Network with colleagues from around the state at the annual RILA conference May 24 - 25 at the Providence Public Library. Hear from keynote speakers, Emily Drabinski (Wed) and Debra Caldwell-Stone (Thu), and an array of inspiring and thought provoking sessions.

Register now to save your spot (parking is included in registration).

Are you unsure how to handle a program challenge in your library? Do you worry about having the right policies and procedures in place? Two public library directors will share their personal experiences with intellectual freedom challenges of programs. Learn best practices and strategies for supporting staff, board, and community members through program challenges. Resources to assist in responding to challenges and crafting appropriate policies, procedures, and training will be provided. REGISTER HERE

Online instruction is here to stay and Emily Mroczek, author of Online Instruction: A Practical Guide for Librarians, is here to give you ready-to-use tips for establishing and perfecting online instruction at your organization. This webinar will specifically focus on transferring pedagogy to digital instruction, and creating inclusive, detailed, and streamlined policies and procedures for your organization. REGISTER HERE

Join JJ Pionke to learn about the disability accommodation process in libraries. JJ will cover the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), how the accommodations process works, as well as issues surrounding the process. This is a general introduction to the topic and will be useful for both people looking to request accommodations as well as administrators/supervisors/managers who are curious about the process. REGISTER HERE

The 2023 Libraries Defying the Odds award from Library Journal and Gale will provide $10,000 to a U.S. public library that is stepping up for its community and staff in the face of adversity—and to celebrate library workers providing services, programming, and collections for those who need them most.

Learn more and submit your nomination by May 13.

T-Mobile Hometown Grants are given every quarter to up to 25 small towns with populations of less than 50,000. Apply for funding to support a community project of your choice, like revitalizing or repurposing a historic library, creating a downtown asset or destination, or improving a space where friends and neighbors gather. Projects that add to a sense of place or could lead to further investment are of particular interest. Grants are up to $50k per town. [Library Grants Blog]

Applications open on a quarterly basis.

A new report captures lessons learned and examples from the 567 participant small and rural libraries in the 2020-2022 Libraries Transforming Communities project from ALA. Participant libraries used resources and training provided through the grant to tackle a range of community issues including media literacy, unemployment, food insecurity and more.

The free report covers the following seven steps:

• Identifying Community Needs
• Raising Awareness
• Promoting Inclusion
• Mediating Dialogue
• Building Community Partnerships
• Ensuring Accessibility
• Seeking External Support

Learn more and download the report.

Want support in your work?

Schedule a meeting with me to talk through any ideas, projects, or challenges with your Adult Services work.

Contact me to share questions, comments or ideas for next month's newsletter!

Email: emily.goodman@olis.ri.gov
Website: www.olis.ri.gov
Location: One Capitol Hill Providence RI
Phone: 401-574-9314
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olisri/
Twitter: @olisri