(via Susanne Caro, North Dakota State University)
The Western States Government Information Virtual Conference is a free, biennial conference hosted by Government Information Librarians in the Western States and is open to all. The theme of this year’s event, which will take place virtually on Wednesday, August 5, and Thursday, August 6, is “Trusted to Serve: Promoting Quality Government Services in Libraries”. We invite attendees from across the United States to gather online to discuss topics related to all levels of government (local, state, federal, and international). This year’s Conference will be hosted on the Zoom webinar platform.
Research indicates libraries hold the public’s trust in an age when there is much distrust of government and other public institutions. The U.S. Census Bureau recognized this and actively partnered with libraries to promote 2020 Census participation. Responses to the COVID-19 crisis also showed many innovative ways that libraries can partner with all levels of government to share information and meet community needs. What else can libraries do to leverage our status as trusted institutions to advocate for user-focused government services?
Suggested topics for presentations are below.
- promotion/outreach activities around government services such as voter registration, civic engagement, tax filing, and applications for benefits through libraries.
- local library/government collaborations around Covid -19, Census 2020, or other government programs
- using census data to improve library services
- open data initiatives
- other government information-related topics are welcome
The deadline for proposal submissions is Friday, May 15. Please click here to submit one. Proposers will be notified of acceptance by Monday, June 15.
More information about the Conference is available here. Please direct any questions to Arlene Weible, at arlene.weible@state.or.us.