Statewide meeting next Tuesday, September 28 @ 3:15

Recap with updates of the August 31, 2021 Statewide Zoom Meeting and Discussion Points for the meeting next Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Join Statewide MSL Zoom Meeting @ 3:15 pm

September 28, 2021

https://zoom.us/j/92912314948?pwd=Ri84d3BWUm4zOFA4OGw5Q3RjWWxlQT09

Meeting ID: 929 1231 4948

Passcode: 138119



Update on ARPA Formula Grants

  *   256 eligible public libraries
  *   206 libraries registered on the Online Grants Portal<https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=MSL>
  *   8 libraries declined the grant
  *   Approx. 42 libraries have not responded to mailings, emails and phone calls.



Grants awarded to date: I'll have this total for Tuesday's meeting



We are having a huge issue in disbursing the funds due to a tremendous back log in the state's accounting office. Volume of work, vacations, and illness are the cause and we are trying to see what we can do to move processes along. I apologize- we have all but 8 grants of the over 200 processed and sent but only about half have been processed



ARPA process and notes

  *   We know many libraries are waiting for Vendor #s and DUNs #s. Please register and apply without those at this point. Go to: Online grant registration and application<https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=MSL>. Both DUNS and the State of Maine's Controller's Office have huge backlogs due to ARPA money so we are trying to at least get the last of the libraries processed.
  *   Any library having a difficult time with boards or selectman. We are happy to provide a letter about these library specific ARPA-LSTA grants that have no impact on municipal funding, are not related to town/municipal funding and are for libraries only!



Update on COVID from Maine CDC

Maine Hospitalization Data
Record highs in hospitalizations.
Data from Maine CDC<https://analytics.maine.gov/vizql/t/CDCExternal/w/syndromic-surveillance-gating-criteria-w-hospital-capacity/v/MaineCOVID-19ReopeningGatingMetrics/viewData/sessions/3DBADA265C5742A5BCBE574730DCA7C7-1:3/views/11060867324477712830_9726770883903886434?maxrows=200&viz=%7b%22worksheet%22%3A%22available-beds-and-ventilators%22%2C%22dashboard%22%3A%22Maine%20COVID-19%20Reopening%20Gating%20Metrics%22%7d>
Total Number of Reported Vaccine Breakthrough Cases<https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus/data.shtml>: 2,449



Other ARPA

Beanstack

MSL will continue Beanstack for 40 libraries that asked for to continue their subscriptions. That contract will run from October 1, 2021 - September 30, 2022.  MSL will run a beta program with small, rural libraries as "branches" of a statewide MSL Beanstack site. Please contact Kara Reiman if you have questions about participating in the MSL Beanstack subscription. There are 40 libraries with "active sites that did not express an interest to continue that will have to notify patrons that the site will be taken down. The Zoobean contract for Beanstack is awaiting signatures.


Zoom Pro via Networkmaine

We created a new contract with Networkmaine for Zoom accounts. MSL expects we can continue to fund ZOOM with "regular" LSTA depending on federal allocation for 2022.



Bendable

We held 2 Zoom sessions in August and Drucker. Here is an Bendable Maine update<https://bendable.com/maine_digest_2021_09> that introduces two of the 4 Bendable fellows who will be working with us in Maine.

There will be face to face stakeholder meetings the week of October 18-22. Drafts of the website's look and feel will be shared and Drucker folks will ask for feedback. We have chosen large venues to allow for physical distancing due to the Delta variant. We will record one of the sessions so those unable to attend can listen to the speakers and review the power point slides and demo website.



We are finalizing times and locations but expect the schedule to be:

  *   Monday, Wishcamper Center, USM Portland Campus, 10 am - 12 noon
  *   Monday, August Civic Center, 3 pm - 5 pm
  *   Wednesday, Hilton Garden, Bangor, 10 am - 12 noon
  *   Thursday, USM - LA Campus, Lewiston, 10 am - 12 noon



Registration will be available next week on the calendar and will be announced on listservs.



MSL and Drucker are co-developing a timeline to share will be looking for any librarians interested in serving on committees to determine:

  *   What do local libraries and their partners need to do to promote Bendable and integrate Bendable into the community?
  *   Local and purchased content - finding and managing community collections; paid and free content, and other content related questions.



LSTA Five Year Plan Evaluation
MSL is working with evaluators from QualityMetrics for our required 5 year plan evaluation. We will be reaching out to create small focus groups to work with our evaluators on getting feedback on federally supported programs. We will be asking soon for librarians to volunteer to sit and discuss our LSTA supported programs: Maine InfoNet; Specialists and Consultants; Continuing Education; Talking Books, etc.
Wednesday, next week we will announce the new Supervisor of the Specialists and CE Coordinator.

Other discussion, questions, etc. always welcome!

See you next Tuesday,
Janet


Janet McKenney
Director, Library Development
Maine State Library
SHS 64
230 State Street
Augusta, ME 04333

207-287-5603
[log in to unmask]
@janetmckenney (Twitter)
She/her/hers