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April 16, 2020 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today. For other up-to-the-minute news, check out ITI’s Twitter account: @ITINewsBreaks. CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.

COVID-19 NEWS: 'EveryLibrary Creates Fund to Help Library Workers in Need Because of COVID-19 Shutdowns'

The inclusion of $50 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in the CARES Act Economic Relief Plan legislation is good news for libraries everywhere. But librarians and other library staff, especially part-time workers and those who have been laid off or forced to take pay cuts or personal leave, are often struggling to pay their own bills, the promised $1,200 stimulus check notwithstanding. To address that need, the EveryLibrary Institute, the educational and charitable arm of political action committee EveryLibrary, has launched the Help a Library Worker Out (HALO) Fund—a mutual aid fundraising drive for library workers, staff, and librarians in financial need because of the coronavirus pandemic.

‘What we’re looking to do is provide a little gap filling,’ EveryLibrary Executive Director John Chrastka told LJ. He was inspired by the UK’s CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals), which has had a benevolent fund for a number of years. Members can contribute to the fund, which is available to other members in times of need.

‘In any economic crisis, folks who are hourly are affected more dramatically than folks who are salaried,’ said Chrastka. ‘Folks who are in areas that are already economically depressed will be affected more than folks who are in more economically stable places. We’re hoping that being early to this conversation about mutual aid and relief will help us build a good enough bank so that the library industry can work with trust, and we don’t have to throw money at multiple GoFundMe’s.’

For more information, read the article.