Mineral Point School Libraries have been selected as one of 100 libraries (only four school libraries nationwide were selected) to participate in round three of Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities.
The competitive award comes with a $3,000 grant that will help the school libraries and district facilitate a staff and community read of the book The Twin Thieves by Lucas Jadin and Steve Jones. The goal of reading this book together is to build leadership and maximize the potential in all of us by creating great teams in our work, our classrooms, and our community.
“We are so proud to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” said Mineral Point School Librarians Kris McCoy and Micki Uppena. High school principal Matt Austin added, “This grant will allow our school libraries and district to work together with community organizations to have great discussions on leadership and teamwork and how they can make a difference in our schools and our community. Already we have 75 staff and school board members committed to reading the book and have ordered 40 copies for classroom and school book club use. We hope other organizations will want to join us in both reading and discussing this book.”
As part of the grant, library staff has taken an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Community conversations about The Twin Thieves will occur December through February and grant funds will be used to purchase books and we are hoping to bring one or both of the authors to speak to our community. Austin, McCoy, and Uppena added, “We believe that by adding this One Book, One Community read in addition to our earlier ALA grant, Building Belonging with Books, we can reach more people and help bridge divides in our community. We do not strive to get everyone to see the world in the same way, but instead, aspire to support a community that listens better, finds common ground, and moves forward by building people up.”
If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation visit the website to sign up https://sites.google.com/mp.k12.wi.us/ms-hslibrary/the-twin-thieves-one-book-one-community. Any questions, contact Kris McCoy at kris.mccoy@mp.k12.wi.us or Micki Uppena at micki.uppena@mp.k12.wi.us.
Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.
“Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”