Needs addressed:
The population served by the library has a permanent underclass illustrated by the fact that 10% of the households in the City of Oneida live below the poverty line and 78% of school children receive reduced price school lunches. These disadvantaged families need to take more advantage of the public library.

Target audience:
Disadvantaged families being served directly by other social service organizations were the pool for increased library services through these other agencies. The specific sub-group that became the target audience included 150 teen moms, 200 pregnant, low-income mothers and 35 low income families.

Community partners and their roles:

• Oneida Chamber of Commerce – provided economic statistics which helped in planning
• Rotary Club of Oneida – provided guidance and support for literacy program
• Mid York Library System – provided guidance
• Prenatal Care and Assistance Program (PCAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) – established library as meeting site; demonstrated commitment to Great Start Program; encouraged library tours , provided resource lists and distributed library kits to members; assessed validity of integrating library programs
• Even Start, Head Start, Starting Together and BOCES Pre-K- recruited and involved families (home visits, adult tutor); distributed information arranged for outreach visits; assessed validity of integrating library programs
• Madison-Oneida BOCES Adult Parenting Program – provided data, arranged for outreach visits
• Starting Together Community Action Program – provided data; participated in parent/child programming
• Community Based Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (STATIC) – utilized library as site for programs; housed materials at library
• Family Ties Network, Inc. – served as coalition for program; arranged bi-monthly meetings, professional workshops and resources for participants
• Verona Elementary School – contributed to planning; suggested school role in program
• Madison-Oneida BOCES Pre-K Program – arranged for field trips to the library

Specific activities:

• Provided services to teen parents through BOCES, APP and TASA including library tours and programs, outreach visits, learning kits
• Provided services to families at risk for illiteracy through Even Start, Head Start and Starting Together including home visits, library tours, adult tutoring sessions, story times and entertainment series
• Provided services to low income expectant parents through PCAP and WIC by establishing library as site for prenatal visits and WIC check pick up; provided tours, information, babysitting services and refreshments
• Established a coalition of project partners by attending meetings, offering library space and creating a Family Resource Center

Staffing:

• Library Staff – 8 hours per week
• Project Staff – 46 hours per week
• Partnership Staffs (total) 17 hours per week

Costs:

• Professional Salaries - $8,000
• Non-Professional Salaries - $2,500
• Purchased Services - $3,400
• Supplies and Materials - $7,005
• Equipment – $4,000
  In-Kind Contributions: Library - $2,600; Cooperating Agencies - $1,000 Additional Funding: Oneida Rotary - $500; Friends of the Library - $200; Scholastic Pub.-$157; Red Cross - $100

Evaluation:

• Quantitative Measures – Statistics kept on program attendance, library cards issued, materials distributed, coalition meetings attended by Great Start staff.
• Qualitative Measures – evaluations, questionnaires, subsequent library use by target audience, response of agency staffs

Changes/recommendations:

• This project was a great success due to the wholehearted cooperation and commitment displayed by every agency and the staff, volunteers and Board of Trustees of the Library.
• Flexibility is a requirement in order to effectively meet the needs of the target audience

Categories of service:

1. Services to Low Income Families
2. Services to Children Under Three – Toddler Programs
3. Preschool/Parent Programs
4. Parent Education

Last modified on February 29, 2000/djr
URL: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/parchld/oneida.htm