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ULC Member News
Newsletter | August 14, 2024
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Thank You for Submitting Your Innovations! | |
Applications for the 2024 Innovations Initiative are now closed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit! This year, ULC received 239 submissions from 99 ULC libraries! As the judging period begins, we would like to recognize the 2024 Innovations Initiative judges. You can learn more about our esteemed judges by visiting the Innovations page. | |
Meet the 2024 Innovations Initiative Judges | |
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Leon T. Andrews, Jr.
President and CEO,
Equal Measure
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Marvin Carr
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Corporate Giving, Walmart; Director of Center for Racial Equity, Walmart.org
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Leslie Weir
Librarian and Archivist of Canada, Office of the Librarian and Archivist of Canada
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The directors of award-winning libraries and submitters will be notified in early September, prior to the public announcement of the award win. Please note if your Innovation is not selected, you will not be notified. | |
Register Now for the 2024 ULC Annual Forum! | |
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2024 ULC Annual Leadership Forum Registration Now Open
October 23-25, 2024 | Philadelphia, PA
Don't forget to take advantage of the early-bird registration rate before September 1!
The Urban Libraries Council looks forward to welcoming you at our annual gathering of library leaders and change makers. The 2024 Urban Libraries Council Annual Leadership Forum will gather library leaders from across the United States and Canada and take place in Philadelphia, PA, from October 23 to 25. We hope you can join us and more than 200 public library professionals from across North America.
Visit the 2024 ULC Annual Leadership Forum event website for registration details, hotel information, and programming updates. As a reminder, the ULC Annual Forum's early bird rate of $895 ends on August 31, and will increase to $995 until registration closes on September 30.
Please also make sure to book your hotel room through this link, as rooms are filling up quickly.
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Join Your Peers from These Libraries | |
Thank you to all those who have registered for the 2024 ULC Annual Leadership Forum so far! We're excited to have attendee representation from these libraries: | |
- Anne Arundel County Public Library
- Anythink Libraries
- Austin Public Library
- Baltimore County Public Library
- Calgary Public Library
- Camarillo Public Library
- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
- Chicago Public Library
- Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
- Cuyahoga County Public Library
- Dallas Public Library
- Denver Public Library
- Durham County Library
- Edmonton Public Library
- Enoch Pratt Free Library
- Free Library of Philadelphia
- Grand Rapids Public Library
- Greensboro Public Library
- Gwinnett County Public Library
- Hoboken Public Library
- Jefferson County Public Library
- Jersey City Free Public Library
- Kansas City Public Library
- King County Library System
- Kitchener Public Library
- LA County Library
- Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
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- Lawrence Public Library
- Live Oak Public Libraries
- Los Angeles Public Library
- Louisville Free Public Library
- Marin County Free Library System
- Markham Public Library
- Mid-Continent Public Library
- Milton Public Library
- Multnomah County Library
- Omaha Public Library
- Ottawa Public Library
- Pacific Library Partnership
- Palm Beach County Library System
- Richland Library
- Sacramento Public Library
- Salt Lake City Public Library
- San Diego County Library
- San Francisco Public Library
- San Mateo County Libraries
- Schaumburg Township District Library
- St. Louis Public Library
- The Seattle Public Library
- Toledo Lucas County Public Library
- Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
- Toronto Public Library
- Virginia Beach Public Library
- Wichita Public Library
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Save the Date: ULC Virtual Civic Health Summit | |
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ULC Virtual Civic Health Summit
September 17, 2024 | 1-3 p.m. ET
ULC's Virtual Civic Health Summit will bring together senior library leaders, civil society leaders, and scholars and researchers on the front lines of democracy and civic health in North America. Throughout the summit, we will explore themes of public libraries in encouraging an active citizenry, serving as a convener for and facilitator of civil discourse, increasing efforts to fight misinformation and disinformation, and race equity, and socioeconomic mixing. The summit will provide opportunities for guests to highlight current initiatives and programs as well as key findings and challenges to doing this work.
Registration Opening Soon!
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Welcome New ULC Members!
Gwinnett County Public Library, Jackson/Hinds Public Library
ULC is excited to welcome our two newest members: Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia and Jackson/Hinds Public Library in Mississippi! Please give them a warm welcome and look out for new peers on your Member Community calls in the future.
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A Mental Health Program for the Whole Family
Houston Public Library
The idea for a mental health program at the library came to LaTrisha Milton after the May 24, 2022, shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX. The youth and family services manager for Houston Public Library wanted to do something to help parents and families manage difficult situations and feelings. On Saturday, July 20, 2024, Milton welcomed more than 50 people to “Big Feelings” at HPL’s Central Library in Houston. READ MORE.
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Empowering Safer Drivers
Anne Arundel County Public Library
Earlier this month, the Anne Arundel County Public Library unveiled a new driving simulator at its Annapolis branch. It’s run by a desktop computer and three flat-screen computer monitors, tilted to mimic the front and side windows of a car. The simulator is available for anyone 14 and up to use, whether it’s a teenager still trying to get comfortable behind the wheel, or a more experienced driver trying to brush up their skills. READ MORE.
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Promoting Food Self-Sufficiency in Pasadena
Pasadena Public Library
The Pasadena Public Library is launching a free gardening course this fall to empower residents with sustainable food practices. The “Seed to Supper: A Beginner’s Guide to Low-Cost Vegetable Gardening” series begins on Sept. 7, teaching participants how to grow vegetables on a limited budget. READ MORE.
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20th Annual Barrie Dragon Boat Festival Returns This Month
Barrie Public Library
On Aug. 17, the Barrie Public Library will be proudly hosting the 20th anniversary of the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival. This milestone event celebrates two decades of community spirit, competitive paddling and raising funds for local charities. It also marks the largest turnout since 2019 with 36 teams ready to make waves on Kempenfelt Bay. Since its inception, the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival has raised over $2 million for local charities. READ MORE.
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New Resource: Science of Reading | | |
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Best Practices for Implementing Science of Reading into Summer Programs
Webinar Follow Up
Missed our webinar on Unlocking Literacy: Five Action Steps for Implementing the Science of Reading into Summer Programs? Check out the new Best Practices one-pager that accompanies that webinar.
View all resources shared, key takeaways, suggested action items and an overview of all the best practices shared in the webinar by the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.
Members can find this resource on our Past Events page and in the ULC Member Hub Knowledge Exchange.
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ULC's Science of Reading work is generously supported by: | |
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Summer Reading Adventure
National Book Foundation
Join our friends at the National Book Foundation to celebrate 75 years of the National Book Awards and participate in the Summer Reading Adventure! The Reading Adventure is a free, prize-filled extravaganza for adults to discover, or re-discover, the joy of reading. Watch a book-to-screen adaptation, re-read a favorite childhood book, swap a favorite book with a friend, and more. Submit your Summer Reading Adventure card by mail or online by August 31, 2024 to be entered to win books, hats, ice cream, reusable water bottles, and other prizes. Participants that complete all of the activities will be entered to win the grand prize of airfare, hotel, and two tickets to the 75th National Book Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. All participants will automatically receive discount codes from Bookshop.org and Libro.fm.
Visit nationalbook.org/adventure to learn more, and tag @nationalbookfoundation when you share your bookish adventures for a chance to be featured on the Foundation’s Instagram. Join the Summer Reading Adventure today!
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Lexington Public Library
"Best summer yet?! We loved welcoming 33,613 of you to over 900 programs throughout this Summer at the Library. We served 215 meals to 6,141 students with the help of FCPS. Thank you to everyone for making this summer a success — we can't wait to do it all again next year!"
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Sonoma County Library
"Our librarians are happy to select a “book bundle” for you based on your interests. Simply complete a form on our website at sonomalibrary.org/browse/explore/bookbundles, then come in after we reach out to you. It’s that easy! "
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Berkeley Public Library
"We are beyond grateful @mychal3ts for all the library joy you spread world-wide as well as in Berkeley. September is definitely going to the BEST EVER National Library Card month that we have ever had!"
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Queens Public Library
"The Broadway Library Branch of @qplnyc is now open! 📚 It was a joy to join Queens Public Library President and CEO, Dennis Walcott, and friends in government to cut the ribbon on this beautifully upgraded location, with new a Computer Center space, renovated meeting rooms with a stage and classroom, ADA-accessible bathrooms, and more!"
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