Members Matter: The Impact of Building Inclusive Communities in Rural Illinois

Thursday, Aug 19, 2021 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Registration Closed

About This Event

Join your IHLS friends and colleagues from around central and southern Illinois for a presentation by Dr. Christopher Merrett, Director of the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs  followed by updates from the Illinois State Library; the administrative, delivery, and membership staff of IHLS; and the SHARE consortium. If time permits we will ask you, our members, to share what is happening in your libraries. 

Members Matter: The Impact of Building Inclusive Communities in Rural Illinois

Dr. Christopher Merrett, Director of the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs housed at Western Illinois University, will provide an overview of the institute, how it can work with libraries, and share the impact of building inclusive communities in rural Illinois.

Registration

Advance registration is required. Please register through this L2 page.

Joining the Meeting

Join the meeting using this link:https://Illinoisheartland.zoom.us/j/91882550245?pwd=YUd3a0FpTTQzUVVsN3B1b3VHK3dCZz09
 

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Members Matter meetings are regularly scheduled forums for directors and staff from IHLS-member libraries to learn the latest regional, state, and local library news and developments. It's also an opportunity for IHLS to solicit thoughts and ideas from our members and for you to tell IHLS leadership how we can help make your library successful. 

At Members Matter meetings, you can:

  • Discuss regional, state, and local library news, issues, and trends
  • Get updates from the IHLS and SHARE Administration and Operations staff
  • Ask questions and get answers on policies, available resources, and more from IHLS leadership
  • Share and learn about innovative library programming with the central and southern Illinois library community
  • Help other librarians work through recent issues or discuss your own

Please let us know you're coming by taking a moment now to register in L2.

Location(s)

Zoom

See event details.

Online
Dr. Christopher Merrett of the IIRA
Presenter
Christopher Merrett, Ph.D.
Director and Professor of the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs

Christopher D. Merrett is Director and Professor in the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University. As IIRA director, Merrett oversees a university-based research, outreach, teaching, and policy development unit comprised of 20 community development faculty and professionals.

In addition to his management role, he teaches courses in Principles of Community Development, Non-metro Planning, and Philosophy and History of Geography. He also serves on the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, is current Chairperson of Rural Partners, and has raised over $6 million in external grant funding to support community and economic development outreach and research. His current research focuses on cooperatives and community development. Merrett co-edited two books on this topic, including A Cooperative Approach to Local Economic Development (2001) and Cooperatives and Local Development: Theory and Applications for the 21st Century (2003).

He has also published in a range of journals on topics such as value-added agriculture, cooperatives, rural land use, social justice, and rural community and economic development. He received his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Iowa, with a focus on regional development and international trade.