I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET OUR RECORDING STARTED AND INTRODUCE OUR PRESENTER FOR TODAY.
I'M SO PLEASED TO WELCOME SARAH JOHNSON WHO COMES TO US AS THE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, SOCIAL SCIENCES
LIBRARIAN AT HUNTER COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AND CREATOR OF A SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AND
PUBLIC LIBRARIES WEBSITE.
WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE ALL OF YOU HERE.
SOME OF YOU MAYBE COME FROM THE SOCIAL WORK FIELD, IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE, AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, SARAH.
WELCOME.
>> HI, EVERYBODY.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY.
>> YOU SOUND GREAT.
>> I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TRY KEEP THE CHAT OPEN.
I WAS RACING IT BEFOREHAND, I WANT TO SEE IF IT IS DISTRACTING OR NOT, BUT IT IS AWESOME TO SEE
EVERYBODY HERE.
SO MY NAME IS SARAH JOHNSON AND I'M THRILLED TO LEARN ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
PARTICIPATING IN THIS I STARTED THIS WHEN I WAS PREPARING FOR THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IN
2019 AND MY CURIOSITY WAS SPARKED IT STARTED AS FEW SIMPLE E-MAIL INQUIRIES AND PHONE CALLS AND
BASIC LITERATURE SEARCHING HAS TAKEN ME TO THIS POINT TODAY OVER THREE YEARS LATER AND OVER 1200
PEOPLE SIGNED UP ON THIS WEBINAR, WHICH IS GREAT SO MY AIM FOR TODAY IS TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I'VE
LEARNED ABOUT THE PREVALENCE, THE NATURE AND THE FIT OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
OF WHAT I HAVE LEARNED HAS BEEN CALLED FROM AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE EXISTING SCHOLARLY
LITERATURE, BUT THE BULK OF IT IS REALLY COMING MAINLY FROM PUBLIC DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FREELY
AVAILABLE ONLINE, SUCH AS LIBRARY MEM-MONTH-OLDS, MINUTES, NEWSLETTERS, ANNUAL REPORTS, LOCAL NEWS
STORIES, WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
I'M GOING TO TRY ADVANCE HERE.
OKAY, GREAT SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER, WHERE ARE THESE PARTNERSHIPS HAPPENING?
WHY ARE THESE PARTNERSHIPS HAPPENING AND WHAT IS THE NEED FOR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS IN PUBLIC
LIBRARIES.
THE WHAT, WHAT ARE STUDENTS ACTUALLY DOING.
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THEIR WORK AND WHAT THAT TENDS TO LOOK LIKE OR COULD LOOK LIKE.
I LAY OUT SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS FOR THEIR SOCIAL WORK
EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCIES, SUCH AS CONGRESS DUCTING NEEDS ASSESSMENTS OF LIBRARY PATRONS AND STAFF,
PROVIDING TRAININGS TO LIBRARY STAFF AND DEVELOPING OUT REACH TO PATRONS.
I WILL GO OVER SOME CONVERSATIONS FOR THOSE OF YOU YOU WHO ARE CONTEMPLATING HOSTING A STUDENT AT
YOUR BRANCH AND POTENTIAL CHALLENGES IN ESTABLISHING AND IMPLEMENTING FIELD WORK, IF I CANNILY
AROUND SUPERVISION.
AND HOW TO GO ABOUT COMMENCING PARTNERSHIPS AT YOUR BRANCH.
AND LIKE ANY GOOD LIBRARIAN, I HAVE GOOD RESOURCES AT THE END.
WHAT IS NOT ON THERE IS ON MY WEBSITE OR IN THE LEARNERS GUIDE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO THIS MAP MAY LOOK FAMILIAR TO SOME OF YOU, IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE WHOLE PERSON LIBRARIANSHIP
WEBSITE WISH I WILL REFER TO A NUMBER OF TEAMS.
WHAT I HAVE HERE IS A SCREEN SHOT OF ALL OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH THERE
IS 89 MUCH THEM LAST COUNT.
ALASKA GOT CUT OFF THERE, AND IN HAWAII AND YOU CAN SEE THE LOWER 48.
HEADS UP THE WHOLE PERSON LIBRARIAN WEBSITE, GAVE ME PRIVILEGES FOR THIS WEBSITE A COUPLE YEARS AGO
SO I CAN ADD OR DELETE OR KEEP TRACK OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA.
I WILL FOCUS ON ONES THAT HOST SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS.
IT IS REALLY THE ONLY CENTRALIZED SOURCE OF THIS INFORMATION, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, ASK YOU TO
FORGIVE ME IF I HAVE LEFT PEOPLE OUT HERE OR IF YOU HAD A PARTNERSHIP AT ONE POINT AND DON'T ANY
MORE, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S NO REALLY OTHER AUTHORITATIVE SITE THAT IS TRACKING THIS, I'M KIND OF AT
THE MERCY OF MY GOOGLE NEWS ALERTS, SELF REPORTING FROM PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS, E-MAIL
CORRESPONDENCE AND SO FORTH SO, AS BEST I KNOW, IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, WE HAVE ABOUT 89 DIFFERENT
BRANCHES THAT HOST SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS.
AND, AGAIN, AS I BRIEFLY MENTIONED, THERE ARE STUDENT PLACEMENTS THAT DO EXIST IN CANADA AND EVEN
IN AUSTRALIA, PERHAPS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT AND I CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO LET ME KNOW ABOUT ANY PARTNERSHIPS THAT
I HAVEN'T COVERED HERE.
BUT TODAY'S TOPIC WILL MOSTLY BE ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS BASED IN THE U.S. THERE ARE ME TOLY 60,000
STUDENTS IN FIELD, BASED ON THE LATEST STATS FROM 2017.
AND, IN THE U.S., THERE ARE A COMBINED 863 ACCREDITED MSW AND BSW PROGRAMS IN THE U.S. AND THERE
ARE 9,000 PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THIS COUNTRY SO THERE BE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY
COLLABORATION.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE.
SO THIS IMAGE IS OF THE FIRST KNOWN PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS DEVELOPED IT STARTED IN 2007 AND THEN
FORMALLY TOOK OFF IN 2009 AS THE SOCIAL WORKER IN THE LIBRARY PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIATED BY DEBRA
ESTREICHER, PICTURED HERE IN THE PINK SWEATER, FROM SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SHELF SAW A NEED IN
HER BRANCH AND REACHED OUT TO DR. PETER LEE IN THE MAROON SHIRT TO HER LEFT AT SAN JOSE STATE
UNIVERSITY.
THEY INITIATED A CONVERSATION AND A FEW YEARS LATER, THE SOCIAL WORKER IN THE LIBRARY MODEL CAME TO
FRUITION.
SO, FOR A LOT OF LIBRARIES, PRIOR TO OR INSTEAD OF HIRING A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER, THEY OFTEN
WILL BEGIN WITH A STUDENT.
SO THIS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO THIS DAY, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE ENOCH PRATT PUBLIC LIBRARY, THEY
WERE REAL TRAILBLAZERS IN DEVELOPING THIS PROGRAM.
THIS SHOWS YOU BRANCHES WHERE THEY HAVE STUDENT INTERN BEING.
NOW, THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER SOCIAL WORK STUDENT, PUBLIC LIBRARY PARTNERSHIPS THAT DON'T FALL
UNDER THAT TITLE, SOCIAL WORKER IN THE LIBRARY, BUT THIS IS KIND OF A TEMPLATE THAT WAS UTILIZED TO
NOT ONLY START THESE PARTNERSHIPS BACK IN CALIFORNIA BUT THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES HAVE TAKEN ON.
AS YOU MIGHTS HAVE NOTICED BACK ON THE MAP, THERE ARE CLUSTERS, YOU KNOW IN THESE LARGE -- SORRY,
LARGE URBAN AREAS LIKE NEW YORK CITY WHERE I AM, AND CHICAGO, BUT THERE IS ALSO FANTASTIC WORK THAT
IS BEING DONE IN MID-SIZED CITIES LIKE DENVER AND KANSAS CITY, AS WELL AS SMALL RURAL LIBRARIES.
ONE IN PARTICULAR IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE, THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES PROGRAM,
WHICH IS A GRANT-FUNDED PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NILES DIRECT LIBRARY IN MICHIGAN AND SIX OTHER
LIBRARIES WHICH THEY HOST SOCIAL WORK STUDENT INTERNS FROM VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES IN THE AREA.
I BELIEVE MOST OF THEM COME FROM WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY WHICH THEY PROVIDE FACE-TO-FACE
ASSISTANCE AND REFERRALS TO PATRONS.
THERE IS ALSO RURAL PARTNERSHIPS TAKING PLACE IN UNION COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND NORTH LIBERTY
LIBRARY IN IOWA AND IN TEXAS.
AND, I HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE STATE, THE ENTIRE STATE OF ILLINOIS, BECAUSE THEY JUST
CONTINUE TO IMPRESS ME.
THERE'S VARIOUS BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THAT STATE THAT HAVE REALLY FANTASTIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEIR
LOCAL UNIVERSITIES.
FEATURED HERE IS A PICTURE OF A SECOND-YEAR GRADUATE STUDENT FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN
EDWARDSVILLE, FROM THEIR SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, WE SHE SPENTS ABOUT 15 HOURS A WEEK AT THE
EDWARDSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
FOR THEM THAT BRANCH, THIS WAS THEIR FIRST TEAM HOSTING A SOCIAL WORK STUDENT IN THAT STATE'S
REGION.
CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS, ALSO STARTED WIN TERNS FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY -- WITH INTERNS FROM
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN 2015.
I LIKE TO NOTE THEIR HEAD LIBRARIAN IN THAT BRANCH IN CARBONDALE WAS NAMED ILLINOIS LIBRARIAN OF
THE YEAR A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
THERE ARE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS HAPPENING IN JACKSONVILLE, ILLINOIS, TOO.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT ILLINOIS, BUT I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO, GROWING INTEREST.
SO, EVER SINCE SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY HIRED THE NATION'S FIRST PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER IN
2009, INTEREST IN THESE KIND OF COLLABORATIONS HAVE GROWN.
YET, MOST OF WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OR HEAR ABOUT FROM THE MEDIA IS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS
IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES, SO LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS REFLECT THIN CREASING RELEVANCE, AS DOES THE FORMATION
OF PROFESSIONAL GROUPS AS THE SOCIAL WORKER TASK FORCE, FORMED ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO THROUGH THE
PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
THERE ARE COMBINATIONS HAPPENING WITH SOCIAL WORD PODCASTS AND ATTENDANCE AT THEMATIC SYMPOSIUMS
AND WEBINARS SUCH AS TODAY IS REALLY GROWING.
INTEREST IS GROWING ABOUT SOCIAL WORK INTERNS THIS NEWS STORY WAS PUBLISHED AT THE BEGINNING OF
FEBRUARY ABOUT STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN LONG ISLAND AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN
VARIOUS BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THAT REGION OF NEW YORK STATE.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS IS THE LARGEST REACH OF A PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE 18 DIFFERENT IP TERNED IN VARIOUS BRANCHES THROUGHOUT THAT AREA.
I MENTIONED CARBONDALE, I WILL KNOW, BEFORE.
THAT WAS BACK IN 2015, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR PARTNERSHIP, AS WELL.
AN EXAMPLE OF A SMALL, RURAL BRANCH.
WHAT I'M SHOWING HEARING, AS WELL IS WAYS TO FINDING OUT ABOUT THESE PARTNERSHIPS.
I HAVE GOOGLE NEWS ALERTS, TWITTER ALERTS, AND THIS IS ALSO HOW THEY ADVERTISE THEIR SERVICES.
TWO MORE EXAMPLES FROM TWO DIFFERENT STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY INTERNS AT THESE LONG ISLAND BRANCHES.
THEN, RECENTLY, JUST LAST FEBRUARY, THERE WAS AN ENTIRE SESSION AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
PRESENTED BY LIBRARY DIRECTORS AT THE JACKSONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY ON THEIR WORK WITH SOCIAL WORK
INTERNS AND THEIR BRANCH.
SO THAT WAS NOT HAPPENING A COUPLE YEARS AGOAL.
AGAIN THERE WERE CONVERSATION ABOUT PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS BUT MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING SWITCHED
AND TO THE WORK OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A TWITTER POST FROM NOAH LENSTRA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, GREENSBORO, HE
HIGHLIGHTED HERE THE NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS THAT HAPPENED JUST LAST OCTOBER THERE ARE FOUR OF THEM
HERE THAT HAVE TO DO WITH SOCIAL WORK, PUBLIC LIBRARIAN PARTNERSHIPS AT THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL WORK
EDUCATION.
PRIOR TO 2017, I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WERE ANY PANELS OR WORKSHOPS TANG HAS STEADILY GROWN
TO THE POINT THAT LAST FALL THERE WERE FOUR SESSIONS.
A LOT OF WHAT I ALSO LEARNED STEMS FROM THESE TWO PROFESSIONAL GROUPS.
YOU MIGHT BE AWARE OF THIS.
THERE IS THE PUBLIC LIBRARIAN ASSOCIATION SOCIAL WORK INTEREST GROUP IT HAS ABOUT 200 MEMBERS.
I MENTIONED EARLIER WHERE I GOT THE MAP FROM, WHOLE PERSON LIBRARIANSHIP WISH LAST COUNT HAS ABOUT
483 MEMBERS.
AND BOTH OF THESE GROUPS ARE OPEN TO ANYONE.
AN EXAMPLE IS THE WHOLE PERSON LIBRARIANSHIP GROUP, THEIR MEMBERSHIP IS MADE UP OF SOCIAL WORK
STUDENTS, SOCIAL WORK EDUCATORS, FIELD DIRECTORS, PUBLIC LIBRARIANS, LIBRARY ADMINISTRATORS,
PRACTICING AND RETIRED SOCIAL WORKERS.
SO THERE IS A STRONG OVERLAP BETWEEN THESE TWO GROUPS, AND I SUSPECT THAT MANY OF YOU ARE PROBABLY
INVOLVED WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, IF NOT BOTH, AND I'VE LINKED RESOURCES TO BOTH GROUPS AT THE
END.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN THEM.
IT IS REALLY THE BEST RESOURCES THAT CAN I FIND ABOUT HOW TO GET GOING ON A PARTNERSHIP WITH AN
INTERN.
>> SARAH JUST A QUICK QUESTION TO CLARIFY, WHEN YOU'RE USING THE TERM INTERN AND FIELD STUDENT, ARE
THOSE THE SAME THING?
>> FIELD INTERN, INTERNSHIP, INTERCHANGINGABLEY.
>> GREAT, THANKS.
>> YEAH.
WHEN I STARTED THIS I COULD ONLY FIND TWO, AND ONE LONE BACK CHAPTER FROM 1988.
BUT, SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS STEADILY GROWN.
I HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT MYSELF, THERE IS A COUPLE OF MASTERS THESIS AND SOME REALLY GOOD
SCHOLARSHIP THAT HAS COME OUT JUST IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO.
YET, AGAIN, MOST OF THIS SCHOLARSHIP FOCUSES ON THE WORK OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKERS IN PUBLIC
LIBRARIES.
AND I FIND THAT, AND I INCLUDE MYSELF IN THIS THAT DESPITE THE GROWTH OF THIS, SCHOLARS HAVE YET TO
PROPERLY EXAMINE THE FULL SCOPE AND IMPACT THAT STUDENT FIELD PLACEMENTS HAVE AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
I WOULD LOVE TO BEGIN A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THIS, SO I'M JUST GOING TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN PARTNERING, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MISM ESPECIALLY NEED SOMEONE WITH GOOD
QUANTITATIVE AND LITCLE SKILLS, SO THAT'S MY NEXT STEP I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE -- ANALYTICAL
SKILLS, SO THAT'S MY NEXT STEP I WOULD LIKED TO EXPLORE.
SO WHY SOCIAL WORK STUDENT INTERN BEING?
THIS IS A QUOTE FROM CODY McSELLERS-McCRAY WHO PARTNERS IN OIL NOW WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO
SAYS WE WANT TO MEET THEM, OR THE PATRONS IN NEED, WHERE THEY'RE AT, AND THEY'RE AT THE LIBRARY.
MEETING WHERE THEY'RE AT IS A REFLECTION OF THE SOCIAL VALUES ARE OF THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF
PERSONS.
WE ALL KNOW ABOUT OR A LOT OF US SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE INCREASED AND CHANGING DEMANDINGS ON
LIBRARIANS.
AS WE KNOW, LIBRARIES LONG AEGON CEASED TO BE A PLACE WHERE BOOKS NEARLY CIRCULATE.
THE GROWTH OF LIBRARIES AND PARTNERSHIPS IS A REFLECTION AND RESPONSE OF HOW LIBRARIES ARE CHANGING
AND EXPANDING SERVICES.
I AGREE WITH DR. BETH WALLER OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY THAT PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN LIBRARIES AND SCHOOLS
OF SOCIAL WORK FOR PRACTICUM PLACEMENTS ARE THE PLACE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF
PATIENTS.
ASKING SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS TO MEET PATRONS AND LIBRARY STAFF WHERE THEY ARE IS ONE OF THE MANY
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT LIBRARIES HAVE CONCEIVED TO ADDRESS HIGH-NEED PATRONS.
AT MANY LIBRARIANS ARE OVERWHELMED WITH THE CHANGING ROLES AND EXPECTATIONS PLACED UPON THEM, OFTEN
COUPLED WITH STAFF SHORTAGES AND INADEQUATE FUNDING, SOCIAL WORK INTERNS ARE A CREATIVE WAY OF
PROVIDING HELP TO LIBRARIANS MAYBE OVERWHELMED BY PATRON NEEDS THAT GO BEYOND THEIR TRAINING.
MANY OF US HAVE LEARNED OR LEAVED THE REFRAIN OF, I DID NOT GO TO LIBRARY SCHOOL FOR THIS.
ALSO, HOSTING STUDENTS IS OFTEN A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY FOR BRANCHES TO KIND OF TEST THE WATERS TO SEE
IF THEY WANT TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER OR FOR THOSE WHO SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD TO HIRE A
PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER, THIS IS A REALLY NICE ALTERNATIVE.
SO, AN EXAMPLE HERE, THIS IS FROM FOREST PARK LIBRARY IN ILLINOIS WHERE THEIR DIRECTOR AGREES, WE
ARE A SMALL LIBRARY AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FAKE ON A STAFF SOCIAL WORKER AT THIS TIME, BUT BY
WORKING WITH LOYALA UNIVERSITY, WE CAN WORK WITHOUT EXHAUSTING OUR BUDGET OR LIMITING OR
SERVICE TO OTHER PATRONS.
THIS IS A SLIDE I'VE CREATED MANY TIMES WITH DIFFERENT ITERATIONS AND I'M NOT A GRAPHIC DESIGNER,
SO BEAR WITH ME.
I'VE TRIED TO LINE UP THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION CORE VALUES WITH THE NASW, THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS.
I TRIED TO CORRELATE IT THROUGH THE COLORS HERE BUT OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS AN OVERLAP TO MORE THAN
ONE.
BUT TEAMING UP WITH SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS MEANS PAIRING WITH A PROFESSION THAT SHARED IDEALS SIMILAR
TO OUR OWN CORE VALUES.
MY AIM HERE IS TO HIGHLIGHT THAT BOTH PROFESSIONS HAVE A STRONG BENT TOWARDS SOCIAL JUSTICE,
DIVERSITY, WORKING FOR THE COMMON GOOD, A VERY STRONG SERVICE ETHIC, BOTH VALUE CONFIDENTIALITY AND
PRIVACY, AND ACCESSING INFORMATION AND SERVICES FOR OUR RESPECTIVE PATRONS AND CLIENTS.
THESE ARE BOTH ACTIVIST PROFESSIONS.
SO THESE COMMON VALUES AND ETHICS POINT TO WHY I THINK PUBLIC LIBRARIES CAN BE SUITABLE PLACEMENTS
FOR STUDENTS.
OKAY.
SO HOW IS THIS DONE?
WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?
SO, TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT A LIBRARY PLACEMENT ENTAILS OR HOW THIS CAN BE DONE, I'M GOING TO OUTLINE
THREE ASSIGNMENTS THAT INTERNS TYPICALLY CONDUCT WITH THE AIM OF ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL
COMPETENCIES.
SO THESE ARE THE RECURRING THEMES AND PATTERNS THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY RESEARCHES, SO THIS INDICATES
THAT SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS USUALLY COMMENCE WITH STUDENTS CONDUCTING NEEDS ASSESSMENTS OF BOTH
LIBRARY STAFF AND PATRONS, AND BASED ON THEIR FINDINGS FROM THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENTS THEY OFTEN
COORDINATE RELEVANT TRAINING FOR LIBRARIANS AND THEN, THIRD, THEY DEVELOP OR ENHANCE OUT REACH
PROGRAMMING FOR PATRON BEING.
SO, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, I PROBABLY HAVE TOO MANY SLIDES FOR THIS SECTION, SO I MIGHT FLIP THROUGH IT
QUICKLY.
AT THE OUTSET OF THE LIBRARY INTERNSHIP, A TYPICAL FIRST ASSIGNMENT IS FOR STUDENTS TO ASCERTAIN
THE NEEDS OF BOTH LIBRARY STAFF AND PATRONS.
AND BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EACH BRANCH DEFERS, EVEN WITHIN BE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE THE SAME LIBRARY
SYSTEM THE GOAL IS TO ASSERT WHAT ARE THEIR PRIORITIES SO RELEVANT PROGRAMS CAN BE DEVELOPED AND
TAILORS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS VOICED BY THE PATRONS AND STAFF.
SO MARY PROVINCE OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY SAYS NEEDS ASSESSMENTS CAN HELP A LOCAL LIBRARY DETERMINE IF
THEY WANT TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER.
IT ALSO MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE LIBRARY ITSELF AS WELL AS PROVIDING GOOD FIELD RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
FOR STUDENTS.
THIS IS FROM ELMHURST PUBLIC LIBRARY, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS FOR PATRONS AVAILABLE ONLINE, AND THAT
INFORMATION IS COLLECTED PRIVATELY, SO IT CAN MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY FOR PATRONS.
THIS SLIDE IS FROM ALANA KELLY WHERE THEIR STUDENTS CONDUCT AS COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF BOTH
PATRONS AND STAFF FROM THE CITY OF AZUZSA LIBRARY.
ENGAGING AND ASSESSING SERVICES, THE DATA THEY WERE ABLE TO COLLECT, THEY PROVIDED TO THE CITY'S
CHIEF LIBRARIAN SO THIS WAS VALUABLE INFORMATION ON PATRON NEEDS THEY INCLUDED IN PROPOSALS FOR
GRANT FUNDING AND THEY PROPELLED THE BRANCH TO CONSIDER HIRING IF A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER WAS
A GOOD FIT FOR THEM.
THIS IS FROM A RECENT PUBLICATION JUST OUT THIS YEAR.
SO WHILE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS WERE NOT INVOLVED IN ACTUALLY COLLECTING INFORMATION FOR THIS NEEDS
ASSETMENT, I'M JUST HIGHLIGHTING THIS HERE, NOT ONLY AS A REALLY QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION BUT AN
EXAMPLE OF WHAT INTERNS COULD UNDERTAKE SO AGAIN, MARY PROVENCE OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY AND BE HER
FELLOW SOCIAL WORKERS ASKED PATRONS OF A LARGE CITY LIBRARY IN THE MIDWEST TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEIR
MOST PRESSING PSYCHO SOCIAL NEEDS ARE.
AND, BY THE WAY, THEY HAD AN ASTOUNDING NUMBER OF VALID RESPONSES, NEARLY 1300 RESPONSES.
SO THIS SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY GETTING A SENSE AND SCOPE OF WHAT PATRONS ARE SAYING ARE
THEIR NEEDS.
HERE THEY KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN BY PATRONS WHO ARE HOUSED ACTIVE UNHOUSED.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY PROGRAM CHANGES THIS GOES BACK TO THE SAN JOSE
STUDENTS WHO HELPED ASSESS THE NEEDS THE OF THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS ON CAMPUS AND CITY RESIDENTS OF
SAN JOSE.
THEIR APPRAISALS WERE CRUCIAL TO LAUNCHING THE SOCIAL WORKER IN THE LIBRARY PROGRAM THAT I
MENTIONED EARLIER THAT DEVELOPED IN 2009.
OKAY.
AND THEN, THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST PART OF THE TWO PUBLICATIONS FROM THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOCIAL
WORK PROFESSORS, WHERE I JUST SHOWED YOU TWO SLIDES AGO THE STAFF, THE ASSESSMENT THEY DID OF
PATRONS.
THIS IS ONE THEY DID OF LIBRARY STAFF OF THE SAME NETWORK OF BRANCHES WHERE THEY ASKED THEN THEIR
PERCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE LARGEST UNMET NEEDS OF YOUR PATRONS.
AND ALSO, THEY ASKED THEM ABOUT THEIR PERCEPTION OF WHAT LIBRARIES RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TOWARDS
PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES.
SO, AGAIN, SOCIAL WORK STUDENT WEREN'T USED IN THIS ONE BUT THICK PARTICULAR PUBLICATION OR THESE
KIND OF QUESTIONS CAN HELP GUIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENTS THAT STUDENTS CAN CONDUCT IN OTHER BRANCHES.
OKAY.
GOOD THAT DIDN'T TAKE ME TOO LONG.
SO BASED ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, A LOT OF THE NEEDS ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE DONE OFTEN HIGHLIGHTS A
COMMON DESIRE FROM LIBRARY STAFF FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING.
THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE SHOWS THAT SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS OFTEN PROVIDE OR AT LEAST FACILITATE
WORKSHOPS ALONGSIDE OUTSIDE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR LIBRARIANS TO GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND TO INCREASE THEIR EXISTING
EXPERTISE THEY ALREADY HAVE IN SERVING VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
SO INTERNS CAN TWO PROVIDE STAFF SUPPORT AND TRAINING IN ORDER TO BROADEN THE SCOPE OF THEIR
SERVICE CAPABILITIES FOR THE FUTURE AND PROVIDE A MORE HOLISTIC FRAMEWORK OF POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
AND RESOURCES.
THIS HIGHLIGHTS INTERNS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA WHO ARE PLACED AT ATHENS CLARK COUNTY
LIBRARY.
THEY RECEIVED A COMMUNITY CATALYST GRANT IN 2018 TO TRAIN LIBRARIANS IN TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES
TO LIBRARY SERVICES.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES, I CAN CERTAINLY POINT YOU TOWARDS
TRAININGS THAT A PUBLIC LIBRARY AND MINUTESTRATIONS SOCIAL WORK TASK FORCE, SORRY, THAT IS A
MOUTHFUL, HAS PUT TOGETHER SO LOTS OF WEBINARS ABOUT TRAUMA INFORMED PRINCIPLES AND PUBLIC
LIBRARIES.
WE RECENTLY DID A FULL-DAY CONFERENCE ON THAT IN FEBRUARY.
SO, ANYHOW, FOLLOWING AN EXTENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT THESE INTERNS DID, THEY THEN PROVIDED WORKSHOPS
ON SIGNS OF TRAUMA AND TRAUMA INFORMED PRACTICES TO LIBRARY STAFF.
THIS IS A FEATURE THAT AMERICAN LIBRARIES MAGAZINE DID LAST JUNE, AND FROM THAT ARTICLE, VALERIE
BELL, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ATHENS REGIONAL LIBRARY SYSTEM, EMPHASIZED THAT
TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH APPLIES NOT TONIGHT PATRONS BUT TO LIBRARY STAFF, AS WELL.
SHE SAYS THAT, FOR HER, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS AND I AGREE THIS
OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED, SELF CARE FOR THE STAFF.
FOR EXAMPLE, LIBRARIANS WHO HAVE DIFFICULT ENCOUNTERS WITH PATIENTS ARE NOW ENCOURAGED TO TAKE
FIVE-MINUTE BREAKS IN A PRIVATE AREA TO CALM THEMSELVES AND REGROUP, DEPENDING ON ANY STRESSFUL
ENCOUNTERS THEY'VE HAD AT WORK.
AT THE DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY, ALYSSA HARDY AND HER SOCIAL WORK TEAM CONDUCT WORKSHOPS ON HOW TRAUMA
ALSO IMPACTS LIBRARY STAFF AS WELL AS PATRONS SO HOSTING INTERNS CAN REALLY HELP SUPPORT LIBRARY
STAFF IN SELF CARE.
WE'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT THAT IN SOCIAL WORK, BUT I FIND THAT LIBRARIES, THIS IS AN AREA THAT THEY
COULD DEFINITELY GROW IN.
AND, THIS CAN BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN BRANCHES WITH HIGH RISK FOR VICARIOUS
TRAUMA AND BURNOUT.
SOME LIBRARY I CAN'T BEES ARE BEING TRAINED TO ADMINISTER NALOXONE FOR PATRONS EXPERIENCING AN
OVERDOSE OR ANY PATRONS ACTING OUT VIOLENTLY.
I WILL SAY THIS, TOO, THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT NOW AS WE ARE IN THIS, YOU KNOW, UNPRECEDENTED
TIME AND SPACE OF THIS COLLECTIVE UNEASE AND TRAUMA, BOTH NOW AND IN THE MONTHS TO COME.
AND REALLY BEING AWARE OF HOW THIS PANDEMIC MAY BE AFFECTING US ALL AND OUR PATRONS IN THE SHORT
AND THE LONG-TERM.
SO WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES HOW SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS MAY BE OF HELP TO LIBRARIANS IN THIS CONTEXT.
ANOTHER WAY THAT STUDENTS CAN HELP IN ADDITION TO TRAINING STAFF ON ISSUES OF TRAUMA AND MENTAL
HEALTH IS TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING RELEVANT LIBRARY POLICIES.
DR. MARK GEISLER WROTE A GREAT PAPER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHERE HE ENCOURAGES LIBRARY ADMINISTRATORS
TO REVIEW AND IMPLEMENT CONDUCT POLICIES WITH REGARDS TO PATRONS.
KAT BOYER REFLECTS THAT HER RURAL MICHIGAN BRANCH CHANGED SOME OF THEIR POLICIES AFTER WORKING WITH
SOCIAL INTERNS.
THIS WAS AN ADDRESS YOU RECEIVED MAIL AND AFTER WORKING WITH THE INTERN THEY REALIZED THEY COULD
CHANGE THEIR POLICY TO RECEIVE MAIL AT THE ADDRESS YOU'RE PUTTING DOWN SO THAT YOU CAN GET A
LIBRARY CARD, SO THEY ALTERED THEIR POLICIES AROUND THAT.
AND THEN, OUT REACH.
SO, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK FROM LIBRARY PATRONS AND STAFF, OUT REACH CAN THEN BE TAILORS TO
MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF A COMMUNITY.
MANY LIBRARIES OFFER OUT REACH PROGRAMS SO SOCIAL WORK INTERNS CAN EITHER STEP INTO THOSE
ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS OR HELP FOSTER NEW ONES.
ON THE RIGHT IS DAVID PEREZ OF LONG BRANCH FREE PUB LIBRARY, 5 LIBRARY SOCIAL WORKER, HE WAS ALSO A
FORMER INTERN WHO WAS THEN HIRED ON AT HIS BRANCH AND IS KNOWN AS NEW JERSEY'S FIRST SOCIAL WORK
LIBRARIAN.
SO, SERVICE DELIVERY CAN RANGE FROM A BROAD MACRO LEVEL APPROACH TO A MORE INDIVIDUALIZED MICRO
APPROACH.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH VARIOUS EXAMPLES, MORE SO FROM THE MESO AND MICRO LEVELS OF WHAT STUDENTS
ARE ACTUALLY DOING.
SO, COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS, KIND OF A MEZZO LEVEL OUT REACH PROGRAM, IT IS VERY POPULAR, IT IS
EASILY IMPLEMENTABLE AND STUDENTS CAN ORGANIZE THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH LIBRARY STAFFFUL  IT WAS
CONCEIVED BUT DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THIS INFORMAL EVENTS FOSTERS SOCIAL
INCLUSION AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AMONG THOSE WHO PARTICIPATE.
SOMETIMES LOCAL AGENCIES ARE INVITED TO SHOWCASE THEIR SERVICES AND ANSWER PATRON'S QUESTIONS.
SO SETTING REALLY ENCOURAGES INTERN BEING TO BROKER AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT NOT
CONNECT IN SUCH A NEUTRAL, CONGENIAL ATMOSPHERE.
SO VARIATIONS ON COFFEE SOCIALS ARE REGULAR FEATURES IN ALL TYPES OF LIBRARIES, FROM ELMHURST
PUBLIC LIBRARY IN RURAL ILLINOIS LARGER URBAN CENTERS IN COLORADO, U.S. SUCH AS DE VERY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
FOR THE COST -- DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY.
FOR THE COST OF COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS, IT IS FAIRLY AFFORDABLE.
AND DEVELOPING RAPPORT WITH PATRONS IS OFFERED THROUGH TABLING EVENTS.
A COMMON LIBRARY SPACE, THE LOBBY AND WHAT NOT IS UTILIZED FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO INTERACT WITH
PATRONS AND STAFF.
SUCH EVENTS ARE OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE LIBRARY SO IT IS NOT JUST FOR PATRONS WHO HAVE
HIGH-LEVEL NEEDS.
THESE ARE TWO INTERN BEING WHO ARE AT ANCHORAGE PUBLIC
LIBRARY WHO REGULARLY HOST THESE EVENTS.
THEY CAN HELP RESIDENTS WITH HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING.
IN ADDITION TO MACRO AND MEZZO-LEVEL PROGRAMS, STUDENTS OFTEN OFFER DIRECT MICRO LEVEL SUPPORTS,
SUCH AS PERSONALIZED ADVOCACY AND RESOURCE REFERRALS.
I'LL GIVE A NUMBER OF EXAMPLES HERE.
INTERNS AT RURAL MICHIGAN BRANCHES PUT TOGETHER PRINT AND DIGITAL DIRECT RES FOR PATRONS.
OTHER STUDENTS, SUCH AS THOSE FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, OFFER REFERRALS ABOUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
THE CITY OF LONG BEACH PROVIDES LEGAL SUPPORT, CAREER ADVICE AND McMURRAY COLLEGE STUDENTS OFF
PEER SUPPORT.
I MENTIONED THE STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY STUDENTS EARLIER, THEY ALSO OFFER REFERS FOR HOUSING,
UNEMPLOYMENT -- REFERS FOR HOUSING, FOOD PANTRIES, SHELTERS, MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES AND HELPING
THEM FILL OUT FORMS AND APPLICATIONS FOR VARIOUS SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS.
SO, HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS IS ACTUALLY ADVERTISED.
AT THE SAN JOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY, PATRONS CAN SIGN UP FOR 20-MINUTE APPOINTMENTS TO SEEK INFORMATION,
REFERRAL AND ADVICE FROM SOCIAL WORKERS.
AND THEY LIST HERE SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED, SUCH AS UNEMPLOYMENT, IMMIGRATION AND
SO FORTH.
TO PROMOTE THEIR SERVICES, STUDENTS OR INTERNS POST FLIERS THROUGHOUT THEIR CAMPUS AND THEY OFFER A
DEDICATED PHONE LINE THAT IS ADVERTISED FOR THOSE NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH HUNGER, LITERACY AND
ADJUSTING TO GRIEF OR LOSS.
SO THIS IS FROM THE SAN JOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY WEBSITE BE.
.
OTHER BRANCHES ADVERTISE MEET AND GREET SESSIONS WITH THEIR INTERNS.
OPEN HOUSE HOURS.
THEY POST THEIR AVAILABILITY ON LIBRARY FACEBOOK PAGES, TWITTER FEEDS THIS LIBRARY IN JACKSONVILLE,
THEY CAN HAVE EMPLOYMENT, OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE BENEFITS, REFERRALS AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
I THINK I ACCIDENTLY DID THIS SLIDE TWICE, BUT I'LL SKIP THAT NEXT ONE.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A TWITTER FEED FROM EAST BRUNSWICK PUBLIC LIBRARY, LETTING THEM KNOW THEY
HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER AVAILABLE.
THIS IS BACK TO THE SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES PROGRAM IN MICHIGAN WHERE THEY'RE ADVERTISING THEIR
OPEN HOUSE WHERE YOU CAN COME AND MEET, AS IT SAYS HERE, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED SOCIAL WORK INTERNS FROM
YEAR UNIVERSITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH PATRONS.
THIS IS THE REPEAT OF THE JACKSONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY I GOT CONFUSED BECAUSE IT WAS THE SAME
CONTENT, JUST DIFFERENT GRAPHIC, SO I'LL SKIP THIS ONE.
THIS IS FROM ANCHORAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY, ON THEIR WEBSITE LISTING ALL THE WAYS THEY CAN HELP.
I LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT REBECCA BARKER HERE WHO IS THE CURRENT COMMUNITY RESOURCE COORDINATOR,
WAS, I BELIEVE, A FORMER INTERN HERSELF, SO THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT, AS A
RESULT OF THEIR PROGRAM OF HAVING AN INTERN, STAYEDED TO CREATE A POSITION FOR -- DECIDED TO CREATE
A POSITION FOR HER AND HIRE HER AS A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER, AND NOW SHE OVER SEES INTERNS
THERE, AS WELL.
WE ALL KNOW WE'RE IN THIS UNIQUE ERA AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NET MIDDLE OF A
SCHOOL YEAR BE AND A LOT OF LIBRARIES STILL ASK THEIR SOCIAL WORK INTERNS A A LOT OF US ARE
PROVIDING SERVICES REMOTELY AND KIND OF GIVES THING SENSE OF WHAT STUDENTS CAN STILL HELP WITH,
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE HELPING THROUGH THE PHONE OR MAYBE THROUGH AN ONLINE CHAT.
HERE A FEW OTHER EXAMPLES, THIS IS AN INTERN FROM LOYOLA UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO, WITH SHE HAS BEEN
AN INTERN AT LAKE PUBLIC LIBRARY RATHER WITH TWO OTHER STUDENTS THIS LAST CALENDAR YEAR.
THIS IS ELMHURST PUBLIC LIBRARY AGAIN, PROVIDES THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT TOOL ONLINE, SAYING HEY, WE'RE
STILL HERE, WE WILL TRY TO CALL YOU BACK AND WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO YOU FOR HOUSING AND
FOOD INBE SECURITY AND LINK YOU TO AGENCIES BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
A FEW MORE FROM TWITTER,S FOREST PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY ON THE LEFT AND BALDWIN ON THE RIGHT SAYING WE
ARE STILL AVAILABLE, PLEASE CALL US, PLEASE E-MAIL US.
THIS IS SOMETHING, I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER WHO KNOWS WHAT BRANCHES
ARE GOING TO DO WHEN THE FALL COMES AROUND AND, WHEN YOU'RE THINK, ABOUT LIKE, OKAY, SHOULD WE
PROGRESS OR CONTINUE WITH THE SOCIAL WORK INTERN, THERE ARE LOTS OF EXAMPLES ONLINE OF WHAT
STUDENTS, THE KIND OF WORK THAT STUDENTS CAN DO REMOTELY.
OKAY.
I'M JUST GOING TO PAUSE HERE.
I KNOW I'VE GOT ABOUT 15 MINUTES LEFT, IF THERE IS ANY QUESTIONS.
>> YEAH.
THANKS, SARAH.
THERE IS A LOT OF GREAT SHARING BACK AND FORTH IN CHAT, EVERYTHING FROM LIBRARIES SHOULD BE
PROVIDING CLASSES RELATED TO SOME OF THESE SOCIAL WORK TOPICS TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENCE ASPECTS,
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO JUST -- I KNOW YOU WILL BE TALKING ABOUT SUPERVISION AND THERE WERE LOTS OF
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ABOUT THAT, AS WELL AS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ANSWERING QUESTIONS FOR EACH
OTHER IN CHAT, QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE INTERNSHIPS ARE PAID OR FOR CREDIT.
SOMEONE SAID THAT THEY HAD A GRANT THAT WAS ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THAT, ANOTHER PRESSURE SAID THEY
HAD MILEAGE PAID.
CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE ON UNTIL WE GET TO YOUR
CONTENT.
>> YES.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T PREPARE TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER STUDENTS ARE PAID OR NOT, I THINK THAT IS REALLY
JUST -- I HAVE NOT SEEN A DISTINCT PATTERN ACROSS ALL BRANCHES.
I THINK IT DEPEND WHETHER IT IS A GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAM, THE KIND OF BUDGET THAT A PARTICULAR PUBLIC
LIBRARY HAS.
I'M GUESSING, ESPECIALLY AT THE BACHELORS LEVEL THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT COMPENSATED BUT I COULD BE
WRONG ABOUT THAT.
AND, IF ANYONE HAS A SPECIFIC QUESTION THAT I CANNOT ANSWER, THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS IF YOU'RE
NOT ALREADY CONNECTED WITH WHOLE PERSON LIBRARIAN IS TO JOIN THAT GOOGLE GROUP AND POST THAT
SPECIFIC QUESTION TO THE 4 UP-PLUS FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY ON -- 400-PLUS FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY ON
THERE.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST EFFICIENT FUNDRAISER WAY TO GET AN ANSWER.
THAT AS PART OF THE FUTURE RESEARCH I WANT TO DO, AS WELL AT COMPENSATION STUDENT MACE OR MAY NOT
RECEIVE FOR THEIR WORKISM SIMPLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT BUT I BELIEVE MOST OF IT IS PROBABLY
UNPAID.
>> OKAY.
AND THE QUESTIONS AROUND SUPERVISION, JUST SO YOU HAVE A HEADS UP, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT THE
SUPERVISION NEEDED TO BE BY A LICENSED MSW, ESPECIALLY PER CREDITING BODY, BUT SOME SAID, WELL THAT
PERSON DOESN'T NEED TO BE AT THE LIBRARY IT COULD BE A PROFESSIONER OR FACULTY MEMBER, SO TRI-STATE
THAT.
>> I WILL CERTAINLY SPEAK TO THAT.
MAYBE GILL THROUGH THIS SECTION A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
SUPERVISION IS COMING UP SHORTLY.
SO, THINGS TO CONSIDER IN TERMS OF THE TYPE WAS STUDENTS THAT MIGHT BE MOST SUITABLE FOR THIS.
IT'S NOT A GREAT FIT FOR JUST ANY SOCIAL WORK STUDENT.
THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN THAT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE DISPOSITION OF THE STUDENT, THE
TYPE OF WORK THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE AT A PARTICULAR BRANCH HAS TENDED TO BE MSW OR GRADUATE LEVEL
STUDENTS THAT HAVE MORE OF A GENERALIST FOCUS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING.
MOST STUDENTS ARE NOT DOING CLINICAL WORK, EITHER BECAUSE IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET CLINICAL
HOURS OR THERE ARE LEGAL RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF THE KIND OF WORK THAT STUDENTS CAN DO.
BUT, THAT IS CERTAINLY CHANGING.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MORE CLINICALLY FOCUSED STUDENTS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE BRANCHES, BUT
GENERALLY, THERE ARE MORE OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZING POLICY TRACK STUDENTS.
BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY MORSE AND MORE UNDER GRADUATE STUDENTS THAT ARE CONDUCTING THEIR INTERNSHIPS
AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
IN TERMS OF A STUDENT DISPOSITION AND THEIR PREPAREDNESS, THIS IS A REASONABLE THING TO CONSIDER.
MANY LIBRARIES REQUIRE EXCEPTIONALLY CAPABLE ADVANCED STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY IF THAT BRANCH IN
QUESTION TENDS TO, YOU KNOW, ENCOUNTER MORE CRISIS THAN OTHERS.
IT IS REALLY SUITED FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE MORE INDEPENDENT, SELF STARTERS, ADAPTABLE WHO SEEK
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR OF CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS, SAYS THAT SHE REALLY LOOKS FOR INTERNS WHO HAVE
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE SO MAYBE THESE ARE MID CAREER STUDENTS AND ARE REALLY ABLE TO WORK
INDEPENDENTLY IN A NON-TRADITIONAL SETTING, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER
ON SITE, WHICH I'LL GET TO.
SO, HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF LONG BRANCH FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY THAT HAS BSW-LEVEL STUDENTS.
I'M GOING TO SKIP AHEAD HERE.
LET ME GO BACK.
ONE THING I STARTED TO SAY, WHEN I STARTED THIS RESERVE IN 2017, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS MOSTLY
GRADUATE STUDENTS BUT AS THE COLLABORATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE COMMON OR DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF A
BRANCH, IF IT IS MUCH MORE OF A GENERALIST NEED THEY DESIRE FROM STUDENTS, BSW COLLABORATIONS ARE
CERTAINLY GROWING, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY EXCITING SO DEPENDING ON THE BRANCH, IT COULD BE A
REALLY GOOD FIT FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL STUDENT.
SO THE CHALLENGES.
THIS TREND OF COMMUNITY UNIVERSITY COLLABORATIONS REALLY ONLY BEGAN, AS I SAID IN 2009, SO THERE
ARE CHALLENGES TO CONSIDER AND I HAVE ALISTED SEVERAL HERE.
AND WE CAN -- MAKE I CAN COME BACK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER, SINCE I ONLY HAVE NINE MINUTES.
YOU CAN SEE I'VE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN PINK, SUPERVISION.
SO I'LL JUST JUMP AHEAD TO THAT.
SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THIS, BECAUSE THIS REALLY IS THE MAIN CONCERN THAT COMES UP FOR
LIBRARIANS AND SOCIAL EDUCATORS ALIGNING.
AS WE KNOW, MOST PUBLIC LIBRARIES DO NOT HAVE A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER ON STAFF.
AT LAST COUNT I THINK THERE WERE ONLY 50 U.S. LEAKS WHO HAVE FULL TIME SOCIAL WORES AND ROUGHLY 35
HAVE PART TIME SOCIAL WORKERS SO IF WE HAVE 9,000 LIBRARIES, MOST DON'T HAVE A PROPROFESSIONAL
SOCIAL WORKER.
WHILE THEY CAN SERVE AS A TASK SUPERVISEER TO THAT STUDENT, YES ALL ACCREDITED PROGRAMS REQUIRE
THAT STUDENTS OBTAIN SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISION FROM A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER.
SO BASED ON EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS, I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW CREATIVE WAYS THAT SCHOOLS
HAVE KIND OF COME UP WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THIS.
OFTEN THEY WILL TEAM UP WITH OUTSIDE AGENCIES, U.S. AS HOMELESS SERVICES OR HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES AND PROVIDE SUPERVISION FROM A SOCIAL WORKER IN ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SO AN EXAMPLE IS PRIOR TO THE CURRENT SOCIAL WORK HIRE AT ANCHORAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY, STUDENTS FROM
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE GOT SUPERVISION FOR THE MUNICIPAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
CARBONDALE IN ILLINOIS BUDGETED TO COMPENSATE A LOCAL AGENCY FOR OUTSIDE SUPERVISION AND DAVID
PEREZ, NOW THE SOCIAL WORK LIBRARIAN FOR NEW JERSEY SAID WHEN HE WAS AN INTERN, HE WAS VERY
FORTUNATE BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOCAL RETIRED SOCIAL WORKER WHO VOLUNTEERED TO PROVIDE WEEKLY
SUPERVISION.
AND THEN, SOMETIMES WHAT WE HAVE IS, I PICTURE HERE ON THE RIGHT HERE IN THE BLUE TOP IS KIMBERLY
STREET, AND SHE IS THE FIELD DIRECTOR AND ADVISOR FOR THE TWO INTERNS TO HER RIGHT.
SHE CURRENTLY OVER SEES 8 INTERNS AT 8 BRANCHES DON'T GROUP SUPERVISION AND AS WELL AS, I BELIEVE,
INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE IS NO SUPERVISION AT THE BALTIMORE LIBRARIES BUT THE SCHOOL ITSELF HAS
ORGANIZED FOR A FIELD DIRECTOR OR FIELD ADVISOR FROM THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK TO PROVIDE WEEKLY
SUPERVISION FOR THOSE INTERNS.
SO THAT IS A VERY COMMON APPROACH.
I'M SKIPPING THIS SLIDE.
OKAY.
I'LL COME BACK TO THE SUPERVISION IF I NEED TO.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY WITH THAT, THERE ARE A LOT, IF WE HAD 89 BRANCHES IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE
SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS, A LOT OF THEM HAVE HAD TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS SO THOSE ARE SOME
EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY DO THAT.
>> SARAH, I'M GUESSING THAT, BASED ON WHAT THE CURRENT COVID CRISIS WITH MORE PROGRAMS MOVING
ONLINE THERE MAY BE EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH VIRTUAL SUPERVISION.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND THEY NEED TO DO THAT.
THEY NEED TO FIND A WAY TO DO THAT IN ORDER FOR STUDENTS TO OBTAIN THOSE EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCIES.
SO YOUR BEST BET IS TO JUST START THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN
QUESTION.
SO, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT ACTUALLY EXPLORING WHETHER HOSTING A SOCIAL WORK STUDENT IS THE RIGHT FIT
FOR YOU?
THE BEST RESOURCE, AND I'VE LINKED TO THIS IN THE END OF THE SLIDES IS TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR LOCAL
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IS.
YOU WANT TO GO TO THE COUNCIL OF SOCIAL WORK'S EDUCATION DIRECT REOF ACCREDITED PROGRAMS.
GO TO THE STATE YOU'RE IN AND THEY BREAK IT DOWN BY BSW STUDENTS, MSW STUDENTS AND ONLINE STUDENTS,
AS WELL.
AND REALLY TO START THAT CONVERSATION AND ASK THOSE EXPLORATORY QUESTIONS.
DISCUSS WHAT YOUR BRANCHES CURRENT NEEDS ARE WHAT YOUR STRENGTHS ARE.
YOU CAN BRAINSTORM WAYS SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH OUT REACH SERVICES AND WHAT
AREAS OF GROWTH STUDENTS CAN HELP DEVELOP.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS WITH YOUR LIBRARY STAFF AHEAD OF TIME AND ADMINISTRATORS ANY CONCERNS
THEY MIGHT HAVE OR EXPECTATIONS THEY MAY HAVE OF A SOCIAL WORK STUDENT.
AND, TO, YOU KNOW, USE MY SLICED THAT I PUT TOGETHER OF THE SIMILAR GOALS AND VALUES AND REALLY
DISCUSS HOW THERE ARE SIMILAR ETHICS THAT SOCIAL WORKERS SHARE WITH LIBRARIES IN THEIR OVERALL
MISSION.
AND, ALSO, TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOAL OF THE SOCIAL WORK INTERNSHIP IS TO REALLY
ENHANCE LIBRARY SERVICES TO PATRONS AND THEREFORE THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT SOCIAL WORKERS FOR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS COMING IN AND USURPING THE EXPERTISE THAT
LIBRARIANS ALREADY HAVE ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.
IT'S REALLY WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEM.
DR. PEGGY MORTON OF NYU SAYS THAT LIBRARY PLACEMENTS ARE DESIGNED TO SPORT LIBRARY'S MISSION.
IT IS A WIN/WIN SITUATION FOR THE PATRONS, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AND OUR STUDENTS.
IN THE TOP RIGHT PART HERE, YOU'LL JUST SEE, THIS IS A NEWS STORY ABOUT HOW SOMMERSET COUNTY
LIBRARY COMMUNITY REACHED OUT TO COTTAGERS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL TWO INITIATE THAT CONTACT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M OFTEN SEEING, THE LEAKS ARE REACHING OUT TO START THAT DISCUSSION.
THAT'S WHAT DEBRA DID IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, IN WHICH THEY STARTED THE SOCIAL WORK IN THE LIBRARY
PROGRAM.
IT IS NOT TO SAY IT DOESN'T GO THE OTHER WAY AROUND BUT THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME IT WOULD START WITH
THE LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED, THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR COMMUNITY
NEEDS.
I'M SKIPPING THIS ONE.
AND THEN, FINALLY, SOME ARE REALLY FINDING GREAT SUCCESS WITH INTERNS.
NOW, IT DOESN'T WORK FOR EVERYONE.
SOME COLLABORATIONS START AND THEN THEY PUT A PAUSE ON IT OR THEY STOP AND THEY FIND THAT AFTER A
YEAR, HEY, THIS WASN'T A GOOD GET FOR US OR IT WAS GOOD FOR OUR SYSTEM BUT NOT FOR THIS PARTICULAR
BRANCH.
BUT THERE IS REALLY PROMISING STORIES OF GROWTH HERE.
THIS IS REBECCA BARKER, STARTED AS AN INTERN AND THE LIBRARY SAW THE NEED THAT WAS THERE, MAYBE
THEY WERE A LITTLE WARY AT FIRST AND THEN CREATED THAT POSITION FOR A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER.
THIS HAPPENED MANY TIMES OVER IN KANSAS CITY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND I RECENTLY TALKED TO A STUDENT,
THE FIRST BSW STUDENT AT CHATTANOOGA PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND AS A RESULT OF HER INTERNSHIP HER BRANCH
CONSIDERING MAYBE CREATING A PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK POSITION.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, I HAVE ONE MINUTE, OKAY, WHAT I HAVE APROVIDED HERE IS WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE
PREVIOUS THREE YEARS OF MY RESEARCH.
EVERY YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES, AGAIN THERE 60,000 SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS WHO NEED INNOVATIVE
PLACEMENTS.
THERE ARE 9,000 PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE U.S. AND HUNDREDS, NEARLY 8 UP ACCREDITED PROGRAMS  -- 800
ACCREDITED PROGRAMS SO THERE IS LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO FOSTER THESE INNOVATIVE PLATFORMS FOR
STUDENTS.
SOME OF MY REFERENCES, THIS IS HOW YOU CAN GET IN CONTACT WITH ME, MY E-MAIL, MY WEBSITES, AND THEN
BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET TO EVERYTHING, YOU WILL SEE THAT I'VE PROVIDED AT LEAST 20 OTHER SLICEDS
WITH ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES AND RESOURCES.
I THINK I'M RIGHT AT 4:00.
>> FANTASTIC.
YOU HAVE SO MUCH GREAT WORK TO SHARE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL OF YOUR WORK YOU'VE DONE SO FAR AND IT LOOKS LIKE PEOPLE OR IS EXCITED
ABOUT THE POTENTIAL THAT THEY HAVE IN COLLABORATION, WHETHER THEY COME AS SOCIAL WORKERS OR
EDUCATORS OR FOLKS IN LIBRARIES.
AND SOMEBODY EARLY ON SAID SOMETHING AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT HAVING SOCIAL WORK
STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARIES, WILL THIS CHANGE HOW SOCIAL SERVICES ARE DELIVERED IN OUR COMMUNITIES?
AND I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE IMPACTS IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH SOCIAL
WORKERS OR SOCIAL WORK INTERNS, SO I THINK SARAH WILL HAVE LOTS OF RESEARCH TO CONTINUE TO PULL IN
AND HOPEFULLY LOTS OF POSITIVE STORIES AND IMPACT TO SHARE.
SO WE'RE AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE US WRAP UP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND BRINGING THIS GREAT CONVERSATION TO THE LIBRARY FIELD.
AND EVERYONE HANG THERE THERE, I KNOW THIS TOPIC IS MUCH NEEDED BECAUSE OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE OUR
COMMUNITIES TO NEED IN THE COMING MONTHS SO EVERYONE HANG IN THERE AND BE INNOVATIVE WITH THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH MORE
OF YOU.
>> FANTASTIC.
EVERYONE, HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEK.