Two new performer videos are now available for anyone to use! Libraries are free to show these to their patrons by building programming around the videos or incorporating them into programs they are already running.

The first video features artist Dustin Ritter, who demonstrates collaborative mural painting. Dustin is a visually-impaired visual artist who teaches drawing and painting to youth and adults. He recently spearheaded a collaborative art show at the Regina Public Library entitled “Make a Mark” that included over 50 participating artists

The second video features Shyla Gaebel, who demonstrates yoga for children from an Indigenous perspective. Shyla is a Dakota woman from Sioux Valley Dakota Nation and has been on a journey of reclaiming her roots and identity. She has taught yoga through many organizations, including the First Nations University of Canada, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, SUNTEP, All Nations Healing Hospital, SaskGaming, Indigenous Services Canada, and White Raven Healing Centre.

Find the videos on our website's Summer Programming page here!

Discounted Rates on Upcoming Education Institute Webinars for SLA Members

The Education Institute is a professional development and continuing education program for the library community developed by The Partnership of Provincial and Territorial Library Associations of Canada. 

The Education Institute is hosting three upcoming webinars, open to anyone:

• Motivating Student Staff for Successful Service - August 9 ($45 for members, $55 for non-members)
• Planning Author Events at Public Libraries - August 11 (FREE)
• Student Anxiety and the Academic Library - August 18 ($45 for members, $55 for non-members)

If you are an individual member of SLA or if your employer is an institutional member, you are eligible for the Education Institute's member pricing.

Click here for full webinar descriptions, exact webinar times, and how to register!

Continuing Education Grants Available

Are you thinking about attending a conference or workshop? Or thinking about organizing one? You could get a grant to cover your expenses!

SLA is currently offering two kinds of Continuing Education grants to its members:

• Category 1 grants are open to all individual SLA members and cover up to $500 of eligible expenses to attend a continuing education opportunity of your choosing. 
• Category 2 grants are open to both individual and institutional SLA members and cover up to $1,000 in eligible expenses to plan and promote a continuing education opportunity held in Saskatchewan.

The deadline for grant applications is August 15. Click here to apply or for more information.

SLA Program News

Deadline to Apply for Fall Library Programming Grants Coming Up

The Saskatchewan Library Association (SLA) is once again providing programming grants of up to $250 to member libraries for Saskatchewan Library Week (SLW), which will run from October 16 - 22, 2022. This year's SLW theme is Libraries Expand Horizons, reflecting the endless possibilities that begin with libraries. Libraries provide resources to build community and further our understanding of ourselves, new places, diverse peoples, and identities.

SLA is also offering programming grants for Culture Days, which runs from September 23 - October 16, 2022.

The deadline to apply for SLW or Culture Days grants is August 31!

Click here for more information or to apply for SLW grants.

Click here for more information or to apply for Culture Days grants.

Book Spine Poetry Contest

The annual Book Spine Poetry Contest will run from September 9 - November 1, 2022. Everyone is welcome to enter, and all contest information is posted to our website here as it becomes available.

In late August, SLA will be mailing out Saskatchewan Library Week posters and Book Spine Poetry Contest information to all public libraries, schools, academic libraries, and other organizations. Keep your eyes open for those!

Greetings! 

I hope everyone has been able to take some time for themselves this summer. If not, I hope you will be able to before summer-end and it is time to harvest.

Normally, the summer months are a little slower at the SLA office, but we are going to be welcoming two new staff members this month. Mary Lou Van de Bon is coming on board as the new Program Coordinator. Mary Lou has recently retired from her role at Regina Public Library and brings with her great experience. Although Leslie Charlton is leaving us as office staff, I feel like we might just see her in a volunteer capacity. 

We are also welcoming Tina Kleisinger as the new Executive Director of SLA. Tina has a varied background, with her most recent role being with the Saskatchewan Science Centre. Dorothea Warren will be missed, but has agreed to help us with the transition and with some other projects. Lynn Penner will be continuing as the Research and Administrative Assistant.

We are going into a season of new strategic planning, new committee work and new programs. 2022-0223 and beyond will be a time of growth and change. I encourage and invite you to join in on the exciting work by joining a committee, such as the Conference Planning Committee, which is looking to find an awesome Chair or Co-chairs. Please reach out if you have questions.

Regards,

Amy Rankin

President, SLA

CFLA Notifying Libraries of Misleading Letter

Being Circulated

Recently, several Canadian libraries have been served with a document titled: Notice of Personal Liability Facilitating in Exposure of Minors to Sexually Explicit Materials, Performers, Activities and/or Event. It is a form letter produced by Action4Canada and can be found on their website at https://action4canada.com/political-lgbtq-activism/.

The CFLA-FCAB Intellectual Freedom Committee wants libraries to know that this Notice of Personal Liability:

• has no legal value with regards to its claims of the recipient breaking the law, and
• does not replace processes that the library already has in place to facilitate challenges to library materials, such as a Request for Reconsideration form.

Click here for more information on the letter being circulated and CFLA's suggested response.

Applications Open for TD Summer Reading Club Library Awards

Think your library is putting on fantastic TD Summer Reading Club programs? You can win an award (and cash) for all your hard work!

To be eligible, your organization must be a public library or public library branch that participated in the TD Summer Reading Club in 2022 for a minimum of six weeks. The application deadline is November 14, 2022.

Click here to learn more about the eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Update from the July 2022

CFLA Copyright Committee Meeting

Read a full update from the July meeting of the CFLA Copyright Committee here

Saskatchewan Library Association

10-2010 7th Ave.

Regina, SK S4R 1C2

Phone: 306-780-9413

Fax: 306-780-3633

Email:  slaexdir@sasktel.net; slaadmin@sasktel.net; slaprograms@sasktel.net

Web: saskla.ca

SLA reserves the right to change or edit any submission or to refuse publication in its entirety. The deadline for SLAte submissions is the 25th of each month.

The Saskatchewan Library Association gratefully acknowledges the support

of our funding agencies.