This newsletter contains the following headlines:

• Libraries and COVID-19: Town Hall Recap, Evolving Resources, New Research Project
• Community Engagement Award.  OCLC is accepting nominations through May 31 for the new OCLC Community Engagement Award, recognizing libraries who have created impact and extended the library's reach through a recent project. Read more in the recent Next blog post and nominate your library for one of three $5000 awards.
• More Buy-In = Better Marketing.  In a guest post by Kathy Dempsey, read about the 2020 PLA panel session, The Marketing Value Proposition: Why Buy-In Makes All the Difference. Panelists shared strategies for helping library staff to understand the value of marketing and to support that work, even when it's not part of their jobs.
• Library Storytimes during COVID-19 – a Different Kind of Connection.  In part one of a two-part series, Saroj Ghoting, early childhood literacy consultant, looks at ways to adjust storytimes for virtual engagement. While virtual interactions are not the same as meeting face-to-face, this is a time to explore what works well in an online environment, what we can capitalize on, and what we can learn for the future.
• Upcoming Webinars
  • ​MAY 27: Online Reference and the Open Web: Boosting Strategies and Sources
  • JUNE 11: Libraries Prepare to Answer Civil Legal Questions in Times of Crisis
  • JUNE 16: Getting Started with Virtual Storytimes
• Additional Online Learning​

Please see below the call for program proposals from the WLA Conference Program Committee:

The theme for National Library Week (NLW) 2020, “Find your place at the library,” was chosen before the COVID-19 pandemic forced most libraries to temporarily close their physical spaces. Most people can’t visit their libraries in person, but libraries are still very much open for business. To celebrate that, ALA flipped the script a bit on the theme. “Find the library at your place” highlights how libraries are offering virtual services and digital content their communities need now more than ever. You are free to use any of the NLW materials with either theme. If your library plans to participate in NLW, please use the hashtags #NationalLibraryWeek and #LibrariesStrong to bring attention to the valuable role libraries are continuing to play.
 
The new “Find the library at your place” digital graphics and media tools in English and Spanish are available for download on the National Library Week webpage. For libraries that don’t have plans yet for NLW, or are unsure about how they can get involved this year, check out ALA's 20 Easy Ways to Participate in NLW 2020 tip sheet. ALA also has new Because statements that are relevant in our time of social distancing that can be posted to websites and social media.

“InfoSoup digital services are open to you even while (libraries) are closed,” said Evan Bend, Library Services Manager with the Outagamie Waupaca Library System (OWLS). Individuals that don’t have a library card with InfoSoup can sign up for one online and library staff will contact them with a temporary card number and pin that will allow access to all the InfoSoup digital resources.

An InfoSoup library card grants patrons access to digital resources for all ages such as ebooks, audiobooks, digitized magazines, newspaper archives and genealogy research. All resources are absolutely free with a library card. Learn more at www.infosoup.info/digital.
​
To register for a card, simply complete an online application at www.InfoSoup.org/selfreg. Library staff will follow up with each applicant with a library card number and PIN to access the library’s online resources.

The video is also broken into shorter segments. Click the "Read More" link below to see these shorter videos.

Go to the NEWI list of free webinars to find continuing education opportunities in which you can participate without leaving your library; most sessions are 60 minutes long, and are provided – at no charge to you – by associations, agencies, companies, and library systems.
 
Here’s a sample of webinars offered this month; click on a title to register:

• Body Odor: The Most Dreaded Conversation of All Time – March 5
• Marketing Crash Course for Librarians: The Beginner’s Guide to Promoting Your Collection and Events – March 10
• Services for Older Adults: Library Programs for Any Time and Any Place – March 11

Following are the headings in the February 13, 2020 Libraries Transform newsletter:

• Olympians Maia and Alex Shibutani to Chair National Library Week
• Harrison Ford Promotes Libraries in New Video PSA
• Winners of the Very Best Books and Media Announced
• Help Save Federal Funding for Libraries
• Sale on Libraries Transform Products
• We're Available for Conferences and Webinars
• More than 15,000 libraries and advocates have joined Libraries Transform!

Go to the NEWI list of free webinars to find continuing education opportunities in which you can participate without leaving your library; most sessions are 60 minutes long, and are provided – at no charge to you – by associations, agencies, companies, and library systems.
 
Here’s a sample of webinars offered this month:

• Activate Your Rural Community – Feb 5
• Free Tools for Working with Social Media – Feb 5
• Rural & One-Person Libraries: Safety & Security for Staff, presented by Dr. Steve Albrecht – Feb 6
• A Deeper Understanding of the Lives of People Experiencing Homelessness by Ryan Dowd – Feb 6
• Hiring & Recruiting Library Workers: A Guide for Small and Rural Librarians – Feb 7
• How to Create Video for Social Media on a Shoestring Budget: Tips & Tools – Feb 11
• Intro to Creating a Library Marketing Plan (includes a customizable template) – Feb 13
• Fine Free: How Libraries Are Increasing Equity, Engagement and Access for Their Communities – Feb 13
• Financial Literacy at Small & Rural Libraries: Little Library, Big Impact– Feb 18
• Outreach Programming: Finding & Serving Hidden Patrons – Feb 26

Follow-up message from WiLS:

It was wonderful to have you at our 2020 Membership Meeting last week. Thank you so much for being part of the community and for your interest in what we are doing to support our members.
 
The meeting recording and slides are available.
 
Also, we are excited to share that the WiLS 2019 Annual Report has been published and you can find it here.
 
Please let us know at information@wils.org if you have any questions.
 
Thank you!
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WiLS General Information
information@wils.org

Check out the headlines from the 01/24/2020 - 📢 Nic News Weekly.

• Free Programming Resources for Earth Day
• Join the WLA Mentorship Program!
• 2020 Collection Development Grants: Coming Soon
• Now Hiring: Youth Services Manager for Brown County Library (Central Library)
• An Introduction to Creating a Library Marketing Plan
• Voices of Women in America: Survey Due January 31

An Introduction to Creating a Library Marketing Plan
Thursday, Feb. 13, 1 pm
1 contact hour
Register
 
Except for the shelves of books, today’s libraries would be mostly unrecognizable to the patrons of 30 years ago. One of the challenges for libraries is finding effective ways to promote what they do, and developing a comprehensive marketing plan is an excellent starting point. A marketing plan provides focus to a library’s marketing efforts and ensures that limited resources are used effectively and efficiently. It helps keep you and your staff focused on the big picture of what you do—your vision and mission—and saves you time promoting individual events or projects. The marketing plan is the guide that provides order to your messaging and efforts. 

A state-wide public library system marketing cohort has drafted a marketing plan template that any library of any size can model and adapt.  Based on Kathy Dempsey's "Cycle of True Marketing," Jamie Matczak and Mark Ibach will walk through the marketing plan template that has been developed, answer questions, and seek feedback before the plan is officially presented to Wisconsin libraries. 
 
This webinar will share: 

•  A customizable marketing framework that can be adapted to suit a library’s unique needs and community
•  Sample marketing plan, budget, and calendar guides
• Links to resources that expand on the information presented

Below are the headlines from the latest 📣 Nic News Weekly newsletter.

• New Mileage Reimbursement Rate for 2020
• FREE Courses on Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Free webinars on teen outreach, guiding staff through change, programs for babies & more this month (NEWI)
• Website Accessibility Checks Anyone Can Do
• Are You Using Images Legally? Get FREE Sources Below!
• Time to Register for Library Legislative Day