Social Library, Volume 155
Jennifer Peterson
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21 April 2020
As communities continue to stay “safe at home” during the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries are finding ways to creatively respond with online options. These five examples in our Social Library series, include two libraries that reached out to us! If you'd like to see your library featured in an upcoming edition of the Social Library, let us know via [email protected] or find us on Facebook.
- New Haven Free Public Library in Connecticut shared this wonderful photo collage of staff working from home. "Hey guys! We just want you to know your librarians are working hard from home (even if we're in sweatpants) to keep you connected to NHFPL's many resources & get us all through this time with the latest community news & updates 😊. Keep checking back & stay safe!" What a simple way to share those familiar smiling faces that your patrons are surely missing.
- Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library in Maine reached out to share with us their Poetry Now project. "April is National Poetry Month. Since the record of the Epic of Gilgamesh (~1800 BC), humans have used poetry to communicate, cope with, and create our life stories. BHML invites the entire community, young and older(!) to honor the art, the craft, and the power of poetry. Send us your submissions and help write, record, and define today’s world with your words. The goal: together we will create a book of poems to reflect our many voices during a time like no other. Entries accepted March 30 – April 30." The project is listed on Facebook as an event, and patrons can submit poems via form, email, bookdrop, or mail. And those ready to take it to the next level can submit a video of spoken word to BRTV, the local TV station! They recently posted a short video with a poem read by Meg for inspiration.
- Dakota County Library in Minnesota hosted a special edition of their Virtual Storytime: All About Autism. "Join Miss Renee in this special edition of Virtual Storytime that recognizes and celebrates our friends with autism." The post includes the book titles, authors, illustrators and publishers and we loved how she used a music stand to hold the books still and close to the camera. We also loved this poster visible at the beginning of the video (and at right), providing a visual and some time for families to gather for virtual storytime! Side note: Miss Renee is Renee Grassi who presented a fantastic WebJunction webinar in 2014, Serving the Underserved: Children with Disabilities at Your Library.
- Whitman County Library in Washington is hosting a weekly Virtual Trivia Night on Facebook live! "Tune in for historical, literary, scientific, and just-for-fun questions every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. during the Stay-at-Home Order. Enjoy a 5-Question LIVE trivia night from the comfort of your home. While this will be an individual game, you may receive assistance with anyone you happen to be quarantined with. We are playing for fun and prestige (no prizes). HOW TO PLAY: Just visit Whitman County Library's Facebook page at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays. If the video doesn't show up, simply refresh the page. A NOTE FROM YOUR HOST: I really miss hosting trivia in person, but we are excited to offer this for you! So please join us if you are ready for some serious competition...from your couch!" To see how it works live, check out the recording of their first Virtual Trivia Night.
- Manatee Libraries in Florida reached out to share their new "What the Hoopla?" online film discussion which they stream to Facebook. The series both helps to promote Hoopla, and provides a social-distancing-safe way for film buffs to listen to library staff and friends discuss films. They announced the series in a short video and they've hosted two sessions, the first discussing What We Do in the Shadows followed by a recent discussion on The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.