March 2022
A Message from the State Librarian
Greetings!

Last March, I started my message by observing, “What an interesting time of transition we’re experiencing right now! Happily, COVID numbers are going down.” A lot has happened in the past year, and we’re now back at that transition phase again!
 
While most libraries in Arizona have reopened to customers, some of the popular services instituted during closures such as curbside pickup and lockers with 24/7 access to requested materials are continuing to be offered.
 
We’re seeing that hybrid approach to programs and events also. Gradually programs for all ages are resuming in person, but virtual programs seem to be here to stay for their advantages of health safety, convenience, and abilities to accommodate large audiences and to be shared with other libraries.
 
Speaking of sharing, please feel free to share with your customers the news of the return of the in-person Tucson Festival of Books on March 12 and 13 at the University of Arizona. It’s a great way to enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather, listen to outstanding authors, and participate in fun family activities. 
 
There’s also an opportunity for your genealogists to participate in a fun, free, virtual event. The second annual Arizona Genealogy Day will be held on April 2. Last year, we had participation from across Arizona and even other states! 

Details on these and continuing education programs for staff are below, along with a link to a short survey to help us ensure we’re sharing the information that is most helpful to you.
 
Happy Spring!
 
Holly Henley
State Librarian
Events and Deadlines
Mark your calendar for upcoming Training Opportunities, Wisdom Wednesdays, Grant Deadlines and Events.

MARCH

March 9, 12:00pm-1:00pm

March 10, 12:00pm-1:00pm

March 10, 1:00pm-2:00pm

March 12 & 13, 9:30am-5:30pm

March 15-17 9:00am-1:00pm

March 16, 11:00am-12:00pm

March 17, 11:00am-12:00pm

March 23, 11:00am-12:00pm

March 30, 11:00am-12:00pm

March 30, 1:00pm-2:00pm

APRIL

April 1

April 6, 11:00am-12:00pm

April 6, 12:00pm-1:00pm

April 7, 12:00pm-1:00pm

April 8, 9:30am-10:30am

April 8, 12:00pm-1:00pm

April 13, 11:00am-12:00pm

April 14, 11:00am-12:00pm

April 20, 11:00am-12:00pm

April 20, 11:00am-12:00pm

April 24, 10:00am-4:00pm

April 27, 11:00am-12:00pm
Highlights
Arizona State Library Wishes Janet Fisher a Fond Farewell
Janet Fisher began her retirement on March 1, 2022, after a fruitful career focused on government information, law, and services to the blind and print disabled. She has worked in academic, public, special, and governmental libraries in several states. She particularly liked the multitude of services provided by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records which enabled her to assist the public and professionals both locally and nationally. 

Throughout the years, she created learning opportunities and resources to empower others to find information. These include:
  • EYEKNOWAZ: An online resource directory of services for individuals with vision loss
  • Law4AZ: Increasing access to justice statewide by connecting people to legal information through their public libraries
  • Western States Government Information Virtual Conference: A free, biennial conference that provides training on Government Information. Going online in 2010, they were early adopters of the virtual format!

We wish her all the best in this next chapter of her journey.
Library Services Newsletter Survey
We are requesting feedback on the Library Services Newsletter. Let us know what you enjoy reading, what you would like to read about, and any other suggestions. The survey will take less than five minutes to complete.

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. 
Revealing History - A Look at Community Through Arizona's Historical Newspapers
Nowadays people can swipe right when looking for a date or set up a profile online. In the early 1900s, a way to find your bride or groom-to-be was to place an ad in the newspaper. Recently Sativa Peterson, Newspaper Librarian at the State of Arizona Research Library, was interviewed on KJZZ The Show about historic newspaper ads. Listen to her interview here. Sativa will be doing a monthly spot with KJZZ highlighting Arizona's colorful past through newspapers.

During Black History Month, ABC 15 did an interview about the Arizona Gleam. This was the first black, female-owned newspaper, founded in 1929 by Arya Hackett. Some of the Arizona Gleam's newspapers have already been digitized and are available to read online on the Arizona Memory Project.

If you want to learn more about the collection and how to search the digital newspaper collection, this is a recording of a virtual presentation, Revealing History - A Look at Community Through Arizona's Historical Newspapers, given on September 30, 2021, by the State of Arizona Research Library and made possible by the Arizona Humanities.

Contact Sativa Peterson for information about hosting a presentation on Revealing History - A Look at Community Through Arizona's Historical Newspaper.

Arizona Yearbook Collection
The yearbook collection on the Arizona Memory Project, Looking Back- Arizona's School Yearbooks, includes yearbooks of public schools, universities, and other educational institutions in Arizona. Yearbooks commemorate the school year and provide a snapshot of student life and culture. Digitization was provided through a partnership with FamilySearch International. You can see all 98 schools included in the collection at http://go.azsos.gov/azyearbooks.
Grant and Award Opportunities
John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award
The John Cotton Dana Award honors outstanding library public relations, whether a summer reading program, a year-long centennial celebration, fundraising for a new college library, an awareness campaign, or an innovative partnership in the community.
Training Opportunities
AzLA Professional Development Monthly Webinar
Topic: Using Open+ Technology and Collaboration to Service Library Patrons
When: March 10, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Learn more about the Arizona Library Association and to become a member visit their webpage https://www.azla.org.
Reimagining School Readiness
Date: Thursday, April 21
Location: Tempe Public Library
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Do you wonder what research really says about how to support school readiness? The Reimagining School Readiness Toolkit is a suite of research-backed resources created for library staff to help families prepare children ages 0 to 8 for success in school and in life.
Participants in this training will:
  • Gain knowledge of key findings from cognitive and developmental psychology research
  • Understand the practical implications of school readiness for children
  • Reflect on how research findings connect with current library programming
  • Explore different ways to apply the research to programming including summer programming
  • Increase comfort in facilitating hands-on activities with children and their caregivers
  • Gain practical ready-to-implement ideas for activities to use with children and their caregivers


This training is made possible through a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, and a partnership between the Arizona State Library, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the California State Library, and the Pacific Library Partnership. 
Infopeople Courses
March 29 - May 9, 2022

Wednesdays on Apr 6, 13, 20, 27 and May 4, 2022
Webinar series - Webinars are free of charge

May 3 - Jun 13, 2022
Technology in Libraries (LSSC Approved)

If you are interested in taking any of these courses contact Ann Marie Creegan.
Conferences & Events
Tucson Festival of Books
The Tucson Festival of Books is scheduled to be held in person on Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13, 2022 at the University of Arizona from 9:30am to 5:30pm. Over 350 authors will participate in presentations and workshops attracting diverse audiences. Words and imagination come to life at every venue during Festival weekend.

Members from the AzLA Teacher Librarian division, Kerrlita Westrick and Judi Moreillon, are presenting a session focused on the ’22 Grand Canyon Reader Awards in the picture book and nonfiction categories on Sunday, March 13, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm.

Judi will also be moderating a session on Saturday, March 12, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. titled "It’s Not Easy: Writing a Picturebook."

Information and event schedule is available on their webpage Tucson Festival of Books.org
Southeast Collaborative Conference
The 3rd Annual Conference Southeast Collaborative Online Conference is being held March 15-17. This event is provided at no cost to attendees.
Presentation Topics Include:
  • Let the Story Come: Storytelling Tips for Library Professionals
  • Discard is Not a Dirty Word: Collection Maintenance in the Public Library
  • Love You, Mean It: Learning How to Show Meaningful Support and Appreciation to Employees
  • Graphic Bibliographies: Putting the WOW in Readers' Advisory
  • Discomfort Leads to Growth: The Road to Cultural Competency
  • Critical Cataloging: What? Why? How
Visit the conference website to learn more about the speakers and sessions: https://sites.google.com/view/secollaborative.
Arizona Author Series
On Wednesday, March 30, at 1:00 pm, Jim Kristofic will present a talk, “Medicine Women: The Story of the First Native American Nursing School,” as part of the 2022 Arizona Author Series. 

After the Indian wars, many Americans still believed that the only good Indian was a dead Indian. But at Ganado Mission in the Navajo country of Northern Arizona, a group of missionaries and doctors - who cared less about saving souls and more about saving lives - chose a different way and persuaded the local parents and medicine men to allow them to educate their daughters as nurses. The young women struggled to step into the world of modern medicine, but they knew they might become nurses who could build a bridge between the old ways and the new. 

In this detailed history, Jim Kristofic traces the story of Ganado Mission on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Kristofic’s personal connection with the community creates a nuanced historical understanding that blends engaging narrative with careful scholarship to share the stories of the people and their commitment to this place. 

For registration and more details, please visit https://azsos.libcal.com/event/8705079.



Arizona Genealogy Day 2022 
The Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board and the Arizona State Library, Archives, & Public Records are pleased to present their second annual Arizona Genealogy Day, a free, virtual event on Saturday, April 2, 2022 from 9:00 am–3:00 pm. Speakers will include J. Mark Lowe, Colleen Robledo Greene, Thomas MacEntee, Brittany Styles and Janelle Breedveld. For registration and more details, please visit http://go.azsos.gov/azgenday22

Watch our promotional video here: https://youtu.be/UG9xl1dVtmA Please share this information with your patrons and plan to join us!
 
Call for Content! During the downtime between sessions, we again plan to display a rolling PowerPoint with information about genealogical resources located in the libraries, museums, archives, and genealogical societies of Arizona. If you would like to highlight your resources, please submit a PowerPoint slide or an image to Kori Tueller, Assistant Administrator, State of Arizona Research Library, ktueller@azlibrary.gov, no later than Friday, March 18, 2022.
National Library Week
April 3-9, 2022
National Library Week is April 3-9, 2022. It is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.
 
The theme this year is "Connect with Your Library," which promotes the idea that libraries are places to get connected to technology by using broadband, computers, and other resources. Libraries offer opportunities to connect with media, programs, ideas, and classes - in addition to books. Most importantly, libraries connect communities.
 
For graphics, templates, and a press release, visit https://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek.
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