Minitex E-NEWS #129

Minitex Transition News: Moving Forward!

Three reminders:

Interim Co-Directors

Associate Directors Mary Parker and Becky Ringwelski will serve as interim co-directors until a new permanent Minitex director is in place. Feel free to continue to contact Minitex staff with questions as you have in the past – and, questions you would have talked with Bill about should go to Becky (e-ring@umn.edu, 612-624-0375) and/or Mary (m-park1@umn.edu, 612-624-1025). (Or 800-462-5348.)

Minitex Director Search

The Minitex Director position description has been posted and recruitment activities have begun. See the search website for more information.

Video & Photos from Bill DeJohn's Retirement Party

Bill DeJohn.

A video of Bill DeJohn's remarks and photos from Bill's retirement party are available on the From the Director page. More than 200 friends and colleagues turned out to thank Bill for his work over the past 27 years and to wish him a happy retirement. Terri Fishel, Library Director, Macalester College; Joan Roca, Dean of Library Services, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Tom Shaughnessy, former University Librarian, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; and Wendy Lougee, current University Librarian, shared their reminiscences of working with Bill during the program.

Information & Suggestions about Physical Delivery of Library Resources

NISO logo.

See the new recommended practice: Physical Delivery of Library Resources (NISO RP-12-2012) for discussion of issues related to delivery of library materials as part of the resource sharing process. The document was published by the National Information Standards Organization last month.

Physical Delivery of Library Resources focuses on three key areas: the physical move, automation, and the management of physical delivery. While the scope of the document is limited to the external delivery of items between separately administered libraries, many of the recommendations could apply to delivery between branches of a single library system as well. Ranging from labeling and containers to automation and contracting with courier services, this Recommended Practice addresses both the lending and the borrowing library's activities related to delivering and returning a physical item.

Physical Delivery of Library Resources is available for free download.

Kathy Drozd, Minitex Assistant Director for Delivery Services and MLAC (k-droz@umn.edu, 612-624-9553, 800-462-5348), served on the NISO Physical Delivery of Library Resources Working Group, which began work on this project over 18 months ago. Contact Kathy with your questions and comments. (Kathy Drozd)

AskMN Welcomes New Libraries, Sees Usage Increase

AskMN logo.

Since October 2011, five Minnesota libraries have joined AskMN, the interactive chat service that allows Minnesotans to converse with a librarian in real time, 24/7. The newcomers include University of St. Thomas Libraries, Carver County Library, Normandale Community College, Bethel University, and University of Minnesota, Morris. AskMN began in Spring 2008 with eight libraries and has grown to include 20 public, academic, and regional library systems across the state.

Usage has increased as well. Comparing usage for the last six months of 2011 to the same period in 2010, AskMN saw a 30% increase in the number of questions received. Since November 2011, AskMN has seen many K-12 students asking questions regarding History Day research.

AskMN has given libraries new ways to collaborate with each other, provided opportunities for learning new skills, and offers patrons 24/7 access to resources, collections, and research assistance.

Participation by more libraries in AskMN will help provide well-rounded quality assistance to Minnesota residents and students. For more information about AskMN and how participation works, please contact Carla Pfahl (pfahl001@umn.edu). (Carla Pfahl)

Update on Minnesota Reflections

Minnesota Reflections logo.

Minnesota Reflections has grown significantly in the past seven months. 20 organizations completed their metadata work, a step that allowed the Minnesota Digital Library to add their new collections to Minnesota Reflections.

That work added more than 11,000 digital objects to the collection, an increase of more that 12%. As of February 1, 2012, Minnesota Reflections contained more than 28,195 titles, including 89,000 digital objects. More than 125 organizations have contributed digital objects to Minnesota Reflections.

Civil unrest over the building of a new power line in West Central Minnesota in the late 1970s is the focus of new contributions from the Grant County Historical Society and the Minnesota Historical Society. Grant County contributed project maps and schematics and assessment reports. MHS contributed oral histories made in the 1970s with key participants in the project and the protest. Staff at Pope County Historical Society is working on the last steps of a project that will bring the "Hold That Line" protest newsletters into Minnesota Reflections, and they should be available in the summer.

New organizations contributing to Minnesota Reflections since July 1, 2011, include:

  • Amherst H. Wilder Foundation – documents on housing and poverty, record books from orphanages and photographs.
  • Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies Herman Library, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota – "The Organizer" strike newsletter from the 1934 teamsters' strike (see the Minnesota Newspapers Collection).
  • Division of State Library Services, Minnesota Department of Education – annual reports, in one bound volume, on the growth and development of public libraries.
  • Dodge County Historical Society – three plat books.
  • Duluth Public Library – 13 historical documents, including maps, atlases, and travel books.
  • Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry – 20 annual reports from the chief fire warden, the forestry commissioner, and the state forester from 1896 to 1918.
  • Northfield Public Library – maps of Northfield and the September 14, 1876, issue of the Rice County Journal recounting the raid by the James-Younger gang on the Northfield Bank.
  • Rochester Community and Technical College – student newspapers and commencement documents for the first years of this college.
  • Southwest Minnesota State University – planning documents and proposals from the 1960s for the establishment of a new state college in southwest Minnesota.

Organizations that added objects to their collections include:

  • Luther Seminary
  • Minnesota Department of Transportation
  • Minnesota Legislative Reference Library
  • Minnesota State Law Library – two volumes of lawyers' signatures.
  • Nobles County Historical Society – two plat books.
  • Northeast Minnesota Historical Center
  • St. Cloud State University Archives
  • Stearns History Museum
  • Waseca County Historical Society

(Marian Rengel)

Save the Date – May 10, 2012 – for the 21st Minitex Interlibrary Loan Conference

Lee Rainie and Kenneth Crews.

Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Library Project, and Kenneth Crews, Director, Copyright Advisory Office, Columbia University, will be the featured speakers during the 21st Annual Minitex Interlibrary Loan Conference on May 10. The event will be held at the Continuing Education and Conference Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus.

Rainie will speak on the topic, "Learning in the Digital Age: Where Libraries Fit In," a report on the new findings of the Internet & American Library Project's research into the way people use e-book readers and tablet computers and how those devices are fitting into users' digital lives. He will describe how three revolutions in digital technology – in broadband, mobile connectivity, and social media – have created a new social operating system that he calls "networked individualism." He will use the Project's latest findings to help describe how librarians can serve the new educational needs of networked individuals.

Registration materials will be distributed in March.

News Briefs from the Minitex Region

Map of Minitex 3-state region.

Northern Lights Library Network

The Minnesota Council on Nonprofits Minnesota Participation Project "Get Out and Vote, 2012." NLLN is working with Jeff Narabrook of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits to design a program to "Get Out and Vote in 2012" for citizens in the Northwest region of the state through NLLN member libraries in order to educate citizens on where they vote and how they register to vote. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits website states the following: "Nonprofit organizations play a central role in the democratic process by providing a means for individuals to deliberate on public policies and decisions that affect them. To the extent possible, nonprofit organizations should engage constituents in public policy and advocacy activities as a means to fulfilling their missions and promoting community interests. Open communication and consultation between policy makers and constituents of nonprofit organizations contribute to well-informed policies and effective implementation of them." (Kathy Enger, excerpted from the Members' Reports for the December 2011 Minitex Policy Advisory Council meeting)

South Dakota State Library

14 South Dakota libraries were accredited by the State Library in 2011, under a new system of tiered accreditation. This is the second year the new system of accreditation has been in place. ... Public libraries are accredited at one of three levels: Essential, Enhanced, or Exemplary. Accreditation at the Essential level means a library satisfactorily provides the basic services required by state law and federal guidelines. Each subsequent level of accreditation builds on the previous level with additional indicators that libraries must meet. Exemplary is the highest level of service. Libraries are evaluated in the following areas, as outlined in South Dakota Public Library standards: governance, administration, access, collections and resources, funding, staffing, technology, and public relations. (Excerpted from Cornerstone, library development e-newsletter, February 2012)

Twin Cities Area Public Libraries

Twin City motorists are being advised to "Make Your Next Stop the Library" through a series of billboards and gas pump toppers. The electronic billboards are in prominent locations along the freeways. There are 17 slogans in rotation on more than 15 billboards. But, look fast; the signs are in rotation in 8-10 second intervals. The gas pump toppers can be found at 41 stations in the metro area, along with door signs. ...

There are also bumper stickers with the "Make Your Next Stop the Library" message. MELSA plans to post bumper sticker sightings on its Facebook page, so take note when you spot one. If you or a family member would like a bumper sticker, most metro public libraries have them available.

If you think of a clever library slogan that is short and to the point, send your suggestion to Sally Lederer (sally@melsa.org). Who knows, your slogan may show up as a giant electronic message!

The billboard campaign runs through September 2012. (Excerpted from MetroBriefs, Vol. 3, no. 3, 2012)

February & March 2012 WebJunction Webinars

WebJunction logo.

Check out WebJunction's Webinar page for information about these sessions, which are free and available to the full library community. Registration is required.

  • Twitter for Job Seekers: Tips for Helping Your Library's Job-seeking Patrons
    Thursday, February 23, 2012, 1:00 PM Central, 60 minutes.
    Brooke Roegge, digital information specialist, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (@PositivelyMN) will be one of the presenters for this session.
  • It Takes a Community to Bridge the Digital Divide
    Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 12:00 PM Central, 60 minutes.
  • Adult Programs on a $0 Budget
    Tuesday, March 27, 2012, 1:00 PM Central, 60 minutes.

Remember, WebJunction Minnesota is available to all members of the Minnesota library community. See the WebJunction Minnesota website for more information.

Upcoming Library Conferences & Events

Minitex logo.

We would be happy to include information about more events of interest to library staff throughout the Minitex region. Please contact Cecelia Boone (c-boon@umn.edu, 612-624-6353, 800-462-5348) with information about your event.

For more information about the following events, see the Minitex Calendar of Events.

For more information about more library-related events in the Minitex region, see the WebJunction Minnesota Calendar of Events

Information about and registration forms for currently scheduled Minitex training sessions and webinars are available at the Minitex Training & Events webpage.

Remember, many of the Minitex webinars are recorded, so you can access them at any time.

  • February 8, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Print Monographs," webinar
  • February 9, 2012 – "ELM After School: 6-8," webinar
  • February 10, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Print Monographs," webinar
  • February 13, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Print Monographs," webinar
  • February 14, 2012 – "Points of View Reference Center," webinar
  • February 15, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Print Monographs," webinar
  • February 17, 2012 – "Getting to Know the Presidential Candidates," webinar
  • February 17, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Continuing Resources," webinar
  • February 21, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Continuing Resources," webinar
  • February 22, 2012 – "Britannica's Interactive Learning Materials," webinar
  • February 23, 2012 – "ELM After School: Teaching Resources," webinar
  • February 23, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Continuing Resources," webinar
  • February 23, 2012 – "Using Maps in Student Resources in Context," webinar
  • February 27, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Continuing Resources," webinar
  • February 29, 2012 – "Defining the Genre; What's the Form?: LC Genre/Form Terms for Library & Archival Materials," webinar
  • March 2, 2012 – "Creating Timelines in Britannica," webinar
  • March 5, 2012 – "RDA for the Solo/Copy Cataloger," webinar
  • March 5, 2012 – "Getting to Know the Presidential Candidates," webinar
  • March 6, 2012 – "Smart Resources for the Smart Board," webinar
  • March 7, 2012 – "RDA for the Solo/Copy Cataloger," webinar
  • March 9, 2012 – "RDA for the Solo/Copy Cataloger," webinar
  • March 9, 2012 – "Britannica's Interactive Learning Materials," webinar
  • March 12, 2012 – "ELM and Wikipedia," webinar
  • March 14-15, 2012 – Library Technology Conference, Macalester College
  • March 16, 2012 – "ELM: More Than Just Articles," webinar
  • March 20, 2012 – "Smart Resources for the Smart Board," webinar
  • March 20, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Audiovisual Materials," webinar
  • March 21, 2012 – "Making ELM Access Easy," webinar
  • March 22, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Audiovisual Materials," webinar
  • March 23, 2012 – "ELM: More Than Just Articles," webinar
  • March 26, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Audiovisual Materials," webinar
  • March 27, 2012 – "ELM: More Than Just Articles," webinar
  • March 28, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Audiovisual Materials," webinar
  • March 29, 2012 – "Using Maps in Student Resources in Context," webinar
  • April 3, 2012 – "FRBR and FRAD: Keys to RDA," webinar
  • April 4, 2012 – "Just Search: EBSCOhost," webinar
  • April 5, 2012 – "FRBR and FRAD: Keys to RDA," webinar
  • April 5, 2012 – "ELM and Local Government," webinar
  • April 6, 2012 – "Health and Medical Resources in ELM," webinar
  • April 9, 2012 – "ELM and Local Government," webinar
  • April 10, 2012 – "Britannica's Interactive Learning Materials," webinar
  • April 11, 2012 – "Just Search: InfoTrac," webinar
  • April 12, 2012 – "Accessing Your ELM Usage Statistics," webinar
  • April 13, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Music Materials," webinar
  • April 17, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Music Materials," webinar
  • April 18, 2012 – "Just Search: ProQuest," webinar
  • April 19, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Music Materials," webinar
  • April 20, 2012 – "Accessing Your ELM Usage Statistics," webinar
  • April 24, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Music Materials," webinar
  • April 25, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Print Monographs," webinar
  • April 25, 2012 – "Making ELM Access Easy," webinar
  • April 27, 2012 – "RDA for the Seasoned Copy Cataloger: Print Monographs," webinar

Contact Us

Andersen Library entrance.

Minitex
University of Minnesota
15 Andersen Library
222 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0439

Phone: 612-624-4002
Toll-Free: 800-462-5348
Fax: 612-624-4508