LVA continues its series of programs on answering challenging patron questions with two programs that build on sessions from the spring, looking at more legal and medical resources to assist library staff in guiding users to the best information. We also are offering a training on Virginia's Open Data Portal.
Virginia Legal Information Resources
Many of the legal questions posed by public patrons deal with state specific law. Learn about appropriate resources to help address Virginia legal questions with Kimball Boone, Law Librarian of Wahab Public Law Library; Alexis Fetzer Sharp, State Law Librarian of the Virginia State Law Library of the Supreme Court of Virginia; and Melissa Scheeren, Research Librarian at the Arthur J. Morris Law Library of the University of Virginia School of Law.
The Medicare open enrollment season kicks off on October 15 and ends on December 7. Millions of seniors will see their mailboxes and inboxes filled with pamphlets, and television and radio ads will fill airwaves. People with Medicare will be reviewing their Medicare health insurance coverage and making choices about how they receive their care. Is Original Medicare the way to go? Is a Medicare supplement needed? Does a Medicare Advantage plan make sense for me and how are the Advantage plans able to offer all the extra benefits?
Come learn more about the different types of Medicare choices available and how to help users with what to consider as they review their coverage.
The portal allows for viewing and exporting data, viewing APIs, and exploring visualizations, promoting government transparency by working to provide access to data in one centralized location.
The portal now hosts over 2,000 state datasets and the ODGA team works to add new datasets from state agencies daily. You won't want to miss out on all of the interesting data on the portal, including:
We are excited to provide a training on using the open data portal, presented by staff from the Virginia Office of Data Governance and Analytics. The training will cover how to access and use the content in the portal and a look at where the Open Data Portal project is going.
Scholarship recipients are asked to report out on key points or topics from the programs they attend. Read the reports below.
Libraries and Aging 101
Bridgette Wisdom, Arlington Public Library and Sheena Johnson, Pulaski County Library System
The goal of the 4-week web-based course was to provide students with strategies useful in assessing the needs and interests of an older population and then deploying that information to design impactful programs and services for this demographic. A different aspect was covered each week and included related assignments. Each assignment built on the next so that by the end you would not only have built a portfolio but also a signature program for older adults.
Week 1 focused on defining and developing an understanding of the older adult demographic in our geographic locations. Attendees were challenged to assess their personal beliefs about older adults and the aging process. We learned about different agencies that provide services to older adults, such as the state designated Area Agencies on Aging and gained keys to engagement for older adults.
In week 2, we were tasked with applying the knowledge from week one (older adult demographics and increased awareness of the aging process) to examining our own library’s purpose (mission) and aspirations (vision) as it pertains to older adults. We also considered strategic plans and the value of placing emphasis on older adults in order to be prepared as Americans live longer and healthier lives. Bringing all the variables together, we developed a survey to assess the interests and needs of older adults.
Building on weeks 1 and 2, the next step (week 3) was all about programming as it relates to older adults. Participants now have a better understanding of the needs and wants of older adults in their respective communities and how the information supports the library’s mission, vision, and core values. The next step was to create a signature program for mature adults by applying the program logic model. The program logic model is a useful tool to help you define desired outcomes to help ensure your new program achieves its desired impact.
Finally, in week 4, the discussion and resources centered on funding resources, specifically grants. Learning where to find grants along with tips and worksheets on writing grants helped to round out this last section. Throughout the course, there were opportunities to share experiences with others in the course via topic guiding discussion posts and one Zoom meeting.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach for older adults programming and services, but being prepared for this growing segment is essential. This course was helpful, and I gained some new tools and resources that will inform future planning for programs and services with the goal of empowering and enriching the lives of older adults.
Thank you, Library of Virginia, for awarding me the scholarship to attend this RUSA online course.
I would like to first, thank the Library of Virginia for the opportunity to participate in a class that helps librarians grow in the field of older adult programming and services. These opportunities are so important for Adult Services staff. Our library has been conducting research and trying to find ways to expand our older adult programming over the last year. Every community is different so the guidelines that this class offered are helpful no matter where you are- you can frame the knowledge presented in this class to fit individual needs no matter the size of your community.
The Libraries and Aging 101: Educate, Engage and Empower Mature Adults class from RUSA, firstly, touched on the myths of an older adults’ audience--this particular approach really helped to narrow down some assumptions that many make about this audience. It was eye opening and helped me to think differently about the needs of this audience and how the library can help support them.
This class also emphasized different aspects of programming for an older audience. It took a great look into what resources are out there for partnerships within your community and it examined grant opportunities through organizations that I wouldn’t have considered such as the National Network of Libraries of Medicine--our instructor also highlighted the opportunities that are presented through Candid, which is something I have known about but have yet to explore.
Lastly, and the aspect that I found most beneficial, was the “Programming Palooza” section. The instructor had students describe relevant programs by using a Program Logic Model, which is far more in depth than what I generally do when creating a program for any audience. I think the Program Logic Model [ed.: see an example of a logic model from the CDC] helps to induce deeper thoughts about future programming and it allows the programmer to think full circle about the effects their program will have on the audience, library, and other partners.
The class allowed me to think additionally about how I will prepare future programming and also what that means for partners and the community. I found it incredibly beneficial and would recommend this course to others.
Learning about AI: Level Up Your Skills Without Overwhelming Your Mind
Bethany Hawkins, Loudoun County Public Library
This was my first foray into AI beyond the auto-generated AI I’ve been seeing on
various social media sites and Google. I must confess I was a sceptic. This training has given me insight and inspired me to make use of the various platforms. I was able to test out ChatGPT and Perplexity during the training, and I was pleasantly surprised with the information provided by the platforms.
The training was led by Jennifer Freer and Lara Nicosia, both librarians at New York Universities in Rochester. They volleyed back and forth throughout the training, each providing thoughtful insight into the world of AI. They shared their own experiences of exploring AI and their reasons for doing so. Overall, they were positive about the technology and approached it in a way that had me feeling positive about it as well.
Jennifer and Lara started out by giving a simple overview of what exactly AI is and then continued to familiarize those in the training with some of the terminology and lingo that is referenced by AI users. They separated the terms into three categories: Conceptual (Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, etc.), Technical (Algorithm, Generative AI) and Interaction and Challenges (Prompt, Response, Bias, etc.). I found this jargon to be useful in helping me think about AI as a technological tool rather than as an abstract idea, which is pretty much the impression I’ve had up until now. Until this training, AI exploration felt intimidating to me.
After learning about the lingo, we went on to learning the various landscape options for usage of AI. The categories we reviewed for this portion of the training were: Generative Text (ChatGPT), Generative Images and Videos (Adobe Firefly), Generative Search (Perplexity) and Literature Discovery (scite.ai). We were given an overview of how AI works in code and then shown how to get the results you want based on the tools needed for the task they’re being used for. We then were able to do an exercise using ChatGPT and Perplexity as a test. I asked the same question on both platforms and was given a mostly correct answer from ChatGPT and then a more descriptive answer from Perplexity with citations. I had asked a question about an author’s book.
Overall, this training was enlightening, and the presenters did a wonderful job of providing the current information about AI. I was happy that they included an interactive piece to the training so we could have some hands-on experience with the platforms. As a member of the Adult Services Department in my public library system, I think that AI will certainly come in handy. I’ve already been testing it out for readers' advisory questions and book discussion questions. I’m sure as we continue to provide information to the community at large, we will be able to make use out of various AI tools.
Find It VA Tips
Gale Legal Forms Updates
Beginning in September, Gale Legal Forms updates will allow librarians more detailed views of patron use of the database as well as enhanced tools for searching for legal forms and resources.
Monthly stats will now include a new section for Legal Forms data that gives a better understanding of patron use of the resource, including:
Top searches conducted by users
Top forms viewed
Usage of supplemental sections in Gale LegalForms, including Articles, the Attorney Directory, the Law Digest, Legal Definitions, and Legal Q&A
Greater detail on each form downloaded in the previous month, such as the type of file and the language of the form
Patrons searching Legal Forms will now get suggestions from Gale's new auto-suggest feature that displays suggested keywords to assist users with their search queries.
And a new Military category in the Legal Forms categories list will quickly direct veterans and those currently serving to resources covering "military-related legal needs."
Check out the details of these enhancements on the Gale blog.
News from LVA
Indigenous Perspectives Traveling Exhibit
Do you know how many federally and state-recognized tribes are there in Virginia? Indigenous Perspectives synthesizes three years of conversations with representatives from Virginia's eleven recognized tribes.
Indigenous Perspectives seeks to place the voices and experiences of Virginia’s tribal communities at the center of an active examination of the Library of Virginia’s holdings. Ultimately, the project will create an ongoing partnership between the LVA and Virginia’s eleven federally and state– recognized tribes (1) to incorporate tribal perspectives on LVA collections and (2) to acknowledge and recognize that Virginia’s Indigenous communities have been, and remain, a vital part of Virginia’s history and culture.
The exhibition is organized around the themes of sovereignty, environment, identity, community, language, and future. Here are the details:
Exhibition Availability: The exhibition is available for a six-week (6) loan period, inclusive of delivery by LVA staff.
Format and Space: Indigenous Perspectives is an eight- unit, double -sided banner exhibition with a kiosk and touchscreen monitor for the recorded conversations. The venue should have 120 sq. ft. for comfortable viewing on both sides. The banners are 36”w x 68”h. Please note: there are no headphones with the kiosk.
Insurance: For insurance purposes, the value of the exhibition is $10,000.
Rental Fee: NONE! Indigenous Perspectives is available free of charge.
Transportation: The Library of Virginia will handle all transportation logistics.
Support Materials: Each venue will receive 50 copies of the Indigenous Perspectives booklet that contains the same information as the traveling exhibition. The booklets are free for visitors. Also, please visit https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/indigenous-perspectives for more resources.
For more information or to request the exhibit, please contact Barbara C. Batson, exhibitions coordinator, Barbara.batson@lva.virginia.gov, 804-692-3518
Grants and Opportunities
Reducing Substance Abuse Forum Opportunity
Is your library interested in finding ways to "envision and create support for people experiencing . . . through reading, bibliotherapy, and peer-to-peer learning circles"?
Public library staff who are interested in participating in an IMLS-funded national forum, Libraries Advancing Community Learning to Reduce Substance Use, are invited to apply to attend on May 15/16, 2025 at the Kansas City Public Library.
Selected attendees will be provided with travel funding, two nights’ stay at a hotel near the event space, and a stipend for meals not included at the conference.
Fall encourages us to settle in with a warm drink and great book. It's also the season of Halloween, when stories about ghosts and ghouls are in demand.
If you are not a horror fan, now is a great time to get up to speed with what draws readers into stories that range from psychological terror to jump scares.
NoveList Plus has you covered here with a great genre guide to Horror for Adults. Here you can explore the template for horror genre titles, look at key themes, and explore popular titles, both the classics of horror as well as new titles and upcoming authors. You will also find great suggestions for marketing horror fiction and for working with readers.
So get ready for fall and support your local horror readers with NoveList Plus and be careful out there!
[Editor's note: be sure to read some of M. R. James's ghost stories and Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked this Way Comes!]
Program Ideas
Fiber arts are a hot library programming topic these days, and the Frankfort (IL) Public Library parlayed interest in crocheting into a fascinating community art project, creating a community-made granny square afghan.
According to library staff, the "main goal for this program was to bring the community together while learning a new skill." The program resulted in 212 squares donated by 38 different people, enough for two afghans that were then raffled off to the crocheters.
I've been wanting to try offering yoga classes for years, but had been holding off because I didn't want our free classes to be in competition with a couple of local businesses that were offering them (for a small fee).
Last fall, I learned that one of the businesses had closed down during COVID and the other was unable to get enough students for the class to be viable--the time seemed right for the library to step in. Interest remained steady for the first six weeks, so after a break for the holidays, classes resumed in January and attendance grew to the point that we needed to add a second class.
As the weather gets nice and outdoor activities lure some away, we continue to get new students, and many of those attending are new to the library, as well.
For more info, contact Jackie Zataweski, jzataweski@nottlib.org
Chesapeake Public Library
Murder, Mystery, & Mayhem
In May, the Chesapeake Public Library held the 2nd Annual Murder, Mystery, & Mayhem program at the South Norfolk Memorial Branch Library. This year’s theme focused on Agatha Christie and her beloved character, Miss Marple.
During the event, attendees could attend presentations ranging from Chilling Truths: Cold Case Investigations Unveiled to Agatha and Beyond: Plants that Murder, gain practical writing advice from workshops like Writing Mistakes New Authors Make, talk to the vendors in the Mystery Market, play Agatha Christie Mystery Trivia, take a selfie with a Miss Marple impersonator, or watch Kanopy’s And Then There Were None a classic black and white movie. But the most challenging activity was the self-paced Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt where participants had to follow the clues and figure out who killed the recently elected Library Board member Willis Williford Williams III.
Some attendees had such a great time, they stayed the entire day from the opening presentation to the final credits of the movie. So, it was a good thing that the Great Bridge Kiwanis Club sold hot dogs, drinks, and other goodies during the event.
For more info, contact Elizabeth A. Griffing, egriffing@cityofchesapeake.net
This newsletter is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services. It is published by the Library of Virginia Library Development and Networking Division.
Library of Virginia: Library Development & Networking Division 800 E. Broad St., Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-239-3510 https://vpl.lib.va.us
