Recap of April 5 Statewide Zoom
You can access a recording of the meeting at the MSL webpage, top right under MSL Zoom Meeting Recording Archives. A direct link to the recording for your convenience.
Next month's meeting is scheduled for May 3, 2022 @3:15 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mainestate.zoom.us/j/81449382306?pwd=U0lNK3NKOXU2NDZXellzc1IyQUJ2QT09
Meeting ID: 814 4938 2306
Review of April 5 discussion.
Delivery services - Freedom Xpress
I'll begin with new information since the meeting we had with Freedom Xpress yesterday.
Jamie and I met with Freedom Xpress to discuss issues and upcoming contract renewal. We hope to be able to resolve the label changes caused by their route changes. We are scheduling a meeting with the person who manages the sorting facility in Portland and his assistant to see what, if any changes can be made to the process. In addition, the challenge of hiring and keeping drivers is at the root cause of the route changing and delivery errors. An example is that one route has had 7 drivers in 4 months. Prior to COVID there was a lot of stability with drivers but that has changes dramatically. FX also has invested time in training only to have new drivers quit after 2 weeks. Actually, a driver quit while we were on the phone call! It is aggravating and frustrating on all sides and we hope we can work together to solve those issues that are solvable.
We expect to hear by May 1 what the cost increase will be. Due to the surge in gas prices, that will be a factor. We are estimating the per stop increase to be over $20. MSL will continue to subsidize one free day for public libraries that participate and determine if we can add any new libraries when we see what the final cost per stop will be.
ARPA Report due. Don't wait until June 15, please submit now!
Read the Follow Up Report instructions<https://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/grant_projects/documents/ARPA_FollowUp_Report_Instructions.pdf>; Sample Follow Up Repor<https://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/grant_projects/documents/FollowUp-GrantLifecycleManager.pdf>t both in PDF format for guidance. Log into the grant portal to submit your report: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=MSL
Enter in the email and password you used for the ARPA application. Remember that we are also using
this grant platform for the MPLF grants - so if you have applied for MPLF you need to read/look closely to make sure you are selecting ARPA - not MPLF. Once logged in you should see a blue edit button on the far right. Make sure you report all funds spent. If you have questions please email me or Kimberly Clark - [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
E-bikes and Public Libraries
MSL met with the Maine Department of Transportation about the possibility of rolling out a program for 10-15 libraries across the state to obtain e-bikes (or eBike) for lending purposes. There is also a related program that is educational with demonstrations/try one out events. This aligns with Governor Mill's, Maine Won't Wait, the four-year plan to fight climate change in Maine. Maine DOT is partnering with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine for these projects. More information about e-bike, laws and regulations at People for Bikes<https://www.peopleforbikes.org/topics/electric-bikes>. PDF of Maine's e-bike laws<https://prismic-io.s3.amazonaws.com/peopleforbikes/c87fcbff-6d3a-4b3a-90f9-aad8e7eac441_E-Bike-Law-Handouts_ME_2020.pdf>. See a variety of eBikes at Electric Bikes of New England<https://www.ebikesofne.com/default.asp>.
We will have more information available at the MLA Conference. If any library lends bicycles, please contact me. We are already in contact with Diana at Millinocket about how their Gear Library works but would love to hear if other libraries lend bicycles.
We will be working out questions around liability, insurance, etc. as part of the planning process with DOT and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Patrick Adams from Maine DOT will be at the Maine Library Conference to answer questions, ask questions and hopefully have a couple of e-bikes for you to look at.
James Weldon Johnson Observance Day in June and Juneteenth
MSL is working with the Meadow Dibble, the Director of Community-Engaged Research for the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations<https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/5087>. This commission is an independent body to help individuals and policymakers reckon with historical and systemic racism in Maine and to help Maine proactively address the underlying factors that contribute to racial disparities.
More on James Weldon Johnson:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Weldon_Johnson
He was a "leading voice in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and a civil rights activist. He vacationed in Maine in the Wiscasset area and unfortunately died here in Maine in an accident. I am just starting his book, Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man. In that book, he is quoted as saying:
"You are young, gifted, and Black. We must begin to tell our young, there's a world waiting for you, yours is the quest that's just begun." James Weldon Johnson may have been the person who coined that phrase later adopted by many others in their works.
There will be more to come about the observance day and Juneteenth. The celebration will be focused in the Wiscasset area but we hope to encourage the purchase of his books and book group discussions with grants.
Construction Funds
Thank you for taking the construction survey. 28 respondents with an estimated need of over $32,000,000. We have shared with the Maine Connectivity Authority in hopes of obtaining some funding from the US Treasury's Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. MSL will also share with all congressional offices. A couple of libraries have been successful obtaining district directed/community project funding aka earmarks and have received some funds through this approach.
Maine Congressional District Map.<https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/apport/redistricting22/congressional/2021CongressionalDistricts.pdf> Electoral Districts Based on the 2020 Census<https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/apport/index.html> (covering 2022- 2031)
For those actively working on construction projects, you may want to explore this opportunity.
"Community Project Funding (the House name for "earmarks") provides an opportunity for Maine governments and nonprofits to seek consideration for federal funds to support important community projects.
* Representative Pingree's Community Project Funding portal is open here<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001vt4xSTjbt2-uVq4roSeNm9uVsjjkg4lj0RIxYwes-Tr5lP3SUySlbVjsIniDKWCsjwlaVrmGTjA2KRI_HYIYbxefsjabQdFmyG9boJfsTQLsAUnC-LR-K2aesOErqvmLEt-5_MvZklOyzwDLJ6e8j2nOF2En0nVe9sAf-mY3uesgBbxHFnZAJU_sKQsXeIBy%26c%3DlEydxeEKv4TVfds5nSlWNpGv7CW9mr5RZU_lXCJPsI9t04kkZMBwRg%3D%3D%26ch%3DWYT32REtal0jO5qoJ9t0JX5Y4CA05byP-KVbirgiApOjygeNc5V--Q%3D%3D&data=04%7C01%7CJanet.McKenney%40maine.gov%7Ce1b036f321f246b51d8d08da11b6d8df%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637841774265990761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=%2F71w0U5ZM%2FGPiL3MFp9AdoDbAPuPkumqBvTvXqnflS8%3D&reserved=0>. Their deadline is 6pm on April 13th. Their guide to Community Project Funding is here<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001vt4xSTjbt2-uVq4roSeNm9uVsjjkg4lj0RIxYwes-Tr5lP3SUySlbVjsIniDKWCssNcKqoEHvO12nDgYCBZOYuGJ2khrcqCquHtpTWPsucD7Sq7jBSMt5OcFv8rH-1XEz8jCgJcOP6QLvG6z4H7BHzmrD0kpaLJjxrEE3oWWj05majQ09Cu27RYoj5PEsPd_7JS4Yr5Pp6U%3D%26c%3DlEydxeEKv4TVfds5nSlWNpGv7CW9mr5RZU_lXCJPsI9t04kkZMBwRg%3D%3D%26ch%3DWYT32REtal0jO5qoJ9t0JX5Y4CA05byP-KVbirgiApOjygeNc5V--Q%3D%3D&data=04%7C01%7CJanet.McKenney%40maine.gov%7Ce1b036f321f246b51d8d08da11b6d8df%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637841774265990761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=o86CAu871rSKTX87DvZPRm3yivhIvz2lh7hmY1GYNS8%3D&reserved=0>.
* Representative Golden's applications<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001vt4xSTjbt2-uVq4roSeNm9uVsjjkg4lj0RIxYwes-Tr5lP3SUySlbVjsIniDKWCs3EYurxmxGwd3uLAIASJWuikju_HOmp5-eyiO2dixAlQHPaxergS5r4FJu1Bu57TtDedL85t4HTDYMO-KDAr7PwsgKSDvHEWIMv1IvS0GL82_SCEN9aRUUhhFH5_O9Isid-pOmFozr9jXif5uHD1d0YJveZt6dZKlqnEHnWBF6z8%3D%26c%3DlEydxeEKv4TVfds5nSlWNpGv7CW9mr5RZU_lXCJPsI9t04kkZMBwRg%3D%3D%26ch%3DWYT32REtal0jO5qoJ9t0JX5Y4CA05byP-KVbirgiApOjygeNc5V--Q%3D%3D&data=04%7C01%7CJanet.McKenney%40maine.gov%7Ce1b036f321f246b51d8d08da11b6d8df%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637841774265990761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=2Dd5JXappEEmCmsMXAvuBQn43G%2BZD9PvFFImQlJe0Ak%3D&reserved=0> are also open, with a deadline of April 14th. Click here for FAQs<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001vt4xSTjbt2-uVq4roSeNm9uVsjjkg4lj0RIxYwes-Tr5lP3SUySlbVjsIniDKWCs9UPNWYnZ9CfZei8woiwZ9DGMQzJhHAT2Jrn7J_kfjr3KXYnlWe4UjAJBUa_NVWcbHQjDqE5za_eMKQNnzVsY7QG0hjkTV-f23RIgxhjxxfekGWjcthWF9xRaLnEtFzSVUYtS-tFneVL370MqLgwKH6j3K36STUMQIVqKM54Z3kdgYXVoxT8BxyqWjUW_ssJn%26c%3DlEydxeEKv4TVfds5nSlWNpGv7CW9mr5RZU_lXCJPsI9t04kkZMBwRg%3D%3D%26ch%3DWYT32REtal0jO5qoJ9t0JX5Y4CA05byP-KVbirgiApOjygeNc5V--Q%3D%3D&data=04%7C01%7CJanet.McKenney%40maine.gov%7Ce1b036f321f246b51d8d08da11b6d8df%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637841774265990761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=YDLVKtpDZiteup6xQbwUbDyQhBYwN6jHgoFc5ae1vNI%3D&reserved=0> from Rep. Golden's office.
* Senator Collins is accepting Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) requests<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001vt4xSTjbt2-uVq4roSeNm9uVsjjkg4lj0RIxYwes-Tr5lP3SUySlbT_jc8l0YmH1y4BK1SE069ZSOVKTK40f_sQM-9Ak8oWYHK0-HOHcGZXOjBYt7zq50QrXWA773gAO8OAW7F5iqE5Esi1gQkwJ4lsKgMJ0qFjOlZKrcv2adBxTiZbqjOO5CP8rc_rjM5F0CKYzgU0PmMo%3D%26c%3DlEydxeEKv4TVfds5nSlWNpGv7CW9mr5RZU_lXCJPsI9t04kkZMBwRg%3D%3D%26ch%3DWYT32REtal0jO5qoJ9t0JX5Y4CA05byP-KVbirgiApOjygeNc5V--Q%3D%3D&data=04%7C01%7CJanet.McKenney%40maine.gov%7Ce1b036f321f246b51d8d08da11b6d8df%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637841774265990761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=0f9Q6Ge2OXfgvrmi%2FG4etLMH9li3ul5MUaIn9%2F86yks%3D&reserved=0> for FY2023 until 6:00pm on Friday, April 8.
* Senator King is accepting CDS requests<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001vt4xSTjbt2-uVq4roSeNm9uVsjjkg4lj0RIxYwes-Tr5lP3SUySlbVjsIniDKWCsNtB7AXIo8gT-liooKlT0n4Fe8zMUfXFGSiduIa_KAMgBGgir-PCFx3YLvmuVhoyJPkIBmp-jLpfhpj_SQHmc_R5aUaJ8Q1oE%26c%3DlEydxeEKv4TVfds5nSlWNpGv7CW9mr5RZU_lXCJPsI9t04kkZMBwRg%3D%3D%26ch%3DWYT32REtal0jO5qoJ9t0JX5Y4CA05byP-KVbirgiApOjygeNc5V--Q%3D%3D&data=04%7C01%7CJanet.McKenney%40maine.gov%7Ce1b036f321f246b51d8d08da11b6d8df%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637841774265990761%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=f8CobeK4C9QY%2FrKCbw4razwJ2hOMvsDuY%2FGOCE5UOjU%3D&reserved=0> extended until April 15.
Maine Federal LSTA Five Year Plan
The Five Year Plan survey will be sent out this Monday, April 11 and will be followed by a Zoom focus group once the results are tabulated and we have some discussion points.
MSL has met with in-house staff on the Talking Books/Large Print and Books by Mail staff and will meet with CE and Specialists next week. Meetings to be scheduled include Maine InfoNet, and ARRCs. I'm working on a detailed but concise description but MSL uses federal funds pay for staff salaries and program costs for part or all of seven statewide programs. I have a short overview in PDF<https://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/lsta/documents/CurrentGoalsandProjectsforMaine.pdf>.
KN95 Masks
We received requests from 139 libraries. Shipping out the last two requests received this week. Just under 10,000 masks distributed. We have 5,000 more if needed. Order masks via the online form at Survey Monkey - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SendMasks
Bendable Update
List of Hub/Champion Libraries working more closely with Drucker on Bendable Maine:
Library Name
County
Auburn Public Library
Androscoggin
Bangor Public Library
Penobscot
Bridgton Public Library
Cumberland/Oxford
Caribou Public Library
Aroostook
Ellsworth Public Library
Hancock
Lewiston Public Library
Androscoggin
Maine State Library
Kennebec
Milbridge Public Library
Washington
Millinocket Memorial Library
Penobscot
Northern Maine Community College
Aroostook
Peabody Memorial Library
Washington
Pittsfield Public Library
Somerset
Portland Public Library
Cumberland
Rockland Public Library
Lincoln/Knox
Thompson Free Library
Piscataquis
Vose Library
Lincoln/Knox
Washington County Community College
Washington
Training for Community Collections was held today. We may be scheduling another virtual training. There is a form for you to nominate a community member<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMr8LTgZ_aTlvStMCvMFRGWDkpofQBJupEdqmjnDuoapSwdg/viewform>. The bendable Fellows and MSL can work with any library that has not committed to being a Bendable Maine Champion Library to learn the very simple process of working with a community member on a Community Collection. Use the form to nominate someone you believe can make a contribution to this collection. See these examples of Community Collections from South Bend<https://southbend.bendable.com/categories/18> for inspiration.
Update from Marijke on Spring Council and CE Initiatives
The Spring Council meeting will be on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It was brought to our attention that June 14 is also election day. Marijke is working with the Maine Library Advisory Council and the specialists for an alternative date.
Stay well all and have a great weekend!
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
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