Adult Services News

Some reminders and information that missed being included in our earlier newsletter. Have questions? Reply to this email, or send Emily a note!

Professor Michael Bryant of Bryant University, will discuss participants about how the term genocide was created in response to the Holocaust, and how it has been used to identify and prosecute genocide since then. Librarians will study a variety of primary sources, including documents from the UN Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, which provided the first internationally accepted definition of genocide.

Participants should leave this presentation with a good working understanding of the legal definition of genocide, how and why it was created, and how genocide is prosecuted.

Thursday, February 6 @ 2:00 PM

Register to attend!

OLIS invites you to register for and attend Library Greenscapes: Cultivating Climate Resilience, Community, and Learning Outdoors on Tuesday, February 4, from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. This virtual event is brought to you by the Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities, a group of state library agencies from Maine to Maryland.

The event will feature a keynote from Massachusetts landscape architect Lisa Giersbach of the G2 Collaborative and a panel discussion of librarians from Vermont, Massachusetts, and Delaware who have transformed their library's exterior landscapes.

Learn more and register to attend

The Center for the Book has kicked off its 2025 Reading Across RI season with There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib.

Learn more about the title and themes, what the Center for the Book has planned for this year's program, and resources to help you go beyond a book discussion, including an opportunity to facilitate hands-on themed programming with LEGO.

This session will be recorded and will be made available for those who cannot attend live.

Register to attend or receive the recording link.

Do you have a program you want to highlight, a skill to share, or a vision to inspire?Submit a program proposal for the 2025 Rhode Island Library Association (RILA) Annual Conference, taking place May 21-22, 2025 at the Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences at the University of Rhode Island!

This year’s theme, Anchored in Resilience, celebrates the dynamic impact of libraries in our communities and the innovative minds behind them. Whether you’re a librarian, educator, technologist, or community partner, your insights and experiences could inspire colleagues and elevate the profession.

We’re seeking proposals for engaging presentations, workshops, panels, or interactive sessions that:

• Address current trends, challenges, and opportunities in libraries.

• Highlight innovative programs, tools, or services.

• Foster collaboration and professional growth among attendees.

Why Present?

• Share your expertise with a passionate audience of library professionals.

• Build your network and connect with like-minded peers.

• Strengthen your résumé and grow as a leader in the field.

Find the presentation link on the Conference Webpage!

Know of something interesting happening that you would want to learn more about? Email programs@rilibraries.org to nominate a colleague, friend, or local organization to present and the conference team will reach out to them! Current deadline to submit proposals is January 31. If you are interested and need more time, email your intent to programs@rilibraries.org for an extension.

Environmental Justice for New England (EJforNE) has opened applications for two grants aimed at supporting community-based projects to implement projects addressing local environmental and public health challenges across New England.

EJforNE will grant $48 million over the next three years to support the growth of a sustainable, community-driven environmental justice movement to counter historical disinvestment in communities – aiming to address environmental hazards, climate resiliency, and energy justice, and build livable and healthy communities. We will accept applications on a rolling basis, with awards made quarterly until all funding is awarded. Assessment projects, planning projects, and project implementation grants are available, and community-based organizations with limited capacities can apply for $75,000 Seed Fund grants.

First round applications are due February 14, 2025 at 5pm ET.

Applications for the second round of funding will be due May 16, 2025 at 5pm ET.

Learn more about the grant program, eligibility, types of projects, how to apply, and how to get support and technical assistance in the application process. You can also sign up for updates and reminders about EJforNE. Although the tool listed on the website may show some rural areas as “not disadvantaged” there is space in the application to make a case: “Funded projects must focus on at least one disadvantaged community in the six New England States (as indicated on this map [epa.maps.arcgis.com]) or make a case for why they propose a project outside this area.”

EJforNE is a partnership of Health Resources in Action, Alternatives for Community & Environment, and New England Grassroots Environment Fund, who together serve as the New England region grantmaker for the Environmental Justice Communities Grantmaking Program.