Libraries Respond: Protecting and Supporting Transgender Staff and Patrons
ALA’s ODLOS has created a new resource to help library workers ensure that their space is safe and welcoming to trans patrons and staff. This resource includes suggestions related to pronouns, trainings, policy changes, and more. You can access it here:
www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity/librariesrespond/…
Social Media Stories
‘The Last Of Us Part II’ Presents An Accessible Apocalypse Last month, the highly anticipated video game The Last Of Us Part II was released for the Playstation 4. Many gamers with disabilities struggle to make it all the way through popular video game releases because few are designed with them in mind. Naughty Dog studio is one of the first to take accessibility seriously.
UW Health and Madison College of Engineering develops face shields to help speech therapists and their patients. These will be great to wear at the library once they find a manufacturer, especially for those that work with children!
The white plastic face covering fits over a standard cloth mask and translates the wearer’s speech into text in another language via a smartphone or tablet. It will be available in Japan in the fall and in the US after.
A glove that translates sign language into speech in real time has been developed by scientists — potentially allowing deaf people to communicate directly with anyone, without the need for a translator.
Reconstruction in America; The report documents nearly 2,000 more confirmed racial terror lynchings of Black people by white mobs in America than previously detailed, bringing the total number of confirmed lynchings to 6,500 with thousands more that may never be documented. The report examines the 12 years following the Civil War when lawlessness and violence perpetrated by white leaders created an American future of racial hierarchy, white supremacy, and Jim Crow laws—an era from which our nation has yet to recover.
Explanations of the statement and the importance of not saying “all lives matter” have been popping up all over social media. Here, six examples that explain it simply enough to convey to children.
Continuing Education Opportunites
Premier inclusivity conference goes all virtual. Register now for early bird discounts!
The Toward One Wisconsin conference, still set for November 12-13, will be presented as a total virtual conference. We currently have 40 interest sessions and 150 presenters in these four tracks:
Track I: Increasing Opportunities for Inclusion in Wisconsin’s Workforce
Track II: Creating Inclusive Communities in Wisconsin
Track III: Cultivating Equity in Education
Track IV: Building Health Equity in Wisconsin
Live Twitter Chat on Creating Inclusive Communities August 5 at 12:00 p.m. Central
Join PLA’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice (EDISJ) for their next live Twitter chat on Wednesday, August 5 from 12–1:00 p.m. Central! The discussion will focus on creating inclusive communities through an EDISJ lens. To participate, simply follow PLA on Twitter (@ALA_PLA) and log in at noon Central on August 5. The EDISJ Task Force will tweet introductions and discussion questions to get things started. To join the conversation, tweet using the hashtags #chatPLA and #Inclusion.
Free all-day workshop about accessibility
6th biennial Adaptive Umbrella accessibility virtual workshop on September 23rd! The speakers will also be including ideas for virtually engaging and welcoming the disability community in their presentations. Registration (free!) and more details about the day can be found here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adaptive-umbrella-tickets-75744857909.
In case you missed it: ALA/IFLA Webinar Recording: Mindfulness to Manage Workplace Stress and Microaggressions
UW-Madison iSchool Classes
Opportunity Out of Adversity: Digital Access in Rural and Small Libraries
Thursday, August 6, 2020 ◆ 3:00 pm Eastern / 12:00 pm Pacific ◆ 60 minutes
Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/opportunity-out-of-adversity.html
This presentation will explore how one rural library has improved internet access in partnership with an internet service provider, hosted telehealth appointments in collaboration with healthcare providers and transportation agencies, worked with schools to ensure opportunities for youth through esports, and improved digital literacy skills for patrons and local businesses.
Submitted by: Sherry Machones
