Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS) Initiative

Published on September 20, 2024

Has the lasting impact of the pandemic had you reevaluating traditional services and programs? Does “equity” feel too big to tackle by yourself? Consider being a part of Building Equity-Based Summers (BEBS).

BEBS is an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant-funded national initiative focused on assisting public library staff in gaining the skills necessary to work with systematically marginalized communities.

The NJ State Library is seeking public libraries to participate in the third year of this three-year initiative. Each participating library should be represented by a team of least two or more staff members. Team members should have roles in summer services work and may be frontline staff, staff from other departments, supervisors, directors, or community partners outside the library. Each participating library will receive a $500 stipend.

Through training and co-design, participants will work to address the following questions:

Do summer services demonstrate attention to equity?
How are libraries determining how and if summer services are achieving equity goals?
What impact are summer services having on those that need them most?

Participation in the BEBS initiative will require of all team members to:

NOTE: This list has been updated as of February 6, 2025.

Attend virtual learning sessions every other week with other NJ participants. The sessions will run from late Fall 2024 – Winter 2025.
Virtual learning session dates and times are:
- Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Participants should plan to commit approximately 2-5 hours a month to BEBS work outside of the learning sessions.
Participate in a monthly Community of Practice (CoP) with other states in 2025 after the learning sessions conclude.

For More Information

Libraries who would like to participate in this project are asked to contact:

Sharon Rawlins
Youth Services Specialist, NJ State Library
srawlins@njstatelib.org
609-278-2640 x116, by September 30, 2024.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this website do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.