Happy Monday, and happy first day of Spring! With warmer weather comes lots of outreach opportunities, programs and connections! Today’s bulletin is full of continuing education, grant possibilities, outreach events and upcoming mental health sessions for library employees.
Funding Opportunities
Here’s a round up from ALA with some options if you’re seeking funds to support programming: https://programminglibrarian.org/articles/9-places-you-can-apply-program-funds
The Sparkplug Foundation primarily provides grants to start-up nonprofit organizations or new projects of established nonprofits that are addressing the fields of music, education, and community organizing. Intent Letters Due May 8, 2023. To see if you have an eligible project idea, visit: https://www.sparkplugfoundation.org/information/
Summer Food Service Sponsor Applications Now Open: Deadline May 1, 2023
If you have considered becoming a Summer Food Service site, or wonder if your library would be eligible, now is the time to find out. Visit the sites linked below, and plan to attend the April 5th webinar hosted by the state.
http://www.cn.nysed.gov/summerfoodserviceprogram
https://hungersolutionsny.org/federal-nutrition-programs/summer-food-service-program/
Back By Popular Request: Mental Health Workshops with Jen Frary!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and NCLS is bringing back Licensed Master Social Worker Jen Frary for three virtual workshops exploring mental health topics. These workshops are for everyone! We may not all experience mental illness, but we all have mental health, and we have all experienced stress, blurred boundaries and trauma over the past three years of the COVID pandemic. Take this opportunity to check in with yourself, learn some new skills, and connect with like-minded colleagues. The workshop portion of each session will be recorded; the discussion period will remain private.
Taking Care of You: Boundaries
May 8, 10am-11:30am
In this presentation we will discuss what boundaries are, how to best set them, and become empowered to hold firm to them. Boundaries will be focused on both work and personal settings.
May 22, 10am-11:30am
In this presentation we will examine the many facets of trauma and trauma recovery. We will seek to understand our own trauma histories as well as that of our communities and patrons; knowing about trauma can help us to develop trauma-informed approaches to our work and relationships.
Taking Care of You: Practical Application of Mental Health and Wellness Tools
June 5, 10am-11:30am
In this presentation we will learn about the various tools that can be implemented in your daily life. Each tool offered can be applied to your life immediately, and costs little to no money.
Heads Up – Future Outreach Events
NCLS will provide tables, a tent if needed, handouts and staff coverage; member libraries can sign up to participate for as little as an hour, or for the entire event! This is a great, no-stress way to connect with new potential patrons. If you have a great programming idea for one of these events, or want to suggest one in your region, please email me!
- Zoo New York Earth Day Celebration – Saturday April 22, we will be upcycling books from the recycling program!
- WPBS Ready Set Fun Bookfest – Saturday May 6 from 10am-2pm at Salmon Run Mall, Early Literacy fair featuring the awards for the WPBS Young Writers Contest. WPBS would like as many booths as possible, so consider signing up your library as an individual vendor! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0ZJBbXhyPwAlTcVnwhYNcWQx35fsIY6YHTMEAjcuvUmJA1A/viewform If assembling a booth or attending the entire event is not feasible for your library, feel free to represent at the NCLS table!
- Jefferson County WorkPlace Career Jam – Career exploration event for 8th graders from around the region on May 25th from 8am-2pm at the Watertown Municipal Arena
Upcoming Continuing Education
- Building With, Not For: Community Engagement Rooted in Community Organizing
- Dates: Thursdays March 23 & April 6
- Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm
- Building With, Not For: Community Engagement Rooted in Community Organizing is a two-part workshop on engagement, designed to (re)center our communities in our community work. Over two 2-hour sessions held on Zoom (with breaks!), we’ll discuss the principles and practices of meaningfully inclusive community engagement, and understand the importance of moving from and with consent, care, and accountability in this practice. We’ll also explore specific organizing skills, tools, and techniques we can use to transform how we approach, plan, and follow through on our community work. Participants will apply these learnings to a real-world initiative of your choosing and will leave with a plan of action. Seasoned engagement professionals, folks brand new to public outreach, and everyone in between are all warmly encouraged to participate.
- Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtfuCpqTIiHdYD6gab2APXetRfvK0BYfAo
- Creating Accessible Digital Content
- Date: March 23rd
- Time: 12:30-1:15pm
- Accessibility is especially important as you plan for Summer Reading programs and other events and create promotional materials to share information within your communities and library networks. Libraries will want to make sure that content is inclusive and accessible for ALL members of the community! This session will cover the basics of web accessibility and some simple practices for creating accessible digital content across the library organization, with an emphasis on creating inclusive and accessible materials to support Summer Reading at your library.
- Register: https://nyslibrary.libcal.com/event/10288264
- Going Beyond Captions: Creating Accessible Instructional Videos
- Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2023
- Time: 2:00pm
- The webinar will begin with a brief overview of disability that puts accessibility practices into context, then introduce design practices that support accessibility, including planning, narration, typography, and graphic design.
- Register: https://www.nicheacademy.com/creating-accessible-instructional-videos
- Getting Ready for Summer Meals
- Date: April 5th
- Time: 10am
- It’s time to plan for summer meals! Whether you’re starting a new summer meal program this year or building on existing programs, join us to learn about new resources and best practices for reaching more kids and teens this summer.
- Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_huNxLxbtRv6QLbK_QbazCA
- Creativity and Connection: Engaging Older Adults Through the Arts
- Date: Tuesday, April 18. 2023
- Time: 2:00pm
- Creative aging experts from Lifetime Arts will provide an overview of this research-based arts education model and share successful case stories from library workers in both urban and rural settings who have implemented programs and developed the necessary partnerships to support this important, cross-sector work.
- Register: https://infopeople.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=1077
