Highlighted Content

Transforming Lives with Adult Literacy Programs: This article is part of a series created in collaboration with the Tocker Foundation, a family foundation uniquely focused on supporting rural, public libraries all across Texas. The series, Rural Libraries at the Heart of Thriving Communities, will take an in-depth look at rural libraries doing notable work in education, arts and technology, economic development, community wellness, and human services

Explore the Digital Stewardship Lifecycle: WebJunction created the Digital Collections Stewardship course series to help staff at smaller public and tribal libraries, archives and museums understand and navigate the work of creating, sharing and preserving digital collections of unique images, artifacts, documents, and recordings that highlight the history and culture of their communities. To illustrate the overall range of the work involved in the five stages, we created a simple Digital Stewardship Lifecycle interactive graphic, to provide a snapshot of what is involved in taking on this work.

Advancing IDEAs: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, 22 August 2023: This is the latest Hanging Together blog post, part of a regular series on issues of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, compiled by a team of OCLC contributors.

WebJunction Webinars for You

These upcoming webinars are open for registration. If you can’t attend a live session, all WebJunction webinars are recorded and available for free in the Course Catalog.

Bridgebuilding: Fostering Community Engagement and Dialogue

Thursday, September 14, 2023 ◆ 2:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am Pacific ◆ 60 minutes

Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/bridgebuilding.html

Bridgebuilding is an approach for promoting engagement and dialog between groups of people with different perspectives and experiences. Recognizing libraries as trusted community spaces, IREX, in collaboration with Shamichael Hallman and with support from More Perfect, created the Bridgebuilding Resource Hub to support and enhance the bridgebuilding capabilities of public libraries, to help combat rising levels of distrust and division in our communities. Join this webinar to learn about the free tools in the Bridgebuilding Resource Hub, including methods for both conducting bridging activities and programs, and for measuring their effectiveness. Public library staff who have offered programs will share their experiences, the partners that they worked with, and what they learned. 

Climate Action Planning (Part 2): Disaster Preparedness and Community Resilience

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 ◆ 2:00 pm Eastern / 12:00 am Pacific ◆ 90 minutes

Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/climate-action-planning-2.html

This panel discussion will feature practitioners with deep experience in preparing both their libraries, and their communities, for the impacts of climate change. Our panel will speak to traditional disaster preparedness, business continuity planning, community resilience work, and preparing communities for severe weather events and the increased likelihood of food supply interruptions. While libraries are not first responders, they should be connected with the emergency management community and be positioned as part of both the short-term and long-term “first restorer” network as disruptions amplified by climate change happen with more frequency.

Climate Justice

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 ◆ 2:00 pm Eastern / 11:00 am Pacific ◆ 90 minutes

Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/climate-justice.html

Climate justice recognizes the disproportional impacts of climate change on the people and places least responsible for the problem: systematically oppressed communities and communities of color. Libraries that approach climate action through the lens of climate justice can accelerate necessary work in communities to ensure all are heard in disaster preparedness and emergency management work. Learn how to think like a 21st century economist and how libraries can help lead the way to a just transition of our communities to strengthen community resilience and livability not just in the aftermath of climate change-driven disasters, but well before they ever happen.

This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Thank you,

Cathy Lancaster

Youth Services Coordinator

Library of Michigan
702 W. Kalamazoo St.
Lansing, MI 48915
My Pronouns: She/Her/Hers - See www.mypronouns.org to learn more.

LancasterC5@michigan.gov | 517-335-8129 | www.mi.gov/libraryofmichigan
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Join the MiYouth Listserv, created for Michigan public library staff to share and discuss children and teen programming and services.