Big Talk From Small Libraries Schedule Now Available
Big Talk From Small Libraries is a free one-day online conference on February 26, 2021. A schedule of speakers and sessions is now available. Speakers are either from a library serving fewer than 10,000 people or they work directly with small libraries.
Apply Now for ARSL Leadership Institute
Applications for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries pilot leadership institute, Outstanding In Their Field, are officially open. They are looking for 30 outstanding people who are currently working in rural and small libraries to join us for this special professional development opportunity. Applications will be accepted through February 24, 2021.
Celebrate Digital Learning Day on February 25
Digital Learning Day is an online celebration where educators share great ideas, amazing stories, and promising practices through social media and within their own schools and communities. Thousands of local events, interactive activities, and lessons mark the importance of innovation in schools and remind district leaders that every day should be a digital learning day in public school classrooms.
EveryLibrary Report: The Demographics of Winning Library Elections
More than 90% of library funding is determined at the local level, either by the will of elected officials or by voters themselves. In this important and groundbreaking study for the EveryLibrary Institute, the authors analyze over 700 library elections between 2014 and 2018 across 50 variables taken from the IMLS Public Library Survey for each library and the American Community Survey (ACS) for each locality to try and dispel the conventional wisdom for library leaders.
ALA announces 2021 Youth Media Awards
The American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards – at its Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits that took place virtually from Chicago.
Library of Congress Connects with Minority Communities
The Library of Congress has announced a new, multiyear initiative to connect more deeply with Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and other minority communities by expanding its collections, using technology to enable storytelling and offering more internship and fellowship opportunities. The new initiative, Of the People: Widening the Path, creates new opportunities for more people to engage with the library, thus weaving a more inclusive American story.
WebJunction Creates Toolkit for Creating Smart Spaces
WebJunction is offering a new toolkit to help you re-envision your library’s place as a center of community learning. Get ideas to reconfigure your physical space and reimagine your services to promote active and participatory learning. These resources were developed to guide small and rural libraries through a transformation process in the Small Libraries Create Smart Spaces program, but they are valuable for libraries of any size.
Library of Congress Guide to Middle and High School Research
To help support young people in their personal and academic research endeavors, Library of Congress educators and librarians teamed up to develop an online research guide for middle and high school students. A variety of Research Guides have been designed by library specialists to help researchers navigate the Library’s analog and digital collections and find resources. Currently, there are hundreds of such guides, covering more than 70 topics that relate to the arts, science, history, social and cultural studies, and more.
Resources for National Consumer Protection Week
Do your patrons need to know how to protect themselves from fraud, identity theft, and scams? Maybe they’re wondering about the best way to use credit, how to shop for a used car, or maximize their security online. National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is just around the corner from February 28-March 6, 2021. The Federal Trade Commission leads the national outreach for this event.
Podcast: The Role Libraries Play in Closing the Justice Gap
WebJunction and the nonprofit Legal Services Corporation (LSC) have partnered to deliver national online training for public library staff to strengthen access to civil legal justice through public libraries. LSC recently launched a podcast called Talk Justice, which explores ways to expand access to justice and illustrates why it is important to the legal community, businesses, government, and the general public.
Read Native 2021 Challenge
The American Indian Library Association invites you to participate in their inaugural reading challenge. Throughout the year, find and read books and publications by and about Native Americans; visit tribal websites; search peer reviewed scholarly journals; visit Native-owned bookstores; and check with Native librarians for all of the best sources for learning more about Native Americans and Indigenous people around the world.
Advancing Science Through Citizen Science Games
Citizen Science is people from all walks of life getting together with scientists to advance scientific research. There are many ways to get involved but one of the most popular ways is by playing citizen science games! Citizen Science Games is a website dedicated to sharing the latest news, game lists, articles, publications and interviews about the latest citizen science projects.