Last week we held our first virtual Staff Development Week with a variety of sessions and Network Group meetings.  As always, I read through the evaluations and was once again grateful for the thought and honesty which people put into their comments.  Based on the feedback, the week was a success and we thank those that participated! 
 
However, there were some comments that brought home to me the fact that NEO-RLS is not doing as much as we should be to assure that our programs and presenters approach topics from a multiplicity of lived realities and not just a single dominant voice.  In addition, I don’t want anyone leaving a program feeling as though their viewpoints or experiences were dismissed or that they had to do heavy emotional lifting in order to help others understand their situation.  Not only is this important to me as the Executive Director of NEO-RLS (because we are charged with providing library staff with the needed competencies and understanding to serve their varied communities effectively), it is personally important to me as the parent of a child with a partner of color and a transgender stepchild.  As members of a profession which serves a diversity of people, it is all of our responsibility to be personally invested in remediating any and all issues which hamper inclusion and equity. The NEO-RLS Board and staff will be working on a plan in the coming months to ensure that our programming avoids known pitfalls. We must convey to our speakers our expectation that multiple viewpoints (e.g., citing studies and works by authors of color, authors with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ authors, women authors, etc.) are represented, that content consciously takes into consideration the experiences of people who have encountered bias and is modified accordingly, and that comments in the chat are given adequate follow up.  This has to be a priority for us if we are to serve you in the manner you deserve so that you can, in turn, serve your communities in the manner they deserve.  Thanks and have a safe and healthy week!
 
Betsy Lantz

Don't forget about CE @ a Glance.  A simple one-page flyer to share with your staff.

5/4/2021
Escape Rooms at Your Library
5/5/2021
Book Discussion Networking Meeting
5/12/2021
Outreach and Reference in the Land of Wikimedia
5/19/2021
Assertiveness for the Unassertive

Virtual Outreach: Social Services and Public Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 @ 10:00 am

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how Boston Public Library continued to reach patrons where they are while preserving existing partnerships with local organizations
• Learn how Boston Public Library created new partnerships to maintain access and dissemination of supportive public health services to its community members
• Find out how you can adapt this model for your library

2021 Literacy Awards Through the generosity of philanthropist David M. Rubenstein, the Library of Congress is seeking nominations of nonprofit organizations that have made outstanding contributions to increasing literacy in the United States or abroad to be considered for the 2021 Literacy Awards. Since 2013, prizes totaling over $2,000,000 have been awarded to 136 institutions in 36 countries.

The American Library Association and the Library of Congress’ Kluge Center have just launched the Librarian WikiWisdom Forum to gather ideas from America’s librarians to address one of the most important problems facing our country — disinformation. Please take a few minutes to join and share your wisdom in response to these questions:

The 2021 & 2022 Choose to Read Ohio program cycle officially kicks off this month with the release of readers’ toolkits for the 2021 & 2022 CTRO booklist, which features 20 notable titles for all ages and reading levels. As with each CTRO program cycle, the booklist includes five books each for young children, middle grades, teens, and adults, and encompasses fiction and nonfiction and a variety of geographic and cultural interests. Ohio librarians, teachers, and other book experts help to select the biennial CTRO booklist. They consider quality and reader appeal, but also how well each book lends itself to group discussion and to school activities and library programs.

NEWS from USBBY ABOUT GLOBAL BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS This message comes to you from the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY), a national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).  We invite you to become familiar with these organizations and consider joining in order to promote, support, and learn more about international literature for young readers.

View Job Postings on the NEO-RLS website.  See the newest listings.

Here is our newest Summer Reading Tapas Learning.  Remember to contact Holly Klingler if you have something to share. We would love to share what you are doing.

In March 2021, WebJunction will host a free, three-week learning group facilitator training. In this live-online course, participants will receive training on how to guide peer learning groups through the Creating Pathways to Civil Legal Justice (CPCLJ) series of self-paced courses.

Ohio was selected through a competitive application process to join the 3rd cohort of the nationwide Leap Into Science (LIS) program network.  LIS was developed by The Franklin Institute Science Museum and it integrates open-ended science activities with children’s books, designed especially for children ages 3-10 along with their families.