Strategic planning for the Loveland Sculpture Invitational

2016 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.The Loveland Sculpture Invitational was birthed out of the growing sculpture movement in Loveland, Colorado. In 1991, a group of passionate sculptors created the Loveland Sculpture Invitational as a forum for undiscovered artists to display and sell their work to the public and to introduce aspiring sculptors to sculptural stage. While in its organizational peak, LSI boasted of being the largest outdoor sculpture show in America in recent years, LSI has been in steady decline – a decline in lack of participating artists, a decline in the attending public, and a decline in board member cohesion. To discover the cause of the decline and provide insight as to what can be done to return to success, this thesis draws from Arts Management literature, Public Relations theory, and Social Marketing theory as theoretical foundation for the thesis research. Research methods of this thesis include in depth personal interviews with each member of the Loveland Sculpture Invitational Board of Directors and online surveys of key organizational stakeholder groups. This thesis conducted a thematic analysis of interview transcripts and survey data. As a result of finding a lack of organizational identity, this thesis presents an organizational strategic plan with aim to guide the Loveland Sculpture Invitational Board of Directors to a path of defining the organizational purpose and a plan to achieve measured organizational success

Dictionaries Denied: Information Poverty in Michigan Prison Libraries

(Excerpt) In June of 2022, the Michigan Department of Corrections (“MDOC”) made national news when NPR reported that non-English language dictionaries were banned in state prisons. The rationale for this policy was specious—with an MDOC spokesperson stating: “If certain prisoners all decided to learn a very obscure language, they would be able to then speak freely in front of staff and others about introducing contraband or assaulting staff or assaulting another prisoner.” For instance, Spanish and Swahili dictionaries were restricted or banned based on safety, even though both languages are spoken by millions of people. Dictionaries and other reference materials are some of the most important foundational materials in a prison library. Dictionaries also are among the most requested materials by incarcerated people and are needed to complete education programs. ... Though MDOC rescinded the non-English dictionary ban, the nearly 33,000 people incarcerated in Michigan’s prisons and people incarcerated in other facilities across the U.S. still have serious information and access to court gaps that must be improved upon. Thus, this Article argues that incarcerated individuals deserve libraries that meet both their right to read and their right to access the courts. This Article is organized into four parts. Part I outlines a brief history of prisons and the prison industrial complex in the United States. Part II examines an incarcerated person’s access to information and their right to read. Part III then discusses how a prison library aims to effectuate an incarcerated person’s right to access the courts and the barriers that exist to realize that access. Finally, Part IV offers suggestions on better serving incarcerated library patrons by prioritizing their general information needs and right to access the courts

Satellite and in situ observations for advancing global Earth surface modelling: a review

In this paper, we review the use of satellite-based remote sensing in combination with in situ data to inform Earth surface modelling. This involves verification and optimization methods that can handle both random and systematic errors and result in effective model improvement for both surface monitoring and prediction applications. The reasons for diverse remote sensing data and products include (i) their complementary areal and temporal coverage, (ii) their diverse and covariant information content, and (iii) their ability to complement in situ observations, which are often sparse and only locally representative. To improve our understanding of the complex behavior of the Earth system at the surface and sub-surface, we need large volumes of data from high-resolution modelling and remote sensing, since the Earth surface exhibits a high degree of heterogeneity and discontinuities in space and time. The spatial and temporal variability of the biosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and anthroposphere calls for an increased use of Earth observation (EO) data attaining volumes previously considered prohibitive. We review data availability and discuss recent examples where satellite remote sensing is used to infer observable surface quantities directly or indirectly, with particular emphasis on key parameters necessary for weather and climate prediction. Coordinated high-resolution remote-sensing and modelling/assimilation capabilities for the Earth surface are required to support an international application-focused effort

Rural Viability Index: A Tool for Assessing Rural Communities

This report describes, analyzes, and contains a tool designed to provide local leaders and citizens with a way to assess the status of a variety of elements within their community. The tool, named the Rural Viability Index, offers communities the opportunity to identify possible options for current and future community planning.This project is a partnership between the George Bush School of Government and Public Service and the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs. For further information please contact ORCA at: P.O. Box 12877 Austin, TX 78711 (512) 936-6701 (800) 544-2042 www.orca.state.tx.u