This Week at ULC
Newsletter | April 14, 2021
HIGHLIGHTS FROM ULC'S 2021 FLASH POLL ON ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT
Entrepreneurship Poll 2021
To help libraries elevate their capacity and recognition as entrepreneurial ecosystem leaders, ULC conducted our second-ever member Flash Poll on Entrepreneur Support in March 2021. Responses to this survey illuminate how public libraries across North America are continuing to expand and become more intentional in their work to enhance opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs, including creative solutions to the increased barriers created by COVID-19.

Click here to discover key findings from the Flash Poll, and what actions your library can take to level-up its work in this area.
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT RESOURCES
ULC continues to follow the developments around the American Rescue Plan Act and potential funding opportunities for ULC member libraries and the communities we serve. Our team has synthesized insights from our ongoing research and conversations with members and partners to create talking points. Click here to access these talking points in ULC’s Member Knowledge Exchange. 

ULC is actively reviewing the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau request for comments on the implementation of the Emergency Connectivity Fund, and preparing to submit reply comments by April 23. We look forward to hearing from our member libraries on how you will be responding to this request so we may incorporate your feedback. 
 
Below are two upcoming free webinars related to ARPA:
 

ULC shared insights in a new article in Governing about ARPA funding and what it might mean for public libraries, and why maximizing investment in libraries is essential for pandemic recovery. Stay tuned to ULC communications for regular updates and please review the latest resources on ULC’s American Rescue Plan Act Resources web page.
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
New Directors April
ULC Member Libraries Welcome New Leaders
Dayton Metro Library, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

ULC welcomes and congratulates the following library leaders for taking new roles at our member libraries.

Executive Director Jeffrey Trzeciak comes to Dayton Metro Library after serving as library director at Jersey City Free Public Library.

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Librarian Marcellus "MT" Turner most recently served as the executive director and chief librarian at Seattle Public Library.
Coronavirus
Offering Free, Take-home COVID-19 Testing Kits
The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County

Library patrons at The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County can now access free take-home COVID-19 testing kits at the main library, all open branches and the pop-up library. The FDA-authorized test kits are self-administered with visual instruction, to be used in collaboration with a telehealth session. “We look forward to working with the Mahoning County Public Health as one more way that we can support our community through this pandemic,” said Aimee Fifarek, PLYMC executive director.
Rooted in Reading
New Campaign to Support Planting Trees and Early Literacy
Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation

Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation recently launched a new way to support planting trees and early literacy with the Rooted in Reading program. Community members were able to buy three native Iowa saplings, with sale proceeds funding the Library Foundation’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. “Our Board wanted to support the city’s efforts to plant trees while working to fund books for the preschoolers enrolled in our Imagination Library,” said Library Foundation Executive Director Charity Tyler.
Pat Losinski Award
CEO Pat Losinski Selected as Distinguished Alumnus
Columbus Metropolitan Library

Congratulations to Columbus Metropolitan Library CEO Pat Losinski for being selected as a University of Wisconsin Distinguished Alumnus. Losinski earned this award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and accomplishment in library service.
UPCOMING ULC WEBINAR APRIL 22
Tools for Middle Grade STEM Success
Durham County Library

Join ULC on April 22 for an overview of the IMLS-funded Middle School STEM project which focused on 11 libraries and their work to deliver equity-based STEM programming for middle-school youth. We will highlight the innovative work of the Durham County Library where STEM Librarian Gracey Gordon will lead us in a hands-on STEM project adaptable to this summer, get ideas on delivering STEM programming during COVID and preview ULC’s new online toolkit for amplifying equity-based STEM in your library.

Featuring:
  • Liz McChesney, Senior Advisor, Urban Libraries Council
  • Gracey Gordon, Senior Library Assistant, Durham County Library
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
It Starts
Addressing Racism with a Public Awareness Campaign
Barrie Public Library
IT STARTS is an annual public awareness campaign supported by the Local Immigration Partnership in Simcoe County. Barrie Public Library has been involved in the campaign since its inception, working to address racism and discrimination in the community by promoting inclusion, acceptance and equity with the help of dedicated community partners.

This year, the library has focused on providing actionable content, such as offering its platform to voices that deserve augmentation and support through the Community Voices program, challenging readers to broaden their horizons by reading outside their genre through the Diversity Reads initiative and encouraging the community to partake in acts of inclusivity promoted through social media. 
Tips from the Innovators

  • Engage with community partners and support their initiatives. These groups are doing amazing work, and by coming together, not only are you uplifting community efforts, but you’re supporting each other by pooling resources.

  • Raise awareness by making space on your platform for unheard voices. Providing opportunities for these stories and experiences is an accessible way to start conversations about discrimination.

  • Respond to acts of racism. Show solidarity with the community, provide a statement on the library’s position and share resources to address and combat these issues. 
ACCESS ARCHIVED WEBINARS ON ULC'S MEMBER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
Connecting Communities with Teleservices: Learning from the Digital Navigators
Salt Lake City Public Library, Multnomah County Library, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
Rethinking Summer Learning to Reverse the "COVID-19 Slide"
San Francisco Public Library, St. Louis Public Library
ULC Toolkit Tour: Closing the Entrepreneurship Gap
Durham County Library, East Baton Rouge Parish Library
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
ULC Communications and Marketing Leaders
Member Group Conference Call
April 21 | Noon-1 p.m. ET
Tools for Middle Grade STEM Success
Webinar
April 22 | 1-2 p.m. ET
ULC Development Professionals
Member Group Conference Call
April 28 | 3-4 p.m. ET
ULC Education Leaders
Member Group Conference call
May 18 | 2-3 p.m. ET
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines
The REALM Project is hosting a webinar this Thursday, April 15, to explore COVID-19 vaccines and how they will impact the reopening and operations of organizations.

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