ABOS Announces Featured Speakers for 2021 Virtual Conference
The Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) will feature Charlie Luh, Ryan Dowd, and Noah Lenstra at their virtual conference in October. Luh serves on the 1000 Books Foundation Board of Directors and co-authored 1000 Books Before Kindergarten. Dowd is the author of The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness. Lenstra is the director of Let’s Move in Libraries. The conference will take place October 11-15 and registration is open through September 30.
ALA partners with NonProfit Vote for National Voter Registration Day
The American Library Association (ALA) has again joined with NonProfit Vote as a premier partner for National Voter Registration Day 2021. ALA encourages libraries to sign up to participate in this important event, culminating in a nation-wide day of action on September 28, 2021. Many libraries partner with local election agencies and community-based organizations to disseminate information, host events, and promote informed participation in the democratic process.
U.S. Fire Administration Resources for Fire Prevention Week 2021
Fire Prevention Week is a little more than a month away (October 3-9, 2021). The U.S. Fire Administration offers resources that are free to print or order. Registration is not required to look at or download items from the catalog. Consider using these materials if you need a program for early October!
Bureau of Land Management Records at the National Archives
This summer, the Bureau of Land Management celebrated its 75th birthday. It was created on July 16, 1946 when President Harry Truman merged two agencies within the Department of Interior: the General Land Office and the Grazing Service. The National Archives holds historical records from the Bureau of Land Management, including textual records, photographs, maps and charts, as well as records that reflect access to land and acquisition of land throughout much of American history.
Administrator Support Empowers School Librarians as Literacy Leaders
Just published research from the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) peer-reviewed online journal, School Library Research (SLR), explores how school district administrators can foster information literacy by supporting school librarians. The article, “Enabling School Librarians to Serve as Instructional Leaders of Multiple Literacies,” can be accessed for free at www.ala.org/aasl/slr.
STEMIE Has Resources to Make STEM Inclusive for Children with Disabilities
STEMIE is an organization that develops models for including young children with disabilities in STEM learning. Get resources to discover STEM programs that are accessible, or learn how to tweak your current STEM programs to address the needs of all children. You can also access research on providing supports for young children with disabilities when you are offering STEM programs.
Create a Girls Who Code Club for Free STEM Resources
Girls Who Code Clubs are free programs for 3rd-5th and 6th-12th grade girls and non-binary students to join a sisterhood of supportive peers and role models using computer science to change the world. They can be held in-person or entirely online. Club facilitators are provided with coding curricula across all skill levels, spotlights on inspiring female role models, community-building activities, and comprehensive support and training. No coding experience is required to facilitate a club.
Looking for Freely Usable Video Clips?
Mazwai.com is a resource for free stock footage and moving images. Royalty-free video clips have been hand-picked by their team of video experts for a selection of quality visual content with simple and safe licensing.
ALA Adopts New Code of Ethics Principle on Racial and Social Justice
During the American Library Association (ALA) Annual and Exhibition virtual conference, the ALA Council unanimously adopted a new ninth principle on racial and social justice to the association’s Code of Ethics. It reads: “We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, profession, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and spaces.”
ALA Announces Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Scorecard
The American Library Association’s (ALA) Committee on Diversity has released its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Scorecard for Library and Information Organizations. Members of the committee created the template to assist administrators and other decision-makers with gathering actionable data for strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion in their institutions.
Policy Brief: Rural Libraries Have Social Wellbeing Impacts
This new policy brief shows that public libraries make a difference across dimensions of social wellbeing and community thriving. They are the central place and anchor in small towns, facilitating community member belonging, connection, and mutual support. And in so doing, they correlate dramatically to improved quality of life and multi-dimensional social wellbeing.