EveryLibrary Showcases Cutting-Edge Librarians at SXSW Interactive
AUSTIN – EveryLibrary, a forward-thinking library advocacy organization, will be hosting a series of conversations during South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive, March 7 – 11, with starters, venture capitalists, policy organizations and think tanks about the role of libraries and librarians in the startup community.
EveryLibrary Showcases Cutting-Edge Librarians and Libraries’ Entrepreneurial Resources at SXSW Interactive
“Librarians are easily startups’ most underutilized resource. They’re a gateway to business information and market research tools, and can help to gather competitive intelligence, convene focus groups and allow users to test new products,” says John Chrastka, executive director of EveryLibrary. “We’re opening up the eyes of startups and entrepreneurs across the country to the resources that are accessible, for free, through their local library.”
EveryLibrary is attending SXSW Interactive to raise awareness of the ways librarians are already supporting emerging entrepreneurs and tech startups across the country. The goal is to get more entrepreneurs to recognize how librarians can help them scale their businesses.
With the support of Innovative Interfaces, a leading provider of technology solutions and services to libraries, EveryLibrary will join library industry representatives in Booth #1036 at the SXSW Trade Show. Additionally, EveryLibrary will host several meet-ups and talks to bring entrepreneurs and librarians together, including:
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A panel discussion featuring Chrastka and coordinated by the LGBT Technology Partnership titled, “Reducing Social Isolation of LGBT Seniors and Youth Through Technology, Centers and Libraries,” on Monday, March 10 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., room 10AB of the Convention Center.
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Daily morning meetings and brunches from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Library #ideadrop house, which supports bringing the value of libraries to the world and learning from the best and brightest in tech, public policy, social media and creative communities to libraries. A livestream of #ideadrop conversations can be found at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/ideadrop.
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Friday, March 7 Libraries, Archives and Museums Meetup from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Monday, March 10 wrap up party with Innovative Interfaces from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Co-sponsoring the "Hotspots for Hotshots" raffle with MobileBeacon, one of the largest national educational broadband service providers in the United States. Submit your tagged Twitter posts and five winners chosen at our wrap-up party (above) will receive 4G Mobile Hotspots with free internet service for a full year.
Joining EveryLibrary in the Innovative booth for libraries will be the American Library Association, the Association of Rural and Small Libraries, the Digital Library Federation, Electronic Resources & Libraries, the Freedom to Read Foundation, Urban Libraries Council, Urban Librarians Unite and sxswLAM, among others.
For more about EveryLibrary’s activity at SXSW Interactive, visit www.EveryLibrary.org/tag/sxswi or follow @everylibrary and track the #sxswLAM tag.
CONTACT: John Chrastka, executive director, [email protected], 312-574-0316
Lindsay Mullen, media relations, [email protected]
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About EveryLibrary
EveryLibrary is the only national Political Action Committee dedicated to building capacity at a local level to secure and extend library funding at the ballot box. EveryLibrary's mission is to provide campaign consultancy, technical assistance, and direct funding to locally organized, pro-library ballot committees and PACs. As a 501c4, we do not campaign for or support any candidate for office at any level of government. More about our work building voter support for libraries can be found at www.everylibrary.org.