Public Programs Office @ 2013 ALA Annual Conference

Mark your calendar for the following events sponsored by the Public Programs Office at the 2013 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Event

CCF fundraiser

Explore Chicago Architectural Landmark at Annual Conference and Support Cultural Communities Fund

Monday, July 1, 5:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m.

Off Site, University of Chicago, Robie House

Spend an evening exploring an original Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house, while supporting the ALA Cultural Communities Fund (CCF). The event will include a cocktail reception and self-guided tours through Robie House. The home is considered one of the most important buildings in American architecture. It was created by Frank Lloyd Wright for his client Frederick C. Robie, a forward-thinking businessman. Designed in Wright's Oak Park studio in 1908 and completed in 1910, the building is both a masterpiece of the Prairie style and renowned as a forerunner of modernism in architecture. Docents from the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust will be available on site to answer questions.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit the ALA Cultural Communities Fund, an endowment to support cultural programming in libraries. Funding from CCF will strengthen the ability of libraries and librarians to respond to community needs for cultural programming through the creation of professional development opportunities for programming librarians as well as the creation of national model programs and resources for libraries to develop local capacity for programs.

Price: $75

Registration for this event is available as part of registration for the ALA Annual Conference.

Preconference

80 is the New 30! Learn How Public Libraries are Delivering Proven, Inspiring and Transformative Arts Programs for Today’s Older Adults

Friday, June 28, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S401a

Today’s older adults are ready to be engaged, social, and creative, and libraries are ideal venues for Creative Aging programming. Join us and learn best practices and delivery methods for this successful, affordable program model for partnerships between urban, rural and suburban libraries and professional teaching artists, developed by Lifetime Arts, Inc. Partnering library systems include: Boston, Brooklyn, Dallas, Miami-Dade, and New York Public and Clinton Essex Franklin and Westchester Library Systems. Workshop includes lunch.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Speakers: Brigid Cahalan, Library Sites & Services/Outreach, New York Public Library; Mary Davis Fournier, Deputy Director, ALA Public Programs Office; Ed Friedman, Co-Founder, Executive Director, Lifetime Arts, Inc.; Ewa Jankowska, Director, Clinton Essex Franklin Library System; Terry Kirchner, Executive Director, Westchester Public Library System; Maura O'Malley, Co-Founder and President/CEO, Lifetime Arts, Inc.; Diantha Schull, Founder and Principal, DDSchull Associates

Prices: ALA Member, $175; Student Member, $160; Retired Member, $160; Non-member, $200.

Registration for this event is available as part of registration for the ALA Annual Conference.

Programs

The Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities: A Presidential Initiative
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Saturday, June 29, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S105a-c

ALA President Maureen Sullivan and Richard Harwood, President and Founder of the Harwood Institute, will lead a panel conversation with librarians about their experiences and the impact of using the Harwood practice in their role as facilitators of community innovation and change. Librarians trained in the Harwood method will share how they have been using the tools, their results to date, and the potential they see going forward. They will also address questions this practice raises for how to effectively engage their communities. The session will provide an update on this multi-phased initiative to provide librarians with the tools and training they need to lead communities in finding innovative solutions by advancing library-led community engagement. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

Introducing the Creative Aging Toolkit for Public Libraries – An Online Resource

Saturday, June 29, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S501bcd

Learn from the designers and administrators of Creative Aging in NY State Libraries: A Regional Model with National Applicability—an IMLS National Leadership project—as they share their experiences and best practices in implementing this innovative program model in major urban, suburban and rural libraries. Creative Aging programming supports partnerships between public libraries and teaching artists and helps libraries respond to the growing demand for meaningful programming for an aging population. Session features the debut of The Creative Aging Toolkit for Public Libraries. 

Community Engagement Conversation: Advancing Library-led Community Engagement

Saturday, June 29, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Room: Grant Park 12A-D

The conversation about advancing library-led community engagement starts here. See how you and your library can help kick-start a new trajectory in your community. This session will be led by the Harwood Institute’s Carlton Sears and Aaron Leavy. Carlton is the past director at Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County and a Harwood Certified Coach. Aaron is Harwood Institute’s Senior Manager of Learning and Knowledge Management. Together they will facilitate small table conversations among participating librarians using the Turn Quiz, one of the many Harwood tools that librarians can use to effectively engage their communities. Participants will also learn how to apply the Turn Quiz in their library and be introduced to additional tools and support materials that have been customized for librarians as part of the Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities initiative, which is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. 

Humanities in the Digital Era: Mashing Up Public Programs with MOOCS, Media, and More

Saturday, June 29, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room E350

Think the Humanities are dead? Think again. Organizations such as the Library as Incubator Project and That Camp are mixing technology, art and performance with the hero's journey, attracting new audiences and elevating classical literature to the peak of social status. Hear from Princeton Public Library about how they are using their NEH challenge grant to make the humanities come alive through Sonnet Slams and Revolutionary Readings and discover how you can reintroduce the humanities to a generation hungry for their timeless message. 

Creating Out-of-This-World Children's Science Programming with NASA Materials

Sunday, June 30, 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S106a

Undertake library tested hands-on science activities and receive NASA space science resources, all developed specifically to enable you to easily infuse them into your programs with children ages 8 to 13 and their families. Hear how the Explore: Life on Mars? module of activities and resources is being used in library programming to transform inexpensive materials – such as craft materials, Play-Doh, and re-purposed soda bottles – into windows to another world!

What’s New at the NEH? 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Sunday, June 30, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S501bcd
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Join Karen Mittelman, Director of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Public Programs, for a discussion of NEH initiatives including “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle,” which offers a set of films on Civil Rights history to 500 communities. Four powerful documentary films (The Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, Freedom Riders and The Loving Story) are the centerpiece of this film screening and discussion project.  

Connect with Established Education Initiatives to Create STEM Programming in Your Public Library!

Sunday, June 30, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S106a

Many libraries want to introduce STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) into their programming to attract new audiences and help stimulate patrons’ interest in science and technology. Representatives from established STEM learning initiatives, including the STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net), NASA, and other organizations, will offer a variety of tested STEM resources and opportunities libraries can use. Learn new ways to engage in STEM on a national and local level through exhibits, activities, information networks, and collaborations. Join the STAR_Net Community of Practice aimed at creating innovative STEM programs in public libraries across the country.

LIVE! @ your library Reading Stage

Presented by the ALA Public Programs Office in the Exhibits Hall, end of the 1600 aisle                                                                  Saturday and Sunday,  10:00 a.m.–4:00p.m. and Monday, July 1, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 noon

Take a break from a day of meetings and programs and stop by the LIVE! @ your library Reading Stage. Enjoy readings from new and favorite authors, learn how to develop author programs for your library, and find new recommendations for your patrons. After each reading, LIVE! authors will be available to sign copies of their work for conference attendees. 

Authors appearing on the LIVE! Stage will be announced in April. Check back for updates!

Meetings 

Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee Meetings

Saturday, June 29, 10:30 a.m.-Noon

Hilton Chicago, Conference Room 4J

Monday, July 1, 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Boardroom 2 

Libraries Foster Civic Engagement Membership Initiative Group

Sunday, June 30, 8:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m.

McCormick Place Convention Center, Room S504d