The Office of Library and Information Services is one of six state library agencies piloting the IMLS grant funded initiative Building Equity-Based Summers Through Libraries & Communities (BEBS). Led by the California Library Association (CLA), this project will build on the work of CLA and the California State Library (CSL) in developing a shared equity language and a set of tools and resources for library staff to use to build community-centered equitable summer services for youth, families, and communities.
As part of this work, OLIS and participating state library agencies are:
- Participating in equity-based co-design processes to reach a shared understanding and language related to this work
- Reviewing, discussing, and customizing materials developed as a part of the CLA/CSL project
- Co-designing training for library staff in pilot states on equity and summer services
- Recruiting public libraries, selected to represent a diversity of communities, to work with on equity in summer services planning and implementation
- Working with selected public library staff and support implementation - through coaching, mentoring, and a community of practice - of equity-based summer services
