This Week at ULC
Newsletter | April 7, 2021
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT RESOURCES
ULC is closely following developments around the American Rescue Plan Act and potential funding opportunities for ULC member libraries and the communities we serve. 
 
Our team has synthesized insights from our ongoing research and conversations with members and partners to create talking points. Click here to access these talking points in ULC’s Member Knowledge Exchange. We hope that this resource will be useful to you in building understanding and communicating with key stakeholders about ARPA and what it might mean for your library.
 
Stay tuned to ULC communications for regular updates and please review the latest resources on ULC’s American Rescue Plan Act Resources web page.
ULC LIBRARIES CELEBRATE
NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK
National Library Week
April 4-10 is National Library Week in the U.S. — a time for celebrating the unique and essential role of libraries in communities across the nation. Click here to check out National Library Week messaging tools, events and the "State of America's Libraries" report published by ALA.

Here are just a few highlights of the many ways ULC libraries are getting creative to celebrate National Library Week with their local residents:


How is your library celebrating National Library Week? Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #NationalLibraryWeek.
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
Vancouver Public Library
Meet ULC's Newest Member
Vancouver Public Library

ULC is thrilled to welcome Vancouver Public Library as the newest addition to our member community! Vancouver Public Library has been dedicated to meeting the lifelong learning, reading and information needs of Vancouver residents for more than 100 years. VPL is the most-visited major urban library per capita in Canada.
Philly Career Launch Banner
Robust New Resources for Job Seekers
Free Library of Philadelphia

The Free Library of Philadelphia has announced several new and revamped resources for city jobseekers, including a new web page, career fairs and the Philly Career Launch initiative, which includes a series of day-long virtual workshops. These expanded services have been made possible with support from the Citizens Charitable Foundation, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and PECO.
Camp LFPL
Turning Spring Break into a "Screen Break"
Louisville Free Public Library

Starting at the end of March, Louisville Free Public Library has provided a unique opportunity for local students and their families to take a break from screens during Spring Break. The library distributed free Spring Break backpacks containing a Field Guide for outdoor activities families can do together, ranging from outdoor art to nature exploration.
UPCOMING ULC WEBINAR TOMORROW
Connecting Communities with Teleservices: Learning from Digital Navigators
Salt Lake City Public Library, Multnomah County Library, National Digital Inclusion Alliance

COVID-19 has made it clear that libraries need to expand services beyond our buildings and reach out directly to individuals and families in order to address the full spectrum of digital needs in our communities. Join leaders from Salt Lake City Public Library, Multnomah County Library and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance on April 8 to learn how libraries across the U.S. are using the “Digital Navigators” model of phone-based services to build digital equity across a wide range of issues.

Participants will have the opportunity to hear from one of SLCPL’s Digital Navigators and learn about what makes this model unique and successful, how libraries are adopting the framework and how you can learn from this project and apply its tools to strengthen your library’s work.

Featuring:
  • Paolo Balboa, Program Manager, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
  • Amanda Perry, Digital Navigator and Associate Librarian, Salt Lake City Public Library
  • Justin Strange, Digital Navigator Project Manager, Salt Lake City Public Library
  • Jon Worona, Director of Content Strategy, Multnomah County Library
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
2020 Innovations
Know the Need, Deploy the Solution — Learning Pods
Chesterfield County Public Library
Learning Pod
Chesterfield County Public Library developed a rapid, iterative response to the virtual school learning environment. All 10 branches opened to safely accommodate grassroots learning pods with library technology, safe spaces and staff expertise, offering teachers and families a new model for student learning.

The successful program enabled the library to prevent learning loss in communities that needed it the most.

Click here to learn more about this groundbreaking work and click here to review all 260 submissions to the 2020 Innovations Initiative.
NEW ON THE ULC BLOG
New on the ULC Blog
Strengthening Media Literacy in an Age of Misinformation
Calgary Public Library

Discover how Calgary Public Library is fostering media literacy and building connections between the public and the media, including the development of an "Info Investigators" quiz, bringing local journalists into the library and hosting live events in partnership with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
NEW DIGITAL NAVIGATORS PROFILE
Digital Navigators
Q&A with Ali F. Abid
Salt Lake City Public Library
Ali Abid
ULC is connecting with Digital Navigators for one-on-one discussions of their work on the forefront of this exciting new initiative. Click here to read the fifth interview in our discussion series, featuring Ali F. Abid — one of Salt Lake City Public Library's Digital Navigators and a digital equity specialist at Catholic Community Services, Utah.

Ali F. Abid moved to Utah from Iraq in September 2012. He has been with the Catholic Community Services since June 2015, where he started as a job developer after serving as a volunteer.
Now being piloted by Salt Lake City Public Library and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, the Digital Navigators service model positions trained individuals to provide phone-based support for issues related to the full spectrum of digital needs. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant number LG-248566-OLS-20.

To learn more about this new initiative, be sure to register for our April 8 webinar, "Connecting Communities with Teleservices: Learning from the Digital Navigators."
NEW ON ULC'S MEMBER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Anne Arundel County Public Library
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
Connecting Communities with Teleservices: Learning from the Digital Navigators
Webinar
April 8 | Noon-1 p.m. ET
ULC Deputy Directors
Member Group Conference call
April 8 | 3-4 p.m. ET
ULC Communications and Marketing Leaders
Member Group Conference Call
April 21 | Noon-1 p.m. ET
Tools for Middle Grade STEM Success
Webinar
April 22 | 1-2 p.m. ET
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
STEM Strategic Playbook
Fostering a STEM-ready workforce is vital to the future of every community. Our new STEM Strategic Playbook and Quickstart Toolkit will empower all public libraries as STEM education leaders.

Twitter.com