In This Issue

President's Corner ~ Mary MacDonald's Retirement from URI ~ CORI Fall Mini Conference ~ Spotlight on Available RILA Board Positions ~ RILA Mentorship ~ ALA's 2024 Chapter Advocacy Cohort of Chapter Leaders ~ ACLU-RI Honors Marianne Mirando ~ Overdueing It Wants You! ~ Intellectual Freedom Committee ~ RI Library News - 2025 Conference SAVE THE DATE

Happy October RILA Members,

I am super excited to share an important development with you. Late this summer, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the launch of its state Intellectual Freedom Helpline (IFH) program. Over the next two years, ten pilot program sites will operate a confidential reporting system that will help connect those experiencing censorship attempts with professional support, in-state peers, and referral to The ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) as appropriate. The initiative will collect data for inclusion in ALA’s database of confidential reports documenting censorship attempts nationwide; develop resources and establish best practices to operate an IFH; and develop the expertise and confidence of both those providing and receiving support. Ten grants were offered, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities, among others.

RILA, along with SLRI and RILA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, worked on a joint application for this grant with the library associations from all six New England states. We are thrilled to announce that our application was accepted for one of the ten pilot programs! RILA will serve as the initial project lead for the New England IFH pilot program.

Over the next several months, all six New England states will work together to create a regional reporting helpline system for any type of library that is experiencing intellectual freedom challenges.

We see this as an amazing opportunity to pool our resources and expertise to support libraries and library workers throughout New England during these challenging times. RILA welcomes those who are interested in being part of the project as we aim to develop a robust group of people who will not only bring this helpline into being, but also continue the work as we move forward. 

Until the helpline has been unveiled, please continue to use our Intellectual Freedom committee  to report your challenges and for support. You may also always reach out to ALA’s OIF office for aid.

Contact president@rilibraries.org to find out more and to get involved.

Warmly,

Beatrice Pulliam, RILA President

president@rilibraries.org

Mary MacDonald's Retirement from URI

Professor Mary MacDonald retired from URI’s University Libraries at the end of June 2024.

She started at the URI Libraries as a paraprofessional, and, on the advice of Libraries’ Professor (now Emeritus) Amar Lahiri, she attended URI’s GSLIS program and received her MLIS in 1996.

She collaborated with colleagues Professors Joanna Burkhardt and Andrée Rathemacher to establish URI’s credit-bearing information literacy courses, bringing national attention to pedagogical innovations at URI. As a recognized leader in the field, she has shared her experience and expertise with professionals nationwide as a faculty member of the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Information Literacy Immersion program. In 2017, she was awarded ACRL’s Instruction Section Miriam Dudley Instruction Librarian Award. MacDonald also participated in RILA committees, helping establish the Information Literacy Action Round Table.

She encouraged, inspired, and mentored many URI GSLIS students during her years

coordinating the Reference Graduate Student Assistants (affectionately known as “Reffies”) at the Robert L. Carothers Library & Learning Commons, later as Head of Instruction, and also while serving as an adjunct faculty member for URI’s LIS program. She additionally mentored many of Public Service’s faculty over the years.

MacDonald has been granted Emerita status, so she retains access to her URI email address, should you want to catch up with her over tea. Her colleagues miss her and wish her all the best in retirement!

RILA Mentorship

Next RILA Mentorship Meet-up on December 10

The RILA Mentorship committee will host our next Mentorship Meet-up at The Flatbread Company at 161 Cushing Street, Providence, on Tuesday, December 10th, from 4:00 to 5:00. Reconnect with your mentor partner and look ahead to the upcoming year.

RILA Community Fundraiser Follows RILA Mentorship Meet-up

Following the RILA Mentorship Meet-up, stick around at The Flatbread Company for our Community Fundraiser and help raise money for RILA! Meet your mentor partner and dine in or take out a meal from 5:00 - 9:00, and a portion of sales will be donated to RILA.

All RILA members are welcome to attend the fundraiser. Your purchase will support RILA's mission to serve its members through career development, education, advocacy, networking partnerships, and legislative action. 

Please help spread the word by posting flyers in your library and sharing them within your community. 

RILA Mentorship Program Is Accepting New Mentees

What are the benefits of mentorship?

• Mentors serve as valuable resources
• Mentors aid with transitions into our field
• Mentors are confidantes for new librarians
• Mentors can assist in building your network as you grow in your role

Applications for mentees will be accepted through December 31, 2024.

ALA's 2024 Chapter Advocacy Cohort of Chapter Leaders

Ben Hanley, RILA Vice President, and Deanna Brooks, SLRI Member at Large will join ALA's 2024 Chapter Advocacy cohort of Chapter Leaders in Chicago in December for its annual chapter leadership training. This training will provide Ben and Deanna with additional skills and knowledge to help them in their advocacy efforts on behalf of RILA and our library communities in the state. Congratulations Ben and Deanna!

ACLU-RI Honors Marianne Mirando

Former Westerly School Librarian Marianne Mirando will be honored by the ACLU-RI at their annual meeting on October 22.

Overdueing It Wants You!

Have you been looking for a way to highlight projects at your library or superstars in your community? Then join our merry team of library outreach podcasters. There are varying levels of involvement, ranging from joining us as a guest (1 hour virtual meeting commitment) to hosting an episode and introducing our listeners to your neighbors doing interesting things in your library community. If this sounds fun to you, reach out at overdueingitpod@gmail.com and pitch us an episode idea!

Haven't heard the show yet? You can find our latest episodes at overdueingit.org.

Intellectual Freedom Committee

Did You Experience a Material Challenge in 2024?

If you have experienced a materials challenge or other attempt at censorship at your library, school, or other institution in Rhode Island, please report using our reporting form. Your privacy when reporting is our top priority, so we do not collected reporters names or the intuition's name unless you chose to share it. An email is required to report so that we can follow up about the challenge if necessary. We will also share your report with ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom if you would like, so you only have to fill out one form to have your incident reported on a state and national level.

Reports for 2024 are due Monday December 16th

East Providence Public Library Receives Learn365RI Grant

East Providence Public Library is happy to report that the City of East Providence has received a second Learn365RI grant, in the amount of $200,000 through Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Department of Education (RIDE). Of the $200,000, the Library was awarded $25,500 to support learning outside of the classroom for East Providence students.

West Warwick Public Library Selected for IMLS Funded Project

The West Warwick Public Library was accepted as one of 12 Libraries taking part in the University of Maryland IMLS-funded Ready Now: Supporting Youth and Families During Crisis project. This Project supports library staff across the United States in implementing the work as laid out in Library Staff as Public Servants: A Field Guide for Preparing to Serve Communities in Times of Crisis. The West Warwick Library Team consists of Rashaa Al-Sasah-Head of Youth Services, Sam Sylvia- Youth Librarian, and Maria Rivera Saillant- Language Programs Coordinator/Community Liaison, in addition to State Library Agency Representative Danielle Margarita- Youth Services Coordinator.

For this project, they will focus on the crisis of food insecurity in the West Warwick community. Thus far the library has created and run a Basic needs pantry in response to Covid using an ARPA grant, recently the addition of a refrigerator sponsored by a grant from Centerville Bank was purchased and with the assistance of Farm Fresh RI fresh foods like eggs, vegetables, and fruits have been made available to the public along with dry goods and hygiene items in the pantry mainly stocked by community donations. The library has also participated in the Summer Meals program and provided snacks after school to children and teens for several years. By participating in this cohort the staff seeks to expand and reflect upon what has already been done in this work and improve access for all library users to healthy and nutritious food.

Weaver Library Installs Sharps Disposal Units to Enhances Public Safety

East Providence residents now have a new option for disposing of used sharps devices such as needles, syringes, lancets, and razors. Two sharps disposal units were installed within the public restrooms of Weaver Library, 41 Grove Ave. The East Providence Fire Department and the East Providence Public Library, with support from the East Providence Prevention Coalition (EPPC), have collaborated to protect public health, reduce risk, address environmental concerns, and protect plumbing systems.