Greetings MAME members!

February always seems like a fast and furious month and this February seems to fit the mold by starting out with a big snowstorm. I hope you enjoyed your day(s) off.

Framing MAME's Future-

Last year Alison Zmuda was invited to be the speaker for the AASL Presidential Program of ALA's annual conference. Her message inspired us to think in new directions and was something of a miracle in itself considering that she had suffered a stroke in March. She challenged us to look at ourselves as if we were on the edge of a cliff, would we take a leap into new unchartered territory or simply fall off the edge into oblivion.

As we look to the future of MAME, it is time for us to determine how we will take that leap. For many of us, the past five years have seemed like a whirlwind. Standards have changed, the economy has changed, and in turn, our programs have changed. MAME too has been affected by these changes.

In 2007, targeted work was completed by the MAME Board of Directors and summer participants on the MAME Strategic Plan. Those dedicated work sessions laid forth some important goals. However, we have now entered 2011 and it is time to re-evaluate those goals and the future direction of our organization.

We hope you will be interested in this important discussion. MAME's Spring Leadership Day will be focused on "Framing MAME's Future". We will be hosted at DeWitt High School on March 26. SB-CEU's will be available and registration information will be forthcoming soon.

ALA Mid-Winter Report

Several MAME members were able to attend the ALA mid-winter conference in sunny San Diego on January 7-11.

Sue Lay and I attended the AASL Affiliate Assembly meetings on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday we listened to and then participated in a session focused on L4L: Learning for Life (aka the new standards). AASL is focusing on the best course of action for helping members to implement the standards, but to also get the word to other educational groups about how the standards can partner with their respective standards. This meeting included the announcement that a crosswalk has now been completed between L4L and the Common Core.

Sunday's meeting offered time for discussion within our regional groups in addition to general business. MAME is part of Region 3 and again the region was one of the best represented in the room. The morning also afforded time to hear from candidates for ALA President as well as AASL Officers. These speeches included the enthusiastic words of two MAME members, Karen Lemmons is running for ALA treasurer and Lynn Gordon is running for Region 3 Director.

Other highlights of the weekend included checking out the exhibits, a reception for AASL members hosted by California's school librarians and of course the announcements of the Youth Media Awards. If you missed any of the winners they can be found here: http://ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pr.cfm?id=6048.   Take note that this year's Caldecott was another winner from Michigan.  A Sick Day for Amos McGee was illustrated by Erin E. Stead and written by Philip C. Stead. The couple resides in Ann Arbor. 

Rachel Markel, MAME President

Tim Staal, Executive Director

Meet the President-Elect: Sue Lay

Each January, the MAME gavel is passed on to new leadership.  This January, Lynn Gordon stayed on the MAME board as the Past-President, Rachel Markel stepped up to her new role as President, and Sue Lay became the new MAME President-Elect.  She will chair the MAME 38 Fall Conference and be ready to take on the leadership role next year.  Thanks so much to Lynn for a great year and our congrats to Rachel and Sue as they begin their new roles.

In order to get to know Sue a little better, the Media Matters! editors asked Sue a few questions.

I have belonged to MAME since the early 90's.  I attended my first MAME conference with Charlotte Wuepper, from St. Joseph.  I volunteered in her media center as a parent and was asked if I could sub for her.  Here, I saw the array of activities and curriculum work that she did and readily agreed.  Later, she invited me to attend MAME and I LOVED it!  This seemed like a natural fit for me.  After one year of subbing, I took a position as Children's Librarian at the public library in St. Joe.  Next, I moved on to serve as media specialist for Lybrook Elementary in Eau Claire.  During this position, I enrolled at Indiana to get my MLS, which I completed in 1995.  In the meantime, I worked in West Ottawa PS in several elementary libraries.  Here I was given many opportunities to learn and grow.  Also, I picked up a few wonderful role models and friends along the way.

My commitment to MAME began when Diane Nye became president by serving on the conference committee.  For four years, I served as Secretary on the Board of Directors, followed by one year as Vice President of Continuing Education.  Now it is my honor to serve as President-Elect.

What School Media Specialists do is IMPORTANT to students and schools.  We are the leaders in our schools and wear many hats:  media specialist, curriculum leaders, and storytellers.  We are the ones who get things done! I have paid my own way to many conferences and taken personal days to do it because I need to work and learn from my peers!

Currently I work at Derby Middle School in Birmingham.  This position has opened up so many doors for me.  It was a big move from Holland to the East Side of the state, but it has brought many blessings!  Here I am encouraged and given the freedom to explore and spread my wings as a media specialist and a teacher.

Ironically, I grew up in Illinois in a small town with no public library or services.  But both of my parents were teachers and so are my siblings, so we read all the time.  The only libraries I knew were at my school and church.  I read EVERY orange biography in my elementary school!  I loved those.  Once, I visited with a friend of my neighbor who had a library in her house!   She gave me my first Louisa May Alcott book-Rose in Bloom, which I read from cover to cover.  I attended Joliet Junior College and then received my Education degree from St. Francis in Joliet, IL.  This is where I took a few library courses.  Little did I know how it would influence my career later.  Someday, I will have a library in my home with the ladder on wheelsJ

What do you like to do when you're not in a library?

When I am not working, which seems like less and less time, I love to be outside with my new husband.  We snowshoe in the winter and kayak in the summer.  I have a new grandson so finally I can pass on all of those books I acquired at conferences!  There are so many books I want to share with him.

What is something about yourself that might surprise people?

The only surprise I might have is that I used to sail a lot in the 90's!  I have raced in 4 Mac races, before there were a lot of female sailors.  And, I actually worked on the boat, I was NOT just a passenger!  I am the only female to win the Skipper of the Year at the St. Joe River Yacht Club.                   

SL 21 News  

Region Corner 

Recommended Resources & More

Michigan Online Resources for Educators (MORE)

More is part of the Michigan eLibrary (MeL) and provides thousands of quality educational web sites tied to the state's curriculum and professional development needs.  Seach by subject of state standards to find lessons, curriculum aids, professional development resources, and more.  Go to www.more.mel.org.

NEA's Read Across America 

Read Across America Day, which is sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA) is March 2nd!  To help with your celebration find activity ideas, resources (including a 2011 Downloadable calendar), PR tools as well as links to a participation pledge and state contacts.  Go to www.nea.org/readacross.

Holland Museum Exhibit--

The Cat Under the Hat: The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss

Jan 22 - May 22, 2011

Make time to visit the special exhibit at the Holland Museum.  The 'secret' art of Dr. Seuss is a collection of authorized estate editions based on paintings and sculpture created by Theodor Seuss Geisel at night for his own personal enjoyment. The locally-collected prints that comprise the exhibition represent a segment of Geisel's work rarely, if ever, exhibited during his lifetime.   

Cheers & Tears 

We'd like to include a new section to our newsletter called

Cheers & Tears

which will highlight events in MAME members lives.  If you know of an event in a MAME member's life (marriage, birth, death, change in job, award, etc.), please forward the information to the Media Matters Editors at:

mediamatters.mame@gmail.com

.

Save the Date!

MAME Spring Leadership Conference: Framing MAME's Future

Saturday, March 26th: DeWitt High School Library.   

     Come frame MAME's future! This full-day workshop will explore strategic planning and relationship building - two crucial components of any organization's continuing success.  

     The day will include guest speakers, presentations, and plenty of time for collaboration, reflection, and professional discourse on where MAME is going, where we want to be, and what we need to get there.  Please plan on joining us - We need your input!
     The day will run from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  .5 SBCEU's, lunch, and support materials will be provided.  Watch the MAME site and listserv for additional program and registration details. 

We hope that you can join MAME in Lansing for the  

MAME 38 Fall Conference!  Mark your calendars for

 November 2-4! 

MAME 38 -

Libraries@Future.Now