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HomeMy WebLinkAboutattachment2Oshkosh Public Library Highlights October 2020 1. OPL’s photography contest, F Stop: Shelter, offers a glimpse into the ways our community is finding refuge during the pandemic. The 46 entries from teens and adults were amazingly diverse and the heartfelt narratives that accompany them paint a picture of shelter that is poignant and relatable. An online exhibit of entries will be shared via our website and a video is currently in the works to showcase the project in social media. Thanks to our sponsor Camera Casino for their support. 2. Since the library started offering curbside service in late April, 18,000 curbside appointments have been completed, with a total of 76,760 items circulated. Home Delivery service also resumed in June, bringing library materials to some of our most vulnerable patrons and helping to mitigate the impact of social isolation. 3. Use of OPL’s digital services for eBooks, audiobooks and streaming content continues to increase, with more patrons than ever taking advantage of eBooks, digital audiobooks and streaming service via the library’s website. Through the end of September:  eBooks (Overdrive & Hoopla) +20%  Audiobooks (Overdrive & Hoopla) +18%  TumbleBooks (children) + 6%  Media (Hoopla streaming movies & music) +176% That is an overall year-to-date increase of 21% over 2019. It speaks to the importance of offering rich digital content to our patrons during these extraordinary times and beyond. 4. OPL remains active in the community, through partnerships, outreach and support for special projects and initiatives:  Library volunteers are being featured in this semester’s Humans of Oshkosh project, offering UWO students the opportunity to hone their interview skills and highlighting the fantastic work these volunteers do in the community. Volunteer stories are posted to the Humans of Oshkosh Facebook page.  Card clinics have resumed at Evergreen. Community Engagement Librarian Sandy Toland answers questions about library service, updates and issues new library cards and has conversations with residents to help build OPL’s connection to the community.  OPL is growing in its role as a hub for civic engagement. The library partnered with the League of Women Voters of Winnebago County to offer drive-up voter registration in the library parking lot this fall. The group registered 7 voters and answered questions about the election process. A comprehensive voter information page was created for the OPL website, bringing together a wide variety of resources to help voters prepare for the Nov. 3 election. Library staff is available to witness absentee ballots and OPL is a polling site.  The library partnered with local businesses and organizations in support of National Dyslexia Awareness Month. OPL provided copies of books for special Facebook Live storytimes and shared some of these videos via social media.  OPL participated in Trunk or Treat, a drive-through Halloween event for families held at Menominee Park. In addition to candy, the library distributed events calendars, STEAM kits and other library information to the estimated 500 families who participated. 5. The library now has more than 100 videos on our YouTube Channel – most of them created since March. The channel has 79 subscribers – up from five in March. From the staff who created content, to the marketing team that did production work and shared the videos via multiple channels, OPL has embraced new ways to share literacy and learning with our community. 6. Following the success of summer’s STEAM kits, the library offered two new take-home kits for families starting Oct. 1. Monster Yarns Story Kits included yarn and other supplies to make a monster, ideas for creating silly storytelling games, a fall scavenger hunt, a seasonal book and other spooky educational activities. By Oct. 20 the library had given out 300 kits via curbside service! The library also offered High Flyers Early Literacy Kits, including tracking sheets and ideas to help parents talk, read, sing, write and play with their young child every day. The self-paced program offers incentives for completing activities and the first 50 families to request received a free book. In less than three weeks, 100 kits were distributed via curbside service.