Social Library, Volume 133
Jennifer Peterson
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21 May 2019
This fresh edition of our Social Library series includes a variety of ways libraries are using Facebook to connect with their communities. From a nature table to mom speed dating, and from summer reading to a railroad anniversary, these examples are sure to inspire. And we’re grateful to the Portage District Library for letting us share their post honoring librarian Nicolette Warisse Sosulski. 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.
- Sidmouth Library in the UK shared photos of their Nature Table with an invitation to the community to bring their nature finds to the library, to get help with identification and to receive a "nature spotter" sticker. Periodic updates are posted to Facebook, including the addition of tadpoles! We love this passive approach to growing interest about the natural world around us and to supporting participatory learning at the library.
- Davenport Public Library in Iowa hosted a Mom Speed Dating event in conjunction with Mother's Day weekend. "New to the area or just looking to make new mom friends? Come to the Eastern Avenue Library and meet some other moms! Bring your mom (or don't) and meet new mom friends! We'll have crafts and activities, as well as questions to help get the conversations started." The two-hour event was described in the Quad-City Times, as a friend-making session, similar to speed-dating.
- Portage District Library in Michigan honored librarian Nicolette Warisse Sosulski in a post last week, when she passed away after a battle with cancer. Nicolette was a multi-award winning librarian, most recently being named the 2019 recipient of the Margaret E. Monroe Award for Library Adult Services and she also won first place in last year's Public Libraries Feature Article Contest for her indispensable resource, Excuse Me, Is There a Loss Section? Readers Advisory to the Grieving and Bereaved. She created a business library at the Portage District Library, where she helped patrons "navigate difficult topics like medical and insurance questions," and she served for 15 years as a QuestionPoint Virtual Librarian, answering reference questions posed by patrons around clock and around the world.
- Tooele City Library in Utah joined in their local celebration of the Golden Spike 150 Anniversary, which marked the anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The library is always good about using short videos to announce and promote events, and this was no exception! A video with Jami and Holly invited the community to come down to the Tooele Valley Train Museum, where there were free train rides, games, music, food and family fun, and they created a fantastic highlights video to share after the celebration.
- Spooner Memorial Library in Wisconsin reminded us that many libraries are kicking off their summer reading programs. "Our librarians have become En-Raptored by Reading! They can’t get enough dinosaur books. They promised us they’d stick to a vegetarian diet this summer, so kids are on their “do not eat” list." Be sure to check out the early additions to their dino-riffic photo album!