DECEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER
The December 2024 newsletter of Let’s Move in Libraries includes:
- How to unlock the joy of community partnerships
- How to learn about award-winning library partnerships
- How to contribute your knowledge on parks and SNAP-ed partnerships
- How to build resilient communities through climate change communication
- How to join our monthly Birds of a Feather online conversations
This month’s featured image comes from StoryWalk Week 2024.
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who submitted photos for our fourth annual StoryWalk Week celebration! StoryWalk Week is a partnership between the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services (ABOS) and Let’s Move in Libraries.
This year StoryWalk Week was held November 10-16, 2024.
You can see all the participating libraries by going to ABOS on Instagram and Facebook, and using the hashtag #StoryWalkWeek2024. You can also see all submissions at our StoryWalk Week 2024 webpage, as well as all submissions from previous years.
Get inspired for your own StoryWalk adventure at our StoryWalk resource page.
Did you miss the call to participate? We’ll be opening up the 2025 call for submissions in our monthly newsletter on October 1!
How to unlock the joy of community partnerships
Join us Wednesday December 4 at 2:00 pm US Eastern, 11:00 am US Pacific for a free webinar on “Partnerships and Building Relationships: How, Why, and Who.”
This event – hosted by Niche Academy — features Dr. Noah Lenstra of Let’s Move in Libraries and Rebecca Hass of Anne Arundel County Public Library. Rebecca just published a book on 101 Seeds for Library Joy. In this webinar, we will help you discover (or rediscover) the joy found in working collaboratively with your community.
Here’s what this webinar is about:
It takes a village… What strategies work for libraries wanting to become stronger community partners? How can you do this work no matter your job title? Being strategic, accountable, and a library advocate focused on documentation are key, but so too is centering the entire process around joy.
In this free one-hour webinar, Rebecca Hass and Noah Lenstra share how to center joy in the sometimes complicated work of building and maintaining community partnerships.
They’ll present examples of libraries across America that have devised working systems for building partnerships and strong community relationships. And they’ll take a deep dive into the successes and challenges experienced at Maryland’s Anne Arundel County Public Library.
You’ll leave this session not only with renewed confidence in your ability to find partners, but also with plans to integrate partnerships and relationships even more fully into your work, and into the work of your library.
If you’re interested but not able to attend the live webinar, go ahead and register. We’ll send a recording to all registrants after the fact.
How to learn about award-winning library partnerships
On November 8, we held the second annual I Partner with My Public Library Awards Ceremony. Watch the recording online. This was a very inspiring and informative event.
During the ceremony, we heard directly from libraries and partners in the 11 communities across America that won an award this year. We also celebrated this year’s 10 honorable mentions. We encourage you to watch, and share widely!
Furthermore, you can learn more about these award-winning library partnerships by going to the 2024 I Partner with My Public Library Awards webpage, as well as to the 2024 I Partner with My Public Library Honorable Mentions webpage.
Finally, if you missed this year’s call to participate — either as a nominator or as a reviewer — don’t worry! Another call for applications will be coming in June 2025 for next year’s awards.
The best way to make sure you don’t miss the call is to sign up for our monthly newsletter. Share the Sign up for the Let’s Move in Libraries newsletter link to spread the word!
How to contribute your knowledge on parks and SNAP-ed partnerships
Let’s Move in Libraries is currently seeking knowledge and input on two topics. If you have knowledge or expertise to share, please reach out to us or email Dr. Noah Lenstra directly.
SNAP-Ed & Libraries Collaboration Toolkit
A group of staff from multiple SNAP-Ed implementing agencies as well as Noah Lenstra, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at University of North Carolina Greensboro and Director of Let’s Move in Libraries, have convened to develop a guide for partnerships between SNAP-Ed implementers and public libraries to help underserved populations access healthy food and opportunities for physical activity, make healthy food choices, and be more physically active.
The guide will include information about the value of SNAP-Ed and public library partnership and guidance for how to start to partner, collaboratively implement and sustain programs, build in equity, and more.
As we continue to move through drafting content and look ahead to plans for expert review, pilot testing, and evaluation, we would like to expand the team!
If you are interested in joining this effort, please email Sarah Mott, program manager at Michigan Fitness Foundation to be added to the contact list and save the date for a virtual meeting on Monday, January 27, 2025 from 1:00-2:00 pm EST to learn more about the project and how to get engaged
In the United States, SNAP-Ed is a federally funded, evidence-based program that helps people lead healthy, active lives through a combination of educational strategies, social marketing, and interventions to improve policies, systems, and environments (PSE). In many states (find yours here), SNAP-Ed works through the Cooperative Extension system, but in some states SNAP-Ed is implemented by non-profit organizations, social service and public health agencies, Universities, and more. If you or your library has worked with SNAP-Ed in any capacity, we want to hear about that!! Please reach out to us or email Dr. Noah Lenstra or Sarah Mott if you have questions or want to contribute to this project.
Library Journal article on partnerships with parks
As part of a journalistic endeavor to cover how libraries increase access and equity through partnerships with parks, Dr. Noah Lenstra is seeking examples of library-park partnerships that are innovative and impactful. If you or your library have done something you consider to be especially powerful, please reach out to us or email Dr. Noah Lenstra. It is anticipated that this Library Journal feature will be published in Spring 2025.
How to build resilient communities through library partnerships
The Building Resilient Communities Project aims to enhance the collaborative efforts between public libraries and community-based organizations in addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change and its associated social and health impacts. Recognizing the urgent need for action, this initiative focuses on empowering library and community leaders to create resilient environments through strategic partnerships.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the project is led by the Space Science Institute with partner organizations, OCLC’s WebJunction program, University of North Carolina Greensboro, and Interactive Learning Dynamics.
This Fall, this project is organizing a series of free webinars on public libraries and climate change, with learning opportunities centered around partnerships, community building, and communication. Check out the project page on WebJunction to learn how you can get involved!
In particular, we want to invite you to Climate change communication: How and why to do it in libraries – Explore effective climate change communication strategies to engage communities and inspire action. This is the last webinar in the series, and will be held online via WebJunction on December 5, 2024, at 3 pm Eastern. We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation and event!
How to join our monthly Birds of a Feather online conversations
Want to join a community of public library workers and partners interested in the topics celebrated by Let’s Move in Libraries?
Have a burning question you’d like to ask other librarians?
Join us in our monthly Birds of a Feather conversation series.
Beginning in February 2023, we host a monthly one-hour Birds of a Feather online conversation. We are taking the month of October off, but we’ll be back in November: Join us December 18, 2024 at 12 pm Eastern / 9 am Pacific for an inspiring, engaging, open and lively conversation.
What is a Birds of a Feather conversation? It’s an opportunity for individuals with shared interests to gather together (birds of a feather flock together) to share resources, inspire one another, and generally build community.
These events are never recorded so that all participants can share freely. Join us!
Join us for an upcoming Birds of a Feather online conversation to share and gain additional resources. The next event will be December 18, 2024 at 12 pm Eastern / 9 am Pacific.
Here are some of the great resources shared by participants during our November online conversation. In November we had over 20 library workers from across the United States log on to share, learn, and grow, including from: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia. Join us!
Walking initiatives and resources
Walk & Talk Book Club at the Library
Cooking resources
The Charlie Cart Project hands-on food education program
Another portable kitchen with sink option mentioned by a participant
We also had a great discussion about using Document Cameras – here’s one example – to make it easier for participants in library cooking classes to see what the instructor is doing with their hands.
General Health resources
American Heart Association’s ‘Libraries with Heart’ campaign
The U.S. Government’s Move your Way campaign
The Waukegan Public Library in Illinois just started a telehealth initiative
The Telehealth in Libraries: Pre-Implementation Workbook
Cobb County Public Library Receives Award for Injury Prevention Initiative
Pennsylvania Forward’s Health Literacy initiative
Other resources
Campaign for Grade Level Reading’s Learning Tuesdays Highlights Library Partnerships
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Subscribe to the Let’s Move in Libraries newsletter for monthly editions of success stories, educational opportunities, and food for thought that will deepen the impact of HEAL (Healthy Eating & Active Living) programs and services in public libraries. Also follow the project on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter to stay up-to-date. The Let’s Move in Libraries project focuses on how public libraries create opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities to engage in healthy activities.