CE NEWS

May 4, 2021

Table of Contents

• Alaska Listening Session Insights
• Pandemic Leads to Increase in Job Burnout
• How to Incorporate Citizen Science Project Into Your Library Programming
• Strengthening Organizations Grant
• CE Calendar

Alaska Listening Session Insights

On April 5-6, librarians from across the state attended two interactive listening sessions offered by the Alaska State Library. Librarians used individual Padlet boards to share major projects they have planned, library activities they plan to discontinue, and successful community partnerships their library has entered into. They also shared how the pandemic has impacted their delivery of library services, their patrons' perceptions of the library, and their staff’s performance.

Here are some insights from the listening sessions:

• Closures severely impacted seniors who stayed at home and were unwilling or unable to transition to eBooks.
• Members of the public have lost confidence in the library after closures.
• When the library did reopen, children were noticeably absent.
• Barriers that impacted library performance included staff's competence using virtual technology platforms, shifting library staff to teleworking status, not having enough staff available to work in the library, library directors being asked to assume additional duties and responsibilities, unstable internet, and difficulty communicating library service changes to the public.
• Large families were negatively affected when libraries limited the number of patrons who could be in the library at any one time.
• Community groups who were unable to use library meeting rooms during closures were forced to make other arrangements and will not be returning to the library.
• Library staff’s initial response to the pandemic was hampered by not knowing what services could safely be implemented.
• Library directors are looking forward to reopening their libraries, offering in-person professional development training to their staff, continuation of virtual programs, and offering some outside and in-person programs.
• Directors are making plans to bring teleworking staff back to work in the library. Some will also be taking proactive steps to rebuild staff morale and unity.
• Librarians expressed feelings of fatigue, decision paralysis, and burn out. Several librarians shared that they are looking forward to taking time off to recharge mentally and physically.

Pandemic Leads to Increase in Job burnout

The ongoing stress and uncertainty of the pandemic is taking a toll on everyone. Merriam-Webster defines burnout as exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.

The article Job Burnout: How to Spot it and Take Action, written by staff from the Mayo Clinic, describes job burnout as a special type of work-related stress, a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.

Symptoms of burnout include loss of concentration, a lack of satisfaction with personal accomplishments, general irritability, and a lack of energy. Physical symptoms may include headaches, muscle aches, trouble sleeping, and stomach issues.

Causes of Burnout:

• Unsustainable workload
• Perceived lack of control
• Insufficient rewards for effort
• Lack of supportive community
• Lack of fairness
• Mismatched values and skills

If you suspect that you or your library staff is experiencing job burnout, here are some actions your library can take to combat it:

1. Ensure that your staff have manageable workloads
2. Limit staff meetings
3. Begin staff meetings by checking-in with your staff
4. Create a culture of psychological safety
5. Develop empathetic leadership skills

Sources

Is Pandemic Burnout Draining Your Motivation and Energy? Here’s How We can all promote a recovery. (Forbes, March 11th, 2021)
Pandemic burnout is rampant in academia. (Nature, March 15, 2021)
Moss, J. (2021). Beyond Burned Out. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 1–17.
Building Morale in a Pandemic: How to support library staff as whole people. (American Libraries, March 1st, 2021)
Library Burnout: Causes, Symptoms, Solutions. (ALA Newsletter, December 1, 2009)
Job burnout: How to spot it and take action. (Mayo Clinic Healthy Lifestyle Adult Health, November 20, 2020)

How to Incorporate a Citizen Science Project Into Your Library Programming

This may be the year to incorporate a citizen science project into your library programming. While many libraries are cautiously reopening to the public, some are still focusing on outdoor or virtual programming. Citizen science projects empower everyday people (youth, adults, and seniors) to participate in scientific research by collecting and analyzing data, often outdoors and independently. 

Citizen science projects have been around for a long time. In 1900, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count began with 27 volunteers. Today, tens of thousands of volunteers across North America collect data for the project.

While anyone can participate in a citizen science project, it is important to note that internet access, smartphones, and mobile applications are used to collect and share data. Citizen science projects are a great way to engage the public, particularly youth, in authentic scientific activities that help them connect with and contribute to their community.

You for Youth (Y4Y), which supports after-school programming and positive youth development, offers Train Your Staff Tools that walk you through the process of incorporating citizen science projects into your library programs. Their extensive resources include citizen science staff training resources, planning and implementation handouts, student assessment and reflection guides, and program checklists.

To find a citizen science project near you, use SciStarter, a hub with over 3000 projects. SciStarter allows you to search for a project by location, topic, age level, amount of time required, and activity. All of the projects on SciStarter have been registered by individual project leaders or imported through partnerships with federal governments, non-profits, or universities.

Resources

The Library & Community Guide to Citizen Science contains a quick-start guide, an overview of citizen science, instructions on how to use SciStarter and templates, and tips and programming suggestions for celebrating Citizen Science month.

Citizen Science Association hosts a biennial conference, offers skills-based webinars, and publishes Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, a peer-reviewed open-access journal.

You for Youth (Y4Y) focuses on enhancing professional learning and technical assistance for 21^st Century Community Center Programs.

Strengthening Organizations Grant

The Alaska Community Foundation is currently accepting grant applications for the Strengthening Organizations Fund. The information below is directly from their website.

Applications for the first round of funding are open April 27th – June 8th, 2021. There will 2 additional grant cycles in 2021 with dates still to be determined.

Eligible nonprofit organizations can apply for grants to build the capacity of their organizations. Eligibility is limited to 501(c)3 nonprofits, or equivalent, organizations located in the state of Alaska. Equivalent organizations may include tribes, churches, local government agencies, and programs. Organizations must have their federal designation as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, or equivalent, for a year or more.

Grant awards will support nonprofit staff and board of directors in their efforts to access tools, develop practical skills, and cultivate support systems needed to effectively achieve the organization’s mission in the areas of leadership development, organizational development, program development, collaboration and community engagement, and evaluation of effectiveness. For eligible activities for funding, please review the provided grant guidelines.

Grant requests may be for up to $10,000; typically, awards are funded in the $4,000 to $6,000 range.

For additional information, please review the following documents.

If you have any questions after reading the guidelines, FAQ or how to apply online, please contact an ACF Program staff member at grants@alaskacf.org or call 907-334-6700.

CE Calendar

To see all of the free training opportunities available in May, visit the CE Calendar.