<font size=2 face="sans-serif">This is a great opportunity. Please share
widely. I attended the lab in 2013 and it remains the single best professional
development experience I have ever had. If anyone has questions I
am happy to field them.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Thank you,</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">David</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">David Votta</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Community Engagement Librarian</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Midwest Collaborative for Library Services
(MCLS)
<br>
Lansing, MI & Indianapolis, IN
<br>
Phone: (800) 530-9019 ext 122</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Phone: (517) 492-3822 <br>
Fax: (517) 492-3886<br>
vottad@mcls.org</font>
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<br>
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<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">ALA and the Harwood Institute for Public
Innovation have just announced our 2015 Public Innovators Lab for Libraries.
This year's training will be held October 14-16 in Detroit. Please join
us!</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">See below for more info or register online:
</font><a href="http://www.cvent.com/events/the-harwood-ala-public-innovators-lab-for-libraries/event-summary-ccaa319151c541a7b81cc9ec75579d23.aspx"><font size=2 color=blue face="Calibri"><u>http://www.cvent.com/events/the-harwood-ala-public-innovators-lab-for-libraries/event-summary-ccaa319151c541a7b81cc9ec75579d23.aspx</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Calibri">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">*****</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"><b>ALA, Harwood Institute announce Public
Innovators Lab for Libraries community engagement training opportunity</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"><b> </b></font>
<br><a href="http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2015/07/ala-harwood-institute-announce-public-innovators-lab-libraries-community"><font size=2 color=blue face="Calibri"><i><u>http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2015/07/ala-harwood-institute-announce-public-innovators-lab-libraries-community</u></i></font></a>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The American Library Association
(ALA) and The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation have announced an
intensive three-day training opportunity to help libraries strengthen their
role as agents of positive change in their communities. </font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The Public Innovators Lab
for Libraries will be held Oct. 14 - 16 at the DoubleTree Detroit Downtown
– Fort Shelby. Librarians, community partners and stakeholders in libraries
of all types — public, academic, school and specialty libraries — are
encouraged to register.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">Through discussions, hands-on
activities and collaborations with like-minded library professionals, participants
will learn to:</font>
<ul>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">tap libraries' natural values
to contribute to the greater good and bring their communities together;</font>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">surface people’s shared
aspirations for their communities through conversations and help bring
them to life; and</font>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">use that knowledge to create
programs and strategies to address challenges people care about and make
the community stronger at the same time.</font></ul><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">Participants
must </font><a href="http://www.cvent.com/events/the-harwood-ala-public-innovators-lab-for-libraries/event-summary-ccaa319151c541a7b81cc9ec75579d23.aspx" target=_blank><font size=2 color=#0060a0 face="Calibri"><u>register
online</u> </font></a><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">by Oct.
2. The cost is $1,495 for the first person from an organization and $995
for each additional person. Team participation is encouraged.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">For more information, visit</font><a href=http://www.ala.org/LTC target=_blank><font size=2 color=#0060a0 face="Calibri">
<u>ala.org/LTC</u></font></a><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The ALA-Harwood Institute
partnership is based on the idea that libraries, by virtue of their trusted
position in their communities, are uniquely suited to help solve challenges
of all types, from literacy to drug epidemics to distrust in government.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The Public Innovators Lab
for Libraries will be based on Harwood’s “turning outward” approach,
which emphasizes making the community the reference point for getting things
done. This shift in orientation is achieved through practical steps: taking
measures to better understand communities; being proactive about community
issues; and putting community ambitions first.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The lab was recently enhanced
to be even more hands-on, applied and practical. In May, nearly 300 Texas
librarians participated in three new labs through a partnership between
The Harwood Institute and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">Libraries and library professionals
around the country are already using The Harwood Institute’s approach
to:</font>
<ul>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">lead conversations with community
members to better understand the kind of community they want and the challenges
they see;</font>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">bring stakeholders together
to get past gridlock and work on issues that matter to people;</font>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">improve library programming
to be more relevant and connected to the struggles people face; and</font>
<li><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">better connect with underserved
and often invisible populations in communities.</font></ul><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The
Public Innovators Lab for Libraries is offered as part of the </font><a href=http://www.ala.org/LTC target=_blank><font size=2 color=#0060a0 face="Calibri"><u>ALA’s
Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative</u></font></a><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">.
The initiative addresses a critical need within the library field by developing
and distributing </font><a href=http://www.ala.org/LTC/resources target=_blank><font size=2 color=#0060a0 face="Calibri"><u>new
tools, resources and support</u></font></a><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">for
librarians to engage with their communities in new ways.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri"><b>About the American Library
Association</b></font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The American Library Association
is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately
58,000 members in academic, public, school, government and special libraries.
The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership
for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information
services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning
and ensure access to information for all.</font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri"><b>About The Harwood Institute</b></font>
<p><font size=2 color=#2f2f2f face="Calibri">The Harwood Institute for
Public Innovation is a national nonprofit organization based in Bethesda,
Md., that teaches and coaches people and organizations to solve pressing
problems and change how communities work together. The institute is guided
by Richard C. Harwood, whose transformational work during the past 25 years
has spread to thousands of communities nationally and worldwide, from small
towns to large cities.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">_______________</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">Sarah Ostman</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">Communications Manager</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">Public Programs Office</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">American Library Association</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri">312-280-5061</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Calibri"> </font>