<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://oregonskitchentable.org/">http://oregonskitchentable.org/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A couple of weeks ago the website Oregon’s Kitchen Table was brought to my attention. This is a project of Portland State University with a number of partners and the following outlines what they hope to accomplish:
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As Oregonians, we consistently say that we want to participate in decisions that affect us, but we often don’t know where to turn to share our opinions and concerns. And we’re not always sure we’re being heard when we do. Oregon’s Kitchen
Table aims to better integrate citizen voices from across the state into the political decision-making process. At the same time, the project aims to increase the public’s interest in participating in public issues at the local, regional, and statewide levels.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In the FAQ there is a question about people without internet access and this is the response:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Oregon’s Kitchen Table is committed to trying to bring all Oregonians to the table. In our experiment phase, we are pursuing partnerships with libraries to increase access for folks without internet access. We’re committed to identifying and addressing barriers
to participation and hope you will offer any suggestions or solutions you have so we can make it easier for everyone to take part.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>I’m sharing this with you today because I am interested in knowing if any of your libraries have been approached to partner with this group and I also think this is an interesting experiment in civic engagement that you might want to highlight at your library.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>MaryKay<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">MaryKay Dahlgreen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">State Librarian<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon State Library<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">marykay.dahlgreen@state.or.us<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">503-378-4367<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>