This Week at ULC
Newsletter | November 18, 2020
CLOSING THE ENTREPRENEURSHIP GAP: TOOLS FOR LIBRARIES
Entrepreneurs are critical drivers of job creation and innovation, and building equitable pathways to entrepreneurship is vital for every community's economic recovery and growth. Public libraries are uniquely equipped to reach and engage the entrepreneurs hit hardest by COVID-19, but intentional support for the business community is an unfamiliar - and even daunting - area for many libraries.

To help libraries level-up their role as entrepreneurial hubs, ULC has launched a new online toolkit: Closing the Entrepreneurship Gap: Tools for Libraries. This toolkit offers strategies and resources to empower libraries at every stage of supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs, including special COVID-19 response strategies.
NEW DIGITAL NAVIGATORS INITIATIVE
In partnership with the Salt Lake City Public Library and National Digital Inclusion Alliance, ULC is advancing a new Digital Navigators service model to help libraries address the new and intensified digital access barriers resulting from COVID-19. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant number LG-248566-OLS-20.

In our press release published earlier this month, ULC President and CEO Susan Benton noted, "For decades, libraries have relied on physical spaces and face-to-face engagement to meet the digital needs of their communities. But COVID-19 has made it critical for libraries to rethink our strategies so that vulnerable residents can access the digital tools, supports and skill-building opportunities they need.”

Now being piloted by SLCPL and NDIA through September 2021, the Digital Navigators model offers a replicable blueprint for meeting the digital needs of underserved community members via phone-based support services.
FACES ON THE FRONT LINE
This week, our "Faces on the Front Line" photo series highlights the great work of staff members from San José Public Library, Edmonton Public Library, Athens Regional Library System, Toronto Public Library, Arlington Public Library and King County Library System.

We encourage you to submit any images or stories from your team's work on the front line of COVID-19 to media@urbanlibraries.org. This series will end in December 2020, so please be sure to share stories if you haven't already!
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
Helping Justice Involved Citizens Start a Business
Gwinnett County Public Library

Citizens in Gwinnett County who have previously served time in jail or prison can now apply to join the library's six-month New Start Entrepreneur Incubator program geared towards learning how to start your own business. Participants will receive guidance on developing business ideas and work closely with an experienced entrepreneur mentor.
KCLS Welcomes New DEI Director Dominica Myers
King County Library System

Myers joined KCLS in October as the new director of diversity, equity and inclusion in a newly created leadership role aimed at expanding the library's DEI initiatives. “KCLS holds a tremendous responsibility for stewarding the public’s resources and trust toward creating an equitable and inclusive experience for patrons of all backgrounds," said Myers.
Bringing the Community Together with Reading
Loudoun County Public Library

LCPL has selected Front Desk by Kelly Yang as its 2020 selection for 1book1community, the county’s annual program offered to promote community dialogue through a shared experience of reading the same book. The library is offering free copies of the book at all branches. “Front Desk is not only appropriate for elementary school age children but a fantastic read for people of all ages,” said LCPL’s Division Manager of Programming and Community Engagement Susan VanEpps.
LITERATURE FOR JUSTICE: A PATH FORWARD
Virtual Launch Event December 2
National Book Foundation

The National Book Foundation is launching the third and final year of Literature for Justice with a virtual event held on December 2. The event will feature this year’s seven selected authors for the national book-based campaign that highlights annual reading lists on the topic of mass incarceration.
NEW ON ULC'S MEMBER
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
Toledo Lucas County Public Library
Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
Getting Serious About Institutional Equity
Beyond Allyship Conversation
November 19 | 2-3:15 p.m. ET
ULC Deputy Directors Call
Member Group Conference Call
December 2 | 4-5 p.m. ET
ULC Collections Call
Member Group Conference Call
December 3 | 4-5 p.m. ET
Let's Talk Race: How Conversation Challenged and Changed a Library and a Community
Webinar
December 10 | Noon-1 p.m. ET
ULC Education Leaders Call
Member Group Conference Call
December 15 | 2-3 p.m. ET
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
➡️ 180 countries. 40,000 events.
➡️ Removing barriers and welcoming all.

Global Entrepreneurship Week is happening this week! Get involved here: https://buff.ly/2TxH0sv #GEW2020

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