In This Issue

President's Corner ~ 2024 RILA Call for Proposals ~ We Belong on the Page ~ Genealogy Programming ~ Volunteers Needed ~ RILA Store ~ RI Challenge Reporting Form ~ Upcoming Events ~ News from RI Libraries

I am writing this month’s letter on my way back from the ALA Advocacy Academy in Chicago. One hundred plus librarians, representing library associations and school library associations from every state, gathered for a one-and-a-half-day intensive workshop on everything from tips on preparing for a legislative session, developing talking points and telling an effective story, and identifying and building successful coalitions within your state. Something I heard throughout the weekend was the importance of building relationships, especially before you need them. 

One of the first things I said to School Librarians of Rhode Island (SLRI) Vice President Esther Wolk (pictured far left), when we met up at the workshop hotel after both having early morning flights was…so, how are you with heights? In addition to being your typical introvert, I am also a bit terrified of heights, but I thought why not counteract the pangs of a little imposter syndrome (attending a large ALA event as someone who is not a part of the ALA networking machine) by conquering my fear of heights! Enter The Ledge at the Chicago Skydeck on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower -- a touristic taste of Chicago before getting to the main event, but the views are incredible. Our mighty group of three also included Sonya Durney, president of the Maine Library Association (pictured center). We had exactly 60 seconds to pose in our glass-enclosed ledge, and it was as jelly-leg inducing as it was fun. Turns out, in addition to being a school librarian extraordinaire in the Coventry Public School District, Esther is also a certified EMT. What luck! These are the things you learn when you ride in an elevator to the 103rd floor at 18 miles per hour and walk 6 miles around the windy city with someone. Librarians contain multitudes. 

So, building relationships: ALA Advocacy Academy provided an opportunity to learn more about the issues other state associations are facing, as well as learn how different all of the associations are. Many library associations and school library associations are separately run in other states, and this was the first time for many folks to meet their library or school counterparts. We are fortunate here in Little Rhody that SLRI and Cornucopia of Rhode Island (CORI) are a part of RILA, but we still have much to learn about the challenges facing each of our constituencies. There is so much that unites us: we are all passionate about libraries and promoting intellectual freedom, we are all smart, and -- equally important -- we are all UP for this challenge. Do not doubt that. 

There is still a lot to process from the training. Esther and I both look forward to reconnecting and strategizing how to pour what we learned back into the association and our own advocacy work and, of course, share the strategies with you. Wishing you all the best in the coming year!

Warmly,

Beatrice Pulliam, RILA President

president@rilibraries.org

RILA 2024 Annual Conference

Call for Proposals

The 2024 theme is Connecting Communities. We are seeking proposals that explore our theme in different ways, including libraries as community hubs; equitable, diverse, inclusive, and anti-racist communities; community partnerships and connections; and the many ways that libraries build communities. As always, your proposal does not need to conform to the theme to be considered for inclusion in the conference.

This conference will take place at Providence Public Library and will be in-person. Please only submit proposals you would be comfortable presenting in a live, face-to-face format. The school library track will be Thursday, May 23rd, 2024.

The deadline for proposals is Wednesday, January 31st 2024. Questions? Please email conference@rilibraries.org.

You will be notified in early March if your proposal has been accepted and if any changes are required. The committee may request that you adjust your content or format for acceptance.

We Belong on the Page: Rhode Island Teens Fight Censorship and Erasure

Write Rhode Island and We Are ALL Readers are co-sponsoring "We Belong on the Page," an all-ages exhibit, designed to highlight the importance of books with BBIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation.

Students are invited to create banned book cover redesigns that focus on issues of identity and representation or other aspects of the banned book that make it important to them. You can learn more about "We Belong on the Page" at http://www.weareallreaders.com/webelongonthepage.html.

Submissions will be accepted from January 15th until March 21st, 2024 at 5:00pm. The opening reception for the art exhibit will be on April 6th, 2024 at the We Are ALL Readers festival held at North Kingstown High School.

Genealogy Programming Available

Did you know there is a connection between family history research and information and visual literacy?

Genealogy research offers a gateway to asking better questions. Exploring genealogy research covers ACRL's six frameworks for information literacy, including creation as a process or research as an inquiry. It also inspires a love for local and state history to understand the context around an ancestor's life. 

The Rhode Island Genealogical Society offers vetted, quality, in-person, virtual, and hybrid speakers and programming suggestions -- so whip out that 2024 calendar and contact us at info@rigensoc.org!

Volunteer with the Rhode Island Library Association

RILA members are the key to our success. Together, we work to make RILA a valuable resource for library workers in the Ocean State. 

Now with virtual meetings, it’s easier than ever to join one of RILA’s committees, round tables, and sections, or serve as a mentor for an up-and-coming library worker.

RILA service is a great way to meet colleagues from around the state and contribute to the advancement of libraries in Rhode Island. If you’ve got talents and time to share, we would value your contributions! 

Click below to learn more about RILAs committees, roundtables, and sections and how you can help.

RILA Advocacy Merch Available

Shop the RILA Store, support your favorite library organization, and promote everyone's freedom to read!

Already purchased some items from the shop? Share some pictures with us on social media, using the hashtag #RILASwag!

Rhode Island Challenge Reporting Form

Are you experiencing a materials challenge or other attempt at censorship at your library, school, or other institution in Rhode Island?

Submit a report to the RILA Intellectual Freedom Committee by clicking the button below, and let us know how we can support you.

Upcoming Events

• April 3rd-5th - Public Library Association Annual Conference

• May 22nd-23rd - Rhode Island Library Association Annual Conference

George Hail Library Welcomes New Adult Services Librarian, Meredith Richards

Meredith earned her MLIS from Rutgers University in 2011. She was previously the Librarian at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, an Adult Services Librarian at the Pawtucket Public Library, and a Project Archivist for the Tennis Channel.

Meredith lives in Rehoboth, MA with her husband and son, and in addition to her job at George Hail she also works at the Blanding (Rehoboth) Public Library. She just finished listening to the audiobook of The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Beatriz Williams, and Lauren Willig and is currently reading Don't Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino.

Greenville Library Hosts Free Play Fridays

Free Play Fridays happen at the Greenville Public Library every Friday from 10:00am to 12:00pm. The program has the following four themes each month: Greenville Pizza and Pasta Restaurant, Greenville Market, Greenville Bakery and Tea Shop, and Greenville Veterinarian Clinic. The library staff transform the programming room into a pretend play space with toys and items that fit the featured theme.

Greenville started this program in July 2023, and it was such a huge hit that it is still going strong! The Friends of the Library were instrumental in helping the Children's Department put the program together in order to launch it over the summer. The play space supports creativity while expanding the children's imagination. Free Play Fridays provides endless opportunities to develop and practice language, social skills, and problem solving. Patrons have suggested additional themes, which staff plan to implement in the future.

East Providence Public Library Hires Kelly Parlin as Youth Services Coordinator

East Providence Public Library is happy to announce that Kelly Parlin has been hired as Youth Services Coordinator.

Kelly started her library journey in 2013 in her home state of Connecticut. She began first as a volunteer and from there got hired as Library Page and eventually Library Assistant. After earning her MLIS from URI in 2017, she moved to Rhode Island to become a Youth Services Librarian and, for the past 5 years, Kelly served as Teen Librarian at the Rochambeau Library in Providence. Kelly is also a published author with an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. In her spare time, she enjoys listening to K-pop, playing Dungeons & Dragons, doing jigsaw puzzles, and watching dramas.

Cranston Public Library’s Elena Rios Named a 2024 Emerging Leader by the American Library Association

The Cranston Public Library is proud to announce that the American Library Association (ALA) has selected Youth Services Librarian Elena Rios to participate in its 2024 class of Emerging Leaders (EL).

The EL program is designed to enable library staff and information workers to participate in project planning work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers. The EL cohort consists of 50 individuals from across the U.S. and Canada. Rios is the fourth CPL staff member named an Emerging Leader.

Rios is passionate about helping children develop their literacy skills and explore their interests. She cares about accessibility and feels that it is important for kids to see reflections of themselves in the books they read and the professionals they see working in the library. Rios consciously plans and implements library programs that support equity, diversity, and inclusion. She began working at Cranston Public Library in 2017 while she was a student at Cranston East High School and has been a full-time Youth Services librarian at the Central Library since 2022. Rios earned her Bachelor's in Information Technology and Master’s in Library Science from Simmons College.

Barrington Public Library Holds Second Annual Library After Dark Great Hall Feast

On November 17th, Barrington Public Library hosted its Second Annual Library After Dark, an exclusive, after-hours, dimly lit event that commemorated Thanksgiving with the Harry Potter Great Hall Feast! The library’s second floor, including the McCulloch Children’s Room, the Chapin Study Room, the Green Room, the Salem Family Auditorium, and the Collis Family Gallery, was transformed to incorporate memorable Harry Potter landmarks, such as the Forbidden Forest, the Room of Requirement, the Divination Parlor, Diagon Alley, and the Great Hall.

This magical evening, enjoyed by approximately 60 wizards and witches (and their muggle families) showcased the extraordinary world of Harry Potter. Pre-feast activities included wand pairing, house sorting, and a challenging scavenger hunt through the Forbidden Forest. Attendees enjoyed scrumptious nibbles while the houses competed against each other in Harry Potter trivia. Congratulations to the Gryffindor House who won the House Cup.