<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">Hello all — passing this message on, on behalf of PLA. Representation from small and medium-sized libraries matters!</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">Dear colleagues,</span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">Thank you to everyone who’s already responded to
PLA’s 2021 Public Library Staff and Diversity Survey. If you haven’t, there’s
still time to contribute your responses! The deadline to complete the survey
has been <b>extended to January 14, 2022</b>.
Your library’s participation is vital to understanding and documenting </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%">staff roles, hiring and
retention practices, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) work in public
libraries.</span><span lang="EN"> </span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">Your library’s responses can help to ensure
that all types and sizes of public libraries in the US are represented in the
results. The survey will capture essential information about library staff
roles and diversity in the field to inform state and national initiatives. <s></s></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">Help us help you! Your responses are essential
for PLA and ALA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of public libraries nationwide.
Completing the survey will also provide your library with baseline data that
will allow you to benchmark against other libraries and advocate at a local
level for resources you need. </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%">Login to your library’s <i>free</i> Benchmark account at </span></b><span lang="EN"><a href="https://librarybenchmark.org/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2F" style="color:blue"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%">librarybenchmark.org</span></b></a></span><b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%"> to complete
the survey by January 14th</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%">. Click on "Surveys" in the menu, and you will see
this survey listed under "Open Surveys." Be sure to click “save and
submit” at the bottom of the survey form when you have finished entering your
responses. If you are not sure of your library’s login details or have any
other questions about the survey, please contact </span><span lang="EN"><a href="mailto:plabenchmark@ala.org" style="color:blue"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%">plabenchmark@ala.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size:10.5pt;line-height:115%">. A Benchmark subscription is <i>not </i>required to participate in the survey or view past survey
responses. </span><span lang="EN"></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">Thank you for your time and input! If you have
any questions, please contact <a href="mailto:plabenchmark@ala.org">plabenchmark@ala.org</a>.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN"> </span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">Regards,</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN">The PLA Benchmark Team</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><span lang="EN"><a href="mailto:plabenchmark@ala.org">plabenchmark@ala.org</a></span></p></div></div>