Friday Grab Bag, April, 10, 2020

One of the bright spots in the strange and stressful moment that we find ourselves in, for me at least, is watching Colorado libraries respond. To help make Colorado libraries’ innovation more visible, we’ve launched a new series called Pandemic Practices. The first edition covers Mobile Hotspot lending, and features invaluable input from staff at Denver Public Library.  We would love to hear more about what you are doing, how you implemented it, and any lessons that you’ve learned or best practices you’ve established thus far. We’ll share that information on Colorado Virtual Library so that all Colorado libraries can benefit. If you have information that you would like to share with the Colorado library community, please reach out to me, Marisa Wood, at mwood@coloradovirtuallibrary.org, or by phone at 303.351.2338.

In other news you can definitely use, in response to the proliferation of COVID-19 data, the Library Research Service (LRS) is publishing a series with strategies for tacking data with a critical eye. If you find yourself Between a Graph and a Hard Place, check out the first installment: New blog series: Between a Graph and a Hard Place

Less relevant, but an interesting distraction, from Vanity Fair: The Surprising—And Surprisingly Contentious—History of Purell

Now into the bag…

Museums & Libraries in the News

Pikes Peak Library District helping to make face shields for medical community | KOAA News
Pikes Peak Library District is using it’s 3D printing machines to help make face shields for first responders as part of the Make4Covid initiative in Colorado.

Write the first draft of history: Share your COVID-19 stories with CSU Archives | CSU Source
The Colorado State University Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections is launching the COVID-19 Archive to capture and preserve personal stories from CSU students, faculty and staff. These stories will allow people to look back on and remember the impact of the crisis unfolding today.

If you are not affiliated with CSU but you’d like to tell your story, or if you are looking for a way to connect with family and friends in a meaningful way, consider creating an oral history via smartphone for Stories of Colorado: Social Distancing Diaries collection! Stories of Colorado is an online collection of Colorado-related content from individuals or institutions that have interesting and relevant pieces of Colorado history and culture to share.

Denver Library’s New Online Learning Platform Offers 4,000 Courses | Westworld
In a case of auspicious timing, Denver Public Library has launched Udemy, a new online professional learning platform. DPL replaced Lynda.com with Udemy on April 1 due to privacy concerns with Lynda.com, which requires users to register with LinkedIn.

Why the National Emergency Library Is So Controversial | Smithsonian Magazine
When the nonprofit Internet Archive launched a National Emergency Library featuring 1.4 million digitized books without the usual one-at-a-time reader restriction, it was initially met with praise. Backlash from authors and publishers has since reframed the collection as internet piracy that violates intellectual property laws.

Virtual Reality

Wondering where to get started with livestreamed or recorded storytimes? Join  Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy (CLEL) TODAY, April 10, from 1:00-2:30 pm for Virtual Storytimes: Filming Before, During and After COVID-19. CLEL is collaborating with both longtime and new virtual storytime presenters to answer your questions about copyright, best practices, technology and more. Capacity for this webinar will be 100, on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you’re not able to attend, the webinar will be archived for you to view later at your convenience.

With a lot more of us working from home than ever before, our new virtual reality can make it challenging for remote teams to work together effectively, as distance makes it harder for people to maintain rapport and effective communication with one another. Help remote teams break down communication barriers with some Virtual Ice Breakers.

Learning for All

Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Innovative Solutions in Times of Crisis (Public Library Association) | April 16 @ 10:00-11:00 am MDT
Public libraries are ever evolving to meet the needs of their communities. When doors are closed, how are libraries evolving to meet patrons where they are? What about planning for what comes next? Participants of this webinar will hear examples from library staff who have responded to this time of crisis with innovative solutions to services and programs. Participants will have the opportunity to share and ask questions.

Falling Between the Cracks: Addressing Workplace Mistakes and Misunderstandings | April 30 @ 12:00-1:00 pm MDT
A busy work calendar, a year-long project that absorbs everyone’s time and attention, or a series of workplace crises can cause us to neglect and damage healthy communication, even in the best-run organizations. Learn steps you can take to step back, reconnect, and repair the damage.

What’s New at the Colorado State Library

Learning Opportunities

GRTQuick Bites: Activating the Hidden Senses at Storytime with Melody Garcia

  • April 14 @ 12:00-12:20pm
  • Free! No registration required
  • Join online

Colorado Virtual Library

Pandemic Practices: Mobile Hotspots
We talked with Zeth Lietzau, Director of Collections, Technology, and Strategy at Denver Public Library about their Hotspot Lending program, their practices, policies, and lessons that they’ve learned.

State Publications Blog

COVID-19 Resources

Pandemic Preparedness for Colorado Libraries – Updated 3/31
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we’re continuing to monitor and update information to help you and your library respond.

COVID-19 Youth Services Resources – UPDATED 4/9
Updated youth services resources to help your library protect, serve and support your community at this challenging time.

New Resources on Federal and State Laws Pertaining to COVID-19
We’ve rounded up new memos and Issue Briefs released by Colorado Legislative Council Staff that provide some guidance on how Colorado and federal laws address some of the issues brought about by COVID-19.

This post is part of the Spotlight on Sharing initiative, which aims to increase the visibility of resource sharing in Colorado libraries. Do you have a story from your library to share? Email Marisa Wood, mwood@coloradovirtuallibrary.org. Also, be sure to follow Colorado State Library on Twitter and Facebook.

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