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YOUNG AUDITORIUM ONE OF 84 ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE TO RECEIVE A NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS ‘BIG READ’ GRANT

Rock, Walworth and Jefferson County Communities to Read and Celebrate THE LATEHOMECOMER by KAO KALIA YANG. – Events Start APRIL 3, 2021

September 17, 2020—Young Auditorium is a recipient of a full grant of $15,000 to host the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read in Whitewater and its neighboring communities. An Arts Endowment initiative in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Young Auditorium is one of 84 nonprofit organizations selected to receive an NEA Big Read grant to support a community reading program between September 2020 and June 2021. The NEA Big Read in Whitewater will focus on THE LATEHOMECOMER by KAO KALIA YANG. In addition to the featured title, Young Auditorium also selects a companion novel to help involve youth in this innovative reading program. The featured youth title will be A MAP INTO THE WORLD, also by Kao Kalia Yang. Local ‘Big Read’ activities will start with a kick-off event on April 3, 2021, and continue taking place throughout the remainder of April.

Read more…

About the Book

The Latehomecomer, written by Kao Kalia Yang, was the first memoir written about the Hmong people, recalling her own family’s story. The novel takes readers along on a journey beginning with her family’s imprisonment in Laos and their escape to a Thailand refugee camp ending with their immigration to Minnesota.

Links and Resources:

• Young Auditorium’s Big Read Website
• Register for Young Auditorium’s Virtual Events

• Expect outages Thursday, March 4th during the migration.
• Patrons do NOT need a  LinkedIn account to use LinkedIn Learning.
• Existing accounts & histories will migrate.
• Login credentials: library card # and PIN.
• New Login Portal: https://www.linkedin.com/learning-login/go/share
• The LinkedIn Learning mobile app does not currently work with library subscriptions. They are working on it.

Shared directly from the WPLC announcements. Subscribe here.

Due to a cooperative purchase by a few WI systems and libraries, magazines have been added to Wisconsin’s Digital Library for the whole state to enjoy!

The collection includes over 3,000 titles. All are simultaneous use and can be accessible via the website, the Libby and OverDrive apps.

The collection can be searched or browsed by clicking on the Collections tab at the top of Wisconsin’s Digital Library. There is also a carousel featuring the magazines on the homepage.

Many thanks to the following libraries and systems for this cooperative purchase! Brookfield Public Library, Brown County Library, Kenosha County Public Library, McMillan Memorial Library, Milwaukee County Federated Library System, Manitowoc-Calumet Library System, Monarch Library System, Nicolet Library System

National Library Week 2021: Welcome to Your Library

The theme for National Library Week (April 4-10, 2021), “Welcome to Your Library,” promotes the idea that libraries extend far beyond the four walls of a building – and that everyone is welcome to use their services. During the pandemic libraries have been going above and beyond to adapt to our changing world by expanding their resources and continuing to meet the needs of their users. Whether people visit in person or virtually, libraries offer opportunities for everyone to explore new worlds and become their best selves through access to technology, multimedia content, and educational programs.

Natalie Portman to Serve as 2021 National Library Week Honorary Chair

Actress, author, and activist Natalie Portman will lend her star power to shine a spotlight on our nation’s libraries as the honorary chair of National Library Week 2021. She will help highlight the essential role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in serving their communities, especially during challenging times.

Portman is an Academy Award-winning actress, director, producer, and activist whose credits include “Black Swan,” “Jackie,” and the upcoming “Thor: Love and Thunder.” A lifelong fan of books, she shares the books she’s reading on her Instagram feed, as part of Natalie Portman’s Book Club, using the hashtag #whatnatreads. Born in Jerusalem, Israel, she is a graduate of Harvard University, and now lives with her family in Los Angeles. Natalie Portman’s “Fables” is her debut picture book.

Celebrations during National Library Week

• Monday, April 5: State of America’s Libraries Report released, including Top Ten Frequently Challenged Books of 2020.
• Tuesday, April 6: National Library Workers Day, a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.
• Wednesday, April 7: National Library Outreach Day, a day to celebrate library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.
• Thursday, April 8: Take Action for Libraries Day, a day to rally advocates to support libraries.