Category: Libraries

“Accessibility” refers to the practice of making something usable by all, but the aspect of literacy is often overlooked. Literacy is critical for accessibility because it impacts individuals’ ability to understand and use information and services.

According to National Center for Education Statistics PIAAC data 21% of adults in the United States read below a third-grade level, while literacy levels for 54% of adults are below a sixth-grade level. A significant portion of the American population may find it difficult to understand everyday materials like job applications, financial statements, or instructions on medicine bottles. 

Library professionals should always take literacy skills into consideration when working with the public. Library websites, flyers, press releases, and marketing materials need to be created with literacy in mind. One way to help make verbiage more accessible is to write it for no higher than a sixth-grade reading level. There are many free tools available online where users can copy and paste in text and it will be scanned for readability, simplicity, and grade level. One such tool is hemingwayapp.com.

Using simple, plain language ensures that complex information is accessible and understandable. When materials are simplified to this level, broader audiences can grasp essential concepts without feeling overwhelmed.

Be sure to register for these upcoming learning events that will focus on the importance of plain language.

• Say What You Mean: Plain Language for Libraries
  • November 13, 2024 at 10:00 am PST
  • This webinar will include an explanation of Plain Language and why you should use it, examples, and an opportunity to revise existing language with Plain Language.
• Who’s on First: Cleaning Up Communication
  • December 11, 2024 at 11:00 am PST
  • This program explores numerous ways we can improve how we communicate and decrease frustration while boosting cooperation.

Do you have a training topic to bring to your region? Would you like to network and learn with library colleagues near you? CALL has been listening and we know you want more in-person events, but it’s hard to take time away from your library. Local CALL provides a chance for your library to host a learning event and invite your colleagues. California Libraries Learn will provide financial support.

Goals

Local CALL is intended to:

• Provide support for customized training at the regional level. 
• Encourage networking and connections between libraries with similar training needs. 
• Provide more on-ground training.
• Minimize staff time away from the library for training.
• Maximize the impact of training investments.
• Provide more in-person opportunities for rural and remote areas.
• Use more California trainers/presenters.

Guidelines

• Local CALL events must be hosted by a California public library or library cooperative. However, you may invite staff from other library types to participate.
• You may apply for financial support up to $5,000. Funds may be used for Presenters/Trainers and facility fees, if the event happens outside of the host library.
• The host library must invite other library staff within its region or cooperative library system. Local CALL cannot support training for a single library jurisdiction, such as a staff training day.
• The host library will handle registration, promotion, logistics and distribution of a required LSTA evaluation.
• CALL staff can provide guidance and assistance on topics and presenters when requested.
• Local CALL interest forms will be accepted starting October 24 and reviewed on a rolling basis until December 31, 2024. All Local CALL events must be complete by July 31, 2025.

I’m Interested!

• Complete and submit the Local CALL Interest Form.
• CALL staff will review the form and get back to you.
• If you have questions about Local CALL, please contact Lisa Barnhart, CALL Project Manager, at lbarnhart@cla-net.org.

As the holiday season approaches, more people will be targets of fraud and scammers. Libraries can protect Californians against these financial risks. CALL wants to alert you to two great resources to provide fraud prevention education to your patrons and staff.

The Federal Trade Commission has a daily scam email bulletin, and recently posted a list of resources just for library staff. They specifically thanked and praised libraries for their hard work assisting folks in spotting, avoiding, and reporting scams. Their new webpage for library staff offers webinars, office hours, videos, themed programming ideas (for Identity Theft Awareness Week, Financial Literacy month, and more) and social media posts like these:

Plus, the State of California has a Department of Financial Protection and Innovation that offers outreach services to libraries and residents. They can provide brochures, educational videos, and in-person events (in English, Spanish, and Korean). Check out their calendar of scheduled events and plan your own event! DFPI offers invaluable resources on many topics, including consumer fraud, seniors, military personnel, elder abuse, immigrant community outreach, and mortgage education.

Community engagement through the process of co-design is a priority for the California State Library as outlined in the LSTA 5-Year plan. Although co-design concepts are not new, there is some confusion about what exactly co-design is, and both how and when to do it. CALL asked Audrey Barbakoff to develop a resource to help in your co-design journey, and it’s called The Co-Design Trail Guide.

The Guide was developed out of conversations with the California library community. As Audrey says in the introduction – “Co-design is not a linear process; it’s a journey with twists, turns, and loops. California library workers wanted a resource that would let them start where they are and go in whatever direction they needed to. Therefore, this trail guide is not meant to be a linear resource either. While you can work through it start to finish, you can also skip pieces, jump ahead, and go back.”

The Co-Design Trail Guide will be organized into five phases, plus a backpack of resources.

Trail Overview: An introduction to co-design.

Base Camp: Lay the groundwork by building foundational concepts to prepare you for your co-design journey.

Trailhead: Take the first steps in your co-design project by laying a strong foundation for co-design, ideally before launching into a project. (Hint: it’s all about relationships!)

On the Trail: The nuts and bolts of making a co-design project happen.

The Loop: Iterate and sustain co-design efforts, with a focus on building a lasting culture of collaboration that extends beyond a single project.

Backpack: A list of resources to help you on the journey.

The Trail Guide will be an ongoing resource for California library workers to use as they approach co-design in their community. Look for it coming soon online!

The California State Library and California Library Association are pleased to announce the second cohort of participants in the Catalyst leadership development program. Catalyst is a cohort-based program under the banner of California Libraries Learn (CALL) designed to equip and support California library workers with development opportunities that allow them to lead from anywhere. 

This year’s Catalyst selection process was competitive, with 94 applications received for only 25 available spots. The evaluation involved an anonymized scoring process conducted by a panel of library leaders from around the state, followed by a final review to ensure a balanced representation across California’s diverse geography, library types, jurisdictions, and roles.

During the program, participants will explore and apply critical skills in library leadership, including equity, effective communication, community engagement, and co-design. The cohort will also engage in enriching networking experiences, reflective practices, and mentorship opportunities designed to foster both personal and professional growth.

The Catalyst cohort participants for this year are:

Name: Adriel Ahern
Library: Sebastopol Regional Library

Adriel Ahern has worked as a Children’s Librarian at the Sebastopol Regional Library since 2017. She has participated in a variety of leadership styles in her many years working in health food stores. She now focuses on building relationships with her community and promoting nature literacy and social justice in all areas of children’s services.

Name: Alice Erickson
Library: San Mateo County Library

Alice is a Children’s Librarian with San Mateo County Libraries where she has worked for over 5 years in a variety of roles. She is passionate about building capacity for families to support youth development and learning and loves nothing more than singing and reading with young children and their caregivers. In her spare time, she explores her creative side through knitting and dancing.

Name: Allison Bridgewater
Library: Ontario City Library

Allison Bridgewater is the Senior Librarian for Youth Services at the Ontario City Library. She originally became interested in library work because of her love of reading, but the meaningful connections she’s formed with families are what really inspires her each day. A former ESL teacher, Allison is especially passionate about providing services for newcomer families and English language learners.

Name: Barbara Lawrence
Library: Gault Elementary School

Barbara Lawrence is a school librarian at Gault Elementary School in Santa Cruz. She works in a library that actively works to provide a safe space for families within the school community.

Name: Brandy Maldonado
Library: Santa Clara County Library District

Brandy currently serves as a Supervising Librarian of Adults & Teen Services for the Santa Clara County Library District. She is deeply committed to fostering inclusive programming, exploring the intersection of culture and libraries, and actively engaging with her community. In her free time, Brandy enjoys reading horror novels and hiking.

Name: Briana Herrod
Library: Sonoma County Library

Briana is currently an Outreach Librarian with the Sonoma County Library. She enjoys getting out in the community in remote areas of the county, and areas with challenges to accessing library services. She is an intentional listener that works to develop programs in response to community needs.

Name: Christina Lacayo
Library: Alameda County Library

Christina works for the Alameda County Library as an Adult Services Librarian at the Union City branch. In addition, she is an active member of the Spanish Language Programming Team as well as the Marketing & Editorial Team for ACL.

Name: Darren Heiber
Library: San Francisco Public Libraries

Darren Heiber is currently a Branch Manager at the beautiful Glen Park Branch of San Francisco Public Libraries. He has previously been a Teen Services Librarian, Academic Librarian, High School English Teacher, waiter, itinerant worker, gas station attendant, and Co-Executive Director of Free Geek, a Portland, Oregon-based e-waste and technology education non-profit.

Name: Denise Fournier
Library: Baywood Elementary School

Denise works at Baywood Elementary School where she loves to inspire and encourage young readers. Denise fosters community by dressing in costumes as the school crossing guard each day. What will she be today? A T-Rex, an Icee, or even Spiderman. When not ensconced in a book, Denise enjoys hiking, camping, watching middle schoolers and high schoolers run in circles as a track and cross county coach, and writing notes to people with lots of happy exclamation points!

Name: Elizabeth Tapia
Library: Riverside Public Library

I recently joined the Riverside Public Library as a librarian, and I am excited to be working in my neighborhood library. I am also excited to work alongside my colleagues to continue developing collections and programs that promote literacy as a foundational tool for self-advocacy and community engagement.

Name: Esmeralda Gamez
Library: Fresno County Library

Esmeralda Gamez is a library assistant who helps with bilingual programs and events in Fresno and is always excited to share information about the library with the Spanish speaking community. She spends her free time watching horror movies, writing poetry and attending concerts all over CA.

Name: Fiorella Casella
Library: Long Beach Public Library

Fiorella is a General Librarian in the Collection Services department at Long Beach Public Library. She solely focuses on developing the adult fiction collection for the 12-branch system. Outside of work she enjoys being a dog mom and doing some serious comic book reading.

Name: Jerrica Edmundson
Library: Madera County Library

Jerrica is a Library Branch Assistant with the Madera County Library and has been in her position for 7 years, working to improve the Madera Ranchos branch of the library system. She has wanted to work in libraries since her early teens and is currently working towards finally obtaining her MLIS degree so that she can better implement her love of community-based programming to serve those in her surrounding communities.

Name: Jessie Wu
Library: Hayward Public Library

Jessie Wu is an immigrant, TESOL instructor, and Literacy Program Coordinator at Hayward Public Library. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, Zumba, volleyball, relaxing with matcha tea, and spending time with her family.

Name: Joshua Bonk
Library: Santa Monica Public Library

I am a library assistant with the Santa Monica Public Library, and one project I loved working on was developing a bike tool collection. I’m very excited about co-creating bike-centered programs that our community will find valuable.

Name: Journey Lefay
Library: Los Angeles Public Library

Journey (they/them) has 2 years of librarianship experience at the Los Angeles Public Library system in the International Languages Department, Science Department, and Octavia Lab makerspace. Journey is passionate about psychology, UX design, disability advocacy, and gaming as immersive interactive storytelling medium.

Name: Karen Arcos
Library: Braille Institute Library

Karen is Outreach Manager for Braille Institute Library, an affiliate of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), Library of Congress. She identifies as a Spanish bilingual and bicultural totally blind woman and enjoys hiking and baking.

Name: Kevin Vigil
Library: San Diego County Library

Kevin is a Youth Librarian at the San Diego County Library, a University of Arizona MLIS graduate, and Knowledge River Scholar alum. He believes libraries help build healthy communities and sustain democracy by providing free and equitable access to information resources. He has a strong interest in digital archives, zines, fuzzy guitar music, and Star Wars. He also enjoys being with his family.

Name: KK Tetrault
Library: Freshwater Elementary School

KK Tetrault’s job title is Library Tech but technically, she runs the whole little library at Freshwater Elementary school in Humboldt County. She is excited and enthusiastic about providing community support through librarianship, which she is delving into with heart and soul!

Name: Kyle Moreno
Library: Burbank Public Library

Kyle Moreno is the Reader Engagement Librarian at the Burbank Public Library. They are passionate about creating inclusive programs and activities that bring readers and writers together.

Name: Luisa Leija
Library: Long Beach Public Library

Luisa is the Senior Librarian of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Multilingual Collections at the Long Beach Public Library. She is passionate about community engagement, youth development, social justice, knowledge production, cultural heritage, and creative writing. She enjoys dreaming with people to find innovative and collaborative ways libraries can better serve the needs of their diverse communities.

Name: Mary Yamanaka
Library: Fresno County Public Library

Mary Yamanaka is an Adult Librarian for the Fresno County Public Library, and also worked as a Children’s Librarian and an FDLP Coordinator in the past. She was born on the island of Guam and is indigenous Chamorro. When she earned her B.A. and MLIS degrees, she became the first generation graduate in her family for both.

Name: Pedro Orellana
Library: Cerritos Library

Pedro Orellana is the adult services librarian at Cerritos Library. As a passionate community builder, my mission is to create inclusive spaces where diversity is celebrated, accessibility is prioritized, and local history is cherished. My commitment to these values stems from a deep-seated belief that every individual deserves to be seen, heard, and valued in our collective journey.

Name: Sara LeBlanc
Library: Ontario City Library

I am a teen librarian at a public library with 7 years of experience working at a high school. I am also a mother, a crafter, and a serial hobbyist.

Name: Stephanie Levin
Library: Camarillo Public Library

I am a dedicated and enthusiastic Circulation Manager at the Camarillo Public Library. I enjoy creativity through crafts, photo taking and cooking. And I am a music lover at heart.

If you’re attending the California Library Association Annual Conference on October 17-19, 2024, in Pasadena, take advantage of the plentiful CALL offerings! Learn more from the conference schedule.

It’s Supersession Thursday for CALL on October 17. We hope to see you at the Pasadena Convention Center for one or more of these terrific trainings.

Meet members of the first Catalyst leadership cohort in a morning session, Community-Driven Libraries: Exploring Co-Design with Catalyst Leaders. Imagine a library where community members are active partners in designing the services they use– where their voices are heard, valued, and integrated into the very fabric of library offerings. If this vision excites you, then join this interactive program that will explore the power of co-design to transform library services, enhance equity, and alleviate the burden on library workers to have all the answers.

Be Sensitive, Be Brave for Mental Health (BSBB for MH) training, which is offered in the morning and again in the afternoon, infuses culture and diversity throughout a foundational workshop on mental health and mental health conditions. This workshop prepares community members to help friends and loved ones of all ages during times of mental health distress. This session is offered as a preview for library staff interested in becoming BSBB for MH trainers, or in offering BSBB for MH at their libraries.

In the afternoon, CALL is sponsoring New Library Directors Jump Start designed for public library directors who want a safe session for discussion and a behind-the-scenes look with experienced colleagues.

CALL favorite Beth Wahler offers a morning supersession on Caring for Ourselves and One Another: Supporting Sustainable Practice for Library Staff. Explore new strategies for caring for yourself in the face of stress as well as caring for colleagues and contributing to a healthy, psychologically safe workplace. Wahler follows up with an afternoon supersession on Effective Library Leadership Strategies for Reducing Staff Stress and Trauma, designed for participants who are in supervisory or management positions in their libraries.

There’s much more from other State Library-supported projects, too.

• The Building Equity-Based Summers team brings a full-day workshop (no conference registration required) on Equitable Summers: Reimagining Long-Held Traditions & Your Library’s Summer “Why.”
• California Library Literacy Services offers two morning sessions on Supporting English Language Learners and Family Literacy Overview: Promising Practices and Ideas for California Library Literacy Services, plus an afternoon session on A Trauma-Informed Approach to Adult Literacy Services: 25+ Social-Emotional Learning Strategies to Empower Your Transformational Learners.
• The community-centered libraries project provides a morning supersession on Meeting Mental Health Needs of Your Community Through Culturally Inclusive Community Engagement.
• In the afternoon, the Sustainable California Libraries project offers 2024-2025 LSTA Grantee Super Session: A Collaborative Workshop, where you can meet and learn from successful state-funded grant projects from the past year.

Do you want a better understanding of mental health and practical tools for use in your daily work? In August and September, CALL is offering Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Instructor Certification.

One in five Americans has a mental illness in any given year. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased depression and anxiety symptoms for many who are reluctant to seek help or do not know where to turn for care. California library workers are well aware of these challenges, as shown by this year’s California Library Association conference theme, Balancing Act: Self Care and Shelf Care. 

In response, California Libraries Learn (CALL) is offering the opportunity for library workers to be certified as Instructors in the MHFA curriculum for Youth and/or Adults. Read more about Debunking Myths Around Mental Health First Aid.

“Mental Health First Aid’s (MHFA) main goal is to teach individuals how to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges in their friends, neighbors and coworkers. MHFA does not teach individuals how to diagnose or treat mental illness or substance use, but it equips them with crucial skills for providing assistance.”

Lodi Public Library

Andriana Martin, librarian at the Lodi Public Library, is a certified MHFA Instructor. She has seen the impact on the Lodi community. “The library is the hub of any community, filled with free information and resources for all members of the public,” says Martin. “Three years ago, all the library staff members at Lodi Public Library were trained in Mental Health First Aid. The training was specifically focused on helping adults within the community.” The library was recognized for their work with the MHFA and adults in the local news. Last year, teens in the community asked for the training for themselves. In response, more staff members trained as instructors in Teen MHFA. As staff started promoting these trainings to teens, community members also requested the course.

Your library can do the same thing as the Lodi Public Library, which is now poised to train more new MHFA instructors through CALL. Having more instructors will increase capacity to go out into the community and host training sessions in MHFA for adults, teens, and youth. According to the MHFA, research shows that individuals who complete instructor training are able to use their skills to offer support through appropriate self-help and professional resources. You can be part of the solution for the mental health crisis.

Apply now to be certified as an MHFA Instructor. The course is provided at no cost to you.

A guest post by Linda Hofschire

Do you find it challenging to share a compelling story about your library data? Do you wonder how to make the data stories you tell more equitable? On August 13 at 10:00 AM, join us for a free webinar, Writing the Data Story With an Equity Lens, taught by Heather Krause, the founder of We All Count, a project for equity in data science.

Interpreting the results of a data analysis is crucial. To craft a data story that is useful, rigorous, and equitable, it’s essential to take a step back and thoughtfully consider your options. In this webinar, Heather will guide you through specific steps to apply a data equity lens to your project’s narrative. Learn how to interpret your results in a way that aligns with and supports the purpose of your project.

You may be thinking “hmmm…this webinar looks interesting but I’m not a numbers person.” Don’t worry! Heather does a great job of talking about data in a way that is accessible to everyone. So, we hope you will join us on the 13th. Register here. 

This webinar is the last session in a webinar series about equitable data practices. Earlier sessions, also taught by Heather, have covered topics including:

• Data Equity: An Introduction – What is data equity? 
• Collecting and Analyzing Social Identity Data With an Equity Lens – If you need to collect demographic data about your community, how can you do this in a way that centers the people you care about? 
• Deciding Which Questions to Ask Your Data – How can you refine the focus of your data projects to make them more equitable? 
• Doing Descriptive Analysis With an Equity Lens: Who Gets Counted? – How can you minimize bias when analyzing data about your community? 
• Questions to Ask Before Using Predictive Analysis and Machine Learning When Working With Data – What questions should you ask vendors when considering artificial intelligence (AI) tools? 

We encourage you to check out the recordings of these webinars, share them with your colleagues, and use our handy webinar discussion guide to start talking about these important topics. And, don’t delay! The webinar recordings are available for one year after each webinar first aired, and the first one (Data Equity: An Introduction) will go away after September 24, 2024.  

This webinar series is part of the Community-Centered Libraries Project, brought to you by the California State Library and Pacific Library Partnership. Questions? Contact Linda Hofschire, Community-Centered Libraries Project Manager.

Libraries do so much good work and provide so many wonderful resources.

But unless people know about these things, you may not even be making much of an impact.

That’s where CALL’s new in-person, no-cost workshops with Kathy Dempsey come in.

You might know Kathy from her work as author of The Accidental Library Marketer…or from her episode on the Library Leadership Podcast…or from her work with Information Today and the Marketing Libraries Services newsletter…or as head of the consulting firm and Facebook site Libraries Are Essential. She calls herself a “marketing maven,” and really, what library doesn’t need one?

Kathy is coming to the California State Library in Sacramento for two days in August 2024. On Wednesday, August 7, from 1-4:30 p.m., she’ll help you hone your personal skills with a hands-on workshop, “Gaining Confidence in Public Speaking: Pro Tips for Giving Great Presentations.” On Thursday, August 8, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Kathy will guide you through “Promoting Your Library: External Communications and Outreach Training and Practice.” 

Travel reimbursement is available for anyone traveling more than 50 miles one way. Sign up for either or both workshops! Together, they’ll provide you with a comprehensive introduction to public speaking and promoting your library.

More information about the two upcoming sessions:

Gaining Confidence in Public Speaking: Pro Tips for Giving Great Presentations

• Wednesday, August 7, from 1-4:30 p.m.
• If you don’t give presentations very often, you might find the task intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Communications maven Kathy Dempsey has given roughly 200 talks over her career, both face-to-face and online. In-person audiences have ranged from 10 people seated in a semi-circle to conference rooms with hundreds of attendees. She’ll share her pro tips on avoiding butterflies, speaking effectively, and keeping people’s attention. Whether you’re about to give your 1st or your 21st presentation, in a small boardroom or a big ballroom, you’ll find some tips here that will make it less nerve-wracking for you and more enjoyable for your audience.
  
  Listeners will learn:
  • Why preparation means everything
  • What to know about your audience ahead of time
  • How to start the presentation on a good note
  • How to make the microphone your friend
  • Tips for speaking slowly and clearly
  • The power of eye contact
  • How to connect to crowds when you’re presenting online
  • Things you should avoid doing

Promoting Your Library: External Communications

• Thursday, August 8, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• This session will teach you the basics of outreach communication, then show you how to apply them to get your messages to those in need, even if they don’t have email or internet service. You’ll learn how and why to separate populations into “target audiences” with the help of basic audience research. Then, using a combination of psychology and wordsmithing, you’ll learn how to write effective messages that your target audience will respond to. We’ll also discuss where to place messages to help them get noticed. After this session’s lessons, you’ll do some writing practice and have it evaluated on the spot.
  
  The knowledge you gain will prepare you to create:
  • Compelling value statements
  • Media soundbites
  • Brochure text
  • Elevator speeches
  • Web copy
  • Email subject lines
  • Social media posts
  • Better press releases

These strategies will be especially helpful to those who don’t have prior communications training. Any library worker will leave this session with more knowledge and confidence in communicating with hard-to-reach segments of their communities.

Be sure to register for these wonderful workshops!

A guest post by Catalyst participant, Cloud Bell

As a participant in 2023-2024 Catalyst cohort, I can tell you firsthand – this program is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. It’s like a leadership skills bootcamp that will strengthen your existing leadership muscles and help you discover ones you never knew you had!

Starting off with a conference at the beautiful Asilomar near Monterey, we got to meet the other cohort members and the coaches who would be guiding us on our Catalyst journey. As an extrovert who loves meeting new people, this was my favorite part of the experience. I have formed friendships with several fellow Catalysts, and it was such a joy to see everyone again at our regular online zoom meetings, as well as at another in-person conference in Ontario, California. Fear not, introverts: nobody is put on the spot, but participation from everyone is encouraged. I loved how diverse the cohort was. Wee had Academic Librarians, a Law Librarian, Library Assistants, and many other library positions from across California.