Diana Price, manager of the Charles E. Beatley, Jr., Central Library in Alexandria, Virginia, was a guest speaker at the May meeting of the CAL International Library and Cultural Exchange interest group. She described her positive experience with the International Sister Libraries program. Her library developed a new Sister Library partnership with a library in Dundee, Scotland, that enriches patrons in both countries. One popular program that has resulted from the partnership is an adult book club, in which patrons in both communities read a book and then gather together virtually for a rich discussion. This presentation explains the exchange in more depth.
We hope you have had a wonderful summer full of amazing adventures and international travel! To recap, in the spring the CAL International Library and Cultural Exchange interest group posted an opportunity to apply for a grant. We are excited to announce that we have awarded the grant to Elektra Greer, director of the Nederland Community Library, for her Nederland Community Library International Sister Library Student Exchange Program. Students from the Nederland, Colorado, area worked with students in The Netherlands to develop skills to address the issue of climate change. The project concluded with student exchanges during July, when, first, Dutch students visited Nederland and then Colorado students visited The Netherlands. The communities on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean welcomed the visitors and shared their unique activities, food, and cultural events; it was an unforgettable international experiential learning opportunity for all. Congratulations to Elektra for the library’s involvement in spearheading such a program!
Update! Elektra Greer let us know that the American Embassy in the Hague is going to give her program over $20,000 to help them do their International Student exchange again next year! This award is a great tribute to Elektra’s hard work and dedication to cultural collaboration.
I have always been passionate about early literacy and education. As an undergraduate majoring in human development, I focused most of my studies on child development with a minor in gerontology. After undergraduate studies, I worked as a literacy advocate with military families in Hawaii. When I returned to Colorado, I began work at Denver Public Library and decided to pursue a MLIS focused on children’s services. Upon graduation, I worked as a school librarian to promote the love of literacy and support teachers. I also had the opportunity to promote the love of reading with Foreign Service families in Washington D.C.
Now as a children’s librarian, at Bemis Public Library, I enjoy conducting story times to children ages birth through five years with my ukulele; providing reader’s advisory to parents and kids; as well as ordering the JFICTION, E-READER, and Parenting collections of Bemis Library. I have been a member of CAL’s ILCE-IG for about 5 years and graduated in August from the CALLI (Leadership Institute) Program. I look forward to expanding my leadership skills as a co-chair of ILCE. Shannon Brennan
When my husband brought home a job posting and suggested I might like working in the library, little did I realize he was pointing me towards my life’s purpose. I have spent nearly 20 years in Library Land, working my way through all the public-facing jobs at suburban public libraries of different sizes: I was a page, and then a library specialist, and then a lead library specialist, and then a co-supervisor. Currently I supervise a small branch, Sheridan Library, in the southwest corner of Denver. I was proud to earn my master’s of library science from Emporia State University in December of 2023.
Connection, expansion, and service are my strongest values. Librarianship speaks to all three, and international librarianship offers even more opportunity for expansion and connection. I believe my interest in other cultures makes me a better librarian–more aware, more understanding, more tolerant, more inclusive. I look forward to advocating for cultural exchange as co-chair of the International Library and Cultural Exchange Interest Group. Kathleen Robertson
In this issue you will find a recap of Better Together: The Power of Global Library Connections, a two-day conference dedicated to global partnerships, with presentations from librarians and leaders across the globe. In a unique format, virtual on Day 1 and in-person on Day 2, Dr. Jesús Lau, Professor at Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Mexico, delivered inspiring keynote addresses on both days emphasizing the importance of global connections. The in-person venue was held at the Colorado School of Mines.
The issue also introduces our new co-chairs, Shannon Brennan and Kathleen Robertson. Join us in welcoming them to their new positions.
Learn about new technologies used in a refugee camp in Sudan that was awarded the 2023 BEST Emerging Technology Application Award by RUSA.
We also honor four women who passed away this past year and who have changed our lives. They were dedicated to libraries and literacy and devoted their lives to making the world a better place. We hope you will be inspired by their lives.
The issue concludes as we Focus on a Project: The Journey School of Costa Rica, Tamarindo, another example of the reach of ILCE-IG to library projects around the world.
Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has announced Janet Lee (ILCE-IG member) and Tegest Hailu, M.D. are the recipients of one of two 2023 ETS Best Emerging Technology Application Awards for the Kindle Early Language Learning project for serving children in the Hasheba Refugee Camp in Sudan. The $3,000 Best Emerging Technology Application (BETA) Award is sponsored by Chatstaff and LibraryH3lp.
For applying existing technologies in novel ways that benefit the library and patrons. Kindle Early Language Learning is an innovative way of replicating the library and its resources for children living in difficult conditions in Sudan’s Hasheba Refugee Camp, helping them learn reading, writing, and languages in engaging ways. – Award Committee Statement
The Kindle Early Language Learning Project in Hasheba Refugee Camp in Sudan introduces first language resources to refugee school children in a joint library/classroom through the use of Kindle technology. The children, many of whom are orphans, fled from the Tigray region of Ethiopia, when conflict broke out in November 2020 forcing them into exile in Sudan. As basic housing and health services were implemented in the camps, housing over 60,000 refugees, it became apparent that the children needed educational resources and a sense of normalcy that a school would provide. An agreement was made among the refugees, NGOs and the Sudanese government to share classroom space with existing Sudanese students. Among the refugees were Ethiopian-certified teachers, taking up the charge of teaching the students. Since resources such as books and supplies are scarce, printing costs prohibitive, and shipping expensive, the project introduced the use of specially configured Kindle devices that were loaded with storybooks and first language reading aids in the languages of Tigrinya, Amharic, and Arabic. The Kindle device is ideal because it can hold hundreds of book titles in a variety of formats, is easy to hold, emulates a print book, and can handle the script of Tigrinya, Amharic, and Arabic. Since the storybooks are downloaded, access to the books is available offline. In a remote area of the world such as in the refugee camps in Sudan, with little access to Internet and few print resources, the Kindle Early Language Learning Project provides needed resources in an attractive and affordable way.
Janet Lee will be presenting with other awardees at the 2023 RUSA ETS Technology Showcase at the American Library Association Monday, June 26th, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM.
The BETA selection committee was Chaired by Beth Caruso.
Sponsored by the Colorado Association of Libraries and the Colorado School of Mines
Have you ever wanted an international partner for your library? Have you ever wanted to work overseas?
The International Library and Cultural Exchange Interest Group of the Colorado Association of Libraries and the Arthur Lakes Library of the Colorado School of Mines are sponsoring a uniquely formatted two-day international conference, Better Together: The Power of Global Library Connections.
Day 1 of the conference, March 6 is only online via zoom. Day 2 of the conference, March 7 is only in person in Golden, Colorado. Each conference agenda is different. Registration is separate for each day. See each day’s registration link below.
The free online conference will feature speakers worldwide. Highlights:
Dr. Jesús Lau, Professor at Universidad Veracruzana and Co-Chair of UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance, on the value of international cooperation among libraries.
A panel of librarians from China and the Colorado School of Mines will discuss their successful STEM project.
Librarians from Park City, Utah, discuss their partnership with Bimal Library in Dharan, Nepal.
A representative from the Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, will describe partnerships with multiple international universities and how the library was involved.
Representatives from Sister Cities International and the ALA, International Relations Round Table Sister Libraries Committee will discuss successful partnerships.
Captioning in English will be provided. A tip sheet will be made available to all participants. Participation in the conference is free. Questions: Carol Smith at cesmith@mines.edu
Click below to register for March 6 online webinar
This in-person conference will be held at the Colorado School of Mines, . Highlights include:
Dr. Jesús Lau, Professor at Universidad Veracruzana and Co-Chair of UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance speaking on the value of international cooperation among libraries
Sherri Baca from Pueblo City-County Library and Victor Zuniga from Poudre River Public Library District discussing their partner library experiences
Gayle Stallings, Sister Cities International State Representative for Colorado
Brianna Buljung and Janet Lee, both US Fulbright Scholars on their experiences in Taiwan and Ethiopia
Jamie LaRue on the value of international partnerships and his experience in Bulgaria.
The Registration Fee includes breakfast snacks, lunch, free parking, and a concluding reception in the Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science. A tip sheet will be made available to all participants.
Click below to register for the March 7, in-person, International Library Conference.
Please join members of the International Library and Cultural Exchange as we visit libraries, cultural centers, and natural sites and participate in local library events in beautiful Nicaragua.
San Juan del Sur Biblioteca
Local arrangements will be made by Jane Mirandette, Founder of the Hester J. Hodgdon Libraries for All Program, a Colorado-based nonprofit. Jane is the Director of the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca in San Juan del Sur, a beautiful coastal town.
Join us to:
Tour various cultural sites in Nicaragua including Masaya Volcano and its Natural History museum; the 16th century city of Granada, with its cathedrals and the Museo San Francisco with its large collection of pre-Columbian statues.
Volunteer and travel with the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Movil on its regular route to rural schools and participate in the lending process.
Celebrate the 21st anniversary of the SJDS Biblioteca, the highlight event of the year, with a library festival and street fair for over 500 children, events for Nicaraguan librarians and teachers, and an evening Gala event.
Congratulations to Shannon Brennan, Children’s Librarian at the Bemis Public Library, and a valued member of the ILCE-IG steering committee for being selected to the 2022 CAL Leadership Institute (CALLI).
The goals of the CAL Leadership Institute are to develop leaders within CAL and the Colorado library community by:
Allowing an exploration and understanding of personal leadership styles.
Developing key relationships among participants, presenters, and the larger library community through inquiry (listening and understanding others), advocacy (learning about issues and taking a stand), and networking (building collaborative networks and creating coalitions for change).
Providing the necessary professional development opportunities to grow leaders at all levels of library organizations.
Shannon writes, “Being on the steering committee for ILCE is very helpful so I’m glad to be a part of the group!”
