SpringyNews: Newsletter

Together. Helping One Another. Game On.

Well, here we are, in the midst of the summer, COVID-19 still with us. And it seems it will remain with us for a while longer. It’s an unwelcome presence, an invisible houseguest making a mess of our lives, and a quite dangerous one at that.

As we look forward and think about the challenges that lie ahead – everything from welcoming students safely in the fall, having patrons back in public libraries while ensuring they’re comfortable and feel safe inside, reinventing hybrid online/offline service models, doing more with less due to shrinking budgets, ensuring safety and health (and sanity!) of our staff - one thing is clear: we’re all in this together. We’re here to help each other. We’re a community with a shared vision, shared common goals, and shared challenges and concerns, too.

Community draws its strength and inspiration from within. Strength in numbers. Strength in sharing. Heck, this is what libraries are all about! So, a 250,000+ strong Springshare librarian community, together with an 80+ strong Springy team is here to say – to COVID-19, to our communities, to our users, and to each other – game on! We’ll do what it takes to succeed, and we’re in it to win it.

We’re putting our best foot forward, we’re being creative, we’re sharing resources and advice, we’re making things happen despite the difficult situation we find ourselves in. The library community will prevail – as it always has!

This edition of SpringyNews will share useful tips, tricks, know-how, and resources to help you manage the challenges ahead. Check out…

• Using LibGuides to support anti-racism and inclusivity - The Black Lives Matter movement has brought renewed awareness about the issues of racial inequality, but also hopefully a path to lasting positive changes in our society. We're excited to bring in a special guest writer, Twanna Hodge, to share her advice on using LibGuides to support racial justice and create inclusive communities. At the end of the article you’ll find actionable tips on how you can use LibGuides as a platform to help effect a positive change in your community.
• Tools for newly revamped spaces & online services - We’ve been busy polishing some features designed to help you manage face to face and virtual interactions, including LibCal Seats! Check out our roundup of LibCal, LibAnswers, LibWizard, LibInsight, and LibGuides tips for reopening and building online communities.
• Check out the new Springy neighborhood - For awhile now, we felt we’d outgrown the platform that hosted the Springshare Lounge, a place for our users to ask each other questions and share information. On Monday, July 27, we finally rolled out the shiny new lounge! We’re super pumped for the opportunities it creates for us and our users.
• A SpringyCamp fit for 2020 - SpringyCamp has always been a virtual conference so nothing is new in that regard… but this year’s SprinyCamp is bigger and better than ever. You won’t want to miss it (remember it’s free to attend, too). So take a break from this downer err. bummer of a summer and learn from your fellow librarians about how to best utilize Springshare tools at your library. This year presents new ways for you all to chat with each other before, during, and after the camp, too. Conversations have already started in the Springshare Lounge!

We're here with you through it all, and we wish you well where you are. From our team to yours, thanks for being on board with us. :)

- The Springy Team