Building Community-Based Summers: Tri-State In-Person Workshops - Toledo

Description:

Over the last few years public libraries in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio have participated in cohorts of the Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) national IMLS project. Through learning sessions and activities, BCBS helps libraries develop new thinking and strategies about summer services in four key areas: Rethinking Internal Systems, Fostering a Culture of Learning, Centering Community, and Reflecting Continuously about summer services and their impact.

These BCBS Workshops are being offered to any IN, MI, and OH library workers who are interested in evaluating and reassessing their summer services. Attendees will participate in a variety of activities to help them view their summer services through fresh eyes at a critical time of the year as they plan for next summer. The facilitators will share a brief history and background about BCBS for those unfamiliar with the project, and details for those who wish to be trained more deeply regarding the BCBS learning topics and strategies. The workshops will also include much time for discussion and sharing, to learn what libraries are planning to better reach all their communities and to provide ideas and strategies to address challenges.

Who should register?

To support your ability to implement BCBS strategies in your community, we highly encourage 2 or more staff members from your library or system to register and attend the workshop. Staff working in any department, especially those with a focus on public programming, are welcome to attend.

Facilitators:

Bringing extensive experience with BCBS, facilitators Cathy Lancaster (Library of Michigan), Katy Hite (State Library of Ohio), Janet Ingraham Dwyer (State Library of Ohio), and Beth Yates (Indiana State Library), will offer key insights. They will discuss how applying BCBS framework processes enables libraries to design more adaptive summer services and programs tailored to local needs and community perspectives.

Participants will be able to:

• Explain briefly the history of the Building Community- Based Summers (BCBS) project and its four key principles
• Identify their library organization’s “why” of summer services
• Name examples of strategies that other libraries have implemented to build greater community involvement into their summer services
• Identify one or two action steps your library could take to help build more community voice into your summer services

This project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan. 

Both workshops will cover the same material. MI, OH, and IN library staff can register for either date and location. To register, please visit this link: https://forms.gle/H1v37vAk1wzPT5W59