In This Issue
President's Corner ~ Voices for Information Equity ~ Chronicling America ~ Financial Literacy Roundtable ~ RILA Social Media ~ 2021 RILA Awards ~ In Memoriam ~ News from RI Libraries
|
|
We are in the middle of wintertime in New England, which can mean only one thing: looking forward to summer. As we try to survive not only the cold and snow, but a changing COVID landscape, it can be hard to even think about a brighter future. But I encourage all of us in RILA to start now.
Will we be able to open up more services in our libraries in a few months? Maybe. Will we permanently change our library services based on what we have gleaned over the course of the pandemic? I hope so. Just as we put tremendous effort into shutting down and limiting library services for safety reasons, we will need to put just as much effort into planning and launching ourselves into the next phase of library offerings. Indoor classes, indoor programs, a mix of virtual and digital services, and a lot more people -- here's to our brighter future.
Julie Holden, RILA President
|
|
Voices for Information Equity
URI's Graduate School of Library and Information Studies (GSLIS) is hosting a Spring Webinar Series featuring Library and information Science scholars discussing contemporary conversations on race, gender, sexuality, class, and information equality. This webinar series is part of the launch of GSLIS' new Information Equity, Diverse Communities, and Critical Librarianship Track.
Upcoming sessions include:
Click each session above to register.
|
|
RILA Legislative Action Report
The legislative session at the State House is in full swing. In January, the RILA Executive Board approved the 2021 Legislative Priorities as presented by the RILA Legislative Action Committee. These include state aid to libraries, net neutrality, funding for AskRI, school libraries and librarians, ebooks and licenses, and more.
Click the button below to learn more.
|
|
Rhode Island’s Historic Newspapers Now Available to Search on Library of Congress’ Chronicling America Website
Providence Public Library (PPL) and the Rhode Island Historical Society (RIHS) have announced that the first batch of 9,000 pages from Rhode Island’s historic newspapers, digitized through a National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) grant, are now freely available for researchers via the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America site.
|
|
The Financial Literacy Roundtable Is Seeking New Members!
Our main focus is planning for the annual Money Smart Week event, which will be held virtually in April 2021. In addition, we will be sharing info and ideas about financial literacy programs your library has held or hopes to try.
|
|
Social Media Volunteers Needed
The RILA Communications Committee is looking for members to assist in posting to and monitoring RILA’s social media platforms.
Specifically, we are looking for members who can assist us with one or more of the following:
- Posting/sharing posts to the RILA Facebook page at least twice weekly (time commitment: est. 15-30 min/wk)
- Tweeting/retweeting on behalf of RILA at least twice weekly (est. 15-30 min/wk)
- Posting or creating a story on Instagram at least once a week (est. 15-30 min/wk)
- Posting to LinkedIn at least once a week (est. 15 min/wk)
- Monitoring one or more of these platforms a few times per week (est. 45-60 min/wk)
These tasks may be handled by one person or (ideally) a few team members sharing the work. RILA uses Hootsuite, so you could schedule posts to more than one outlet at a time, and we have a Social Media Policy to guide and support your work.
If you’ve been looking for a way to get more involved with RILA in the new year, this is a great opportunity to start small and have a big impact!
|
|
Nominate Someone for a 2021 RILA Award
RILA is pleased to announce that nomination submissions are now open for the 2021 RILA Awards.
Thank you for considering a special individual or group who has made a professional contribution to your library and community in these challenging times. For questions, please contact Kieran Ayton at kayton@ric.edu.
|
|
In Memoriam
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Regina Slezak, former Director at Newport Public Library. Regina won the RILA Outstanding Librarian Award in 2014.
|
|
News from the Rhode Island Library Community |
|
A New Tradition Begins at the East Providence Public Library
Looking for a way to spread cheer during the holiday season, the East Providence Public Library staff joyfully hit the road to sing carols in the community.
The year had been challenging for so many. Patrons missed coming to programs at the library and the staff missed their patrons. Spreading some good, old-fashioned holiday cheer seemed like a sweet and simple way to bring the library out into the community.
|
|
Rogers Free Library Opens New Job Series to RI Residents
Rogers Free Library launched a pilot job series for those experiencing unemployment or career anxiety amid the pandemic, following a jump in the state’s unemployment rate.
Job Strategies for Challenging Times runs through March 2021 and is open to Rhode Island adults of all educational and employment backgrounds, with priority given to Bristol residents. Rogers Free Library invites other Rhode Island libraries to publicize the free job series in patron newsletters and to share its Facebook and Twitter posts. Sessions are offered via Zoom, webinar capacity is 100, and registration is required.
The library is testing a variety of programming, scheduling, and outreach strategies through the pilot series, which started in November and features three career and entrepreneurship experts. Upcoming programming includes how to write a strong cover letter, improve online interviewing skills, use LinkedIn for networking, and practice mindfulness for stress management.
Outreach Librarian Nancy Kellner hosts the webinars and smaller workshops and highlights the library’s updated career services webpage, which offers links to state job-training initiatives and other resources.
The pilot series is generously funded by the Friends of Rogers Free Library.
|
|
Cranston Public Library's Down Time Podcast Team Looks Ahead
Happy New Year! 2020 is behind us, and the Cranston Public Library’s weekly podcast, Down Time with Cranston Public Library, is heading into 2021 with a new creative team, exciting guests from around and outside Rhode Island, and plenty of reading and viewing suggestions for you.
Each week, our host Tayla Cardillo talks to library staff, community members, and authors about what they’ve been reading, what they’ve been watching, and what they’ve been loving. Past notable guests include author and podcaster Kristen Meinzer; Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., Current President of the American Library Association; Jodie Noel Vinson, program manager at What Cheer Writers Club; and RILA’s own Julie Holden and Rachael Juskuv!
If you’d like to be a guest on a future episode of Down Time, click the button below to fill out our form and we’ll be in touch.
|
|
The Rhode Island Library Association
is a professional organization that serves its members through career development, education, advocacy, networking partnerships, and legislative action.
|
|
The RILA Bulletin is produced by the RILA Communications Committee. The RILA Communications Committee is responsible for publicizing and supporting Rhode Island Library Association activities using a variety of communication tools. Responsibilities include publishing the RILA Bulletin, managing social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, and exploring other media as needed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
