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Bringing Public Health and Public Libraries Together

By Kelly Metzger | January 5, 2021

On Tuesday, January 12, from 2-3pm, the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) will be offering a webinar about cultivating a partnership between the public library and the public health department.

Brief description taken from NNLM website:
Establishing and sustaining collaborative partnerships between Public Libraries and Public Health departments presents opportunities to bring together existing networks and partnerships and further support the communities they serve. This webinar will discuss the benefits of strong partnerships between Public Libraries and Public Health departments. Opportunities and strategies for partnerships will also be discussed.

View more information and register on NNLM’s website. To see the full catalog of offerings available from NNLM, please visit their Training page.

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RI Festival of Children’s Books and Authors

By Nicolette Baffoni | October 9, 2020

As with all things 2020, the RI Festival of Children’s Books and Authors will look different this year. This year’s festival will be a year-round virtual celebration featuring Rhode Island authors and illustrators. All author events will be conducted via Zoom. These free talks are open to the public and will include book giveaways, book signings, and activities. 

The Festival will kick off on Thursday, October 15th at 2pm with award-winning Rhode Island author and illustrator John Rocco.  John will be talking about his new picture book How We Got to the Moon, a 2020 National Book Award Finalist. Please register for this presentation if you would like to attend.

The Book Festival is going virtual but staying local this year and will be partnering with local bookstore Books on the Square. Purchase personalized copies of all of John Rocco’s books at Books on the Square, and use coupon code RIBookFestival when checking out. 

Visit the 2020 RI Festival of Children’s Books and Authors for more information and a full list of participating authors and illustrators.

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APPLY NOW: Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries

By Nicolette Baffoni | September 22, 2020

From the American Library Association:

Through Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, up to 650 U.S. libraries in small and rural communities will receive $3,000 to tackle issues ranging from media literacy to COVID-19 safety to unemployment. The initiative is part of ALA’s longtime commitment to preparing library workers for the expanding role of libraries.

“2020 has laid bare many of the issues that small and rural communities have long struggled with, from isolation due to a struggling Postal Service to inequalities in the broadband access that is vital for remote learning,” said ALA President Julius C. Jefferson, Jr. “With its core values of access, education, social responsibility and the public good, the library field is uniquely situated to lead local change in this time of crisis, and ALA is proud and excited to offer the funding for them to do so.”

Library workers may apply online for grant funding from September 21 to December 2, 2020, at ala.org/LTC. Up to 650 grants will be distributed over two funding rounds. Read the full project guidelines.

The opportunity is open to libraries serving small and/or rural communities in the U.S. and U.S. territories. The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) defines small communities as those with a legal service area population of 25,000 or less and rural communities as those more than, or equal to, five miles from an urbanized area.

Selected libraries will develop their facilitation skills through online training, talk with community members (virtually or in-person) about local needs, and undertake a project that benefits their community. Grant funds may cover a range of expenses, from hotspot purchases to personal protective equipment to staff time to undertake community engagement work.

Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members — be they library patrons, residents, faculty, students or partner organizations— to address issues for the betterment of the community.

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National Book Festival: Virtual for 2020

By Nicolette Baffoni | September 21, 2020

Registration is open for the National Book Festival, which will take place virtually the weekend of September 25 – 27. The Library of Congress National Book Festival is an annual literary event that brings together best-selling authors and thousands of book fans. This year’s event will celebrate “American Ingenuity” in 2020, highlighting the creativity and inspiration of some of America’s most gifted authors in a re-imagined virtual festival.

Registration is free, and allows an attendee to build a schedule to see author presentations, join live chats with authors, enjoy activities from the festival’s partners and Centers for the Book from across America, and more.

Every year the Library of Congress asks each state Center for the Book to select a title that represents the state’s literary landscape to highlight at the National Book Festival as part of the Great Reads From Great Places Initiative. Rhode Island Center for the Book has chosen The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman as the Rhode Island Great Read for 2020. Learn more about The Bridge Home at the RI Center for the Book.

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Rhody Radio: RI Library Radio Online

By Nicolette Baffoni | September 14, 2020

Rhody Radio: RI Library Radio Online is the latest offering from Rhode Island public libraries. Rhody Radio is a weekly podcast that brings you voices from your neighbors around the state. Enjoy lectures, stories and conversations with local artists, performers, experts, and scholars selected for you by Rhode Island librarians.

Rhody Radio was created in order to fill the gap in continued learning and social connection during a time when libraries are offering limited in-person services. 

Rhody Radio’s launched in August, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday morning. You can find Rhody Radio at rhodyradio.org or wherever you get your podcasts. Library staff interested in participating in Rhody Radio should contact rhodyradioonline@gmail.com.

Rhody Radio is a project of the Office of Library and Information Services and is made possible by a grant from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities.

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RIPL Webinar August 26 – Libraries Build Pathways to Wellbeing

By Kelly Metzger | July 27, 2020

From the Research Institute for Public Libraries:

Libraries Build Pathways to Wellbeing

Through mixed methods research, the Rural Library Service & Social Wellbeing project found that a) public libraries are a component of social wellbeing outcomes in rural communities, and b) there are ways libraries provide service that influence outcomes. In this webinar, presented by Margo Gustina, Southern Tier Library System, you’ll hear about the design and outcomes of our research, the Evidence-Based No Rules Tools under development, and how qualitative data coding made it all possible.

For more details, including connection information, visit the RIPL blog. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26, 1:00-2:00 ET.

This webinar is part of the RIPL webinar series.

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IMLS CARES Act Grants

By admin | May 12, 2020

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced that $15 Million in IMLS CARES Act grants are now available for museum and libraries through their discretionary grant program. Applications for Pandemic Response Funding are due June 12, 2020.

Visit the IMLS website for more information on CARES Act Grants.

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Grant Opportunities from RICH, NEH

By admin | April 29, 2020

The RI Council for the Humanities (RICH) recently announced two grant opportunities supported by supplemental funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the federal CARES Act. The two new grant programs will support humanities organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Rhode Island. The goal of the new general operating support grant program is to ensure that humanities organizations can continue to provide opportunities for our state’s diverse communities to access and engage with public history, cultural heritage, and civic learning during this unprecedented time and in the future. Grants will support nonprofit general operating expenses; matching funds are not required.  

In addition to general operating support grants to nonprofits, RICH will provide grants that support nonprofit humanities organizations in the production of publicly-accessible projects that document and interpret the experience of the pandemic in Rhode Island, create or extend humanities-learning practices that have been amplified or emerged in response to the pandemic, or encourage audiences to explore topics relevant to social, cultural, and civic life in Rhode Island.

Libraries may apply for these grants, and should apply as soon as possible, as this pool of funds is likely to be expended very quickly. The first deadlines are May 1 and May 15. To learn more about these RICH grant opportunities, visit RICH COVID-19 Relief Funding.

In addition, the National Endowment for the Humanities has launched the NEH CARES: Cultural Organizations grant program. Search for Grant Opportunity 20200511-AH-GA-HC-RJ-PB on the Grants.gov website. The closing date for this grant opportunity is May 11, 2020.

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Self care for the coronavirus outbreak

By Nicolette Baffoni | March 19, 2020

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, libraries are closing and many people are practicing self-isolation and social distancing to help mitigate the spread of the disease. It is important to practice good self care and take care of your mental health as well as your physical health during this time. Take a moment to explore the resources below if you are looking for tips to decrease anxiety, cope with stress, and take care of yourself during this difficult time.

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Additional resources:

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IMLS Releases 2019 Performance Report

By Donna DiMichele | March 10, 2020

The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) released its Annual Performance Report (APR) for FY 2019. The APR provides an in-depth look at how the agency aligns its strategic priorities with practice and highlights key impacts of IMLS activities.

The Office of Library and Information receives partial funding from the IMLS in the form of an annual Library Services and Technology Act grant.

The report is also available on the IMLS web site.

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