CREATING AND MAINTAINING AN INCLUSIVE LIBRARY: Diversity and Cultural Competency in Local Libraries

February 5, 2005
Mattoon Public Library
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

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Lincoln Trail Libraries System welcomes you to attend a one-day workshop on diversity issues in a local library context. As all Illinois communities continue to change and grow, libraries must adapt to changing community needs and work across barriers of language and culture. This interactive workshop will help participants to become comfortable dealing with people of a different culture, ethnicity, language, or country of origin than themselves. The benefits of inclusion and mutual understanding among diverse cultures will be discussed and evaluated, as well as strategies for achieving these goals. Prejudice, stereotyping, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity and other topics will be dealt with in an environment that is serious but not boring, fun but not flippant.

The workshop will be led by Training Consultants Lenita Epinger (Parkland College Business Development Center) and Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessey (University of Illinois Office of Academic Human Resources). Ms. Epinger and Ms. O'Shaughnessey have been successfully conducting these workshops together in a variety of settings throughout Central Illinois for the last 15 years.

A continental breakfast and lunch will be included.

PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED in order to attend the two-day DIVERSITY FORUM and retreat April 21-22, 2005 at the Holiday Inn in Urbana, where a cooperative approach to dealing with diversity in rural libraries will be discussed.

Target Audience: Librarians, library staff, library directors, boards of trustees, municipal and school officials, and interested community members

Registration Deadline:
February 1, 2005

Contact Hours: 7

There is no charge for this
LSTA grant-funded workshop.