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July 12, 2024

SCRLC NEWS

DIRECTOR'S CUP

Cheery Friday Greetings!


Diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, accessibility—and we could add belonging—are hugely important to SCRLC. We try to embed these principles into everything we do.


As we specifically say in our Commitment to Diversity Statement, “SCRLC is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility in all aspects of our operation. The DEIJA Advisory Committee and all SCRLC leadership acknowledge that DEIJA work can at times be challenging and strongly encourages all members to continue learning and commit to helping one another and our colleagues in that process.” Please click on the link to read the full statement.


Truly, one of the many challenging aspects of this work is that it is ongoing, huge, and never finished. DEIJA work isn’t something we can do and check off as accomplished. It is a process. A journey. A commitment.


Part of this journey involves continuous learning, which is why we have developed an ongoing DEIJA Learning Circle for SCRLC members. The group will meet the third Tuesday, every other month at 11:00 a.m. via Zoom, beginning Tuesday, July 16. There are still some spaces.


The DEIJA Learning Circle grew out of the BRAVE Dialogues program that we offered to the SCRLC community last summer. Some of the participants continued meeting after the program ended to continue their dialogue related to race, LGBTQIA+ topics, and more.

Each DEIJA Learning Circle discussion will focus on a recent article or recorded webinar. Next week’s meeting is a discussion of last month’s Shifting the Narrative: What does it mean to center BIPOC library worker needs? webinar, presented by Twanna Hodge.

Register below, review the webinar, and join the discussion!


Learning is an integral part of DEIJA work. One might ask, “OK, we keep learning, so now what?” The work can seem overwhelming.


As those of you who attended the May webinar, Guided DEI Engagement: What we Learned in a Year, featured our three DEI grant awardees, there are many different aspects one can take on, and not everything at once. Although the webinar was not recorded, some of their resources have been added to the LibGuide. Next year, we hope to offer additional grant funding for SCRLC members to carry out DEIJA work specific to the needs within their institutions.


We heard from one esteemed colleague during a field visit that they have made the search process more equitable, i.e., does everyone have the same opportunity to interview in-person? Whom does the search process exclude? They center the applicant rather than the institution. After the conversation, I realized that for future positions at SCRLC, we should pay for all travel expenses and upfront as necessary. In the area of recruitment, that is one component; plus, we’ve not even discussed retention and how to ensure our institutions are places where everyone feels included and like they belong. The quest for more information about Belonging led me to Berkley’s Othering and Belonging Institute, and in turn, to the Belonging Design Principles: A resource guide for building belonging, which was created by Ashley Gallegos & Cecilie Surasky last year on August 7. Perhaps this is a future conversation.


What would you like to see SCRLC address in the area of DEIJA—and B?


Yours in partnership,


Mary-Carol Lindbloom

Executive Director

ROAD TRIP

Cornell University

June 25

Mary-Carol and Christine visited Elaine L. Westbrooks (center), the Carl A. Kroch University Librarian for Cornell University and Gaby Castro Gessner, SCRLC's CUL Board of Trustees liaison (not pictured). Aspects of workforce, collections, and physical space are some areas being addressed. Considerations for strategic planning: Research and discovery are paramount; student success is key to all they do; there should be One Library for One Cornell, i.e., having standards among 18 libraries, taking into account that each has its own character; and they must be a good steward of collections and take into account environmental considerations.

ONC BOCES School Library System / Hanford Mills Museum

June 27

Mary-Carol visited Julia Ianello, School Library System/Media Coordinator at Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES. ONC's region is the size of Rhode Island, and their driver spends 200 miles a day on the road! For the first time, all 19 districts have bought into library services! The school library system offers STEAM packets to support podcasting, video tech, computer science, and coding. Julia has convened a summer task group (they will be paid) to develop marketing to be rolled out in the fall. Next year's focus is on AI and the NYS Science of Reading initiative.

Mary-Carol visited Kajsa Harley, Director, and Kevin Jensen, Mill & Collections Specialist, at the Hanford Mills Museum. The Museum continues to build back from the pandemic. They are planning for better accessibility for the archives and the mill. They work in the area of science and environmental education as well as history. The logs that are milled for public demonstrations are used on building repairs; even the sawdust is reused! Hanford never used dyes or harmful substances that some mills used. The mill was operational from 1847 into the 1960's.

MEMBER NEWS

In case you missed it, Tricia Noel, Director of the Yates County History Center was featured in our recent member spotlight.


Cortland Free Library Hires a New Director, Jessica Magelaner of Turners Falls, MA. Welcome to the region, Jessica!


Congratulations to the 2024 NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Grant Program

Preservation Supplies Awardees from our membership!

  • Cayuga Museum of History and Art (Cayuga County)
  • Chenango County Historical Society and Museum (Chenango County)
  • Cortland County Historical Society (Cortland County)
  • Swart Wilcox House Museum (Otsego County)


Ms. Sue Chandak, the Library Manager of the Waterloo Library & Historical Society, was on the cover of the Finger Lakes Times for her book art. Photos via the Waterloo & Historical Society newsletter.

BROWSE REGIONAL JOBS

SURVEY SAYS

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Accessibility

July is Disability Pride Month!


Last year Binghamton University worked toward Improving Library access during July's Disability Pride Month.

  • They created a google form for people to make accessibility suggestions.
  • They had a list of books on the topic. You could consider making a display.
  • They also had a list of helpful resources.
UPCOMING EVENTS


DEIJA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice & Accessibility) Learning Circle

Watch Shifting the Narrative: What does it mean to center BIPOC library worker needs? and come ready to share your thoughts.

July 16, 11am

REGISTER

SAVE THE DATE! Thursday, October 17

The Diversity Consortium of Tompkins County is sponsoring an in-person event on

Navigating the Backlash to Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

to be held at Ithaca College


SAVE THE DATE! Wednesday, October 30, 9am-3pm

SCRLC's Annual Meeting of the Membership, featuring Rebekkah Smith Aldrich

Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary, Ithaca, NY

Events produced by the eight other library councils in the Empire State Library Network are open for SCRLC members to attend.

AI Literacy & Upskilling in Academic Libraries: Trends, Tools, and Ethical Considerations (RRLC)

July 31, 2pm


Jewish Librarians Meetup (LILRC)

August 1, 3pm


CCDA Webinar (ESLN)

September 9, 10am


Conservation & Preservation Grant Writing Workshop (ESLN)

September 26, 10am

Build A Needs Assessment Strategy

July 17, 2pm


Surprise! You're a Cataloger

July 24, 2pm


Navigating AI Ethics

July 31, 2pm

Mastering Spreadsheet Magic: Typical Formula Techniques

July 24, 3pm


CANVA: A Beginner's Guide to Designing Graphics Like a Pro

August 7, 3pm

WEBINAR RERUN

Shifting the Narrative: What does it mean to center BIPOC library worker needs? was presented by Twanna Hodge on June 25th.

NEW COLLECTIONS

Five Generations

Black and white photo of five people posing together. Written on back "FIVE GENERATIONS: Sitting - Mrs. Maria Bonney of Bonney, N.Y.; Rear, Left to Right: Mrs. W.A. Graham of Bonney, N.Y.; Mrs. Fred E. Entrott, of Walton, N.Y.; Mrs. J.D. Barber of Georgetown, N.Y." "The Little Boy is: Master Jesse W. Entrott, of Walton, N.Y.

Jean Schroeder Collection / Chenango County Historical Society

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