OLA Update: Resources for Library Staff and Libraries:

“Resources for Library Staff and Libraries:

For further updates and resources from OLA, visit our Important Updates for Libraries During COVID-19 webpage. We’ll be updating it more comprehensively with more resources to support you.

Education Institute Webinar Recordings – Free for Members:

• Together in Isolation: Engaging Your Users During COVID-19 (March 26, 2020) Presented by Ardis Chedore
• Crisis Communications: Communicating with Consistency and Transparency (April 2, 2020) Presented by Paul Takala and Shelley McKay

Education Institute Upcoming Webinars – Free for Members:

• Thursday, April 23 at 1:00-2:00 PM EST: Together In Isolation: Virtual Programming for Children and Teens, presented by Ardis Chedore
• Tuesday, April 28 at 1:00-1:40 PM EST: A Crash Course on COVID-19 Information Sources, presented by Sarah Bonato

Other Resources from OLA:

• Public library responses to COVID-19. Public libraries are invited to share information about how they are adapting during this period of closure.
• Options on How to Hold Upcoming Library Board Meetings. from OLBA Council, this matrix outlines options for holding board meetings during this time.

Read alouds and Resources for Readers:

• Forest of Reading website. Open to the public with 500+ book resources.
• Blue Spruce Award program read aloud videos. YouTube videos of Blue Spruce 2020 authors reading nominated titles.
• Virtual Author Visits from the Forest of Reading in English and in French. All Virtual Author Visits with 2020 authors have been archived and are available for free.
• Online Reading Resources document, (April 2, 2020). A list of online book and educational resources available for free. Created by OLA member Lynn Goodwin.

Other Resources and Activities for Libraries:

• On National Canadian Film Day (NCFD), April 22, REEL Canada will be hosting a national watch party of the Canadian classic, family-friendly movie Hockey Night. Yannick Bisson (star of Hockey Night and Murdoch Mysteries) will be live-tweeting during the screening at 4:30 PM EDT* on Wednesday, April 22 with behind-the-scenes stories, fun anecdotes, and insights into the film. Learn how your library can support National Canadian Film Day.
• I Value Canadian Stories Podcast from VoicEd Radio – featuring Canadian authors with retired educator Stephen Hurley and other Canadian teachers talking about what sparks their imagination, tips for students exploring their writing abilities and their take on the Canadian narrative.
• First Chapter Fridays Podcast from VoicEd Radio – Manitoba educator Tanya Polasek reads the first chapter of a Canadian Young Adult book to engage her students.
• Report For Purchase: For the second year in a row, two out of every five print books sold in both the English- and French-language markets in Canada were categorized as either Juvenile or Young Adult (YA). More insights can be found in the 2019 edition of BookNet Canada’s annual The Canadian Book Market report. To read a sample of the report and get your copy, visit BookNet’s website.”