In This Issue
Executive Notes ~ Tribute to Elyse Wasch ~ Sensory Friendly Inclusive Group Members Needed ~ Importance of Policies Workshops ~ CORI Mini Conference ~ Submit a Proposal ~ News from RI Libraries ~ Moment of Levity
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Greetings all and thanks for reading our August Bulletin!
Summer is soon behind us and RILA continues forward in serving the Rhode Island Library community. This year, we plan on having monthly networking “Library Libations.” Let’s take some time to connect with each other.
Are you interested in learning more about what happens at each RILA meeting? We have our monthly minutes posted here on the website. Any RILA member can attend the board meetings and, if you can’t attend, you can see what’s happening.
Congrats to RILA’s Rhode Island Representatives from the 2022 NELLS Emerging Leaders Cohort! Emily Goodman, Jen Linton, and Lizette Martinez have been chosen for this year’s cohort.
Cornucopia of Rhode Island is starting to work on their Annual Fall Mini-Conference! Save the date--Thursday, November 3, 2022 from 2:00-4:30pm. Scroll down below for more information and their call for proposals!
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Rachael Juskuv, RILA President
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Beatrice Pulliam, RILA Vice President
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Tribute to Elyse Wasch
Ed Garcia, Director at Cranston Public Library and RILA's ALA Councilor, wrote a Tribute Resolution honoring Elyse Wasch honoring all of Elyse's work for libraries over the past 25 years while working for Senator Reed. The resolution was presented to to the ALA Committee on Legislation and was passed by ALA Council.
Ed and Karen Mellor, Chief of Library Services for the RI Office of Library and Information Services, presented a framed tribute resolution from ALA to Elyse Wasch in Washington DC.
Click below to read a press release from Penn Hill Group.
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New Members Needed!
The Sensory Friendly Inclusive Group (formerly known as the RI Children’s Sensory Storytime Support Group) is looking for new members to join the committee. We are currently recruiting a secretary, co-chair, and social media/blog webmaster.
Join our team to learn how to connect with community agencies and other librarians whose mission it is to bring families together and create a sensory friendly environment that welcomes people of all abilities into our libraries.
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The Importance of Policies: Promoting Our Principles in Practice Workshop
Does talking about policies sound less exciting than watching paint dry? Would you rather organize your junk drawer than review your collection development practices? If so, it's time to reframe how you think about these important tools as embodiments of our professional principles. RILA's Intellectual Freedom Committee will host a two-part workshop with Martin Garnar this Fall:
- Part One: Wednesday, September 21st, at 4:00pm on Zoom
- Part Two: Wednesday, October 12th, at 4:00pm at Cranston Public Library
In the first session, we will share our experiences with current concerns about library resources and services and learn about best practices for library policies that support us in promoting intellectual freedom and social justice.
The second session will be a hands-on workshop focused on writing or revising policies based on what we learned in the first session. By the end of the series, we should feel more confident in our abilities to protect access to the information that meets the needs of our communities.
Martin Garnar, PhD, is the director of the Amherst College Library and the editor of the 10th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual. His professional activities and speaking schedule reflect a profound inability to say no. A native New Yorker, Martin lives in western Massachusetts with his husband Mark and their impossibly cute miniature dachshunds.
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Save the Date!
Cornucopia of RI Annual Mini Conference
Save the date for the Cornucopia of Rhode Island Annual Mini Conference! The conference will be held virtually on Thursday, November 3, 2022, from 1:00 to 4:00pm.
This year’s theme is "Recruitment and Retention of Librarians of Color." Stay tuned for registration details!
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Call for Proposals!
Cornucopia of RI Annual Mini Conference
On behalf of the Cornucopia of Rhode Island (CORI), we are delighted to invite current library school students and recent MLIS graduates to submit proposals for a poster presentation at the CORU Annual Mini Conference. While not required, we encourage posters on the conference theme of ‘Recruitment and Retention of Librarians of Color.’ We are also seeking posters on topics pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion in libraries.
For consideration, please submit a 150 word (maximum) abstract of your poster topic by September 9th, 2022 to cori@rilibraries.org. Selected posters and presenters will be notified by September 26th, 2022. Questions may be directed to the conference organizers at cori@rilibraries.org. Click here for more information.
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News from the Rhode Island Library Community |
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Little Free Pantry at North Providence Library
Take what you need, leave what you can!
Inspired by a program at the 2022 RILA Conference, Assistant Circulation Manager Mary Albanese was on a mission to establish a food and necessities pantry at the library.
"We get a lot of patrons, especially students after school, who are hungry or need an item that we don't regularly provide. Or they do not have money to buy a snack. We also have parents who come to programs looking for an item and it will save them money and a trip to the store. We want to provide as much as we can to our community."
With the understanding that the pantry would be patron-driven, semi-private, and anonymous, the library soon set up a spare book cart and soon the donations came flooding in. PERIOD. soon caught news of the pantry and reached out to Library Director Stefanie Blankenship via their Instagram post. Now PERIOD. has partnered with the library to provide feminine and incontinence products for those in need. Their mission, "Fighting Menstrual Product Insecurity in Rhode Island," is now benefiting North Providence residents.
Items brought to the pantry must be unopened, non-perishable, and not expired. Mary's hope is to acquire larger shelving as the pantry grows bigger and more visible in the community.
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George Hail Library Is Awarded a Grant to Create a Virtual 3D Museum Tour
The George Hail Library in Warren is excited to announce that they are nearing completion of a 3D Virtual Tour of the Charles Whipple Greene Museum, located on the second floor of the library. The project was made possible by a grant from the RI Office of Library and Information Services and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Production of the tour took place throughout the summer and the tour will be available on the library website in early Fall.
The Charles Whipple Greene Museum was first established as the "antiquarian room" at the January 8, 1889 dedication of the library building. It was set aside to house a collection of historic artifacts, antiques, and curiosities and has been collecting Warren historical items up to current times. The virtual tour will provide a way to visit the library museum from anywhere and at any time and allow access to the collection for a wider audience, including local students and historical researchers.
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News from Cranston Public Library
Cranston Public Library Hires Elena Rios as the New Full-time Youth Services Librarian
The Cranston Public Library (CPL) is pleased to announce the hiring of Elena Rios as the new full-time Youth Services Librarian at the Central Library. A lifelong resident of Cranston, Rios began working at Cranston Public Library in 2017 while she was a student at Cranston East High School. During her time with CPL, she has worked as a Page, a Library Aide, and Part-Time Youth Services Librarian. She recently graduated from Simmons College, completing both her bachelor's in Information Technology and Master of Library Science.
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Edna Hutchins Retires from Cranston Public Library
Cranston Public Library congratulates Edna Hutchins on her retirement after 33 years of service to CPL! Edna started full time at CPL in April 1989 as the Children's Librarian at William Hall Library, transferring to Central Library in 1998.
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East Providence Public Library Hosts Drag Queen Story Hour
On Saturday, June 25th, the East Providence Public Library held its first Drag Queen Story Hour, part of the largest Pride Event the city of East Providence has ever had.
The day began with an inaugural East Providence Pride Parade, followed by a flag raising and speakers at City Hall; and continuing with music, GIANT bubbles, crafts, and LGBTQIA+ informational tables on the lawn at Weaver Library. And, of course, the culmination of the day, what everyone was waiting for, was the Drag Queen Story Hour performed so fabulously by Haley Star.
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The Rhode Island Library Association
is a professional organization that serves its members through career development, education, advocacy, networking partnerships, and legislative action.
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The RILA Bulletin is produced by the RILA Communications Committee. The RILA Communications Committee is responsible for publicizing and supporting Rhode Island Library Association activities using a variety of communication tools. Responsibilities include publishing the RILA Bulletin, managing social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, and exploring other media as needed.
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