Thank you for Joining us at PLA 2016!
We would like to thank the ULC members who were able to join us in Denver for a great week of activities, including a sold-out preconference session on summer learning, informative presentations on the Edge Initiative and collaborative Member Group meet-ups. We're excited to reconnect at upcoming member meet-ups during this summer's ALA Annual Conference in Orlando and the ULC Annual Forum in Kansas City this October!
|
2016 ULC Annual Forum
ULC Libraries: Getting to the Evidence
Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Kansas City, MO
Urban libraries, like results-oriented organizations in all sectors, need the right language and data to understand and ensure that our work is meeting the goals we've set for ourselves. Join us at this year's ULC Annual Forum as we focus on exploring and developing a framework that we can all use to describe the outcomes and impacts that we create for the individuals and communities we serve - both at the local and national level.
To register and learn more about the Annual Forum, visit the
ULC website.
If you have questions, please contact
Katherine Behrens, ULC Member Programs Executive.
ULC Webinar: Grow Your Own - Leaders + Teams
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
9-10 am PT | 10-11 am MT | 11 am-12 pm CT | 12-1 pm ET
Are you ready to step up your leadership role? Do you want to improve your team dynamics and explore ways in which you can overcome the five dysfunctions of teams? Are you seeking ways to spark creative problem-solving among leaders and teams alike? Join your ULC colleague and Grand Rapids Public Library Assistant Director, Marla Ehlers, for the upcoming webinar, Grow Your Own: Leaders + Teams.
During the webinar, Marla will draw connections between The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, the R-squared - Risk and Reward Conference philosophy, and a leadership training curriculum tailored to your library's needs. Together you'll explore exercises and experiences that will build team trust, master conflict, and establish commitment. Join us to learn how effective teams engage in unfiltered, passionate debate and have leaders who understand just who their first team is, as well as how to foster your own pool of self-aware leader-candidates.
Register today to participate and receive a recording to share with staff!
ULC Library Legislative Day Reception
Monday, May 2, 2016, 6:00 - 8:00 pm ET
Urban Libraries Council Office
1333 H Street NW, Suite 1000 West, Washington, DC
Is your library team planning to visit DC for Library Legislative Day? ULC invites leadership teams from our member libraries to visit the ULC office to meet with ULC staff, reconnect with your peers, and enjoy a few bites and refreshments.
Please RSVP for the reception by visiting the Members Only section of the ULC website and clicking on "Events & Registrations."
For those of you riding the Metro from either Capitol Hill or another location, the ULC Office is conveniently located close to the Metro Center and McPherson Square metro stations.
For more information, contact Colleen Bragiel.
See you in May!
ULC Annual Member Breakfast
Saturday, June 25, 2016, 8:00 - 9:30 am ET
Hyatt Regency Orlando - Plaza Ballroom - Orlando, FL
ULC members are invited to join us for our Annual Member Meeting on Saturday, June 25, 2016, from 8:00-9:30 am ET at the
Hyatt Regency Orlando in the Plaza Ballroom.
During the breakfast you will hear an updates from the ULC leadership, review the slate of ULC Member Candidates and elect the new board, and connect with your peers.
Please register for the ULC Member Breakfast by visiting the
Members Only section of the ULC website and clicking on "Events & Registrations."
For more information, please contact
Katherine Behrens.
|
 |
ULC Reports on ConnectED Challenge at Campaign for Grade-Level Reading Convening
ULC provided a briefing on the ConnectED Library Challenge at the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading's Funder-to-Funder Huddle last week in Washington, DC. The event, which involved local and national foundations and philanthropic organizations, included a series of workshops and panel presentations primarily focused on supporting parents in ensuring their children's grade-level reading proficiency.
ULC's ConnectED briefing was part of a panel on Leveraging Public Platforms that also included reports on the Healthy Schools Campaign and Bringing School Home program. ULC discussed ways in which the ConnectED Library Challenge has facilitated critical partnerships between public platform leaders, such as library CEO's, mayors/county executives and school superintendents, to ensure that all school children have access to the public library's diverse learning resources.
ULC and Members Lead a Successful, Sold-Out Preconference Session at PLA 2016
Over 75 participants joined ULC Director of Education and Learning Initiatives Emily Samose, Leslie Gabay-Swanston, director of community system building at the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), and leaders from four ULC member libraries as they led an interactive preconference session at the 2016 PLA conference focused on Powerful Partnerships for Powerful Summers. Christy Estrovitz and Cristina Mitra from San Francisco Public Library, Liz McChesney from Chicago Public Library, Lisa McClure from Broward County Library and Jennifer Hoffman from Denver Public Library shared the details of their intentional partnerships with local school districts, the National Parks Service, science museums, child care centers, parks and rec and other partners that maximize the summer learning programming available to children and families in their communities.
Workshop participants engaged in interactive activities that encouraged them to consider how they can initiate, strengthen and develop messaging for their own local partnerships to address the challenge of summer learning loss and create summer opportunities for youth. The preconference session builds on research conducted by ULC in partnership with NSLA and with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Age of Learning/ABC Mouse Joins ULC
 Please join us in welcoming our newest Library Partner, Age of Learning/ABC Mouse, to ULC. Age of Learning blends education best practices, innovative technology, and insightful creativity to bring learning to life for children across the U.S. and around the world. Their online early learning resource, ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy, provides young learners, their families, and teachers with engaging learning tools and a standards-aligned curriculum that builds a strong foundation for academic success.
We would also like to thank all of our Library Partners for their support and commitment to ULC and ULC members across the United States and Canada. Learn more and view the full list of ULC Library Partners here.
Kelvin Watson of Queens Library Recognized for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession
 Kelvin Watson, chief innovation and technology officer for Queens Library, has been named the 2016 inaugural winner of the American Library Association's Ernest A. DiMattia Award for Innovation and Service to Community and Profession. The award, supported by the DiMattia Family, recognizes a public librarian who demonstrates leadership in anticipating emerging trends in services, products and technologies that will enhance the library's position in its community.
Among many other accomplishments, Watson was recognized for his commitment to digital inclusion and innovation. He received praise for improving and streamlining patron access to e-content through such initiatives as the Library's tablet lending program, as well as leading the planning and execution of the Queens Virtual Library platform.
Click here to learn more about Kelvin Watson and the award.
|
|
|
|
In Memory of Charles Weld Robinson
|
On April 8, 2016, the library field lost an influential innovator and champion with the passing of Charles Weld Robinson. A bold library leader, Charlie spoke his mind and firmly believed in the responsibility of public libraries to act in the interest of the people in the communities they serve.
Charlie led the Baltimore County Public Library for 33 years, served as President of the Public Library Association (PLA) in 1985, and chaired the PLA's first national conference in 1983. He was also instrumental in supporting ULC during its formative years as it became a membership-based organization.
ULC library tributes to Charlie Robinson began last Friday morning at the ULC member breakfast held during the PLA Conference. Charlie's larger than life personality and contributions to the field were recognized with both admiration and humor. His leadership was profound and important to ULC and its members, and his work and spirit were a gift to us all.
Thank you, Charlie Robinson.
|
|
E-RATE 2016:
DID YOU KNOW?
|
USAC is continuing to make improvements to the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) system based on user feedback. One of this week's updates included obtaining a more accurate calculation of children receiving free and reduced lunches.
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) no longer rounds down, but calculates based on the actual entry, decimal places and all. Other improvements being made to the EPC can be found here.
Please continue to provide feedback directly USAC on the weekly calls with ULC members and State E-rate Coordinators on Tuesdays at 2 pm ET through April 29, 2016.
For call details and call-in information, or to forward any additional issues you might have, contact Katherine Bates.
|
New Pew Report:
76% of Adults Say Libraries Serve the Educational Needs of Their Communities and Families
Last week, the
Pew Research Center released a new report,
Americans, Libraries and Learning, which further supports that libraries serve as critical learning institutions in their community educational systems and that library users are more likely than others to participate in learning activities. The report found that 76% of adults say libraries serve the learning and educational needs of their communities either "very well" (37%) or "pretty well" (39%). The report also found that "adults who use libraries and visit library websites are often ahead of the crowd when it comes to
being learners,
engaging with information and
embracing technology."
The report also noted that while libraries offer significant educational resources and services such as e-books or online GED courses, many people are not often aware that these services are available at their local library.
Libraries can use the findings as an opportunity to increase community outreach and raise public awareness of their educational offerings. Overall, the report demonstrates that libraries are valuable learning centers and provides a better understanding of how patrons are using library services to advance personal learning goals.
Click
here to read the full report.
|
|
For more interaction with your colleagues, follow ULC on Twitter and Facebook. ULC also has a LinkedIn group. Please like, follow and join!
 Like us on Facebook
 Follow us on Twitter
 Join our LinkedIn group
|
|
|
|
