Youth Services News

Newsletters are archived on the OLIS website.

To assist Rhode Island public libraries in responding to the coronavirus pandemic, the Office of Library and Information Services will provide CARES Act funding made available through the Institute of Museum and Library Services to help libraries prepare to reopen to the public, to adapt services for the public due to COVID-19, or to start new services in response to COVID-19.

Youth Services Librarians, please note that allowable costs include:

Supplies to adapt or expand services

• Printing materials to support adapted programs
• Activity kits, books, or other supplies to support summer reading

For more information please see the full mini-grant description at https://olis.ri.gov/grants/lori/cares/index.php

Beginning this fall, OLIS will be facilitating a RI cohort of youth services librarians interested in working through Project READY: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth online professional development curriculum. This will be a year long learning opportunity, with a mix of monthly cohort meetings and asynchronous work. If interested, please take a look at Project READY and stay tuned for an informational meeting later this summer.

• Adrienne Butler, Youth Services Consultant at the Oklahoma Department of Libraries has compiled an extensive list of Anti-Racism Reading Lists and Resources
• Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Youth Services Consultant at the Ohio State Library has compiled Race and Antiracism CE Opportunities (free and fee based)
  
• The Vermont Department of Libraries has compiled a list of Booklists and Resources Addressing Race and Social Justice (PDF attached below)

Please also see EmbraceRace for youth and family centered resources and webinars (highly recommended).

And don't forget the OLIS EDI LibGuide at https://olis-ri.libguides.com/edi.

Summer meal sites are getting ready to feed kids who may be missing out on nutritious lunches while school is out. Attached below is the 2020 flyer - please share the 2020 flyer through your various channels of communication (consider posting the flyer at your curbside pickup location or printing flyers to be included in curbside pickup bundles, activity kits, etc.). For more information on the summer meals program, visit the summer meals tab on the Summer Reading Program LibGuide.

Please note that RI has received waivers from the USDA relaxing the eligibility requirements for this summer. If you have previously been interested in being a summer meal site but were not eligible, please contact danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov

How to help families find summer meal sites in your community:

• print and distribute the RI Summer Meals flyer
• promote the RI Summer Meals program on your library's web site and social media
• call 211 for locations
• create a video for social media demonstrationg how to download the RI Summer Meals app from the App Store

Nationwide, families can find summer meal sites by:

• searching an address through the USDA meal site finder at www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks
• texting “Summer Meals” to 97779
• calling 1-866-348-6479

YS chats have been scheduled have been scheduled for alternating Mondays. Registration can be found at at https://olis-ri.libcal.com/calendar/olisce/?cid=8293&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=8293&ct=35560&inc=0.
Email topic suggestions to danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov or riyac@listserve.ri.gov.

• Use the hashtags #RISummerReading, #ImagineYourStory, and LibrariesImagine
  
• The recording of the June 5 webinar Beanstack Tips and Tricks is available and an accompanying resource document is available below.
  
• A COVID-19 page has been added to the SRP LibGuide at https://olis-ri.libguides.com/SRP/covid-19 and includes resources for adapting your SRP program for social distancing and phased reopening.
  
• CSLP has developed Summer 2020: Additional Resources in Response to COVID-19, a toolkit for SRP in-a-box programming. These materials can be found on the SRP LibGuide and on the CSLP website, www.cslpreads.org.
• Additional themed SRP resources, including instructions for accessing the online manual, can be found at https://olis-ri.libguides.com/SRP/2020
• Explorer Wallet Cards will not be available this year.
  

Recent youth services webinars have not been uploaded to YouTube yet, but they can be viewed at the following links:

• Beanstack Tips and Tricks
  
• Reimagining SRP for a Post COVID-19 World

• Virtual Programming for Tweens and Teens
• DIY Data Dashboards in Google Sheets
• Managing Teen Volunteers
• Introduction to Canva
• Girls Who Code Introductory Webinar

A COVID-19 page and a Virtual Training page have been added to both the Children's Services Roundtable (CSRT) LibGuide and the Young Adult Roundtable (YART) LibGuide. These pages are still under construction, but the COVID-19 pages will include information and resources on topics that arise during the weekly chats and the Virtual Training pages feature learning opportunities specific to youth services.

CSRT LibGuide - https://olis-ri.libguides.com/csrt

YART LibGuide - https://olis-ri.libguides.com/yart

Also be sure to refer to and bookmark the COVID-19: Information for Rhode Island Libraries LibGuide - https://olis-ri.libguides.com/covid19

This LibGuide contains reopening guidelines and other COVID-19 related information.

Email: danielle.margarida@olis.ri.gov
Website: http://www.olis.ri.gov/
Location: 1 Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02908
Phone: 401-574-9309
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olisri
Twitter: @olisri