Community, Access, & Advocacy Lessons Learned from the Rural Library Sustainability Project Presented by Julie Boller, Shae Tetterton, and Felicia Vereen South Carolina State Library

Rural Library Sustainability Grant Program National grant program from WebJunction Emulates Gates Foundation “think-tank” from 2004 Public Library Association meeting Objective: Identify challenges specific to rural public library services and create action plans to address them

National grant program from WebJunction

Emulates Gates Foundation “think-tank” from 2004 Public Library Association meeting

Objective: Identify challenges specific to rural public library services and create action plans to address them

WebJunction Curriculum Training in Seattle in February 2006 Round 2: 14 State Libraries Presented with curriculum created by WebJunction State-specific customization

Training in Seattle in February 2006

Round 2: 14 State Libraries

Presented with curriculum created by WebJunction

State-specific customization

SC Customization Eliminated discussion of funding Focused primarily on partnerships, staff training, and outreach Presented an additional section on community analysis Continued the library 2.0 discussion started at technology institute Added “what can we do for you” section

Eliminated discussion of funding

Focused primarily on partnerships, staff training, and outreach

Presented an additional section on community analysis

Continued the library 2.0 discussion started at technology institute

Added “what can we do for you” section

The Workshops 3 regional workshops in October 2006 Greenville, Columbia, Moncks Corner Targeted public library directors and those directly involved in strategic planning 57 attendees from 30 county libraries

3 regional workshops in October 2006

Greenville, Columbia, Moncks Corner

Targeted public library directors and those directly involved in strategic planning

57 attendees from 30 county libraries

What We Learned Rural public libraries in South Carolina have: Established mutually beneficial partnerships in even the smallest, most impoverished communities Created a vast array of successful community outreach programs

Rural public libraries in South Carolina have:

Established mutually beneficial partnerships in even the smallest, most impoverished communities

Created a vast array of successful community outreach programs

Partnerships Local schools/school libraries Literacy groups Chambers of Commerce First Steps Friends groups Civic/fraternal organizations Other libraries Medical services/doctors Community leaders State Library

Local schools/school libraries

Literacy groups

Chambers of Commerce

First Steps

Friends groups

Civic/fraternal organizations

Other libraries

Medical services/doctors

Community leaders

State Library

Outreach Programs America Reads Daycare/Senior care programs Career assistance Training for homeschoolers Programs for the mentally challenged Homebound services Deposit collections in medical offices Parent as teacher program Patron training Bookmobiles

America Reads

Daycare/Senior care programs

Career assistance

Training for homeschoolers

Programs for the mentally challenged

Homebound services

Deposit collections in medical offices

Parent as teacher program

Patron training

Bookmobiles

Challenges Outreach: Lack of staff Special populations (Hispanic, Teens, Homeschoolers) Space Staff Training: Assessing skills Availability of quality training Difficulty covering duties when staff at training

Outreach:

Lack of staff

Special populations (Hispanic, Teens, Homeschoolers)

Space

Staff Training:

Assessing skills

Availability of quality training

Difficulty covering duties when staff at training

Challenges Advocacy: Uncomfortable with marketing and PR “Competition” with other agencies Perception that community has no resources Perception that public is apathetic

Advocacy:

Uncomfortable with marketing and PR

“Competition” with other agencies

Perception that community has no resources

Perception that public is apathetic

Community: Brainstorming on Outreach New resident information packets Storytimes in medical offices Business information for small/local businesses GED Adopt a soldier Readers advisory training for parents Teen-specific programming

New resident information packets

Storytimes in medical offices

Business information for small/local businesses

GED

Adopt a soldier

Readers advisory training for parents

Teen-specific programming

Community: Programming Generational exchange between teens and seniors Gaming tournaments ESL classes Online safety for parents How to: Do holiday shopping online Buy/sell on eBay Buy your first home Make holiday cards with Flickr Buy a computer Be safe on MySpace

Generational exchange between teens and seniors

Gaming tournaments

ESL classes

Online safety for parents

How to:

Do holiday shopping online

Buy/sell on eBay

Buy your first home

Make holiday cards with Flickr

Buy a computer

Be safe on MySpace

Access: Staff Training Critical to the expansion of services 23 Things Use task-based training Cross-training in locations and duties Use staff orientation as opportunity for whole staff training Combine training with other libraries Look outside the library field for new skills

Critical to the expansion of services

23 Things

Use task-based training

Cross-training in locations and duties

Use staff orientation as opportunity for whole staff training

Combine training with other libraries

Look outside the library field for new skills

Access: Training Partners “ Experts” from other libraries Computer clubs Retirees Retail companies Attorneys Other government agencies Medical professionals Teens Financial Planners State Library

“ Experts” from other libraries

Computer clubs

Retirees

Retail companies

Attorneys

Other government agencies

Medical professionals

Teens

Financial Planners

State Library

Advocacy All about relationships With: Customers Local funding sources Parents and children Teens Schools (public and private)

All about relationships

With:

Customers

Local funding sources

Parents and children

Teens

Schools (public and private)

On the Homefront Local funding accounts for 70-99% of total library budgets in SC public libraries Local advocacy efforts can have a much greater impact

Local funding accounts for 70-99% of total library budgets in SC public libraries

Local advocacy efforts can have a much greater impact

Brainstorming Advocacy Local events: Dinners Open house Host community meetings Be creative Activities: Say Thank you! Recognize birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Show up at Council meetings Advocacy can happen anywhere, anytime

Local events:

Dinners

Open house

Host community meetings

Be creative

Activities:

Say Thank you!

Recognize birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

Show up at Council meetings

Advocacy can happen anywhere, anytime

Who are Advocates? Library Director Library Board Library staff Friends groups Customers Day care centers Homeschoolers Parents Teachers Children/Teens Partners ANYONE WHO BENEFITS FROM YOUR PROGRAMS & SERVICES ARE POTENTIAL ADVOCATES

Library Director

Library Board

Library staff

Friends groups

Customers

Day care centers

Homeschoolers

Parents

Teachers

Children/Teens

Partners

What Can SCSL Do? Provide structured certification program for professional and paraprofessional staff Provide customizable marketing materials Provide opportunity for information sharing and networking Set standards for library services and give them “teeth”

Provide structured certification program for professional and paraprofessional staff

Provide customizable marketing materials

Provide opportunity for information sharing and networking

Set standards for library services and give them “teeth”

Resources South Carolina State Library website: http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov LibraryTrax http://librarytrax.wordpress.com WebJunction http:// webjunction .org

South Carolina State Library website:

http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov

LibraryTrax

http://librarytrax.wordpress.com

WebJunction

http:// webjunction .org