MNVoluntaryCertification

Learning to Use New Technologies

2008-10-15T11:05:00.003-05:00

Staff at the Arrowhead Library System, Mountain Iron, MN, learned how to set up a wii and Rock Bank, download music to an iPod, navigate with a GPS, and take digital pictures using equipment purchased with LSTA funds. Staff in other areas of MN will be attending this workshop in October 2008 to learn about new gadgets to show patrons how to use various technology gadgets.

Nancy Pearl will be back in MN in Septermber

2008-04-03T10:58:00.002-05:00

Everybody is loving the Nancy Pearl Readers' Advisory Workshops. We have had record-breaking attandance at every location.

Nancy will be in Wyoming, Mountain Iron, and Detroit Lakes in September. Register for the staff workshop at http://www.arrowhead.lib.mn.us/certification/formra.htm

The workshops are funded by a Library Services and Technology Act Grant (LSTA) administered through the State of Minnesota. The Arrowhead Library System in Minnesota is the organizer and the fiscal agent for the workshops.

Readers' Advisory

2008-03-31T05:54:00.002-05:00

Nancy Pearl, author of Book Lust, presented a workshop yesterday to 145 public, school, academic, and special librarians at the College of St. Catherine. Attendees learned their are many doorways into reading, and different people enter through different doorways.

The workshops continue in SELCO today, Mankato tomorrow, Redwood Falls, and St. Cloud later in the week.

Today is a busy day with a radio program in the morning and a staff workshop in the morning. A program for the public in the afternoon, and a repeat staff workshop in the afternoon. Staff will also participate in a collection development session and an ILL and MnLiNK session.

Nancy Pearl will be in Wyoming, Mt. Iron, and Detroit Lakes in September 2008 for staff workshops.

CE Summit at State Library

2007-06-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

On May 31, 2007, CE Providers attended a Summit with Nancy Bolt and Jody Howard, who hared their finding on the MN Voluntary Certification Program Evaluation.

The concensus:

One Statewide Calendar of CE Events needs to be developed.
There needs to be a Committee, such as CLIME.
There needs to be paid staff on the State level to work with CE.
The MN Voluntary Certification Program should move forward with revisions.
Funding provided at the State level, the local level, by providers.

As a result of yesterday's Summit and the comments I heard from some attendees and the Evaluators, I have posted the Workshop Chart that shows which of the Statewide (Round Robin) Workshops meet which competencies.

If a MN Voluntary Certifiication Participant attends the Statewide Workshops, the staff member has the competencies and contact hours for the program.

Tech Expectations with Marshall Breeding

2007-05-04T09:03:00.000-05:00

There was lots of excellent information at the Tech Expectations workshops April 30 - May 4, 2007. Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran blogged throughout the day at SELCO. See her posting on the SELCO blog.

If you attended the workshop, email your assessment to marshall.breeding@vanderbilt.edu

Marshall Breeding's Web Site

2007-04-10T08:22:00.000-05:00

Check out Marshall Breeding's Web site, Library Teechnology Guides, at www.librarytechnology.org. There's lots of good stuff.

Marshall Breeding will be in Minnesota April 30 through May 4, 2007. See the MN Voluntary Certification Web site Program Calendar for more information.

Rural Library Sustainability Workshops Approved

2007-02-23T11:53:00.000-06:00

The Rural Library Sustainability Workshops, funded by the Gates Foundation and organized and presented by Mary Ann Van Cura, State Library Services, have been approved for 6 contact hours for Philosophy 2 and 11 and Public Services A2, A3, A8 Competencies. The workshops are being held in many locations in MN during February through May, 2007.

An Evaluation of Minnesota Voluntary Certification

2007-02-23T11:33:00.000-06:00

The full report An Evaluation of the Minnesota Voluntary Certification Program by Nancy Bolt and Jody K. Howard is available on the MDE Website.

In my opinion, this report is fair and well-done. The results are not a surprise.

The report contains 4 items of misleading information:
1. It takes 4 years to complete the program, not 3 years.
2. If someone wishes to extend their time for completeing certification, they email the Chair of the Oversight Committee who takes their request to the Oversight Committe for approval, not just that the participant makes a phone call.
3. More online courses are available than the Consultants realized. Some of the approved courses sponsored by MINITEX, the College of DuPage, and SirsiDynix are archived, and can be taken online.
4. There 3 options for the Final Project, not 2 options.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the online survery, the focus groups, and the interviews.

Tech Expectations with Marshall Breeding

2007-02-16T10:11:00.000-06:00

Tech Expectations will be held in Minnesota on April 30 through May 4, 2007 at 5 locations. For additional information and registration, check out the MN Voluntary Certification Program Calendar.

Marshall Breeding will be the Presenter.

What is Library Service Day 1 and Day 2-

2006-11-03T10:38:00.000-06:00

What is Library Service Day 1 will be held at the Wyoming Branch of ECRL on March 19, 2007 from 9 AM to 4 PM. What is Library Service Day 2 in ECRL. Register with Nick at ECRL. Email nick@ecrl.lib.mn.us or phone 763-689-7390.
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MN Voluntary Certification Evaluation

2006-06-23T10:10:00.000-05:00

On September 29th and 30th, 2006, Nancy Bolt and Jody Howard, from Nancy Bolt and Associates, will be meeting with representatives from the MN State Library Agency to discuss MN Voluntary Certification history and the plan for evaluating the program.

Nancy Bolt and Associates will be sending out an electronic survey to Certification Participants and Graduates. They will be holding focus groups in some of the regions of Minnesota as part of the Evaluation process. The focus groups will be held in the Fall, 2006.

Congratualations for Completing Re-Certification

2006-06-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

Congratualations to Susan Sanders and Kathy Torkelson from the Willmar Public Library of the Pionnerland Library Systme on completeion of MN Voluntary Re-Certification.

New What is Library Service Trainer

2006-06-16T10:26:00.000-05:00

We have a new "What is Library Service" Day 1 and Day 2 Trainer: Nick Dimassis from ECRL. Welcome Nick. He was trained by Rebecca Patton on January 23, 2007.