Social Library, Volume 102
Jennifer Peterson
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20 February 2018
In this next edition of the Social Library, we’re showcasing a comic con focused on diversity, patron-designed library cards, libraries as creative economic development hubs, coffee-incentivized reading, and new services for health, literacy and parenting in Community Hubs. We look forward to continuing to highlight the innovative ways libraries are using Facebook to engage their communities. If you'd like to see your library featured in a Social Library edition, please let us know via [email protected] or find us on Facebook.
- East Baton Rouge Parish Library in Louisiana shared some fantastic photos of their Mid City Micro-Con: Welcome to Wakanda, hosted at the main library just before the Black Panther movie release. The program celebrated diversity in comic book characters, creators and their fans and included discussion panels, a comics & arts market, cosplay, workshops, film screenings, games, and prizes. In an Advocate article, Micro-con celebrates Black Panther release, showcases Louisiana trailblazers, we learn more details, including that there were around 400 participants. The Mid City Micro-Con is described at the beginning of this recent edition of the Library Road Show on the library's YouTube station, hosted by assistant library director, Mary Stein (of WebJunction webinar fame, Be Fearless: Public Speaking for Librarians!).
- Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, in Nevada announced the winners and finalists of the new library card designs.
Great coverage in the local news about the design competition. The six winning designers (Lisette Nunez, in photo at right) will have their artwork featured on thousands of cards distributed to library customers throughout the coming months.
- New Mexico State Library shared a post about the innovative new project, Libraries as Launchpads." Five public libraries in New Mexico are participating in a pilot project that will implement creative economic development hubs in their communities. A KRWG story provided details about the Libraries as Launchpads initiative, which is a collaboration between the "New Mexico State Library, Creative Startups, a business accelerator based in Santa Fe, and Fab Lab Hub, a fabrication and prototyping laboratory at Santa Fe Community College. Libraries as Launchpads will fast track potential entrepreneurs from idea and concept, to action and business formation." Creative Startups explains the "4-week LABS program is designed for entrepreneurs in the first steps or stages of starting and growing a creative company."
- Lane Memorial Library, Hampton, NH shared some local news coverage of their Make Time To Read program. "Adults and teens who read four books between Feb. 20 and March 20 can visit the library, fill out a prize card, and then redeem it at the Depot Café for one of their wonderful coffee creations.
For younger readers, the library staff encourages families and children to read together 20 minutes on four different days, and the prize will be a cute “I love to read” bracelet that children will receive from staff in the Children’s Room." - El Dorado Hills Library in California shared a local news story announcing to opening of the new Community Hub 1. This is "one of five hubs housed in public libraries in five county supervisorial districts. Community Hubs offer classes, groups, and activities for expectant parents and families with children ages 0-18, staffed by a team of family engagement, literacy and health specialists. In the fall of 2016 the Community Hubs project was launched in El Dorado County. It’s a partnership between First 5 El Dorado Children and Families Commission, El Dorado County libraries, El Dorado County Office of Education and the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency. Hubs are planned to be an innovative, community‐based effort to bring valuable services to families in the communities where they live." We look forward to following this model for collective impact!