Transforming: Services

Strengthening Societies: Libraries as Critical Institutions in Helping Communities Manage Change

On Demand

ALA Unit/Subunit: IRRT

Moderator(s)

Nurhak Tuncer

Music Librarian
Elizabeth City State University, North Carolina

Handouts
Felicia Chan

Assistant Director, Operations Policy & Engagement
Public Libraries at National Library Board, Singapore

Slides Slides

Speaker(s)

Zizhou Wang

Professor
the Department of Information Management, Peking University, China
Bejing, China (People's Republic)
Xiaofang Zhang

Phd candidate
Department of Information Management, Peking University
Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)

Slides Slides
Essraa Nawar, MBA, MA, MLIS

Leatherby Libraries Development Librarian,Chair, Arts, Exhibits and Events Committee
Chapman University, CA
Lake Forest, California
Kevin Ross, Ph.D., MLS

Interim Dean
Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, CA
Pek Seah Lim, Senior Manager (Digital Readiness)

Deputy Head (Adults, Programmes & Exhibition)
National Library Board, Singapore, Singapore

Slides Slides

Moderator(s)

JD

Jana De Brauwere, Program Manager

Business, Science and Technology Department, San Francisco Public Library, CA
MN

Miroslava Nezar, Supervisory Librarian

Head, Southeast Europe Section
Library of Congress
Washington, District of Columbia

The International Papers and Projects Program provides librarians with an opportunity to exchange information about library services, collections and projects throughout the world. The program also serves to stimulate the interest of U.S. librarians in international library matters. The 2021 International Papers and Projects theme is: Strengthening Societies: Libraries as Critical Institutions in Helping Communities Manage Change.

This session is NOT about COVID-19. A pandemic is just one (albeit a very challenging one) scenario that can affect the fabric of society. Natural disasters, economic downturns, political instability, violence, etc., can all cause collective trauma. What this session explores is the role of libraries in keeping their communities strong and resilient, from disaster recovery, stepping up to address inequality, providing social and mental support, facilitating conversations and actions, whether it is social justice or bridging understanding, all the way to preparing for longer term changes in the way we deliver services and content.

Three presentations are featured:

1. Little Free Classes in Rural Non-government Libraries: the Combination of Online Resources with Offline Learning for Left-behind Children, presented by Zizhou Wang and Xiaofang Zhang, Research Group on the Development of Non-government Libraries, Department of Information Management, Peking University, Beijing, China

2. Championing Inclusive Digital Learning at our Libraries, presented by Pek Seah, Senior Manager (Digital Readiness) with National Library Board, Singapore

3. Reimagining Diversity at the Leatherby Libraries: A Strategy for Success, presented by Essraa Nawar, MBA, MA, MLIS Leatherby Libraries Development Librarian Chair, Arts, Exhibits and Events Committee Chapman University, Orange, CA, and Kevin Ross, Ph.D., MLS Interim Dean Leatherby Libraries Chapman University, Orange, CA.

Moderators: Nurhak Tuncer, Music Librarian, Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC and Jana De Brauwere, Program Manager, Business, Science and Technology Department, San Francisco Public Library, CA

The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participants will acquire new ideas on how to support their own communities facing possible disruptions, such as pandemics, natural disasters, or economic downturns.
Upon completion, participants will be able to identify what resources (financial, technological, human) may be needed in order to support a community in crisis
Upon completion, participants will be able (if they choose) to connect with the speakers and share experiences of their own libraries in supporting communities in crisis.