|
|
 |
|
November 2024 |
|
|
 |
Adult Services Notes |
|
|
|
Library of Virginia Training |
|
|
Small Business Administration Programs
and Services 101 for Library Staff |
|
|
Want to learn how your library can better support businesses and entrepreneurs?
Join Martin Short, Lead Economic Development Specialist & Public Information Officer for the Richmond District Office of the US Small Business Administration, to learn about how the SBA can help you support small business development and entrepreneurs in your community. The webinar will focus on the following SBA programs and services:
Counseling Access to Capital Government Contracting Disaster Assistance Ancillary Programs When: Tuesday 11/12, 1 pm
|
|
|
|
|
Want to get a better handle on program success? Looking for ways to consider success beyond the numbers?
Join LDND director Nan Carmack to explore the ins and outs of outcome-based evaluation. Attendees will learn about outcome-based evaluation techniques and tools. This training will help program and service planners think about how to do a better job of developing outcomes in addition to outputs to measure effectiveness.
When: Tuesday 11/19, 1 pm |
|
|
|
News from Library Development & Networking
|
|
|
RUSA Online Training Reports
|
|
|
In partnership with ALA's Reference and User Services Association, LDND is delighted to offer training opportunities for Virginia library staff.
Scholarship recipients are asked to report out on key points or topics from the programs they attend. Read the reports below.
|
|
|
| Libraries and Aging 101
Ed DeButts, Central Rappahannock Regional Library and Allison Forbes, Loudoun County Public Library
I am very grateful to the VLA for the opportunity to enroll in RUSA’s Libraries and Aging 101: Educate, Engage and Empower Mature Adults. Our communities are home to an aging population. How do we educate, empower and engage them?
Our instructor shared strategies for assessing the needs of our older customers/patrons, and for creating impactful programs and services. Each week focused on a different aspect of services, and we were encouraged to develop a program or service for older adults. We learned to understand demographic changes and how they impact library service; to increase our ability to identify and address the needs of mature audiences; and to improve program development and effectiveness.
Fatima Perkins, our instructor, is the Director of Community Outreach & Advocacy for the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging. She has developed more than 5,000 programs (!) including health and wellness initiatives, and continues to be an advocate for older adults and libraries.
There was a lot to learn! Some very helpful resources to consult include -
***********************************************************************************
I am grateful for the opportunity I had to take the course: Libraries and Aging 101: Educate, Engage and Empower Mature Adults. I found the course engaging, filled with information and resources, and it helped me reflect and analyze the programs we are planning and conducting that target older adults.
In the course we were asked to review our library’s mission, vision, and core values and determine if there is any language that indicates a commitment to serve older adults. I examined Loudoun County’s Public Library (LCPLs) commitment to serve older adult and was able to find their commitment in each aspect of their mission, vision, and core values. For instance, LCPL’s Misson Statement is: Inspiration, Information, Innovation and Inclusion. The term inclusion would include older adults. The vision of LCPL is: Loudoun County Public Library builds community through activities and resources that celebrate the joy of reading and learning. LCPL’s commitment to older adults can be seen in the activities/programs we have that serve older adults. Some examples are Books by Mail and Lobby Stop, where residents can choose from a tailored selection of library materials.
In the course we were also asked to examine one of our current programs and how it specifically serves older adults. I examined a current program I am running, called StrongerMemory. The goal of the program is to have patrons engage in easy math, reading aloud and writing for 30 minutes a day to assist with memory loss and improve short-term memory. By examining the goal of and objective of the program, the targeted audience, the rationale, and partnerships/collaboration, I was able to brainstorm ways to improve this program.
One of the assignments I found most helpful was the Logic Model Worksheet because it asked us to take a deep dive into examining one of our programs we specifically conduct for older adults. We had to identify program partners and stakeholders, program planning (which included the audience, needs of the audience, audience considerations and the desired results), the logical model summary (which includes the program purpose statement, and the outcomes/benefits of the program). We also had to identify program elements (inputs and outputs). While time consuming, I found this to be a great tool to use when thinking about doing a new program. It helps identify the big picture of the program.
Thank you again to the Library of Virginia for giving me this opportunity to take this course. I will be using what I learned as I continue to plan and conduct programs. |
|
|
|
|
On November 11, we celebrate Veterans Day and remember to thank all those who have served in the US Armed Forces.
It's a great time to also share information for active and former military members in your community about VetNow, which is a great resource to support lirbary users thinking about moving to civilian life or navigating veterans benefits. |
|
|
VetNow offers a range of valuable resources, including a Live Veteran Navigator program that connects users with an expert to learn more about eligible VA benefits and community resources, Live Job Coaching to get help to transition résumés from military to civilian careers, links to local and national veteran's resources, and lots more.
If you need ideas and resources for marketing VetNow, you can find both print and digital assets on the LDND Info Center's Find It VA page under the Marketing Find It VA accordion. |
|
|
|
Mapping the Commonwealth, 1816–1826
|
|
|
If you have the chance to visit Richmond over the next few months, be sure to stop by to see the Library of Virginia's new exhibition, on display from 10/21/2024 to 6/7/2025.
“Mapping the Commonwealth” will present examples from 40 manuscript maps that highlight the painstaking task of creating Virginia’s first official state map. |
|
|
|
Strong Men & Women in VA History Contest
|
|
|
The Library of Virginia’s Creative Expressions contest, sponsored by Dominion Energy, is now open!
Encourage high school students to enter for a chance to win an Apple MacBook Air and $1,000 for their school. Submissions can be performance pieces, digital projects, or creative writing works.
The contest deadline is Nov. 17, 2024.
Find this year's prompt and submission information. |
|
|
|
Libraries Transforming Communities:
Accessible Small and Rural Communities |
|
|
Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities will offer more than $7 million in grants to small and rural libraries to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities.
To be eligible, a library must have a legal area population of 25,000 or less and be located at least five miles from an urbanized area, in keeping with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definitions of small and rural libraries. |
|
|
|
Readers' Advisory Tips and Tricks
|
|
|
|
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Fairfax County Public Library to speak at their Book Club Conference. It was great to meet with book club members and readers from around the county and to share ideas and resources with them. It was an enthusiastic group, and they were eager to learn about how to reinvigorate their meetings and to use NoveList Plus.
|
|
|
Putting the presentation together got me thinking about how we can use the language of appeal to help book clubs that are looking to expand or enhance their discussions
Often discussions get bogged down because the participants have a hard time articulating what it is that they enjoy (or hate) about the title being considered. They will say things like "it was well-written" or "I loved the characters," but these don't really lead to much discussion.
An understanding of appeal, those elements of a book--story, character, setting, mood, and language--that draw the reader in, can really help to expand book disucssions. For instance, thinking about character, you can use the concepts of appeal to craft questions for discussion like:
Are characters stereotypes (easily recognizable) or developed slowly over the book? What is the point of view of the narration? And how does this affect your reading of the book? Does the author want you to observe or identify with the characters? How important are the secondary characters? Is the characterization the most important part of the book? You can similarly use the other appeal factors to build these sorts of questions.
Once readers have an understanding of why they are enjoying the book, the discussion becomes richer and more interesting. Groups can also use appeal as a tool for picking books to ensure that they are getting an interesting and engaging mix of titles and that they avoid the common pitfall of reading the same type of book over and over.
NoveList Plus is a great resource for readers who want to build their understanding of appeal, and better understand their own reading interests. Each title entry in NoveList Plus contains the appeal factors for that book, the reviews are a great way to get clues about appeal, and the appeal mixer tool lets readers experiment with looking for new titles for future discussions.
So reach out to your local book clubs to let them know about NoevList and what it can do to help them rejuvenate their discussions and offer to talk with them about using the language of appeal. And don't forget to share with them the great book club resources collection that NoveList has created. |
|
|
|
|
Community art projects can be a great way to bring people together through creativity. Projects like this enable the library to build relationships both with and between library users. These projects also offer intergenerational opportunities.
The Tomahawk (WI) Public Library developed an interesting "collaborative passive program, [where] patrons color their own puzzle pieces to add to a wall-sized puzzle display." |
|
|
|
Featured Virginia Programs
|
|
|
James L. Hamner Public Library
|
|
|
|
|
Bonsai hobbyist and member of the Richmond Bonsai Society Nicholas Aleshin led a two-hour workshop on how to start a Bonsai tree.
After Nicholas went over the basics and crushed some common myths, each of the ten registered participants were given a small juniper, tools, and different soil layers. Nicholas then instructed participants on pruning, wiring, and planting in a short pot designed for Bonsai.
Once finished, participants were able to take home their junipers and continue the hobby. Everyone keeps asking when our next Bonsai workshop will be! |
|
|
For more info, contact Baylee Hughes, bkhughes@hamnerlibrary.org
|
|
|
|
The Colony, The Training School, and the Training Center: A Lecture on Lynchburg's Institution
|
|
|
The Central Virginia Training Center is a huge part of Lynchburg history. In January, we hosted a special lecture with a local author and professor Dr. Edward Polloway who recently published a book on the center. So far it was our most attended program. Many people who attended were former workers who shared stories about working there and the patients. It was amazing to see so many people interested and want to learn more.
|
|
|
 |
For more info, contact Tobi Laukaitis, tobi.laukaitis@lynchburgva.gov |
|
|
|
|
Recent articles on topics of interest to Adult Services |
|
|
|
This newsletter is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is published by the Library of Virginia Library Development and Networking Division.
|
|
|
|
|