[Michlib-l] What makes us proud

[Tessa Genovese]

Posting on behalf of Sonya Norris – please see below. Thanks!




The Michigan library directors and staff who responded over the past four days to my listserv message on Thursday asking, “What makes you proudest of your library right now?” spoke clearly. Enjoy!

MICHIGAN LIBRARY PRIDE

Responses gathered august 2020

I am so proud of our library and staff for all the virtual programming and activities we have provided to patrons during this crazy time!

Bellaire Public Library
I am proud of the way staff adapted to different ways of offering programming and getting books into patron’s hands. Their positive attitude when serving the public despite the virus risks also tops my list.
Highland Township Public Library

I have to say the thing that I am most proud of about our library right now is the staff, and their ability to speak up about their concerns and work together with me so that everyone has been able to open in their own timeframe for how they feel is the safest for the staff and the community they serve. With nine locations, it could have been a real circus, but by not being afraid to let me know what they needed from me, it has been pretty seamless for SDL.

Superior District Library
That even though the staff are stressed out they still love their jobs and do what is right for their patrons because they know everyone is at their wits end for 2020 and empathy goes a long way.  That’s what makes me proud, my understanding staff.
Presque Isle District Library

I am most proud of the people who work here for their creativity, their courage, and their unending desire to bring library services to our community!

Southfield Public Library
I'm proud that we've given away over 2,000 books to our patrons for free. We had quite a lot of books since we're the only library in Oceana County that accepts donations year-round. We couldn't have a book sale so we've just been giving them away. Our Friends group also purchased some children’s books from First Book as giveaways. Our little secret is that I have a staff member who takes anything from our stash of used books that she thinks she can sell online and we make almost as much money doing that as we did having book sales. I'm also proud that we are the only library in either Oceana or Mason County that's open to foot traffic. Our patrons are very grateful and we are living well within the safety protocols and procedures. I'm proud that my staff could not wait to get back in this building and start serving the public again. It was like holding back a team of horses waiting for the governor to give us the green light! The public has also been spectacularly cooperative about obeying all the rules. I must get at least a daily, "We're just thankful you're open." I know that's more than you asked for but thanks for asking!

Hart Public Library
What makes me proudest of our library is our staff members’ cheeriness, friendliness, helpfulness toward our patrons!

Bad Axe Area District Library
We're here.

Charlevoix Public Library
I am most proud that our staff and library provided our community a fun and effective virtual and paper summer reading program despite of Covid-19 restrictions.
I am proud that we were able to provide both in-person outdoor events and great virtual ones as well.

Newaygo Area District Library
I have always been proud of my staff.  As I tell the Library Board often, my staff make me look like I'm doing a good job.  Lately though, they have gone above and beyond.
The staff of my Youth Department has been providing 2 live online Storytimes each week (on Facebook), an online family book club (via Zoom), and weekly "Take It and Make It" craft projects in a bag.  Each week a Library Aide draws a new coloring sheet for our patrons matching the Storytime theme.  These can be downloaded from our website.
The staff of my Adult Department also prepare weekly "Take It and Make It" crafts.  They also post photo albums on Facebook of our entire non-fiction and fiction collections, shelf by shelf, so patrons can "browse" our collections even while we're only doing curbside service.  And they started a weekly "Book Garden", where every Monday we place about 100 free grab bags of used books on the Library lawn.  The books come from our Friends' storage closet.  Each bag is labeled with broad genre/subject labels.  Within an hour or two all the bags get taken by the local community!  Our Facebook page is getting a lot more attention, likes, and shares.
These are just a few examples of the unique ways my staff have found to serve our community in these challenging times.
I could not be prouder of them.

Garden City Public Library
We are proud of our workers and their ability to go with the flow!  We have been open to the public on limited service since June 17th and so far we have been proud of our employees and patrons alike.

White Pine District Library
Our summer reading program has just ended. It was entirely online and off-site. I was just thinking about how proud I am of our Children's Programmer's work who packaged 100 craft kits, ordered hundreds of free books and distributed them all to our small community once a week for 2 months. Staff helped each week with distribution, and also created weekly Facebook challenges and other social media posts. Together they pulled off an extremely popular program very much appreciated by our community.
Library not named

The teamwork.
Ferndale Public Library

At the Novi Public Library I am most proud of my staff.  Through the pandemic they quickly and easily conquered remote working and learning, and have been providing amazing virtual programs and services to our community. They made the words “adapt”, “flexible” and “change” look so easy!  Our motto is Inform, Inspire, and Include and EVERY day my NPL family is living this for Novi!  As a Director I am blessed to have such a fantastic team!  We continue to be available and make a difference for our community.
Novi Public Library

Letter to staff:
We are in the process of completing two full weeks in the library and I just want to say thank you to all! Working with you through this unprecedented time has been the best part of my 25+ year library career. You have exceeded any expectations I might have had for being team players while also trying to manage your own concerns and solitude at home. You’ve made my job easier by being calm, steady, hard-working, patient, supportive, and always fun!!!  If in January they told me I had to pick a group of people with whom to weather this storm, I would choose all of you.

Brandon Township Public Library


Sonya Schryer Norris
Library Consultant
Library of Michigan
Michigan Department of Education
517-335-1498

https://michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan
https://mel.org<https://mel.org/>
http://michlibrary.org<http://michlibrary.org/>

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