PLD Day 2019

Equity of Access: Leveling the Playing Field

 Friday, May 17, 2019 

9:00am - 3:30pm

** Due to the weather, this event was rescheduled from April 12 to May 17.

Schedule

9:00 am: Registration, Breakfast & Networking
9:30 am: Welcoming remarks
 
9:45-10:45 am: Morning Keynote 
Trauma Informed Libraries: Approaches for Supporting Patrons and Staff
Angela Lewis-Dmello, Clinical Social Worker, Transforming Trauma
 
Library environments that are accessible, safer spaces for trauma survivors require staff to have an understanding of the basics of trauma and its effects on the human mind, body, and soul.
Participants will learn how to: 
--Support patrons who have difficulty regulating emotionally and/or physiologically as a result of their traumatic experiences.
--Apply proactive strategies which are attuned to the complex needs of traumatized patrons. 
--Seek support for their own experiences of vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout in order to build systems able to support practicing sustainably.

10:45 am: Break

11 am-12 pm: Breakout Sessions
 
1) Fee Elimination: On January 2 of this year, Saint Paul Public Library eliminated overdue fines on all materials. In tandem, existing overdue fines were removed from all library accounts and a one-time amnesty removed all bills older than two years for lost or damaged materials.  Borrowing privileges were restored to 42,261 patrons. After years of taking incremental steps to mitigate the effects of fines and fees, this was a bold, transformational step. 
 
In this session, members of the library's Eliminating Late Fines team will detail the research, staff and community engagement, and communications strategies that took place around this decision and its implementation and share preliminary data on the impact of eliminating late fines at SPPL. Presented by librarians with St. Paul Public Library. 
 
2) Online Law Help in Minnesota: LawHelpMN is a free site designed to help Minnesotans solve legal problems, increasing access to justice through self-help tools. The site was recently updated and now includes a new guided interview to help users find tailored information and referrals, with a focus on free legal services. Librarians can learn about the features and resources of LawHelpMN to support patrons looking for legal information and help. Presented by Emily Good, Legal Projects Manager, Legal Services State Support.
 
3) Actualizing Access Through the Art of Community Partnerships: Shannon  Melham (Library Manager of the Mississippi branch of the Anoka County Library system) and Jeffrey Ebeling (Executive Director of Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts) will demonstrate how partnerships energize overlapping missions of the community organizations they work for, create opportunities for free public access to art, and create more opportunities for local artists as well.
 
4) Reader’s Advisory - Everyday Diversity: Participants will leave with a curated list of titles for all ages and an understanding of why it’s important for these books to be in library collections everywhere. Presented by Tasha Nins, Librarian and Createch Lead, St. Paul Public Library, and Tami Lee, Children's Librarian II, Ramsey County Library.

12-1 pm: Lunch
 
1-2 pm: Afternoon Keynote
Anytime Anyplace Programs: Playing with Passive Programs for All
Marge Loch-Wouters, Lecturer, UW-Madison iSchool
 
Patron-powered passive programs are low-cost, low stress and high fun programs that stretch your time and budget and increase library use and literacy support. Learn how these programs invite busy people to engage anytime the library is open or anywhere in the community you reach out to. Scavenger hunts! Bookfacing! Clue! Literacy/Art Stations! Check-out Clubs! We'll explore multiple ways to create these anytime, anywhere programs for kids, teens, and adults in this lively session.

2 pm: Dessert Break

2:15 pm: Group Discussion
Witnessing Racism - See Something, Say Something 
Facilitators: Hannah Buckland, ALA Chapter Councilor and Kirsten Clark, MLA President

Stepping up to call out racism can be difficult.  However, when silence persists, the status quo is embraced, and as recent events at the 2019 ALA Midwinter Meeting highlighted, the status quo is one where library workers of color experience displays of racialized harassment.  Attendees will participate in a facilitated discussion on the MLA Code of Conduct.  Participants will leave with ways to respond to racist harassment when they witness it. 

3:15 pm: Closing Remarks 

3:30 pm: Happy Hour
Hotel bar and restaurant: Serrano’s Cocina

Register online via the blue 'Register' button at the top of the page