A Word From the President


Greetings ABOS Community!


Most of us are right in the middle of our busiest time of year delivering services to the communities that we serve. Thank you for your dedication to this field. I am continuously in awe of the amazing work that each and every one of you do each day. Although busy within our organizations this summer, your Board has also been busy preparing for our upcoming conference and growing our organization.


In June, we held a successful membership campaign! Welcome to our new members and those of you who are returning, we could not do our amazing work without you! Please look for future correspondences in regards to a membership celebration in the coming weeks, we look forward to seeing many of you in attendance!


As we look to our conference that is quickly approaching, I would like to urge you to nominate a colleague or yourself for an award. Awards are a way to celebrate the amazing things our community members are able to accomplish and help with conference incentives. 


Conference registration is open and I encourage you to please register early to grab that early bird discount! If you are not a member already, consider joining our organization to save $100 on your conference registration! Hershey, PA is known as the sweetest place on earth and I am here to tell you, after visiting in April, I now see why! Expect all of the chocolate that you can stand, great networking, and being surrounded by the kindest people in our profession!


Hope to see you in October!

ABOS 2023 Conference - Confections and Connections

Make Your Plans to Join ABOS in Hershey, PA!


The (tentative) conference schedule is set, the hotel block is open, and registration is open!


Rates for the conference are $475 for members and $575 for non-members. One-day tickets are available for $250/$300 as well, and a virtual option is available for $99, featuring pre-recorded and live sessions. There are special prices for students ($250) and bookmobile drivers who bring their vehicle ($275).


The conference will be held at the Hershey Lodge. The room block is available until August 23, and the rate is $199 a night, plus taxes (a total of $220.89 a night).


If networking and learning from fellow ABOSers isn't enough to make you want to come, our featured speaker is author Tiffany D. Jackson. Her books are available for purchase while registering, and she'll be signing books after her speech.


For more information and to register, visit our website!

2023 ABOS Awards

We are excited to announce that nominations for our 2023 ABOS Awards are now open! Interested in coming to the conference, but can't afford it? Apply for the Carol Hole Conference Attendance Award. Have a coworker who exemplifies outreach? Nominate them for the John Philip Excellence in Outreach Award.


For more information on the awards and how to nominate someone, see our website!

Check It Out

Conference Speaker Spotlight


Kathy Stokes is a nationally recognized leader in the consumer fraud arena. As Director of Fraud Prevention Programs with AARP, Kathy leads AARP’s social mission work to educate older adults on the risks that fraud represents to their financial security. Since taking the helm of the AARP Fraud Watch Network in 2019, she and her team have vastly expanded AARP’s leadership in this space, including the creation of a new victim support program, a multi-year campaign to end the use of gift cards in fraud, and the formation of a national effort to fundamentally transform how our country addresses consumer fraud.

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We Need your Input!

The ABOS Bookmobile and Outreach Information Repository (BOIR) Project needs your input. We are working with the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research and the Public Library Association to conduct a market research study, collecting data that's never been collected before about bookmobile and library outreach services. 


Our goal is to ensure that every individual's story is shared. This information holds immense importance for the outreach community. Once gathered, the collected data will offer numerous valuable insights and applications. Please consider being a part of this project. 


Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ABOS2023 to participate. The first 60 individuals to participate will win a $25 gift card.

It’s Time to Prepare for 2024 Board Nominations!

It’s an exciting time for our organization – our membership has more than doubled and continues to grow steadily, we have year-round continuing education opportunities, we’ve set record-breaking conference attendance, have hired an executive director, and are being recognized on national and international levels. We are looking to our membership for the next generation of leaders to move ABOS into the future.


If you are planning on running for an open position on the 2024 ABOS Board of Directors, start checking things off the list of requirements.


🗹 You must be a current member to run for an open position, to serve on the board, and to vote. If you aren’t a member, please join before October 23, 2023 by going to http://abos-outreach.com/membership. Did you know that members save $100 on conference registration?



🗹 Any candidate running for an open position should have permission and support from their library/organization before filling out the nomination form.



🗹 A short bio detailing your outreach or bookmobile experience, any prior committee work or involvement with ABOS, and why you want to be on the Board of Directors is required as part of your application.



🗹 A photo will be required for all individuals running for a board position. Your photo should be a good-quality headshot taken in a professional setting. The photo will be displayed on the election ballot and the ABOS website.



🗹 If you would like to encourage someone to run for an open ABOS Board seat, please contact them directly.



Nominations will be accepted October 23, 2023, through November 6, 2023. Watch for the nomination form!


Any questions may be directed to Lori Berezovsky, ABOS Past President, at [email protected].

Book Bike Week


Book Bikes are taking over our social media accounts August 6-12, 2023! Keep an eye out for your submissions on social media during ABOS Book Bike Week!

Vendor Spotlight

Wondering which of your favorite vendors will be in attendance at our 2023 conference in Hershey, PA? Well, wonder no more! I am pleased to announce that the following vendors/partners will be joining us for all the “Sweet” fun in October.

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Outreach Spotlights

Advocating for Outreach in Your Library!


As library professionals that specialize in Outreach, we all understand the value of Outreach Librarianship and what an incredible tool it is for reaching patrons who face barriers to traditional library services or those who are traditionally underserved. One thing we also know is that often, Outreach initiatives are not always prioritized in every library or library system. 

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Books, Bikes and Booker T!


With scenic highways, bike trails, hidden waterfalls,and multiple National Parks, the Arkansas River Valley is the perfect canvas for outdoor programming and fun, community outreach opportunities. As the erratic Arkansas weather permits, all library locations of the Arkansas RiverValley Regional Library System (ARVRLS) go beyond the walls of the physical buildings to meet the needs of area residents and encourage library lovers.

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Something (for you) In The Library


On Saturday, April 29 the Programmers and Outreach staff from the Virginia Beach Public library Oceanfront branch participated in supporting the Something In The Water festival located on the Virginia Beach boardwalk. Library staff rode three book bikes and spoke with locals as well as vacationers in town to see their favorite recording artists, enjoy local bands and participate in a fun-filled weekend. 


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Out & About Newsletter

Brought to you by the ABOS Communications Committee



To submit a story for the next issue, email [email protected]

www.abos-outreach.com

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