This Week at ULC
Newsletter | April 1, 2020
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCE UPDATES
Stories of ULC Member Bravery and Creativity in Addressing COVID-19 Challenges

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate, ULC member libraries are innovating on the fly and working aggressively to meet the needs of their communities. Over the past few weeks, the ULC team has been working closely with reporters from major media outlets to raise awareness of our members' inspiring and creative efforts. In recent reporting, The Atlantic , Reader's Digest , Route Fifty and The Washington Post 's Book Club have highlighted a wide range of member activities, including partnerships with schools to equip students with digital library resources, efforts to collect and distribute disaster relief supplies, transforming closed library buildings into temporary centers for social services and bringing community members together online for shared entertainment experiences.

Sign up for one of our upcoming member calls and v isit ULC's coronavirus resource page f or the latest updates and further examples from member libraries on how they are dealing with this pandemic. Our interactive map on the ULC website showcases the operating status of our members with lin ks to individual COVID-19 member resource pages.

Please continue to share your library's sample statements and policies so we may highlight these resources in the member Knowledge Center , This Week at ULC newsletter , social media and other chann els. If you have updates to share or any questions, please email ULC Director of Conferences and Community Engagement Colleen Bragiel directly.
Libraries Leading on 2020 Census Completion
Encouraging Americans to fill out the 2020 Census online has taken on increased importance due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The online 2020 Census questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to complete, and the data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau will help determine federal funding for all U.S. public libraries.

April 1 is National Census Day in the U.S., and ULC member libraries around the country are working hard to ensure their communities receive an inclusive count. Library staff are working with local government agencies to staff phone lines to help individuals complete the Census, hosting informational webinars focused around Census completion and highlighting the importance of being counted via emails, newsletters and social media.

Our Canadian libraries will next undergo a Census in 2021.
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
Serving as a Short-Term Shelter for Homeless Individuals
Spokane Public Library

In late February, Spokane Public Library's Downtown branch closed to the public in preparation for a major renovation project. The library and city are now partnering to utilize the closed branch as a temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic . Starting this week, 140 beds are available at the Downtown branch, which will continue to serve as a shelter through mid-May.
Expanding Virtual Options for Patrons at Home
Alexandria Library

The city of Alexandria has given the library $50,000 to purchase additional e-books and e-audiobooks for their community. The library's digital collection allows patrons to download options to a personal computer or mobile device all for free with a library card.
Helping Educators Navigate Online Teaching
Saint Paul Public Library

Staff at Saint Paul Public Library are using webinars to connect with local parents and teachers as they begin to navigate distance learning online. Having reached more than 250 educators over the last two weeks, these live, interactive webinars teach patrons about leveraging the library's digital resources to keep youth engaged in learning.
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
ULC Directors Call
Member Group Conference Call
April 2 | 4-5 p.m. ET

ULC Directors and CEOs connect to discuss the recent coronavirus outbreak and its effect on their libraries.
ULC Communications and Marketing Leaders Call
Member Group Conference Call
April 8 | Noon-1 p.m. ET

ULC Communications and Marketing professionals connect to discuss the recent coronavirus outbreak and its impact on their communities.
ULC Development Professionals
Member Group Conference Call
April 8 | 2-3 p.m. ET

ULC Development Professionals connect to discuss COVID-19 actions and next steps for library fundraising.
ULC Collections Call
Member Group Conference Call
April 9 | 4-4:30 p.m. ET

ULC Collection Leaders connect to discuss the recent coronavirus outbreak and its impact on their libraries.
ULC KNOWLEDGE CENTER
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
Calgary Public Library
Pierce County Library System
Prince George's County Memorial Library System
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
Urban Libraries Council on Twitter

🗣 North America's Public Libraries Implement Bold Measures to Serve Communities During COVID-19 Outbreak. Read our latest press release ➡️ https://t.co/YL6aXDYmIs #coronavirus #COVID19

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