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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOPL highlights June 2022Oshkosh Public Library Highlights June 2022 1. Summer reading is in full swing and we’re rallying Oshkosh to help meet a community reading goal of 1 million total minutes read by Aug. 15. Currently more than 1,500 kids, teens and adults are signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge and they have logged more than 420,000 minutes read. More than 300 people attended a kickoff event in Menominee Park on June 3 and the library is busy with programs, book clubs and other activities that offer a summer of fun, exploration and learning. 2. An average of 2,300 subscribers are opening and reading Oshkosh Public Library’s enewsletter every month. In 2022, the library’s robust 37 percent average Open Rate is seven percentage points higher than what is reported across Constant Contact’s All Industries category. Staff Picks is often the most popular feature, followed by local history information, programming updates and the trivia question. Subscribe to the newsletter at https://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/aboutus/librarylinesenewslettersignup 3. Ongoing community engagement has resulted in cooperative efforts with community partners that respond to current needs. • Winnebago County Public Health, which partnered with the library to offer COVID vaccination clinics in 2021-22, reached out to supply COVID testing kits for distribution at the library. The kits are available at no charge for curbside pickup. • The Oshkosh Area Community Pantry, where Community Engagement Librarian Sandy Toland conducts a card clinic and information session each month, asked the library to be a pickup location for baby formula. This improves access for community members who can’t get to the pantry when it is open. 4. OPL was once again a pit stop for the annual BikeOsh event, which promotes community biking infrastructure, local businesses/organizations, and healthy living. The library welcomed 100 cyclists who biked the 20-stop route around Oshkosh. 5. The library held a Teen Volunteer Fair on June 11, offering community organizations the opportunity to showcase their volunteer opportunities. Twenty teens attended and learned about service and employment openings with organizations including Oshkosh Area Community Pantry, Oshkosh Area Humane Society, Oshkosh Parks Department and Ascension Mercy Hospital. 6. Teens can get creative at the library when it is convenient for them this summer, with scheduled DIY programs, drop-in sessions and take & make kits. Seventeen teens stopped by recently to make tie-dye T-shirts during a two-hour drop-in session. Scheduled DIY programs in June and July will bring teens together at the library to paint along with an online video lesson. In June teens picked up 50 Firework Salt Painting take & make kits. 7. OPL is offering Lunch & Learn sessions to help staff learn more about community agencies that address a variety of psychosocial needs. So far more than 20 staff have attended programs about the Christine Ann Center and services provided by the Oshkosh Police Department’s behavioral health officer and Winnebago County Human Services’ mental health co-responder. Lunch & Learn sessions will be ongoing, with the goal to provide staff with information that will help them address evolving patron needs and make more effective referrals. 8. The library has added several lawn games to our collection for checkout. Board games and puzzles have been popular with patrons and summer seemed like an opportune time to expand our offerings for patrons who enjoy outdoor games. The selection includes Croquet, Giant Jenga, Yard Dice, Bocce Ball, Corn Hole, Dominoes and a Potato Sack Race Game. Four of the games were checked out within a day of hitting the shelves!