Monday Briefing - January 31, 2022

Announcement: OWWL Libraries Assistive Technologies Grant Program

Assistive Technologies are products, equipment, software, or systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities or challenges. Through the Assistive Technologies Grant Program, Pioneer Library System will award up to $20,000 to OWWL Libraries to add Assistive Technologies to their facilities to better support library users.

This program has been made possible through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding administered by the Rochester Regional Library Council.

For more information: https://docs.owwl.org/Members/AssistiveTechnologiesGrantProgram

Deadline to apply: March 4, 2022

OverDrive Reciprocal Lending Goes Live February 1, 2022

Our go-live date with the Reciprocal Lending Arrangement (RLA) between OWWL (Pioneer), Southern Tier (STLS), and Finger Lakes (FLLS) will be Tuesday, February 1, 2022.

All of our OverDrive users, both standard library cardholders and students with SORA (school login) access, will be able to add STLS and FLLS as a library to their OverDrive accounts!

Whether users currently access our digital collection via the Libby or OverDrive apps or the OverDrive website, they will be able to increase their borrowing options through our new arrangement.

Reminder: Annual Report Workshop, Friday, February 4, 2022 at 10:00 AM

Join us for a review of the 2021 Annual Report for Public and Association Libraries. We will outline changes/updates as well as the new questions related to Minimum Standards, programming, and COVID-19. Directors and/or the Annual Report Contact from each library should plan to attend.

Click here to register .

Division of Library Development Memo: Library Hours and Rising COVID Numbers

A few questions have come up about hours and COVID-related closures. Below is a memo from the Division of Library Development on operating hours. I would not worry about meeting requirements if you need to close due to COVID. There are always notes that can be added to the Annual Report if there are COVID-related issues.

[As of] January 1, libraries must provide regularly scheduled open hours that meet minimum requirements. These regularly scheduled hours must be for in-person services; curbside and lobby services no longer count toward hours open.

We understand that libraries might have to close temporarily due to operational issues like temporary staff shortages. As always, those temporary deviations do not have to be reported and will not count against regularly scheduled hours open. However, the expectation is that otherwise libraries will remain open and serving the public through in-person services.

From the Division of Library Development

Interesting Articles

• Public libraries across the U.S. are taking note of this Richmond branch’s parent-and-child-friendly design, Washington Post, 2022.01.29
• Ridgeland Mayor Demands LGBTQ+ Book Purge, Threatens Library Funding, Mississippi Free Press, 2022.01.22
  • We'll be talking about this topic during the March 10 Trustee Workshop, A Board's Guide to Book Challenges in Public Libraries
• Why your local library might be hiring a social worker , NPR, 2022.01.03
• ALA disappointed in New York Governor's rejection of ebook equity legislation , ALA News, 2022.01.03

HBR Tip of the Day

I often find scalable advice from Harvard Business Review. Here is one that came in yesterday on checking in with direct reports.

Ask Your Direct Reports These 5 Questions in Your Next Check In

If you’re worried that your employees are eyeing the door, it’s time to start having some important, career-defining conversations. Here are five key questions to ask your direct reports at your next one-on-one to ensure that they feel seen and valued — before it’s too late.

1. How would you like to grow within this organization? Identify the career development opportunities they need — whether that’s coaching, mentoring, increased visibility, or more challenging projects. They’re more likely to stay if they feel like they’re growing.
2. Do you feel a sense of purpose in your job? Tap into what’s meaningful to them — and connect it with the values of the organization.
3. What do you need from me to do your best work? Be prepared to devote more time and resources to help your employee feel fulfilled.
4. What are we currently not doing as a company that you feel we should do? Asking what they feel the company could be doing better — what market opportunities it might be overlooking, how to leverage resources more effectively, etc. — conveys that their thoughts and opinions matter.
5. Are you able to do your best work every day? This allows you to determine whether they’re optimizing their strengths. You might follow up with, “What part of your job would you eliminate if you could?” Don’t make promises but knowing which aspects of their job are least and most enjoyable will help you make any necessary changes to ensure they stick around.

Full PDF Version - HBR 5 Questions Every Manager Needs to Ask Their Direct Reports.PDF