Upcoming BCLA Course – Community Development in a Library Context (Nanaimo & Kelowna)

Upcoming BCLA Course – Community Development in a Library Context (Nanaimo & Kelowna)

Community Development in a Library Context

Nanaimo
Date: March 30, 2007
Time: 10:00AM - 1:00PM
http://www.bcla.bc.ca/communitydev_nanaimo

Location:
Vancouver Island Regional Library
Nanaimo Harbourfront
90 Commercial Street
Nanaimo, BC

Kelowna
Date: April 26, 2007
Time: 9:30am – 12:30pm
http://www.bcla.bc.ca/communitydev_kelowna

Location:
Okanagan Regional Library
Kelowna Branch
1380 Ellis St.,
Kelowna, B.C.

Presenter:
Annette DeFaveri

Description: Libraries need to be connected to their communities if they are to survive and grow. Community Development means connecting, consulting, and working collaboratively with community members to understand the needs of the community and to inform the direction of library work and policies. Community Development is an energizing and vitalizing approach for librarians who want to build and strengthen their community connections in order to build strong and relevant libraries for the future.

Recognize the key elements necessary for understanding Community Development as it is applied in a library setting. Focus on practical applications of Community Development for developing programs and services, for reaching socially excluded communities, for turning infrequent users into regular users, and for identifying those systemic barriers that keep the library from being truly accessible to all.

The Benefits

• Understanding of Community Development as a philosophical and practical approach for building strong community partnerships and relationships.
• Practical suggestions for incorporating Community Development models into the library's programs, policies, and approaches.
• New lenses through which to view, develop, assess and evaluate our work as librarians.

Key Topics You Will Explore

• Timeliness for Community Development
• The way this differs from a traditional Outreach method
• How do we get to know community members and service providers
• Understanding what the community needs and wants from the library
• Systemic barriers and the role of community connections
• How programs and services differ
• How a development approach differs from traditional services, programs
• The soft and not so soft skills needed for community development work

About the Presenter
Annette DeFaveri is the National Coordinator of the Working Together Project, a project that focuses on using Community Development theories and applications to connect with socially excluded communities in order to understand what they want and need from public libraries. She was the first Community Development Librarian at the Vancouver Public Library and was a Library Journal 'Mover and Shaker' for 2006.

Fees & Registration:
BCLA Members $75
Non-Members $95

To register online, click the Register button. Visa, Mastercard and American Express accepted. Please register one person at a time. If you have any questions about registration, please contact the BCLA Office at office@bcla.bc.ca


Please note – if you have successfully registered, you will receive a confirmation email. If you are unable to register through the website, or if you do not receive your confirmation, please contact the BCLA Office at office@bcla.bc.ca

Further instructions regarding the location will be forwarded to participants via e-mail (closer to the event date).