| From the President: Lynn Gordon | 
It's time for alarm clocks and school buses, new notebooks
and new backpacks. The transition back
to the day-to-day routine of the school year can be difficult (especially that
alarm clock!), but that transition opens the door to opportunity. We are in one of few professions that allow
us to wipe the slate clean each year and dare to dream of a new beginning. We do not have to be the same school
librarian and teacher that we were when the school doors closed last June. Heaven knows that the curriculum and
standards are moving targets and force us to change our ways - why not be your
own catalyst and change on your own terms and for your own reasons? It doesn't have to be a huge shift; even a
little one can make a big difference in the way you do business.
Need inspiration? Don't forget the upcoming MAME 37 conference in Dearborn. "Dare to Dream" takes place at the Dearborn Hyatt on October 27-29. Keynote speaker Steven Layne, endnote speaker
Michael Stephens, featured author Mark Crilley, and presentations by your peers
will serve to delight, inform, and inspire you. If you choose to step up and volunteer, you will enrich your conference
experience by giving yourself additional opportunities to network with other
MAME members on a deeper level. Be sure
to register by October 8 in order to be able to take advantage of all that the
conference committee has planned for you. The registration mailer will be coming soon, or you can download a PDF
of the registration form at the MAME website, www.mimame.org
I hope that the 2010-2011 school year is a fabulous one for
all of you. I hope to see you at MAME 37
in Dearborn. Most of all, keep it fresh, keep it fun, and
keep dreaming!
Best to you,
Lynn Gordon
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"Ask Why?"
| 
by Tim Staal, MAME Executive Director
Welcome back to another school year.
I know that many of you are facing difficult situations with job losses,
transfers and additional responsibilities. I hope you will make the best
of these "interesting times". Now, more than ever, we need MAME and MAME needs
you. Now more than ever, our students also need certified school
librarians to help them understand and work in the new information age.
In order to get that message across, we have created a PSA called
"Ask Why?" to raise awareness among parents and school administrators
of the need for certified school librarians in public schools. Joe Staley of
the San Francisco 49ers, the son of a Michigan school librarian, is the
spokesperson in our PSA. The "Ask Why?" PSA is 30 seconds in length and
you can help by distributing the PSA to as many folks as you can - your staff
members, administrators and any others that may be appropriate. Research has
indicated that having a certified school librarian in a school has a
significant impact on student achievement, and many parents and school
administrators are not aware of that fact. This PSA will remind parents of
schools without school librarians to "Ask Why?" and hopefully to work
with school administrators to find ways to hire and rehire school librarians
for the benefit of their students.
Here's a link to the video:
http://www.mdvideoprod.com/ask-why.html
A link to the button: http://www.mdvideoprod.com/images/button05g.png
You can help spread the word about
the need for certified school librarians in your schools - help your students,
teachers and parents to "Ask Why?".
In addition, you can help yourself
and your colleagues by doing these things: 2. Renew your MAME membership even if you can't come to the conference! The stronger our membership, then stronger our voice! 3. Advocate for school librarians and school funding in
any way that you can.
4. Help us find other celebrities willing to create a PSA helping to "Ask Why?"
Tim Staal |
Your New Co-Editors
|
by Michelle Levy, Eton Academy, Birmingham, MI
Kathy Lester, Three Fires Middle School, Howell, MI
I am Michelle Levy one of your new editors for Media
Matters! As we say goodbye to Joanne Steckling and Kafi Kumas for their fine work,
I'd also like to thank them for making the transition so easy.
I have been a
MAME member since 2005 and this will be my fifth year working at Eton Academy
(Birmingham) as the media specialist. We have grades first through twelfth and
our students all have a reading/learning/attention challenge.
A little about
myself...I have been married to my husband Michael for 19 years. We have a son,
Ryan, who is 16; and a daughter, Loryn, who is 12 years old. I love reading
children's books, especially young adult books. When I am not reading I enjoy
spending time with my family and checking out the latest threads on the many
listservs I belong to.
I am Kathy Lester and this is my ninth year as a school library media specialist. I currently work at Three Fires Middle School in Howell with grades six through eight. I'm fortunate to work with a great group of teachers and students! However, the three certified positions in my district (of 11 buildings and over 8000 students) are very tenuous and, thus, I have learned to advocate more boldly and consistently.
About me...My husband Dave and I celebrated our 30th anniversary this year! We have lived in Brighton those 30 years. Our son, Ryan, is 20 years old and is a junior at Brown University. Like Michelle, I LOVE to read and especially enjoy talking to students about books. I also enjoy traveling, skiing, and learning new technology.
We look forward to publishing the MAME newsletter each month. Remember to send any news or ideas for stories to us at mediamatters.mame@gmail.com
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|
Our Goals! Six Words! What's Yours?
|
by Michelle Levy, Eton Academy, Birmingham, MI
To start off the school year I thought it would be fun to
know what our staff, at Eton Academy in Birmingham, MI, did over the summer.
But who has time to write a "report" of What
I Did Over My Summer Break?
I came across a
posting back in July on the YALSA-bk listserv by Beth Gallaway from NH who saw
a great display in her high school of 6-word memoirs by students. The
inspiration for the display came from the website http://www.smithteens.com/. I went to my
public library to check out a book published by Smith Teens. At the time the
only book available was I Can't Keep My
Own Secrets. After reading the book I fell in love with the idea even more.
The teens in the book say so much about their lives in so few words.
I thought that was a perfect, easy, and creative way for
my staff to describe their summer adventures. I emailed them my idea and they
also loved it and some teachers plan on using it with their students too. I made a display
with their memoirs and a few cutout pictures to add to the display a week
before our students arrived. For an added twist I didn't include any names at
first. I want to see if anyone can
figure out which memoir belongs to whom. A week or so after school begins I
will add names (last names and titles) to the display so everyone can see if
they were right. I had about half my staff members contribute to our school
display. (I only had to ask twice).
In turn Kathy and I asked our members what their goals
are for the coming school year using only six words. Everyone was very creative
and yet as you read each one; you can tell we are all on the same page of collaborating
more with staff members and getting students to read more and use better
research skills.
Enjoy!
Our Goals. Six
Words. What's Yours?
Collaborate. Mentor. Inspire. Read and Travel.
Karen
Becknell, MLIS (retired),
Editor Michigan Authors and
Illustrators
Reading
enjoyment. Information literacy. Learning exploration.
Barb Benford, Media Specialist,
Round Elementary,
Hartland, MI
Retired: Family, Friends, Read,
Travel, Volunteer
Maureen
Booth, Retired Library Media Specialist
Southfield High
School, Southfield, MI
New job: excitedly
teaching future librarians.
Kristin Fontichiaro, Clinical Assistant Professor,
School
of Information, University of Michigan
Keep Up. Stay Positive.
Always Encourage.
Katrina Gormley, Media Director/
Jr. & Sr. High
Yearbook Adviser,
Montabella Community
Schools, Blanchard, MI
Listen. Learn. Participate. Make reading fun.
Kara Hoffert, Graduate
Student,
School Library Media, University of Michigan,
Support those still
working in libraries.
Sharon Kubica, retired Media Specialist,
Charlotte, MI
Irreplaceable co-teacher, increasing achievement, enhancing
relationships.
Gwenn
Marchesano, Media Specialist,
Pioneer Middle School, Plymouth, MI
Collaborative
planning inspiring students' researching/reading!
Laurie Olmsted, Media Specialist,
Quarton Elementary School, Birmingham,
MI
Students first, teachers second, paper last.
Martha
Speare, Library Media Specialist
Berkley High School, Berkley, MI
Communicate. Collaborate. Inspire reading, effective
research.
Kathy
Lester, Library Media Specialist,
Three Fires Middle School, Howell, MI
Working together. Motivate and encourage readers!
Michelle
Levy, Media Specialist,
Eton Academy, Birmingham, MI
Learn, lead, grow, and inspire MAME
Tim
Staal, Executive Director, MAME
The Books:
Fershleiser, Rachel. Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-word Memoirs by Writers Famous and
Obscure :
from Smith Magazine. New York [etc.: HarperPerennial, 2008. Print.
Fershleiser, Rachel, and Larry Smith. I Can't Keep My
Own Secrets: Six-word Memoirs by
Teens Famous Obscure : from Smith Magazine.
New York: HarperTeen, 2009. Print.
Smith, Larry. Six-word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak. New York: Perennial ;
Enfield : Group UK, 2009. Print.
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| MAME's New Retiree SIG: MAME 4Ever
|  
by Annette Haley, co-chair, Retiree SIGMAME
has never hosted a more clichéd event than when 19 retirees gathered at
the Dam Site Inn in Hell, MI at High Noon to kickoff the new
Retirees SIG! We came from Alpena, Traverse City, Holland, Grand Rapids, Trenton
and Saginaw and all points in between! No, the road to hell is paved in asphalt, not good intentions! The
wait staff were all hell bent on leather to serve us a fine brew, and
lunch was enjoyed by all. With freebies at the door, door prizes and
lots of catching up, the fun-loving and obviously relaxed retirees
decided on a name (MAME 4Ever, since we all are paying lifetime dues!),
and co-chairs Teri Terry and Annette Marie Haley held court in their
non-quiescently jolly manner. The table of 4 motorcycle couples next to our long, long table asked to join us as we "looked like we were having so much fun"! When we asked if they'd join US, they agreed, but told us their meeting was to plan their next nudist vacation! We
graciously declined. At least we think all of us did... Looking Not At All the part of retired Librarians, we rejoiced in our good fortunes, and turned to our goals for our MAME offshoot organization. We all agreed that we would be the advocacy voice to each working MAME member. Our purpose:
to help members in need with voice, print, presence and knowledge. Hell
hath no fury like a librarian scorned and, because some of the members
present were "eliminated" from their position in the horrifying economy
and unbelievable bad decision making of school administrations and
boards, we will be working HARD to build support for School Libraries
and Professional Staffing, you can bet on that! We
decided to offer our volunteerism first to the Conference at the Hyatt,
and, to be that supportive presence, we agreed on Red Polos with our
logo embroidered over our heart! So, if you see a
Red Shirt, know that we are Here For MAME 4Ever! We will be offering a
Round Table with a handout of what our SIG offers to do for you, so come
Hell or high water, find us at Round Tables on Friday morning, at
Registration, and around the Hyatt! We also discussed doing FUNdraisers for MAME, and we will continue to chat about what, how, and the area we want to help fund. Many
retirees have secured positions in Public Libraries, keeping a hand in
our profession through another means, while staying in touch with
students and continuing to learn! Another bunch serves on their local
library Boards, county library boards and more boards! It seems that we
retirees are already living our advocacy purpose in life and will only
go on to influence positive outcomes in Libraries and for Library
Professionals 4Ever! So,
if you are reading this and are a retiree-new or seasoned, come join
our Fabulous Friends of MAME, and live the MAME 4Ever life! Our next meeting is at noon (ish) in Frankenmuth on Wednesday, September 22nd. Contact Tim Staal ( tstaal@gmail.com), Teri Terry ( t2t_51@yahoo.com) or Annette Marie Haley ( annettehaley@att.net) for information
about How To Join! See you ALL at the MAME 37 conference at the Hyatt in
Dearborn this October 27 - 29!!! Come to our Round Table to see what the MAME 4Ever can do for you. Our Conference SIG meeting is in the Hyatt Lobby Bar...find us there!
|
Send Us Your News!
Tell us about your
successes, your struggles, your amazing discoveries.
Email your newsletter editors, Kathy and Michelle with stories that should be
shared.
We need to hear from you!
|
| Media Matters! Editors
Kathy Lester and Michelle Levy
Database Manager
|
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MAME 37 Conference
| Dare to Dream  | | Dare to Dream
MAME 37
Annual Conference
Hyatt Regency
Dearborn, MI
October 27-29, 2010
|
Conference Volunteers Needed
|
Volunteers are still needed for the conference! For your chance to meet new people, network, and get an inside
view of the organization, give a couple of your hours to helping out at the conference. No
experience necessary! Email Gwenn Marchesano gwenn2ns@yahoo.com
to lend a hand.
|
|
SL 21
|  | 21 Measurement Criteria for Michigan School Libraries For 21st Century Schools
Please consider using the SL 21 tool to raise awareness of
your programs and gain
some recognition for the
good things you do.
The tool can be found at: www.michigan.gov/SL21.
In February 2010, the Library of Michigan and its Board of Trustees
endorsed this new tool to help school librarians and their administrators
evaluate the quality of their school library programs. The "SL21" is a
voluntary instrument designed to help educate administrators about what a
good school library should offer and to help give recognition to and
advocate for those school libraries that are doing a good job and ensuring
student achievement.
SL21 is designed around the new AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner,
and is written with a minimum of library jargon for ease of use with school
administrators. SL21 is divided into 3 main sections:
1) Teaching for 21stCentury Learning,
2) Building the 21st Century Learning Environment, and
3) Leading the Way to 21st Century Learning.
To achieve Qualified and Exemplary Status for their School Library program, completed criteria measurement evaluations are to be submitted to the Library of Michigan, an Office of the
Michigan Department of Education.
Status earned will be valid for two years. |
Upcoming Events
| September 11, 2010
MAME Board Meeting
MAME Headquarters in Lansing 9am.
"Dare to Dream"
Hyatt Regency, Dearborn
AASL Fall Forum 2010
Portland, Oregon
"In Focus: The Essentials for 21st-Century Learning"
November 5-7
YALSA Young Adult Literature Symposium
Albuquerque, New Mexico
"Diversity, Literature, and Teens: Beyond Good Intentions"
January 7-11, 2011
ALA 2011 Midwinter Meeting
San Diego, California
San Diego Convention Center
June 23-28, 2011
ALA 2011 Annual Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
2011 Bundled Registration is open September 1 - 30, 2010
June 26-29, 2011
iste 2011
Philadelphia, PA
Pennsylvania Convention Center
Open registration begins October 1, 2010 |
| What's on Your Mind? |
|
What great things are going on in your media center?
Has a journal article or book recently inspired you?
Found a shortcut, great website, new and improved techie tool?
...Or just have a funny story to share?
We love to hear from our readers! | |
Send your newsletter contributions to
Kathy and Michelle
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Our Sponsors
|
Thank you to our
wonderful sponsors!
Sehi Computers
Coughlan Publishing
DEMCO
Follett Software
Alexandria/Big 6/Companion Corporation
MEEMIC Insurance
Omnigraphics, Inc.
Lowry's Books
REMC SAVE Bid Project
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