[Web4lib] Announcement: 2 OPAL Online Programs this Week

[Tom Peters]

Greetings!  Two very interesting online programs are scheduled for later this week, addressing the topics of community engagement and conference blogging.  Details are below.  For hotlinks into the OPAL Auditorium, where these two online programs will be held, as well as the current list of all upcoming OPAL programs, please visit 
http://www.opal-online.org/progschrono.htm
 
There is no need to register for these two programs, and no registration fee.  Most OPAL online programs last approximately one hour.  If you cannot attend these live online events, we plan to record, archive, and podcast them, too.  The OPAL archive of LIS programs can be found at 
http://www.opal-online.org/archivelis.htm
 
Wednesday, June 7, 2006 beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, noon Central, 11:00 a.m. Mountain, 10:00 a.m. Pacific, and 5:00 p.m. GMT:
Libraries Build Community Through Deliberative Forums 
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, Director 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 


Friday, June 9, 2006 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, 10:00 a.m. Central, 9:00 a.m. Mountain, 8:00 a.m. Pacific, and 3:00 p.m. GMT:
Conference Blogging 
Imagine, if you will, having your own personal reporter at a conference. Now, imagine having about 15 of them, covering every aspect of a conference, from program sessions and speaker interviews to receptions and on-the-fly bar reference, and being able to access those reports from your computer at work, at home, or even at the conference. In this session, Andrea Mercado will discuss the tao of conference blogging at the PLAblog.org, and take questions on how you can use conference blogging (and other conference blogs) within your library or organization. Are you going to New Orleans for ALA? Are you interested in blogging for PLA? If so, contact Andrea Mercado at contact at plablog.org. Presented by Andrea Mercado, Reference & Techie Librarian, Reading (MA) Public Library and Co-Manager of PLAblog.org, the official blog of the Public Library Association. This program is part of the Librarian's Continuing Education Seminar Series, sponsored by the Johnson County Library. 
This OPAL event will be held in the Auditorium. 



 
Tom Peters

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