Final Report from the New York State Library
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Final Report from the New York State Library
Grant Number 40914
December 8, 2005 -- July 7, 2007
Grant Administrative Contact:
Mary Linda Todd
New York State Library
Cultural Education Center, Room 10B41
Albany, NY 12230
Phone: (518) 486-4858
Fax: (518) 486-5254
E-mail: mtodd@mail.nysed.gov
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This document in .PDF format |
Part A: Program Outputs and Narrative
I. Workshops Conducted
Complete the following table describing the implementation of workshops in your state. Add rows if necessary.
Workshop |
Date |
Location |
# of Attendees |
# of attendees completing preassessments |
# of attendees completing |
1 |
4/19/06 |
Newburgh, NY |
40 |
40 |
39 |
2 |
5/3/06 |
Poughkeepsie, NY |
59 |
59 |
59 |
3 |
5/8/06 |
Plattsburgh, NY |
30 |
30 |
30 |
4 |
5/16/06 |
Watertown, NY |
63 |
63 |
63 |
5 |
6/6/06 |
Bellport, NY |
41 |
41 |
41 |
6 |
8/24/06 |
Ithaca, NY |
38 |
38 |
38 |
7 |
9/27/06 |
Jamestown, NY |
52 |
52 |
52 |
8 |
10/4/06 |
Sanborn, NY |
27 |
27 |
27 |
9 |
10/18/06 |
Saratoga Spa, NY |
29 |
29 |
29 |
10 |
10/25/06 |
Utica, NY |
52 |
52 |
52 |
11 |
10/27/06 |
Painted Post, NY |
69 |
69 |
69 |
12 |
3/22/07 AM |
Utica, NY |
19 |
* NR for workshops 12-31 |
*NR for workshops 12-31 |
13 |
3/22/07 PM |
Utica, NY |
12 |
|
|
14 |
3/23/07 AM |
Albany, NY |
4 |
|
|
15 |
3/23/07 PM |
Albany, NY |
3 |
|
|
16 |
3/30/07 AM |
Plattsburgh, NY |
16 |
|
|
17 |
3/30/07 PM |
Plattsburgh, NY |
9 |
|
|
18 |
4/3/07 AM |
Watertown, NY |
35 |
|
|
19 |
4/3/07 PM |
Watertown, NY |
16 |
|
|
20 |
4/5/07 AM |
Buffalo, NY |
14 |
|
|
21 |
4/5/07PM |
Buffalo, NY |
15 |
|
|
22 |
4/12/07 AM |
Vestal, NY |
18 |
|
|
23 |
4/12/07 PM |
Vestal, NY |
18 |
|
|
24 |
4/13/07 AM |
Poughkeepsie, NY |
19 |
|
|
25 |
4/13/07 PM |
Poughkeepsie, NY |
9 |
|
|
26 |
4/19/07 AM |
Painted Post |
20 |
|
|
27 |
4/19/07 PM |
Painted Post |
6 |
|
|
28 |
4/20/07 AM |
Canandaigua |
13 |
|
|
29 |
4/20/07PM |
Canancaigua |
18 |
|
|
30 |
4/27/07 AM |
Jamestown |
17 |
|
|
31 |
4/27/07 PM |
Jamestown |
18 |
|
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TOTAL: |
|
TOTAL: 799 |
TOTAL: 500 |
TOTAL: 499 |
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Notes:
II. Questions
Provide a brief response to each of the following items.
A. Describe the most successful aspects of the workshops delivered in your state.
The Action Plan format proved to be a powerful planning tool. Libraries are still using that form to plan projects, initiatives etc. The strength of the form was the two simple statements “”Where are you now?” “Where do you want to be ___ months from now?”
Simply allowing practitioners, many of whom are very isolated, to come together to share ideas and problems and showing them a way to stay connected through WebJunction. Many of the person-to-person connections made at the workshops have continued.
The continuum offered common language to describe aspects of a library program and a standard platform for evaluation. If that language and platform were to be more widely utilized it could provide an effective standard for libraries.
The availability of courses on WebJunction was a real boon to many of the library staff who often regret their lack of knowledge.
B. Describe any challenges to implementing the workshops in your state.
The sheer size and geography of NY coupled with the large number of libraries is difficult.
The wide range of size encompassed by the definition of rural: there is a HUGE difference between the experiences of a library that is open 10 hours a week and serves 500 patrons and a library that is open 50 hours a week and serves 24,000 patrons – yet both fit in the “rural” category. To conduct a workshop that was meaningful to both libraries was somewhat of a challenge.
The curriculum and required information in the RLS project was very large. I strongly believe it was too much information for participants to effectively absorb at one time. We were so fortunate to be able to offer a second round of workshops that helped clarify and cement ideas and provide practice of skills. One round of workshops would have not been as effective as the two.
C. Describe how the workshops have impacted the relationship between the state library system and your small and rural libraries.
The small libraries were delighted to have a program designed specifically for them. There has been a lessening of their sense of isolation.
They also feel a bit less helpless and vulnerable. They have been given some really useful tools and practice in using the tools. The workshops also provided additional exposure to programs and services available from the state library.
D. Describe any next steps the state library has for continuing the learning from the workshops and assisting participants with sustainability action plans.
NY State has an agreement with WebJunction that allows library staff to take WebJunction courses for no charge. This opportunity has been well publicized and certainly benefits the rural libraries.
Workshops continuing the topics of the Rural Library Sustainability Project are being offered at the annual New York State Library Association conference.
State and Library System personnel have been trained on the continuum and its use, on WebJunction and on TechAtlas and will assist libraries in utilizing these tools. Libraries are being encouraged and assisted in using TechAtlas to create hardware inventories, assess staff skills and complete e-rate applications and long-range plans.
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