Title
Authorize acceptance and appropriation to the 2021 Operating Budget of a Madison Public Library Foundation Grant for Amplifying Community Voices in the amount of $150,000.
Body
WHEREAS, Madison Public Library (MPL) submitted an application to Madison Public Library Foundation (MPLF) for grant funds to develop a plan for remote service delivery in Madison; and,
WHEREAS, pre-pandemic MPL began investigation of expanding access for civic engagement and services by providing remote virtual connections at MPL libraries; and,
WHEREAS, this work was followed by a more complete analysis of needs and opportunities by the 2020 Rosemary Lee intern, reporting in a white paper "AMPLIFYING COMMUNITY VOICES: A Plan for Remote Service Delivery in Madison", describing the disparities to marginalized populations to gain improved access to city services and increasing opportunities for civic engagement; and,
WHEREAS, a major focus of the research was the elimination of barriers, there will be a direct partnership with City of Madison Information Technology to provide technical assistance, and potentially will include other City agencies to vet accessibility issues or other associated equity concerns; and,
WHEREAS, planning and inventory of existing equipment will begin in October/November 2021 with a completion date by July 2022. The end date was determined to be in alignment for the City to allow access to hybrid Board and Commission meetings with both remote and in-person participation estimated to begin in June 2022; and,
WHEREAS, Amplifying Community Voices is designed to enable remote participation in city government meetings, as well as deliver city services at Madison Public Library locations. In particular, this initiative seeks to eliminate barriers to access for underserved populations. The program will allow for the Library Board, other City agencies, or community organizations to conduct hybrid meetings. The need for hybrid meetings has been clearly support...
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