The annual Member Libraries' Workshop will be held on Wednesday, May 10 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Join us for exciting sessions covering topics like outreach, branding, mentorship programs, board development, partnerships, and more! Marigold's Making a Difference Awards will be presented and, of course, prizes will be given away!
Our keynote speaker, Stacie Ledden, will present under the theme "Advocacy: Words Worth Sharing." She is the Director of Innovations and Brand Strategy at Anythink Libraries in Colorado. In 2013, Library Journal named her one of 50 "Movers & Shakers" in the library industry.
Registration packages have been distributed to all Marigold member libraries. You can register with Barb Froese by phone (403-934-5334, ext. 241) or by email (barb@marigold.ab.ca), or through the online form.
Contact Barb if you have any questions.
The deadline for registration is April 3rd.
Marigold News
Hussar Remote Locker Installation
After months of planning and anticipation, a remote locker has been installed in the Chinook Financial building in Hussar! The remote locker, purchased by the Hussar Library Board from Bibliotheca, allows Hussar patrons to access library materials in a simple and convenient manner, despite the closure of the library in their community.
Marigold staff were on hand for the installation of the remote locker and for training on March 1. Training continues to take place for the Headquarters staff who are involved in loading the lockers each week. The Hussar remote locker was made possible through fundraising efforts on behalf of the library board and through a generous donation from the Drumheller Library Society. This warm gesture from Drumheller demonstrates how working together can make us all stronger.
Pictured above: Library Services Consultant, Jane Fisher; retired Hussar Library Manager, Gay Harms; Direct Services Clerk, Nancy Smith; and Deputy CEO, Laura Taylor on hand for the installation of the remote locker
Pictured below: The remote locker and a spinner filled with paperbacks
available for loan on the honour system
Minecraft in the Library
Pictured right: An adorable, little Minecrafter at the Hanna Library
Marigold hosts two MinecraftEdu servers connecting to public computers throughout the Marigold Library System network. IT staff ensure the software is kept up to date and the servers are available for connections.
Marigold's networked Minecraft environment is an unprecedented application of gaming technology in public libraries in Alberta. This popular service connects people across the Marigold Community, appeals to a wide demographic, promotes technological literacy, and stimulates support for member libraries by raising their profile in the community.
Interested in running a Minecraft program at your library? Contact Marigold's IT staff to book a mobile laptop lab. Instructions for using the Minecraft server can be found here.
Button Maker Blitz
The button maker kit available from Marigold Headquarters has been a hit among Marigold member libraries. Recently, the Hanna Library was able to take advantage of the kit with their "Buttons 'n' Books" event. Contact Library Services Assistant Barb Froese for booking information today!
Kidz Can Cook
Standard Municipal Library Manager, Adreena Harder, describes a fun, new program being offered at her library!
"Kidz Can Cook is a program that has seen much success in the Standard Municipal Library. I combine a simple snack that the kids cook themselves and pair it with apple juice and animated books (read-along DVD). In February we made mini pizzas on bagels with all the pizza fixings and watched The Mouse and the Motorcycle. The kids and I have a blast cooking together! I do require the parents to sign a consent form so that I know if there are any allergies to be concerned about. I’ve purchased a toaster oven, hotplates, and basic cookware for this program. The initial cost was approximately $125, with each program costing between $10 and $20. This has been an easy and fun program to implement, and I am sure it could be replicated at other libraries. Check us out on Facebook to see the crazy fun that we have every month! Happy Programming!"
From the Library Community
Get Your Summer Read On Day: June 17!
The TD Summer Reading Club's Get Your Summer Read On Day is a great way to kick off your library's summer reading program. Mark your calendars for June 17th and plan to celebrate with fun activities and staff engagement to promote the TD SRC and drive single day registrations. More information is forthcoming on the TD SRC staff website, but in the meantime, you can download posters advertising the event here.
Don't forget that the staff website contains an updated resources section with recommended reads, programs, activities, images, and promotional templates.
Additional promotional items are available through Hannah Promotions. The deadline to submit your order is April 3, 2017.
"National Poetry Month began in the US in 1996, spearheaded by the Academy of American Poets on the steps of a post office in New York City. There, the story goes, Academy staff members handed out copies of T.S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land, which begins, 'April is the cruellest month…' to individuals waiting in line to mail their tax returns. Established in Canada in 1998, NPM now brings together schools, publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, and poets from across the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in Canada’s culture.
April also celebrates Poem in Your Pocket Day each year! The day encourages people to select a poem, carry it with them, and share it with others throughout the day. For more information about this initiative, visit poets.ca/pocketpoem. Poem in Your Pocket Day 2017 will take place on Thursday, April 27."
To learn more about the theme for National Poetry Month and events occurring across the country, go to poets.ca/npm/.
SALC 2017
The 2017 Southern Alberta Library Conference (SALC) took place from March 2-4 in Lethbridge, AB. The theme of the conference was "Mosaic: Celebrating Diversity." Keynote speaker Monique Woroniak's presentation, "Beyond Respect," explored the role that libraries have in relationship-building with Indigenous peoples. Other sessions covered topics like cultural communication, board development, removing barriers to library service, and outreach programming.
Presentation outlines and slides from the conference should be available on the conference website shortly.
Tips & Tricks
7 Tips on Asking for Donations
Asking for money is never an easy task and many libraries rely on the benevolence of community members and organizations in order to function. So how can you increase your fundraising success? Marc Koenig shares advice to help you do just that in his article "7 Tips on Asking for Donations."
Research your donors to read their minds.
Practice, practice, PRACTICE - and then practice some more
Never, ever surprise your prospect
Stop being boring (it isn't worth it)
Ask for advice - you'll usually end up with money
Your secret weapon is pointed silence
Ask for a specific amount (don't make your donor do any work)
Accessing eResources through TRACpac on a Mobile Device
Accessing eResources on a mobile device can be tricky if the device automatically loads the TRACpac mobile version rather than the full site. To get around this:
Get to Know Us!
Meet Steven
Steven Copland is the IT Support Technician at Marigold. Some of his main responsibilities are:
Answering IT Help Desk tickets
Maintaining the network infrastructure of member libraries
Providing software and hardware support
Ordering supplies and computer equipment
Supervising the RISE videoconference network
Early Life:Steven was born in Bashaw, Alberta and raised on an elk farm. He graduated from the University of Alberta (Augustana Faculty) with a Bachelor's degree in Computing Science.
Family: Steven has 2 sisters, 1 brother, 5 nephews, and 3 nieces.
Favourite Things: Steven enjoys playing sports. His favourite sport is hockey, and for the past few years, he has been playing with the Irricana Pirates.
Fun Fact: Steven loves his cats, Athena and Nirrti. He has become the resident Marigold pet sitter because he has proven himself to be so trustworthy with his colleagues' fur babies.
What I Like About Marigold:Everyone is friendly, helpful, and has a good sense of humour. Hearing laughter at work makes me feel more relaxed.
Video Game Recommendation: Did you know you can borrow XBOX One and PS4 games through the TRACpac? It's a great way to try out games you were considering buying before investing the $80 price tag for newly released video games. The Halo video game series is a favourite of Steven's!
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Programs or events you'd like to share
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Marigold Library System 710 - 2nd Street Strathmore, Alberta T1P 1K4 403-934-5334 www.marigold.ab.ca