July is already moving so fast. Hopefully, you are able to enjoy what the month and the weather has to offer. Keep being excellent to each other! ~Sherry

Resources:

  • Lambda Literary announces 2021 winners Lambda Literary Award submissions are judged principally on literary merit and content relevant to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer lives.

 

Continuing Education:

  • Civil Legal Programming: Libraries Bridging the Justice Gap THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2021 3:00 PM–4:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. “Justice for all” is a core American value, and yet access to legal assistance is not guaranteed by our civil legal system. Barriers to civil legal justice disproportionately affect low-income people in the U.S., creating the justice gap—the divide between the civil legal needs and the resources to meet those needs. Many people cannot afford a lawyer and may not even realize they need one. Public libraries are well positioned to be an access point in bridging the justice gap, particularly programming that connects patrons to the civil legal resources and information they need. Presenters will share their experiences with effective and creative civil legal programming that meets their community’s needs. Participants will gain knowledge on how to collaborate with local organizations and explore ways library programming can align with advancing access to justice.

 

Consumables:

 

Diverse Holidays in July:

July is Disability Pride Month. In 2015, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July Disability Pride Month in celebration of the ADA’s 25th anniversary. The month is a chance to honor each person’s uniqueness as “a natural and beautiful part of human diversity,” according to America’s Disability Community. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990, a landmark law that prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities. In that same year, Boston held the first Disability Pride Day. Although Disability Pride Day isn’t nationally recognized, parades are held in a number of places nationwide, such as Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, San Antonio and more. Librarians Unite has a free printable poster to raise awareness.

July 14: International Non-Binary People’s Day, aimed at raising awareness and organizing around the issues faced by non-binary people around the world while celebrating their contributions.

July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day, launched on July 18, 2009, in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday via unanimous decision of the U.N. General Assembly. It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices: “It is in your hands now.” It is more than a celebration of Mandela’s life and legacy; it is a global movement to honor his life’s work and to change the world for the better.

July 26: Disability Independence Day, celebrating the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

July 30: International Day of Friendship, proclaimed in 2011 by the U.N. General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.