Social Library, Volume 118
Jennifer Peterson
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03 October 2018
We continue our Social Library series, highlighting innovative ways libraries use Facebook to connect with communities. This edition features a partnership with the local college athletic department, a new, flexible library space, fun with a READ poster and two libraries helping to support healthy communities. If you'd like to see your library featured in an upcoming edition, please let us know via [email protected] or find us on Facebook.
- Rowan County Public Library in Kentucky announced their new "One Town. One Team" themed library card in collaboration with Morehead State University Athletics. The public can sign up for the card at the library, and the cardholder gets a special ticket rate at Morehead State athletic events including football, soccer and volleyball.
- Berkeley Public Library (BPL) in California announced the opening of their new “The Commons” area in the Central Branch. A Berkeleyside article provided details and wonderful photos and an article from the library shared that the “The Commons was envisioned by a team of BPL staff as a welcoming and flexible area for reading, gathering in small groups, co-working, studying, and using devices.” Before being remodeled, the area had been underused as it was mainly a corridor between the service desks and the stairs to the second-floor stacks.
- Puyallup Public Library in Washington took the John Cena READ poster (see image on the right) to a whole new level and brought their creativity to create a poster with movement, and shared it in a Facebook video.
- Helping to keep their community healthy, the Crowell Public Library in California is hosting an event to highlight the dangers of flu season. This Pasadena Now article highlights a free program that was presented by the Huntington Hospital Community Outreach Nurses, called “Flu-Busters, Seasonal Influenza,” on Thursday, September 27. Attendees heard a brief history of flu pandemics, learned flu virus basics, and about prevention, symptoms, possible complications, antiviral drugs and the importance of the flu vaccination, all in one fact-packed hour!
The library and their hospital partner will continue to support healthy outcomes by offering flu shots, as well as blood pressure and glucose screenings - all for free!
- Another library with an eye towards a healthy community is Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia, which is taking preparation to the next level with two Zombie Pandemic Preparedness Workshops in partnership with Gwinnett Health Department. The effort is designed to address the fact that although pandemics occur infrequently, planning and preparing for a pandemic is important to ensure an effective response. An Emergency Preparedness Specialist from the local health department will discuss resources and help the community prepare.