Even though the Library has been closed, we’ve been active online and through delivering curbside service!
Plus – in addition to library services, the following 5 staff members have been delivering Meals on Wheels for the Community Center.
Molly Espenel
Robin Ferrin
Greg Fox
Lara Wilent
Chris Wilhelmi
A huge Thank you to you for stepping up to help with this essential service!
Curbside Library Take-Out is fantastic! We love making people happy, and this service certainly does that! We started on April 13th. Here are the numbers: 327 appointments in 18 days. This averages to 18 appointments/day – which is exactly half of our current capacity. People have loved picking up their library items and did you know we added seeds to curbside take-out?
We had a few extremely happy patrons contact us to let us know how they feel about curbside service. Below is a letter we received from one, a photo posted online and a photo a mom took of a very happy kid with their book.
National Library Week happens in April! Here are two of our posts celebrating it.
As part of National Library week each year, the library holds a food for fines campaign to help our local Food Banks. We did a virtual version of it this year, asking people to take a picture of their donation at the Sandy Community Action Center, and email us the details. 5 people took advantage of this offer to reduce their fines and help the community.
In addition to pledging more $$ towards ebooks and eaudiobooks for Country-wide resources, Sandy and Hoodland Libraries added a few resources:
Creativebug – the inspirational online resource for DIY, crafters and makers.
PressReader – the world’s largest all-you-can-read magazine and newspaper platform (temporary resource) – screencast by Maureen Houck
The Friends of Sandy Library – The Friends of Sandy Library fundraiser was a great success! This past week, they presented the library with a check in the amount of $36,867.08. The library has already started purchasing Chromeboxes and PCs, and a new photocopier/printer has already arrived! Look for new computers after the library reopens!
The Library staff and the City of Sandy are so grateful for the Friends of Sandy Library and the great outpouring of community support they received! With this fundraiser, Friends of Sandy Library are not only helping the library, they are helping the entire community. Their fundraising success regularly helps to fund library programs. With this additional amount, the Friends have significantly increased the community’s access to information with better computers and a brand new photocopier/printer. As the Library Director, this additional support will help me balance my budget for years to come.
Photo credit to Brittany Allen and the Sandy Post. Read the full article here!
Hoodland staff made deliveries to 29 people’s homes. These were items that were languishing on the holds shelves. In May they followed Sandy into Curbside pickup of holds. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for 1 hour each day.
Kids Programs
Special
Beware Of Mosquitula – 11 people joined author/educator Rick Reynolds for his virtual program with STEAM activities and readings of Beware of Mosquitula! and Mosquitula and the Great Gambusi.
Every day on the Sandy Public Library Friends Facebook Page, Thea Ellen has been posting an Early Literacy Activity to do with kids, a storytime with a famous person, something about a current topic such as National Poetry Month or the US Census, and a Library resource or other current available resource.
Virtual Storytimes and Crafts
All of the following videos were posted in our Facebook Group: Sandy and Hoodland Libraries – Storytime Parents Group. Use numbers were recorded after 1 week.
Virtual storytimes
Bark George (4/2) – with Monica Smith 5 reactions, 4 comments, 72 views
Cats are Cats (4/9) – Julie Steeves and her puppy lulu, 8 reactions, 1 comments, 60 views
There are Cats in this Book (4/16) – Monica Smith, 5 reactions, 4 comments, 72 views
Where’s my Teddy (4/23) – Monica Smith, 2 reactions, 46 views
I love my white shoes (4/30) – Sue Hash, 3 reactions, 41 Views
Virtual Crafts
Shark Craft (4/10) – Julie Steeves, 8 comments – 5 from Shares, 15 shares, 69 reactions – 50 from Shares, 2k views
Moon Dough (4/15) – Julie Steeves, 8 reactions, 57 views
Edible paint (4/17) – Maureen Houck, 6 reactions, 1 comment, 53 views
Sponge Grab (4/24) – Maureen Houck, 7 reactions, 53 views
A Day at the Beach (4/26) – Maureen Houck, 4 reactions, 45 views
Teen Programs
Special
Chalk Challenge – Rebecca Robiniwitz, 104 engagements, 8 reactions, 5 people posted photos of chalk creations
Ongoing
Virtual T-LAB Meeting – 2 teens came to discuss services that the library can be proving for teens during the pandemic.
Teen Coding Challenge – every week, we have posted a coding challenge on Facebook.
#1 18 engagements, 1 reaction, 1 share
#2 1 engagement
#3 6 engagements, 3 reactions
#4 17 engagements, 2 reactions
11 engagements, 1 reaction
Adult Programs
Special
Sit and Knit a Bit – a weekly virtual knitting group via Zoom has had 1 person drop in.
Community Poetry Reading – This Zoom event had 3 attendees A great discussion of poetry and creativity during the pandemic occurred.
Spine Poetry on Facebook – 23 engagements, 7 reactions, 2 comments
10 engagements, 7 reactions
Book Recommendation – The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up Susie Jenkins, 14 engagements, 7 reactions
Ongoing
Paint Nite – 20 adults and 1 kid joined in a virtual paint along – step-by-step painting with Melissa Lawrence.
Book Clubs:
Women’s – Library staff member Katie Murphy led a virtual meeting with 5 book club members using Zoom and conference call. There were some technical difficulties to work out. Instead of talking about 1 book, the group discussed what each of them was currently reading.
Virtual – Thea Ellen started a virtual Library Book Group on Facebook. It currently has 55 members.
Photography Group Zoom meeting– 4 people discussed motivation and creativity during COVID-19
Did you know the Photography Group has their own group on Facebook? Photographers of the Sandy and Hoodland Library. They have been doing Quarantine Photography Challenges.
#1 Furry Friends (4/13) – 10 posts
#2 Perspective (4/20) – 9 posts
#3 Everyday objects (4/27) – 1 post
Outreach
Ongoing
Vista Apartments – Katie Murphy and Julie Steeves delivered Creativity Bags to 70 kids and teens at Vista Apartments. Katie Murphy is our Spanish Language Library Assistant, and along with Monica Smith, is in charge of our weekly STEM and Literacy program at Vista. She wanted to offer some type of enrichment to our Vista kids during this shut down. Most have limited access to online resources (if any), so they are especially in need of some activities to do right now. She put together bags of craft supplies, with instruction sheets and books for the kids.
One person texted to say “Everyone says Muchas Gracias to Katie”. A few of our ESOL students who live there texted saying “Thank you, the kids are so happy”.
A couple of kids must have seen Katie and Julie through the window and came running up asking if they could have a bag. One boy told them that he was so happy to have the bag – literally the bag that the stuff was packed in – so he had something to carry food in. One mom came running out to see if I had any extras because her niece was staying with her.
Training – Library staff have been taking a lot of webinars/trainings during this time. Here are just a few examples of them:
Digital Forensics, and Countering Misinformation in a Crisis
Summer Reading Badges: A Twist on Summer Reading
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19
Managing frontline staff who work with homeless individuals
Burnout, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue
Advanced body language skills
Domestic violence and sexual assault (in libraries) featuring Miranda Dube
Homelessness 201: Advanced understanding of individuals experiencing homelessness
Body odor: the most dreaded conversation
Project READY (Reimagining Equity and Access for Diverse Youth) was created to address the gap in professional development opportunities for youth services library staff. The curriculum aims to: introduce youth services library staff to research in areas such as race and racism, critical theory, and culturally responsive or sustaining pedagogy.