Check out this offer from our colleagues at Metronet library system, and your Minnesota multitype systems!!!

Scholarships Available to Staff in Any Minnesota Library! Metronet, in collaboration with the other Minnesota Multicounty Multitype Systems, is pleased to make scholarships available to staff in school, public, academic, & special libraries to attend these trainings from LJ/SLJ: Fostering an Antiracist Library Culture | Sep 28, Oct 5, & 12, 2021  Evaluating, Auditing and Diversifying Your Collections | Oct 19, 26, & Nov 2, 2021  Thanks to the ARPA fund allocation from MDE | State Library Services to Metronet, up to 50 scholarships are available. Metronet has arranged for group pricing from LJ/SLJ for these scholarships; the more who apply, the less expensive it is per person. So, you are encouraged to apply! We plan that all who apply will receive funding.

Both of these LJ/SLJ trainings are timely and important to libraries of all sizes and types. Our hope is that these trainings will spark conversations in your library, your region, and statewide.

Application Details You must be employed in a Minnesota library to receive a scholarship. You must have permission from your administration/supervisor to attend. This is to ensure you are available to attend all the sessions of the event. Please try to coordinate with other staff in your library who may apply.  Attendance at all sessions of the events is required. Applicants must follow the guidelines for professional development of their institutions. Applications must be completed online using the forms below. You must register for the events through Metronet to be part of this opportunity. Recipients agree to submit a brief but informative report after each completed session (3 brief reports) using the form provided. The reports should include a review of the event and/or highlights of what was learned and how it will be useful on the job. Completion of the Scholarship Report forms are required 30 days after the last session. You may apply for both events, with the permission of your organization. Deadline to apply is three days before the first session of each event.  Scholarships will be awarded prior to the registration deadline for each event. Most important! You must register using the forms below in order to be part of this scholarship cohort! This is so we get the group discount on the tuition.

Click image for application/registration form. Apply by September 23 so you get login info from SLJ/LJ. Library staff at all levels within their organizations have the power—and the responsibility—to help cultivate an antiracist culture, from evaluating spaces, programs, services, and collections to examining policies and practices to reflecting on one’s own implicit biases. Creating an internal culture founded on principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion is essential to building a community-centered library that meets the needs and expectations of its users. In this course, you will learn about the concrete actions library leaders are taking to make their libraries antiracist today and in the future, and the tools that make it possible. Practical coursework, along with targeted support, will take you from theory to application, helping you to transform your library services to better meet the needs of all your patrons—and attract new ones. You’ll complete assignments to build your own equity-based initiative over 3+ weeks in an interactive online classroom environment with personal coaching from an expert in the field. In addition, you’ll have access to our foundational bonus content—rich supporting materials you can explore at your own pace, including a series of webinars from Library Journal and School Library Journal contributors, readings, activities, and videos. The transformational speaker program has given thousands of librarians the tools and vision for meaningful change. The live sessions run on Tuesdays, September 28, October 5, and 12, from 2:00-4:00pm ET (recordings available) with an ongoing facilitator-led workshop over 3 weeks. Don’t miss this opportunity! Full course description. Do not register at that link! Apply.

Click image for application/registration form. Apply by October 14 so you get login info from SLJ/LJ. For libraries to effectively meet their mission of serving the educational, informational, and entertainment needs of their communities, their collections must be diverse and inclusive, offering windows into and mirrors of the vast array of perspectives and stories that make up our world. Library selectors and readers’ advisors must have a keen understanding of the basic frameworks for building and maintaining collections through an equitable lens, including the ability to recognize harmful stereotypes and apply that knowledge to a collection audit. When you attend this interactive online course, you’ll come away with:  The ability to assess current library collections, book promotions, and displays through a diverse lens in order to assess gaps in collections and service areas. An understanding of key diversity and cultural literacy concepts such as white privilege, unconscious bias, cultural appropriation, and intersectionality. The ability to recognize common problematic stereotypes, tropes, and microaggressions in media. The ability to assess the diversity and inclusiveness of current collection development and RA practices. Guidance on planning and executing a diversity audit. Tools, tips, and advice on how to better diversify collections and displays. A plan of action to better diversify your library collections and address gap areas that will transform your understanding of your library users and the services you provide. The course features live guest speakers in interactive sessions with Q&A as well as self-guided assignments, readings, and weekly discussion topics to support deeper learning. You’ll work in small groups with facilitators experienced in anti-oppression work to complete assignments and field research that will fuel your equity initiatives. Full course description. Do not register at that link! Apply.