The latest additions to the Wyoming State Library’s collection are available to you through WYLDCAT. Questions, comments, or suggestions for purchase may be directed to Library Development Manager Brian Greene at brian.greene@wyo.gov or (307) 777-6339.
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Conrrado Saldivar, Adult Services Specialist at Natrona County Library, is this year’s recipient of the Wyoming Library Association’s Outstanding Librarian award. This award recognizes the significant and outstanding accomplishments of a library employee in the past year, including service to the public and/or library community. The yearly award is meant to reflect the goals of WLA and the library profession as a whole.
Saldivar has a lot to show for his accomplishments in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States and Wyoming, Saldivar saw an opportunity for the Library to use their Creation Station equipment to make personal protective equipment (PPE) for Natrona County and Wyoming health care workers. Saldivar took the lead in partnering with the Wyoming Technology Coronavirus Coalition (WTCC) to produce face shields and masks using the library’s 3D printer, Cricut Maker, and sewing machines. In fact, Saldivar single-handedly produced 120 face shield parts that went to several local medical centers in Casper including the Wyoming Medical Center, Central Wyoming Counseling Center, and Child Development Center of Natrona County. Saldivar also organized a medical supplies donation drive at the Library on April 7 to gather personal protective equipment from the community.
Along with his contributions to COVID relief efforts, Saldivar is recognized for his leadership abilities, service to the community, and unwavering kindness. This is not the first time that Saldivar has been noticed for his achievements, either. He received the American Library Association’s 2019/2020 Spectrum Scholarship for his commitment to equity and inclusion. Saldivar was also named a Husky 100 Honoree for 2020 from his graduate school, an honor awarded to students of excellence.
Conrrado began working at the Natrona County Library in April 2015 as an Adult Services Specialist. He received a B.A. in anthropology and Spanish from the University of Wyoming in 2013 and began working on his MLIS at the University of Washington iSchool in 2018. He is currently a contributing writer for the Hack Library School blog and Co-President of the Student Chapter of the American Library Association at the University of Washington.
Would you like some gentle reminders for your patrons to wear masks in your library building? The Wyoming State Library has created these posters for you to use. Click on the image for a full-size downloadable JPG you can print and post in your building.
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The Arts in Libraries program intended to train and coach librarians and artists in the field of Creative Aging has been postponed until 2021. The project, announced in May, was originally slated to begin with face to face training sessions later this summer. More details on the rescheduled training will be announced as they become available.
Creative Aging is an effective way to address adverse health effects associated with aging with intentional arts engagement. Arts in Libraries will help Wyoming’s librarians and teaching artists learn how to provide innovative, arts-based direct programming for older adults.
The Wyoming Arts Council received a $20,000 grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation’s McMurry Library Endowment Fund to support Arts in Libraries. The Arts Council has partnered with the Wyoming State Library and Lifetime Arts on this project.
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
As communities and businesses are opening, you may be looking for ways to resume some daily activities as safely as possible. While there is no way to ensure zero risk of infection, it is important to understand potential risks and how to adopt different types of prevention measures to protect yourself and to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
See these tips on visiting libraries and other places from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As a reminder, if you have COVID-19, have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, it is important to stay home and away from other people.
The 4th annual Wyoming Innovations in Learning Conference is moving to online delivery. The event takes place November 5-6, 2020. Registration is $25.
The call for proposals has been extended until June 19, with notification by June 30. Conference organizers are looking for presenters from all fields willing to share their ideas and experiences to help inspire educators to bring their best teaching practices to K-20 learning. The registration fee will be waived for selected presenters.
This conference is hosted by the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), the Wyoming Distance Education Consortium (WyDEC), the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming community colleges, the Wyoming State Library, school libraries, and the Wyoming Arts Council.
People all across the country are social distancing and have time on their hands right now. It’s important to remember; it has never been easier to respond to the census on your own — online, by phone, or by mail — without ever having to meet a census taker face-to-face.
The 2020 Census is now open for response! Remember, you don’t need to leave your house or need an invitation to complete your questionnaire — you can submit your information online, by mail, and by phone right now.
What can we do when our libraries are closed? Here, we address serving patrons during a pandemic (i.e. via social media, email blasters, newsletters, and phone calls). If you have further questions, please contact Jessica Dawkins at (307) 777-6337 or jessica.dawkins@wyo.gov.
Self-response is open and has been extended to receive submissions until July 14, 2020 (subject to change at the U.S. Census Bureau’s discretion). April 1st is still Census Day. Your library can plan a social media campaign to spread the word on April 1st — use the graphics below (click each image to view full size and download), or make your own. Use #Census2020, #CountOnLibraries, and #WyomingCounts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more. You can also use these graphics in emails and newsletters to your patrons. We can still make an impact in our communities, and in the Wyoming count, even if we aren’t seeing each other face-to-face right now.
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From the American Library Association: “Even if their buildings are closed to the public, libraries can inform their communities about the 2020 Census by sharing information by social media, email, or newsletter. For resources, see the Census Bureau’s outreach materials, or materials from partners like Sesame Workshop, Seussville, and Nickelodeon. Use the hashtag #CountOnLibraries on social media to join the conversation.”
Patrons and coworkers may be feeling helpless right now. The census is one rway to help yourself, your family, and your community. It takes less time to complete than it takes to drink a cup of coffee. It¦s easy, important, and safe — these are the things your patrons want to feel right now.
How are you promoting the 2020 Census during these closures? We want to know! Email susan.mark@wyo.gov or jessica.dawkins@wyo.gov, or tweet us @WyoLibraries.
Here are some ideas to move your library’s crucial Census 2020 journey forward during these current events:
Watch the response as it happens — the U.S. Census Bureau launched a new online map as part of its 2020 Census Response Rate Challenge. This will be updated every day in the afternoon.
Recap from last week: There is a COVID-19 task force established within the Bureau to track news, rumors, and to communicate with federal, state, and local health authorities. Regardless of this situation, the U.S. Census Bureau must fulfill the constitutional obligation and their core task of counting everyone once, only once, and in the right place, and have taken great measures to prioritize the safety and well-being of U.S. residents and census workers even before this event. The more questionnaires completed, the fewer houses census representatives will need to visit.
To help promote real information about the 2020 Census and to stay up to date with official census news, follow the U.S. Census Bureau on their official social media accounts, where you can share Census 2020 content with your patrons directly from the source:
The Wyoming State Library is closed to the public until further notice.
Although our doors are closed to walk-in patrons, all services and staff are operating. We are here for you by phone or email — please don’t hesitate to contact us. You may reach our main desk at statelibrary@wyo.gov or (307) 777-6333, or you can find contact information for specific people on our Staff & Department Directory.
Library 2.0 is holding its first Library 2.020 mini-conference, “Wholehearted Libraries,” which will be held online (and for free) on Tuesday, March 10, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm MDT.
This mini-conference will explore the human side of 21st-Century information work. The presenters will define what soft skills are, how and when to use various soft skills, types of training that can improve soft skills, and how to share emotionally engaging stories. Learn what libraries are doing now to extend services, create welcoming spaces, and engage users with soft skills such as compassion, empathy, creativity, curiosity, and finding balance.
This event is being organized in partnership with iSchool Associate Professor Michael Stephens.
With a new decade fresh on the horizon, Wyoming libraries should be gearing up for Census 2020. This is the first time the census will be available for online completion, in addition to the usual over-the-phone and mail-in submissions, which patrons across the state may struggle with accessing due to lack of or weak personal internet access. Libraries across Wyoming can be prepared for the count by learning about the 2020 Census, reaching out to their community leaders, and advocating for a Complete Count.
There is a lot of information out there regarding the U.S. Census, which is overwhelming to both staff and patrons — and that’s okay! The Wyoming State Library is here to guide your library staff through the most crucial information on the census. In early January, we’ll send each library in Wyoming a Census 2020 packet containing a Wyoming Library Census 2020 Toolkit with streamlined information, examples of our Wyoming-specific printable promotional materials, and posters and bookmarks provided by the Wyoming Community Foundation.
The Wyoming State Library has created a webpage dedicated to the Census 2020 and Wyoming libraries where you’ll find helpful videos, the WSL Library Census 2020 Toolkit, marketing resources, and more information for patrons as well as resources for trustees, library staff, and resources specifically collected for school and children’s librarians addressing the hard-to-count population of children in Wyoming.
Also starting in January, the Wyoming State Library will send weekly training emails on various census topics, possible situations to prepare for, and further resources. Contact Jessica Dawkins at jessica.dawkins@wyo.gov with any census questions you may have so we can personalize our training to include issues and concerns faced by Wyoming librarians, and to assure that your library and its staff is included in this opportunity.
Learn more at library.wyo.gov/census-2020.
