Author: KGS

Olivia is human sunshine!

Olivia is the sunniest sunbeam who ever sunned! Her ready laugh, her deep compassion, her crackerjack wit, and her enviable smarts combine to make her a treasured colleague. The Squad shouts out her book-loving, rainbow-painting, pop culture-popping, Tik Tokking, idea-sparking, doggo-whispering, latte-sipping self!

New Collection: Healing Kits

We have a new collection at the library! Our Healing Kits are part of the Healing Library and live in the Health Nook (turret next to reference and teen room). The Health Nook and Healing Library are ongoing, developing projects. But for now, the first 10 Healing Kits are ready to go!

What is a Healing Library? The RPL Healing Library is a series of kits customized with books and resources to help a person, group or family navigate areas of trauma and personalize the healing process. Topics include depression, divorce and family change, gender identity, domestic violence, and various forms of grief. Each kit contains a selection of books curated to appeal to a range of ages (kids, teens, and adults). Also included are a sharing journal and a binder with local resources, therapeutic activities, and further reading suggestions. See the full list of topics here!

Important Circ Info: Kits are holdable, but must be picked up and returned here at RPL. Similar to other kits, each item will be checked in/out individually. There is a guidelines sheet inside each kit to help you know what/how many items to look for. (A typical kit contains about 5-7 items). Please visit the Health Nook turret and check them out!

This is a soft launch. The kits will be shared at the Recovery and Remembrance event on Wed. 9/28, and a large-scale PR campaign will start in early October.

Please let Ashley or Ally know if you have any questions. Thanks!

Braille-enhanced StoryWalk

RPL has installed a Braille-enhanced StoryWalk for increased accessibility and in order to broaden the pleasures of this experience to people with low vision and limited mobility.
The Reading Lions Club sponsored this initiative. Thanks to the Lions, the Braille-enhanced StoryWalk will showcase a new book quarterly.
Library visitors start at the front door of the library, go down the steps to the lawn, and follow the Braille-enhanced StoryWalk signs around the lawn perimeter to experience the adorable picture book, A Good Day by Kevin Henkes. StoryWalk will be on display from August 2—31.

Working on Accessibility

IT came by this morning and installed screen zoom/screen reader software on the computer closest to the R&R desk, and that computer is now reserved for low vision and blind patrons. We still have some work to do to make sure that is is set up to its fullest potential, but as of now, unless all of the other computers are in use, we want to save it for those who need it.
(Also the software makes the interface significantly different, and we don’t want to confuse or frustrate anyone!)

Access for All

I’ve been attending the Perkins Access webinar series and it’s really good! Each session includes a list of resources to check for and improve access for people with a variety of disabilities. I’m collecting the links in a folder on the G-drive–check them out!

Perkins Access Series: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rlYWWqnPwYE9JEfU9CM8Wc2H7zojYv26?usp=sharing

Initials, please!

When you leave a ‘problem’ item on the snag cart or on the desk of someone in TS, please write a brief note and sign or initial it. Sometimes we have follow-up questions about these items and don’t know who to ask. Thanks for your help with this!

Ode to the Ode

For our April interactive bulletin board, we are featuring the beloved ode and we want YOU to write one. Your ode should be kid-friendly & relatively short (though we don’t want to stifle any creative passion) and should celebrate a person, place, thing, or idea. Please email your ode to rdgchild@noblenet.org and we will display it along with the object of your affection (if it is small) or a photo of said object. As inspiration, please enjoy:

Ode to the stapler
You, dear stapler, surpass all other fasteners,
even the brand-new, super-tight binder clip.
Your solid, reliable “ker-chunk” works magic
through thick and thin, through paper, cloth,
and much, much more.
Your wee staples sometimes break skin, but
I forgive, for you remain faultless. It is I who
cannot seem to use your little claw remover successfully.
Fasten on, oh stapler, because you know your job
and do it so well. You remain ever present, ever full,
ever better than a paper clip.