Minitex is due to undertake a new strategic planning effort, and the timing couldn't be more fitting. It's hard to overstate the impact COVID-19 has had on our organization. Our work has changed in ways that will outlast the current pandemic. Even so, the lessons taught by the murder of George Floyd and the drive for social justice that has followed in its wake, are even more important.
Ebooks Minnesota hosts statewide book club selection, "A Good Time For the Truth: Race in Minnesota"
In its second iteration, Minnesota's statewide bookclub, One Book | One Minnesota, invites Minnesotans to read "A Good Time For the Truth," edited by Sun Yung Shin. Each of the book's sixteen authors contributes a chapter to share their perspective on life as a person of color in Minnesota.
This year's Libraries Serving Youth Meetup on June 15 included an author panel featuring four prominent Minnesota authors, a presentation from the Minnesota Department of Education on using data to better understand youth in your communities, and #OwnVoices book talks from Minnesota librarians. The event was moderated by Dr. Sarah Park Dahlen of St. Kate’s MLIS program and hosted on Zoom by the Minnesota Library Association.
The Virtual Libraries Comic Convention and Bibliolabs are making more than 4,000 comics, graphic novels, and other childrens' materials available to Minnesota readers for free online over the duration of this summer. The collection is accessible online using the same geolocation system employed by Ebooks Minnesota.