The Rhode Island Library Information Network for Kids (RILINK), the state’s consortium of K-12 school libraries, has reached an unprecedented level of growth in the 22 years since it was first founded. Now with 205 member libraries, Executive Director Dorothy Frechette decided the consortium was overdue to develop a 5-year strategic plan. Work on the planning process has begun in earnest.
On December 7, RILINK staff met with members of its newly created Advisory Committee for a brainstorming session. The Committee will provide vital feedback on the development of the plan during the coming months.
Members of the Advisory Committee are:
- Martha Badigian, School Library Media Specialist, Peace Dale and Wakefield Elementary Schools
- John Bucci, Library Board of Rhode Island
- Maria Cotto, Bilingual Children's Librarian, Pawtucket Public Library
- Daniela Fairchild, Director, Rhode Island Office of Innovation
- Andrea Hajian, Librarian, La Salle Academy, Providence
- Sarah Hunicke, Librarian, Portsmouth High School
- Stephanie Mills, Librarian, Park View Middle School, Cranston
- Mary Moen, Assistant Professor, School Media Coordinator, URI Graduate School of Library and Information Studies
- Kathleen Odean, Educational Consultant
- Donna Ottaviano, Executive Director, East Bay Educational Collaborative
- Darshell Silva, Librarian, Davisville Middle School and North Kingstown High School
- Joy Souza, Elementary School 1 Head of School, Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy, and RI Association of School Principals
- Holly Walsh, Office of College and Career Readiness, Rhode Island Department of Education
RILINK staff looks forward to working with committee members over the next several months to develop a plan to support and improve RILINK’s benefits and services. Frechette hopes to implement the plan before the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.
One benefit of RILINK membership is access to Springshare’s LibGuides CMS to build library websites. The RILINK Schools collection of LibGuides sites was recently featured as a client story in Springshare Buzz. Frechette states that RILINK Staff members Sharon Webster and Zach Berger were instrumental in researching, implementing, and offering trainings for LibGuides to RILINK members. Read the client story and learn more about RILINK on the consortium’s website.
