Formed January 10, 2017 Libraries Work (LibsWork) is a national networking group focused on advancing information, resources and programs related to workforce development. The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 2:00-3:30pm ET to hear presentations about jobseeker, workforce development, digital literacy, business services, and other topics. Group discussion and resource sharing are also encouraged through these meetings.
After a break for the summer, the following sessions are scheduled through the remainder of the calendar year:
- September 13: Digital Literacy Roundtable: Open discussion of what libraries and states are doing around digital literacy. We will focus on encouraging everyone to speak and doing introductions, so this would be a good meeting to attend as someone’s first time or to get reintroduced to the group.
- October 11: Mt. Auburn Associates and team will present learning to the field about the role of libraries in workforce and small business development, along with learning related to data and measurement, via webinars and other communication. This research is part of Measures that Matter, an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in partnership with the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA). The research project’s objectives were: 1) to develop a conceptual framework that articulates libraries’ role in workforce and small business development; 2) to explore libraries’ delivery of workforce and small business development services, partnerships, and outcome assessment tools, 3) to identify measurement tools to help build library capacity; and 4) to generate hypotheses for future research.
- November 8: During our November meeting you will hear from Susan Preece, Director of the Topsham Public Library in Maine, and Madeleine Ildefonso, Senior Librarian, Office of Civics and Community Services at the Los Angeles Public Library, about their efforts to support workforce development in rural and urban communities, respectively. Both of these librarians participated in ALA’s Libraries Build Business initiative https://www.ala.org/advocacy/workforce/grant.
- December 13: Dr. Africa S. Hands, Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Science at University at Buffalo will present her research. Project CLiA focuses on public libraries across 4 states (KY, TN, VA, and WV) comprising the central region of Appalachia. Data on this region report lower educational attainment and income rates and higher unemployment compared to other regions of Appalachia. Prospective college students in Appalachia face barriers to advancing their education: academic under-preparedness, lack of information about college and financial aid, lack of internet access, and few family members who attended college and can serve as advisors. This research examines the role of public libraries in supporting college literacy and posits a role for libraries in boosting higher education attainment.
LibsWork meets on the second Tuesday of every month from 2:00-3:30pm ET.
To join the Zoom meetings, use this link and login information:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83789752203?pwd=NHovbytyajBYVy84NDF2eHZNYUc2QT09
Meeting ID: 837 8975 2203
Passcode: 049931
To add these sessions to your calendar, please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files:
If you would like to subscribe to the LibsWork list, click here https://database.mail-list.com/app/subscribe?ln=libswork [database.mail-list.com]