ALA News for Nov. 7, 2017 NEWS FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION PLA and Gail Borden Public Library expand digital literacy training resources DigitalLearn.org, the Public Library Association’s (PLA) website designed to help consumers increase their digital literacy skills, now includes a robust suite of resources and tools for library staff and other educators to use when conducting training in the community. PLA has completed the incorporation the learning modules that comprised Gail’s Toolkit, a project developed by the Gail Borden Public Library District<http://www.gailborden.info/>, located in Elgin, Illinois. DigitalLearn.org<http://www.digitallearn.org/> offers a collection of tutorials on a wide range of subjects, including navigating the World Wide Web, using email, searching online for employment and creating a résumé. The learning modules are video-based with narration at a fourth-grade reading level. Each lesson is between six and 22 minutes in duration and available in both English and Spanish. Although libraries regularly incorporate these tutorials as part of classroom teaching, they were designed to be taken independently, anywhere and at any time, by learners. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/11/pla-and-gail-borden-public-li... Grace Lin to present Opening General Session at 2018 ALSC Institute The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced that award-winning author Grace Lin will present the Opening General Session at the ALSC National Institute<http://www.ala.org/alsc/confevents/institute> in Cincinnati, Ohio. This event will take place at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza on Thursday, September 27, 2018 and is sponsored by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Grace Lin is the award-winning and bestselling author and illustrator of, "When the Sea Turned to Silver," "Starry River of the Sky," "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon," "The Year of the Dog," "The Year of the Rat," "Dumpling Days," and "Ling & Ting," as well as picture books such as, "The Ugly Vegetables" and "Dim Sum for Everyone!" Grace is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and lives in Massachusetts. http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/grace-lin-present-opening-genera... MIDWINTER MEETING 2018 PRECONFERENCES 'Conversation Intelligence' http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/conversation-intelligence-precon... 'Collective Leadership: Activating the Gifts of You and Your Team' http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/collective-leadership-activating... GRANTS AND AWARDS Public libraries invited to apply for $10,000 American Dream grants for adult literacy services http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/public-libraries-invited-apply-1... Apply for the LITA/Library Hi Tech Award for Cutting Edge Tech Education http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/apply-litalibrary-hi-tech-award-... LIS Students: Apply for the LITA/Ex Libris Writing Award http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/lis-students-apply-litaex-libris... ALA PUBLISHING Easy graphic design for librarians http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/easy-graphic-design-librarians Using digital analytics to track the library user’s journey http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/using-digital-analytics-track-li... ACRL ACRL releases Undergraduate Research and the Academic Librarian: Case Studies and Best Practices http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/acrl-releases-undergraduate-rese... WEBINARS November webinar to focus on using data to increase community impact of library programs http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2017/11/november-webinar-focus-using-dat...