The American Library Association (ALA), the Public Library Association (PLA) and the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) invite public library staff serving small, mid-sized or rural communities to attend a free learning series to learn to lead productive conversations in their communities.
Through Libraries Transforming Communities: Models for Change, a two-year ALA initiative, library professionals may participate in three online learning sessions and one in-person workshop, all free of charge, between February and June 2018.
Library professionals should attend these sessions to learn to convene critical conversations with people with differing viewpoints; connect more meaningfully with library users and better meet their needs; and translate conversation into action.
Registration is currently open for the following three webinars:
- Session 1: Libraries Transforming Communities: Introduction to Dialogue & Deliberation for Public Libraries Serving Small, Mid-sized and/or Rural Communities
Wednesday, February 28, 12 p.m. MST
Participants will learn about the range of dialogue and deliberation approaches available; start thinking about their libraries’ engagement goals; learn about resources available to libraries and how to access them; and be introduced to the two dialogue and deliberation approaches that will be featured later in this webinar series.
- Session 2: Libraries Transforming Communities: Future Search
Wednesday, April 25, 12 p.m. MST
Participants will learn how they can use the Future Search process to enable large, diverse groups to validate a common mission, take responsibility for action, and develop a concrete action plan.
- Session 3: Libraries Transforming Communities: Conversation Café
Wednesday, May 23, 12 p.m. MST
Participants will learn how Conversation Cafés can help community members learn more about themselves, their community or an issue; essential elements of hosting a Conversation Café; facilitation skills; and techniques for addressing challenges.
Each session will be recorded and archived for free on-demand viewing on ALA’s Programming Librarian website.
Individuals who view all three webinars, live or recorded, will be invited to attend a free pre-conference workshop exploring the Conversation Café approach in-depth at the 2018 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans on June 22, 2018. Space is limited, and preference will be given to public library professionals serving small, mid-sized, or rural communities.