|
Libraries
Build Community Through Deliberative Forums
Wednesday,
June 7, 2006
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Online in the Opal Auditorium
On
Wednesday June 7, I will be moderating an online panel discussion with
librarians from two libraries that have been involved in a number of
innovative civic engagement initiatives. This discussion will take place in
a virtual auditorium created for libraries to conduct workshops, programs,
and meetings with patrons and each other. Texas Forums owns a classroom in
this virtual Opal Online environment and this will be our first
foray into presenting programs online!
You
should attend this session if you:
are a
librarian,
represent a public entity like a museum or City Department,
are curious about what forward thinking librarians are up to these days,
want to see how a real-time, online program works,
want to help Taylor Willingham
figure out how we can use this technology to build the Texas Forums network,
will probably be eating lunch at your desk anyway!
To
join the discussion, just log in to the Opal
Online Auditorium at noon on Wednesday June 7. If you have a microphone
on your computer, you will be able to talk to the panelists and other
participants. If not, don't worry, you will still be able to participate
via text message. For an introduction to Opal, check out this 2 minute
video Windows Media Video Introduction
to Opal Online.
Here
is the workshop description!
Libraries
can be key partners in helping to build their communities by helping engage
citizens in decision-making. The Johnson County Library and the Minneapolis Public
Library are just two of a growing number of libraries that have taken
their civic mission to heart and are building the capacity of their communities
to engage in deliberative dialogue about public (and often divisive)
issues. You will hear how these two libraries are helping their communities
have a civil dialogue on issues like education, economic development,
health care and housing. In the process, they are developing strong
collaborative relationships with other organizations in the community,
encouraging lively but civil discussions of public issues, facilitating a
process to surface common ground for people to act together, and increasing
their value to the community. Find out how your library can be a community
resource for citizens input on issues, AND learn about tools, resources,
and projects that you can introduce in your library.
Presenters:
Donna Lauffer, Associate Director, Johnson County Library; Melinda Ludwiczak, Coordinator,
Arts/Business Initiatives, Minneapolis Public Library; and Taylor Willingham,
Coordinator of Texas Forums
Program
Goals:
1. Introduce librarians to forums in the library
2. Promote the Democracy's Challenge forum at ALA
3. Position forums on this and other topics as a way for libraries to participate
in the September Project
4. Gauge the interest of librarians in participating in online training
after ALA Annual Conference
Sponsor:
This presentation is sponsored by the Libraries
Fostering Civic Engagement Membership Initiative Group of the American
Library Association Membership. The Civic Engagement MIG was formed to
provide an ALA
"organizational home" for members interested in facilitating
public forums, fostering civic engagement, and framing issues for
deliberation in their communities. For more information about this MIG and
other community engagement resources, please visit the Libraries
Foster Civic Engagement MIG Blog.
Host:
Johnson County
Library.
Location:
OPAL Auditorium
This
presentation will be recorded and archived for those who want to listen to
the presentation later at the Opal Blog Site. If you are part of the growing number
of people subscribing to RSS feeds and would like to be notified of the
release of this presentation, please go to the Opal Podcast
Feedburner site to subscribe.
|
