Community-Centered Libraries In-Person Workshops

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In-person training | Tsakopoulos Library Galleria | Sacramento, CA

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Are you interested in gaining knowledge and skills using data to serve your community even better tomorrow than you are today? Do you want to learn how to center your community when designing and evaluating programs and services? Join us for the in-person Community-Centered Libraries workshops on May 6 in Sacramento and May 9 in Ontario, available at no cost to California public library workers! At both locations, we will be offering the same two breakout sessions twice - once in the morning and the second time in the afternoon - enabling you to take one or both sessions at the times of your choice: Breakout session #1 - Practical Data Equity (Instructor - Heather Krause, Founder, We All Count) Breakout session #2 - Culturally Competent Participatory Evaluation: Bridging Perspectives for Inclusive Insights (Instructors - Dr. Andrea Girón Mathern, Founder, and Alia Gant, Evaluation & Research Associate, Centrality Research)

Presenter Bios:

Heather Krause, PStat, is a data scientist and the founder of We All Count, a project for equity in data. We All Count works with teams across the globe to embed a lens of equity into their data products. Heather is a data scientist with over 20 years of experience building tools that improve practices and systems. Her cutting-edge approach to project design, data collection, analysis, reporting and visualization have placed her in high demand as a project lead, a crisis consultant and a speaker on the subject of data equity.

Dr. Andrea Girón Mathern believes that understanding your organization from the inside out is key to taking progressive steps forward and building momentum for the most impactful paradigm shifts. She is skilled in quantitative and qualitative research though is drawn to empowerment-based research practices such as participatory action research, participant-driven data collection, collaborative knowledge production, and integrated knowledge translation. She has a Ph.D. in Research and Evaluation Methods, and holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management. She has served as the co-lead on a large Museum initiative to transform 22,000 square feet into a dynamic visitor experience. As the former Director of the Community Research & Engagement Strategies Department at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science she led evaluation and social science research efforts as well as served as the co-lead of the Living Our Values team which spearheads the Museum’s Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion efforts. She has led research and evaluation efforts for projects funded by the Colorado Health Foundation, NASA, The Institute of Museum and Library Services, and served as a Co-PI working with the inter-agency team of Metro Denver Urban Advantage funded by the National Science Foundation. She was appointed to the visiting professional scholar program with the Office of Policy and Analysis with the Smithsonian Institution in 2013.

Alia Gant has a strong interest in research, assessment, and evaluation stemming from her academic and professional careers. She has a BA in International Studies (American University), MA in International Studies (University of Iowa) and MA in Information Studies, Academic Librarianship (University of Texas - Austin). Her previous background is in librarianship and international studies working with different education organizations such as universities, museums, and libraries. Currently she is working with Denver Public Schools (DPS) as an Reporting Analyst where she uses her skills to help different communities within the District as well as focus on the needs of students and families in their educational journeys. She is also working as a Research Assistant (previously Evaluation Researcher) in the Community Research & Collaboration team with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Library and Cultural Services, City of Aurora, as a Substitute Library Aide for different library branches. She hopes to reach more audiences to share her skillset in research and analysis to help folks with their respective information needs.

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