Libraries and
Community Engagement

2019 Director Roundtables get underway in May.  There are multiple locations to choose from in each State Library Service District—refer to the C.E. catalog for dates, locations, and registration.    

This spring, Director Roundtables will follow our overall education theme for 2019—Libraries & Community Engagement.  We know that public libraries are an essential city service, but they also provide an important human service.  As city libraries step more fully into responding to citizen needs and interests, they become a primary place where people come together for community conversation, educational programs, and lifelong learning.  Roundtable discussions are expected to touch on these topics:

• Future Ready Iowa—how can public libraries become partners in this effort?
• BrainFuse—how are public libraries partners in education? 
• Social Justice—how are public libraries partners in social justice projects?
• The Edge—what does your Edge Assessment tell you about potential community engagement goals?
• Programming like Books Into Action, The Human Library, etc
• Facilitating community conversations on local issues, current events, national news

Make plans to join fellow library directors and District Consultants at
Director Roundtables—Libraries & Community Engagement !

Register For Director Roundtables

Workshops in April

Stand Up For Health is a course developed by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) in cooperation with WebJunction, PLA, and public librarians.  Its purpose is to create a cohort learning experience for public library staff by combining an all-day-in-person workshop with online learning components.  

There are two Stand Up For Health workshop dates and locations to choose from, with registration in the C.E. catalog  CHOOSE EITHER: April 11 @ Hawkeye Community College in Cedar Falls (9:00AM-5:00PM) OR April 19 @ Urbandale Public Library (9:00AM-5:00PM)

About a week prior to the in-person class, participants will need to complete an assessment of the health of their community.  During the eight hour in-person portion, instructors will share best practices, tips, and toolkits.  There will also be role-playing, pair-and-share, as well as group discussions. Participants will then complete a final take-home assignment about a week after the in-person class.

The course will be taught by Bobbi Newman, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist at the University of Iowa's Hardin Library for Health Sciences. The course provides 12 C.E. credits and covers the five competencies required for Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) Level 1 from MLA.  Participants must complete pre-and-post assignments (about 2 hours each) and attend the full-day workshop to receive CE credits and CHIS.  Leave class with an action plan for putting the day’s training into practice.  

For your convenience, the State Library is offering the option of a sack lunch from HyVee. Each lunch is $11.00 and includes a sandwich, whole fruit, assorted cookie, assorted bag of chips, and a can of soda. Do not mail the lunch payment, the $11.00 fee will be collected at the door and must be exact cash or check, no change will be made.

If you would like to purchase a sack lunch, click the button below to indicate your preferences. The lunch survey MUST be completed one week prior to the event.  If you prefer to get lunch on your own, there are food options in the vicinity at each location.

Choose Lunch Option

Usage Statistics Coming

Emily Bainter provides this update about Brainfuse.  The company is developing administrative reporting functions for Iowa libraries. In the coming months, every Iowa library will have its own individual portal to access JobNow and VetNow usage data. In the meantime, company reps are willing to manually pull usage reports for libraries.  If you would like such reports for your library before the self-serve function is ready, contact Marie Harms (marie.harms@iowa.gov) who will work with Brainfuse on those requests.

Beginning next week, Brainfuse will provide aggregate usage data to the State Library. This information and instructions will be posted on the State Library’s Brainfuse page .

Also this news: following the Brainfuse introductory webinars these past several weeks, trainer Conor Anderson has provides this Q&A regarding the Brainfuse mobile app.

Q: Is the app available for both Apple and Android? What’s its name?  A: The Brainfuse app is available for both Apple and Android devices. In the Apple App store, the app is called Brainfuse, in Android’s Google Play Store it is called Brainfuse HelpNow.

Q: How do app users get affiliated with their library account for use statistics?  A: In order to track usage by library, patrons will need to login to the app using their Brainfuse account,which can be created through their library’s unique Brainfuse URL.

Q: Do users need to create an account by clicking through their library’s website to Brainfuse, using a browser before they can use the app?  A: Yes. Users need to use the Brainfuse link from their library’s website to create an account in Brainfuse.  They will use that username and password to login to the mobile app. Users who download the app and do not have a username and password are instructed to go to their library’s Brainfuse page to create an account.

Download Brainfuse from Apple App Store 

Download Brainfuse from Google Play Store

     BRIDGES Renewal Due March 31

Deadline reminder—current BRIDGES libraries and those intending to join for the first time--need to return Letters of Agreement by March 31.  Choose the Agreements accordingly--either current members or newcomers.

BRIDGES Letters of Agreement

      Education Ahead 

Summer Reading Roundtables resume this week and next.  Look to the C.E. Catalog for dates and locations. 

DALINK (Dubuque Area Library Information Consortium) is hosting a daylong workshop on April 12 (9:30AM-3:30PM)  Held at Loras College in Dubuque, this workshop is open to academic and public library staff.  The day’s theme is Events That Work.  The cost is $75.00 which includes lunch and snacks.  Registration is limited to 120 people, deadline is March 29.  Find registration and more details at the DALINC website 

The Iowa Small Libraries Association is holding its spring meeting on April 12, this year conducted online using ILA’s ZOOM web conferencing software. This year’s theme is all about website design, content strategy, and ADA compliance.  The day begins with a business meeting 8:15-8:45 AM, with the education portion following.  The cost is $10.00 for ISLA members, $20.00 for non-members.  The ISLA Newsletter, linked on the ILA website, has more details, including registration instructions.  Note there are various scholarships available for people who attend this spring meeting, scholarships to offset the cost of conferences later in the year.  It will pay to read this newsletter thoroughly, there could be money in it for you!  

Sioux County Libraries have scheduled their annual Staff Development Day on April 16. Sioux Center Public Library is hosting this daylong program, with registration @ 8:30AM, intros at 9:00, and sessions beginning at 9:15 (program concludes at 2:00PM)  This event is sponsored by the Sioux County Library Association, see last week’s Eye-Opener for topics on tap.  Program planners do ask for advance registration by April 5.  The cost is $15.00 per person, which includes a light breakfast as well as a soup & sandwich lunch.  Once your registration has been received, your library will receive an invoice.  Please make checks payable to Sioux Center Public Library.