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Trustees, Friends, & Foundations |
December 2024 |  |
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Welcome to the Trustees, Friends, & Foundations Newsletter!
A monthly update on items relevant to those
who work as or with Library Trustees, Friends, and Foundations.
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| December 3, 2024
Your library may soon receive an invitation to complete a questionnaire about its facility conditions and needs. If you receive the survey, please respond!...
...The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is conducting a survey on the physical conditions and facility needs of public libraries in the United States. GAO is sending the survey to a nationwide sample of public library outlets that were randomly selected. GAO is an independent federal agency that works for Congress. The information from this survey will help inform Congress about the physical conditions of public libraries nationally. The purpose of the study is to make national estimates of libraries’ physical conditions and facility needs, accessibility, costs and funding for maintenance and repair, and the effects of natural disasters and extreme weather... |
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In the United States, public libraries are established and governed under state law. But to develop and defend ethical collections and programming, library leaders need to understand the broader Constitutional context in which they operate.
The policies that govern public libraries are the most local expressions of the Constitution and state and federal law. However, public libraries are not mentioned in the Constitution—or the Bill of Rights. Interestingly, the Constitution mentions the post office, and Congress is empowered to make laws about copyright and intellectual property, but libraries—even the Library of Congress and the National Archives—are not Constitutional institutions. While libraries rely on the First Amendment to support their role as limited public forums and to guarantee access, they are not created by it. Federal law only has a glancing interest in public libraries... |
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Sign Up with the Virginia Library Association as an Advocate! |
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Click HERE and sign up for the VLA Advocacy Center Mailing List to make sure you're receiving Virginia action alerts and updates on policy issues related to the library field. This will help you keep abreast of legislation that could affect your local library and community.
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UNITED FOR LIBRARIES RESOURCES |
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Virginia library staff and stakeholders (folks like
you!) have access to a whole host of resources from United for Libraries.
Click to get the CHEAT SHEET signed up and in.
| Already signed up? Click HERE to access everything through the ALA eLearning Platform! |
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Accessibility and Public Libraries Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act: What Trustees Need to Know
Saturday, January 11, 2025 - 11:00a
Accessibility of public services and facilities for people with disabilities is one of the significant emerging issues for public libraries. In addition to being required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the need for accessibility is quickly becoming a simple operational necessity.
Current laws and societal shifts have increased visibility and knowledge about disabilities, and as communities evolve and populations shift, public libraries will have to adapt their services and facilities in order to continue to provide quality service to their communities - and comply with state and federal laws. |
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Start Planning now (YES NOW!) for Your Library's Annual Giving Campaign Tuesday, January 14, 2025 -- 2:00p-3:00p
Every library should have a plan for raising funds to pay for extras not covered by the budget. The easiest way to get started - an annual giving campaign! If you want to fundraise for your library, but are anxious about asking people for money, an annual giving campaign is an effective way to identify potential donors while also providing a vehicle for giving.
We all receive mailers from nonprofit organizations asking for donations during the end-of-year giving season, so how can your library be part of the mix? During this webinar, we'll go over all the steps to plan and execute an annual giving campaign - from where to get a mailing list to writing an appeal letter to keeping track of donors to stewarding donations. You'll leave the webinar confident that you can organize an annual giving campaign for your library! |
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SAVE THE DATE: July 29-31, 2025
This interactive three-day virtual event will feature expert speakers on current topics facing library Trustees, Friends, Foundations, and staff who work with them. - Participate in live Q&A sessions with presenters.
- Enjoy exclusive access to keynote speakers and authors.
- Receive a certificate of attendance (for live participation or on-demand viewing).
Free registration for Virginia library stakeholders courtesy of the Library of Virginia -- opens in April 2025.
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| 2024 Grant Trends and What to Expect for 2025 |
Join us to explore the latest trends in grant funding and provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to secure the resources that will propel your nonprofit forward. Understanding grant trends is crucial for maximizing your nonprofit's capacity and ensuring the best return on investment. Learn how to avoid the pitfalls of cold applications and instead, through diligent research and strategic relationships, send tailored proposals to the right funders.
(Occurs: 12.16.24 - 12p) |
| Register Here
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Bridging the Divide: A Panel Discussion on Library Workers Loneliness |
The consequences of loneliness among library workers extend beyond individual well-being to organizational effectiveness. Research has shown that lonely employees are less engaged, less productive, and more likely to leave their jobs. In the context of libraries, where staffing shortages and budget constraints are already significant challenges, addressing loneliness is not just a matter of employee satisfaction but also of organizational sustainability.
(Occurs: 12.18.24 - 3p) |
| Register Here
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| Don't Manage Change -- Embrace It | Learn strategies to lead positive, collaborative change in libraries by reframing challenges as growth opportunities.
Trying to make changes at your library can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you get people on board? What do you do when you encounter resistance? Change management plans can help, but too often they frame the change as a problem to manage rather than an opportunity to reach for a shared vision.
(Occurs: 1.16.25) |
| Register Here
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Trustee, Friends, and Foundation members have access to the Library of Virginia's Niche Academy, a place for online learning.
Please note, if you register with a non-library issued e-mail address, someone from the Library of Virginia will follow up with you to confirm that you are affiliated with a Virginia library before you can access the content. |
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Click on the image to learn more about each title, and then use your local library to request them from the Library of Virginia.
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| November 21, 2024
One lucky couple will soon have the opportunity to make a binding commitment in a most unique place!
The Arlington Public Library in Virginia announced that one lucky engaged couple from the Greater Washington National Capital Region in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia will be able to win a free wedding.
The Friends of the Arlington Public Library would fund all costs for the wedding — which is set to be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025 between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Central Library Lobby & Auditorium. This includes catered food, a cake, photography, a DJ, photobooth station and even music courtesy of the Arlington Philharmonic... |
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| December 9, 2024 - The UncommonWealth Public Library Spotlight
If you ask a person on the street if they value their public library, most will respond “Yes.” But while people have a general appreciation for public libraries, often that appreciation is based on their library experiences in childhood, and they may not have a sense of what a 21st-century library offers to its users and its community...
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"A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert."
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This newsletter is brought to you by the Library Development & Networking Division of the Library of Virginia. Funding for this is provided through the Virginia General Assembly and the Institute for Museum and Library Studies (IMLS).
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