[Libs-Or] Grant opportunity for small & rural libraries - Civics opportunity?

Thu Jan 3 12:11:16 PST 2019

Thanks, Robert, actually, I've been looking at this information and thought it might be a great opportunity to institute Civics education into public libraries.

Included in the Notice of Funding Availability: “to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement.” [p 4 NOFA]

I've had a number of small and rural libraries request my services but the costs haven't made this possible. A grant may be the answer for them.

Specifically, I thought it would be an opportunity for these goals:
1.	Provide professional development for civic education
2.	Or, provide professional development and workshops for adults
3.	Or, provide professional development and workshops for teens and adults

Further, there are mandated performance measures / evaluation component. I taught a class in information needs assessment and evaluation for Emporia and have done many needs assessment as part of my prior work as a consulting/freelance librarian. Measuring the effects of Civics workshops would be relatively easy to plan for. Seeing the effects, wonderful!

Here, again, are the workshops I offer:
Civics for Adults [and others!] Workshops: 
Enhancing Civic Knowledge / Inspiring Political Engagement

The goal of all workshops is to provide information typically hidden behind the headline-grabbing, background noise of our lives and to encourage utilizing this knowledge to improve our communities and country. Our democracy is strengthened when citizens have accurate civic knowledge.

Misinformation, Fake News and Political Propaganda
We are overwhelmed with messages from politicians, news sources and other media. Learn to distinguish truth from fiction using critical thinking strategies. The workshop uses real world examples of political ads, news headlines, logical fallacies, graphs / charts, the effect of word choice in messaging, statistical data and other types of information in a “what do you see here? / what is missing?” type of format. The last part is about finding accurate information. The goal is to help people become their own “factchecker”. 
“It’s good to question assertions of any kind... I liked Donna’s examples of real ads and how we need to be mentally vigilant.” 

Citizen Activism 101—Making Change Happen 
Want to improve life for yourself and your neighbors or have a concern about local, state or federal laws? Learn about strategies for change, and more: Examples of successful advocacy; Brief historical perspective; Choosing your battles; What matters to you?; Who makes the rules?; Getting heard: tools for change; “Tracking” state and federal egislation
Thanks so much for hosting this!! I think that this sort of event is perfectly in line with the spirit of public 	libraries, and I think we need ya’ll now more than ever.
We would love more talks like this one about citizen advocacy.
Donna was fabulous. Engaging speaker and shared some really useful knowledge.
I loved this presentation! Donna had a lot of information and provided a lot of resources.

The Influence of the Constitution on Civic and Political Conversation
By looking back at the creation of the Constitution and tracing major changes to it and its interpretation we puncture some myths and develop a broader perspective on its significance – perspective that helps us evaluate current politics more thoughtfully. 
“Amazing what was done [the creation of the Constitution] and what issues still remain.”
“Good level of history and contemporary political ideas, their evolution and relevance to today.”

Beyond Voting: Elections and Campaign Financing
This is a unique workshop covering 20 topics related to our electoral systems and presenting specific ideas for bi-partisan civic/political engagement. Sample topics:
Voting as Constitutional right(?), Voter Rights, Voter Fraud, Voter Registration, Alternative Methods of Voting, Redistricting, Electoral College, Campaign Financing, SuperPACS and 501(c)4s, Contribution Limits, Dark Money, Campaign Finance Databases, Public Financing of Elections
 	“Thanks for all the great information… It was empowering.” 
““This talk was very informational and gave me some ideas of how to make a difference starting locally.” 
“Thanks so much for this interesting and engaging workshop on civics.” 

All workshops are non-partisan.

Please let me know if you'd like me to work on a proposal with you. Some libraries [e.g. southern, eastern, central Oregon] might like to work together on a grant.

Donna

Donna L Cohen, MEd, MLIS
Portland, Oregon
503-737-1425
dcohen at hevanet.com
Civics for Adults Workshops: To Enhance Civic Knowledge and Inspire Political Engagement
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Civics-for-Adults-1490728887922036/  or contact to be on Civics email list.
“My philosophy is very simple. When you see something that is not fair, not right, not just - stand up, say something, speak up!” Rep. John Lewis.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lzPpqc2WY 

-----Original Message-----
From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> On Behalf Of Robertshaw, Brooke
Sent: Thursday, January 3, 2019 11:52 AM
To: Libs-Or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: [Libs-Or] Grant opportunity for small & rural libraries

Hi all -
  I'm in a presentation by IMLS, and this was posted (see attached image) -> a grant opportunity for small and rural libraries. Maybe there are interested folks here?

:)
Brooke

——————————————————————
M. Brooke Robertshaw, PhD

Assistant Professor & Assessment Librarian

Oregon State University Libraries & Press

121 The Valley Library

Corvallis, OR 97331

Office: (541) 737-1780

Mobile: (541) 870-6136

brooke.robertshaw at oregonstate.edu <mailto:brooke.robertshaw at oregonstate.edu> 

——————————————————————

“Algorithms don't make things fair if you just blithely,  blindly apply algorithms. They repeat our past  practices, our patterns. They automate the status quo.”
      ~Cathy O’Neil, TED2017
——————————————————————

Library Liaison to the College of Education

Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Mary's River or Ampinefu Band of Kalapuya.  
Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (https://www.grandronde.org <https://www.grandronde.org/>) and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians (https://ctsi.nsn.us <https://ctsi.nsn.us/>).

On 1/3/19, 11:49 AM, "Robertshaw, Brooke" <Brooke.Robertshaw at oregonstate.edu <mailto:Brooke.Robertshaw at oregonstate.edu> > wrote:

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