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OCLC Joins four IMLS Grants

OCLC Joins four IMLS Grants

August 2021

NISO Member News

Dublin, OH | August 12, 2021

Misinformation Escape Room: Supporting Libraries as Hubs for Misinformation Education. The University of Washington Information School will develop and implement a comprehensive program for libraries that aims to foster greater understanding and resilience to misinformation. By building and deploying an online escape room hosted by librarians, the grant will improve libraries’ capacities to address misinformation through innovative educational programming.

STEM Equity Framework: Building Equitable, Inclusive Library Services That Address Community Needs. Cornerstones of Science, in partnership with the Institute of Innovative Learning, the University of Missouri School of Library and Information Science, OCLC/WebJunction, and nine state library agencies, will develop a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) equity framework for libraries and a library leadership training program. The project will build state and public library capacities to serve as community catalysts for equitable STEM learning and strengthen library leaders’ skills and expertise to deliver equitable, inclusive, culturally responsive services, in partnership with local leaders, that address science-based issues of concern to local community members.

Library-Based Data-for-Good Programming: A Win for Libraries, Learners, and Communities Nationally. Leveraging and expanding on previous Providence Public Library (PPL) work in data visualization, data analysis, and data programming for diverse youth and adults, PPL will seed an innovative, responsive, holistic education program called Data For Good in partnership with institutions across the country. Data for Good programming has the potential to engage and impact teens and adults across a broad age spectrum, according to individual community’s needs, demands, and priorities.

Libraries as Hubs for Making Neighborhood Games and Storytelling. American University, in collaboration with the District of Columbia Public Library will train libraries in 25 cities and towns to serve as hubs for making neighborhood games and facilitating storytelling for community engagement. This project offers libraries the tools, training, and templates they need for DIY storytelling to cross the digital divide, bringing together digital collections and technology, with residents themselves as makers. The games are made with Hive Mechanic, a game engine for neighborhoods.

In addition to these partnerships, OCLC will lead the initiative Supporting Library Responses to the Opioid Crisis to develop a set of free online resources that staff at public libraries can use to determine how their library can address opioid use disorder in their local communities. The resources will include pragmatic strategies, tools, and other content to help guide libraries—particularly those in rural areas—as they determine their specific communities’ needs and define the roles and activities their library is most suited to carry out.

Read the press release.

About These Organizations

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About OCLC

OCLC is a nonprofit global library organization providing shared technology services, original research and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC's WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world's collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff and partners make breakthroughs possible.