[Libs-Or] Apply now for eastern and southern Oregon EDI Cohorts!

[Stephanie Chase]

Hello Oregon Library Community!

We are thrilled to share the Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO) has been
awarded a grant funding six regionally-based cohorts in rural Oregon,
supporting library staff, board members, and key volunteers in a year-long
commitment to move equity work forward in rural, conservative communities.



The work of the cohorts will be based on the Oregon Library Association's
recently developed and released Anti-Racism toolkit with a focus in each
session of putting the learning into practice, supporting cohort
participants in implementing what they have learned at their libraries and
in their communities. Participants can expect to learn about:



   -

   Breaking bias
   -

   Power, Privilege, and Oppression
   -

   Equity in Action
   -

   Funding EDI work.


This will be an opportunity for both those new to equity work and those
experienced with equity work to learn more and begin to work together. The
cohorts are safe spaces for learning, growing, and community building.



The six cohorts will meet four times between October 2021 and June 2022,
with the first two meetings taking place virtually on October 19, 2021 and
January 13, 2022, and the last two in person. The grant funds the travel
expenses for all participants, as well as a pool for substitute coverage
for our colleagues in solo libraries. The cohorts will meet in Pendleton,
La Grande, Ontario, Prineville, Lakeview, and, thanks to a partnership with
our colleagues in the Southern Oregon Library Federation, in Grants Pass.
There are 15 spots available in each cohort.



Priority for participation is first given to public library staff, but in
recognition of the essential role they play in small libraries, public
library trustees and key library volunteers are also welcome to apply.
Library staff in community college libraries and school library staff in
Eastern and Southern Oregon are also welcome to apply to participate, with
the understanding the cohort sessions will have a strong public library
focus. Colleagues from Idaho, south central and eastern Washington, and
northeastern California are welcome to apply and will be invited to
participate if room permits. You must come with a learner's mind, ready to
engage in the learning (and unlearning) necessary to truly explore the
concepts in the OLA Anti-Racism toolkit.


Please note: the framework of the cohort learning prioritizes participation
of interested library staff of color, while also ensuring participating
library staff of color do not have the burden of additional and undue
emotional labor.



Interested in participating? Please fill out our short application at
https://bit.ly/2X3knn6. We encourage applications to be filed by September
17. Library directors, please be sure to share this email with your staff
and let your Board members and key volunteers know of the opportunity.



You can find out more by visiting the EDI Cohorts page on our website,
https://www.librariesofeasternoregon.org/edi-cohorts.



This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and
Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act,
administered by the State Library of Oregon.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions!

Stephanie Chase
Executive Director, Libraries of Eastern Oregon
PO Box 233, Baker City, OR 97814
541/362.4258
she/her/hers
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