Please excuse cross postings

 

Invitation to participate in national survey about public library maker programs for youth with disabilities  

Are you responsible for developing and delivering makerspace or making programming and services in your library? Makerspaces are flourishing in public libraries, yet little is known about the inclusive programming being provided to library patrons, especially youth with disabilities. Makerspace programming can address inequities in underserved communities (including youth with disabilities), by providing access to various making technologies, skill acquisition through training, and peer and professional mentoring, each critical to today's youth with disabilities who plan to move into the workforce, but also essential for improving each youth's quality of life. Our research team, Drs. June Abbas and Yong Ju Jung from the School of Library & Information Studies at the University of Oklahoma, is conducting a national survey (funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services) investigating the current state of programming, design, and accessibility of United States' public library makerspaces' programs for youth with disabilities. We invite you to participate in our survey by going to: ousurvey.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1Lig00rRn3jDZ1I . The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. We plan to present the results of the survey at a future ALA or PLA conference and to share our findings widely on social media and our project website. We want to hear from you about how your libraries are meeting this critical social need!

 

If you have any questions about participating in the survey, please contact me at: ...@ou.edu" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" title="mailto:jmab...@ou.edu">jmab...@ou.edu.

Thank you for considering this invitation.

 

 Dr. June Abbas

 

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services IMLS # LG-252323-OLS-22. "The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter."

 

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Addressing unaccompanied youth housing and food insecurity through libraries  

I'm gathering examples of what libraries are doing to support unaccompanied youth (youth who don't have a parent or guardian actively involved in their lives), ages 10 to 25, who are experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. If you've addressed unaccompanied youth housing/food insecurity through your library (public, academic, school, other), I'd love to hear from you. I'm interested in hearing about any work you've done with local/national non-library organizations/groups, including official or unofficial partnerships, collaborations, sharing of information, sharing of resources, meetings, conversations, programs, etc.; or programs that are led by unhoused youth; or any other ways, big and small, that you've addressed this topic through your library.  

I posted a similar request in the summer of 2021, in preparation for teaching a library school class on this topic, and received some great responses. I'm hoping to collect even more examples - my goal is to have an extensive list of a range of ideas so I can provide specific illustrations of what libraries have done and can do, as I reach out to youth-serving organizations. 

Thank you!

Julie Ann Winkelstein ...@utk.edu" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">jwin...@utk.edu 

Please feel free to forward this request! 

 

Julie Ann Winkelstein, PhD, MLIS
Librarian, writer, teacher, activist

Author: Libraries and Homelessness: An Action Guide (products.abc-clio.com/abc-cliocorporate/...)

...@utk.edu" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">jwin...@utk.edu
My pronouns are she, her, hers

Forwarded by:

 

Sharon Rawlins, MLS (she/her/hers)

Youth Services Specialist

Library Development Bureau

New Jersey State Library

P. 609-278-2640 x116

E. ...@njstatelib.org" style="color: #2199e8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">sraw...@njstatelib.org

W. www.njstatelib.org

185 West State Street

P.O. Box 520, Trenton, NJ  08625