Creative Community Partnerships: Library Outreach Means Something

Stop by the library and read a great book, listen to a guest speaker, watch a movie, browse your favorite magazines or check your email.  While you are there, read all the latest newspapers, borrow an audio book, fill out a request for a book you’d like to see in the collection, make copies or send a fax.  Don’t forget to join a book club, or the gardening club, or the chess club.  Certainly plan to check out audio books, print books, movies, magazines or video games for your personal enjoyment at home, until your next visit.  Your local library has so much waiting for you! 

All of what the library offers when you visit is satisfying, but it is what the library does beyond its doors that will amaze you.  Reaching out into the community is an integral part of library services; a part that most librarians love.  Here are just a few of the community partnerships currently in practice in southeast Michigan libraries, and probably in a library near you!

Starfish    

The Starfish Early Learning Resource Center, a subdivision of Starfish Family Services, is partnering with local libraries to bring story times and parenting classes to local communities.  Starfish, founded in 1963, is a nonprofit organization serving Metro Detroit families by preparing young children for a successful start in school through story times and playgroups.  Because the group recognizes the importance of parents and caregivers in the long-term success of a child, they offer parenting classes to teach important skills.  The Starfish Early Learning Resource Center is currently partnering with the following Southeast Michigan libraries, utilizing library space to provide services library patrons:

1.       William P. Faust Public Library of Westland, Westland, MI  48185     Next Program:  Aug 4, 7, 14, 2014    http://www.westland.lib.mi.us/kids/events/2014-08

2.       Leanna Hicks Public Library, 2005 Inkster Rd., Inkster, MI  48141      Next Program:  July 28, 2014   http://www.inkster.lib.mi.us/events.html

For more information, and a link to scheduled classes presented by the Starfish Early Literacy Resource Center, please click on the following link:  http://www.starfishonline.org/elc.html

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross is the largest single supplier of blood and blood products in the United States.  The Red Cross collects 6.5 million units of blood from approximately 4 million donors nationwide every year.  This means that the Red Cross needs donors, and libraries have them.  Partnering with libraries means using the library’s meeting rooms, and that the library help with a bit of advertisement, but all of this is worthwhile to these community partners:

1. Gerald R. Ford Library, 1000 Beal Ave., Ann Arbor, MI  48109     Donate on:  July 22, 2014      http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/
2. Salem South Lyon Library, 9800 Pontiac Trail, South Lyon, MI  48178     Donate on:  Aug 11&12, 2014      http://ssldl.info/
3. William P. Faust Public Library of Westland, Westland, MI  48185     Donate on:  Aug 13, 2014    http://www.westland.lib.mi.us/kids/events/2014-08
4. Huntington Woods Library, 26415 Scotia, Huntington Woods, MI  48070     Donate on:  Aug 20, 2014     http://www.huntington-woods.lib.mi.us/
5. Plymouth District Library, 223 Main St., Plymouth, MI  48170     Donate on:  Aug 25, 2014       http://plymouthlibrary.org/

These libraries and more support the American Red Cross Southeast Michigan Blood Services Region by securing life-saving blood donors.  (Consider donating… you’ll feel good knowing you've helped change a life!)

MAP

Have you heard about a new way to explore the history and natural wonders of Michigan?  The Michigan Activity Pass, or MAP, presented by The Library Network, is a year-long partnership between Michigan's public libraries (over 600 of them!) and 60 cultural and art organizations.  The program provides learning experiences for library card holders of all ages! 

Library users with a valid library card can print a pass from home or at the library.  Some of the participating organizations offer complimentary or reduced price admission; others offer discounts in their gift shop or other exclusive offers.  Once you print your pass, be prepared to use it.  The Michigan Activity Pass expires within one week from the day it is printed. Each library will have five passes for each of the participating organizations available.

For a complete list of organizations to visit, please click on the following link:  http://tln.lib.mi.us/map/Files/MAP%202014-2015%20brochure%20v2.pdf

Click here to print a Michigan Activity Pass:  http://www.eventkeeper.com/prmaps/code/index.cfm?mn=628322

_____________________________________________________

 

It is really important that communities take advantage of all resources available, especially their own libraries!  It is equally important for LIS professionals to seek partnerships within the communities in which they work.  Big or small, we all can make a difference... one partnership at a time!

Thanks for taking the time to read about how libraries and communities are working together.  Please leave a comment about any of the partnerships listed above, or about any others you would like to share!         

-  Cari

References

Starfish Family Services, 30000 Hiveley, Inkster, MI.  Retrieved from website: http://www.starfishonline.org/index.html

William P. Faust Public Library of Westland, Westland, MI.  Calendar of events.  Retrieved from website:  http://www.westland.lib.mi.us/kids/events/2014-08

Leanna Hicks Public Library, 2005 Inkster Rd., Inkster, MI.  Calendar of events.  Retrieved from website:  http://www.inkster.lib.mi.us/events.html

Information Literacy Community Partnerships Toolkit.  ALA Special Presidential Committee, 2000-2001.  Retrieved from website: http://library.austincc.edu/presentations/CommunityPartnerships/communitypartnerships1.html

American Red Cross – Southeast Michigan Blood Services, 100 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48201.  Information retrieved from website:  http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation-v5?distance[postal_code]=48185&field_sponsor_code_value=&elt=48185

The Library Network MAP Program.  Brochure can be found here:  http://tln.lib.mi.us/map/Files/MAP%202014-2015%20brochure%20v2.pdf.