[Michlib-l] Invitation to participate in upcoming National Week of Conversation!

[White, Shannon (MDE)]

Hello everyone,


            I want to invite your library to participate in the National Week of Conversation <https://nationalweekofconversation.org/> (NWOC) April 20-28, 2018. NWOC is one week in which people all over America participate in conversations that prioritize understanding the other across political, social-economic, and cultural divides.



            NWOC has a number of great partners<https://nationalweekofconversation.org/partners/> with different events<https://nationalweekofconversation.org/events/> planned (and more to come!), including our premiere library partners: Boston Public Library and Kansas City Public Library. As a library, there are a number of different ways you and your patrons can participate in NWOC:



  1.  Host an event, or make your library available for conversations: Here are some easy ways to make this happen:

     *   Book Clubs: Provide space for your local book clubs to discuss a book that brings up important issues. Check out this list<https://kclibrary.bibliocommons.com/list/share/703461058_kaites_kcmo/1144002707_national_week_of_conversation> of suggestions from the Kansas City Public Library.
     *   Living Room Conversations<https://livingroomconversations.org/> offers self-facilitated conversation guides. Simply provide meeting space and conversation guides to groups of patrons who can meet at your library for conversations.
     *   Facilitated Conversations: Send an email to courtney at ncdd.org<mailto:courtney at ncdd.org> to learn about bringing a facilitator to your library.

  1.  Provide computers for your patrons to connect with others across the country: Mismatch<https://www.mismatch.org/> is a service that utilizes free video conferencing systems to connect people across the country for conversations across divides. Simply provide space in your library for people to use computers and participate. Point your patrons to Mismatch.org<https://www.mismatch.org/> where they can sign up for a conversation.
  2.  Add your event to the NWOC calendar<https://nationalweekofconversation.org/events/community/add> to promote your event and receive recognition for your work on the events calendar. <https://nationalweekofconversation.org/events>
  3.  Promote NWOC <https://nationalweekofconversation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NWOC-Partner-kit-revised2.pdf> to other libraries and to your community. Check out our partner kit for sample emails and social media messaging.
  4.  And more! These are just a few ideas. We invite you to be creative and register your own event. Perhaps you want to use your own conversation guide or invite an expert speaker to your library? Please register<https://nationalweekofconversation.org/events/community/add> your event and direct any questions to jaymee at allsides.com<mailto:jaymee at allsides.com>.


Are you ready to get started? Please sign up<https://nationalweekofconversation.org/become-a-partner/> as a partner and check out our partner packet<https://nationalweekofconversation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/NWOC-Partner-kit-revised2.pdf> for more information. If you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to jaymee at allsides.com<mailto:jaymee at allsides.com>, or send me an email.



This is a great opportunity for libraries to utilize the skills and models you have been learning about through LTC: Models for Change<http://ala.org/ltc-models> - I hope you will consider hosting a conversation and joining the many others happening across the country this April!



Best,

Courtney

Courtney Breese
Managing Director, National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation
courtney at ncdd.org<mailto:courtney at ncdd.org>  www.ncdd.org<http://www.ncdd.org> @ncdd @courtneybreese

Join us this November 2-4 in Denver for NCDD2018!<http://www.ncdd.org/ncdd2018> What are NCDD conferences like? See for yourself at www.tinyurl.com/ncdd2016vid<http://www.tinyurl.com/ncdd2016vid>.
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