Blog blatherings

The blog article prep is going well. We've compiled a list of blogs mentioned in the Laughing Librarian's "Blogga Song". Jonya & I just have to tweek a couple more things with this list of 40+ library blogs to move onto Phase II, which will include winnowing down the list by 1/4. We hope to take 10 or so of these bloggers to get their help in brainstorming & developing the survey for our study.

In addition to having the list of blogs done, we also have permission to use the song & video for our MLA presentation. So we are well on our way to having our groundwork laid for an excellent article & presentation!

Professional Development

I have been asked by Jonya Pacey @ SELCO to take part in a state-wide professional development library for librarians (others involved in this project are Pauline Siem, Jess Laares, and Brenda Carriere). There was a MN State Library that was shut down a couple governors ago, but the Friends of the Library has leftover funds of $30,000. Some of the library districts around the state (there are a total of 12) have these kinds of collections already started and funded as well. SELCO, for example, dedicates $500/year to this kind of collection. We hope to get both the district and the Friends funds as sources of funding for this project.

Things are still in their baby planning stages, but we are going to be putting together a proposal to create this new collection to present to a CRPSLA subcommittee to get this funding. Things we have to take a look at are where this collection will be housed (either at a central location or distributed around the state at the library district offices), how items in the collections will be shelved (either with existing collections located at the district offices or separately) and if we will be able to use the $500/year some districts are already putting aside to add to this collection. Of course, this is by NO means a complete list!!

I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead in working on this proposal.