May 21, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMLS Press Contact
202-653-4799
Giuliana Bullard, gbullard@imls.gov

IMLS Invites Civic-Minded Techies to Hack Agency Data

Agency participates in first ever National Day of Civic Hacking

The first National Day of Civic Hacking will take place in communities across America—and at the White House—on June 1 and 2, 2013. The event will be the largest ever to bring together citizens from around the country to work with local, state, and federal governments—as well as private sector organizations—with the common goal of improving their community through technology. The Institute of Museum and Library Services will join other federal agencies in presenting national challenges that citizen hackers will tackle at more than 90 events across the country….Read more at: http://www.imls.gov/imls_invites_civic-minded_techies_to_hack_agency_data.aspx

Moving forward in Newtown – a lesson for us all by Carlton Sears

Civic Engagement in the Digital Age

by Aaron Smith, Pew Internet and American Life Project, Apr 25, 2013

After concurrent meetings arranged by the Center for Engaged Democracy and National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation during the day of July 18, “Frontiers” will turn to interactive learning exchanges, concurrent academic sessions, “short takes” (10-minute rehearsed talks by invited speakers), and meals and other opportunities to talk with scholars and practitioners from many countries who are interested in public engagement, deliberative and participatory democracy, collaborative governance, educating for democracy and civic learning, public work, building social capital, strengthening democracy, and related themes.

A registration form and more information are here. You can also consult a draft agenda for 2013’s conference and videos of “short takes” from the 2012 meeting.

Announcement from Peter Levine, Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Director of CIRCLE: the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Tufts University, Lincoln Filene Hall, Medford, MA 02155-7028, 617-627-2302, Peter.Levine@Tufts.edu

Issue Advisory – How Can We Stop Mass Shootings in Our Communities?

The tragic attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, has raised concerns among many people across the nation.  Other violent episodes, such as the killing of a teenager who was gunned down after returning home from the president’s inauguration, have also drawn attention.  While mass shootings are infrequent, they may be increasing.  Each has devastating effects on a whole community.

Overall, the United States has become safer in recent years.  Yet mass shooters target innocent people indiscriminately, often in locales where people ordinarily (and rightly) feel safe–movie theaters, college compuses, schools.

How can we stop such violent acts and ensure that people feel safe in their homes and communities?

This issue advisory presents three options for deliberation, along with their drawbacks:

Option One: Reduce the Threat of Mass Shootings - The problem is that we are too vulnerable to violence.

Option Two: Equip People to Defend Themselves - The problem is that most people, especially children, are not able to defend themselves from sudden danger due to violence.

Option Three: Root Out Violence in Society - The problem is that we live in a culture that perpetuates violence and numbs people to its effects.

You can download the complete issue advisory by clicking here.

IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO, 83403

Media Contact:                                                                                                      For Immediate Release

Robert Pence, (208) 526-6518                                                                      November 7, 2012

DOE appoints three new members to advisory board

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – The U.S. Department of Energy recently appointed three new members to the Idaho National Laboratory Site Environmental Management Citizens Advisory Board, a volunteer citizen panel that provides advice and recommendations to DOE on its environmental cleanup operations at INL.

The new members include Kristen R. Jensen, Robert J. Bodell and Betsy S. McBride.

“I’m very impressed with the caliber of the new appointees, and I’m confident they will be valuable additions to the current board,” said James R. Cooper, deputy manager of the Idaho Cleanup Project. “We are very appreciative of their willingness to serve and dedicate time on the board.”

Kristen R. Jensen is the executive director for the nonprofit Great Rift Business Development Organization and a gifted and talented educator in the American Falls School District. An Idaho State University graduate, she has a long-standing interest in energy and environmental issues and in economic development in Eastern Idaho.

Robert J. Bodell, INL Site Labor Coordinator, works as a neutral party with INL employers and unions to resolve labor issues. An Idaho Falls resident, he understands INL issues from both the worker and employer perspective and has a particular interest in health care.

Betsy S. McBride of Boise is a self-employed public policy consultant with the Virginia-based Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement, a nonprofit organization founded to support collaborative public policy decision making. Her interest in the CAB stems from her commitment to civic and stakeholder involvement in public decisions and interest in preserving the environment.

Other CAB members include Willie Preacher (CAB Chair, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes), Nicki Karst (CAB Vice-Chair, Idaho Falls), Herb Bohrer (Springfield), Sean Cannon (Rexburg), Harrison Gerstlauer (Blackfoot), Harry Griffith (Sun Valley), Mark Lupher (Challis), Bill Roberts (Pocatello), Tami Sherwood (Idaho Falls), and Teri Tyler (Idaho Falls).

Established in 1994 in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the CAB is an important resource that DOE uses to engage the public. Representing a variety of perspectives on issues important to Idaho citizens, its members make formal recommendations on topics such as cleanup standards, environmental restoration, waste management, stabilization and disposition of non-stockpile nuclear materials, excess facilities, land use and long-term stewardship, risk assessment and management, and cleanup science and technology.

The CAB’s next meeting is Wednesday, November 14, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Idaho Falls. Members of the public are encouraged to attend, ask questions and provide comment on the cleanup program. Agendas, meeting minutes and recommendations are available on the CAB website, http://inlcab.energy.gov/, or call 208-557-7886.

AGENDA
1. Harwood Institute, Promise of Libraries
2. Peggy Holman, Engaging Emergence
3. Civic Engagement Activities Around the Country
4. Public Programs Office Civic Engagement Initiatives

(Send Suggestions to Nancy Kranich nancy.kranich@rutgers.edu)

Join Us. Bring Your Colleagues

Other Civic Engagement Programs of Interest at ALA Midwinter

• The Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities, A Presidential Initiative, Saturday, January 26, 8:30 – 10:00am. WSCC, 606-607
• Community Engagement Conversation: The Work of Hope, with Rich Harwood, Saturday, January 26, 1:00pm – 2:30pm. WSCC 611-614.
• Community Engagement Conversation: Appreciative Inquiry—The Library in the Community, with Peggy Holman, Sunday, January 27, 1:00pm – 2:30pm. WSCC Ballroom 6A.
• ALA President’s Program, with Peter Block, The Abundant Community, Sunday, January 27, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm, WSCC Ballroom 6A.
• Change in the Community, Change in ALA, with Peggy Holman. Monday, January 28, 8:30am – 11:30am. WSCC, Ballroom 6A.

Follow the ALA Center for Civic Life Blog: http://discuss.ala.org/civicengagement/
ALA Connect: http://connect.ala.org/node/64933
Subscribe to ALA’s Civic Engagement listserv:
1. Go to: http://lists.ala.org/wws, and click on “View All Lists”
2. Scroll down to deliberate@ala.org and click on “Subscribe”
Libraries Foster Civic Engagement Membership Initiative Group
Fill out the Libraries and Civic Engagement survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LibraryCivicEngagement

School Libraries and Resource Centers Section & Information Literacy Section

Theme: School Libraries and Information for Civic Literacies

The IFLA School Libraries and Resource Centers Section and Information Literacy Sections are seeking proposals for a joint programme to be held at the IFLA Conference in Singapore in August 2013.

Information literacy covers a broad spectrum of literacies required for success in the 21st century. Of the multiple literacies encountered, there is the essential challenge of developing literate citizens who are equipped
to participate and contribute to the local and broader community. The program will present papers that address this challenge through school libraries and collaborators with school libraries, such as public libraries,
university libraries, community entities, government agencies etc.

Papers should address one or both of the two main concepts of civic literacy:
1. Civic Literacy
• Participating effectively in civic life through knowing how to stay
informed and understanding governmental processes
• Exercising the rights and obligations of citizenship at local, state,
national and global levels
• Understanding the local and global implications of civic decisions
2. Civic Literacy
• The knowledge of how to actively participate and initiate change in your
community and the greater society.

Papers chosen for presentation should address, but are not limited to:
• definitions, concepts of civic literacy
• the process of the origination of individual civic literacy
• civic literacy in heterogeneous/multicultural environments
• the relationship/interactions between information literacy and civic
literacy
• the role of contributors to civic literacy: schools, school libraries,
public libraries, university libraries
• the contribution of school libraries to civic literacies
• examples or case studies of efforts to develop civic literacy
• civic literacy exams (sense and nonsense)

Submission Guidelines
Papers can be written and given in any of the official IFLA languages:
English, French, German, Russian, Spanish. However, abstracts must be submitted in English.
Proposals for School Libraries and Information for Civic Literacy Papers must be submitted by January 31, 2013, must be in English and must include the following:

1. Title of proposed presentation
2. Outline/abstract of the proposed paper/presentation (no more than 300
words)
3. Name(s) of presenter(s)
4. Position or title of presenter(s)
5. Presenter(s) employer or affiliated institution
6. E-mail address
7. Telephone/fax numbers
8. Short biographical statement regarding the presenter/s
9. Language of presentation

15 minutes will be allowed for a summary delivery of the paper in the Conference (followed by 5 minute discussion/s). The full written paper is not to be read.

Important dates:
Submission deadline January 31, 2013. The Review Committee will evaluate all submitted materials and successful applicants will be notified by February 4, 2013.

Complete accepted papers must be between 3000 and 6000 words in length, be an original submission not published elsewhere and are due by May 31st 2013, so that translations can be organised.

All papers will be published on IFLA.org

The Proposals should be sent with “IFLA Proposal WLIC 2013″ on the subject line to:
Barbara Schultz-Jones, Secretary of the School Library Section
E-mail: Barbara.Schultz-Jones@unt.edu

The National Issues Forum Institute has developed a beginning collection of resources that may  help those who would like to deliberate about violence, and/or to frame violence-related issues at: http://nifi.org/news/news_detail.aspx?itemID=23533&catID=24.

NIFI also has posted a link to a new issue guide about Mental Health Care from the Kansas State University Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy in association with the National Alliance on Mental Illness at: http://nifi.org/news/news_detail.aspx?itemID=23521&catID=24