This Week at ULC
Newsletter | October 6, 2021
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SUBMIT YOUR 2021 INNOVATIONS TODAY |
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Submissions are officially open for ULC's 2021 Innovations Initiative! ULC's annual Innovations Initiative has recognized and raised the visibility of cutting-edge programs, strategies, tools, techniques and ideas from ULC’s entire membership. The awards program provides libraries a tremendous opportunity to tell your story and gain recognition for the huge impact you’ve made in your communities.
Entries should tell the stories of library programs, initiatives and transformative ideas that have either launched in the past 12 months or achieved significant breakthroughs during that time. An independent panel of judges will select Top Innovator and Honorable Mention award winners in each of the program’s 10 categories. Winners will be announced during a special event later this fall.
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ULC would like to recognize and thank Ingram Content Group for their generous support of this year’s 2021 Innovations Celebration!
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Stay tuned to ULC communications for a big announcement next week about this year's 2021 Innovations program!
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DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK 2021 |
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This week, ULC member libraries and partner organizations are celebrating National Digital Inclusion Week 2021 with a focus on “Pathways to Digital Empowerment.” Visit the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s website to learn more about the organizations participating and the special events going on all week that promote digital equity across the country.
Check out the following ULC resources to discover more ways to promote digital equity in your community:
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Read ULC's Digital Equity Leadership Brief and Learn More About the Work of the Digital Equity Action Team |
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ULC’s Digital Equity in the Age of COVID-19 Leadership Brief spotlights how the pandemic has both intensified the digital divide and created a window for action by raising the visibility of what it means to be unconnected in our hyper-connected world. Discover action strategies and key messages to empower library leaders to take on a more active and intentional role in advancing digital equity.
ULC’s Digital Equity action team represents diverse ULC library professionals who are leading community efforts to strategically close the digital divide.
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Revisit ULC's Digital Navigators Webinar Series |
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ULC hosted a three-part webinar series over the last five months in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Salt Lake City Public Library and NDIA to inform members about the Digital Navigators service model, which helps libraries address the new and intensified digital access barriers resulting from COVID-19. The Digital Navigators model offers a replicable blueprint for meeting the digital needs of under-resourced community members via phone-based support services.
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Develop a Blueprint to Meet the Needs of Your Community
Last month, we heard from the teams at NDIA and King County Library System on how the Digital Navigators model facilitates access to technology for learners of diverse ages, languages and abilities.
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Adopting a People-First Approach to Digital Access and Equity
In June, we heard how Salt Lake City Public Library and Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library are using innovative, data-driven approaches to rethink services and increase access and accessibility for technology online and offline.
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Connecting Communities with Teleservices
In April, we heard from Salt Lake City Public Library, Multnomah County Library and NDIA on how libraries across the U.S. are using the Digital Navigators model of phone-based services to build digital equity across a wide range of issues.
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BUILDING EQUITY: AMPLIFY SUMMER LEARNING COHORT | UPCOMING WEBINAR |
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Building Equity: Amplify Summer Learning
October 13 | 4 p.m. ET
ULC is proud to announce Building Equity: Amplify Summer Learning to support engaging learning opportunities for middle school youth in the summertime who have historically been excluded from STEM opportunities (e.g., based on race, income, gender, ability). Building on the success of ULC’s Partners for Middle School STEM initiative and the hard work of our first learning cohort libraries, the goal of Building Equity: Amplify Summer Learning is to position libraries as critical community anchors for learning, accelerate the public library’s role in summer and reinforce the library as a place in the community for equity and inclusion.
Funded in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and with the support of our partners, the National Summer Learning Association and the National Recreation and Park Association, ULC and its strategic partners will work with a learning cohort of up to 20 public libraries to design and implement quality STEM summer programming. The application for Building Equity: Amplify Summer Learning will open on Wednesday, October 20.
Please join us on October 13 for a virtual informational session to learn more about this exciting new learning cohort.
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ULC Member Libraries Go Fine Free in New York
Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, Queens Public Library
New York City’s three public library systems will no longer charge late fines on books and other circulating materials, representing the largest municipality to eliminate fines. To learn more about the many library systems that are going fine free, click here to visit ULC's interactive map.
“Eliminating late fines means providing truly equitable access to everything the library has to offer,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library.
For those who can’t afford the fines — disproportionately low-income New Yorkers — they become a real barrier to access that we can no longer accept," said New York Public Library President Anthony W. Marx.
"Late fines tell people they do not belong, and that shutting them out is simply the cost of doing business," said Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott.
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Sarah Meilleur Announced as Permanent CEO
Calgary Public Library
Congratulations to Sarah Meilleur who was recently named as Calgary Public Library’s permanent CEO. Meilleur is the first woman to hold the permanent role in the library’s 109-year history, having worked for the library for more than a decade in a variety of roles including interim CEO since April 2021. Meilleur is considered a North American leader in urban library development and city building, delivering workshops at Harvard University and presenting at multiple international conferences on urban libraries.
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Nicholas A. Brown Named Library Journal's 2021 Marketer of the Year
Prince George's County Memorial Library System
Congratulations to PGCMLS Chief Operating Officer for Communication and Outreach, Nicholas A. Brown, for being named Library Journal’s 2021 Marketer of the Year! Brown and the library’s PR/Marketing and Digital Services teams were recognized for expanding PGCMLS’ marketing presence and media reach during the pandemic with customer engagement that promotes equity of content, services and resources.
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AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT UPDATES |
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Second ECF Application Filing Window Now Open
The FCC has opened a second filing window for libraries to request future support from the Emergency Connectivity Fund program. Libraries can apply for funding from now through October 13 to cover broadband and devices for students and patrons who lack home internet access. Learn More >
SHLB Webinar: Navigating New Digital Inclusion Funding
On October 8, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition will host a webinar highlighting the various new federal funding programs available that have created exciting opportunities to address broadband inequities in U.S. communities. Click here to register.
Stay tuned to ULC communications for regular updates and please review the latest resources on ULC’s American Rescue Plan Act web page.
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FEATURED RESOURCES ON ULC'S MEMBER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE |
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The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County
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ULC Tech Leaders: Cybersecurity & Library Response
Member Group Call
October 13 | 3-4 p.m. ET
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ULC Development Professionals
Member Group Call
October 13 | 4-5 p.m. ET
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Building Equity: Amplify Summer Learning
Webinar
October 13 | 4-5 p.m. ET
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ULC EDI Officers
Member Group Call
October 14 | 1-2 p.m. ET
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ULC Education Leaders
Member Group Call
October 19 | 2-3 p.m. ET
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CHANGING THE WORLD ONE WORD AT A TIME |
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Anti-Defamation League Read Aloud and Conversation
October 13 | 5 p.m. ET
Join the Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday, October 13 for a special “Read Aloud and Conversation.” Tune in to hear from New York Times best-selling author Kelly Yang, winner of the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature.
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ULC’s “Digital Equity in the Age of COVID-19” Leadership Brief offers action strategies for library leaders to address the digital divide. |
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