The CT State Library DLD’s Transformation for Libraries: The Futures School IMLS National Grant Project has come full circle and is returning to Connecticut for an August Applied Foresight Accelerator Program. This is a wonderful opportunity to participate in a program that Sarah Fuller, IMLS referred to as “a game changer for librarians.”

Built on a vision of developing learning experiences that help you to be “fueled by foresight” in all that you do – this unique training program is presented in partnership with Kedge and The Futures School. It emerged from a growing realization among leaders and organizations that success in the 21st century landscape of rapid change means we must embrace new pathways to the future. Ultimately, you will learn a strategic framework that enables you to continuously learn-unlearn-relearn to lead discussions and actions in the transformation of libraries.

Learn more:

**To apply, please send an email of intent to Dawn La Valle at dawn.lavalle@ct.gov by close of business today, July 2.**

On June 28, 2021, a powerful partnership of industry leaders announced The Palace Project, a transformational, library-centered platform for digital content and services. The Palace Project, with a $5 million investment by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for LYRASIS, and in strategic partnership with Digital Public Library of America (DPLA), will develop and scale a robust suite of content, services, and tools for the delivery of ebooks, audiobooks, and other digital media to benefit public libraries and patrons.

The Palace Project will support the mission of public libraries by providing equitable access to digital knowledge, bolstering the direct relationship between libraries and patrons, and protecting patron privacy by enabling libraries to serve content to patrons from all the major e-content providers.

In the coming months, the Palace app will replace the SimplyE app. A central element of The Palace Project, the Palace app will allow libraries to serve all their e-content from multiple sources in one interface for their patrons. 

LYRASIS is committed to working with the CT State Library Division of Library Development (DLD) and our partner CT public libraries through the transition. As additional details and timelines are made available, we look forward to sharing those with you. DLD will be here to support your library in this process and looks forward to providing technical assistance, communications and marketing, and more as we embark on this new venture together.

“Bridging Digital Divides during COVID-19: Findings from the 2020-2021 Connecticut State Library Digital Inclusion Survey” by Brian Real, PhD was published online in Public Library Quarterly on June 23, 2021. Read the summary.

We are pleased to invite CT libraries to participate in the Lead Your Library Pilot program where you will engage in a practical overview of the CT Vision for Resource Sharing. Whether or not your library is attending the Lead Your Library training sessions currently underway, your library is invited to participate in the Pilot program.

In order to embrace a learn-unlearn-relearn and “long now” mindset - a holistic way of thinking that includes the best ideas from yesterday and the most dynamic visions from tomorrow in order to create robust and successful resource sharing vision today, the CT State Library ACLPD Resource Sharing Committee is seeking to enhance CT libraries ability to anticipate and respond to imminent social, technological, environmental, economic, political and consumption trends through Strategic Foresight pertaining to resource sharing. To this end, it desires to strengthen CT libraries capacity to engage in robust resource sharing beyond the present literacy and practice.

Pilot will conclude by August 15th. Timing is flexible based on availability of Pilot leads.

For more information, contact Dawn La Valle at dawn.lavalle@ct.gov.

Thanks to funding provided to the CT State Library through the American Rescue Plan Act, we can now provide access to LearningExpress Workplace Solutions from EBSCO free to public libraries through September 2022. We have recently upgraded to Workforce Solutions including the Job & Career Accelerator. To learn more, view the most recent training session.

LearningExpress Workforce Solutions (featuring Job & Career Accelerator) contains hundreds of resources to help users achieve high school equivalency, explore jobs and careers, prepare for occupational certification exams, and develop the core knowledge and skills that are essential to workplace success.

If you already linked to Job & Career Accelerator on your library website, Workforce Solutions content is already included. If not, public libraries can find their link.

If you have any questions or need information about Workforce Solutions, or any other researchIT CT resources, please contact Brad Bullis at bradley.bullis@ct.gov.

Two big announcements from Lyrasis were made in June that will directly impact the eGO Program.

The Connecticut State Library will continue to partner with Lyrasis and DPLA as they begin this exciting journey.

If you would like more information about eGO CT, contact Brad Bullis at bradley.bullis@ct.gov.

Also, feel free to join us for our Open Office Hours on Wednesday, July 21 from 12-1 pm - register! Join us and pose your eGO related questions to LYRASIS and CT State Library staff - anything from marketing to specific tech questions or anything else that is on your mind.

This year's state Annual Report form contains new questions about programs, attendance, and self-directed activities for each age range, as well as quick new questions about your library's website, reporting methods for public computer sessions and wireless sessions, and lending of computers and hotspots. A new open-ended question invites you to share information and photos about something your library did in the last year that you're proud of. For libraries that offer access to materials through SimplyE, there's a new question about checkouts of those materials by your patrons. There are updated instructions or definitions for programs, self-directed activities, public internet computers and wireless sessions.

Recordings of recent information sessions about these changes, plus the presentation slides and a full list of changes, are available online.

The 2021 state Annual Report form will be released in mid-July and will be due on November 15 by 4:00 pm.

Join Maria Bernier, State Data Coordinator for "How to Complete the 2021 Public Library Annual Report" on Thursday, July 22, from 2-3 pm - register! Additional repeats will be scheduled in the summer and fall. The webinar will be recorded, with link posted afterward to the Annual Report LibGuide.

Browse this growing collection, including the titles above, accessible using the SimplyE app. Does your library participate in the eGO CT program?

These are just some highlights! We've got lots more professional development titles in our collection.

Interested in borrowing any of these titles? Contact Judy Crooks at judy.crooks@ct.gov.

Our many email discussion lists for the library community help you connect with your peers, whether you're in the office or working from home. Conntech has the greatest reach across the state, and both Goodnightmoon for children's services and Speak for YA services have lively discussions and professional interchange.