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Public libraries that serve small and/or rural communities are invited to apply for a travel stipend to attend a one-day dialogue and deliberation pre-conference workshop at the 2018 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in New Orleans.</p>
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“Libraries Transforming Communities: Conversation Café Workshop for Public Libraries Serving Small, Mid-Sized and/or Rural Communities” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, June 22, 2018, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.</p>
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Attending the pre-conference is free, though space will be limited to 50 participants. Twenty-five participants from public libraries serving small and/or rural communities will be selected to receive an $800 stipend to help cover travel costs for one library
employee.</p>
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Those interested in applying for a travel stipend should <a href="https://apply.ala.org/LTC2018/guidelines" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">read the project guidelines</span></a> and <a href="https://apply.ala.org/LTC2018/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">submit
an online application</span></a> by March 9, 2018. Applicants need not be ALA members.</p>
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This workshop is offered as part of <a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Libraries Transforming Communities: Models for Change</span></a>,
an initiative of ALA and the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD). The initiative seeks to introduce libraries to various dialogue and deliberation approaches, enabling libraries to foster conversation and lead change in their communities.</p>
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Libraries Transforming Communities: Models for Change <a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/small-mid-rural-public" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Series 3</span></a> highlights
dialogue and deliberation models most useful for public libraries serving small, mid-sized and/or rural communities. (Learn more about our earlier offerings, <a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/large-urban-public" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Series
1 for public libraries serving large and/or urban communities</span></a> or <a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/academic" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Series
2 for academic libraries</span></a>.)</p>
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Before attending the in-person workshop in New Orleans, Series 3 participants must view three 90-minute online learning sessions in winter/spring 2018. The three free webinars, respectively, will offer an introduction to dialogue and deliberation; an overview
of the <a href="http://www.futuresearch.net/method/whatis/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Future Search</span></a> approach; and an overview of the <a href="http://www.conversationcafe.org/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Conversation
Café</span></a> approach. <a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/librariestransform/libraries-transforming-communities/small-mid-rural-public" target="_blank" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color:#0055A5">Register for the three Series
3 webinars.</span></a></p>
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The in-person workshop will provide a deeper exploration of Conversation Café, allowing attendees to participate in a Café and discuss applications, opportunities and challenges of the approach.</p>
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<em><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; color:#303030">Libraries Transforming Communities: Models for Change is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant RE-40-16-0137-16.</span></em></p>
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Sarah Ostman</p>
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Communications Manager</p>
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Public Programs Office</p>
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American Library Association</p>
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312-280-5061</p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">For an online, shareable version of this announcement, please visit:</span></p>
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<a href="http://www.programminglibrarian.org/articles/dialogue-deliberation-workshop-stipend-smallrural-public-libraries" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; color: blue;">http://www.programminglibrarian.org/articles/dialogue-deliberation-workshop-stipend-smallrural-public-libraries</a></p>
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