Congratulations to the July employee of the month, Linda!

Since joining Bib Services in our Cataloging Department in August 2019, Linda’s “behind the scenes” work as a Library Assistant, has contributed immense value to our patrons. Initially working on copy cataloging, adding records to the ILS, Linda quickly moved onto assisting with database maintenance, quality control, spine label printing, physical processing of materials and making call number changes. She has processed a collection of Hindi DVDs, music scores, and materials in Persian for various branches. She’s cataloged numerous items in English and Spanish and has been adding board games to the collection, including creating many original boardgame records in WorldCat. Linda also cataloged and processed several dozen books on veterans’ issues that were provided by the Community Conversations with Veterans program.

Linda is a member of the Rita Recommends Committee where she assists with providing readers’ advisory to our patrons. Linda’s recommendation write-ups have appeared in the Author Connection newsletter.

Linda was one of a handful of Bib Services staff who not only assisted with receiving materials when our branches closed during the initial stages of the pandemic, but she helped to coordinate the baskets of branch invoices in BIBZ which required, researching invoice numbers, and identifying them for payment. Linda also initiated and created a time-saving vendor issues template that was used by Headquarters staff to inquire about and document missing and damaged materials and other vendor concerns during the branch closures.

 In the less than 24 months she has been with OC Public Libraries, Linda is an individual whose positive can-do attitude has been greatly appreciated and we know she does her job thinking about the greater impact that it has for helping both staff and patrons alike.

Inaugural Orange County Poet Laureates Appointed

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For more information please visit https://www.libromobile.com/ocpoetlaureates 

Congratulations to the June Employees of the Month, Kindergarten Readiness committee: Shanon, Katie, Rylee, Zulma, Courtney, Heather, Glenda, and Linda!

Almost 50 percent of children in Orange County are not considered kindergarten ready. During the pandemic, it was even more difficult for some children and their families to acquire the basic knowledge, social competencies, and communication skills to succeed in school. To help Orange County families, the Kindergarten Readiness committee was responsive and took the initiative to offer a breadth of resources and educational opportunities. The committee has displayed exceptional service to the public by creating a webpage with information and activities featuring social media content, a Rhyme of the Month with an accompanying parent handout, Book Lists on Feelings, Math, Movement, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, and more!

On Wednesdays, the committee offers children and their families a virtual storytime. During storytimes, the storytellers provide parents and caregivers with the tools needed so that they can feel confident using the same strategies on their own.

The committee has created a Kindergarten Readiness Binder for staff. The binder provides the common language and framework for teaching Kindergarten Readiness skills and how they can be best applied by families. Each month, the committee shares resources with library staff to continue building a systemic knowledge base to better serve Orange County families. Under their leadership, OC Public Libraries now has a model for providing storytimes and programs that support families in developing the skills necessary to be considered kindergarten ready.

The Kindergarten Readiness committee has done a fantastic job, while maintaining a positive, can-do attitude. It is evident that the committee takes great pride in their work, but most importantly they are committed to the academic success of children in Orange County. A special thank you to the Kindergarten Readiness committee!

Audra goes above and beyond for OCPL patrons, especially teens--sometimes taking whole shelves of manga to pre-teens so they can read at home during the pandemic!

Audra is the Comic Orange committee chair.  She was able to collaborate with OCPL staff all throughout the county to put out this exceptional service to our younger patrons.  The pandemic caused the cancellation of last year's Comic Orange, however Audra did not get discouraged.  She used every tool available to accommodate the event virtually this year!

Audra uses her own passions to fuel exciting and relatable programming for teens.  She is their voice and opinion when they are too shy to stand up for themselves.  Teens don't hesitate to confide in Audra when others refuse to listen

Announcing the April Employee of the Month – Savannah!

Savannah always looks for ways to better serve library patrons, whether it’s creating book bundles, moving or shifting furniture, coming up with better workflows, she is constantly thinking and working hard to make sure each patron leaves happy. Savannah knows our collections very well and is comfortable making recommendations to patrons of all ages. She keeps up on any new database or service we’re offering so she can offer patrons assistance. Through this last year, she has kept in contact with our teen volunteers and TAB group, keeping them informed and offering support, so now that she is launching her virtual book group, she already has participants.

Savannah is Co-Chair of the Virtual Storytime Committee, not only creating videos and performing Zoom Storytimes, but she provides feedback and editing tips to committee members. She keeps the members up-to-date on publisher rights and has helped to streamline the video submissions workflow. Savannah is natural and engaging in front of the camera and her Zoom storytimes are always filled with smiling and happy kids. She is also collaborating with Laguna Beach for the “Galaxy to Earth” grant by filming a storytime about the sun and moon and teaching kids about different kinds of eclipses.

Savannah is also a member of the Social Media Committee, actively participating and sending content to Community Relations. Lately, we’ve enjoyed taking several Book Face Friday photos and creating book poetry. She also makes sure we take our library card with us on vacation for Traveling Library Card posts. But within the branch, she has established herself as knowledgeable in all areas and always lending a hand and training staff on policies and procedures.

OC PUBLIC LIBRARIES PARTNERS WITH LIBROMOBILE TO LAUNCH INAUGURAL ORANGE COUNTY POET LAUREATE PROGRAMS

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (April 15, 2021) -- In conjunction with April’s National Poetry Month, OC Public Libraries is partnering with LibroMobile Arts Co-Op to launch the inaugural OC Poet Laureate (OC-PL) and OC Youth Poet Laureate (OCYPL) programs in Orange County. Aiming to reflect regional demographics including approximately 60% people of color, these programs are intended to inspire and promote cultural connections and community partnerships by celebrating local poets using their powerful voices to impact social change.

The goals of the OC-PL program are to inspire residents through transformative community engagement and the positive impact of poetry; provide opportunities to engage in literary arts and write or perform poetry; bring poetry to a variety of settings in the community; and ultimately support a civic and literary leader for generations to come.

In partnership with the National Youth Poet Laureate Program and Urban Word, the OCYPL program is a countywide literacy effort celebrating poetry and connecting young writers to far-reaching opportunities. Each year Orange County writers (ages 13-19) can apply to join a community of talented young poets. A Laureate is selected and earns an honorarium that can be applied as an educational scholarship or toward additional arts programming. All Finalists are invited to serve as ambassadors alongside the Laureate for literacy, arts, and youth expression with ongoing opportunities for performances, projects, and peer support.

One OC Poet Laureate and one OC Youth Poet Laureate will be selected for the 2021-2022 program year. Inaugural applications for the OC-PL and OCYPL programs will open on April 15, 2021 and be accepted through July 15, 2021. Announcement of the 2021-2022 OC Poet Laureate Appointments will be made on August 15, 2021.

For more information about the OC-PL and OCYPL literary programs including eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit libromobile.com/ocpoetlaureates.

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OC Public Libraries is a network of 32 community libraries across Orange County, California. With over 100 years of commitment to its residents, OC Public Libraries offers millions of resources to contribute to the quality of life. The library aims to empower and enrich the community with access to books, eBooks, databases, literacy services, programming, and more. Learn more at ocpl.org.

LibroMobile is a literary project established in Santa Ana, California—it integrates literature, visual exhibits, year-round creative workshops, and live readings. LibroMobile Arts Co-Op is a collective of community organizers, cultural producers, and local artists working collaboratively to form a workers' cooperative. Learn more at libromobile.com.

The National Youth Poet Laureate Program was founded in 2008 and identifies and celebrates teen poets who exhibit a commitment to artistic excellence, civic engagement, youth leadership, and social justice. The National Youth Poet Laureate Program works with local youth literary arts organizations across the United States to identify and celebrate exceptional youth poets who use their voices to inspire change. Learn more at youthlaureate.org.

Urban Word is an award-winning youth literary arts and youth development organization that collaborates with local youth literary arts organizations across the country to provide uncensored platforms for youth voice. It is championed by the leading national literary organizations, including the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities, the Academy of American Poets, Poetry Society of America, PEN Center USA, Cave Canem, and the Library of Congress. Learn more at urbanwordnyc.org.

OC PUBLIC LIBRARIES PARTNERS WITH LIBROMOBILE TO LAUNCH INAUGURAL ORANGE COUNTY POET LAUREATE PROGRAMS

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (April 15, 2021) -- In conjunction with April’s National Poetry Month, OC Public Libraries is partnering with LibroMobile Arts Co-Op to launch the inaugural OC Poet Laureate (OC-PL) and OC Youth Poet Laureate (OCYPL) programs in Orange County. Aiming to reflect regional demographics including approximately 60% people of color, these programs are intended to inspire and promote cultural connections and community partnerships by celebrating local poets using their powerful voices to impact social change.

The goals of the OC-PL program are to inspire residents through transformative community engagement and the positive impact of poetry; provide opportunities to engage in literary arts and write or perform poetry; bring poetry to a variety of settings in the community; and ultimately support a civic and literary leader for generations to come.

In partnership with the National Youth Poet Laureate Program and Urban Word, the OCYPL program is a countywide literacy effort celebrating poetry and connecting young writers to far-reaching opportunities. Each year Orange County writers (ages 13-19) can apply to join a community of talented young poets. A Laureate is selected and earns an honorarium that can be applied as an educational scholarship or toward additional arts programming. All Finalists are invited to serve as ambassadors alongside the Laureate for literacy, arts, and youth expression with ongoing opportunities for performances, projects, and peer support.

One OC Poet Laureate and one OC Youth Poet Laureate will be selected for the 2021-2022 program year. Inaugural applications for the OC-PL and OCYPL programs will open on April 15, 2021 and be accepted through July 15, 2021. Announcement of the 2021-2022 OC Poet Laureate Appointments will be made on August 15, 2021.

For more information about the OC-PL and OCYPL literary programs including eligibility requirements and how to apply, visit libromobile.com/ocpoetlaureates.

###

OC Public Libraries is a network of 32 community libraries across Orange County, California. With over 100 years of commitment to its residents, OC Public Libraries offers millions of resources to contribute to the quality of life. The library aims to empower and enrich the community with access to books, eBooks, databases, literacy services, programming, and more. Learn more at ocpl.org.

LibroMobile is a literary project established in Santa Ana, California—it integrates literature, visual exhibits, year-round creative workshops, and live readings. LibroMobile Arts Co-Op is a collective of community organizers, cultural producers, and local artists working collaboratively to form a workers' cooperative. Learn more at libromobile.com.

The National Youth Poet Laureate Program was founded in 2008 and identifies and celebrates teen poets who exhibit a commitment to artistic excellence, civic engagement, youth leadership, and social justice. The National Youth Poet Laureate Program works with local youth literary arts organizations across the United States to identify and celebrate exceptional youth poets who use their voices to inspire change. Learn more at youthlaureate.org.

Urban Word is an award-winning youth literary arts and youth development organization that collaborates with local youth literary arts organizations across the country to provide uncensored platforms for youth voice. It is championed by the leading national literary organizations, including the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities, the Academy of American Poets, Poetry Society of America, PEN Center USA, Cave Canem, and the Library of Congress. Learn more at urbanwordnyc.org.

Every day, Barbara exemplifies OCPL’s vision for open doors, free access, and community, and delivers our mission to empower and enrich our community. There’s good reason patrons ask for Barbara by name. For one, Barbara has made a point of knowing their names. Barbara does everything in her power to make our community members feel welcome when they visit or contact the library.

Barbara is a valued member of our team. She is well respected and always ready to help her coworkers. She is an excellent teacher and is the ‘go-to’ person when there are circulation issues. 

Barbara is 100% committed to the satisfaction of our patrons, to her job, to the success of our branch and the Library as a whole. She has been making a difference in people’s lives for last 20 years and is a dedicated loyal employee worthy of being recognized for her efforts. 

Tim:

Tim has organized and staffed the WiFi on Wheels project since October, which has brought WiFi, library services and staff to neighborhoods throughout Orange County. He has scheduled staff, manned the vehicles, and acted as a lead throughout the process. He has been a reliable contributor and supervisor of the whole process. Tim helped get the operation off the ground as it was envisioned into existence. He offered insight and ideas of how to make it better, while providing practical assistance every day. He completely got on board with the idea and the process and guided it to success. Tim also hosted Chairman Do when we launched the project and has been extremely agreeable and flexible about taking on the responsibilities, in the midst of also closing his branch to the public and packing up. He is always positive and does his best, with a spirit of service to both staff and the public.

Jenn:

Jennifer took on helping launch the WiFi on Wheels project. From the beginning, she offered suggestions and offered solutions for staffing, supplies, collections and documentation. Her documentation process has kept the whole project organized and running smoothly. She took on duties and offered solutions for the WiFi on Wheels which helped train staff, staff the vehicles, add supplies and collections and keep us on track. She was invaluable to her supervisor and to staff in keeping the project running smoothly. Jennifer finds solutions to problems and has used many innovative ways for us to stay in touch and keep the project moving along successfully. She thought of solutions to problems quickly and is easy to collaborate with and work with. Jennifer brings a positive attitude to everything she does, and acts in service to both library staff and to the public. She brings fresh ideas to her work every day.

Congratulations Tim and Jenn!

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What Do I Read Next? Spring and Summer Preview

Zoom Virtual Event

March 17th @ 6:30pm

Spring and Summer book previews and recommendations with Penguin Random House!

Penguin Random House representatives Steve Atinsky, Liz Camfiord, and Wade Lucas will share some spring and summer titles to add to your to-read list. There will be plenty of book recommendations!

To register for this event, email: beatriz.preciado@occr.ocgov.com

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