Wishing all of our members a very happy new year! The ULC team is back in the office and excited for all of the 2024 work ahead. We hope everyone had a relaxing winter holiday.

Important 2024 Dates to Know

In case you missed it: ULC's 2024 calendar of events is now available.  

Some 2024 key dates to know include the CEO Roundtable in Los Angeles from May 19–21 and the ULC Annual Forum in Philadelphia, PA from October 23–25. We’ll also be at the PLA and ALA conferences and continue to offer virtual webinars to learn from your peers, hear about new initiatives, and advance your library career.

Log into the ULC Member Hub to get all the details about upcoming events — as well as all member calls — and how to register. 

Entrepreneurship Boot Camp Webinar Series

Information Session | January 18 at 2 p.m. ET

Libraries are a critical support for small business owners and entrepreneurs in communities, providing access to a wide range of programs and services that can bolster their work. With two separate tracks designed for library staff of differing levels of expertise, ULC’s new boot camp series provides resources for libraries to effectively support entrepreneurs.

Track One is designed for library staff who are new to working with local entrepreneurs and are looking to dive into this work. This track will also have two sessions, hosted in February and April.

Track Two is designed for library staff who already have experience working with local entrepreneurs or manage an established business services program. This track will also have two sessions, hosted in March and May.

ULC will host an information session on this webinar series on January 18 at 2 p.m. ET — join us to learn more about the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp and decide which track is best for you! Register below.

ULC is gearing up to unveil our new and improved Member Hub this month! Make a note on your calendars to check out the launch and explore the updated features of the ULC Member Hub.

Please be advised, that your login credentials and Member Profile details will be transferred to the new system — meaning your account info will not change!

With the new Member Hub comes new features, like our brand new Member Communities. Member Communities are the same Member Groups that our members know and love, but with new additional features. Member Groups and their conversations can now be held within the Member Hub (in addition to the email listserv you are used to), and you can also message fellow library staff privately in one-on-one conversations.

ULC’s Knowledge Exchange has been a staple in the library ULC community since it’s inception. The updated Knowledge Exchange updates include advanced searching capabilities, advanced filtering, and a document submission system.

The brand new Member Directory allows library staff to search, sort through a plethora of filters and advanced criteria, as well as message the staff person directly in the Member Hub interface.

These are just some of the additions and improvements you can expect when the new Member Hub launches! If you have any questions, please contact mwims@urbanlibraries.org.

ULC Library Data Hive

Visit the new Library Data Hive section of the ULC Member Hub to explore these tools developed exclusively for ULC members! Select one of the four Library Insights Survey topic areas to see the results dashboard for every library in the dataset. There are also comparative analysis dashboards that provide snapshots of the 2019 and 2022 averages for each data set, so you can see the changes pre- and post-pandemic for every library that completed the survey. 

Click here to sign in to the ULC Member Hub and get started. The ULC Data Hive is best accessed using a laptop or desktop computer. 

We are incredibly excited about this new data tool for ULC members. Thank you to all the libraries that contributed to the Library Insights Survey. 

Participation Request for IMLS-Funded Research Project

The University of South Carolina is launching a new 3-year research project, funded by IMLS, and is currently recruiting participants. The Public Library Routines Project (PLRP) will look at the experiences of underrepresented staff in the routine work of public librarianship. Researchers want to know if they face any barriers, how they work around those barriers, and what libraries can do to better support them. 

What’s a Routine? Routine work is. . . well . . . routine! These are the things you do regularly, and you do it mostly the same way each time. This might include shelving, processing holds, programming, working the reference desk, assisting patrons with technology, or HR paperwork.

What’s wrong with Routines? While there is nothing inherently wrong with routines, this work might introduce barriers that are particularly problematic for staff with certain identities, e.g., staff of color, LGBTQIA+ staff, staff with disabilities or chronic conditions, staff with mental health challenges. As the routine is repeated and becomes more familiar, it can easily hide and “normalize” these barriers.

What will I do? You will be asked to keep an audio diary of your experiences in routine work and sit for a 45-minute interview. Everything will be done virtually. Your participation in this research study is entirely confidential.

I’m interested. What now? Click here to indicate your interest in participating in the study and complete a brief demographics survey. This survey will be used to screen participants and ensure a diverse sample. If you are selected to participate, the next step is a 25-minute virtual meeting with the project team that will further explain your involvement and answer any questions you may have. A member of the project team will contact you whether or not you are selected to participate.

Check out the project website here. For questions, contact the PI, Darin Freeburg.

Questions? Want to Submit a Story?

Contact ULC's Communications Manager Elise Calanni at ecalanni@urbanlibraries.org.