From the State Library

The College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland has just published “Library Staff as Public Servants: A Field Guide for Preparing to Support Communities in Crisis.”
 
This 30-page field guide is the result of a project on reimagining youth services during crises, led by Mega Subramaniam at UMd and consultant Linda Braun, with input from over 130 public library workers. In the summer of 2020, the project team studied how public libraries are supporting their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and in a time of increased civic unrest resulting from the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and Dion Johnson. The project took on an expanded role with a focus on the multiple crises facing the country. The resulting field guide maps the essential tasks for public library staff to enact before and during crises. While this field guide focuses on supporting non-dominant youth and families, it can be adapted to serve the needs of other age groups and can be used at any time.
 
Learn more and download the field guide:
https://yxlab.ischool.umd.edu/projects/reimagining-youth-services-during-crises

Applications for Library Leadership Ohio 2021 are now open! Library Leadership Ohio 2021 will be held live, online on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons over the span of three weeks. The event, supported with federal LSTA funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, will be facilitated by OhioNET and the State Library of Ohio, with guidance from the LLO 2021 advisory committee.
 
The dates for LLO 2021 are as follows: 
 
Week 1: July 13 and 15
Week 2: July 20 and 22
Week 3: July 29 *evening event with LLO alumni and committees 
Week 4: August 3 and 5
 
Tuition for LLO 2021 is $200. Scholarships are available. See libraryleadershipohio.org for more information, including the application requirements. Completed applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on March 14. Selected applicants will be notified by mid-May.
 
LLO 2021 will feature guest speakers known nationally and statewide who will speak to important topics in librarianship and leadership. The program welcomes library employees working in public, school, special, and academic libraries; all are eligible to apply. The selection committee is seeking individuals with a commitment to the profession, including the ability to foster diversity and inclusivity; the potential to lead and innovate in their current position and beyond; and a passion for libraries and willingness to explore the impact they can have in their communities. 
 
If you have any questions, please contact Evan T. Struble, Associate State Librarian for Library Development at the State Library of Ohio, at estruble@library.ohio.gov or 614-752-9178.