[AL-Directors] Happy Friday from the State Library

[Ross Fuqua]

Hello Oregon library folks!
Apologies for cross posting.

We hope you are all still in good health and good humor these days.

We skipped a Friday update last week, but we have a few things we're very excited to share with you today:


*       Answerland<https://answerland.org/>, the 24/7 virtual reference service we coordinate as part of our LSTA program, is launching support for Spanish speaking patrons!!! We are absolutely thrilled to announce the soft launch now, and we'll be sending out more general information about using and promoting this service in the next couple of weeks. My deepest gratitude goes out the 14 bilingual library staff at 8 Oregon libraries who are staffing the Spanish-language question queue and are helping translate web & promotional content, and to our own Tamara Ottum for leading this amazing effort in such a quick amount of time.

*       We're going to start hosting Wednesday virtual meetings at noon on specific topics. These are open to anyone in the library community, and most of these will be recorded for those who can't join live - check out the schedule of upcoming topics (and info on how to join) here<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/coronavirus/meetups>. Our general virtual meetups on Tuesdays & and library director meetups on Thursdays (also at noon) will also continue!

*       New on our COVID-19 Response Guide<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/coronavirus/policies>: we're adding example policies and other helpful documents Oregon libraries have shared with us about providing alternative library services during a closure, as well as information on how to plan for an (eventual) reopening at your library.

*       CARES Act funding for libraries: through the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress late last month, an additional $50 million will be appropriated to the IMLS<https://www.imls.gov/news/federal-government-invests-50m-museums-libraries-address-digital-divide-during-covid-19> to help support museums and libraries throughout US and its territories. We've learned that $30 million of the total amount will be channeled to state library administrative agencies through Grants to States (LSTA) programs like ours, to help address digital inclusion needs as well as recovery efforts. Distribution of that $30M is based on population, and for Oregon, this will amount to approximately $380,000. We're expecting to receive further guidance from the IMLS in the comings weeks, and our division and State Librarian are meeting now to come up with ways to gather your feedback, ideas, needs, and priorities in your communities.

As always, be well. And please reach out to us at library.support at state.or.us<mailto:library.support at state.or.us>,  or find our individual contact info here<https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries/Pages/Contact.aspx>.

Cheers,

Greta, Darci, Tamara, Jen, Arlene, Ferol, Susan, & Ross
Library Support & Development Services
State Library of Oregon


Ross Fuqua
Data & Federal Programs Consultant
503-378-5027 | oregon.gov/library/libraries<https://www.oregon.gov/library/libraries>
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COVID-19 info: https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/coronavirus

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