Riverside, IL, EveryLibrary Institute, committed to the growth and advancement of library professionals, is thrilled to announce its dynamic lineup of webinars designed to empower and equip librarians with cutting-edge knowledge and skills. With a mission to enhance the capabilities of library staff and foster innovation within the field, EveryLibrary Institute has curated a series of webinars that cover a wide array of relevant and engaging topics. The institute understands the evolving nature of the library landscape and recognizes the need for librarians to stay ahead of the curve. Through these webinars, attendees will gain invaluable insights and practical strategies to navigate the ever-changing challenges and opportunities in the industry.

Participants can look forward to an extensive range of webinar topics tailored to different areas of library expertise. From emerging technologies and digital literacy to community engagement and library advocacy, the webinars offered by EveryLibrary Institute address key areas of professional growth for librarians at all stages of their careers.

Upcoming classes:

• Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Fighting against book bans in Florida
  Florida is leading the attacks on books and reading materials in school and public libraries. Yet a group of local campaigners are putting together effective campaigns to push back against these kinds of cuts. In this session you'll hear from campaigners on the ground who will help you understand how to raise awareness and educate the public through Freedom of Information Act requests and researching the issues to shed light on the book banning agenda.
• Tuesday, July 04, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Fighting for the First Amendment: Some Thoughts On Religiously Based Censorship Conservative religious groups have long sought to control what people may see, read and experience. While many Americans may believe we've thrown off the yoke of religiously based censorship, experience says otherwise: Attacks on public libraries and school libraries continue apace across the country, and they're often led by religious groups. This session will put these attacks in historical context, explore current trends and offer some thoughts on how to respond to the new wave of censorship.
• Thursday, July 06, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Purityrannical Crusade: The Origin and Future of the Great Library War Before 2021, burning books were confined to literature and film. Now, groups are waging a crusade, passing purityrannical laws and policies against libraries and librarians who dare to keep the "offensive," "explicit," and "obscene" works of marginalized communities in their collections. Yet the speed at which this has happened has left many wondering: What is obscene and sexually explicit? How did we get here? What is this really about? Where is it going? What can we do about it? This webinar breaks down the long and complex history, policies, and case law behind these purityrannical crusades.
• Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Power, Control, and Fear: Eight Historical Tenets of Censorship
  Censorship is an act of control, driven by a combustible mix of power, privilege, and fear. Large pro-censorship movements historically occur in response to social changes that alarms a privileged population, dictating access to information for the entire community according to the personal beliefs of the privileged group. This webinar will explore eight historical tenets of censorship that shed light on the current censorship movement, which are useful to libraries seeking ways to understand and to navigate the latest threat of book bans. While this new movement has added seemingly unthinkable dimensions, like laws that threaten to imprison libraries for simply doing their jobs, much of what is occurring now is also deeply rooted in past attempts to thwart social change.
• Thursday, July 13, 2023 at 12:00 PM< How to Run for Local Office
  We are seeing a coordinated attack on Americans' freedom to read in school and public libraries through the proliferation of far right elected local officials. If we want to fight back against these attacks we need to elect people like you to local office who care about ensuring that Americans have the freedom to read. In this session, you'll hear from Craig Valdez (or whoever you'll have present) from runforsomething.net about what you need to know to get started running for local office. Get yourself elected and help put a stop to book bans and censorship.
• Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Delegitimizing Censorship: Countering Anti-Democratic Rhetoric
  This is a moment of rhetorical disruption; along with the texts and the books are being perceived as harmful, library workers are now being portrayed as threats to society, being called "groomers" who seek to "indoctrinate" children. To effectively combat these threats, library advocates and organizations must embrace a political communication strategy that actively disrupts these openly anti-democratic censorship movements. If libraries, and our communities, are to prevail in the defense of intellectual freedom, free expression, and cultural representation, censorship simply cannot become ordinary. This webinar examines the ways in which rhetoric of censorship operates, the ways it risks becoming normalized, and the ways in which libraries, librarians, and their supporters can work to counteract and delegitimize this rhetoric.
• Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Freedom to Parent 21st Century Kids
  Under the guise of "parents' rights," extremist politicians and outside groups are fear mongering about social and emotional learning, comprehensive sex education, race in U.S. history, and more than ever, gender issues – all with the goal of gaining political power and undermining trust in public education and our democracy.
• Tuesday, August 01, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Teaching the Policy, Law, and Politics of Information
  Now more than ever, libraries are being directly and significantly impacted by decisions of policy, law, and politics at every level of government. A thorough understanding of information policy, information law, and the politics of information is essential for any effective library leader, advocate, or activist; yet, these topics have not been heavily emphasized in higher and continuing education related to libraries. This webinar examines the interrelated, but distinct, nature of these three areas, their vital importance in shaping library activities and advocacy, and the ways in which they can be more strongly incorporated into educational efforts for librarians and for community organizations supporting libraries. This webinar also offers a new approach to teaching the politics of information.
• Thursday, August 03, 2023 at 12:00 PM
  Building Louisiana's Grassroots Resistance to Fighting Book Bans
  In Louisiana we are seeing a significant surge in book bans at the local level and legislation that would restrict access to reading material for everyone in the state. In this session you'll hear from 2 members of the St Tammany Library Alliance, Jeremy JF Thompson and US Congressional candidate, Mel Manuel. Thompson and Manuel, along with the other members of the Alliance, are using a wide range of tools to fight back against book bans and build a campaign to end censorship at the state and local levels. They've successfully raised nearly $20k, grown their community of supporters to 3,500 people, and secured media coverage from over a dozen local and national media outlets in less than 6 months. They'll share actionable ideas, tips, and resources to help you launch your own campaign against book bans in your area.

What sets EveryLibrary Institute's webinars apart is the caliber of its presenters, who are renowned experts in their respective fields. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders, seasoned librarians, and influential voices who are at the forefront of innovation in libraries. These expert presenters will share their insights, best practices, and real-world experiences, ensuring that attendees gain practical knowledge that can be immediately applied in their own library environments.

EveryLibrary Institute encourages all library professionals, regardless of their specialization or experience level, to take advantage of these webinars as a valuable resource for ongoing learning and growth. By staying informed and up-to-date with the latest industry trends and practices, librarians can better serve their patrons and contribute to the continued success of their libraries.

To explore the full schedule of webinars and register for upcoming sessions, please visit the Every Library Institute website at https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/trainingevents.

Spaces are limited, so early registration is highly recommended.

About EveryLibrary Institute

The EveryLibrary Institute is a national 501c3 non-profit with a mission to support libraries and librarians in the United States and abroad. We partner with allied organizations including foundations, philanthropic organizations, associations, non-profits, and academic institutions to enhance the perception of libraries and librarianship through direct engagement with the public.