Marigold Newsletter
January 2022
Marigold News
Marigold Library Conference 2022: Call for Proposals
The 2022 Marigold Library System Conference will be held in person (pending COVID-19 restrictions) on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.
 
The theme of the 2022 Conference is From Disruption to Direction.
The last few years have brought disruption to our world, personal lives, and library activities in many ways. But we all have the capacity to grow even in times of change, and out of these disruptions, what positives do you see? How can you forge forward with certainty, new connections, and a focused direction for your library?
 
The Planning Committee invites session proposals which may benefit, support, or inspire library staff and board members.
 
Possible session topics include:
  • Programming (all ages) – virtual, hybrid, etc.
  • Fundraising, Advocacy, and Board Development
  • Human Resources and Leadership
  • Technology, eResources, and Social Media
  • Customer Service
  • Reconciliation, Inclusion, and Diversity
*Other topics of interest will be considered
 
Please fill out the online form to submit a proposal: https://marigold.ab.ca/MarigoldConference
The deadline for proposals is end of day Sunday, January 23, 2022.
 
*Only those selected to present at the workshop will be contacted.
 
Making a Difference Awards
It’s that time of year; the time for you to share the amazing things you do - apply now for the Marigold Making a Difference Awards!

Marigold Library System’s Making a Difference Award recognizes and celebrates excellence and innovation in library service. The Award traditionally acknowledges a library and team who are proud of an achievement in an area such as programming, outreach, advocacy and public relations, partnerships, and innovative use of technology.

A winner and an honourable mention from a small, medium, and large library will be chosen by the Marigold Library Board Advocacy Committee. Each winner will receive a plaque and a monetary award of $750 and each honourable mention will receive a certificate of recognition and a monetary award of $250 to be used at the local Library Board’s discretion. Complete instructions including the criteria and rules can be found here. 

The awards will be presented at the Marigold Library System Conference on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

To apply for the award fill out this application. Deadline for award applications is February 11, 2022. Please note that the board chair’s signature is no longer required.

If you have any questions, please contact your Library Services Consultant.
 
Indigenous Information
Not Just Another Day Off
The Not Just Another Day Off: Orange Shirt Day and the Legacy of Indian Residential Schools exhibit is meant to be a respectful demonstration of the work of generations of Indigenous educators, scholars, and community members that connects the Residential schools with anti-Indigenous racism and their combined legacies, including:
  • The Sixties Scoop
  • The overincarceration of Indigenous peoples
  • The hyper-surveillance and policing of Indigenous peoples
  • Indian control of Indian education
  • Missing and murdered Indigenous women, and
  • Indigenous resistance and resilience
It was curated by Donna van de Velde and Deborah Lee.
 
If you click the link below, and scroll down a bit, there is a video exhibit tour:
Not Just Another Day Off - University Library - University of Saskatchewan (usask.ca)
 
 
From the Literary Community
Family Literacy Day
Family Literacy Day started in 1999 and is an initiative used to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in literacy-related family activities. It is important to take time every day to read or do a learning activity with children in order to help their development, and improve their literacy skills, and it can even help parents improve their skills as well.
 
Family Literacy Day is held annually on January 27, and 2022 is no exception! The theme for 2022 is Learning in the Great Outdoors! Spending time in nature provides many benefits, not just for bodies, but for minds too. This year, get outside and exercise both your mind and body together as a family. You can make outdoor time fun family learning time all while enjoying the wonders of Canada’s Great Outdoors!
 
Barbara Reid, award-winning Canadian author and illustrator, is once again the Honorary Chair of this year's Family Literacy Day. Join her on January 27 at 2:30pm MST when she will do a demonstration on how to use clay to create a picture and share unique techniques to use to make different things. This event is ideal for children in grades 1 to 6. To register, click here to get a spot - space is limited!
 
You can visit this website to find links to activity ideas and promotional resources!
 
Freedom to Read Week: February 20-26, 2022
Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed to them under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Freedom to Read Week is organized by the Freedom of Expression Committee of the Book and Periodical Council.
 
Visit www.freedomtoread.ca for more information, including ideas on how to celebrate the 36th annual Freedom to Read Week at your library.
 
Alberta Book Publishing Awards
The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is now accepting submissions for the 2022 Alberta Book Publishing Awards. Established in 1994, the Alberta Book Publishing Awards recognize and celebrate the best of the Alberta book publishing industry. The awards are adjudicated by experts and publishing professionals from across Canada, who select the very best examples of
Alberta publishing in up to 16 award categories.
 
This year, the Douglas Barbour Award for Speculative Fiction will be presented to an Alberta publisher for the first time. The award was renamed after the 2021 Alberta Book Publishing Awards to honour Douglas Barbour, who was a tireless supporter of the science fiction and fantasy scene of Alberta book publishing for over half a century.
 
The awards are open to all Alberta-owned and Alberta-controlled publishers and nominated books must have been published between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021. Submissions will be accepted until February 28, 2022. For more information on the awards submissions, eligibility, and process, please visit the Alberta Book Publishing Awards webpage. Further details on the date and format of the awards presentation will follow in the coming months.
 
Jurors Needed
The Book Publishers Association of Alberta is seeking qualified jurors to help select the winners of the 2022 Alberta Book Publishing Awards program. Jury packages will be distributed in early March, and meetings will take place in May. Each jury will be expected to attend one meeting over Zoom which should last about an hour. Jurors will be awarded an honorarium for this work, and are welcome to keep the books after the adjudication process wraps up.
 
As this is a publishing industry award, we are looking for Canadian jurors with experience in the professional publishing industry. Self-nominations and returning jurors are welcome along with those new to the program. We are actively looking to diversify and expand our pool of jurors, and encourage nominations from and on behalf of publishing professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of colour, people with disabilities, people identifying as LGBTQ2, and people facing economic barriers.
 
For consideration for the 2022 program, please submit nominations through our Google Form by January 21, 2022. Nominations submitted through this form may be saved for future years, and only those selected to serve on juries will be contacted.
 
Rocky Mountain Book Award
The Rocky Mountain Book Award invites students and educators to participate in our readers’ choice program. This program is designed to stimulate the reading interests of students in grades 4 – 7. The Rocky Mountain Book Award is an Alberta based program designed to connect young readers with exemplary Canadian literature.
 
You can visit the website at rmba.info for information about the nominated books, important dates, downloadable resources, and program ideas. The registration page will be open until January 20, 2022 if anyone wants to register a reading group through their library. The voting page will be activated on April 1, 2022. Any libraries that register and vote by April 23, 2022 will be entered into a draw for one of three free author visits to their library!
 
 
eResources
cloudLibrary App Redesign
Home Screen Redesign
 
The home screen in the cloudLibrary mobile apps has been redesigned with a new look and feel for Content Module customers to make way for several exciting, upcoming enhancements. From the new screen library users can:

▪ Access their digital library card with a single tap on the barcode icon in the header bar.
▪ Use the new Search Widget to easily search and discover titles when they don’t currently have anything checked out.
▪ View currently checked out titles, library notifications, events, and reading recommendations at a glance.
 
New Search Widget View
 

 
Continue Reading + Recommendations View
 
 
Libby Accessibility Enhancements
To support your library’s mission to serve every reader in your community, OverDrive has been working to improve the accessibility of the Libby app. Updates in 2021 made Libby more accessible for all readers, including users with a diverse range of visual, motor, and cognitive needs.
 
Additional accessibility updates coming in early January 2022:
  • Screen reader and voice control improvements: We are refining the labels and descriptions of all interactive elements, making it easier for users of assistive technologies to understand and interact with the app.
  • Keyboard focus indicators: We are making improvements to help users navigate Libby with a keyboard or any other assistive technology that does not have a pointing device, like a mouse or touch controls.
  • New accessibility features (under Settings > Accessibility Features):
    • Reduce Colour Variation: By default, Libby adapts to the colours of book covers and the user's active library. A new toggle will allow users to reduce such adaptive changes, favouring neutral colours with good contrast.
    • Reduce Text Variation: The app uses a variety of font styles to convey meaning, such as italics for important actions. Users will be able to adjust this setting to simplify text styles.
    • Reduce Motion: This setting will reduce most of the transitional motion in the interface. Users can also set this preference in their operating system or browser preferences, and Libby will apply it automatically.
    • Reduce Haptics: On devices that support subtle vibrations (called haptics), Libby uses these to provide feedback on certain touch interactions. Users can either turn it off at the operating system level or in the new "Accessibility Features" menu.
    • Orientation Locking: By default, Libby uses a "smart orientation" setting that chooses the device orientation that best suits the content. WCAG guidelines recommend that users should be able to override the default orientation of the app, which will be adjustable in the “Accessibility Features” menu.
  • Full screen menus: The in-app menu will no longer open from the side of the app. Instead, it will open full screen. This makes keyboard and screen reader navigation more consistent and helps all users concentrate on the task they are trying to perform in the menu.
  • Updated menu icon: The in-app menu button (currently Libby icon) will be changed to a familiar icon, providing a more intuitive navigation experience for all users.
For more information about accessibility in Libby, visit Libby Help or OverDrive’s accessibility statement.
 
Hoopla BingePass
Hoopla BingePass is now live! This is a new type of hoopla Instant Borrow that will give patrons unlimited access to collections of streaming content for 7 days. BingePass launched with the introduction of hoopla Magazines and Great Courses, and there’s a lot more coming in 2022!
 
With hoopla Magazines, patrons can use one of their borrows on a magazine and have access to one years worth of back issues for a 7 day period. Hoopla Magazines currently offers 50 popular and in-demand magazines for all ages and interests, such as HGTV, Elle, Popular Mechanics, and many more. The hoopla Magazines experience is designed specifically for digital use, and you can even play an audio track of every magazine article using the Listen feature!
 
Patrons can also now access Great Courses which features courses like National Geographic’s Fundamentals of Photography, Understanding Investments, Practicing Mindfulness, and so many more. With access to the entire collection, patrons can view a full course or bounce between lectures from various courses. It’s perfect for lifelong learners or anyone with a special interest, as the courses feature in-depth instruction from some of the world’s greatest professors.
 
More information on hoopla Magazines, Great Courses, and BingePass in general can be found here.
 
 
Resources
Student Wage Subsidy Programs
This is a reminder that the Young Canada Works (YCW) Program is accepting applications. This program helps fund summer student positions for your library.
 
As taken from the site:
 
Government Priorities
It is important to note that the government priorities for 2022-2023 YCW cycle are as follows:
  • Indigenous organizations
  • Indigenous youth
  • Indigenous cultural heritage (First Nations, Inuit or Métis)
  • Employers and Youth from underserved communities and populations (i.e. Indigenous communities, ethno-cultural communities, youth that are facing barriers to employment, etc.)
If you have already submitted your application and would like to make changes based on these government priorities, please contact us so that we can unlock your application promptly.
 
The application deadline for short-term student jobs (HO) and internships (BCH) is January 21, 2022. You can find out more about this grant here: Young Canada Works (YCW) 2022-2023 Campaign - news (librarianship.ca)
 
In addition to this, please consider contacting Rupertsland Institute for wage subsidies when hiring young Métis students to work in the library. “Not-for-profit organizations may be reimbursed up to 100% of the wages and up to the provincial minimum wage.” http://www.rupertsland.org/for-employers/
 
There are opportunities to work with different Treaty organizations for similar wage supplements for First Nations students.
 
We would encourage you to look into these opportunities to get more Indigenous youth interested in working in the library!
 
Treaty 7 Aboriginal futures wage subsidy program:
 
http://www.aboriginalfutures.com/wagesubsidy.html
 
Tribal Chiefs Employment and Training Services Association:
 
I.S.E.T. Program – TCETSA
 
Professional Development
APLAC Memberships
This year APLAC is giving free memberships to library managers in communities with fewer than 1500 population. Membership is still very modestly priced for libraries in communities 1500+ so this form is good for all your libraries. APLAC has a private listserv where library managers can share information and documents to help them in their role. APLAC also meets in person (via Zoom lately) 3 times a year to exchange information and discuss trends or issues in our libraries. This is a great opportunity to network and share information with library managers throughout Alberta.
 
For more information about APLAC visit their website, and to register for membership fill out this online form.
 
Best of the Brightest 2021 Loanstars Picks
The Strangers
by Katherena Vermette

A breathtaking companion to her bestselling debut The Break, Vermette's The Strangers brings readers into the dynamic world of the Stranger family, the strength of their bond, the shared pain in their past, and the light that beckons from the horizon. This is a searing exploration of race, class, inherited trauma, and matrilineal bonds that--despite everything--refuse to be broken.
People We Meet On Vacation
by Emily Henry

What happens when best friends with nothing in common come together, fall apart, and fall in love? Over the years, Alex and Poppy's lives take them in different directions, but every summer the two find their way back to each other for a magical weeklong vacation. Until one trip goes awry, and in the fallout, they lose touch. Now, two years later, Poppy's in a rut. The answer to all her problems is obvious: She needs one last vacation to win back her best friend. As a hilariously disastrous week unfolds and tensions rise, Poppy and Alex are forced to confront what drove them apart--and decide what they're willing to risk for the chance to be together.
The Holiday Swap
by Maggie Knox

When they switch places, chef Charlie Goodwin, a cooking show judge, and Cass, a bakery owner, discover that temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined especially when new romances are added into the mix.
The Push
by Ashley Audrain

A devoted mother with a painful past gradually realizes that something is very wrong with her daughter, a fear that is complicated by her husband’s dismissive views and the birth of a healthy son.
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone
by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie and Claire reunite after the Jacobite Rising but worry that their grown family, finally together, will be torn apart by the American Revolution in the latest addition of the popular series following Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.
The Madness of Crowds
by Louise Penny

When a visiting professor spreads lies so that fact and fiction are so confused it’s near impossible to tell them apart, leading to murder, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache must investigate this case as well as this extraordinary popular delusion – and the madness of crowds.
The Man Who Died Twice: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery
by Richard Osman

When an old friend, who has been accused of stealing millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds, desperately needs her help leaving a dead body in his wake, Elizabeth and her friends go up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians.
Call Me Indian
by Fred Sasakamoose

Trailblazer. Residential school Survivor. First Treaty Indigenous player in the NHL. All of these descriptions are true--but none of them tell the whole story.

Fred Sasakamoose, torn from his home at the age of seven, endured the horrors of residential school for a decade before becoming one of 120 players in the most elite hockey league in the world. He has been heralded as the first Indigenous player with Treaty status in the NHL. Sasakamoose's story was far from over once his NHL days concluded.

This isn't just a hockey story; Sasakamoose's groundbreaking memoir sheds piercing light on Canadian history and Indigenous politics, and follows this extraordinary man's journey to reclaim pride in an identity and a heritage that had previously been used against him.
Malibu Rising
by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Four famous siblings throw an epic end-of-summer party that goes dangerously out of control as secrets and loves that shaped this family’s generations come to light, changing their lives forever.
Dial A for Aunties
by Jesse Q. Sutanto

After accidentally killing her blind date, Meddelin Chan and her meddlesome mother and aunties must dispose of the body, which finds its way to the island resort on the California coastline where they are working their biggest job yet for their family wedding business.
Something Fun!
The Edson Library recently created a video highlighting all the amazing things the library has to offer. Check it out!
 
Share With Us!
What's happening in your library? We'd love to hear from you!
  • News or updates about your library
  • Programs or events you'd like to share
  • Pictures of your library or events at your library
Email your Consultant with any newsletter submissions you'd like to share with the Marigold Community.
Marigold Library System
B 1000 Pine Street
Strathmore, Alberta T1P 1C1
403-934-5334
www.marigold.ab.ca