Northern Lights Library Network

“The executive director reviews the draft of the form 990 and the form 990 is provided to the board of directors.”

“Board members and employees are covered by the conflict of interest policy. The executive director reviews the conflict forms annually. If a potential conflict exists, the board member would be asked to leave during the discussion of and vote on the issue.”

“A formal review is completed annually. Comparability data is used to compare compensation through the minnesota pay equity report. The nlln executive committee is responsible for the formal performance review of the executive director and a recommendation to the entire board that votes to approve.”

“Upon request. Held in NLLN's Policy Handbook and signed yearly by NLLN Governing Board.”

“Program - Career development, professional engagement, scholarships, and library service funding for staff and library board member participation in continuing education programs, events, and participation at national and international conferences for library professionals in the region who may not be able to attend without the support of Northern Lights Library Network (NLLN). Continuing education scholarships are awarded as incentive for individual growth and development in order to enhance library services throughout the NLLN region. Scholarships are available to all employees of NLLN member libraries. Scholarships may be used for the following purposes: Registration or tuition; Lodging; Meals; Transportation (mileage is for the use of a personal vehicle only one person in a vehicle may request mileage); Parking; Required books or educational materials; Cost of a substitute to cover while applicant is at an event (applicant must have paid the cost of a substitute before requesting reimbursement). Reports summarizing the benefits of receiving the scholarships are required upon completion of continuing education opportunity. Library staff attendance at local, regional, national, and international conferences generates new ideas and best library practices among colleagues and library constituents. Achievements: Twenty-five scholarships FY2018.”

“Program - Develop and continue to maintain electronic and social media methods for communicating with members. Send ongoing emails and Constant Contact and Listbox messages to members; maintain and update webpage; maintain Facebook page and Twitter account; update Flikr; manage and introduce emerging communication technologies. Continued brochure development and distribution, annual report development and distribution, various mailings.”

“Program - Conduct research of the skills media specialists impart to students through a comprehensive review and analysis of the literature and interviews of library media personnel in the region. Leaders in schools who understand the skills media specialists impart to students will make an effort to keep media specialists employed in schools.Achievements (below):The Skills Media Specialists Impart to StudentsUsing qualitative grounded theory analysis, Executive Director Kathy Enger and Media Specialist, Glenn Heinecke, analyzed 2,240 pages of documents on media specialists in the library and information science literature to determine the skills media specialists impart to students. As media specialists in public schools have lost their positions, these skills, which focus on using information effectively, include information literacy, digital literacy, and library and information science, skills that are necessary for student success in the electronic era. In the process of learning how to access information and use knowledge effectively, students read, write, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information in the online environment. Students without access to information are at a disadvantage, creating a social and digital divide that schools can mitigate by employing media specialists. The model is grounded in Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems Theory. Executive Director Kathy Enger presented the research at the 96th Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center on January 13 with a session entitled, Supporting Student Success in an Electronic Era: For years, schools have lost qualified media specialists or teacher librarians due to attrition from retirement, reassignment back to the classroom or lay-offs altogether. At the same time, it has been shown that students in schools with full-time certified media specialists do significantly better on standardized tests than students without certified media specialists or school librarians. This workshop will present research that shows the skills media specialists impart to students and why those skills are beneficial to the full learning experience for students.A three-page summary of the research was handed to Minnesota Education Commissioner, Cassellius at Brooklyn Center High School on Saturday, February 25, at the ESSA listening session there. The three page summary is located on NLLNs website at: nlln.org The article, The Skills and Knowledge Students Acquire from Media Specialists: Emerging Theory to Support Student Success to the American Educational Research Journal (AERJ) on August 26th and was rejected on September 30th. The editors felt the topic is valuable, but that the research is at an early stage and would be of most interest to a specialist audience. AERJ receives over 800 manuscripts each year, and can only publish about 7%. The article was then submitted to the journal, Learning and Instruction and was rejected. It will now be rewritten and submitted to School Library Journal.”

“Program - Develop activities that bring all libraries together to communicate freely with each other, to collaborate on projects that enhance the services of libraries in the region, and strengthen rural libraries and communities as a result. Achievements (below):Hope Lutheran Church, Walker, MinnesotaExecutive Director Kathy Enger and NLLN Governing Board member and retired media specialist, Adell Bridgeford, wrote a grant to Thrivent for books for young adults and audio books for seniors for the Hope Lutheran Church library in Walker.Bridgeford DonationRetired media specialist and NLLN Governing Board member, Adell Bridgeford, donated 584 items for children and young adults to the MSUM Curriculum Library. In addition to books, the donation included stuffed animals and characters, puppet kits, big books, card games, tapes, and posters. All relate to characters from childrens literature. Items not integrated into the MSUM collection will be donated to libraries in the region. MSUM graduate student, Audra, is creating a list of the Bridgeford materials that will go out to NLLN member libraries, including pictures of the puppets, wall hangings, and storybook characters, so people can see what they look like. The materials that MSUM did not retain went to Moorhead Public Schools (non-fiction books and some storybook characters), White Earths Maamigin Achigaazo. The last of the storybook characters will be brought to the January tribal college community library meeting to possibly go to tribal college community libraries at Leech Lake and Red Lake. Bengtson Book DonationDavid and Marilyn Bengtson of Long Prairie, donated seven boxes of books for libraries in the NLLN region. See Appendix, Bringing Libraries Together for a list of the donated books. The books were donated to the Campbell School High School Library. Some poetry books and books on writing fiction and poetry were donated to the Weld Hall Library at Minnesota State University Moorhead. John Wallace Ingersoll Memorial FundThe John Wallace Ingersoll Memorial Fund was established December, 2016, in memory of NLLN President Wayne Ingersolls brother, John Wallace Ingersoll, in order to honor current and past NLLN Governing Board members and to honor current and past NLLN members. Funds will be used to support the programming of Northern Lights Library Network. Donations will recognize those honored with a memorial biography in a memorial directory and special recognition when the funds are dispersed in support of programming at Northern Lights Library Network. John Wallace Ingersoll was born December 27, 1942 in Fargo ND to John and Ada (Holmes) Ingersoll. He grew up in Moorhead, MN with 2 younger brothers, Wayne (Moorhead, MN) and Bruce (deceased). He graduated from Moorhead HS in 1961 and to college at the Moorhead Teachers College and graduated in 1965. He went to college to study German and part of the study course was going to Germany to study. During one of his study trips to Germany he met his future wife, Gretel Kleiner. They met in a Youth Hostel in Munich in the early 60s and fell in love. He brought her back to Moorhead with him a few years later and they got married in 1966. They moved to the Grand Rapids area where he got a job teaching German at the Grand Rapids High School in 1966. There he established himself as a huge part of the community, always being active in after school activities from detention to volleyball announcer to ticket taker at hockey games. You would always find him actively involved with the school, students, and the community. Later in years he joined the Grand Rapids Police Reserve and worked with them as a volunteer for traffic and crowd control as well as going on police patrols. After he retired from teaching German in Grand Rapids he went to China and taught English there for 5 years. He thoroughly enjoyed meeting people and making friends for life there and made friends for life.When he wasnt involved with these activities you would”

“Program - Join together Historical and Cultural Organizations and Museums and approach the organizations to become NLLN members in order to strengthen and preserve their collections, support professionals managing their collections, and make the collections more easily accessible to citizens of the region. Develop strong ties with the Minnesota Historical Society in order to consistently disseminate information throughout the region. Citizens throughout the region and beyond will increase their understanding of Minnesota rural history through access to and awareness of rural, historical, cultural, and museum collections.Achievements: Historical and Cultural Organizations and Museums in the region become members of NLLN and receive the benefits of membership. Continue to meet with Lina Belar to keep the dream alive of having a regional system for historical and cultural organizations and museums in Minnesota like the regional public library systems. Lina signed her broadsides and plans to write a grant to bring the broadsides and poets to locations in the region. A directory of the cultural and historical organizations and museums in the region is on NLLNs website and continuously updated. The directory was distributed to attendees at the first Better Together workshop on June 12th at Lakes Country Service Cooperative in Fergus Falls.”

“Program - Minnesota Loves Libraries Buttons. Achievements: NLLN had 100 Minnesota Loves Libraries buttons made to distribute in the region and throughout the state.”

“Program - The Life Achievement Award from Northern Lights Library Network (NLLN) signifies a contribution to libraries in the NLLN region from a librarian or citizen who has given extraordinary service to libraries throughout a career. The award is given once a year upon the recommendation of the executive director or a governing board member. Achievements: The Life Achievement Award for this fiscal year went to Peg Werner, who is retired from Viking Library System as director after nearly three decades of service to Minnesota Libraries. Impact: Healthy rural communities.”

“Program - eBook access for middle and high school students throughout the NLLN region. Many students living within the counties served by Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) and Northwest Regional Library (NWRL) have been issued iPads or tablets by their schools. LARL and NWRL have seen a steady increase in the use of eBook and eAudiobook collections. Teachers and media specialists from across the region have contacted LARL and NWRL, asking how their students can obtain access to eBooks and eAudiobooks. LARL and NWRL are encouraging schools, teachers, and students to register for LARL and NWRL library cards to access the eBook services provided to them through their public library. The Tumblebook Library is provided for the Northwest Regional Library System. eBook and eAudiobook access for students enhance efforts schools make to provide content rich materials to students. Achievements: eBooks for children and young adults in the Lake Agassiz Regional Library System and the Northwest Regional Library System.”

“Program - MSUM Planetarium and Scholastic Family & Community Engagement Resources (FACE) Building Home LibrariesAccess to books in the home is a key factor in determining a childs future success. Children raised in homes with lots of books are nearly 20% more likely to finish college. Achievements: Through Scholastics Family and Community Engagement Resources Building Home Libraries, NLLN was able to purchase books at a discount and will send one home each to:Detroit Lakes 3rd graders on January 20th, Journey through our Solar System by Dr. Mae Jemison and Dana Meachen Rau will be distributed.Annual Stars of PBS event on February 4th, NLLN donated books as door prizes.One World One Sky with Moorhead Kindergarten in the spring. Both events will distribute, My Very First Space Book by Emily Bone, illustrated by Lee Cosgrove.”

“Program - Ongoing library administrative and technical support for the White Earth Child Care and the Tribal College CommunityAchievements: Kari Anderson of Alexandria made a quilt and donated it to the White Earth 16th Annual Communities Collaborative Brain Development Conference for the Autism Foundation Silent Auction. NLLN donated an iPad Air 2 for the Annual Christmas Drive at White Earth, serving twenty-seven families and within those families provided 80 children with Christmas Gifts. Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) will support the Festival of Fathers on March 11th at the Event Center at Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen by sending the LARL mascot and one additional employee to the event, encourage individuals to sign-up for library cards and the 1,000 Books before Kindergarten program, which is geared toward youth ages 0-3. There will also be books to read aloud and Booker activity pages. The Maamigin Achigaazo would like to offer opportunities like this, as well, and need an updated computer and scanner to do so.”

“Program - Support cataloging fees for membership to the OCLC CatExpress group subscription for Northwest Regional Library, Lincoln High School Thief River Falls, Kittson School Media Center, Warren/Alvarado/Oslo High School, Breckenridge High School District, Clearbrook Gonvick High School, ADA-Borup Public School, Independent School District 435, Audubon High School Media Center, Perham/Dent Public School, Holy Rosary School, BUG-O-NA-GE Shig School, Grygla School Media Center, Bemidji Public School, Park Rapids High School, Northland Community Schools ISD #118, Circle of Life School, St. Josephs School, Lancaster public School, Tri-County School, Mahnomen Public School, Frazee-Vergas School, Pine River Backus Public School, Badger School, Blackduck Public School, White Earth Tribal & Community College Library.”

“Program - Training and onsite assistance for librarians in the region assists them in keeping up with the rapidly changing library environment. It has been determined that five areas of training needed to be continually addressed: 1. The Electronic library of Minnesota (ELM). 2. Electronic devices. 3. Apps. for libraries and schools. 4. The library catalog. 5. Access to public library cards for students. In addition, assistance and consultation with librarians will also include collection development and collection maintenance. People in the NLLN region will know how to access the information they need to improve their lives.Northern Lights Library Network Training model is based on practical adult learning principles linked to skill building, whereby:Learning is self-directed. Learning fills an immediate need and is highly participatory.Learning will be helpful and applicable in the work setting. Learning is experiential whereby participants and trainers learn from one another. Training encompasses time for reflection and feedback. A mutually respectful environment is created between trainers and trainers-in-training. A summary of the learning that takes place will be completed at the end of the training.Achievements (below):Eighty professionals participated in the Online Destiny Training.Online Destiny TrainingGina Drellack, Media Specialist and Education Services Coordinator with Northwest Service Cooperative in Thief River Falls developed an online Destiny Training program that library staff in the region can take online for continuing education credits through Schoology. So far, eighty people have participated in the Online Destiny Training. SOLO Librarian Resources for academic, public, school, and special libraries from your Minnesota multitype systems: http://mnmultitypes.wixsite.com/mysiteNLLN support to Northwest Service Cooperative for June 14 and 15 Workshop at MSUM ($100), Integrate, Innovate, Motivate, 2018: Creative Tech. for Teaching.The first annual Better Together workshop was held at Lakes Country Service Cooperative on June 12, 2017, with 40 participants.Workshop participants received:Altogether 282 International Childrens books, including picture books, novels for grades 2 12, nonfiction, and graphic books. The greatest number of books are picture books for toddlers to intermediate age. The books will be divided among workshop participants. Regional Directory of Cultural and Historical Organizations and MuseumsA list of media specialists in the regionResource handoutsDoor prizesFive hours of continuing education creditsThe first Better Together Area Workshop is sponsored by Campbell-Tintah Public Schools,The John Wallace Ingersoll Foundation Fund, Lakes Country Service Cooperative, Laurie Conzemius LLC, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Northern Lights Library Network, Ottertail County Historical Society, Overdrive, and Roseau Public Schools. Funding for the workshop was made available through the John Wallace Ingersoll Foundation Fund.”

“Program - Poets Across Minnesota: Encourage the love of reading, literature, and the spoken word by sponsoring poetry readings and events for regional poets in and through libraries in the region. Sponsoring poetry in and through libraries promotes the value of libraries. Poetry will become accessible to high school students and others who may not always think of themselves as potential poets, allowing them to move beyond observing and reading to actually engaging in the writing process and speaking what they write. Poetry in and through libraries extends literacy because it is linguistically rich and as a genre that is read aloud, makes literature a public event. While it is understood that poetry is currently taught, poetry holds the promise of exciting students and others about the richness of language. Improved reading scores on standardized test in the region could be the result. The backbone of Poets Across Minnesota is its close partnership with libraries. The act of writing creates empowered readers and writers and promotes the value of libraries in civic life. Poets Across Minnesota places the value of libraries in front of citizens by teaching students to learn, write, and speak poetry. Literacy promotes democracy and dignifies, and libraries are at the core of all that. Poets Across Minnesota is a program initiated by Northern Lights Library Network during FY13.Achievements:Thirty-five broadsides each of poets in the NLLN region, Belar, Bennett, Dolence, Lajimodiere, Vinz, and Zepper have been created by Patrick Vincent, former professor of visual arts at MSUM and are for sale at $25/each to raise funds for NLLNs scholarship fund. Poets will read their poetry at library and community locations throughout the region. A Bennett broadside was sold at Zanbroz Variety Store in Fargo at Ken Bennetts poetry reading on August 2nd. Patrick Vincent has since moved to Tennessee and will be printing the last two broadsides from there. The Lajimodiere broadside is nearly completed.”