2016 MLA Annual Conference

Join us as we dive into digital content and demonstrate a new, unique resource for historical research, Minnesota Reflections Primary Source Sets. The work of gathering primary sources on a specific topic and then providing the necessary context to those sources can be a difficult process for both educators and researchers. This new resource is designed to address this unique challenge. We'll discuss the creation of the Primary Source Set project, including the development of the project following the DPLA model, the formation of our collaborative team, and the establishment of project parameters and workflow. Next, we'll outline the primary source content selection along with curated secondary source lists for added context (e.g., scholarly articles from the Electronic Library for Minnesota databases, government websites). Finally, we'll showcase the Primary Source Sets and their related Teaching Guides which supply educators and researchers with discussion questions and classroom activities.

From MySpace to Facebook, from Flickr to Instagram, social media has become a vital way for libraries to share their story and interact with the diverse communities they serve. In this session learn how Hennepin County Library uses a team approach for providing a sustainable social media presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. As the cultural landscape changes, it is critical for libraries to be seen as online communities as well as physical ones. A sustainable social media model is open to exploration and is flexible to accommodate new tools, new trends, and new people. This session is intended for libraries of all sizes who are developing or are interested in improving their social media presence.

Learn how government information librarians are using these improved interfaces to support teaching and learning for all ages.  Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government, Congress.gov and the beta of govinfo are just a few sites that have stepped into the 21th century!