This Week at ULC
Newsletter | March 10, 2021
UPCOMING ULC WEBINAR MARCH 17
ULC Toolkit Tour: Closing the Entrepreneurship Gap
Durham County Library, East Baton Rouge Parish Library

Join ULC on March 17 for an in-depth discussion on how your library can strengthen its role as a driver for local economic recovery, resilience and equity. Hear about a new set of strategies and tools created by ULC to address support gaps for high-need entrepreneurs and ultimately strengthen your community. Learn about the different resources in the new Closing the Entrepreneurship Gap: Tools for Libraries guide and hear directly from Durham County Library and East Baton Rouge Parish Library on how they have employed these strategies to support their local economic recovery.

Featuring:
  • Betsey Suchanic, Program Manager, Urban Libraries Council
  • Leander A. Croker, Business Services Manager, Durham County Library
  • Ned Denby, Business Liaison Librarian, East Baton Rouge Parish Library
REALM PROJECT UPDATE
The REALM Project has published the third systematic literature review of COVID-19 research, summarizing current research on how the virus spreads, its survival on materials and surfaces and the effectiveness of various prevention and decontamination measures. Additionally, there are new toolkit materials available with resources on vaccines, reopening considerations, social distancing measures and virtual programming. 
MEMBER NEWS ROUNDUP
Pictured (left to right): Estelle Lawton Lindsey, Rosalind Wyman and Harriett Davenport
Honoring the Women of City Council
Los Angeles Public Library

Since its establishment by the California Legislature in 1850, the Los Angeles City Council has seated only 18 women. Throughout the month, the Los Angeles Public Library will be celebrating these women by publishing feature profiles on their blog. 
Sending Free Books to Families in Need
Calgary Public Library

My First Bookshelf is a new program launched by Calgary Public Library in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library developed to help fill up a child's bookshelf at home and encourage family reading. The library plans to register 2,000 readers for the first year, with children from birth to age five receiving a free, personalized book every month that they get to keep.
Bridging the Gap the Help Residents Get Vaccinated
Toledo Lucas County Public Library

The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department is teaming up with staff from the Toledo Lucas County Public Library to help residents schedule their vaccine appointments. “Toledo Lucas County Public Library stepping up to provide services in this way is another long line of programs and services that the library has provided to our community over the years,” said Mayor Caps Suzukievich.
SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION
Liftoff to Learning
Houston Public Library
Liftoff to Learning was launched as a call to action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide. The initiative featured educational videos reimagined for a 12-week televised series for learners without a home computer and internet access.

As a result, the first of its kind library/television station partnership in the city reached 24 million TV viewers and 89 million viewers across all platforms.
Tips from the Innovators
  • To reach customers in homes that have access to local TV but not computers, start by reaching out to TV stations in the local area who have aired positive stories on the library or that have a community component to their broadcast programming.

  • Another good place to start is with the public broadcast media station in your city, as their mission is to support educational public programming. Also consider your local government entity’s municipal channel.

  • Staff have many talents and the creation of imaginative and engaging programs to support television and/or online broadcasting requires the use of them all and a lot of it! From project management to script writing to editing, there are many opportunities for staff to use their talents in new ways that will allow them to grow their portfolios and their passion for the work they do in general.
Click here to learn more about this groundbreaking work, which earned Houston Public Library a Top Innovator distinction for the 2020 ULC Innovations Initiative.

Click here to review all 260 submissions to the 2020 Innovations Initiative.
DIGITAL NAVIGATORS UPDATE
Salt Lake City Public Library, National Digital Inclusion Alliance
At the start of the Digital Navigators initiative, Salt Lake City Public Library and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance worked collaboratively to develop several tools for Digital Navigators to use as they recorded and addressed the needs of community members in Salt Lake City. Earlier this month, NDIA shared template versions of the intake form, skills assessment and exit/follow-up surveys for the broader digital inclusion community.

This project was made possible in part by thInstitute of Museum and Library Services grant number LG-248566-OLS-20.
RETHINKING CHICAGO'S STEM PROGRAMMING IN THE AGE OF COVID-19
Administrative Children's Librarian John Mangahas Pens ULC Blog Post
Chicago Public Library

Discover how Chicago Public Library created a new STEM learning opportunity for teens that addresses race and social equity issues embedded within science and our society.
NEW ON ULC'S MEMBER KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE
The Indianapolis Public Library
Pima County Public Library
ULC Education Leaders
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
ULC Education Leaders
Member Group Conference Call
March 16 | 2-3 p.m. ET
ULC Toolkit Tour: Closing the Entrepreneurship Gap
Webinar
March 17 | 1-2 p.m. ET
ULC Communications and Marketing Leaders
Member Group Conference Call
March 24 | Noon-1 p.m. ET
Tools for Middle Grade STEM Success
Webinar
April 22 | 1-2 p.m. ET
DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO ENJOY 15% OFF AND FREE SHIPPING FROM ADDLIBRA
AddLibra Bookstore Founder and CEO Michael Sherrod loves ULC, our members and our work — and not just because he is a former ULC Executive Board member! Michael's love for libraries and ULC is what led him to create AddLibra as a "prosocial alternative" for online book shopping. And, it's why AddLibra has pledged to donate 10% of its revenue to directly support ULC strategic initiatives.

This is the final week for AddLibra's special promotion for ULC members and your friends and family. Use the promo code ULCLOVE to enjoy a 15% discount (plus free shipping!) for all AddLibra book purchases through March 14.

"[AddLibra has] taken a page from libraries – our mission is to build a future where everyone has an equitable chance to learn, play, work and pursue their dreams,” said Michael Sherrod. “We’re thrilled to ... give back to libraries across North America by supporting the Urban Libraries Council’s critical research and programs.”
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
Baltimore County Public Library

Baltimore County Public Library is now fine free for youth! The library will no longer charge extended loan fees for cardholders under 18 years old. 

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