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<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: start; display: inline !important;"><i style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The following message is sent on behalf of American
Library Association President Wanda Brown.</span></i>
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<span style="color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">CHICAGO – Today, in honor of National Library Workers Day, a celebration during National Library Week, the American Library Association (ALA) Executive Board issued the following statement:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">"The American Library Association stands in solidarity and support of library workers. As we said last month when <a href="http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2020/03/ala-executive-board-recommends-closing-libraries-public" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="color: rgb(51, 122, 183); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">we
recommended and urged</span></a> all libraries to close to the public, ‘The health of our library workers and the communities we serve is of utmost and equal importance.’<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">“Since that time, we have been buoyed by the resilience and innovation our profession has demonstrated in unprecedented circumstances. We know that while library buildings may be physically closed, librarians and library
workers are busier than ever continuing to safely deliver vital services to their communities, such as digital access, resource guides, research inquiry responses, online instruction to learners, teacher and faculty support, virtual storytimes and other content,
including ebooks, movies, music, video games, and virtual programs and events.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">“Each of these takes effort, care, and thought to be uniquely attuned to the needs of each local community, and we applaud the library workers who have stepped up to address needs. We celebrate those who have turned on
their Wi-Fi signals to supply internet access at a safe physical distance in library parking lots, partnered with local health organizations to print 3D face shields, supported teachers transitioning to distance learning, transformed bookmobiles into emergency
food banks, and safely delivered so many other instances of outstanding public service.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">“<a href="https://ala-apa.org/nlwd/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="color: rgb(51, 122, 183); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">National Library Workers Day</span></a> is an occasion to
both praise their work and advocate for their continued safety. Library staff should not be asked to do nonessential work in closed library buildings and should be permitted to work remotely where feasible. In alignment with our companion organization, the
ALA Allied Professional Association (APA), we advocate that library workers are paid fully during this time and continue to receive benefits such as health insurance. In municipalities where budgets are being slashed and library workers are being furloughed
or laid off, <a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/contact-congress" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="color: rgb(51, 122, 183); border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">ALA strongly urges</span></a> the federal government to step in
and provide relief for the second responders who are getting communities through this crisis and will enable our nation’s workforce to get back on its feet during the recovery.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<span style="color: rgb(73, 73, 73);">”Libraries and library workers have vital roles to play during and after the pandemic. We remain committed to supporting them during this challenging time.”<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2020/04/national-library-workers-day-ala-executive-board-reaffirms-need-protect" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style="">http://www.ala.org/news/press-<wbr>releases/2020/04/national-<wbr>library-workers-day-ala-<wbr>executive-board-reaffirms-<wbr>need-protect</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif;"><a href="https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/ala-national-library-workers-day-statement/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style="">https://<wbr>americanlibrariesmagazine.org/<wbr>blogs/the-scoop/ala-national-<wbr>library-workers-day-statement/</a></p>
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ALA News...</p>
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<span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://bit.ly/2yu1o9c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style="">Mark your calendar, ALA Virtual - Community Through
Connection, June 24-26, 2020</a></span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"">American Library Association (ALA) will host ALA Virtual - Community Through Connection, an online event that will offer educational programming, special author events, and social networking on June
24-26, 2020. ALA looks forward to this unique opportunity for members and library supporters to stay connected as we move forward to empower our profession and support our communities.<span> </span></span><a href="https://bit.ly/2yu1o9c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); text-decoration: underline;">Read
more</span></a></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/3cxwjzS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">National Library Week, April 19-25, 2020, celebrates
libraries’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic</span></a></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"">The novel Coronavirus crisis has dramatically and quickly changed American life. Most libraries have closed their physical buildings on the recommendation of public health officials and the American
Library Association (ALA), but remain open for business online and continue to support their communities with resources, services and programs.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"">As the impact of the current public health crisis continues to evolve and change the work of libraries and library workers, libraries are proving resourceful and resilient, serving as a rich pipeline
for content, delivering access to ebooks, movies, music, video games, virtual storytimes and activities, and so much more.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"">Just as libraries are pivoting in response to the current situation, the ALA is changing the focus of its annual National Library Week celebration, April 19-25, 2020.</span></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"">The theme for National Library Week (NLW) 2020, “Find your place at the library,” was chosen before the emergence of the global pandemic. To acknowledge our altered landscape, ALA flipped the script
a bit on the theme. “Find the library at your place” highlights how libraries are offering virtual services and digital content their communities need now more than ever.<span> </span></span><a href="https://bit.ly/3cxwjzS" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); text-decoration: underline;">Read
more</span></a></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/34T8EHL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">ALA releases 2020 State of America’s Libraries report</span></a></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"">The American Library Association (ALA) has released its 2020 State of America’s Libraries report, an annual summary of library trends released during National Library Week, April 19 – 25, that outlines
statistics and issues affecting all types of libraries during the previous calendar year.<span> </span></span><a href="https://bit.ly/34T8EHL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); text-decoration: underline;">Read
more</span></a></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: 700">AWARDS AND GRANTS</span></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/34Uyfjr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">Martha Hickson receives AASL Intellectual Freedom
Award</span></a></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/350CoT1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign announced
as 2020 Student Chapter of the Year Award Winner</span></a></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/3ePLdUm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">Stefanie Throndson receives AASL Innovative Reading
Grant</span></a></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/2xEf7dx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">'The Power Project' receives AASL Roald Dahl's Miss
Honey Social Justice Award</span></a></p>
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<a href="http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2020/04/samantha-grabus-wins-2020-litaex-libris-student-writing-award" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">Samantha
Grabus wins 2020 LITA/Ex Libris Student Writing Award</span></a></p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: 700">WEBINARS</span></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/2xNlKKr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">Unlocking the Library of Congress</span></a></p>
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<a href="https://bit.ly/34WeUOX" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: rgb(17, 85, 204); font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline;">LLAMA webinars while you work from home</span></a></p>
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Jennifer L. Dean - PhD, MLIS - she, her, hers</div>
<div id="ms-outlook-mobile-signature" dir="auto" style="text-align: left;">MLA Board of Directors & ALA Councilor</div>
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Dean of Libraries and Instructional Technology<br>
University of Detroit Mercy<br>
deanjl@udmercy.edu<br>
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Sent using <a href="https://aka.ms/ghei36">Outlook for Android</a></div>
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