The recently formed Deaf Bilingual Coalition (DBC) is a place to learn about American Sign Language (ASL), deaf culture, and books and literacy for the deaf community across America.
The Information Institute at Florida State University just introduced the Evaluation Decision-Making System (EDMS), the result of a 3 year project entitled “Increasing the Effectiveness of Evaluation for Improved Library Decision Making and Advocacy” funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The EDMS is a “centralized public access web site designed to provide information related to evaluation of a library’s services and resources for management and advocacy purposes.” The purpose of the site is to help public library managers match data needs with evaluation methods.
Queens Library honored as Finalist for U Pluribus Unum Prize for Exceptional Immigrant Integration Initiatives. The Migration Policy Institute announced: “Serving one of the nation’s most ethnically diverse counties, Queens Library provides literacy and English language classes, multilingual computer workshops and e-books, online portals to social services for immigrants, civic engagement and citizenship courses, increased access to health care networks, assistance in launching a business and homework help for the children of non-English speakers, among other services.” It was the only public library so honored. Maureen O’Connor, Chief Operating Officer, and Fred Gitner, New Americans Program/Special Services & International Relations, represented Queens Library at the ceremony.
The theme of the most recent issue of Urban Library Journal is
Library Services for Special Populations. Focusing on outreach to various underserved populations, this issue spotlights homelessness, information literacy for patrons with disabilities, community organizing, digital media and the information gap.