From the State Library

Making Sense of the Moment
The State Library of Ohio and Bexley Public Library hosted Making Sense of the Moment: The Library’s Role in Helping Us Understand Race and Racism on August 14. The virtual event garnered a huge response with over 210 tuning in live! A recording of the event is now available to view on the State Library of Ohio’s YouTube page. https://youtu.be/LfE_zYDW--g

The program is in three parts. First, Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries gives a presentation exploring the roots of race and racism in American society by examining the centrality of slavery to the nation’s founding and highlighting the continuing impact of slavery’s legacy. His presentation takes an honest look at how our nation’s past is the key to understanding the persistence of racial inequality today and is essential to creating a more equitable and democratic tomorrow. He then explores the role of libraries in this history and how libraries and library staff can take a proactive role in antiracism on a personal, professional, and organizational level.

In the second part of the program, Dr. Jeffries engages in a dialog with librarian Erin Kelsey from the State Library of Ohio to dig deeper into the role of libraries in this work. Lastly, Dr. Jeffries addressed questions from the audience, which highlighted themes from working with management about antiracism efforts to creating a more inclusive materials collection.

In an effort to create a supportive learning experience for participants, we have curated a resources webpage, which includes resources for people at all stages of antiracism work. Three themes are represented: resources related to individual antiracism work, resources to discuss racism within the library culture and in your community, and resources for library administrations, boards, and managers. We hope the individual learning and discussion with colleagues continue beyond this singular event. For more continuing education resources, check out the Continuing Education Roundup and Webjunction for a variety of articles and webinars on hot topics and core competencies for library staff of all types.

If you have trouble accessing the video or have ideas for future Critical Conversations topics, email Erin Kelsey, library consultant at the State Library of Ohio at ekelsey@library.ohio.gov.

Mental Health First Aid
As libraries continue to navigate these challenging times, we all could benefit from training on how to better support people who are experiencing mental health and substance use disorders.

To that end, please consider this second opportunity to attend a FREE course on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)—a 5 ½ hour virtual training program that is evidence-based, highly interactive, and will give you the tools to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in real, actionable ways.

Watch this short video to learn more about MHFA, why it’s so important to be equipped, how Clermont County libraries benefited from this training in the past, and how you and your library can benefit too: https://youtu.be/qsvU-HcUsbQ

If you are interested in joining the 2 million certified Mental Health First Aid providers, click on one of the links below to register today! The deadline to sign up is November 16^th so don’t delay. Each class is limited to 20 attendees and they will fill up quickly! Once you receive your MHFA certification, it is good for three years.

Thank you to the Statewide MHFA Collaborative who is covering the costs for this training.

For more details about the class, or if you have any questions, please see the attached flyers for program FAQs and trainer contact information.

Adult MHFA (for those who work mainly with people 18 and over) January 5, 2021; 9am-3:30pm: https://mhaohio.org/mhfa-january-5-2021-state-library/
Youth MHFA (for those who work mainly with people under 18) January 7, 2021; 9am-3:00pm: https://mhaohio.org/ymhfa-january-7-2021-state-library/
Adult MHFA January 12, 2021; 9am-3:30pm: https://mhaohio.org/mhfa-january-12-2021-state-library/
Youth MHFA January 14, 2021; 9am-3:00pm: https://mhaohio.org/ymhfa-january-14-2021-state-library/

In addition, NEO-RLS will host a Mental Health First Aid session on February 18th. Watch the newsletter for more details. This session will also be limited to 20 participants.

Early Literacy 101 Workshop
A second online Early Literacy 101 workshop is open for registration. Space is very limited, so don’t delay. This workshop includes live sessions from 2:00-4:00 pm on Thursdays, December 10 and 17, plus approximately 2 hours of on-your-own reading and viewing, for a total of 6 continuing education hours.

NEO-RLS will also be offering the Early Literacy 101 online workshop in March. Watch the website for details coming soon.

Seats also remain available for the online Early Literacy 101 workshop on Thursdays, November 12 and 19 with the same blend of live and self-paced content.

For more information and to register for either workshop click HERE.

Participants will learn how brain development impacts how young children learn, and will explore effective, research-based early literacy resources and activities. The facilitators will help attendees get ready to offer early literacy storytimes and to work with parents and community partners to share early literacy concepts, promote kindergarten readiness, and build community support.

Early Literacy 101 workshops are FREE for all Ohio library workers. They are facilitated by Ohio Ready to Read trainers and supported by LSTA funds administered by the State Library of Ohio.


From the State Library Making Sense of the Moment The State Library of Ohio and Bexley Public Library hosted Making Sense of the Moment: The Library’s Role in Helping Us Understand Race and Racism on August 14. The virtual event garnered a huge response with over 210 tuning in live! A recording of the event is now available to view on the State Library of Ohio’s YouTube page. https://youtu.be/LfE_zYDW--g The program is in three parts. First, Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries gives a presentation exploring the roots of race and racism in American society by examining the centrality of slavery to the nation’s founding and highlighting the continuing impact of slavery’s legacy. His presentation takes an honest look at how our nation’s past is the key to understanding the persistence of racial inequality today and is essential to creating a more equitable and democratic tomorrow. He then explores the role of libraries in this history and how libraries and library staff can take a proactive role in antiracism on a personal, professional, and organizational level. In the second part of the program, Dr. Jeffries engages in a dialog with librarian Erin Kelsey from the State Library of Ohio to dig deeper into the role of libraries in this work. Lastly, Dr. Jeffries addressed questions from the audience, which highlighted themes from working with management about antiracism efforts to creating a more inclusive materials collection. In an effort to create a supportive learning experience for participants, we have curated a resources webpage, which includes resources for people at all stages of antiracism work. Three themes are represented: resources related to individual antiracism work, resources to discuss racism within the library culture and in your community, and resources for library administrations, boards, and managers. We hope the individual learning and discussion with colleagues continue beyond this singular event. For more continuing education resources, check out the Continuing Education Roundup and Webjunction for a variety of articles and webinars on hot topics and core competencies for library staff of all types. If you have trouble accessing the video or have ideas for future Critical Conversations topics, email Erin Kelsey, library consultant at the State Library of Ohio at ekelsey@library.ohio.gov. Mental Health First Aid As libraries continue to navigate these challenging times, we all could benefit from training on how to better support people who are experiencing mental health and substance use disorders. To that end, please consider this second opportunity to attend a FREE course on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)—a 5 ½ hour virtual training program that is evidence-based, highly interactive, and will give you the tools to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in real, actionable ways. Watch this short video to learn more about MHFA, why it’s so important to be equipped, how Clermont County libraries benefited from this training in the past, and how you and your library can benefit too: https://youtu.be/qsvU-HcUsbQ If you are interested in joining the 2 million certified Mental Health First Aid providers, click on one of the links below to register today! The deadline to sign up is November 16^th so don’t delay. Each class is limited to 20 attendees and they will fill up quickly! Once you receive your MHFA certification, it is good for three years. Thank you to the Statewide MHFA Collaborative who is covering the costs for this training. For more details about the class, or if you have any questions, please see the attached flyers for program FAQs and trainer contact information. Adult MHFA (for those who work mainly with people 18 and over) January 5, 2021; 9am-3:30pm: https://mhaohio.org/mhfa-january-5-2021-state-library/ Youth MHFA (for those who work mainly with people under 18) January 7, 2021; 9am-3:00pm: https://mhaohio.org/ymhfa-january-7-2021-state-library/ Adult MHFA January 12, 2021; 9am-3:30pm: https://mhaohio.org/mhfa-january-12-2021-state-library/ Youth MHFA January 14, 2021; 9am-3:00pm: https://mhaohio.org/ymhfa-january-14-2021-state-library/ In addition, NEO-RLS will host a Mental Health First Aid session on February 18th. Watch the newsletter for more details. This session will also be limited to 20 participants. Early Literacy 101 Workshop A second online Early Literacy 101 workshop is open for registration. Space is very limited, so don’t delay. This workshop includes live sessions from 2:00-4:00 pm on Thursdays, December 10 and 17, plus approximately 2 hours of on-your-own reading and viewing, for a total of 6 continuing education hours. NEO-RLS will also be offering the Early Literacy 101 online workshop in March. Watch the website for details coming soon. Seats also remain available for the online Early Literacy 101 workshop on Thursdays, November 12 and 19 with the same blend of live and self-paced content. For more information and to register for either workshop click HERE. Participants will learn how brain development impacts how young children learn, and will explore effective, research-based early literacy resources and activities. The facilitators will help attendees get ready to offer early literacy storytimes and to work with parents and community partners to share early literacy concepts, promote kindergarten readiness, and build community support. Early Literacy 101 workshops are FREE for all Ohio library workers. They are facilitated by Ohio Ready to Read trainers and supported by LSTA funds administered by the State Library of Ohio.
Template 11 - NEO-RLS News-November 2, 2020