Has spring finally arrived? And, is it here to stay? We can only hope! As the school year winds down, the MAME Board has ramped up for the future.

Changes are on the horizon for MAME. Our board is looking at the transition of functioning without an executive director. We wish Tim and Nancy well in their new adventure in India. And, we cannot wait to hear about it! Tim leaves us officially as of June 30th.

At the May board meeting we welcomed Karen Becknell onboard as our new Database Manager. We will miss Liz Lewis as she transitions out of this position. Many times Liz has soothed ruffled feathers and been that smiling face, which is often someone's first contact with MAME. Thank you Liz. Good luck Karen.

Meetings are planned for later in May to keep/open our network connections. As School Librarians, we know the value of networking! Executive Board members will be meeting with MACUL, MLA, and MCLS. Please be patient while we work through this time of change. And, if you can support MAME in any way, please offer. It is our hope that we can maintain our own identity, while functioning with these other organizations.

Mark your calendars for July 24!   Summer Institute will focus on Common Core. Get your registration in early! And, bring a friend! The Fall Conference, Enter Here and Learn, is also looking at a new format. Will Richardson will be our closing keynote. I can't wait.

Sadly, we will be losing Kathy Lester as our wonderful Newsletter editor. She has done a terrific job, and her work receives some of the most positive comments from our members. Kathy will end her term with the June newsletter. Let her know how much you have enjoyed her work! And, if you are interested in the position, please contact me.

Have a great end of your school year!

Sue Lay, MAME President  

Tim Staal, Executive Director

Call for Presenters 

Mat McRae, principal of Swan Valley High School in Saginaw, Michigan, is this year's recipient of the AASL Distinguished School Administrators Award!  He will receive this prestigious award at the ALA Conference this summer in Anaheim.  You can read the story in the ALA News here.  

The photo above shows Mat McRae (along with from left to right - MAME Award Chaiperson - Chris Swanson, MAME Past-President - Rachel Markel, Swan Valley Media Specialist - Kay Wejrowski, and MAME President - Sue Lay) receiving MAME's Service Award for School Administrator's at this past Fall's MAME Conference.  Read about the MAME Award here. 

Kay Wejrowski nominated Mat for these awards.  Mat supported the library and librarian when budget cuts threatened and truly believes in the library as the center of learning at the school.

Congratulations to Mat and Kay!!  

AASL Fall Forum  

App of the Month  

If you would like to suggest a app, please email your idea to: Judy Hauser, judy.hauser@oakland.k12.mi.us  .Any app will be considered whether it is for productivity, utility, or fun.     

Cheers & Tears 

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Kay Wejrowski and the Swan Valley High School library was selected to host Michigan author, D.E. Johnson, on April 26th.  D.E. Johnson is the award winning author of The Detroit Electric Scheme and Motor City Madness.  The Michigan Notable Author Tour committee selected 50 sites to host this year's authors.  Two of those sites were school libraries.

D.E. Johnson enjoyed his visit with the students at Swan Valle High School and blogged about his visit here.  

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Anne Gnagi is retiring at the end of this school year.  She has been a dedicated teacher and leader in the Holt School District for over forty years.  She is well known for her remarkable storytelling ability as well as her professionalism.

Every year, Mrs. Gnagi researches famous people with the 5th grade students of Washington Woods Middle School. After the students complete their research, they dress up as their notable person and share out what they have learned at an evening gala held in the library.

Mrs. Gnagi always researches someone right along with her students.  This year she researched the life of Agatha Christie. Most teachers would probably get a wig for the part, but Mrs. Gnagi actually cut and dyed her hair for the part!    

The public is invited to a special recognition evening for library media specialist Anne Gnagi on Tuesday June 12, 7pm at the Holt Senior High Library. 

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The National Honor Society (NHS) of Lakeview High School held its annual Induction Ceremony for new members on Monday evening, April 30, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. in the Lakeview High School Performing Arts Center.

Guest speaker for the Induction was the Honorable Debbie Stabenow who was elected as Michigan's first woman Senator in 2000. As Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Senator Stabenow is a leading voice for Michigan's agriculture industry. Among her many accomplishments, she has cut taxes for small businesses and passed initiatives to revitalize our manufacturing sector. Senator Stabenow is also a leading champion for access to higher education. Through a relevant and inspiring address, the Senator challenged students to be positive agents of change in their future endeavors.

During the ceremony, NHS inductees were congratulated and shook hands with the Senator. Students were also recognized by Lakeview High School Principal Christopher Doyle and Lakeview School District Superintendent Dave Peterson for their exceptional records of leadership, service, character and scholarship.

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If you know of an event in a MAME member's life (marriage, birth, death, change in job, award, etc.) that you would like to have included in a future Cheers & Tears section, please forward the information to the Media Matters Editors at:

mediamatters.mame@gmail.com

We hope that you can join MAME in Lansing for the  

MAME 39 Fall Conference!   

Mark your calendars for

 Oct 31 - Nov 2! 

MAME 39

Enter Here and Learn  

Save the Date! 

July 24th  

MAME Summer Institute

The Common Core and You:

Building an Understanding of the Common Core and How School Librarians Can Be a Partner in Learning

Presented by

Susan Golab, Oakland Schools Literacy Education Consultant and

Les Howard, Oakland Schools Literacy Education Consultant

Location: Ingham ISD

.5 SB-CEUs pending  

Please consider nominating an outstanding MAME member, district administrator, or leader in the library media field. This is your opportunity to nominate someone who deserves recognition for his/her exemplary contributions to and/or support of our profession! 

Oct 31-Nov 2, 2012

MAME Fall Conference

Radisson, Lansing