2016 MLA Annual Conference

Join us for the 2016 Public Library Division business meeting! Together we will review the division’s accomplishments from the past year, learn about what it means to serve on the PLD Board, and open up the discussion to share what's happening at public libraries all over the state. Not a member of MLA or PLD? No problem! Everyone is welcome to join us.

Two recent Caldecott Award Committee members describe and demonstrate how "the most distinguished picture book for children" is chosen, taking under consideration the Caldecott criteria and the elements of art. Participants apply their newfound knowledge and skills in small groups to evaluate possible 2017 Caldecott contenders. The program helps participants gain a greater appreciation for Caldecott Award books and provides them with the tools to connect children and adults more effectively to picture books through the illustrations.

RART brings you its annual book blast for fiction! Buckle up and enjoy the ride as we talk about 50 books in a variety of genres including: Scary Fiction, African Authors, Pretty Books, Books with a Twist, & Austenesque. It's fast & furious, but always fun, entertaining, and educational!

Stay up to date and be prepared to find answers for your patrons by learning about reference resources in rapid fire succession.  Our panelists will share resources in a variety of formats and subjects.  Whether you are a public, academic, or special librarian you will be inspired to seek out new resources and partnerships from librarians who get the job done!  This session is sponsored by the Reference and Adult Service Subunit.

One of the library’s most important assets is its staff; however, we often wait a full year to give them feedback on their work. Recently Anoka County Library switched to a quarterly coaching model, which included writing new work outcome statements for all staff and training supervisors to be coaches who meet with staff quarterly to review progress on their goals and improve performance. These coaching sessions allow a supervisor to check in on goals, training needs, ideas and more. In this session you will learn what the coaching model is and how it was implemented in Anoka County, how the coaching model changed the way supervisors and staff interact and improved communication in the library, how to fit these coaching sessions into your busy schedule, and how to get staff buy-in by developing work outcome statements from the ground up with feedback from all staff.

Join us for the Technical Services Section (TSS) business meeting to find out what’s happening in Technical Services around Minnesota and help TSS plan for the upcoming year. You’ll learn about exciting projects that help colleagues and staff to “search, create, and inspire.” We’ll brainstorm new ways to assist and collaborate with TSS subunit members across the state. Plans for a TSS Day will be initiated. Not a member of MLA or the subunit? No problem! TSS welcomes new members, new ideas, and new leaders (we’ll be voting on the Chair-Elect position as well). Everyone is welcome to join us!

Ramsey County Library has taken deliberate steps to expand access to our resources and make connections with underserved members of our community. Through programming and collaborations, we are striving to respond to the diverse needs of the public. In this presentation, Carrie will first provide an overview of RCL’s Life Skills Project, an overarching designation for educational and social service programming. Meg will provide an update from the community corrections outreach program that she has been working on for four years, and Pete will present on the Community Resource Outreach Project (CROP), which has social workers providing services in the library environment. After the presentations, questions and discussion are encouraged.

RART brings you its annual book blast for nonfiction! Buckle up and enjoy the ride as we talk about 50 books in a variety of genres including: World War I, Home Sweet Home, Medieval Madness, and a couple of surprise categories. It's fast and furious, but always fun, entertaining, and educational!

Everyone loves the camaraderie of a statewide/national conference with its endless learning opportunities and networking events. However, for some a trip to MLA, ACRL, or ALA isn't enough. For others, it can be difficult to find funds and time for an overnight, multi-day conference. This is when a regional library community can be used to supplement learning and networking. The Lake Superior Libraries Symposium is just such a regional group, dedicated to developing the local library community and educational experiences in the Northland. Comprised of library professionals and like-minded allies from diverse roles and types of libraries, the group has hosted small conferences, tours, socials, and unconferences and has learned a lot along the way! Attendees will learn about how a DIY, come-as-you-are community can be a way to further develop skills, relationships, and community. Expect a list of tools to take home.

Are you getting the most out of your interactions with your public, staff, and stakeholders? Do you have fantastic programs that go unattended? Regular patrons not coming around as often, or newcomers that get their cards and seem to never return? Rediscover the fundamentals of good customer service! This program covers customer service and sales best practices to create a solid patron-focused culture in your library.