How can you engage purposefully on social media with the different communities your library serves while also addressing larger, system-wide goals and policies? The concept of “social care” offers a clue. Social care differs from traditional customer care in that the purpose isn’t to address one issue, answer one question, or solve one problem. It’s also different than public relations in that it’s not about “one size fits all” for every audience. For social care, the goal is to nurture a more inclusive, longer-term dialogue.

At the Pikes Peak Library District, we’re using these principles to create local and program-specific... Read more

There's no time like the new year for learning! Whether or not you've got a list of resolutions, you're sure to benefit by attending some of the webinars on this month's list, or perhaps there are topics you'd like your trustees or library friends to explore. Be sure to share this month's list of 68 webinars, covering 18 topic areas, with your staff and volunteers, and encourage them to take on some new skills and understanding in 2022. Thank you to the Wyoming State Library for collecting this list of learning opportunities! It's updated monthly on the Free Training page,... Read more

Amanda Stern is the events and special projects manager at the Connecticut Library Consortium, a statewide membership collaborative serving all types of Connecticut libraries by helping them strengthen their ability to serve their users. Amanda has a background in public relations and has served as a school librarian and a children’s librarian. We caught up with Amanda to ask her about her experience during the past year.

How has the pandemic affected the way you see the future of library systems?

The pandemic has proven how resilient, creative, and responsive librarians and library staff are. It was amazing to see how libraries met the needs of their community by... Read more

Housing insecurity is widespread, in part due to unemployment and related financial issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The civil legal process of eviction is complex and can be confusing to renters and landlords alike. People experiencing eviction may have difficulty finding safe and decent housing options; become separated from families, jobs, and schools; and face poor health outcomes. Eviction can have far-reaching and long-lasting effects.

Libraries are well positioned to provide access to legal information that is particularly helpful during the early phases of the eviction process. By leveraging their reference skills and partnering with law libraries... Read more