Dear CLC members and friends,
We, like you, are navigating our way through the new world of social distancing and working from home. We’ve adopted daily Zoom staff meetings as a means to preserve our team culture, positive attitudes and collaborative problem solving. And we’ve begun using Zoom as a tool to bring our members together as well. Our first Virtual Roundtable, “Library Service During COVID-19,” was held this past Monday and had over 50 attendees. Using the Zoom breakout room feature, smaller groups were able to expand some of the conversations. We walked away with a lot of great ideas, tips, issues to work on and most importantly, a sense that we are all in this together. Clearly there is a need to connect, so we're going to make that happen more and more over the next days and weeks.
Here's what we have planned for you:
- COFFEE TALK - Every Tuesday at 10:00am. First meeting 3/31 - register here. Get a sense of what is going on in our libraries across the state, and get help from colleagues on the challenges of the week ahead. Be sure to bring your favorite mug - we want to see it, especially if it's funny!
- VIRTUAL MEET-UPS - Every Thursday at 4:00pm. First meeting 4/2 - register here. It'll be almost the weekend, so we'll adopt a celebratory mood and congratulate each other on our successes!
For these sessions - especially the morning sessions -
we plan to begin with informal open discussion, then break into separate "rooms" by library type to discuss and find solutions to common issues. This will give you a chance to hear how libraries of all types are coping while still addressing some of your particular issues and concerns.
- ROUNDTABLES REVIVED! This week, three roundtables went virtual, successfully hosting previously canceled in-person meetings using Zoom. Next week, look for even more virtual roundtables - there are five scheduled so far (2 for children's librarians, 3 for directors), and more are being added each day. Check our calendar and be sure to register for the virtual meetings that interest you.
Not comfortable using the Zoom virtual meeting platform? Amanda Stern is hosting a
Zoom Test Session
on Monday 3/30 at 1:30pm. It only takes about 10 minutes to learn the key features.
Get access info here
- no registration required. You’ll find more help on our
Resources for Remote Working & Learning
page.
Finally, we are gathering data on how our members are operating during the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine. Look for our weekly one- or two-question poll that takes the pulse of what is happening at your library. We’ll make this statewide CLC member data available as we collect it so you can use it in working with your administrators, boards, provosts, partners and colleagues to develop and manage your services. In addition, we'll use your responses as springboards for developing new services, creating online discussions, and/or as additions to our
COVID-19 resources
pages.
Please continue to
reach out to the CLC team
for support, and to share ideas and challenges. We're here for you - and we hope to see your smiling face on our screens very soon!
Stay safe.
