay tuned to the MALF Blog for more details.

United for Libraries (formerly Friends of Libraries U.S.A.) is the Friends of the Library arm of the American Library Association, and MALF’s counterpart on the national stage. As executive director, Sally Gardner Reed oversees UFL resource development, strategic planning, and committee assignments.

NLLD Photos

From Washington, DC and the halls of government…

Skip Levesque - GRRL & Judith Schotzko - SELCO
Skip Levesque – GRRL & Judith Schotzko – SELCO
House Office visit with Minnesota library advocates: Judith Schotzko, Skip Levesque, Chris and Jim Weikum
House Office visit with Minnesota library advocates: Judith Schotzko, Skip Levesque, Chris and Jim Weikum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NLLD 2016 Franken Office
Legislative Aide to Senator Al Franken, Skip Levesque – GRRL, Judith Schotzko – SELCO, Jim and Chris Weikum – ALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALA’s photostream for NLLD 2016

Minnesotans in Washington

nlld banner 2016 croppedA small continent of Minnesotans visited our nation’s Capitol this National Library Legislative Day, May 2-3, 2016. Jim Weikum, ALS Director and former Minnesota Library Association Legislative Chair, led the group. Also attending NLLD were Judith Schotzko, a SELCO Board Member, and Skip Levesque, the President of the Friends of the St. Michael – Albertville – Hanover Library in GRRL. Skip is the recipient of the first Minnesota Association of Library Friends NLLD grant.

These NLLD advocates asked their Members of Congress in the House and Senate to increase funding for library services, approve a new Treaty to provide electronic materials to the blind worldwide, protect the privacy of email and other electronic communications, and to support legislation that will afford the public broad and free access to government information.

Statewide documentation shared with Congressional staff included recent news from the Minnesota Department of Education on Federal funding for libraries.

SELCOtv Features MNBA 2016 Booktalks

SelcoTV Cover PageJust in time for the 2016 Minnesota Book Awards, SELCO staff will “booktalk” each of this year’s 32 finalists for SELCOtv.  A special YouTube playlist aggregates the videos as they are posted.  During the days leading up to the awards ceremony on April 16, 1-2 booktalks from the eight award categories will be posted each day.

Here is a selection of those shared thus far in the individual MNBA genre categories:

SELCO Supports Broadband Vision

MN Broadband Vision 2016The Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO) Board of Directors joins the ALS, ECRL, NWRL, and PLS regional library boards in support of the Minnesota Broadband Vision.  The SELCO resolution stresses the broad array of vital library services which depend on broadband or high speed Internet.  The resolution urges Governor Dayton and the members of the Minnesota Legislature to provide leadership, resources and the necessary legal framework to make this vision a reality.

Libraries around the state are encouraged to seek support from local governing authorities, community groups, and individuals who believe that Internet access is an equity issue for all Minnesotans.

Book Bike wins Innovation Award

BookBike logoRochester Public Library’s BookBike is being recognized as one of Minnesota’s most innovative local government projects.

Each year, the Humphrey School of Public Affairs recognizes cities, counties and schools for redesigning how they do business through new initiatives and projects. The BookBike was the overall winner in the City Category, earning the library a $5,000 grant.

The BookBike, a little library on wheels, was pulled by library staff on bicycles to locations within a one-mile radius of the downtown library April through September. The BookBike offered library books for check-out, library cards, program information, assistance with digital materials, bike trail maps and fun incentives to visitors. “The BookBike program saw great success this summer,” says Head of Youth Services and BookBike Project Director, Heather Acerro. “We reached over 5,500 community members and visited over 100 sites.”

According to Jay Kiedrowski, senior fellow at the Humphrey School’s Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center, “These awards are helping to raise the bar for delivering excellent government services, and that’s very exciting.” The awards are organized in partnership with the Bush Foundation and co-sponsored by the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Minnesota Counties, MN Association of Townships, and the Minnesota School Board Association. “Every year, we see more and more creative ways that governments are figuring out how to save money but still deliver the same high quality of services,” says Kiedrowski.

Rochester Public Library’s BookBike is the first bicycle-powered library in Minnesota. The BookBike project was funded in part with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, through a Community Collaboration grant from Southeastern Libraries Cooperating (SELCO) in late 2014.

MALF Best: Austin Public Library Friends

Austin Friends and Evy Nordley Award 2015
Sue Grove, President of the Austin Public Library Friends, and Mary Ann Bernat, MALF President

The Friends of the Austin Public Library were recognized for outstanding library support at the recent MLA annual conference.  The Austin Friends received the 2015 Evy Nordley Award for Best Project by Friends of the Library, the most distinguished award from the Minnesota Association of Library Friends (MALF).

The project grew out of a local need for new reading materials after the closing of a local bookstore.  The Friends negotiated a partnership with the Rochester Barnes & Noble and offered buying opportunities for community members which coincided with special holidays.

Of the award, Friends President Sue Grove stated, “Winning the Evy Nordley Award is an affirmation that what our Friends group is doing is providing real services and benefits to our community.  The $1,000 grant attached to the Evy Nordley will serve as ‘seed money’ as we explore other innovative projects.”

Click here to read more about their award-winning project and how the Friends of the Austin Public Library created a new and replicable holiday book sale model.

Cow’s continuing MOO-velous Adventures

Ann Hutton with Cow in Winona
It’s hard to tell who was more excited to meet the other, Ann Hutton or Cow. Definitely a Mutual Adoration Society.

Hello Once Upon a Reader Fans!

This past week saw Mike and me and Cow edging closer to the end of our incredible tour.

On Tuesday morning, Sept 22, we presented to 120 attendees at the gorgeous Winona Public Library. Cow was thrilled to meet one of her biggest fans, Ann Hutton. And Ann certainly knew how to treat a diva like Cow; ever since, Cow has been asking why WE don’t treat her with such adoration. That afternoon we traveled to the small town of Houston and presented to 120 preschoolers to second graders at the elementary school. It was our last SELCO show, were taken care of at every SELCO venue where we performed. Thank you so much, ladies.

On Thursday we headed north to present to 90 preschoolers who filled our room at the Grand Rapids library. Another gorgeous site, right on the Mississippi River, and Darla and Tracy could not have been more enthusiastic and helpful. We then wound our way to one of the most secluded sites of our tour, South Ridge School outside of Culver. Cow wanted to take part in the volleyball game that was going on next to us, but we convinced her to perform for the 50 attendees that the Head Start folks had brought in that evening. There were lots of crafts to do and every family got to bring home a book, which is always great to see.

Cow in Grand Rapiids 2015-09
In the wonderful play area at the Grand Rapids Rapids Public Library, Cow spells out one of her favorite words.

And now we are packing our bags for the FINAL leg of our tour. What an amazing adventure we’ve had this past year!

Here are a few photos from this past week.

You’ll hear from us one more time after we return from our final six shows!

David, Mike, but mostly Cow

SELCO’s Hot Reads for 2016

Hot Reads for Cold Nights poster 2016SELCO’s 2016 Hot Reads for Cold Nights theme takes its cue from a cool evening’s walk in new-fallen snow.  As dusk turns to night, the sky takes on a gorgeous ombré effect fading from winter white through numerous shades of purple to a midnight blue.  Even though the air is chilly, you enjoy the beauty of it all knowing you have one of our mugs filled with piping hot cocoa just waiting for you to return.

Reading program products available for purchase

Cow Tours SELCO

A travelogue from Minnesota Author, David LaRochelle as he travels the state with Minnesota Illustrator, Mike Wohnoutka and the Once Upon a Reader star performer – Cow and their adventures in SELCO.

Hello Once Upon a Reader folks!Cow profile pix-crop

June is National Dairy Month so Cow was in high demand for guest appearances, but she took time from her busy schedule to join Mike and me as we visited six more SELCO libraries Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. Once again the wonderful folks at SELCO (Amy, Amy, Reagan, Cindy and all the great librarians we met) did a fabulous job of welcoming us at each stop.

Monday’s rain didn’t keep the 125 attendees away from joining us at the Rochester Public Library. Despite some bad driving from David (I wish I could blame it on Cow), we made it to our second stop just in the nick of time, which was one of our most unusual venues to date: the weight room at the Rochester Family YMCA. 80 day camp kids and their counselors, spanning a very wide age-range, joined us in this unique location. Cow being the star that she is took it all in stride.

Tuesday was a beautiful day for a drive to the small town of Dodge Center where 50 kids packed the cozy meeting room in the library. It was then on to Spring Valley where Jenny Simon and her crew had the entire library decked out for our visit, with cow balloons, milk cans, window paintings, the Moo! Story Walk, dozens of cow books, and after our show, milk and cookies and a LIVE COW. 200 kids and their caregivers joined us under the storybook tree in the children’s area for our show.

Wednesday morning we had an audience of 150 at the Austin Public Library. We bypassed the Spam Museum (we were afraid it might hit a little too close to home for Cow), and headed to Albert Lea for a performance to 100 in the afternoon. Both libraries had beautiful lake views and the librarians in both stops were well prepared for our visit.

Thanks to all the librarians and the wonderful women at SELCO who made these visits so successful. We are glad that we get to work with you again in September.

Cow is out touring on her own at the moment, but I thought I’d pass along some of the photos from her appearances this past week.

Your bovine buddies,

David, Mike, and Cow

More photos of Cow’s travels throughout Minnesota

More of Cow’s Adventures

Cow and David with library fans 2015-05Hello Team MOO!

Cow (and Mike and David) have had a very successful month of May, mooing from the top to bottom of Minnesota. 

On May 8 Cow traveled far north, to visit 140 K, 1st, and 2nd graders at the Warren elementary school in the morning, and then performed for 70 folks at the Thief River Falls Public Library in the afternoon. A few days later she made a southern tour of the state, visiting over 200 kids at the Owatonna Public Library in the morning of May 11, and over 200 kids at the stunning Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault in the afternoon. The next day she was eager to visit with 120 day care kids at the Plainview Public Library and then had one of her largest crowds to date, over 250 kindergarteners at the Red Wing Public Library in the afternoon. Her final show of the month was on “da range,” visiting 170 attendees in Mountain Iron.

Once again librarians were incredible, providing lots of activities and handouts for kids to enjoy, and making our job very easy.

All this traveling can be exhausting, even for a seasoned veteran like Cow. She’s now on hiatus for over a month, at a location she’d rather not disclosed for fear of being mobbed by her adoring fans, but she’ll be ready to resume her road tour at the end of June (which she is quick to point out is National Dairy Month).

Here’s her latest photo gallery and pictures from her earlier travels

From Cow’s crew,
David and Mike

SELCOtv features MNBA booktalks

MNBA logo purpleThe 27th Annual Minnesota Book Awards  Gala is just days away.  In anticipation of this unique literary event, SELCOtv features booktalks by the SELCO staff reviewing the four finalists in each of the eight categories.

Library Outreach shifts gears with new BookBike

Rochester bookbike 2015-04Rochester Public Library announces the launch of the BookBike outreach program. RPL’s BookBike, a little library on wheels, will visit locations within a one-mile radius of the downtown library this spring, summer and fall. Pulled by library staff on bicycles along nearby bike paths and lanes, RPL’s BookBike will offer library books, library cards, program information, assistance with digital materials, bike trail maps and fun incentives for kids.

Families and kids of all ages can “Meet the BookBike” in the Rochester Public Library auditorium on Thursday, April 2nd Saturday, May 2nd at 10:30am. Programming partners, We Bike Rochester and Olmsted County Public Health, will deliver special bicycle safety programs and fun bike activities on both days.

BookBike logo

Visit the BookBike at many area locations to get a library card, check out some “wheelie” good books or just to say, “Hey, nice bike!”.

Check online for the BookBike schedule

The BookBike was funded in part with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, through a Community Collaboration grant from SELCO for Library Legacy activities.

SELCO’s Poetic Strokes & Word Flow Released

SELCO Poetic Strokes - Wordflow 2015SELCO is proud to release  Poetic Strokes & Word Flow, its ninth regional poetry anthology. Featuring the works of citizen poets from Southeastern Minnesota, a total of 55 poems were selected to be included from the initial competition. The anthology has two parts in it’s single volume. The first, Poetic Strokes, features the works from the adult competition, ages 19+, while the second part, Word Flow, features teen poets, ages 14-18. Copies of the anthology will be distributed in celebration of  National Poetry Month.

As a capstone piece to this year’s volume, the SELCO Library Foundation will  host a Poetry Bash on Tuesday, April 28th at the Rochester Civic Theater for those who participated in the competition.

For more information on Poetic Strokes & Word Flow, please view the project’s primary website: poetry.selco.info.

This project is made possible with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF) and the people of Minnesota for Library Legacy activities.

MnLINK Gateway Product Demos

PrintThree vendors have been invited to demonstrate their solutions in response to the MnLINK Gateway RFP that was issued in October 2014. Each vendor will be spending one day with the MnLINK Gateway RFP Committee. Minitex has set aside two hours each day for a public demonstration of the products being considered. The sessions will all be held online via webinar from 8:30-10:30 AM.

The schedule of companies and dates for the public demos are:

  • Wednesday, February 25, 2015 – Relais International
  • Thursday, February 26, 2015 – OCLC
  • Friday, February 27, 2015 – Innovative

The product demonstrations will also be available for later viewing for those of you who aren’t able to attend the live session(s). Information on accessing the demonstrations will be provided in the coming weeks.

LARL, SELCO and TdSLC currently have staff members serving on the RFP Committee.  For more information contact the Mintex office.

SELCO’s MN Loves Libraries Campaign

SELCO MN Loves Libraries logo 2015The Minnesota Loves Libraries Campaign is a grassroots advocacy drive set to run in SELCO libraries during the first few weeks of February. Capitalizing on I Love to Read month and serving as a precursor to the 2015 Minnesota Library Legislative Day, this simple “mail-in” postcard campaign will help local libraries collect those great “Why I Love My Library” stories and pass them along to state legislators on the March 3rd (Library Legislative Day). Click HERE to read the FAQs and to find all relevant materials.

CRPLSA at AMC

Each December for over 100 years, the Association of Minnesota Counties’ (AMC) Annual Conference gathers more than 600 county elected officials, department heads, and staff, come together to learn and discuss the important topics and trends affecting county government. CRPLSA has joined the group for over a decade using this time to keep libraries in the minds of county officials and to offer appreciation for previous support.

With a 2014 conference theme – commit. communicate. collaborate. connect. – CRPLSA is a successful contributor.  For additional photos from the two-day conference, check CRPLSA’s Flickr album.

New SELCO Legacy Project Coordinator

Amy NelsonAmy Nelson will manage a variety of SELCO Library Legacy activities in the role of Legacy Project Coordinator.  She will provide assistance to library staff submitting Community Collaboration applications, as well as guide the identification of age appropriate vetted performers for library programming for FY2016-FY2017.

Amy has a Bachelor of Science in Education from University of North Dakota with years of  practical class room knowledge, as well as having served as a team leader.  She has a variety of experiences with educational support organizations and recently coordinated a summer bookmobile program with the Rochester Public Library which provided children with easy library access over the summer months.

MNBA press materials

MNBA logoWith Minnesota Book Award finalists and winning authors traveling the SELCO region (and other parts of the state as well) SELCO created a press kits to assist local libraries in getting out the good news about these speakers. The press materials always include a general press release, a sample Facebook post, and a tweet for the library’s Twitter account.  Several have expanded information and may include biographical information or even an author’s book jacket photo.  These press kits closely resemble those created and shared by ALS promoting the Minnesota History Players.  Feel free to use to promote an author visiting your community!

Rae Katherine Eighmey – Soda Shop Salvation

Jack El-Hai – The Nazi and the Psychiatrist

Brian Freeman – The Cold Nowhere

Cary Griffith – Wolves

Rachel Hanel – We’ll Be the Last Ones to Let You Down

Erin Hart – The Book of Killowen

Melanie Hoffert – Prairie Silence

Thomas Maltman – Little Wolves

Carrie Mesrobian – Sex & Violence: A Novel

Kent Nerburn – The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo

Elizabeth Verdick – Peep Leap

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