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ULC Member News
Newsletter | July 17, 2024
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ULC Annual Forum Registration Opens Monday! | |
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2024 ULC Annual Leadership Forum Registration Opens Monday, July 22!
October 23-25, 2024 | Philadelphia, PA
Registration for ULC's annual conference for senior library professionals will open on Monday. The 2024 Urban Libraries Council Annual Leadership Forum will gather library leaders from across the United States and Canada and take place in Philadelphia, PA, from October 23 to 25.
Over three days of programming, attendees will learn from leading experts and engage with one another around the pivotal theme of Trust, Transformation and Tomorrow. Whether you are a library executive, deputy director, communications chief, head of HR, fundraiser, or other senior leader, we know these three factors are key to addressing crucial aspects of organizational change and growth for urban public libraries.
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Less Than One Month Left to Submit Innovations! | |
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There is less than ONE MONTH LEFT to submit your entries to ULC's 2024 Innovations Initiative!
Submit your entries now to share your library’s out-of-the-box thinking and successful programs that have revolutionized the library field. We can’t wait to see your submissions. The deadline for submissions is Monday, August 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Honorees will not only receive a physical award and be featured in ULC-led media opportunities, but the Top Innovators in each category will receive one complimentary registration to the 2024 ULC Annual Leadership Forum, taking place in Philadelphia, PA, from October 23 to 25.
For further information and to aid your submissions, view the 2024 Innovations FAQs and explore the 2024 Innovation Categories Brochure. Approved submissions will be posted live to the ULC website within one week of their submission.
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Community Engagement Webinar Tomorrow | |
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Community Engagement Matters: Learnings from the Barbershop Books Pilot for Libraries
TOMORROW! July 18, 2024 | 1:00 p.m. ET
With the support of the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) partnered with the nonprofit Barbershop Books to pilot an early literacy-focused family and community engagement model throughout 2023 and 2024. Through this pilot program, four library systems identified and recruited local barbershops in their communities, set up and maintained a bookshelf of children’s literature in each shop, and partnered with the barbershops to host community events. The outcomes of the program were significant: the pilot improved access to books for an estimated 15,113 Black and African American males aged 5-9.
Join this webinar to hear what the Barbershop Books Pilot for Libraries revealed about effective library community engagement practices and review findings from ULC research on this pilot. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from library staff directly about their strategies.
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Milton Measures 39% Increase in Annual Community Participation
Milton Public Library
This week, the Milton Public Library released its highly anticipated 2023 annual report, which showcases a year of remarkable growth and community engagement while outlining ambitious plans for the future. In 2023, MPL experienced a significant surge in community participation, with in-person visits reaching 507,837, marking a notable 39% increase from the previous year. Attendance at library programs also soared, totaling 37,000 attendees across 1,837 events, reflecting a 35% increase year-over-year. READ MORE.
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Meet the Women Who Launched St. Paul Public Library's Laser Loons
St. Paul Public Library
Late last year, staff members of the St. Paul Public Library launched the Laser Loon library card, inspired by a beloved design suggested for the new state flag. An effort to coax a few more folks to use the city's libraries quickly became a sensation and brought in thousands of new users. Read an interview with the minds behind the Laser Loon library card, Stacy Opitz and Claire Huber. READ MORE.
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Enriching the Mind and Body Both Inside and Out of the Library
San Antonio Public Library
A recent feature by local KSAT news covered how the San Antonio Public Library not only offers programming to enrich the mind but also gives community members a place to exercise their bodies. In addition to playgrounds on the system's various campuses, eight branches also have fitness centers. READ MORE.
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Sarasota County Highlights Libraries as Community Hubs
Sarasota County Public Libraries
Like many ULC members, Sarasota County Public Libraries is gearing up for a brand new library branch opening, And with the new branch headed to Longboat Key, SCPL is highlighting the ways in which libraries have evolved to offer a full suite of resources and events. READ MORE.
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"From the CEO" Monthly Message | |
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Improving Equitable Public Access to E-Content at Libraries
Brooks Rainwater | ULC President & CEO
Digital resources are continuing to outpace physical items in circulation at public libraries, but how libraries purchase e-books and e-audiobooks for their collections doesn’t follow the same pricing model as print materials. This has led to increased costs for libraries and lending restrictions for patrons. To address these concerns, the Urban Libraries Council is releasing a new resource for libraries on equitable access to e-books and e-content purchasing that asks publishers to provide stable lending models and fair pricing, like there is with print books.
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Summer Reading Adventure
National Book Foundation
Join our friends at the National Book Foundation to celebrate 75 years of the National Book Awards and participate in the Summer Reading Adventure! The Reading Adventure is a free, prize-filled extravaganza for adults to discover, or re-discover, the joy of reading. Watch a book-to-screen adaptation, re-read a favorite childhood book, swap a favorite book with a friend, and more. Submit your Summer Reading Adventure card by mail or online by August 31, 2024 to be entered to win books, hats, ice cream, reusable water bottles, and other prizes. Participants that complete all of the activities will be entered to win the grand prize of airfare, hotel, and two tickets to the 75th National Book Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. All participants will automatically receive discount codes from Bookshop.org and Libro.fm.
Visit nationalbook.org/adventure to learn more, and tag @nationalbookfoundation when you share your bookish adventures for a chance to be featured on the Foundation’s Instagram. Join the Summer Reading Adventure today!
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Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library
"It was all about manatees in this recent program at the Arthenia L. Joyner University Area Community Library. Presented in partnership with @zootampa, attendees enjoyed a themed Story Time and craft in addition to seeing how the ZooTampa Manatee Rescue team cares for sick and injured manatees."
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Schaumburg Township District Library
"Last week students from our Intro to iPhone Photography class came together for an exhibit and signing of each of their pieces. The class was taught by Hans Klemmer, an artist and forensic photographer for over 20 years."
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Vaughan Public Libraries
"TD Summer Reading Club at Vaughan Public Libraries! 🚀🪐✨ This week, visit VPL for INVESTIGATE IT: Sun vs. Moon ☀️🌙 Are you on Team Sun or Team Moon? "
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Scottsdale Public Library
"Scottsdale Public Library has served over 1,600 lunches this summer! Thanks to a partnership with Scottsdale Unified School District, and with support from the Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service program, we've been able to offer free lunches to kids and teens ages 0-18 all summer long."
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