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JUNE PREVIEW • ORLANDO
COGNOTES 9
Keep in the Loop with These Washington Office Programs
The Digital Divide
From the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s ConnectHome effort, to the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline Program, to citywide digital inclusion initiatives, libraries are playing leadership roles in connecting low-income Americans. Policy and library leaders will discuss public policy options and share exemplars of how libraries and allies are expanding digital opportunities at the 2016 American Library Association Annual Conference. During the conference session “Addressing Digital Disconnect for Low-Income Americans,” leaders will explore efforts to connect disadvantaged Americans to the digital world. The session takes place on Saturday, June 25, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Leaders Talk about Increases to Broadband Capacity
Five pilot states make up the Library E-rate Assessment Planning (LEAP) project to ensure libraries benefit from the $3.9 billion modernized E-rate program. Learn what steps these states have taken to increase broadband capacity among their libraries during the 2016 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference. During the session “Libraries LEAP Ahead: 5 States Share their Broadband Success Stories” taking place on Sunday, June 26, library leaders will also discuss plans for future growth using the Erate program as a catalyst. LEAP states will share their broadband goals and vision and the things that worked and the things that did not. Learn about how these experiences will provide the foundation for recommendations to ALA and the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) as well as for the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the agency that implements the E-rate program on behalf of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The session will be held from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Leaders to Discuss Innovative Coding Programs
Coding in libraries? Learn about the variety of programming in school and public libraries at the 2016 American Library Association’s Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla. During the conference session “Libraries Ready to Code: Increasing CS Opportunities for Young People,” a panel of library experts will share experiences gained through a yearlong look at what’s behind the scenes in coding programs for youth – especially for underrepresented groups in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and computer science fields. Panelists will also discuss “computational thinking” and the unique library perspective on successful learning models based on coding concepts. The session takes place on June 26, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Finding Government Services
Ever felt frustrated by the prospect of another unfunded mandate from the federal, local or state government? Empower yourself, your library and your community by learning to navigate major egovernment resources and websites by attending “EGovernment Services At your Library: Conquering An Unfunded Mandate,” a conference session that takes place Thursday, June 23, 2016, from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the 2016 American Library Association Annual Conference in Orlando, Fla. The session takes place on Learn about taxes, housing, aid to dependent families, social security, healthcare, services to veterans, legal issues facing librarians in egovernment and more.
Experts to Discuss Innovative Improvement in Ebook
There has been a shift in the way people access information. Ebooks and the widespread use of graphics to convey information have created a “new normal” for how we read and learn. While these resources are readily available, too many of them are not accessible. As a result, people with disabilities such as vision impairments, physical limitations and severe learning disabilities, often face barriers to information. During the session “Accessible Books for All” at the 2016 American Library Association Annual Conference, a panel of ebook and accessibility experts will discuss the successful partnership between Benetech/Bookshare, the New York Public Library, and others to provide free access to over 400,000 books, periodicals, and more to qualified library patrons. The session takes place Monday, June 27, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Successful Entrepreneurship Programs in Libraries
The library community does more to promote entrepreneurship than many realize. Libraries provide assistance at every stage of the effort to launch and operate a new venture – from writing a business plan, to raising capital, to managing workflow. Learn about best practices for supporting entrepreneurs in libraries during the session “The People’s Incubator: Libraries’ Contributions to Entrepreneurship.” A panel of experts will elucidate the value of this assistance to the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and discuss ways in which libraries might make an even greater impact on the innovation economy moving forward. The session takes place on Monday, June 27 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Get more information and add these to your schedule now.
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