(Greeley – July, 2020) Governor Polis visited the High Plains Library District on Saturday, July 11, for a tour of the District Support Services. The Governor received a firsthand look at the work HPLD is doing to decrease the digital divide and ensure all patrons have reliable access to essential digital services during the ongoing health crisis. The tour included MiFi devices and Wi-Fi units that will be deployed throughout the community. The High Plains Library District Foundation received $21,000 from the Colorado COVID Relief Fund to support these efforts.
The fund was established as part of Governor Polis’s Help Colorado Now initiative to provide aid to Colorado communities and organizations impacted by the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Funds from the grant will be used to purchase mobile Wi-Fi access points. These Wi-Fi units will be deployed to communities in the District service area identified to have a high need for internet access and essential technologies. These units will be mobile and can be relocated as the needs of the community change.
The High Plains Library District is dedicated to building
digitally inclusive communities by providing equal access to the internet and
other essential technologies for purposes such as e-government,
entrepreneurship, legal needs, education opportunities, workforce development,
and health and wellness. This is especially important during the ongoing health
crisis, as many patrons are required to access school, work, telehealth visits,
and more online.
“We are thrilled to have the support of the State Relief
Fund for this important service,” said HPLD Foundation Director Abby Yeagle.
“We are looking forward to expanding our efforts to tackle the digital divide
in our community.”
As you can imagine, some things are different. Here is what you need to know:
Hours have changed for some locations. This page provides updated information.
We request that you wear a mask while in the library. If you forgot yours or do not have one, we can provide one for you.
One-on-one help anywhere other than the Ask Here desk can only be provided to those wearing masks.
Please limit your time in the library to one hour or less.
Computer time is limited to one hour per day per person, and computers can only be used by one person at a time.
While in the library, please practice social distancing of at least 6 feet.
We strongly encourage you to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
Libraries reserve the right to limit the number of people visiting at any one time or the amount of time users can remain in the library.
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. are reserved for our vulnerable patrons.
Services Currently offered: • Browsing • Computer use • Use of wifi networks & personal laptops • Holds pickup (curbside or in-library) • Printing
Currently unavailable:
• In-depth computer or printing assistance
• Programs (including storytimes)
• Areas for gathering (formally or informally)
• Soft seating (seating with fabric covering)
• Browsing of newspapers/magazines
• Study room or meeting room use
In anticipation of a drastically reduced budget due to COVID-19, we are taking steps to continue seamlessly serving the public, which means making some budget choices. One of our early steps is making the tough decision to reduce database spending in 2020 and 2021.
A key component of our strategic plan is financial strength, and part of that from the beginning was identifying areas for potential reduction in the event of an economic downturn. Those who remember the last recession probably remember a lot of budget tightening at home and in the community, but something you might not have noticed is that during recessions, libraries become busier. So, when times are tough, we differ from other businesses because having more “customers” doesn’t necessarily increase our revenue. Which is why you’ll find library staff are good at figuring out how to do more with less.
This means making tough choices. Our staff analyzed data on cost and usage of all of our databases, as well as looking at which ones have significant crossover, to identify which could be reduced. These are not reductions we take lightly, but they are necessary in order to adjust our budget based on economic forecasting.
Below you’ll find a listing of databases that have been cancelled. For some we have alternatives already in place, and in those cases we’re listing the alternatives alongside the cancelled databases.
Databases that have been cancelled and are no longer available:
ABC-CLIO
Demographics Now
Career Cruising
Contemporary Authors & Lit Crit
Science Online
Very Short Introductions
Databases That Will Sunset in 2020
Here are the databases for which we have paid up to later in the year, but we expect these to be gone before 2021. If you have data in these or files that you need to retrieve, such as a resume in Resume Maker, please do so at your earliest convenience.
Colorado Grants Guide
Foundation Directory Online
Foundation Grants to Individuals
Guidestar
Resume Maker (we will continue to provide Cypress Resume, an excellent alternative for resume creation)
Rosetta Stone (we will continue to provide Mango Languages, which is more cost-effective and has proven to be a higher-use database)
Diversity in our collections. Let’s talk about it.
Our collection development librarians have been working hard
to enhance the diversity in our collection for many years. It’s a big part of
their job. They keep up with trends, ideas, and tools that help them buy a wide
variety of materials in multiple formats.
One of the concrete actions libraries often take in response to big events is to take a closer look at certain segments of the collection. For example, recent events have caused staff to reevaluate and augment our collection of materials related to social and political issues, and especially to check in on our collection of materials by black creators. This usually happens behind the scenes, but we want to make transparent the work that’s going on in service of crafting a better collection for you, our community.
It’s harder work than it seems because our collections are living, ever-changing things, and managing something so large and so fluid is a challenge.
If you had a bookshelf at home with a couple dozen books on it, you would notice immediately if something was missing. There would be a hole on your shelf. And you’d probably be familiar, at least on sight, with everything that’s on the shelf. It’s also fairly easy to look at a shelf like this and see who is and isn’t represented.
Now imagine bookshelves lining your entire home. Plus some
books piled here and there. Plus some books that have been moved to the “annex”
aka porch, and are covered with a tarp and hopefully aren’t housing a family of
earwigs, but it definitely keeps you up at night that you might be housing a
family of earwigs.
Now imagine that people come in and out of your house all
day, every day, and borrow items. Sometimes those items are returned to your
friend’s house, and your friend also has a huge collection of items, and your
friend has a different system of—
This analogy has gone far enough, and you get the point.
It’s hard to keep track of everything, and it’s hard to get a solid grasp of
what is in the collection, to take a snapshot that truly represents what we’ve
got and what we’re missing.
Because our collections are so huge, and because they’re
always moving between branches, and because sometimes items are lost or
damaged, the collection changes quickly. Monday’s collection at Lincoln Park
might not look anything like Friday’s collection in the same building.
This means our staff has to use some next-level tools and techniques to keep up with new titles, foundation titles gone missing, and old titles that didn’t get their due upon release.
Concrete Steps
Here are some of the concrete steps we’ve taken in the last
few weeks, prompted by larger cultural discussions about race and systemic
injustice, as well as an emphasis on #OwnVoices ideals, to check up on our
collection:
The person who buys for our children’s materials has been
taking a close look at the children’s picture book collection and buying
titles, both new and old, related to the topics of social justice and politics.
This is based on some new research as well as lists that she keeps in order to
quickly check for holes in the collection. With a collection as large as ours,
sometimes a title that’s popular and wonderful will disappear for awhile due to
A Series of Unfortunate Events that causes all copies to be lost, missing, or
damaged in a short period. Children’s books are especially susceptible to this.
Kids are hard on books. In a good way. We’re cool with it, but you know, it’s
the truth.
Our non-fiction buyer has been looking closely at the non-fiction collection and purchasing books in these areas as well. She says her job is easier than that of her coworkers due to the nature of non-fiction, but that might just be modesty. One challenge faced in non-fiction is that the publishing world moves VERY slowly, so while readers are hungry to read more detailed stories about George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others, their stories haven’t yet found their way through the publication process to pulp and ink you can hold in your hands. So it’s the duty of our non-fiction buyer to seek out parallel stories and books that will inform and educate readers about the larger cultural discussions of race and systems of power, and to fill in knowledge gaps until publishing catches up with current events.
The librarian who does our A/V and streaming purchases has posted a list of available titles pertaining to social justice issues to the front of Overdrive and continues to look for more digital materials as well. Kanopy also has an excellent collection and categories on the front page such as “Social and Systematic Injustice” and “Pioneering Black Filmmakers.” Hoopla has searchable categories such as “Black Voices” and “Black Stories Matter” that can be very helpful in selecting materials. All of these resources provide great materials for adults as well as children.
The person who buys fiction has been making purchases, checking for missing titles, and putting together a huge list of resources for diversifying collections (see below).
Other staff who aren’t in the buying game have been hard at
work on booklists and bookmarks that highlight authors and titles in various
parts of the collection, whether they be movies, romance titles, or others. Keep
an eye out, these will be popping up soon.
Tools
These are just a few tools we use to improve and maintain the collection, and they might be helpful to you, too.
Johns Hopkins Diversity Wheel
Hawkins, Blake & Morris, Martin & Nguyen, Tony & Siegel, John & Vardell, Emily. (2017). Advancing the conversation: Next steps for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) health sciences librarianship. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 105. 10.5195/JMLA.2017.206.
This tool is one that helps us appreciate just how multi-faceted every individual is. Used along with this published paper we can see that issues of representation are more nuanced and meaningful than one might expect at first glance. To truly represent everybody is a monumental task and a constant work-in-progress.
Weneeddiversebooks.org is also a great resource, and this page in particular links to an always-growing list of resources. This provides a great way to check up on and build our collection, and it’s a big help building a to-read list, if you’re in that market. One of the great things about this non-profit is that they recognize that the dearth of diverse literature starts with publication. Indeed, it can be frustrating to seek out books that represent groups or even individuals and to find very few options.
Awards
We’ve been taking a look at some awards that help us round out the collection and make sure we’ve got the best of the best. Here’s a short list of awards we’ve been looking at in the past few weeks. Take a look. You might see something you like!
One of the hardest parts about maintaining a collection is identifying what’s missing. Whether something has left our collection or was never there, absence is harder to notice than presence. And just because it’s not there now doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be.
We’re working hard to balance out our collection, and we can
do better with your help.
If you are aware of books, movies, music, anything related
to topics you’re passionate about, we want to hear about them.
First step: check our catalog
and make sure we don’t have it already!
We can’t buy everything. Sometimes publishers make things difficult for libraries, sometimes things go out of print—there are a lot of factors that feed into whether or not we’re able to get something on the shelves. So we can’t promise we’ll buy everything, but we CAN promise that we’ll make the effort.
We’re moving forward, and we need your help. Nudge us in the right direction. Point out the opportunities we’re missing. Help us make a collection you’re proud to call yours. Because truly, these materials belong to you, our patrons, and they should represent you.
Your library’s collection is imperfect, and it never will be perfect. No library will ever build a perfect collection. As close to perfect as a library can get is to keep moving forward. Even though we’ll never reach perfection, we’re still walking in perfection’s direction. We invite you to walk with us.
Prospector is currently not in operation, and we ask that you refrain from placing Prospector holds. However, Interlibrary Loan services are now available, and ILL requests can now be placed. Please be patient as some libraries in other states or connected to educational institutions have not reopened, so some materials may still be unavailable at this time.
The High Plains Library District has always and will continue to stand against racism and violence in all shapes and forms. Our Black community is suffering; we support them and look for ways to ease their grief and loss. Racism, whether it be individual or systemic, degrades the very foundation of all our institutions, including our libraries. We also support our local and national law enforcement agencies while denouncing the deplorable acts of some in their ranks. Tasked with a difficult job, they too suffer grief and loss because of the egregious actions of a few.
Our mission is Helping build Community, and that is more vital now than ever before. Libraries are a place to create community and foster acceptance and inclusivity. Maya Angelou wrote, “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” We as a District will continue to provide programming, services, and resources that contribute positively to what our patrons know and do.
The following action items in our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan reflect our stance against violence and racism. We will further our mission by:
Focusing Outreach on building relationships with our underserved communities
Creating a welcoming and inviting environment for our diverse district population
Curating collections and offering programs that are representative of cultures and nationalities of the populations in each service area
Selecting and focusing on targeted segments of the population to design programs
Holding staff led conversations about innovating services and programs to better support community needs
Supporting all sections of the community to achieve their literacy goals, in their native language or a secondary language
Offering and moderating programming that encourages crucial conversations and civil discourse
Each of these action items is intended to further build and strengthen our community. We invite you to stand with us as a participating patron of this Library District.
-30- The High Plains Library District connects communities to information, inspiration and entertainment for life. HPLD includes libraries in Greeley, Firestone, Erie, Kersey, Ault, Eaton, Evans, Johnstown, Platteville, Hudson, Gilcrest and Fort Lupton.
The National AARP Tax-Aide office has determined which sites could possibly reopen and which will not reopen this tax season. Sites in counties that are classified as having “spreading” Covid-19, like Weld and Boulder Counties, will not be allowed to reopen.
AARP is offering options to assist taxpayers to prepare tax returns:
If taxpayers would like help completing their own taxes, they can request the assistance of a volunteer to coach them through the process via phone or computer screen-sharing. This website has more information aarpfoundation.org/taxaide
There is no penalty for filing late for returns with refunds. Tax-Aide can prepare two years of tax returns if the site is open next year.
We’ve got a set of library background photos taken all over the High Plains Library District. Set them on your computer’s desktop, use them as wallpaper on your phone. We gather a lot of you are doing virtual meetings, and you can use these as your cool new backgrounds. Enjoy!
The High Plains Library District Foundation is proud to announce the 2020 Writer in Residence. Joshua Collier was selected by a volunteer committee to serve as the Foundation’s fifth Writer in Residence. Joshua will use the nine-month residency to create a book that encourages growth in STEM through engaging characters, hisotrical relevance, and STEM projects that can be done at home.
Joshua Collier
has lived in Colorado since he was a toddler. Growing up with innovative
educators as parents, he had constant opportunities to learn through hands-on
projects and adventures exploring the hidden complexities all around us. This
inspired both his creative expression as well as his overwhelming desire to
know how everything works. These two strengths continued to intertwine as he
pursued his education and career.
After completing
his master’s degree in Communication and the Arts, with a focus on directing
cinema and TV, he has primarily expressed his creativity through video,
graphics, and photography. Joshua’s desire to perpetually learn evolved into a
mission to inspire that same mindset of exploration and awe in our community’s
youth. He taught as a STEM teacher, coaches robotics teams, runs after school
programs and summer camps, and assists his parents in bringing STEM focused,
project-based learning to Kenya and Zambia.
Joshua’s book
will follow three friends and their unexpected adventure with a
mysterious time traveler. A combination of Dr. Who and The Magic
School Bus, this journey will test their ability to investigate,
problem solve, and work as a team as they jump through history
attempting to stop a mischievous adversary. The book will include STEM-centered
solutions and facts while inspiring youth to see every problem as a
chance to learn and overcome.
Joshua’s goal for his project is to further develop youth STEM programs throughout our community and encourage a growth mindset to combat the stereotypes, labels, and ever-increasing attack on our children’s hopes, dreams, and vision for the future.
I want my boys, and all our youth, to have every opportunity to reach for the stars.
The main characters face the current challenges of our youth, but overcome the stereotypes and dilemmas that try to hold them back, such as a young problem-solver who dreams of being an inventor, but has been told he must leave the rural life he loves and move to a city to accomplish such a dream.
The
Writer in Residence program was established by the High Plainis Library
District Foundation and is funded by community donors. The goal of the program
is to support the creative process of one Weld County writer over a nine-month while
they complete a manuscript with the intent to publish. The resident works with
HPLD Librarians to design library programs and share their project with the
community. The program is part of the District’s larger vision to help build
communities.
For
more information about the Writer in Residence, as well as updates on Joshua’s
project and his upcoming library programs, visit
mylibrary.us/writer-in-residence.
