CE NEWS

August 1, 2018

Table of Contents

• Dismantling Institutional Racism in Public Libraries

• Webinars You Don't Want to Miss!

• Records Retention for Public Libraries

• Outcome Based Evaluation of Summer Reading/Learning Programs

• 2^nd Annual CE Challenge

• CE Calendar

Dismantling Institutional Racism in Public Libraries

One of the first things I learned during the Transformation Not Trend: Dismantling Institutional Racism in Public Libraries preconference, held during the 2018 Public Library Association Conference, is that if we want to work on solutions to combat racism in our institutions we need a common and shared definition of what racism is and how it differs from race prejudice and bigotry. 

According to information created by the Crossroads Antiracism Organizing & Training, racism is more than race prejudice. It is more than individual attitudes and actions. Racism is the collective actions of a dominant racial group.  The Local and Regional Government Alliance on Race & Equity define institutional racism as racism that occurs when (intentionally or unintentionally) policies, practices and procedures work better for white people than for people of color.

Fernando Ospina, the Co-Executive Director of Eliminating Racism & Creating/Celebrating Equity (ERACCE), acknowledged that discussing racism can be difficult as people are reluctant to share personal experiences, thoughts, or feelings.  This is out of fear their words may inadvertently hurt someone and their comments may come across as a racist and insensitive. He stressed the importance of creating a safe space for our discussions and laid simple ground rules: 1. What we learned at the workshop could leave with us.  2. What others shared during the workshop should stay at the workshop.  3. If we respect one another, listen to understand, take responsibility for our words and our reactions, create space for other’s voices and maintain confidentiality, we would create a space where all of us could feel safe and heard.

Next, Fernando led us through a power analysis exercise based on Gloria Anzaldúa’s research on cultural identity and borderlands theory.  We were asked to form groups and record our answers on a handout with a blank square printed on the middle of it.  Answers to the first question, “In the US what are the social identities and values that are considered: normal, standard, good, more and best practices?” were to be recorded inside the box.  Answers to the second question, “What are the social identities and values that the dominant center considered deviant, non-standard, or exotic?” were to be recorded outside and around the square.  It was shocking to see each group report nearly identical results. Every group had created a power center (inside of the box) that was white, male, middle class, Christian, educated, and employed, English-language speaking, heterosexual, and a homeowner. This simple activity clearly illustrated where the power in our culture and institutions resides. The activity concluded with a discussion on White Culture and how it defines what is considered normal, what is valued and how decisions are made in our institutions. 

The second part of the preconference was led by Judi Rambow, Caitlin Hoag, and Angela Fortin, librarians from the Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) and members of KPL’s Antiracism Transformation Team. Their presentation focused on efforts their library has undertaken to combat institutional racism. The first step was identifying where KPL was on the Continuum on Becoming an Antiracist Multicultural Institution.  The second step was the creation of the Antiracism Transformation Team, whose members represent diverse cultural, racial, gender and age groups, commit to serving for three years, and are tasked with implementing the process of dismantling institutional racism. Members of the Antiracism Transformation Team were provided with extensive training from Eliminating Racism & Claiming/Celebrating Equality (ERACCE) so that everyone had a shared understanding of what systemic racism is and the process they would need to follow to dismantle it. While none of the KPL facilitator’s sugarcoated the process (eliminating institutional racism takes dedication, persistence and time), all of them expressed the importance of their work, the progress being made, and the strong bonds they share with their fellow team members.

Please note this article was also submitted to Newspoke.

 Webinars You Don't Want to Miss!

• Identifying and Confronting Microaggressions in Our Libraries
• Whose Heritage? Objects, Politics and Collections Care
• Bite-Sized Staff Training: Transform Staff Development for Busy Employees

Records Retention for Public Libraries

A common question we receive at the Alaska State Library regards what administrative records a public library needs to keep and how long do they need to keep those records.  Fortunately most of the documents or records in your files have a temporary value. They are only of value as long as you need to consult or use the data for administrative, financial or legal purposes.  Any records that document the institutional memory of the library, such as bylaws should be retained permanently

The best way to ensure that the records you need to keep are kept for as long as legally required and that obsolete records are disposed of in a controlled and systematic manner is to implement a records retention schedule.  If you are interested in developing a records retention schedule for your public library you may want to refer to the State of Alaska Local Government Model General Administrative Records Retention Schedule. While your library most likely will not have all of the records listed in this document, you may want to consider adopting a few of the sections that may be pertinent to your library.

General Accounting Records: Includes financial data regarding accounts payable, receivable, grant/ contract administration, assessment of fines, payments of license fees- Retain for current fiscal year (CFY) plus three years then destroy (Provided an audit or other annual financial statement has been certified).

Travel Accounting: Includes travel advances, Per Diem and transportation fees for employees on official business-Retain for (CFY) plus three years then destroy

Budget files: Includes documents detailing development of department budget prior to presentation to local governing body. Includes budget instructions, submissions, backup documentation, cost allocations, annual estimates of revenue and amendments-Retain (CFY) plus three years then destroy

Final approved budget: Retain permanently

Annual financial report: Retain permanently

Vendor Files: Includes documentation relating to payment of products or services, fines, fees or permits. Consists of financial transaction registers, vouchers, delivery orders, purchase orders, logs, supply requisitions, advertising orders, invoices, postage meter receipts-Retain for (CFY) plus 3 years then destroy

Banking Records: Consists of records of bank transactions for revenue and payment including: deposit slips, wire transfers, agent fees, transmittal of receipts, savings account data, debt service payments and collected monies-Retain for (CFY) plus three years then destroy (Provided an audit or other annual financial statement has been certified).

Original Bank Statements: Retain (CFY) plus seven years then destroy

Canceled Checks & Check Registers: Retain (CFY) plus three years then destroy (Provided an audit or other annual financial statement has been certified).

Grant Administration Files: Includes documentation of receipt of State and federal monies and consists of applications, copy of notification or grant award, agreement, special conditions, fiscal reports, closeout documents, reports (audit, status, progress & compliance) and correspondence

State grants: Retain for six years then destroy. 

Federal grants: Retain until federal audit is completed or 3 years after grant closeout, whichever is later.

Grant applications NOT awarded: Retain for 1 year then destroy.

Accession Records: Records documenting library accessions and may include date purchased, amount of purchase, publisher, classification code, detailed descriptions. Retain permanently

De-Accession Records: Items transferred, returned to donor or disposed. Retain permanently.

Circulation Records: May include privileged patron information, circulation cards, overdue notices, etc. Retain until superseded/obsolete or administrative need is met then destroy.

Shelf Lists, Inventories & Information System Back up Tapes: Retain until superseded/obsolete or administrative need is met.  Back up tapes should be stored offsite for security. Tapes should be rotated.  Round Robin is a common rotation method using seven tapes (one for each day of the week). Tapes are used in sequence and each tape is overwritten with new data after a week.

Outcome Based Evaluation for Summer Reading/Learning Programs

The Alaska State Library encourages libraries participating in the Statewide Summer Reading program to incorporate an outcome based evaluation in their summer reading/learning program.  Outcome based evaluations provide libraries with survey data that may be used to demonstrate the value of summer reading/learning programs, provide information on how to improve the program and help the library make decisions on how to allocate limited resources. 

Alaska libraries participating in the Statewide Summer Reading program are encouraged to register for a FREE Project Outcome account and create a survey using one of the Alaska Statewide Summer Reading 2018 templates or create their own library’s summer reading/learning survey.   After you have created your survey on Project Outcome, you will have the option of distributing a paper and/or an online version of the survey.

Project Outcome’s website and survey creation tools have been improved.  New users to the Project Outcome website will benefit from viewing the series of short tutorial videos located under the Resources heading.  The tutorials walk you through the process of creating an account, editing your account, creating a survey and managing survey data.

2^nd Annual CE Challenge

During the month of August we are challenging Alaska’s librarians, library staff members and volunteers to make a commitment to their own professional growth by spending one hour a week learning more about a topic or skill that interests them. Are you up to the challenge?  Are you ready to devote one hour a week over the next four weeks reading professional articles or books, attending live or recorded webinars or completing self-paced online courses or tutorials?  If you are up to the challenge, we suggest you begin by reflecting on your personal career goals, then identify a topic or skill that will help you move closer to meeting those goals. We also recommend you set aside time so you can focus on learning without distractions and share what you learn with others.

Below is a list of online resources that will help you meet the CE Challenge.

Blogs:

• Librarian.net
• Public Libraries Online  
• Tame the web: Libraries, Technology and People
• Annoyed Librarian
• Programming Librarian

LibGuides:

• Professional Development Resources for Public Librarians
• Library Leadership
• Programming Ideas for Librarians
• Resources for Library Trustees
• Digital Literacy Guide
• New Librarian Toolkit

Newsletters:

• Friday Bulletin
• CE News

Webinars:

• Archived Webinars for Librarians
• WebJunction Webinar Recordings
• Infopeople Archived Webinars

CE Calendar

Visit the Library Development Training & Continuing Education Calendar for a listing of free training events, workshops,  webinars and webcasts of interest to librarians.