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Are you and those in your library familiar with
“First Amendment audits”?
It’s when self-proclaimed “citizen journalists” enter public buildings – including libraries – claiming a right to question employees and film
in any space accessible to the public, and it will be the topic of
“First Amendment Audits: What Your Library Board and Staff Need to Know,” a May 11 webinar presented by United for Libraries and ALA’s Office for Intellectual
Freedom (OIF).
Presenters Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of OIF and the
Freedom to Read Foundation, and Lori Fisher, assistant state librarian for New Hampshire, will discuss how to be prepared for a First Amendment Audit,
and the necessary components of user behavior policies and meeting room policies. They’ll also role-play scenarios that demonstrate best practices when board members interact with library users and members of the public.
I encourage you to
register for this webinar, which is free for United for Libraries Statewide All-Access Partners and
Intellectual Freedom Round Table members, and discounted for United personal and group members. And for more United for Libraries resources on intellectual
freedom, remember to visit United’s
Intellectual Freedom Resources for Trustees, Friends, & Foundations page.
Charity Tyler
2021-2022 United for Libraries President
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Help support diversity in library boards; responses due April 15
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The
ALA Emerging Leaders team for United for Libraries is working on a project to help provide information and resources that will support Library Directors,
Boards, Foundations, and Friends Groups in building and sustaining diverse boards and memberships. The group is asking those interested to fill out
this brief form by the end of the day on April 15 to help gather stories and highlight examples of progress in this area. They will be reviewing the responses
to recruit for participation in focus groups and/or one-on-one interviews. The group is interested in responses even if participation in a focus group is not desired. The form can also be submitted anonymously. We appreciate your participation and support
of the group’s mission.
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Register for May and June Learning Live sessions
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Program proposals for United for Libraries Virtual due May 4
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Volunteer for a United for Libraries committee
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United for Libraries is seeking members for its 2022-2023 committees. Those serving on United committees must be personal members of ALA and United
for Libraries. Fill out the
United for Libraries Committee Interest Form to indicate your interest in any of the nine United committees (Awards & Honors, Finance, Governance, Leadership
Development, Membership, Nominating, Partnerships & Fundraising, Programs, and/or Public Policy & Advocacy Committee).
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ALA launches Unite Against Book Bans
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National Library Week kicks off with State of America’s Libraries Report
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ALA released its
State of America's Libraries Report, highlighting the challenges U.S. libraries faced in the second year of the pandemic – as well as the ways they innovated
to meet the needs of their communities. Library staff in every state faced an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books.
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Large majorities of voters oppose book bans and have confidence in libraries
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Amid the recent proliferation of efforts to ban books in every state across the country, a new national poll commissioned by the American Library
Association (ALA) shows that seven in 10 voters oppose efforts to remove books from public libraries, including majorities of voters across party lines.
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ALA Annual back in person June 23-28
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The
2022 ALA Annual Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., June 23-28. Join United for Libraries for educational programs, author panels, ticketed author
events, and more. The full scheduler will open April 26.
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‘Keeping Governance on Track’ webinar recordings available
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United for Libraries’ Intellectual Freedom Task Force recently presented a two-part webinar series on “Keeping Governance on Track,” featuring
parliamentarian
Nancy Sylvester (pictured) and made possible by a bequest from the late Jack Neal. Recordings and resources are now available for both webinars.
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‘Ask the Experts: Board of Trustees’ program at PLA Conference
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At the recent Public Library Association Conference, held in Portland March 23-25, United for Libraries presented the program “Ask the Experts:
Boards of Trustees.”
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‘Challenges to Materials and Programs’: What Trustees Need to Know
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How can libraries prepare for challenges to library materials and programs? If a challenge happens, what is the board’s role, and how can board
members support the library and its staff? A new resource from the United for Libraries Intellectual Freedom Task Force, which can be found on the
Intellectual Freedom Resources for Trustees, Friends, & Foundations page, outlines 10 things to know.
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Friends of Maxwell Memorial Library and Friends of the Lewis County Public Library win National Friends of Libraries Week Awards
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Congratulations to the Friends of Maxwell Memorial Library (Camillus, N.Y.) and the Friends of the Lewis County Public Library (Hohenwald, Tenn.)!
These two groups are winners of United for Libraries’
National Friends of Libraries Week Awards for 2021.
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Congressional earmark opportunities for libraries, library Foundations, and Friends of the Library groups
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Libraries, library Foundations, and Friends groups are encouraged to submit project requests to their Members of Congress for next year's upcoming
appropriations bills (FY23). Now is a good time for interested libraries to begin thinking about potential projects.
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Foundations & Fundraising
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The
Charlotte (N.C.) Mecklenburg Library Foundation hosts Final Draught, a themed, quarterly discussion series featuring conversation, beer and books. The April program, at Town Brewing Company, will feature Michael Graff and Nick Ochsner,
authors of The Vote Collectors, which tells the story of the political shenanigans in Bladen County and exposes the vulnerability of local elections.
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Eugene (Ore.) Public LIbrary Foundation will present
Booked for the Evening, its premier benefit event, on April 23. This year’s event will raise funds for Eugene Public Library and its new
Library of Things, which will lend physical items that help community members unlock knowledge, explore interests, and share with each other.
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Good Ideas from the Network
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United for Libraries News & Updates
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Visit
http://united.ala.org to read about upcoming events, and conferences, updates on United for Libraries resources and initiatives, news about Friends of
the Library groups, library Trustees, and library Foundations across the country, and more.
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Does your Friends group, Foundation, or Board of Trustees have a good idea you would like featured? To submit, visit
https://www.ala.org/united/good-ideas. Stay tuned for information on how to access a searchable database of Good Ideas from the Network.
Newsletter sign up: Would you like
your staff, board members, or others to receive this monthly newsletter? Sign up is available to all.
Learn
more and sign up
United for Libraries Membership:
Some of the resources above are available only to United for Libraries members.
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The Library of Michigan provides United for Libraries membership for all Michigan public libraries. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
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