QPL Insider Weekly Staff Newsletter

Vol. 28, No. 31 September 16, 2024

QPL in Brief

On Thursday, September 12, the Board of Trustees approved the terms of a lease agreement for a new Court Square branch at the 5PointzLIC residential complex at 22-44 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City. The provisions negotiated with the development’s owner, G-M Realty L.P., include a fifteen-year lease, plus a five-year renewal option, for a 4,500-square-foot space on the building’s second floor. The lease is expected to be finalized and executed in the fall, and the estimated two-year construction project for the library could start as early as next summer. This new location will replace the branch we had operated for more than 30 years on the ground floor of the former Citi tower at One Court Square. We vacated that space in 2020 after ownership of the building changed and our lease expired.

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Laurelton Library will be reopening on Tuesday, October 8, following projects to replace the roof and HVAC, and Hillcrest will be back in operation on Tuesday, September 24.

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The Municipal Art Society named Far Rockaway Library the City’s “Best New Building” in its 2024 MASterworks Awards.

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Hispanic Heritage Month, a 30-day commemoration that celebrates the achievements of Hispanic Americans and their contributions to our nation and our culture, began yesterday and will run through October 15. QPL will mark it with nearly 100 in-person and virtual programs and events, including Tapiz Cultural Art Exhibit at Central. Customers can also discover our special Hispanic Heritage booklists for all ages and download our Hispanic Heritage brochure.

Snapshots from the Branches and Beyond

Despite a rainy start, more than 600 children and their families participated in the Children’s Library Discovery Center’s annual Discovery Day on Saturday, Sept. 7. Young explorers experienced the wonders of science through engaging activities and hands-on experiences, making the day fun and educational.

Poppenhusen General Librarian Camila Costadoni created the above display for Hispanic Heritage Month.

The Unique Services team put together a Hispanic Heritage Month display near the Cyber Center at Central. The current display showcases flags from Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America. Its contents will change throughout the month to highlight a variety of folk art and crafts contributed by Central staff that reflect the rich cultural diversity of these regions.

Seaside Customer Service Specialist Shelley Burnett, currently serving at Peninsula, designed the above Hispanic Heritage Month display at the branch.

On Saturday, Sept. 5, Pomonok distributed about 100 backpacks and pencil pouches with school supplies, prepared by CLM Shaimaa Hussein, Page Alexander Kiladitis, and Volunteers Allessandra Ng and Hannah Crooks. A big thank you to Purchasing Agent Katrina King for her help with obtaining some of the items.

During Back-to-School week at the Queensbridge Tech Lab, kids received some free QPL school supplies, worked on coloring pages, and participated in a coding class.

Arverne closed its summer program season with a "shape safari" craft activity for toddlers led by Children's Librarian Rebekah Soumakis (top photo). ACLM Sarah Hennig (bottom photo, left) worked with a group of adults from AHRC Adult Daycare, which serves people with developmental disabilities, to create tissue paper jars.

Nominations Are Now Open for This Year's LJ Movers & Shakers!

The editors of Library Journal need your help in identifying emerging talents in the library world—both great leaders and behind-the-scenes contributors who are providing inspiration and model programs for others.

Movers & Shakers spotlights up-and-coming individuals who are innovative, creative, making a difference fighting against censorship, and helping improve their workplace. From librarians and non-degreed library workers to publishers, vendors, coders, entrepreneurs, reviewers, and others who impact the library field—Movers & Shakers 2025 will celebrate people who are moving all types of libraries ahead.

Past QPL awardees include: Josselyn Atahualpa, Library Literacy Center Manager at Rochdale Adult Learning Center; Ashley Allen, Teen Center Site Coordinator at Central; Jill Anderson, Assistant Director of Prison, Jail, and Reentry Services; Kim McNeil-Capers, Director of Community Engagement; and Wai (Lacey) Chan, Immigrant Services Coordinator.

Deadline to submit: October 18, 2024.

You can submit your nomination here.

Share your QPL Story with the Queens Memory Project

The Queens Memory Project is partnering with graduate students at St. John's University to record oral history interviews with QPL employees and retirees for the Queens Public Library History collection. Please get in touch with Meral Agish at meral.agish@queenslibrary.org if you'd like to be interviewed.

Learning Opportunities & Resources

The ALA Sustainable Round Table Resources Committee has completed its 2024 Top 10 sustainability-themed children's book list. It features notable books on nature, conservation and communities that are great for Earth Day book displays, programs, read alouds and can also be used by parents and teachers. You can find it here.

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If you are interested in learning about or joining the LGBTQ+ Allies Committee, please email LGBTQ@queenslibrary.org to be added to the committee's listserv.

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Check out the Long Island Library Resources Council’s upcoming webinars here.

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"Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test and Career Prep" Live Training on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 10 AM - Discover how NOVELny’s new resource Gale Presents: Peterson’s Test and Career Prep can support everyone from high school students to working adults. This comprehensive resource offers test prep, college planning, career assessment, job search, and resume-building tools to help your learners achieve their education and career goals. Please note that QPL now has access to this database through NOVELny from the Research Databases page on the QPL's website under: NOVEL General Menu. To register for the training, go here.

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"Demystifying AI" Free ALA Webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 2 PM - This webinar will unravel the complexities of AI and explore how media literacy plays a vital role in fostering a well-informed public. Participants will explore what AI is, how it appears in our daily life, and how it shapes our society and learn to identify strategies for educating adult patrons about the use of implications of AI. To register, go here.

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"LinkedIn for Librarians" Webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 2 PM - This free webinar, offered by Niche Academy, will cover the basics of using LinkedIn as well as library-specific tips for using and managing this tool. For more information and to register, go here.

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"Libraries Powering the United Nations Global Digital Compact" ALA UN Event on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 11 AM to 12:30 PM - As the United Nations works towards a Global Digital Compact, an inclusive global framework to overcome digital, data, and innovation divides, libraries have an opportunity to join a global effort that will benefit local communities. This session brings together experts and leaders from NYC government, academic, public, and libraries, including our own Bill Goldband, QPL's Vice President of Information Technology and Development, in a dialogue about how libraries are aligned with the goals of the Global Digital Compact, which seeks to close all digital divides, expand inclusion in and benefits from the digital economy for all, and foster an inclusive, open, safe, and secure digital space that respects, protects, and promotes human rights. This event will take place in person at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library at 455 5th Avenue on the 7th Floor, and online. For more information and to register, go here.

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"Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries" on Tuesday, Oct. 1, from 3 to 6 PM - What will libraries look like by 2035? That is the question that was tackled in the recently published book “Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries" about the lessons learned over the past decade and the opportunities, strengths, and challenges that lie ahead for libraries in the next decade. During this free Library 2.024 virtual mini-conference, speakers will broaden the conversation to include additional perspectives and global visions about what the future of libraries will look like. For more information and to register, go here.

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"Perfect Is the Enemy of Good: Thinking Critically about Information in an Imperfect World" Webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 2 PM - This free webinar, offered by Niche Academy, will focus on how librarians and other educators can help learners think about information not as some perfect/imperfect, true/false dichotomy, but rather as points on a continuum of credibility. For more information and to register, go here.

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Colorado State Library's Mental Health & Wellness Panel Series, Oct. 16 - Dec. 18 - The Colorado State Library is offering a series of virtual discussion webinar panels on library employee mental health and wellness. The events will be recorded and posted on the website. The upcoming webinars include: Balancing Act: Navigating Mental Health as Parental Caregivers in the Library Profession on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 3 PM; Leading from Within: Cultivating Managerial Self-Care for Resilient Organizations on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 3 PM and Bridging the Divide: A Panel Discussion on Library Workers Loneliness on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 3 PM.

Health, Wellness, and Safety Updates

UPCOMING H&S PROGRAMS AND EVENTS:

HEALTH & WELLNESS AFTER-HOURS - EVERY OTHER TUESDAY NIGHT STARTING SEPTEMBER 17 THROUGH OCTOBER 29

QPL Health and Safety will host a virtual group that is committed to providing a fun and relaxing environment for staff to take time for themselves. During these sessions, we will provide unique writing prompts to spark your creativity. Free write is also welcome! Each session will break off for about 45 minutes, while the last 15 minutes are reserved for connecting with each other by sharing our work or debriefing about the activity. All QPL employees are welcome and showing up ready to engage is all we ask.

Dates: 9/17, 10/1, 10/15, 10/29

Time: 7 PM

To join, go here (Meeting ID: 231 841 467 49; Passcode: xziNpL).

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QPL IS TICKLED TO GO PINK FOR ALL OF NEXT MONTH!

Week 1: October 1-4, 2024

Create your breast health book displays. Ready, set, GO PINK!

Week 2: October 8, 2024

8 AM in the Central Library Teen Program Room – Wear Pink for QPL Employee Yoga (Details provided below).
11 AM via Microsoft Teams - Go Pink Webinar with Linda Bulone, RN, OCN, CCRC, Research Nurse Manager at Queens Hospital Cancer Center - Join us for our annual Go Pink breast cancer overview. Come learn about cancer prevention, supportive resources, and some of the most important ways that you can maintain control over your health. There will be time for Q&A and all staff are warmly welcome.

Weeks 3: October 14-18, 2024

Send pictures of your location’s awareness-raising book display, your pink selfie, or your Library team wearing your pink proudly to Nina and Tamara!

Week 4: October 21-25, 2024

Remember to make your annual mammogram appointment if you are eligible and have not done so! Full-time employees are eligible for up to four hours of excused time for your mammogram or any other cancer screening. Just email a copy of your medical note documenting your screening to Nina and Tamara.

Weeks 5: October 28-31, 2024

If you send in (or are in a picture that a colleague sends), you will receive a prize via interoffice mail for participating. Pictures will be featured in a 2024 Go Pink Google Album to be shared in the QPL Insider.

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IN-PERSON GENTLE YOGA FOR QPL EMPLOYEES

All QPL employees are invited for stretching, gentle movement, and breathwork to help prepare you for the day.

8:00-8:30 AM on Tuesdays at Central Library Teen Program Room:

· September 24

· October 8 & 22

· November 12 & 19

· December 3 & 17

Classes will be led by QPL’s very own Certified Yoga Instructor, Leslie Taylor. If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Taylor, Tamara Michel, or Nina Luca Bolowsky. You will be asked to sign a personal release form before you’re able to participate. All staff are advised to consult with their medical providers prior to beginning any new physical activity.

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SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT NOW!

FLU SHOT CLINIC AT CENTRAL LINRARY ON OCTOBER 17

Flu season is almost here! Getting your flu shot is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community from the flu and its complications. WorkWell NYC is offering free flu shots to full-time QPL employees at Central Library on Thursday, Oct. 17 in the First Floor Conference Room. Make an appointment for your worksite flu shot here. To schedule your appointment over the phone, call 866-481-4391 between 8 AM and 6 PM. Print your consent form here before your appointment and bring it with you. Visit on.nyc.gov/wwnycflu or contact Nina Luca Bolowsky if you have any questions.

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UPCOMING HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR AT CENTRAL LIBRARY - TUESDAY, OCT. 15, 10 AM TO 3 PM

As part of the event, local organizations will be providing a wide range of health and wellness resources and educational materials. These will focus on healthcare support, mental health services, and related subjects. Additionally, they will offer access to mobile health vans, conduct various screenings, and provide informational tables. The event is open to the public, but QPL staff are welcome to join.

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SEPTEMBER 18: NATIONAL HIV/AIDS AND AGING AWARNESS DAY (NHAAD)

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAD) is observed each year on September 18 to focus on the increasing number of people who are living long, full lives with HIV. The awareness day also calls attention to the unique health and social needs, as well as the challenges of HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care among people who are aging. More than half of people living with diagnosed HIV in the United States are aged 50 and older. Some were diagnosed later in life, while others have lived with HIV for many years. Support services are available through health care providers, local community centers, or HIV service organizations. NHAAD helps raise awareness about HIV, address stigma and other barriers to care, and encourage older adults to get tested and know their status.

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NATIONAL PREPARDNESS MONTH

September marks National Preparedness Month, the annual campaign to remind everyone that preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep them, their families and their communities safe. While the resources and information shared during National Preparedness Month and on Ready.gov can be used by anyone at any time to get prepared for whatever may come their way, this year, the campaign is focused on preparing Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. The Ready Campaign aims to ensure all of our friends and neighbors have the tools they need to prepare for disasters and build resilience before disaster strikes.

2024 Theme: “Start a Conversation”

Talking about bad things that could happen like a disaster or emergency isn’t always easy. We may think we’re protecting the people we love by avoiding these conversations, but they are important to start taking steps to get ready and stay safe. Starting a conversation today can help you and your family to take more actions to prepare. By taking simple steps, you can build your preparedness at your own pace:

Set aside a time when everyone is calm and relaxed.
It may help to hold the discussions over a set time period, so decisions aren’t rushed, and people feel more comfortable talking about the topic.
Talk about steps you’ve taken to prepare and encourage others to ask questions about preparedness actions that might work for them.

In recognition of National Preparedness Month, you might consider viewing Health and Safety Trainings on:

· Tornadoes

· Hurricanes & Floods

· Earthquakes

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RESPIRATORY VIRUS REMINDERS

Please take the following steps to help us reduce the spread of contagious respiratory infections:

If you feel achy or have respiratory symptoms of any kind (cough, sneeze, congestion, etc.), please take a COVID-19 home test.
Contact Health & Safety immediately if you test positive.
Stay home if you are experiencing these symptoms, even if you test negative for COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccination Updates

FDA has approved and authorized 2024–2025 Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. CDC recommendations for use of these vaccines in people who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised ages 6 months and older can be found below (More information, including recommendations for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised can be found here):

Initial vaccination

Ages 6 months–4 years
2 doses of 2024–2025 Moderna or 3 doses of 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech
Ages 5 years and older
1 dose of 2024–2025 Moderna or 1 dose of 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech

Received previous doses of a COVID-19 vaccine

Ages 6 months–4 years
1 or 2 doses of 2024–2025 mRNA vaccine from the same manufacturer as administered for initial vaccination, depending on the vaccine and the number of prior doses
Ages 5 years and older
1 dose of 2024–2025 Moderna or 1 dose of 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech

Additional dose: An additional dose of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 65 years and older who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised is NOT currently recommended.

Please feel encouraged to discuss these general guidelines with your own provider, if you have questions about what is recommended.

Full- and part-time QPL employees are eligible for up to 4 hours of excused time on the day of their shot. Just upload proof of your updated vaccine or email a picture of it to healthandsafety@queenslibrary.org and we will upload it for you.