RI Governor Proclaims Information Literacy Month
By Donna DiMichele | October 3, 2017
October is Information Literacy Month!
The Rhode Island Library Association’s Information Literacy Action Round Table (ILART) is celebrating the signing of Information Literacy Proclamation by Governor Gina M. Raimondo and Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea. Information_Literacy_Month017 Proclamation
Increase and share your information literacy skills and programming at the ILART event!
- EVALUATE: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Media Morass
- Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2017
- Time: 4:00 – 6:00 pm
- Location: Cranston Public Library (Central), 140 Sockanosset Cross Rd, Cranston, RI 02920
Information Literacy is a critical skill which needs to be taught from an early age in schools, libraries, and our communities. Through public awareness, the State of Rhode Island seeks to remind citizens of the importance information literacy plays in our everyday lives. For ideas on how to teach and promote information literacy in your schools and libraries, please contact the ILART Committee ilart@rilbraries.org
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Cornucopia of RI presents: A Source of Peace: Libraries & Immigration
By Donna DiMichele | October 3, 2017
Cornucopia of RI presents: A Source of Peace: Libraries & Immigration – The Real News!
- Thursday, November 2, 2017, 5:30 P. M.
- The Rhode Island State House, State Room, 2nd floor
82 Smith Street Providence, Rhode Island 02908
Free and open to the public. Light Refreshments, free parking* Register
Join Cornucopia of Rhode Island: A Library Community of Color at its annual fall mini conference for an engaging presentation of informative initiatives and best practices of how area libraries are working with immigrants in their local communities. Examples of current workshops, programs and services will be highlighted.
Keynote Speaker: Christopher Bourret, Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative
Featuring: Dean Watts, Rising Sun Jiu-Jitsu
Demonstration by students from Rising Sun Jiu Jitsu
PLEASE REGISTER to assist CORI with planning
This event is co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Coalition of Library Advocates.
*When the General Assembly is not in session, parking is available in the lower legislative lot (enter from Smith Street) on a first-come-first-served basis. Parking is also available in the State employee lots across from the State House.
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Grant Opportunities from RICH
By Donna DiMichele | September 15, 2017
Each fall the Rhode Island Humanities Council (RICH) offers free information workshops about its major and mini grant opportunities. Logan Hinderliter, Program Officer, Grants and Partnerships is going to four RI public libraries in the next few weeks to present detailed information and be available for questions. More details available on the Council’s calendar.
- Wednesday, September 20 – Barrington Public Library
- Thursday, September 21 – Rochambeau Library, Providence
- Wednesday, September 27 – Westerly Public Library
- Thursday, September 28 – Lincoln Public Library
More about RICH grants is available online
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Safety and Violence Prevention Resources from ALA
By Donna DiMichele | September 7, 2017
The American Library Association (ALA) offers resources and best practices regarding violence prevention, emergency preparedness, and other valuable resources:
- Public Library Association Webinar on Violence Prevention in the Public Library
- Gun Violence and Libraries: Safety and Security for the Library Public
- Emergency Preparedness from the Public Library Association
- Resolution on Gun Violence Affecting Libraries, Library Workers, and Library Patrons
ALA’s Libraries Respond website also offers additional resources.
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Libraries Transform: Health Literacy Toolkit
By Donna DiMichele | August 29, 2017
The American Library Association (ALA) and National Network of Libraries of Medicine Middle Atlantic Region have created a Health Literacy Month toolkit for the Libraries Transform campaign. Join this discussion about using the toolkit to support health literacy efforts in your library.
Online – September 14th: 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET
Registration is required.
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Opioid Crisis Town Hall: Library Needs and Responses
By Donna DiMichele | August 22, 2017
WebJunction and the Public Library Association invite libraries and their community partners to join this virtual town hall discussion about current library needs and possible responses to the nation’s opioid crisis.
Over two million people in the US are estimated to be dependent on prescription opioids or heroin. A sharp rise in drug overdoses has made it the leading cause of death among Americans under 50. This epidemic is happening in all regions of the country, in communities of all sizes, without discrimination for age, ethnicity, or income. As library staff see this crisis impacting their own communities, their urgent question arises: How do we respond?
Join us for a virtual town hall, where representatives from libraries and other community organizations will describe their local efforts and who they’re collaborating with. We also want to hear from you: We’ll ask audience participants to describe the informational, structural, financial and emotional support that library staff and community members need to withstand and address this alarming epidemic. The insights gleaned from this town hall will be shared to inform plans for future efforts.
Opioid Crisis Town Hall: Library Needs and Responses
- Tuesday, September 12, 2017
- 2;00 – 3:30 PM EST
- Online
This event is jointly organized by WebJunction and Public Library Association.
Registration is free but you must preregister to participate.
More information and links to registration
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RI Foundation Offers Board Training
By Donna DiMichele | August 21, 2017
Boards, staff: Learn new skills at RI Foundation’s fall workshops
Members of nonprofit boards and staff are invited to attend free workshops being offered this fall by the RI Foundation Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence. A series of networking breakfasts for board chairs, as well as programs on succession planning, fundamentals of board service, and taking a board from good to great highlight the fall schedule.
More information is on the RIF website.
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APPLY NOW: Media Literacy @ Your Library
By Nicolette Baffoni | August 2, 2017
ALA, in collaboration with the Center for News Literacy at Stony Brook University, invites public libraries to apply for Media Literacy @ Your Library, a pilot program that will train library workers to help their adult patrons become better news consumers.
In this six-month learning and prototyping project, ALA and the Center for News Literacy will work with teams from five public libraries to adapt existing media literacy training materials to serve the needs of public librarians and the communities they serve.
The cohort teams will attend an in-person training and use their skills to conduct related adult public programs in their communities. Team members will also provide feedback on the training and serve as advisers to, and beta testers for, the development of a corresponding web-based curriculum for the library field.
Read the guidelines for Media Literacy @ Your Library or apply online to be part of the cohort. Applications must be received by Sept. 11, 2017.
Selected libraries will receive:
- An intensive six-month experience that will include training and support for a three-person library team to develop and implement media literacy programming for adult patrons.
- $1,500 for program-related expenses, such as travel, promotion and public programming costs.
- In-person media literacy workshop training, to be held on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017, in Chicago
- Two nights’ hotel lodging and some meals at the in-person workshop for three library representatives. (Note that travel costs to Chicago are at the library’s expense or must be paid from the $1500 stipend.)
- Communications support, access to a community of practice, and technical and programming support.
Media Literacy @ Your Library is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Democracy Fund and the Rita Allen Foundation. The project is administered by ALA’s Public Program’s Office.
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National Leadership & Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grants
By Donna DiMichele | July 25, 2017
IMLS announced a single September 1 deadline for IMLS’ two largest discretionary library programs: National Leadership Grants and (NLG) and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grants (LB21).
Two page preliminary proposals are due on September 1.
Please consider applying, listening to the recordings of the informational webinars, and getting in touch with IMLS discretionary program officers.
Press Release
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the guidelines for the first round of FY 2018 National Leadership Grants for Libraries (NLG) and Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21). The NLG program invests in projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and generate results such as new tools, research findings, or models that can be widely used. The LB21 program supports human capital capacity projects for libraries and archives. This call for preliminary proposals has a deadline of September 1, 2017, for both programs. A separate funding opportunity for both programs will be announced in December with a deadline in February 2018.
From the preliminary proposals received in September, IMLS will select applicants and invite them to submit full proposals in January of 2018. Applicants who are not invited to continue from the first round of funding may submit new preliminary proposals in February.
Both funding opportunities support projects in three areas:
1. Community Anchors: NLG projects that advance the role of libraries as community anchors that provide civic and cultural engagement, facilitate lifelong learning, promote digital inclusion, and support economic vitality through programming and services. LB21 projects that improve the ability of library professionals to create meaningful community partnerships and provide programs and services that encourage civic and cultural engagement; foster community dialog; facilitate lifelong learning; promote digital inclusion; and/or support economic vitality.
2. National Digital Platform: NLG projects that create, develop, and expand the social and technical infrastructure and the open source software applications used by libraries and archives to provide digital content and services to all users in the United States. LB21 projects that increase library professionals’ capacity to create, develop, and use the social and technical infrastructure and the open source software applications used by libraries and archives to provide digital content and services to all users in the United States. NDP projects bridge gaps between disparate pieces of the existing digital infrastructure for increased efficiencies, cost savings, access, and services.
3. Curating Collections: NLG projects that can have a significant national impact on shared services for the preservation and management of digital library collections and content across the country. LB21 projects that increase librarians’ and library professionals’ capacity to create, preserve, manage, and provide access to digital library collections across the country.
Applicants to the LB21 program are required to align their projects with a project category, i.e., National Digital Platform, Community Anchors, or Curating Collections. Projects must also align with a project type, i.e., Pre-Professional; Masters-level and Doctoral-level Programs; Early Career Development; or Continuing Education.
See the grant program guidelines for more information about LB21 or NLG programs.
Webinars and Getting Your Questions Answered
For more information about the webinars, see the IMLS Webinar webpage .
IMLS staff members listed on the NLG and LB21 program pages are available by phone and email to answer general questions related to the programs.
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IMLS Accepting Nominations for the 2018 National Medal
By Donna DiMichele | July 25, 2017
Each year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services recognizes outstanding libraries and museums that have made significant contributions to improve the well being of their communities. The winning museums and libraries are presented with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for community service.
IMLS is now accepting nominations for the 2018 awards. Anyone–an employee, a board member, a member of the public, or an elected official–can nominate an institution. To be considered, the institution must complete and return a nomination form by October 2, 2017.
This year, IMLS is particularly interested in museums and libraries with programs that build community cohesion and serve as catalysts for positive community change, including programs that provide services for veterans and military families, at-risk children and families, the un- and under-employed, and youth confronting barriers to STEM-related employment.
All types of nonprofit libraries and library organizations, associations and consortia are eligible, including academic, school, digital, tribal, and special libraries or archives. Public or private nonprofit museums of any discipline are eligible, including general, art, history, science and technology, children’s, and natural history and anthropology, historic houses and sites, arboretums, nature centers, aquariums, zoos, botanical gardens, and planetariums.
The ten winning institutions are honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., are spotlighted in the news media and on social media, and are invited to host a two-day visit from StoryCorps to record community member stories. As part of the selection process, approximately thirty finalists are chosen and are featured by IMLS during a six-week social media and press campaign.
Winning the medal elevates an institution’s profile and can positively impact fundraising, programming, and partnership and outreach activities.
Institutions interested in being considered should read the nomination form carefully and contact the designated program contacts with questions.
Program Contacts
- Museums: Mark Feitl, Program Specialist, 202-653-4635
- Libraries: Laura McKenzie, Administrative Specialist, 202-653-4644
You may also submit your question by e-mail: nationalmedals@imls.gov
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