June 2019 Edition
Announcements
Libraries Lead with Digital Skills is an initiative of the American Library Association and the Public Library Association, sponsored by Grow with Google, that provides libraries with funding, training, and tools to assist job seekers in preparing for finding work, and empower small businesses to grow online.

Applications for funding will be opening in the coming weeks to provide training and tools to libraries across Arizona so you can host digital skills workshops for job seekers and small business owners.

The application period opens on June 10, but feel free to preview the application and start preparing. We strongly encourage all libraries to apply, as it will be a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on how you are supporting your community’s economic growth through digital skills training.

As part of this initiative, Grow with Google will be visiting Arizona to host free workshops (see details below). Please visit Grow with Google’s website to register for free if you are interested in attending, and sign up for the Partner Program to get access to the resources. 
"Grow with Google" is bringing digital skills training and workshops to libraries in three cities the week of June 10. These free workshops are open to library staff and the public, and will include "train the trainer" sessions for staff to take back to their communities. Grow with Google is also offering 1:1 coaching at each tour stop for those with specific questions related to Google products.

The primary focus of these workshops is workforce development and enhancing digital skills for small business owners.

Register here to attend a workshop.

Joel D. Valdez Main Library - Tucson
Monday, June 10, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Burton Barr Central Library - Phoenix
Wednesday, June 12, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library - Flagstaff
Friday, June 14, 10:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Training
New Infopeople Courses
June 25 - July 22.

This four-week online course delves into what it takes to transform a library’s culture to one of “service excellence.” It will explore sources of attitudes and motivation for service, identify key elements that create the customer experience, and articulate the importance of that experience. Participants will learn specific behaviors and techniques that communicate excellence, how consistency contributes to excellence, and how policies and procedures may be used for delivering excellence.


In this very practical course, Infopeople Instructor Brenda Hough will guide learners through a four-step approach to developing staff competencies based on their library goals and mission. Participants will also discover how other libraries have used competencies to guide the individuals who form their staff and explore existing competency sets that can be adapted to a specific library's needs.

Library Development has purchased a selection of registrations for online courses offered by the California State Library's Infopeople. These courses are available to Arizona library staff on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be expected to complete your course and fill out a short evaluation form before enrolling in another.

To learn more about any of these courses, visit the  Infopeople website . Before registering, you will need to email Ann Marie Creegan . Please use your work email to contact her and include your name, email and phone number, and your library's name and address, library type (public, academic, school, etc.), and the name and date of the course you wish to enroll in.
New WebJunction Webinars
Tuesday June 11, 3:00-4:00 PM EST

Community discovery is a process of forging vital and ongoing connection between the library and its community members. The more people are involved in planning and programming, the more they are invested in the success of the library. While many libraries collect community input primarily through surveys, there are other, more interactive and interpersonal tools that can uncover the heart and aspirations of the community. Explore tools and strategies that start meaningful conversations and foster collaborative engagement on everything from strategic and space planning to programming. Learn how you can join your library and your community at the heart.
AzLA Spring/Summer Webinar Series
Monday June 10, 2:00 PM.

This presentation explains the benefits of possessing the skills of proposal writing, including handling rejection, and conference etiquette, including navigation and self-care. . It also provides guidance on how learn these skills as quickly as possible. Register here for this webinar.  
Grants & Opportunities
USDA Grant Opportunities
The USDA has provided several grant opportunities through the Rural Development department that are applicable to rural and tribal libraries. These grants are designed to promote community development and provide technical assistance to areas in need. Some examples are:


Applications for these grant programs are accepted on an annual basis through a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in the Federal Register, and key program resources are located online.
Resources
The American Library Association released the Libraries' Guide to the 2020 Census , a new resource to prepare libraries for the decennial count of every person living in the United States.

The Guide contains practical information to assist library staff in addressing potential patron and community requests regarding the upcoming 2020 Census. The Guide includes:
  • basic information about the Census process;
  • highlights of new components in the 2020 Census, such as the online response option;
  • frequently asked questions;
  • a timeline of key Census dates;
  • contact information and links to additional resources. 

ALA teamed with the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality to develop the Guide, with support from ALA's 2020 Census Library Outreach and Education Task Force. ALA plans to provide additional resources for library practitioners in the months leading up to Census Day on April 1, 2020.

The Libraries' Guide to the 2020 Census is available for free download at ala.org/census.
As your library blasts off with summer reading, don’t forget to share the out-of-this-world offerings available on Reading Arizona. Whether your readers want to travel near or far, we have a book for them! For the space explorers, you can recommend Northern Arizona Space Training , Pluto and Lowell Observatory , Under Desert Skies: How Tucson Mapped the Way to the Moon and Planets , and Observatories of the Southwest .

For those staying closer to home, direct them to our Explore Arizona! collection for travel guides, photo essays, and local histories about many wonderful destinations across Arizona.
Reading Arizona MARC Records Available Again
Want Reading Arizona titles easily visible to your patrons as they explore your collections? Request MARC records for our perpetual access titles and import them into your catalog. E-mail Kori Tueller at [email protected] and specify whether you need MARC-8 or UTF encoded MARC records for your ILS.

An account is required to access Reading Arizona materials, so be sure to review our FAQ so you can know how to support your patrons’ access to these titles. If you or your patrons have any difficulty with account creation, you can submit a request for help here .
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
Contact
Library Services