States across the country are working to provide communities with reliable and affordable high-speed internet with support from unprecedented federal funding. Libraries and library workers will continue to play an essential role in this work. In this webinar, as part of Digital Inclusion Week, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) will provide strategies for building partnerships and coalitions to support digital inclusion work, as well as details about federal grant opportunities that can enhance digital inclusion programs in libraries. The coalitions portion of the webinar will include information on models for developing relationships with community partners to address digital inequities, and to support community digital inclusion ecosystem growth through a framework for partnership and coalition-building drawing from NDIA’s Digital Inclusion Coalition Guidebook. Attendees can expect to: Understand how digital inclusion coalitions are formed, operate, and continue to develop Explore the different roles and functions digital inclusion coalitions undertake Learn about coalition structure and roles Understand library systems’ role in State Digital Equity Planning Learn about federal Capacity and Competitive Grant processes Want an intro to digital inclusion? NDIA is hosting Digital Inclusion 101 on Monday, October 2nd at 2:00pm. Register here. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services here.

While surveys are popular means of collecting data, there are limits to what survey data can tell you. When libraries want to gain a different perspective about their services, programming, and communities, focus groups, interviews, and observations are accessible options. For some, conducting focus groups/interviews or engaging in an observational study can be intimidating, but similar to surveys, there are steps that can be taken to ensure successful data collection using these methods. This session will focus on introducing best practices for conducting focus groups, interviews, and observational studies, and provide examples of how they can be applied in libraries. By the end of the sessions, attendees will be able to: Understand best practices for conducting focus groups, interviews, and observation studies Create focus group/interview protocols that align with library’s information needs Create observation protocols that align with library’s information needs Recognize situations where focus groups, interviews, and/or observational studies will be beneficial for the library About our presenter Dr. Kawanna Bright is Assistant Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University. Dr. Bright earned her PhD in Research Methods and Statistics from the University of Denver in 2018. Prior to earning her doctorate, Dr. Bright worked as an academic librarian for twelve years, with a focus on reference, instructional services, and information literacy. She earned her MLIS from the University of Washington iSchool in 2003. Dr. Bright’s current research focuses on assessment in libraries, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in libraries, the application of research methodology to the study of library and information science, and the importance of the liaison librarianship role in academic libraries. Her work with Dr. Amy VanScoy (University at Buffalo) to investigate the reference and information services experience of librarians of color received a 2014 ALA Diversity Research Grant and was awarded the 2017 Beta Phi Mu-Library Research Round Table Research Paper Award. Dr. Bright is also a co-PI on a recently funded IMLS grant project that will utilize survival analysis to determine when and why BIPOC librarians are likely to leave the profession. Dr. Bright is a 2021 recipient of an ECU College of Education Profiles in Diversity Award and a 2021 recipient of a 2021 NCLA Round Table for Ethnic Minority Concerns’ LIS Instructor Roadbuilder Award. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

What are we really agreeing to when we check an "I Agree" box in terms of service agreements? This workshop will take a close look at the ubiquitous checkbox and examine what we sacrifice for convenience and access to our digital world. Participants will leave with: A better understanding of terms of service agreements Practical ways to take charge of their digital footprint Approaches to teaching patrons about privacy About our presenter: Tess Wilson is a librarian who loves talking loudly about digital literacy, equitable access, and citizen science. Most recently, she was a co-author of an ALA United for Libraries Action Planner and contributed a chapter to ACRL's Data Literacy Cookbook. Outside of this work, she is a PA Master Naturalist and a mentoring trainer with the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern PA. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering with her local watershed and making art of all kinds. She collects big books and small rocks. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

In light of pressing federal regulations, changing norms in different fields, and growing interest in preserving research outcomes, more and more librarians are getting involved in supporting research data management in their institutions. In this session, Vicky Rampin (NYU) will provide a crash course in the core concepts involved in research data management and reproducibility and how these vary across different fields of study, so participants can feel better equipped to support a wide range of researchers. This is part one of a two-part series on research data management. Learn more about part two here. About our presenter: Vicky Rampin is the Librarian for Research Data Management and Reproducibility and the subject specialist for data science and computer at New York University. Vicky supports researchers of all levels and disciplines in creating well-managed, reproducible scholarship through instruction, consultation, outreach, and infrastructure building. They also teach one course at Pratt SLIS every fall, Data Librarianship and Management. She loves all things open and contributes to a number of open projects as a part of their jobs and in her spare time. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

A symposium by Brooklyn Public Library and Metropolitan New York Library Council Hosted by BPL's Brooklyn Heights Library and Center for Brooklyn History The day's emcee is Sheneatha Frison, School Outreach Librarian, Brooklyn Public Library When it comes to working on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion – particularly in libraries and archives, where the industry remains more than 80% white – it can feel as though we are engaged in a sisyphean task. As many of us are well aware, anti-racist practice in these spaces is imperative, and yet we are all prone to fatigue when it feels as though we are not making as much progress as we would like. It is necessary at times like this to take a break, come together with our colleagues, and figure out how we might retool and re-energize so that this important work can continue. When we come together around these topics, we often discover that there are many ways to go about achieving our goals of promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work. Through presentations, workshops, and a panel discussion, this symposium will aim to provide tools, resources, and strategies you can use for staying engaged in EDI work for as long as it takes. Opening Presentation Remarks by Nancy S. Kirkpatrick, Dean of University Libraries, Florida International University Where Do We Go From Here? A Panel Discussion on the Future of Library Leadership Nicole Bryan, Branch Manager, Brooklyn Public Library Nancy S. Kirkpatrick, Dean of University Libraries, Florida International University Diana Moronta, Instruction and Technology Librarian, New York Institute of Technology-Manhattan Library Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, Assistant Curator and Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Engagement, New York University Division of Libraries Moderated by Traci Mark, Program Manager for Equity, Archives & Media Preservation, METRO Presentations Critical Reflective Practice for the Overburdened Library Worker Emma Karin Eriksson, Senior Young Adult Librarian, Brooklyn Public Library EDI Work in Action: Public- and Non-Public-Facing Approaches Hong Yao, Director, Technical Services Department, Queens Public Library Xi (Cathy) Chen, Assistant Director of Programming and Operations, New Americans Program, Queens Public Library Have Ally, Need Accomplice Robin Naughton, Interim Deputy Chief, Assistant Professor, Web and Digital Services Librarian, Queens College Library Simone Yearwood, Interim Dean of Faculty, School of Arts & Humanities, Queens College Mindful Information Literacy Through Project-Based Learning Selenay Aytac, Library Faculty, Long Island University The daylong symposium will take place at Brooklyn Public Library's Brooklyn Heights Library and at the Center for Brooklyn History, followed by a social hour nearby. Light breakfast and lunch are included. Both spaces are fully accessible. Masks are not required, but are strongly recommended. We hope to see you there. Register today!

Join METRO's Economics & Business Librarians Special Interest Group for this in-person Fall event. There are a handful of documents public companies must file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These documents, while steeped in legalese, contain a wealth of information and serve as the backbone for libraries’ major financial data products. In this session, Barbara Coffey, President, SLA Business & Finance, will walk you through the different SEC documents, what they contain, and their utility to researchers. Examining source documents adds a level of comprehension to financial research. Light refreshments will be served. Please note: Masks are optional This is an in-person only event RSVP is required Location: Bobst Library Rm 743 (West Wing, 7th Floor), 70 Washington Sq S, NY, NY 10012

In this session, Vicky Rampin (NYU) will discuss building and maintaining services for research data management and reproducibility. Attendees will hear about different ways to ramp up and scale different offerings in order to address new federal regulations, wishes of researchers, and preservation concerns. We will also discuss different modalities of instruction, reference, collections, and infrastructure to support these services at different times (starting out and ramping up). This is part two of a two-part series on research data management. Learn more about part one here. About our presenter: Vicky Rampin is the Librarian for Research Data Management and Reproducibility and the subject specialist for data science and computer at New York University. Vicky supports researchers of all levels and disciplines in creating well-managed, reproducible scholarship through instruction, consultation, outreach, and infrastructure building. They also teach one course at Pratt SLIS every fall, Data Librarianship and Management. She loves all things open and contributes to a number of open projects as a part of their jobs and in her spare time. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

Focus groups, interviews, and observation studies produce large amounts of data for libraries to analyze. Depending on which data collection approach was used, you’ll want to apply the correct data analysis approach in order to gain the most from your data. Coding is a necessity when working with focus groups, interviews, and even observational data, and while challenging, is a skill set that can be learned. This session will introduce the basics of coding both qualitative and quantitative data and will share additional approaches to analyzing data to maximize the benefits gained from conducting focus groups, interviews, and observation studies. By the end of the sessions, attendees will be able to: Understand the basics of coding qualitative data, including different types of coding approaches Identify approaches to analyzing observation study data to align with the data collected Connect data gathered from focus groups, interviews, and observations to overarching questions or concerns faced by libraries About our presenter Dr. Kawanna Bright is Assistant Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University. Dr. Bright earned her PhD in Research Methods and Statistics from the University of Denver in 2018. Prior to earning her doctorate, Dr. Bright worked as an academic librarian for twelve years, with a focus on reference, instructional services, and information literacy. She earned her MLIS from the University of Washington iSchool in 2003. Dr. Bright’s current research focuses on assessment in libraries, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in libraries, the application of research methodology to the study of library and information science, and the importance of the liaison librarianship role in academic libraries. Her work with Dr. Amy VanScoy (University at Buffalo) to investigate the reference and information services experience of librarians of color received a 2014 ALA Diversity Research Grant and was awarded the 2017 Beta Phi Mu-Library Research Round Table Research Paper Award. Dr. Bright is also a co-PI on a recently funded IMLS grant project that will utilize survival analysis to determine when and why BIPOC librarians are likely to leave the profession. Dr. Bright is a 2021 recipient of an ECU College of Education Profiles in Diversity Award and a 2021 recipient of a 2021 NCLA Round Table for Ethnic Minority Concerns’ LIS Instructor Roadbuilder Award. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

Want to learn more about prison abolition? Looking to explore the role of information in the prison industrial complex? Excited to discuss ways we can collectively offer resources to address violence caused by mass incarceration? Join the club (literally!). The Prison Library Support Network is collaborating with METRO in 2023 to host Abolitionist Futures: A PLSN Discussion Group, which will meet quarterly on the second Monday of the month at 7:30pm. While the group's facilitators (and host) are affiliated with libraries, you do not need to be a librarian or information professional to attend this group. We invite you to join with kids, double task with your dinner, have your camera on OR off, engage with the materials, and contribute to the discussion however you feel comfortable. Do not feel pressure to read, listen to, or watch everything listed! This is a casual space. The final discussion of the year will look at the day-to-day price tags incarcerated folks face when accessing prison commissaries and other essential services on the inside: PLSN Presents: What Is a Prison Commissary? (PLSN's Instagram) The Whole Shabang (Ear Hustle podcast, 46 min) Optional: The Company Store: A Deeper Look at Prison Commissaries (Report from the Prison Policy Initiative) Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.