All Events

Ways of Knowing: Oral Histories on the Worlds Words Create sits at the heart of the library project, shaping how materials are described and organized and how they can be retrieved. It presents unique and timely oral histories of alternative thesauri created in response to the inadequacies and biases embedded within widely adopted standards in…

Join us for a tour of BookOps, the center of collections development and distribution for The New York Public Library and Brooklyn Public Library. BookOps is jointly governed and funded by NYPL and BPL and carries the responsibility of meeting the strategic collection management and distribution needs of each organization. This will include a tour of…

If you’re still compiling your summer reading list, Barchives, a METRO Interest Group, has got a book AND a book bar for you. Liz’s Book Bar has only been open a year, but is already a solid fixture in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. If you haven’t visited yet, this first taste will leave you wanting more of their…

Learn how to create and contribute research-grade observations for the global scientific community by using iNaturalist. In this session, whether learning for yourself or for use in library programming, you'll explore the breadth and depth of iNaturalist—a community-based education and science organization app and website for those curious about nature, interested in improving their familiarity…

Please join PLSN on Monday, September 8th for another virtual Abolitionist Futures discussion group. For this evening, we are thrilled to be discussing the recently published book We Grow the World Together: Parenting Toward Abolition (Haymarket Press). We will be guided through this conversation by the book's editors Kim Wilson and Maya Schenwar, as well as contributors Dylan…

Photography is an important element when creating iNaturalist observations. Receive first-hand practice as you walk, and learn how to take clear, concise photographs that optimize your subject. This class will also cover SEEK, an app that uses the iNaturalist database but does not require you to make an account, which is ideal for use with…

In theory, every library’s collection development policy defines the community it serves as well as the information needs of that community. In practice, what a community needs from its library changes over time, and it’s often challenging to identify and address these changes, especially when working with limited resources. In this session, we will discuss…

Our shared, strong commitment to intellectual freedom is a cornerstone of library work, and it impacts every decision we make with our collections. Though the idea of intellectual freedom is most frequently associated with book challenges, this commitment is also crucial to every collection development task, from the day a book is selected to the…

Design with Community is a virtual, four-session learning series developed to build the capacity of library staff to co-design programs and services with their communities. Rooted in the principles of participatory design, the series introduces practical tools and methods that support authentic, community-led engagement. Participants will learn how to center community voices through techniques such…

Are you looking for a new method of thinking or a new style of writing exercise? Have you ever wanted to try exploring generative ideas? This workshop centers on using mini-essays, or microthemes, to get back into the pre-search mindset to effectively research and draft your writing. Learners will go through short sprints of writing…