A Message from the State Librarian |
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What an interesting time of transition we’re experiencing right now! Happily, COVID numbers are going down. Vaccinations are getting out to Arizonans, although there are some challenges, especially in remote areas of the state. These challenges make decisions about reopening in-person services that are currently closed very difficult. Library staff statewide would like to interact with customers in person. We’d like to get together and participate in trainings in person. At the same time, we don’t want to risk the health of patrons and staff by restoring in-person services and programming too soon. There isn’t one plan that works for all Arizona libraries.
You’ll see the Stare Library take a cautious approach to resuming in-person activities as we plan now for summer and fall. Some smaller trainings that can be done with masks in venues with space for social distancing will start to go live again. For larger events in late 2021, we will plan now for in-person with contingencies to go virtual, if needed. The many online opportunities for trainings through Niche Academy, WebJunction, InfoPeople and other sources will continue to be provided.
If you’d like to think through plans for the future with colleagues, Library Development has an email group that discusses reopening and other COVID questions. The group also meets online monthly to share ideas and information. To join the Stay Connected conversations, contact Chris Guerra.
Stay safe and well,
Holly Henley
State Librarian
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Mark your calendar for upcoming professional development events, grant deadlines and other important dates.
MARCH 2021
March 2-April 12
March 3, 12:00-1:00 pm
March 4, 10:00am-12:00pm
March 5
March 10, 9:30-11:00 am
March 10, 12:00-1:00 pm
March 10, 1:00-2:00 pm
March 15
March 16, 1:00 pm
March 16- April 12, 2021
March 17,12:00-1:00 pm
March 17, 12:00-1:30 pm
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March 18, 9:00 am-12:00 pm
March 19, 9:00 am-12:00 pm
March 20
March 24, 12:00-1:00 pm
March 24, 12:00-1:00 pm
March 27, 9:00-12:00 pm
March 30-April 6
March 31, 11:00-12:00 pm
APRIL 2021
April 6-May 3
April 7, 11:00am-12:00pm
April 7, 12:00-1:00 pm
April 14,12:00-1:00pm
April 14, 12:00-1:00 pm
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CARES Act - Interim Reports |
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Thank you to the libraries that have completed their required interim reports for CARES Expanded funding. Respondents indicated that their program goals are on track and that their purchases of PPE, WiFi related devices, and supplies to help the libraries maintain operations have been appreciated by the community.
In addition to the required data points, we received some great pictures from around the state of how the funds are being used. Casa Grande Public Library purchased a plexiglass barrier (pictured) for their service counter to protect patrons and staff.
We also heard wonderful anecdata such as this quote, which came out of Cottonwood: “We had a family from an underserved population use the devices and ask us how many people could hook up to the device. When we replied 15, they let us know they were going to be inviting the entire neighborhood over so they could do their school online.”
The CARES Supplemental funding interim report request will be sent to grant recipients in March. If you receive the email with the report link, please complete it at your earliest convenience. As always, if you have any questions about your grant funding, please reach out to Stacy Nykorchuk at anykorchuk@azlibrary.gov.
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WiFi Hotspot Lending
"Checking out the Internet"
A mobile WiFi hotspot is a designated device with a cell phone data plan that can provide Internet access for 5-10 devices at a time. In areas with limited Internet availability or lack of affordable home Internet, mobile hotspot lending can provide people with free, 24/7 access to the Internet, allowing people to meet their information needs in new ways. Read more.
Selected applicants will receive $4,000.00 towards the purchase of WiFi hotspot devices and data service for the purposes of starting or continuing a hotspot lending program.
Library WiFi Expansion
Extending, upgrading, and analyzing library networks beyond the walls
Library wireless networks can be lifelines for communities even when the building is closed to the public. This $4000 mini-grant to support the Institutional Improvements goal will provide funding for extending, upgrading, and assessing library wireless networks. Libraries are free to customize as makes sense for your community and existing network setup.
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Library Practitioner Certification Changes
The Library Practitioner Certification has been offered by the State Library to provide certification for non-MLS public library staff seeking recognition for professional development and training related to their library duties. This program was based on competencies that were developed by the Western Council of State Libraries through an IMLS grant in 2007. In 2009, the program was discontinued by a vote of the Council and the competencies are no longer being updated. Shortly thereafter, the Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) was developed by grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). LSSC was inspired by the Western Council of State Libraries Library Practitioner Certificate Program and began accepting applications in January 2010. It is now supported by the American Library Association (ALA) and managed by the Allied Professional Association.
As of August 31, 2021, we will be transitioning from the Library Practitioner Certification offered through the Arizona State library to the Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) offered through ALA and supported by IMLS.
Library Practitioner Certifications that have already been issued will be valid until the expiration date on the certificate. New Library Practitioner Certification applications and renewals will be accepted until August 31, 2021. Contact Ann Marie Creegan for applications and renewals or for more information. After August 31, 2021, library staff wishing to earn certification will be asked to transition to the Library Support Staff Certification program.
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Spring Break is almost here and families are going to be looking for places to drive to. Winter visitors are asking what is nearby. The State of Arizona Research Library has created an interactive map called Arizona Historic Place Names. It is interactive and can be used on mobile devices.
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National Library Service for the
Blind and Print Disabled
90th Anniversary
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The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) in the Library of Congress will kick off its 90th anniversary celebration with a free virtual concert by jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker. The concert will be broadcast on March 3 at 6:00 pm on the Library of Congress YouTube channel.
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Arizona Genealogy Day
March 20
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The Arizona Genealogical Advisory Board and the Arizona State Library, Archives, & Public Records are pleased to present the first Arizona Genealogy Day, a FREE, virtual event on Saturday, March 20, 2021. Topics include:
- Arizona’s Genealogy Resources from A-Z
- Beginning Irish Genealogy – Where to Start
- Learnings from the Hatbox Baby Mystery
- AMPlify Your Genealogy Research with the Arizona Memory Project
Space is limited. Registration is required. We would appreciate any efforts you make to share this information with your library's staff and patrons.
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Ascending into an Open Future
Today’s higher education environment calls for continually innovative ways to advance student, faculty, and institution success.
If you are part of the academic and research library community; value sustainable, open scholarship and education; embrace equity, diversity and inclusion; and want to ensure that you have the knowledge and skills you need now—this event is for you. Read more.
The Arizona State Library has a limited number of scholarships to attend the Association of College and Research Libraries virtual conference. The conference is from April 13-16, 2021. Each scholarship recipient will be asked to prepare a short presentation on what they learned at the conference to be shared with colleagues across the state. The scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Register here for this opportunity.
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ALA Annual June 23-29, 2021 |
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ALA Annual is going virtual again for 2021! This gives the Arizona State Library the opportunity to send many Arizona library staff to the conference. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to attend ALA Annual! The conference is from June 23-29, 2021. Each scholarship recipient will be asked to prepare a short presentation on what they learned at the conference to be shared with colleagues across the state. The scholarships are limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Register here for this opportunity.
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AzLA Annual Conference 2021 |
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Theme: Moving the Boundaries of Librarianship: Leading from Arizona
When: October 27- 29, 2021
Where: Prescott Resort and Conference Center in Prescott
Libraries are not simply what is contained in a physical building, and the COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the necessity to reimagine our library services in new and innovative ways. As we move into the future, libraries will continue to face ever-progressive challenges, and in order to tackle them, we will have to move the boundaries of librarianship to continue providing high-quality services to our communities.
Join us as we navigate these challenges and lead the movement of those boundaries from Arizona.
If you are interested in serving on a committee, please email Dr. John Walsh president@azla.org
Calls for program proposals will be sent out early 2021.
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Broaden your STEM Network
with Community Dialogue
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Make more connections to achieve common community goals!
Broaden your Network with Community Dialogue is a project designed to strengthen librarians’ roles in establishing a STEM learning environment by:
- Identifying under-represented and under-served community groups.
- Distinguishing possible collaborations and partnerships within the community.
- Developing a flexible Community Dialogue framework.
The facilitated virtual learning opportunity will be held in four 90-minute, interactive, virtual workshops at 2pm on Thursdays, April 08, 15, 22, and 29, 2021. Read more.
Our facilitators for these workshops will be the Thriving Libraries consultants Erica Freudenberger, Amber Williams and Cindy Fesemyer with guest facilitator Ozy Aloziem, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Denver Public Library in week 1.
Please register to participate . Space is limited and application deadline is March 15, 2021.
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Media Literacy in the Library |
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The American Library Association has created a suite of free resources to help libraries respond to the need for adult media literacy training. There is a downloadable Practitioner’s Guide that provides media literacy strategies for library staff. Beginning in 2021, there will be a series of webinars with even more information. All sessions are an hour long and start at 12:00 pm.
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If you have any questions about this or Citizen Science in general, please contact Chris Guerra at cguerra@azlibrary.gov.
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Highlights from Midwinter |
The Arizona State Library provided scholarships to Arizona library staff across the state to attend ALA Midwinter in January. Each participant was asked to participate in a webinar presenting the one thing that they learned by attending ALA Midwinter. If you would like to hear the highlights of ALA Midwinter from your colleagues, watch the webinar on our Niche Academy page. If you need access, to our Niche Academy, contact Ann Marie Creegan acreegan@azlibrary.gov.
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ALA Annual Conference 2021 |
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The 2021 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition Virtual Poster Session Committee invites everyone to share their best ideas and work with the library community by presenting a digital poster at the 2021 ALA Annual Conference Virtual, June 23-29, 2021.
Submissions are invited from all types of libraries and on any topic relevant to librarianship and may include a description of an innovative library program; an analysis of a solution to a problem; a report of a research study; or any other presentation that would benefit the larger library community. Poster session participants create digital posters with pictures, data, graphs, diagrams, narrative text, and audio descriptions.
The deadline for applying is Monday, March 8, 2021.
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Young Adult Services Symposium |
The theme of the symposium is “Biggest Little Safe Spaces: Serving Teens During Times of Adversity.” It will follow a hybrid virtual/in-person format and will be held from November 5-7, 2021 in Reno, NV. Submit a program proposal by April 1.
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