So you want to be an information worker? Congratulations and welcome to the noble and complex world of public service! An MLS/MLIS degree can prepare you for a lot of the technical side of things, but it may not prepare you for the everyday reality of the work. Join Brooklyn Public Library's Emma Karin Eriksson for a seminar on what to expect in the first five years of your information career. Designed for both current students and early career library workers, you'll hear about her journey, and gain practical tips about what the work is really like. Following this event, participants will be able to: Understand strategies for standing out in the job market Confidently handle networking opportunities Determine and set goals for success in their first five years Participants will not only gain valuable and honest information from an experienced professional, they will also have the opportunity to: Meet peers and make connections Pick up a goodie bag filled with professional development swag Enjoy lunch, which will be provided for all participants Bring all the questions you have about a career in libraries! Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

This interactive workshop builds on foundational concepts covered in the first session, Foundations of Data Visualization: Theory and Techniques. Scheduled three weeks later to allow time for individual practice, this session provides an opportunity for participants to workshop their own data visualizations. Participants will engage in discussions about their data visualizations, receive and provide constructive feedback, and develop strategies to make their library data more accessible and impactful. By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: Apply visualization techniques to create compelling and effective representations of library data Critically evaluate and refine your visualizations through peer feedback and iteration Develop an approach to using visualization tools and techniques tailored to your specific data and goals This is Part 2 of a 2-part series. Find out more about Part 1 here. About our presenter: Jordan Packer (she/her) is a data analyst and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. As the Senior Data Analyst for the Assessment Program at Columbia University Libraries, Jordan leads library assessment and analytics initiatives, supports colleagues in their own assessment projects, and collaborates with staff to effectively build data analysis tools. Additionally, Jordan serves as a part-time faculty member at the Parsons School of Design, where she teaches undergraduate courses, such as Information Visualization and Politics and Ethics of Design. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

Among the many styles and theories of management, using a people-centered approach can provide many benefits for your library team. According to Workramp, “People-centric leadership means taking an empathetic, compassionate approach to managing team members. People-centric leaders are invested in their employees, both in their professional success, and in their overall well-being.” This approach can create a thriving work-place where employees feel valued, which leads to greater team morale, longer retention, better collaboration and teamwork, as well as increased creativity, productivity, and meaningful communication. This webinar will introduce the concept of a people-centered approach to management, how it compares to other management styles, and how leaders and managers can successfully incorporate aspects of this style into their library. Participants will learn: The meaning of people-centered leadership and the theories behind it The benefits as well as possible challenges to a people-centered style of leadership What makes a people-centered leader Specific ways to incorporate the elements of people-centered leadership into the workplace Resources and tools for becoming a more people-centered manager or leader About our presenter: Rhonda Evans is the Director of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library at the New York Botanical Garden, one of the largest and most comprehensive botanical libraries in the world. Rhonda joined NYBG from the New York Public Library where she held various roles over eight years. For most of her tenure at NYPL she was the Assistant Chief Librarian at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rhonda has written for multiple library publications, including Libraries: Culture, History, and Society, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, and the anthology The Black Librarian in America: Reflections, Resistance, and Reawakening. Rhonda is very active within the museum and library professions. She was the former Co-Chair of the History Committee for the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Rhonda has served as the Chair of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Round Table, was an ALA presidential appointee to the Intellectual Freedom Committee, she recently worked with Lincoln Center on the Legacies of San Juan Hill Project, and currently serves on the board of the Museums Council of New York City. Rhonda has also taught in the MLIS program at Pratt Institute. Prior to entering the library profession, Rhonda was a practicing attorney in New York.

Join us for an exploration of core principles of data visualization and their application within library settings. This session will introduce fundamental concepts and techniques for visualizing both qualitative and quantitative data. We will cover visualization methods, including charts, graphs, and infographics, and discuss how these tools can enhance data storytelling, support decision-making, and create meaningful visual representations of library data. By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: Understand key principles of effective data visualization Recognize and differentiate between various visualization types and their best uses for qualitative and quantitative data Assess the effectiveness of different visualization methods in communicating complex library insights This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. Find out more about Part 2 here. About our presenter: Jordan Packer (she/her) is a data analyst and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. As the Senior Data Analyst for the Assessment Program at Columbia University Libraries, Jordan leads library assessment and analytics initiatives, supports colleagues in their own assessment projects, and collaborates with staff to effectively build data analysis tools. Additionally, Jordan serves as a part-time faculty member at the Parsons School of Design, where she teaches undergraduate courses, such as Information Visualization and Politics and Ethics of Design. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

Understanding the "manosphere" -- a discursive online space occupied by a loose confederacy of interest groups encompassing a wide range of ideologies and beliefs centered on reinforcing patriarchy -- is important for information professionals for many reasons. First, many manosphere sites act as echo chambers which significantly contribute to the spread of misinformation and hate speech. Narratives on the manosphere tend to reinforce rigid gender binaries and hierarchies. These narratives negate the humanity of women and LGBTQ+ individuals, fueling the biased logic underlying discriminatory policies such as banning books in public libraries that contain LGBTQ+ content. Being aware of manosphere ideologies and their online presence is also crucial for academic librarians as they attempt to educate students on recognizing and critically evaluating sources of misinformation. Information professionals need to understand what the manosphere is, how it operates, how it impacts our patron’s lives, and how to effectively counteract the misogynistic, racist, and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric it perpetuates. Following this webinar, attendees will be able to: Define the origin of manosphere and the spectrum of ideologies that it encompasses (including misogynist incels, Men’s Rights Activists, Pick Up Artists, and Men Going Their Own Way/MGTOW) Recognize key manosphere sites and understand how they contribute to the spread of misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, and racist, misinformation Identify key resources and tools for effectively combating manosphere rhetoric and misinformation About our presenter: Robin O’Hanlon (she/her) currently serves as the Associate Librarian for User Services at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She is a doctoral student in criminal justice at the City University of New York Graduate Center. Her research interests include male supremacist violence, criminalization of abortion and pregnancy, and crimes of power. Robin is also a mentee at the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism (IRMS), an intersectional feminist organization that brings together experts from inside and outside of academia to analyze and expose the dangers of misogynist ideology and mobilization. Her research on misogynistic extremism has appeared in Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, one of the world’s premier collections of botanical literature from throughout world history, and the largest such archive in the Western Hemisphere. The Mertz Library promotes the intelligent stewardship of the natural world by collecting and preserving works of merit in botany, horticulture, and landscape design. Following the tour, connect with colleagues and enjoy the Wonderland: Curious Nature exhibition, explore the grounds, or find a spot to sit and chat with one another for a while. If you are interested in visiting the Conservatory or using the tram, those will require a paid ticket, but you are able to fully enjoy the grounds of the garden by foot. Transportation: The Metro North is by far the easiest way to get to NYBG. The Botanical Garden stop on the Harlem line will let you off right across from the Mosholu gate, which is the closest entrance to the Library. Limited parking spaces will be available to attendees on a first-come, first-serve basis; please let us know at checkout if you will require parking. Please note: Space is limited, so if you’ve secured a spot but then find you’re unable to join, please let us know so we can open your spot to someone on the waitlist.

This session will provide and talk through practical tips for supporting the agency of autistic and neurodivergent individuals in your library. Led by Bailey Hoffner, an adult-diagnosed autistic librarian, the session will encourage attendees to ask questions such as: What are specific ways of thinking that aren't serving your entire community, and how might you work towards a neuro-affirming, universal design? What are things that you and your library are doing because you think you should and which of those things could be dropped to better support autistic and neurodivergent individuals? What parts of yourself may need tending to make the necessary paradigm shift towards more neuro-affirming practices? Participants will walk away with actionable steps they can take in nearly all areas of librarianship, from more inclusive ways to engage with patrons to better policies to support all workers. About our presenter: Bailey Hoffner is an artist, writer, mother, partner, and PDA autistic, white woman. She currently serves as the Metadata Librarian for Digital Resources and Discovery Services at Oklahoma State's Edmon Low Library. In her own research and creative work, she is interested in investigating ways in which metadata and descriptive practices have the power to uphold or dismantle the structural racism, sexism, ableism, and discrimination inherent in their creation and use, with a particular interest in the representation of autistic experience in library work and library metadata. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services.

The METRO-ILL Fall 2024 meeting welcomes everyone interested in resource sharing and interlibrary loan topics. Bring any resource sharing topics/questions/ideas that you would like to discuss. Or, we may take on some topics such as learning/enhancing best practices when dealing with tough requests, resources for searching difficult to fill requests, tips/suggestions for system cleanups (maintenance), e-book chapter lending, etc.

UPDATE: Unfortunately, we made the decision to cancel this event due to low registration. However, we hope to reschedule the workshop in 2025, so please stay tuned! A Beginner's Guide to Failure is a half-day cohort experience that teaches library workers how to celebrate failure–really! Instead of viewing failure as evidence of something lacking, this short course endeavors to help individuals better integrate failure as part of being fully human, taking creative risks, and growing critical skills and mindsets for learning organizations. In other words, despite the common misconception, failure is the rule, not the exception, and more failure actually leads to better ideas, creative solutions, and more productive workplaces! This workshop draws on teachings in emotional intelligence, psychology, philosophy, and culture. Our specific goals and objectives for this workshop are to: Encourage critical engagement and exploration of the concept of failure in our lives, especially, but not exclusively, our work lives; Experiment with new ways of failing productively, including design-thinking and prototyping approaches; Explore stories of failure in library-settings, normalizing the experience of failure; Experience failure as part of a work of beauty and impermanence; and Help workers orient themselves and develop unique connections to fellow workers in a shared spirit of celebrating failure. Lunch will be served. About the Instructor: A.M. Alpin is a creative librarian and educator who teaches creative workshops at NYU, the Made in NY Media Lab, and other institutions. In addition to producing countless failures, she is the past recipient of the Sundance Institute's Sheila C. Johnson Creative Producing Fellowship, the American Library Association's Advocacy & Innovation in Library History Award, and the Association of College & Research Libraries' Outstanding Professional Development Award. Her creative work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, the Independent Filmmaker Project, the Austin Film Society, the Southern Humanities Media Fund, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Join us for a book discussion led by special guest hosts Joseph Morris and Mia Vasquez (Librarians with Brooklyn Public Libraries Jail + Prison Services). Using Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson as a guide, our hosts will lead us in conversation about the politics and societies that grow and exist within prisons, the limitations of prison reform, and their own roles in providing jail-based library services for individuals in NYC DOC facilities. We will end our conversation with takeaways for our participants in how we can all work to provide information to those inside. Materials to discuss: Blood In the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising Of 1971 And Its Legacy, by Heather Ann Thompson (available at BPL, QPL, NYPL) Suggested: ATTICA Documentary (1974) While we are asking you to engage with Thompson’s whole book, we ask that you study Parts II and III (p. 43-161) in closer detail. Parts I, IV, and V are also important for wider context, and will be referenced throughout our discussion. About Our Hosts: Joey Morris is the Outreach Associate in Jail & Prison Services at Brooklyn Public Library. He has been bringing library services into NYC jails for over 8 years. He thinks a lot about the liberatory potential of the public library and is cautiously optimistic. Mia Vasquez is part of the Jail and Prison Services team under Justice Initiatives at the Brooklyn Public Library. They navigate the rewarding yet challenging position of supporting incarcerated patrons through library services and correspondence. Please review our Code of Conduct, our Statement on Viewpoints, and details on Interpreter Services here.

What is the difference between disc and DAT? How can I give my patrons access to audio recordings? Why on earth would you bake a tape? This hands-on workshop will examine the current state of audio preservation for libraries and archives—both as physical formats and digital files. By the end of the workshop, you should be able to: Identify most audio formats found in a library or archive, and understand their operating principles Determine the best environment for long-term care of your physical media Prioritize your audio materials for reformatting according to their fragility, obsolescence, value, and property-rights issues Know current best practices and standards in reformatting of physical audio formats Be knowledgeable about long-term preservation issues of digital audio objects Bring a curious mind, alert ears and—if you wish—an audio item you want to identify! Recommended reading: Guidelines on the production and preservation of digital audio objects. (Aarhus, Denmark): International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA), 2004. Available from https://www.iasa-web.org/tc04/audio-preservation About our presenter: Marcos Sueiro Bal is the Archives Manager at New York Public Radio. He is a member of the technical committees of the Association of Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) and the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives (IASA), and was part of the Collection Management Task Force that drafted the Library of Congress National Recording Preservation Plan in 2012. In 2011 he co-translated the definitive text on audio preservation, IASA's Guidelines for the Production and Preservation of Digital Audio Objects. He is a member of the Standards Committee of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and has taught Audio Preservation at Long Island University's Palmer School of Library Science. In 2011 he mastered and restored Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy (Hyperion), and in 2008 was nominated for a Grammy for his restoration work on Polk Miller and His Old South Quartette (Tompkins Square). Marcos has worked at the Alan Lomax Archives, Columbia University Libraries (where he developed AVDb, a preservation prioritization tool), the Center for Black Music Research, Masterdisk mastering studios, and Emory University.

Join us for a two hour long session dedicated to Archipelago's Search & Solr setup. After the first hour focusing on the nuts and bolts of Search and Solr, we will take a short break and then resume for a live walkthrough of the Strawberry Keyname Providers to Facet Block process, following step-by-step with our related Archipelago documentation guide.

Help us imagine the future of the Library Field Project. Get involved today! This summer the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO), alongside our consulting team BKS Studio, is hosting a series of community gatherings aimed at bringing together a diverse and creative group of cultural institution workers from New York City and Westchester County. We began with the meet and greet Social Happenings in June (more info here) where participants explored key relationship skills, reflecting on their histories with spaces, and began to identify needs and challenges of working outdoors. These meet and greet social happenings set the groundwork for building new or renewing existing relationships with each other and our surrounding environments. Now as we shift to full summer mode, it is time to find inspiration and envision ideas for the future outdoor Library Field project! We invite all current and future METRO members to the following community envisioning sessions - THE IMAGININGS! Help us keep the momentum going this August! Imaginings are in-depth nature learning, interagency demonstrations, and brainstorming sessions in outdoor spaces. We will focus on bringing together METRO’s current members and potential partners to explore the benefits of place-based programming, learning, and sharing. Participants are invited to attend 1 of 2 sessions held at various sites in Westchester County. During the Imaginings attendees will share and relive memories of New York City and Westchester County using native-to-space/ native-to-place based techniques that center the past, present, and future of the Library Field initiative. New and returning participants welcomed! For these Imaginings we invite all current and prospective METRO members, leaders and workers at cultural heritage institutions to meet and share with each other their vision for the Library Field. This would include not only your expertise in the fields of galleries, archives, libraries, and museums but also your insights as inhabitants and enjoyers of the local environments, land, and resources found in New York City and Westchester County. Your views will help craft the future of the project! As a token of our appreciation, we would like to offer participants an honorarium of $25 for sharing their time, expertise, and engagement with our Imaginings. Are you ready to join the fun? Registration is open through August 12th, 2024 on a first-come, first-served basis. What to expect at Hilltop Hanover Farm ABOUT THE SITE: Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center is dedicated to the development and advancement of sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, community education, and accessible food systems for all. The Farm is a bucolic 400-year-old historic working farm in Yorktown Heights, Westchester County New York. In 2011, the non-profit organization The Friends of Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center, Inc. a 501(c)(3) was established. Today Friends conducts the farming and educational programming, in a cooperative public-private partnership with the County of Westchester. More information can be found on their website. After registering through the Eventbrite link, an email will be sent out with further details about transportation and access details Transportation and environmental information about Hilltop Hanover Farms Lunch will be provided Activities will be held outdoors with adequate shade, hydration, and sitting breaks Are you a beginner to outdoor programming? Nervous about extreme climate such as heat, rain, or other inclement weather? Worried about being outside unprepared? Not a problem! With the guidance of METRO staff and BKS, we aim to provide all necessary supplies to help soothe some outdoor frustrations or concerns. BUT we also emphasize that as we plan for the Outdoor Library, there will be many lessons to learn on how humans can re-adapt to our constantly changing environments. What METRO will provide Meal ingredients, cooking and eating supplies, and fire pit Cool and icy treats Canopy for shade Bug repellent Sunscreen Lighting Coolers and ice Potable and drinking water Chairs Emergency first aid supplies Backup toiletries Trash bag and containers Ventilation and reflectors Flashlights Multi-tools Hand sanitizer and basic cleaning supplies Emergency electricity Experience and advice on various camping and outdoor activities What YOU should bring to make the event more enjoyable Water bottle Hat Sun screen Bug repellent Fans (anything to help with heat and potentially rain) Closed-toe shoes (optional back up sandals) Change of clothes, light colors preferred (optional) In case of inclement weather, METRO staff will Notify registered participants day-of if weather prohibits event attendance Confirm a backup rainy-day alternative date once after registration If you have questions or issues when registering please contact libraryfield@metro.org for more information. If you can’t make these events, sign up for the monthly newsletter for future opportunities (details below). But what exactly is the Library Field project? The Library Field is a new project for METRO. We are looking for a nonurban, semi-rural outdoor location that our network of libraries, archives, museums, and other organizations can use as a shared programming space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, METRO took part in a nationwide initiative that revealed some of the implications of moving library programs and services outside of buildings. Cultural institutions all over the country refocused their efforts on safe outdoor programming through environmental education, storywalks, community gardening, nature connectedness work, citizen science projects, and more. Based on what we learned during that difficult time, METRO plans to open a permanent facility that will serve our region and become a prototype for a new service model for libraries, their partners, and their communities. With activities situated somewhere between those of a park, a preserve, a museum, and a library, the Library Field will be a shared environment that will deepen the community’s understanding of the natural world and the way that we study it, find inspiration in it, and are responsible for its protection. For more information about our ideas and our progress, sign up for our newsletter via this form or peek at our journal entries here.

Strawberryfield Formatters are one of the key tools powering Archipelago's display and rendering of your repository assets. In this session we will review Archipelagos default Strawberryfield Formatters and Display Modes, and discuss how you can adjust these to your own display preferences and needs.

Description: Join us for a walkthrough of an Archipelago 1.4.0 Local Deployment and a quick tour through some of the new and updated features baked into the latest release.

Help us imagine the future of the Library Field Project. Get involved today! This summer the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO), alongside our consulting team BKS Studio, is hosting a series of community gatherings aimed at bringing together a diverse and creative group of cultural institution workers from New York City and Westchester County. We began with the meet and greet Social Happenings in June (more info here) where participants explored key relationship skills, reflecting on their histories with spaces, and began to identify needs and challenges of working outdoors. These meet and greet social happenings set the groundwork for building new or renewing existing relationships with each other and our surrounding environments. Now as we shift to full summer mode, it is time to find inspiration and envision ideas for the future outdoor Library Field project! We invite all current and future METRO members to the following community envisioning sessions - THE IMAGININGS! Help us keep the momentum going this August! Imaginings are in-depth nature learning, interagency demonstrations, and brainstorming sessions in outdoor spaces. We will focus on bringing together METRO’s current members and potential partners to explore the benefits of place-based programming, learning, and sharing. Participants are invited to attend 1 of 2 sessions held at various sites in Westchester County. During the Imaginings attendees will share and relive memories of New York City and Westchester County using native-to-space/native-to-place based techniques that center the past, present, and future of the Library Field initiative. New and returning participants welcomed! For these Imaginings we invite all current and prospective METRO members, leaders and workers at cultural heritage institutions to meet and share with each other their vision for the Library Field. This would include not only your expertise in the fields of galleries, archives, libraries, and museums but also your insights as inhabitants and enjoyers of the local environments, land, and resources found in New York City and Westchester County. Your views will help craft the future of the project! As a token of our appreciation, we would like to offer participants an honorarium of $25 for sharing their time, expertise, and engagement with our Imaginings. Are you ready to join the fun? Registration is open through August 1st, 2024 on a first-come, first-served basis. What to expect at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation ABOUT THE SITE: 4,700 acres of rolling countryside and is Westchester County’s largest park. The terrain is extremely varied, ranging from deep hollows to ridges 800 feet high. There are hemlock gorges, dry uplands, wetlands, ponds, and two rivers, meadows, marshes and vernal pools, all connected by 35 miles of trails. Want to preview some of the interesting sights to see when you visit the park? Check out this cool story map! After registering through the Eventbrite link, an email will be sent out with further details about transportation and access details Transportation and environmental information about Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Food will be provided (lunch, dinner, and breakfast) BONUS SOCIAL HAPPENING: Family-Friendly Overnight Camp-Out at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation Join us for an all-ages Library Field camping opportunity to be held shortly after the Imagining event with an official start of 6:00pm. Attendees are welcome to stay overnight at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation with us as we continue to imagine and learn about the future of the project. Alongside optional activities, attendees will be provided camping support and advice, supplies, dinner and breakfast, as well as an open air structure for shade and protection. NOTE: Site is both tent and car camping friendly. Prior to the event, METRO will send more information on camping tips and a walkthrough of provided supplies. Activities will be held outdoors with adequate shade, hydration, and sitting breaks Are you a beginner to outdoor programming? Nervous about extreme climate such as heat, rain, or other inclement weather? Worried about being outside unprepared? Not a problem! With the guidance of METRO staff and BKS, we aim to provide all necessary supplies to help soothe some outdoor frustrations or concerns. BUT we also emphasize that as we plan for the Outdoor Library, there will be many lessons to learn on how humans can re-adapt to our constantly changing environments. What METRO will provide Meal ingredients, cooking and eating supplies, and fire pit Cool and icy treats Canopy for shade Tents (limited supply; please confirm if you need one) Bug repellent Sunscreen Lighting Coolers and ice Potable and drinking water Chairs Emergency first aid supplies Backup toiletries Trash bag and containers Ventilation and reflectors Flashlights Multi-tools Hand sanitizer and basic cleaning supplies Emergency electricity Experience and advice on various camping and outdoor activities What YOU should bring to make the event more enjoyable Water bottle Hat Sun screen Bug repellent Fans (anything to help with heat and potentially rain) Closed-toe shoes (optional back up sandals) Change of clothes, light colors preferred (optional) In case of inclement weather, METRO staff will Notify registered participants day-of if weather prohibits event attendance Confirm a backup rainy-day alternative date once after registration If you have questions or issues when registering please contact libraryfield@metro.org for more information. If you can’t make these events, sign up for the monthly newsletter for future opportunities (details below). But what exactly is the Library Field project? The Library Field is a new project for METRO. We are looking for a nonurban, semi-rural outdoor location that our network of libraries, archives, museums, and other organizations can use as a shared programming space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, METRO took part in a nationwide initiative that revealed some of the implications of moving library programs and services outside of buildings. Cultural institutions all over the country refocused their efforts on safe outdoor programming through environmental education, storywalks, community gardening, nature connectedness work, citizen science projects, and more. Based on what we learned during that difficult time, METRO plans to open a permanent facility that will serve our region and become a prototype for a new service model for libraries, their partners, and their communities. With activities situated somewhere between those of a park, a preserve, a museum, and a library, the Library Field will be a shared environment that will deepen the community’s understanding of the natural world and the way that we study it, find inspiration in it, and are responsible for its protection. For more information about our ideas and our progress, sign up for our newsletter via this form or peek at our journal entries here.

Join METRO and Zine Educator Emma Karin Eriksson for an afternoon of zine-making and snacking in the sunshine. Emma Karin will teach you the basic one-page fold technique to create a mini-zine from a single sheet of 8.5" x 11" piece of paper. There will be prompts and supplies on hand for you to use to create your own unique zine. Emma Karin will also provide tips and tricks you can use to teach zine-making to your patrons and colleagues. There will also be supplies for you to contribute to the new collaborative zine From the Stacks: Stories and Snippets of Wisdom from NYC Information Workers. We will provide all zine making materials, but feel free to bring any stickers, stamps, washi tape, bits of wrapping paper, old magazines, discarded books, and anything else you might like to use in your zine. The workshop will take place outdoors in Prospect Park, near the Prospect Park/Parkside Avenue B/Q subway stations. While there may be some benches, we cannot guarantee a seat to everyone, so please bring something to sit on if you would like (picnic blanket, portable chair, etc.). We will have some surfaces to lean on but encourage you to bring a clipboard, sketch book, or other hard surface to work on. METRO will provide some light snacks and beverages, but please feel free to bring your own. NOTE: In case of inclement weather, we will meet on the rain date, Sunday, August 4th from 11:00am to 1:00pm.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of The Explorers Club, a multidisciplinary, professional society dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration, and resource conservation. Its Research Collections contain approximately 14,000 volumes, 550 linear feet of archives and manuscripts, 1,000 artifacts, 3,500 maps, and 500 films and videos housed throughout Club Headquarters. Items in the collection include Matthew Henson’s mittens worn on his 1909 North Pole Expedition, expedition manuscripts and journals, the globe where Thor Heyerdahl planned the Kon-Tiki expedition, flags from pioneering expeditions including the Apollo 11 Mission, photos, films, maps, and more! Following the tour, join us for a social hour at a nearby location to connect with fellow local library and archives workers. Please note: Space is limited, so if you’ve secured a spot but then find you’re unable to join, please let us know so we can open your spot to someone on the waitlist.

Indebted to the work of Black women writers Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, and Tricia Hersey, and the continued efforts of library workers from Sandy Berman to Emily Drabinski, this session from Bailey Hoffner explores why slowing down is not only a viable approach to metadata justice work, but the only sustainable approach allowing us the restful space necessary to: see, understand, and subvert the structural discrimination built into our information systems; imagine and create new systems; truly trust ourselves. Viewers can expect to:  - Understand the necessary steps toward creating an individual and/or group framework for metadata justice, including the essential place of a non-punitive grievance process.  - Identify how the persistent fear of scrutiny can contribute to our inability to slow down, if we don’t take the essential first steps of grounding ourselves in our principles - Assess if they have taken the time and the care to truly consider the impacts of their work About our presenter: Bailey Hoffner is an artist, writer, mother, partner, and PDA autistic, white woman. She currently serves as the Metadata Librarian for Digital Resources and Discovery Services at Oklahoma State's Edmon Low Library. In her own research and creative work, she is interested in investigating ways in which metadata and descriptive practices have the power to uphold or dismantle the structural racism, sexism, ableism, and discrimination inherent in their creation and use, with a particular interest in the representation of autistic experience in library work and library metadata.

Please join us for this special event where Executive Director Nate Hill will provide an overview of the work METRO has done for our membership and the field at large in 2023-2024. You’ll hear stories about our programs and events, grant programs, software services, research, and more. Nate will also speak about METRO’s new Library Field project and the related workshops taking place this summer. Finally, we’ll also be joined by an amazing panel of library leaders whose work explores the connections between library work and nature connectedness through gardening and food production, environmental awareness and kinship, and global goals and coordination. Our panelists will include Sue Buswell of Library Farm, Maria Mayo-Peaseley of Anythink Nature Library, Helene Schvartzman of Aarhus Public Libraries, and Acacia Thompson of the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Center. About our panelists: Susan (Sue) Buswell is the Library Farm Manager at the Library Farm at the Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL), Cicero branch. As a mother of three, Sue started maintaining a garden plot at the Library Farm when it began in 2011. She was offered the position to manage the garden in 2019 based on various community involvements. Becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer in 2022 increased her passion for gardening and community engagements. She is starting her fifth season as the Library Farm Manager, which still brings joy to her days. Maria Mayo-Peaseley has been with Anythink Libraries for eight years, and in that time has worked in library customer service, adult programming, branch management, and most recently, as manager to the yet-to-be-opened Anythink Nature Library. In this role, Maria is part of the Anythink Nature Library’s design team, while also serving as interim manager of Anythink's central branch, Anythink Wright Farms. Maria earned a Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina in 2017, and prior to her time at Anythink worked in the Interpretation and Education Division of Rocky Mountain National Park.   Helene Schvartzman has been a Library Transformer at Aarhus Public Libraries in Denmark since 2011. Helene’s greatest professional passion is making the complex sustainability crisis tangible, accessible and shareable. The library aims at connecting Culture and Nature through systemic, planetary design approaches, and she gets to do just that every day as head of the SDG-Library. That is expressed sometimes in the form of outdoor reading sessions, seagull-yoga, seed library, or walking library, and sometimes through textile, woodwork, or plant-workshops. The goal is to transform Libraries into DreamLabs for a sustainable future. Acacia Thompson's role as the Environmental Justice Coordinator for Brooklyn Public Library centers around creating environmental education programming, promoting sustainability, and keeping patrons abreast of environmental justice issues in New York City and around the world. As a librarian, Acacia helps connect patrons to environmental resources, aides in research, and shares activism opportunities in her community. You may follow her work at #bklyn_geec.

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 to host Abolitionist Futures: A PLSN Discussion Group, which will meet quarterly on the second Monday of the month at 7:30pm. In 2024, we will continue to curate a rotating calendar of media resources for discussion, including: books, podcasts, videos, zines, and more! We’re also re-committing to the “futures” part of our discussion group by intentionally building in time during each meeting to share actionable steps for practicing everyday abolition. Also new in 2024! We’re aiming to be joined by special guest facilitators (authors, librarians, and more) with a range of experiences relating to prison abolition. More details to come! If you’re on our PLSN listserv, you’ll receive information throughout the year on how to join each discussion group, who our featured guest will be, and which materials we’d like you to engage with before joining. As a reminder, both upcoming discussion content and past years of discussion materials can be found on this doc. In June, join Abolitionist Futures for a conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and producer Maggie Freleng. Dive into her reporting on wrongful convictions, the criminal legal system, and other social issues via podcast episodes, articles, and more. Together, we will discuss the evolution of Maggie’s work, the important yet challenging task of highlighting the lived experiences of incarcerated individuals from the outside, and how journalism is a key component of abolition. As always, our discussion materials are free to access and contain a variety of media formats. Before joining the meeting please read, listen to, and explore these materials: LISTEN Buried Abuse (38 min) READ Shackled: The Devastating Reality of Childbirth Behind Bars Optional: LISTEN Suave (7-episode podcast series) READ In Search of Safety: An Investigation of Abuse at an Immigration Facility (Rewire.News article accompanying Buried Abuse podcast) EXPLORE More of Maggie's reporting and podcast work About our guest: Maggie Freleng is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and producer based in New York City reporting on wrongful convictions, the criminal legal system and social issues. She is the host and producer of the Signal and Anthem award winning podcast “Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng”, as well as “Murder in Alliance” and “Unjust & Unsolved.” She is also the host and producer of the Pulitzer Prize winning podcast “Suave” on PRX. “Suave” also won the 2022 International Documentary Award and Maggie was nominated for the 2022 Livingston Award for National Reporting on “Suave”. Maggie is an Adjunct Professor at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and formerly the Producer-at-Large for NPR’s Latino USA. She was an NPR Next Generation Radio fellow and 2019 Ford Foundation “50 Women Can Change the World in Journalism” fellow. In 2023 she was honored during “World Woman Hour” by the World Woman Foundation for “breaking the role” as a female change-maker. Maggie is also a Webby and iHeart nominee for “Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng.” Maggie graduated with an M.A in Journalism focusing on Health & Sciences and Radio Broadcast from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY in December 2015. She earned a B.A in Journalism and English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2011. Her work has been featured in Rolling Stone, The LA Times, The Atlantic, Spin, The Observer, Democracy Now!, MSNBC, NPR, Vulture, People, HLN, WNYC, NPR’s Code Switch, NBC New York, WHYY, Dr. Phil, Dr. OZ, Boston Globe, The Huffington Post, and Voices of New York.

Join the Archivists Round Table of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (ART) in collaboration with the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) and the Feminist Institute (TFI) for a workshop on ethical considerations surrounding digitization and oral history. As our world becomes increasingly digital, so do archives. Bringing materials online presents a unique set of challenges. The Feminist Institute shapes our archival practices within feminist ethics of care. This means we prioritize building relationships with our record holders, view ourselves as caretakers of their materials, and utilize a collaborative cataloging model to create a participatory archiving environment. An extension of this form of care work, called reciprocal ethnography, asks questions like, “how do we give agency to our narrators to be advocates of their own stories.” By looking at projects like the NYC Trans Oral History Project, we learn how grassroots and volunteer-led collective work can model this by placing an emphasis on accessible materials and community engagement. This workshop will allow participants to learn and discuss the ethics surrounding digitizing personal cultural material and oral histories. What kinds of releases are needed? What role does relationship building play in digital archiving? How might we de-professionalize institutional roles so that marginalized communities have more access to the recording and preservation of their histories? Participants will get hands-on experience in wrestling with digitization ethical considerations, oral history exercises, and compassionate listening. Goals Understanding of feminist ethics of care Understanding of digitizing implications and begin building an ethical framework Understanding of ethical and care-focused oral history techniques This is an in-person workshop limited to 30 people (ART + METRO members only). Box Lunch catered by Lenwich will be provided (water bottle and snack included). Workshop Fee ART Member member rate: $25 per person METRO member rate: $25 per person. Check here to see if your institution is a METRO member. No refunds for cancellations, and registration is non-transferable. Please note that you MUST pay in advance online in order to attend this workshop. In the occasion that the event is sold out, we highly recommend joining the waitlist. An ART staff member will reach out to you if a spot becomes available. Unless you've been given permission, please do not show up at the event without registering. This workshop will be led by Allison Elliott and Aviva Silverman. About Our Instructors Allison Elliott is an archivist interested in queer and counter histories, community archives, autonomous memory sites, feminist networks, and information activism. She is currently the Manager of Archives and Programs at The Feminist Institute, where she develops content partnerships, curates digital collections, and produces TFI’s annual Pop-Up Memory Lab. She’s recently earned her MA in Media Studies + Social Justice from CUNY Queens College and Interactive Technology + Pedagogy Certificate at the Graduate Center. Her praxis focuses on using archival materials in creative works to activate the present and as a tool for liberatory education. Aviva Silverman is an artist and activist working in sculpture and performance. Their practice utilizes religion, gender-nonconformity, miniatures, and nonhuman actors to investigate technologies of spiritual and political surveillance. Silverman has exhibited at numerous galleries and museums including MoMA P.S.1, the Swiss Institute and Marta Herford. Their work has appeared in Artforum, The New Yorker, BBC Radio, and Art in America. They do organizing work with prison-abolition and Palestinian-solidarity groups in NYC and are broadly interested in community-based healing through oral history, earth-based diasporic Judaism and transformative justice initiatives. As the former project coordinator of the NYC Trans Oral History Project (NYC TOHP), they have co-developed one of the largest repositories of trans oral history in the world. They have organized and led community conversations with leading trans activists and artists including Cecilia Gentili, Sandy Stone, Ceyenne Doroshow and others and have independently contributed over 30 interviews to the archive. They believe orality is a powerful tool for building a legal and historical record of one’s community. Location Pen and Brush, 29 E 22nd St, New York, NY 10010

In late 2023, Brooklyn Public Library debuted a podcast series entitled Borrowed and Banned that told the story of America’s ideological war with its bookshelves. The series followed the teachers and librarians whose livelihoods were endangered when they spoke up, the writers whose work has become a political battleground, and the young people caught in the middle.  Over ten episodes, Borrowed and Banned examined the past and the present of censorship in America, beginning with the Library’s impact on one school district in Oklahoma and a teacher’s protest that captured the nation’s attention. Co-hosts Adwoa Adusei and Virginia Marshall talked  to the young activists making a difference in their communities, and shared accurate, up-to-date information about the role of school boards and local government in advocating for or obstructing intellectual freedom. This webinar focuses on the process of creating the podcast and applying for METRO's Equity in Action Grant.  About Our Presenters: Virginia Marshall is the writer, producer, and co-host of Borrowed and Banned. She has been producing audio at Brooklyn Public Library since 2018, including launching the Library’s flagship podcast Borrowed, producing BPL’s podcast for kids, making audio walking tours, assisting BPL staff in creating audio with patrons, and helping out with BPL’s oral history archive. Adwoa Adusei is co-host and writer of Borrowed and Banned. She is the manager of BPL’s new Library for Arts & Culture, set to open in downtown Brooklyn later this year. She has been a librarian at BPL since 2015, producing 3 short seasons of a community teen podcast series called Brownsville Excerpts, and has been a co-host of Borrowed since the Fall of 2019.  Noella Scott is the Director of Institutional Giving at BPL.   

The Afro-Argentine Diaspora oral history project is designed to uncover the history of the Afro-Argentine diaspora community in Argentina and NYC. A common narrative promoted within Argentina and globally is that there are no Black people in Argentina. This narrative of erasure around the African roots of many elements of Argentine culture, including cuisine, music, dance, language, and lineage was historically reinforced through the education system, media, and official public history institutions.  This webinar focuses on the process of developing the project, collecting the oral histories and applying for the Equity in Action grant. The Afro-Argentine Diaspora oral history project is led by Julia Cohen Ribeiro and Tatiana Bryant.  About Our Presenters: Julia Cohen Ribeiro is an Argentine and Brazilian Afro-descendant Jewish Queer independent historian and filmmaker based in Buenos Aires. Tatiana Bryant is the Director of Teaching, Learning, and Research Services at Barnard College.  Destiny Arias is a freshman at Barnard studying History and Human Rights. She is Dominican, born and raised in Miami, and plans to use her background to become a federal court judge and work in the non-profit sector!! Manuela Moreyra is currently a First-Year at Barnard studying Political Science and Economics. She is Peruvian, born and raised in Lima, and plans to be a journalist in the future, hopefully an international correspondent. Mila Lin Tabach is a rising junior majoring in Computer Science and Film at Barnard College. She was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil.

Founded in 1974, the Lesbian Herstory Archives is an all-volunteer run organization dedicated to the collection of materials by and about lesbians. Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of this wonderful space with a vast collection of print and non-print materials, giving a thoughtful and meaningful exploration of lesbian herstory. Following the tour, join us for a social hour at a nearby location to connect with fellow local library and archives workers. Please note: Space is limited, so if you’ve secured a spot but then find you’re unable to join, please let us know so we can open your spot to someone on the waitlist.