A Message from the State Librarian |
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October 1 marked the beginning of the new federal fiscal year, making this a great opportunity to recognize the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. IMLS advances, supports, and empowers America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The vision of IMLS is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities.
Our monthly newsletter always includes opportunities for free training, information on grant projects, and resources for libraries provided by funding from IMLS to the Arizona State Library through the Grants to States program.
Stay safe and well,
Holly Henley
State Librarian
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Dates & Deadlines to Note |
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Mark your calendar for upcoming professional development events, grant deadlines and other important dates.
October 6 to 24, 2020
October 7, 9:30 -10:30 am
October 7, 12:00 - 1:00 pm
October 8, 12:00 - 1:00 pm
October 13 - November 9, 2020
October 14, 2020
October 14, 2020
October 21, 9:30 - 10:30 am
October 22, 12:00 - 1:00 pm
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October 27, 9:00 - 10:30 am
October 27 - December 7, 2020
October 28, 9:30 - 10:30am
November 2, 2020
November 4, 10:30 - 11:30 am
November 10, 12:00 -1:00 pm
November 11, 10:30 -11:30 am
November 13, 2020
December 2, 2020
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Resources & Opportunities |
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Be a Part of the 2020 Election |
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Voting is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States. Libraries play a critical role in our democracy. What does that look like in practice? Here are a few ways to get involved:
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ALA is showcasing that libraries of all types are serving as ballot drop-off locations in all types of communities- big, small, rural, urban, suburban, tribal -- wherever your library is. If your library will be serving as a host location, just send an email to Dan Stanton, AzLA's ALA Councilor at ala.councilor@azla.org or to Michael Dowling at mdowling@ala.org with the name of your library, type of library, location and a contact email.
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The “Dear Arizona Voter Writing Contest,” sponsored by AzLA and organized by the Teacher Librarian Division, offers a way for young people to learn more about voting and express their understandings of its importance. Students can write in any genre—essay, poetry, song lyrics, letters to the editor, opinion pieces—and can be presented in traditional written format or with multimedia texts. For complete information and project support, visit the resources provided in this publicly accessible Google folder: https://tinyurl.com/tlddavwcsharing or contact Judi Moreillon, AzLA Teacher Librarian Division Co-Chair: info@storytrail.com
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Do you need some civic inspired and fun activities for your younger patrons? Explore the Kids Voting Arizona website for printable activities to share with your patrons. You can request Kids Voting AZ booklets to add to your Grab-and-Go kits or download and print them in-house.
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Libraries Transforming Communities:
A Special Grant Opportunity for
Small and Rural Libraries
Apply September 21 – December 2, 2020
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The American Library Association (ALA) invites libraries in small and rural communities to apply for grant funding to help them address issues of concern in their communities.
Up to 650 U.S. libraries in small and rural communities will receive $3,000 each to tackle issues ranging from media literacy to COVID-19 safety to unemployment. Grants will be awarded in two waves in 2020 and 2021. Applications will be accepted from Sept. 21 to Dec. 2, 2020.
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Writers in Residence in Libraries
2021 Mini-Grant
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The Arizona Center for the Book Writers in Residence program promotes writing in communities by connecting local, professional authors to serve as Writers in Residence at public libraries. In a typical year, Writers in Residence spend time at the library during their residency composing new works and providing education for community members. The project looks a little different during the coronavirus pandemic, but it has the same intent: to support Arizona content creators to inspire and aspire!
The program uses LSTA funds to provide for stipends for two (2) writer’s residencies, each for a three-month period. Applying libraries will select two authors, one for a residency from February-April and a second for May-July. Recipient libraries will receive a grant for $4,800 to pay the writers’ stipends, which is set at $800 per month.
Applications for the Grant program are due by 11:59 PM, November 13, 2020.
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Reading Arizona Tips and Tricks |
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Account creation: Confused about how to help patrons set up a Reading Arizona account? We have updated our ReadingArizona.org landing page with detailed written and video instructions so you can easily assist your patrons. You may link to any or all of it on your library’s website.
Featured lists: We've organized titles into areas of interest for easy browsing. We now have buttons on our Reading Arizona landing page that will bring you directly to that topic's featured titles on the Reading Arizona platform. All the featured lists can still be accessed within the platform by choosing Featured Lists in the navigation menu.
MARC records: Increase your eBook and Audiobook offerings by importing Reading Arizona MARC records for our perpetual access titles into your catalog. E-mail Kori Tueller at ktueller@azlibrary.gov and specify whether you need MARC-8 or UTF encoded MARC records for your ILS.
Help is available: If you or your patrons need help creating an account, resetting a password, using or returning titles, etc., help is only a click away. Complete this online form and we will do our best to resolve the issue quickly and efficiently.
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Free Tech Help & Internet Sign-Up Support |
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The Arizona Libraries Tech Access Phoneline (AZ LibTAP) is a team of library staff from 5 different libraries, supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. They provide free tech help over the phone, based on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance's Digital Navigators model: individuals who address the whole digital inclusion process — home connectivity, devices, and digital skills — through one-on-one support and repeated interactions if needed. Anyone from anywhere in the state can call and receive help getting online or using technology.
AZ LibTAP is a core piece of a broader digital equity initiative, Connect Arizona, a collaboration between the State Library, Common Sense Media, and School Connect. Connect Arizona includes a statewide map of free public WiFi hotspots as well as information about Arizona internet offers and low-cost computer options.
Feel free to promote AZ LibTAP and the WiFi map widely to your patrons and staff. Promotional materials are available here: https://tinyurl.com/azlibtap
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Share Your Bright Ideas!
Submit a PLA Webinar Proposal
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Do you have an idea, innovation, collaboration, or case study you think other public libraries would benefit from? Share it with your peers by submitting a PLA webinar proposal today!
PLA webinars are a great opportunity to expand your presentation skills, grow your professional network, advance the public library field, and become more involved with PLA. Webinar proposals are reviewed by PLA staff and member volunteers on a biannual basis. Submit by November 30 to be considered for presentation in February or later.
If you have any questions or need assistance with the proposal form, please contact plawebinars@ala.org.
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Celebrate Health Literacy This October |
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Health Literacy Month is a time for organizations, advocates, and individuals to promote the importance of making health information understandable for everyone. In the spirit of Health Literacy Month this October, PLA is highlighting a suite of free tools and resources to public libraries to build awareness of health issues, prevention, training opportunities, and more to help advance their community’s health and work to eradicate (health) information poverty.
How to Observe
There are many more ways to engage your patrons and to learn more about health literacy. For more information on PLA's Health Initiative, please visit ala.org/pla/initiatives/healthliteracy.
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Professional Development News |
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AzLA Vision 2020 Conference
Webinar Series
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Registration is now open for the Arizona Library Association (AzLA) Webinar Series. This series is FREE to all AzLA members.
The Opening Session of the program is Wednesday, October 14, 2020 from 8:45 am-1:30 pm. The Opening Session will feature two keynote speakers sponsored by the Arizona State Library. The first keynote speaker will be Brian Pichman who will present his talk on "20 Ideas to Spawn Innovation in 2020." Christina Roberts will close out the day with her keynote on "Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security in the Library." There will be a special Teacher Librarian Session on Saturday, October 17, 2020 from 8:45 am-12:30 pm. The Closing Session will be on December 9, 2020.
Registration for all sessions can be found on the AzLA website. |
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BOOKS. JOY. JUSTICE.
Equity and Serving Young Children
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Together with your library colleagues and facilitator Janet Damon we will expand our understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion in library services, including programming related to early literacy. This 4-week virtual learning cohort will use an equity lens to focus on implicit bias, 7 cultural dimensions, diverse programming and collection development for young children. Online sessions are scheduled for October 29, November 5, 12 and 19.
Facilitator
Janet R. Damon Ed.S, MLIS is a literacy engagement activist who has worked to empower families and support their access to libraries and collections that feature positive representation of diverse children and families. She is an educator with over twenty years of experience working with students and families as a librarian and literacy consultant.
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Library 101: Intellectual Freedom and Values and Ethics of the Profession |
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The Arizona State Library is excited to bring a series of workshops on Intellectual Freedom and Values and Ethics of the Profession presented by Dr. Richard E. Rubin and Dr. Rachel Rubin. Richard E. Rubin is the author of “Foundations of Library and Information Science” which has served as the authoritative introductory text for generations of library and information science practitioners. In the latest edition of this book, he teams up with his daughter, Rachel G. Rubin, a rising star in the library field in her own right. We are excited to bring their knowledge to Arizona Library staff in a new series of webinars that address Intellectual Freedom and Values and Ethics of the Profession. Some topics that will be covered during these sessions are the values and ethics of the profession, combating fake news, the importance of social justice, and the role of critical librarianship; and intellectual freedom, legal issues, and copyright-related topics. We hope you can join us for one or all of these exciting trainings!
Register for these trainings here:
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Grant Writing for Library Staff |
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Grant writing is a skill required of many library practitioners in public libraries or education. The goal of this participatory presentation is to provide practical guidance on how to find available grants and how to write fundable proposals based upon library and/or school outcomes.
This 90-minute workshop will be presented by Dr. Laura L. Summers, a clinical assistant professor for Learning Design & Technology program and faculty lead for the School Library endorsement and MA program at the University of Colorado Denver. The workshop will be held on October 27, 2020 at 9:00 am.
By the end of this session, library practitioners will:
- Identify opportunities for grant-writing.
- Develop skills to be able to write a grant proposal aligned with program outcomes.
- Increase confidence in writing a grant proposal.
- Brainstorm a project for grant funding.
- Investigate the steps in the grant-writing process.
- Review successful examples of funded library grants.
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Did You Miss These Trainings?
Watch the Recordings.
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There has been so much virtual training available right now that it is hard to keep up with what is available. Here are some very valuable trainings that you may have missed but are now available on demand.
Putting the Self Back in Self-Care: Wellness in the Time of COVID-19: Whether you are working remotely or within the library building, COVID-19 has changed the way we work and live. In a profession where the desire to serve the public often subsumes the needs of library workers, our panelists will share strategies for self-care as well as tips for overcoming challenges related to (re)creating a work-life balance that can be done for free, remotely or in the building.
Workforce Development Strategies for Recovery and Resilience: This webinar examines practical strategies that libraries across the country are using to support job seekers in the community. We will look at resources within libraries as well as partnerships to help support workforce resiliency. We will also examine tools for you to create a systematic plan for your library.
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Library Support Staff Certification Program
The American Library Association's Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) program is a national certification program that allows library staff to demonstrate their competencies and be certified by the American Library Association (ALA). LSSC is supported by ALA and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Any library staff member is eligible to enroll in the LSSC program if you have a minimum of a high school degree or its equivalency and worked or volunteered in any type of library for a minimum of 1 year (1820 hours) within the last 5 years. LSSC is directed towards those who work in positions in libraries that do not require a graduate degree in Library Science.
To earn the LSSC, library staff also must successfully complete six of ten competency sets. Earning the LSSC has just gotten more accessible because Infopeople has recently been approved to provide all these courses and they are offered online. Also, the Arizona State Library will pay for Arizona Library staff to take Infopeople courses so these courses would be free.
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Upcoming InfoPeople Courses |
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Infopeople offers a variety of webinars and self-paced online courses on topics of high interest for library staff. Webinars are free, and the Arizona State Library has purchased a block of registrations for the online courses. Arizona library staff may register for courses by sending an email to Ann Marie Creegan with the following information:
- The course name and dates
- Registrant’s name
- Registrant’s email
- Library name
- Library address
- Library phone number
Here are the upcoming Infopeople courses:
In addition to the scheduled sessions, the instructor will provide examples, resources, best practices, and useful tips and techniques that can be applied as you seek to use design thinking at your library. During the course, you will participate in discussion forums, with an opportunity to share your experiences and questions, alongside others who are working to use design thinking, too. Through assignments, you will apply the concepts to your own library and community.
When: October 6-November 2, 2020
In this 4-week online course you’ll learn the best methods and strategies for tracking technology trends. We’ll look at two roles or types of people, visionaries and implementers, and we’ll offer strategies for each type. You’ll learn about the best resources for keeping up, how to evaluate what you’ve learned, the importance of experimenting with new technologies, and how to plan for implementation of new technologies that meet your users’ needs.
When: October 13-November 9, 2020
Whether you are new or not-so-new to public libraries, you'll come away from this course with resources, best practices, and useful advice to help you build a solid foundation of understanding that will guide your work in public libraries.
When: October 27-December 7, 2020
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Upcoming WebJunction Webinars |
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WebJunction hosts free live webinars that are open to all. Each session covers a high-interest library topic presented by real-world practitioners and experts. Webjunction is hosting a few live webinars this month.
Amid COVID-19, many archives, libraries and museums are reopening and expanding access to services in their communities. The challenges of reopening during a pandemic have led to many questions about the handling of materials as well as the management of building operations. From allowing the virus to die naturally, to using disinfectants, to applying UV light or heat treatment—there are many options to consider. You’ll also hear an update on REALM testing efforts and the development of project resources.
When: October 8, 2020 12:00-1:00 pm
This webinar will highlight the multiple benefits of walking and walkable communities, and provide the information and inspiration you need to join the hundreds of public libraries around the country that are contributing to the development of healthy and resilient communities. Learn how to advocate for safe walking routes to your libraries, how to partner with parks and recreation, local transportation departments, and others committed to building safe, accessible, equitable places to walk and move.
When: October 22, 2020 at 12:00 pm
Now more than ever, the care of library buildings, from historic to new, demands greater attention. With occupant health and safety in mind, common issues, such as cleaning, plumbing, or HVAC systems, take on new urgency. Many library directors and staff become facilities managers by default, with no formal training. This webinar offers a primer on building systems and issues, along with tools for preventive maintenance, energy assessments, optimizing ventilation and filtration, and more. Presenters share what they learned the hard way, in large and small libraries, so that you can be more prepared and self-assured.
When: November 10, 2020 at 12:00-1:00 pm
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More Online Learning Opportunities |
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Hopefully, in-person training will resume soon! Meanwhile, there are many opportunities for online learning. Below are just a few.
Webinars from around the Country
NCompass Live is the Nebraska Library Commision’s weekly webinar series covering a variety of library topics and activities. It is free and open for anyone to view. Registration for these webinars can be found here or explore archives of past webinars.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission also offers many free webinars that are open to anyone in the library field. Registration for upcoming webinars can be found here. Links to archived webinars can be found here.
The Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) offers training for librarians on health topics. The list of upcoming trainings can be found on their website.
Every month, the Wyoming State Library compiles a training calendar that lists all of the free webinars and trainings offered for the month. The list can be found on their website.
Booklist offers free webinars on a variety of topics, offering immediate tips, tools, resources, and new ideas for collection development and readers’-advisory work. The list of upcoming webinars can be found on their website.
AASL, the American Association for School Librarians, offers free webinars specific to teacher librarians in their Learning Library.
Here are some other places that free webinars can be found. These are not specific to libraries but offer useful information:
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Grantspace,a service of the Foundation Center, offers information and resources that are specifically designed to meet the needs of grantseekers. Many free webinars can be found at Grantspace on the topic of grant writing.
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ICMA and GOV LOOP offer free webinars that are specific to leadership in government agencies.
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TechSoup offers free nonprofit webinars on everything from social media, to marketing and outreach, to technology planning.
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Library Services is part of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State. The branches of Library Services include Library Development, the State of Arizona Research Library, the Arizona Talking Book Library, and E-Rate. Library Services programs and activities are supported in part with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Holly Henley
State Librarian and Director of Library Services, Archives and Records
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