This Week at ULC
Newsletter | April 27, 2022
RSVP FOR LESSONS FROM THE FIELD
Lessons from the Field Cleveland
Library Partnerships in a Post-Covid World
June 8-10, 2022 | Cleveland Public Library

Join ULC and peer library leaders in the birthplace of Rock and Roll ­— Cleveland, Ohio — for a field trip that will get you ready to rock a post-COVID world. Our in-person Lessons from the Field event June 8-10 is one-part big ideas, one-part constructive collaboration and a big dose of experiential learning that you can apply immediately at your library.

Attendees will hear from Cleveland Public Library Executive Director and CEO Felton Thomas, Jr. on the innovative ways CPL has cultivated community partnerships to serve their community during the pandemic.
“Cleveland Public Library could not serve our community without partnerships,” states Thomas, Jr. “As The People’s University, strategic partnerships are key to reaching people where and when they need us most. We have worked to nurture our partnerships for years, even decades in some cases. The COVID-19 pandemic is a good example of how partnerships enabled us to pivot how we served our community while keeping patrons and staff as safe as possible. Now, we must think about how we continue to foster and build partnerships to increase connection and impact for what comes next.”
Attendees will engage in interactive learning sessions to discover how we reinvigorate the partnerships we have and connect in meaningful ways with new community partners to prepare for the future. Your community needs your library services now more than ever. Investing in partnerships expands the impact of your library’s mission and the outcomes that benefit your community.

Don’t miss out on this unique and inspiring experience. Be sure to reserve your spot today!
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
Team Read
Allen County Public Library

Prior to the pandemic, Allen County Public Library’s Team Read outreach program was comprised of 34 teens serving as reading mentors for 5700 children at 21 locations across the county. During the pandemic, the long-standing summer youth employment program was reimagined with teens working in their neighborhood branches and connecting virtually with children at partner organizations as reading pen pals. One evaluation states: “Team Read made me a more well-rounded individual, allowing me to excel in all sectors of life. I learned how to let compassion lead the way and let passion fill the rest.”
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
Teaching Kids Financial Literacy
Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library

Geared towards children ages 7-11 and their caregivers, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library’s Popular Interactive exhibition uses games, activities and a fun storyline to help children understand what money is, its function in society, money choices and money values. The exhibition is part of the library’s Money Smart initiative, which aims to encourage the public to take advantage of the library’s free and plentiful resources related to financial literacy.
Partnering to Offer Spring Tech Drives
Brampton Library

Brampton Library is teaming up with Let’s Get Together to host two Tech Collect Drives this spring. The Tech Collect Drive allows members of the community to donate their unwanted computers and electronic devices for others in need, thus addressing issues of digital inequity and closing the digital divide! In an interview, youth volunteer Josh Kurian said, “During COVID, a lot of us have invested in new technology or upgraded what we’re using, but still have spare computers and laptops collecting dust in our homes. Through these events, we can clear up that clutter while putting tech into the hands of those who need it most.”
Dia De Los Ninos
Bilingual Literacy Festival Returns In-Person
El Paso Public Library

After two years of being held virtually, the popular Día de los Libros bilingual literacy festival returns in-person on April 30 in El Paso. The largest and most successful literacy celebration of its type in the Southwest is a partnership spearheaded by El Paso Public Library and the Parks and Recreation department, with this year’s free book giveaway marking its 26th anniversary. 
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
April 28
ULC EDI Officers
Member Group Call
April 28 | 2-3 p.m. ET
April 28
ULC Customer Experience Leaders
Member Group Call
April 28 | 3-4 p.m. ET
ULC Development Professionals
Member Group Call
May 11 | 3-4 p.m. ET
ULC Analytics and Tech Leaders
Member Group Call
May 12 | 2-3 p.m. ET
Lessons from the Field: Library Partnerships in a Post-COVID World
In-Person Convening
June 8-10
NEW RESOURCES IN ULC'S MEMBER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
Explore new resources in the ULC Member Knowledge Exchange
Transition Flowchart
Multnomah County Library
Job Description: Collections and Technical Manager
Tacoma Public Library
Impact of Eliminating Overdue Fees Report
Edmonton Public Library
NOW TRENDING ON SOCIAL
Virtual Reality and Mental Health
DC Public Library and Seattle Public Library

DC Public Library and Seattle Public Library launched a website that provides a roadmap for using virtual reality design to support the mental health of adolescents!
Questions?

Contact ULC's Director of Communications Paul Negron at pnegron@urbanlibraries.org.