2020-08-21 SPLAT Curiosity Report: Volume 6, Issue 4
Featured Story
Income Inequality and Libraries
My son had to finish 3rd grade via distance learning. I was already nervous about the school year because 3rd grade is such an important time; it should have been his benchmark year for ISATs, it is the year that students go from learning to read to reading to learn, and so much more. As we navigated this new challenge I couldn’t help but think about the students who have parents that are essential workers, students who didn’t have the same access to devices and internet, students who were already struggling academically. How is this pandemic going to impact their future?
As I was pondering this question I ended up on the American Library Association’s Center for the Future of Libraries trends page. One of the trends that I found most interesting is the concept of income inequality. The page states that According to the Institute for Policy Studies, income inequality refers to the extent to which income is distributed in an uneven manner among a population and in the United States, income inequality has been growing markedly for the past thirty years. The article goes on to identify one of the key factors in income inequality is education, more specifically the ability to obtain a good education and the importance of receiving a higher education especially in fields that involve technology.
This made me think even more about students whose education is being disruptive by this pandemic. Are those students who don’t have the essential technology going to be left behind? Will they still receive the education necessary to further their education beyond a secondary education? Will we see a greater economic divide between the have and the have nots, particularly those who have parents who can supplement their education with tutors, summer camps, and other resources?
The next question I posed to myself is how can libraries help? The article suggests several ways that libraries can help to meet the needs of individuals. The first thing that it says is Library service in support of skill development will likely become more important, especially for administrators and funders, but libraries will need to make sure the skills they seek to develop align with the types of skills needed in the economy, especially STEM skills. It goes on to say The library space or any opportunities the library provides that bring different people together could be especially important in combating income inequality….Spaces and programs that bring people together may help improve the dialogue across inequality and provide important economic opportunities for the community.
As we move forward in our libraries let us keep in mind ways that we can help to bridge the gap. What programs can we offer that can help bring people from different walks of life together? If you offer regular STEM activities, are we just doing fun projects or are we trying to teach specific skills that will benefit both kids and adults long term? I know that as we keep these thoughts in mind as we move forward that we can make a difference for so many in our communities.
– Jackie Wood, Marshall Public Library
Fail Forward
We’ve all been there. You pour your heart into a program, and no one shows up. You try something new, and you fall on your face. Sound familiar? Fail Forward is the place to share your failures, and give you the opportunity to share what you learned from them. Did you promote your program in a different way after no one showed up? Maybe you took a new approach to the new thing you were excited about? Awesome! Share your story via our online form so others can learn, and realize that failure is often part of the process.
Where’s my hold?
I failed. I failed at watching my DVD. I got so busy and I just didn’t have time to finish it. That’s what renewing is for, right? Just as I hit the renew button, I got the error message that said, This item cannot be renewed. Well darn. I really really REALLY wanted to watch this movie! It probably had a hold on it. Sure enough several people were waiting for this movie. Surely I could watch it in a couple of days. Oh, who are we kidding?! I’ve had almost 2 months off work, I had plenty of time. I procrastinated. I failed. That’s ok, I thought as I returned the DVD and watched as the first happy person on the waitlist walked off with it.
What did I learn from my procrastination? One, that I work in a library and I will always have an opportunity to check out DVDs on a daily basis where others may not have that. And, two, if I really really REALLY wanted to watch it, I would have. I needed to give others the opportunity to check out the materials that I was neglecting. Will I do it again? Probably, after all, I do work in the library. Am I the only one that’s done that? Nope! In fact, when I first started working at the library, my supervisor told me that librarians were the worst at returning materials. Hey, at least we can say that we completely understand when it takes forever for a hold to arrive!
– Vanessa Thiele, East Bonner County Library District
Crush Corner
Is there a library you follow on social media who is always doing new and exciting things? How about a blog you follow that inspires you? What about a new idea, book, or resource that you want to share? Library Crush Corner is a place for those working in Idaho libraries to share what inspires them, and who or what they’re crushing on… in a professional sense. Share your story via our online form so we can publish it in a future issue!
Loving the Courier Service
I am crushing on the LYNX Consortium Courier Service. This group of people who get books and materials to libraries on a daily basis do an amazing job. They travel the Treasure Valley from Caldwell to Eagle to Boise and Kuna and all the libraries in between. I have explained to patrons how the system works and they are pleased that they can get materials from other libraries. Some patrons from out of state that move here are surprised we have this in place. One patron who moved from Phoenix said they don’t have this service where she came from. Thank you to our courier service and everyone behind the scene that makes this happen here.
– Eric Hovey, Ada Community Library
SPLAT explores the ever-evolving library world and supports library folks as they adapt to meet the needs of their communities. Library folk throughout the state of Idaho volunteer to serve on the Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT). Learn more about SPLAT at splat.lili.org
SPLAT is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible, in part, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (LS-246156-OLS-20). The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.