Maine Library Association

News

  • 14 Apr 2014 11:19 AM | Deleted user
    In March, Deb Clark, SMLD Consultant, Laurel Parker from Windham Public Library, Annika Black from Norway Memorial Library, and Mary Beckett from Edythe L. Dyer Community Library in Hampden attended the one-day conference in Worcester, MA of the New England Roundtable of Teen’s and  Children’s Librarians (NERTCL). This year’s conference focused on “Kids and Technology.” The following series of blog posts are reports from each of the attendees.

    Library Instructor Teacher Jen Reed presented on the various technology tools she uses with her students during library classes. Her PPT can be found here. First, she sets up her learning commons to make it flexible and conducive to student-driven learning. Her stacks are on wheels and her furniture is moveable. The laptops, which are always out, and other tech tools are easily available to the students. She describes her library as “organized chaos” with her as a “guide on the side” to assist student exploration and learning.


    Some of the literacy-related activities she facilitates are making Wordles  and Tagzedo word clouds about books, creating book spine poems, and letting children record themselves with an iPad talking about a book. (She always instructs students not to record their faces.) The students can use Animoto to create book talks and book trailers, Skype with others to discuss what they are reading, and use tools like Kid Pix, Comet Creator, and Flip cameras to create visual presentations about favorite stories.  

    Reed ties all her programming to the Essential Learning Targets and Common Core. She regularly collaborates with the greater community through library events, makerspaces, author visits, and a summer reading program. Reed believes students need information, guidance, resources, space to explore, and an audience to encourage high quality learning. She documents her programs and examples of student work at her school district’s website to better share with parents and the community.


    Submitted by Deborah Clark, SMLD Consultant

  • 14 Apr 2014 11:15 AM | Deleted user
    In March, Deb Clark, SMLD Consultant, Laurel Parker from Windham Public Library, Annika Black from Norway Memorial Library, and Mary Beckett from Edythe L. Dyer Community Library in Hampden attended the one-day conference in Worcester, MA of the New England Roundtable of Teen’s and  Children’s Librarians (NERTCL). This year’s conference focused on “Kids and Technology.” The following series of blog posts are reports from each of the attendees.

    Embrace your Inner Tech Goddess or God!

    This first presentation was my favorite because it involved new ideas interspersed with the actual technology being used for a particular program.  Cindy Wall and Lynn Pawloski presented a high energy presentation chock full of ideas.  Their excitement and creativity was contagious.  The program started off by showing the app for The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr.  Morris Lessmore.   With it you can go into the world of the story by learning about pianos, book repair, and even storms.   Over the next hour, Cindy and Lynn described various activities which involved technology as a part of their programs.  Here is a brief description of some of them.

    Maximizing attendance

    We all know how hard it is to plan for programs, because even if there is required registration, some people never come, while others drop in that day.  In order to fill up their programs with as many children as possible, they ask the adult signing up for a $3 deposit for one child and $6 for a family.  This is only to ensure that the patron actually comes to the event, and when they arrive for the program, they get their money back.  However, if the patron needs to cancel and gives the library enough time to call the first person on the waiting list, then they also receive their money back. 

    e Tots

    Ages 2 to 6 yrs

    This is an interactive story time with children and their caregiver that involves using an iPad.   They explained that one computer account can have up to 10 devices registered under it.  This allows the librarian to buy 10 songs or app’s for the price of one.  An iPad poem is used to teach proper use.  It is based on 1, 2 Buckle my Shoe and this is how it goes:

    1, 2 Clean my hands

    3, 4 Sit on the floor

    5, 6 Tap the app

    7,8 Look, listen, and wait

    9,10 Swipe the page

    Now it is time to read again!

    Older children and Transmedia

    These programs were for school age children.  The topics included:

     The Solar System with The Cat in the Hat app’s and modeling clay,

    A monthly art program called Pixels and Pencil’s where there was 15 of app time and then 30 minutes of  creation time.

    Explore the Titanic, using a 3d movie, Her Story app, a fish tank and frozen balloons, and hidden tickets under chairs of actual passenger on board, that had to be researched through an app.

    Al Capone Does my Shirts book discussion with two games where you had to get onto an island and one where you had to try and get off it, and a Mug Shot app.

    The story of Hugo Cabaret, Stop motion filming, and using story board templates.

    Through their whole presentation they emphasized that these programs do not need to be perfect, just fun.   They will be doing a webinar through ALSC on April 9th and 24th.  There is a fee.

    Submitted by Annika Black, Norway Memorial Library



  • 13 Sep 2013 9:15 AM | Deleted user
    Nominations are now being sought for the 2013 Outstanding Librarian Award.  The selected recipient will be presented the award at the upcoming MLA/NELA conference in October.
    The deadline for nominations is September 30, 2013 at 5:00 pm.  Nominations should be sent electronically to Jeannie Madden at jmadden@falmouth.lib.me.us.


  • 12 Sep 2013 1:52 PM | Jenna Blake Davis
    We have just confirmed that MLA's membership meeting at the NELA Conference will be held on Monday, Oct. 21st at 8am in the York Room.  Please join the MLA Council if you are attending the conference. 
  • 30 Aug 2013 2:32 PM | Jenna Blake Davis

    Banned Books Week is September 22-28 this year. The whole topic of privacy and intellectual freedom is very much on people's minds this year, courtesy of the NSA, so celebrating Banned Books Week in our libraries is especially timely, as is highlighting what libraries are doing to protect the reading and computer use privacy of patrons.

    If you wish to order posters or other display materials from ALA, check http://ala-publishing.informz.net/InformzDataService/OnlineVersion/Individua

    l?mailingInstanceId=3452267&subscriberId=1026699415.

    For more info, http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/and http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek.

    Jim Campbell, Chair

    MLA Intellectual Freedom Committee

  • 13 Aug 2013 9:41 AM | Anonymous
    Application deadline for four conference grants of up to $250.00 is September 30 this year. 
  • 12 Aug 2013 5:45 PM | Jenna Blake Davis
    In keeping with Biblionix’s devotion to small and medium sized public libraries, we offer a $250.00 stipend for public librarians to attend the combined MLA/NELA Conference October 20-22,  2013.   Eligibility requirements are: 

    •o   Library director or staff at a public library in Maine

    •o   Member of MLA

    The funds can be used to cover conference expenses, including the following:


    -   Conference Registration

    -   Pre-conference workshops

    -   Travel costs/mileage

    -   Meals

    -   Lodging

    -   Cost of replacement staff if needed

                   

    Requirements are:

    • Volunteer for a minimum of 2 hours at the conference
    • Attend the MLA business meeting
    • Attend meals with speakers

    See brochure for full details: Biblionix Grant   

  • 20 Jun 2013 5:55 PM | Jenna Blake Davis

    The Maine Library Association is happy to report that balloting has been completed for the officer for the 2013-14 year.  Please join is in congratualting:

     

     Bryce Cundick of the University of Maine at Farmington who has been elected to serve a two-year term as Vice President and will move on at the end of that term to become MLA's next President.

     

    Jennifer Andrews of Simmons College  who has been elected to serve as a Member-At-Large (1 Year Term)

     

    Charlene Churchill from Ellsworth Public Library has been selected as a Member -At-Large (2 year Term)

     

    The Maine Library Association Council congratulates these members who are stepping up to serve as well as extending your congraulations to Nissa Flanagan our incoming President who will assume her office on July 1st.

     

    At the same time please also join the Council in sending heartiest good wishes to Andi Jackson-Darling our retiring President for her very able efforts during the past two years to keep MLA on course. Great job Andi!

  • 20 May 2013 11:22 AM | Jenna Blake Davis

    The Scholarship & Loan Committee of MLA is pleased to announce that MLA’s Phyllis Ainsworth Scholarship has been awarded to Genna Duplisea of Holden, Maine. This scholarship is awared annually.  For more information go to theScholarship & Loan COmmittee page

  • 13 May 2013 3:17 PM | Jenna Blake Davis

    The 2013 Phyllis Ainsworth Scholar isGenna Duplisea of Holden, Maine. Genna attends Simmons College in Boston.


    This $2,000 scholarship is for any MLA member enrolled in a Master's degree program in library studies. For more information and an application form, go to the Scholarship & Loan page under committees on the MLA  web page www.mainelibraries.org.

     

     

    Debbie Lozito

    Co-chair, MLA Scholarship and Loan Committee debbie.lozito@edythedyer.lib.me.us

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