Outreach, Partnerships

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Outreach, Partnerships YOU! Bill Harmer,
Director Chelsea District Library
chelsea.lib.mi.us
bharmer_at_chelseadistrictlibrary.org
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Rock Roll Library Tour
High Strung, rooftop of Kansas City Public
Library

• 300 public libraries in 48 states, Cuba
• Featured on NPRs This American Life in August of
  2005, 2006

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Jiffy Mix(Hmmmcorn bread!)
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Jeff Daniels
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(No Transcript)
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Outreach, Partnerships You
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Viva La Revolution!
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Sell Yourself and You Sell the Library!
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Keys To Success

• Dont Ask for Permission
• Form Partnerships Take it to the Streets
• Talk Action Irrelevancy
• Dont be lazy
• 3. Make it Fun!
• Fun Tax Revenue

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Overview

• 1. Why Partner
• 2. What is this all about
• 3. Advocacy
• 4. Think big, start small
• 5. Follow these steps

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Why do we need to do this?

• More than ever, libraries need to prove they are
• Innovative
• Deeply connected to their communities
• Essential to the success of these communities
• Its all about building community

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Why do we need to do this?

• Partnerships and outreach mean
• You are spending resources wisely by combining
  forces with other groups
• Strength in numbers
• You are not sitting in the building and waiting
  for people to come to you
• With each new effort, you are creating new
  advocates for the library

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Why do we need to do this?

• Partnerships and outreach mean
• You are taking advantage of the creativity,
  networks, and expertise that exist in all
  communities
• You are redefining the role of the library so no
  one considers it a frivolous or unnecessary
  service

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Why do we need to do this?

• It all comes down to money
• Ultimately, partnerships and outreach are key to
  sustaining funding levels and support through
  good times and bad

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Identify Our Audience

• Find out who the movers and shakers are in your
  community
• Remember, the people we need to reach are many
  and varied

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Pretty Persuasion

• Direct Outreach
• Grassroots
• Word of Mouth
• Talk-Action Irrelevancy

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What is this really about?

• Partnerships and outreach shouldnt be considered
  separate tasks but an integral part of your daily
  work at the library
• Its all about advocacy - as are your everyday
  good customer service and dedication

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Advocacy

• You need to be advocates because you and those
  who work in your library are the first line of
  defense against claims of irrelevance,
  displacement by technology, demotion on the list
  of community priorities, declining literacy, and
  ultimately, erosion of the memory of our
  collective communities
• - Libraries Prosper with Passion, Purpose and
  Persuasion (PLA Toolkit)

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So you want to form a partnership

• Partnerships can take time to start
• Once they are up and running, they should be
  beneficial and save time for all involved
• THINK BIG BUT START SMALL

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Step 1 Brainstorm Projects

• Get together with colleagues to discuss
• I wish we could serve
• I wish we could offer
• I wish we could do a program on
• I wish we could
• Think outside the box

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Step 2 Refine

• Prioritize your list of ideas
• Think of ideas for how to accomplish them
• Choose a project and make a realistic outline of
  how it could be accomplished
• Review ideas with co-workers

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Step 3 Brainstorm Partners

• Think about who to approach. Think big.
• Consider
• people you or your colleagues know personally or
  by reputation
• local nonprofits and businesses (especially those
  that are new or expanding)
• other libraries in the area
• Think about where you might want assistance
• money, publicity, materials, purchasing power,
  helping hands, ideas, logistics, meeting space,
  volunteers, etc.
• Think about how your proposal will benefit your
  potential partners

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Step 4 Approach Your Partner(s)

• Select only one project to start with
• Consider approaching more than one partner, but
  start with the partner most likely to say yes
• Dont be afraid to do some cold calling
• Be open to the partners ideas

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Step 5 Work Out the Details

• Make sure details are worked out and communicated
  clearly in advance
• Consider what statistics or evaluations will be
  collected
• Publicity should be done jointly with all
  partners to reach people outside the librarys
  regular networks

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Step 6 Conduct the Program

• This is the fun part You and your partner come
  together to host a program or kick off a service
• Make sure to give recognition
• Proper planning and full publicity should make
  for a smooth event and big crowd

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Step 7 Evaluate

• Evaluate collectively and individually
• Evaluation questions could include
• How well did the program work?
• What can be learned from statistics?
• What kind of comments were made?
• Should this be done again?
• How could it be improved?
• How did the timing work out?
• Would additional partners be helpful?

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Try It Out

• Worse case scenario
• Someone tells you no
• You have a list of ideas
• Ask for feedback
• Best case scenario
• No program but you form a solid partner
• You make yourself look good
• You make the director look good

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Tips Tricks

• Outreach is partnerships / partnerships are
  outreach
• Consider every interaction an opportunity to do
  outreach and build partnerships
• Make everyone look good
• Dont assume its someone elses job

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Tips Tricks

• Enjoy the snowball effect
• Be ready to adjust your expectations and adapt to
  partners changing needs

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Tips Tricks

• Learn from other professions
• networking
• marketing
• Make it fun
• Create buzz and be creative
• Fun tax revenue

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You Can Do It!

• The first step is the hardest
• Ask yourself
• Whats the worst that could happen?
• Whats the best that could happen?
• Write down the first idea you got today and
  follow the plan when you get back to work

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Why Do We Need To Do This, Again?

• Remember
• Partnerships and outreach are advocacy and thus
  a core part of your job.
• Doing this could make the difference the next
  time you need to ask for community funding or
  support.

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Programming
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Keys To Success

• Dont Ask for Permission
• Form Partnerships Take it to the Streets
• Talk Action Irrelevancy
• Dont be lazy
• 3. Make it Fun!
• Fun Tax Revenue

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Program Title Artist In Residence

• Program Description
• The artist-in-residence program is a joint
  project between the Chelsea Center for the Arts
  and the Chelsea District Library.
• The artist-in-residence program is designed for a
  nationally-known artist who works in the
  community through the
• library to deliver various services as they see
  fit. In addition to instructional and
  consultative activities, the artist-in-residence
• enriches the local arts scene by his or her
  presence, but may also offer writing workshops
  and other writing related events, plus
• programming.
• Whats It All About
• New blood each year
• Remember what I said about finding the experts?
  Let them
• do the work for us!
• How many libraries, let alone public, let alone
  small
• public libraries think to sponsor an artist in
  residence?
• Bring in recognizable authors artists
•      
• .

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Program Title Midwest Literary Walk in Downtown
Chelsea

• Program Description
• Michael McClure, famous Beat Generation and
  1960s counter-culture poet and writer, will make
  a rare appearance in downtown Chelsea at the
  first-ever Midwest Literary Walk, April 18.
• McClure, associate of Allen Ginsberg and close
  friend of Jim Morrison, is the author of 14 books
  of poetry, eight books of plays, and four books
  of essays. He wrote the song Mercedes Benz,
  popularized by Janis Joplin, and authored the
  play The Beard, which became a cause célèbre in
  the 60s for testing censorship laws in San
  Francisco and other cities. Now 78, McClure was
  immortalized by Jack Kerouac in his novel Big Sur
  and by Martin Scorcese in his film The Last
  Waltz.
• Oprah Book Club novelist Bret Lott, of South
  Carolina, and suburban Detroit novelist Michael
  Zadoorian will also read from their work, along
  with Michigan poets Keith Taylor, Janet Kauffman,
  Macklin Smith, and Bill Harris.
• Free and open to the public, the event is the
  brainchild of Detroit poet ML Liebler, current
  artist-in-residence at the Chelsea District
  Library and Chelsea Center for the Arts,
  cosponsors of the Walk. All locations are within
  a two-block area.
• 1 pm, Keith Taylor and Macklin Smith, River
  Gallery
• 2 pm, Michael Zadoorian and Bill Harris, Chelsea
  Gallery
• 3 pm, Bret Lott and Janet Kauffman, Cranesbill
  Books
• 4 pm, Community Open Mic with ML Lieblers
  Workshop, Zou Zous Café
• 530 pm, reception and book signing with Michael
  McClure, River Gallery
• 7 pm, Michael McClure and ML Liebler, Chelsea
  District Library
•      
• .

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Moby Grape
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Program Title Songwriters Workshop

• Program Description
• Join the Chelsea Center for the Arts and the
  Chelsea District Library for a most exciting,
  memorable and entertaining song-writing workshop
  from Chelsea's artist-in-residence, M.L. Liebler.
  Plus Detroit quartet the High Strung, hailed by
  Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and Village
  Voice as one of the best rock roll bands in
  America. Registration required. Space is limited!
  Call the CCA 734-433-2787 or e-mail
  programs_at_chelseacenterforthearts.org to register
  for this workshop.  BasicsSaturday
  Afternoon from 12 to 4
• Bring School of Rock to your townServe
  PizzaFilm itGreat way to get young people and
  old alike togetherPerfect for OutreachTake the
  School of Rock concept and apply it to
  seniors!    
• .

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Program Title A Day in the Life of Chelsea

• Program Description If your house is anything
  like our library, it has a shelf full of
  cookbooks most of which are filled with
  dazzling photos of all kinds of food dishes. Some
  of them are mouth-watering to look at. We are
  giving you 24 hours to document a delicious
  dining experience through your eyes, from the way
  its prepared, to its presentation, to the way it
  is eaten. Pick up a disposable camera at the
  library. Photos will be posted in a special
  exhibit on the library web site. Registration
  required.
• Topics
• PhotographyCommunity
• BasicsRegistration is Required
• Try to limit numbers to 15 or 20
• Buy 15 disposable cameras from local camera shop
  and work out a deal (lean on them about promoting
  locally)
• Notify patron when the galleries are on the
  librarys web page
• You can use multiple themes, or make it more
  generic
• Extras
• Make double copies of prints so patrons can keep
  copy
• Marketing
• Newsletter, website, and around town
• The editor of the Ann Arbor News write an
  editorial pronouncing me a genius and wishing
  more libraries got in the business of preserving
  our local heritage, and encouraging libraries
  all over the country to follow my lead.

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Program Title Chelsea District Library Comedy
Showcase

• Program Description Together with the Ann
  Arbor Comedy Showcase, the library will be
  staging a series of stand-up comedy showcases
  from some of the regions most popular comics.
  Once a week our cut-loose comedy series will
  present the comedy of 12 of the current rising
  stars in the area and beyond.
• Topics
• Stand up comedy
• BasicsEvery Thursday in June
• Partner with local comedy club
• Bus seniors over from residential homes
• Held outdoor in the librarys outdoor
  ampitheater
• Marketing
• Newsletter, website, and around town
• Stories in the Chelsea Standard and Ann Arbor
  News
• Streaming video or YouTube clips of
  comicsCoverage on Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase
  website
• Comics
• Mike Green
• Horace HB Sanders
• Kevin McPeek
• Chili Challis
• Gary George

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Program Title Purple Rose Theater

• Program Description
• The Purple Rose and Library recently received a
  17,000 grant to support a new play development
  partnership .
• In 2008, the PRTC and CDL created a partnership
  to foster mutually beneficial programming and
  community collaboration. Since the inception of
  this partnership, these institutions have worked
  together to bring concert readings of new plays,
  adult playwriting workshops, and acting workshops
  for teens to the library, all free of charge to
  participants. The partnership has proven
  especially effective in the play development
  process of several PRTC world premieres,
  including Bleeding Red by Michael Brian Ogden
  and Wake by Carey Crim both plays received
  public readings at the CDL before rehearsals
  began.
• The mission of the partnership is threefold to
  develop new works by Midwestern playwrights for
  potential production to involve community
  members in the script development process and to
  inspire young writers to create their own works
  for the stage.

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Program Title Cemetery Ghost Hunt

• Program DescriptionHaunted houses? Cemeteries
  with ghosts? Explore the supernatural as the
  Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan (GHOSM) reveal
  evidence of paranormal phenomena captured during
  their investigations. Then, join the Ghost
  Hunters of Southern Michigan (GHOSM) on a search
  for ghostly activities at Chelseas Oak Grove
  Cemetery. Registration is required. 
• TopicsParanormal investigationsTrue
  StoriesHow to go on a ghost hunt SpeakersLoca
  l ghost hunters group. They are everywhere. Just
  do a Google search, youll find
  one. BasicsLength Two sessions
  (presentation 1 ½ hours ghost hunt 2
  hours) For the ghost hunt, people will need to
  bring flashlights, warm clothes (if you do it
  after dark around Halloween), tape recorder,
  video recorder, and cameras.Be prepared to
  address the issue of the occult. You have to
  have guts to do a program like this, because
  staff and members of community will give you
  grief about it. Dont be afraid to take risks,
  even if you dont buy into this stuff you have to
  remember that we are here to serve all walks of
  life, plus a little controversy at the library is
  always a good thing. Helps keep us on the
  map! ExtrasInvite member of historical
  society to lead a guided tour of cemetery before
  the extra ghost hunt. Not only will it remind
  people that you arent introducing the occult,
  but its all about fun. MarketingLibrary
  newsletter and website, which is all you need as
  people will literally come out of the woodwork to
  attend this program. Ive done in four or five
  times, not just with seniors, but with teens too.
  Patrons who didnt know the library even existed
  will come as if making a trek to Mecca. Be
  prepared to be overwhelmed.

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Program Title Meet the Beatles

• Program DescriptionAn informal look at all
  aspects of The Beatles (their songs, films, album
  concepts, fiction, poetry, theater, essays,
  cartoons, and more). Well look at the history,
  the myths, the legends, the secrets, the lies,
  and the reality of it all. M.L. Liebler,
  professor at Wayne State University, will lead
  the discussion and supply rare essays and
  writings of The Beatles in addition to seldom
  seen Video/DVD footage. Registration is
  required. TopicsThe Beatles Pop
  Music SpeakersLocal expert or
  professorRecord store ownerMusicianRadio
  DJThe librarian BasicsLength 5 part series
  at 1 hour eachTheater style seatingLCD
  projector w/laptop, audio equipment for playing
  CDs or DVDs ExtrasBeatles book (of which
  there are no shortages) display for
  checkoutDecorate room with postersGet the
  audience involved by asking them where they were
  when the Beatles appeared on Ed
  SullivanEncourage patrons to bring their own
  memorabilia and stories to share   Marketing
• In addition to marketing in library newsletter
  and website, hit the schools, coffee shops,
  record and book stores

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Program Title Flower Arranging with Gigi

• Program DescriptionFlowers can make a gray day
  bright. Isnt that sweet? An artfully arranged
  bouquet can become a focal point of a room. Many
  senior patrons like to know how to create their
  own gems. This program will give them the tools
  to get started plus a chance to take home a free
  bouquet. Invite a local florist, local garden
  club member to demonstrate floral arrangement.
  TopicsFlowersFlower Arrangements
• SpeakersFloristMember of Garden ClubStaff
  Member Basics Length 1 ½ hours Several
  tables set up in big square  Participants should
  bring scissors or a knife and a bag to carry the
  finished product free, but you must pay for the
  flowers and the time of the local florist if they
  dont agree to donate their timeExtrasDisplay
  books and videos on floral design, flower
  arranging, and decorating with flowers Seniors
  will be able to take the floral arrangement home
  Ask them to talk about where to buy fresh and
  silk flowers, how to select colors, and how to
  create designsMarketingIve always had to
  turn people away because weve exceeded capacity
  Chances are patrons will be quit familiar with
  the person who owns the flower shop and love to
  have a chance to walk away with a free flower
  arrangement, particularly around the holidays
   Distribute flyers at library, senior center and
  residential homes, plus the florist, and
  gardening centers

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Program Title Slice of Life Pizza Tasting
Competition for Seniors

• Program Description
• Whether you prefer a traditional Neapolitan or
  Chicago style pie or the modern pizza versions
  established by fast food chains like Little
  Caesars, you'll agree most of us have a love for
  that delectable food we call - Pizza.
• Topics
• Pizza
• Speakers
• Adult Services Librarian
• Basics
• So why not host a Pizza Tasting contest for
  Senior Citizens?
• With the support of local Pizzerias, you can dish
  out cheese and pepperoni pizzas for the judging.
• Participants will sample each type of pie in a
  taste test and voted on their favorite cheese and
  pepperoni pizza.
• The categories included Best in Show, Best
  Crust, Cheesiest, and Best Sauce.
• Extras
• While the seniors filled their bellies with the
  sampling of pies, they also received recipes and
  ideas on how to create their own
• unique pizza creations.
• The votes were tallied and the race was tight.
  The winner for best in show was Brooklyn Pizza.
  The champion for best cheesiest in Chelsea was
  awarded to Thompsons.

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Program Title Pollinate Your Mind Summer
Reading Program

• Program Description
• Just for adults, register to get rewards and win
  prizes for using the library. This years program
  is as flexible as ever. Participants can read,
  listen to music or audio books, watch movies, or
  attending one of our great lineup of programs and
  win great prizes, like an iPod, dinner at Common
  Grill, tickets for the Purple Rose Theater,
  Chelsea Cash, and more!
• Basics
• Nobody ever thinks about designing a program
  strictly for adult, change that!
• Dont go cheap on prizes. If you cant afford
  anything more than the crap you buy from the
  Oriental Trading Catalog, dont bother. People
  wont be interested
• Choose a theme, this year we picked gardening
• Here's how you get started
• Register to get a reading log, and then start
  reading from May 15 through July 30.
• Earn stamps by reading a book, newspaper, or
  magazine, watching a movie, listening to an
  audiobook or music CD, using the library's online
  resources, or attending our great lineup of
  events.
• Choose your prize as you reach 5, 10, and 15
  stamps. Books earn 3 stamps each all other
  activities are worth 1 stamp each.
• Earn 15 stamps and you'll get a free paperback
  book plus an entry for the grand prize drawing,
  held during the closing event ice cream social on
  Wednesday, July 30.
• Prizes
• Win prizes like
• a bird feeder
• garden tools

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Program Title Pollinate Your Mind Summer
Reading Program

• CDs
• clay pots
• dinner at the local fancy restaurant
• hose guides
• seeds planters
• Gift Certificates to Local Business
• DVDs
• painted watering cans
• Local bookstore gift cards
• plant markers
• fair-trade chocolate
• a garden tote bag
• tickets to the local theater
• bird seed
• Marketing
• Both the library and senior center newsletters,
  distribute fliers to hospitals, churches, nursing
  homes, and senior residential facilities.
• By far the best thing to do is find a major
  event, like a Senior Expo, set up a booth and
  sign people up at the event. Or, find something
  similar, call, and ask to be a part of it.

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Program Title Senior Lock-In

• Program Description
• Together with the Chelsea Senior Center, join us
  for the first ever Senior lock-in at the library.
  The library will close at 6pm and reopen at
  630pm. We will feature a host of activities
  including a Hawaiian rib dinner, massage
  therapist, flower arranging with Gigis Flowers,
  Fortune Teller, Nintendo Wii, and more. Dont
  miss out on this exciting event. Space is limited
  so register now!
• Topics
• Video Games
• Food
• Massage Therapy
• Flower Arranging 
• Tarot cards
• Card games
• Speakers
• Local Flower shop owner
• Local massage therapist
• Senior center activities director
• Adult Services Librarian
• Tarot Reader 
• Basics

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Program Title Senior Lock-In

• Extras
• Cold beverages and cookies for people to snack on
  since this is a long night
• Make sure you recruit volunteers to help set up,
  coordinate, and clean up after everyone leaves
• Marketing
• Library newsletter and website, distribute fliers
  at senior centers, nursing homes, and senior
  residential facilities
• Notes
• The best senior program Ive ever done, and maybe
  the first of its kind at any library
• Its expensive, but you can find ways to do it
  cheaper

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Program Title Nintendo Wii for Seniors Not
Your Grandkids Nintendo Anymore!

• Program Description
• Put your virtual bowling skills to the test. If
  you are not familiar with the Wii, please join us
  for our kick off event. We will be setting up
  bowling leagues, golf, tennis, and more. Wii
  approximates the motion of the games you enjoy
  because it requires players to swing a
  motion-detector controller like a bowling ball,
  tennis racquet, or golf club. This is the hottest
  thing going! Everyone is welcome to participate
  and become part of the fun. Don't let your
  grandkids have all the fun!
• Topics
• Video Gaming
• Speakers
• You
• Basics
• Nintendo Wii (retails for 250 If you cant
  afford it, ask the Friends to purchase it)
• At least four Wii game controllers
• TV or a big screen projector if you have it
• Ideal for partnering with senior center, nursing
  home, or residential home
• Be patient, this is a very hands-on project.
  Many of them probably never played a video game
  in their life
• Extras
• You need to offer cold drinks as people will work
  up a thirst
• Cookies, light snack

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Local History
Programming

• Local history matters
• Preserving the history of the community
• Same concept as partnering, dont wait for the
  information to come to you
• Rebrand the library by creating your own content
• Tie programming into your local history
• Great PR for the library

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Program Title Historic Chelsea Interest Group

• Program Description
• Second Thursday of every month, 7-830 p.m.,
  McKune Room. Registration not required.
• The library and Preservation Chelsea host this
  group of people researching historic homes or
  buildings in the Chelsea area. Each session
  features a guest speaker and time for members to
  share questions, ideas, or stories uncovered
  through their own research.
• Topics
• Local history, buildings, homes
•  
• Speaker
• Speaker local guest or member of historical
  society
•  
• Basics
• Length 1 to 1 ½ hours
• Weve even had local, Emmy-award winning film
  makers out to talk about Tiger Stadium and the
  old Hudsons building and the importance of
  historical preservation
• Extras
• Refreshments and light snack
• Literature about the librarys local history
  resources, class information
• Marketing

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Oral History
Projects

• Program Description
• We experimented first by inviting three local
  veterans of WWII to participate in a panel
  discussion about their experiences during WWII.
  To create hype for the event, we worked with the
  Chelsea Senior Center and staged a special
  luncheon to honor our veterans. The luncheon was
  provided by and held at the CSC. The following
  week we invited the community to come to the
  library for the panel discussion, which we
  captured on film.
• We asked each veteran a series of questions and
  gave them time to respond. After, we encouraged
  the audience to ask questions as well.
• Why does this work?
• Remember what I said about not waiting for the
  information to come to you, be in the business of
  creating content. Rebrand the library and youll
  help us all remain relevant
• As you know, WWII veterans are dying off at a
  rate of over 1000 per day. We wanted to take
  action and capture some local heros testimonies
  and preserve it for historical record.
• With our video editing software, our plan is to
  convert their testimonies to tape and burn them
  on a DVD which we will then place in our
  collection. My dream was that 50 years from now
  their great, great, grandchildren could come in
  and see for themselves their relative on tape.
• Again, we are creating the content instead of
  waiting for it to come to us
• Wonderful way for you to network and partner
  with local historical groups and museums, who
  often struggle for funding themselves. We work
  together to achieve common goals and then share
  our materials
• Can you imagine the goodwill you create in the
  community when sons, daughters, and grandchildren
  come back to us and bend over backwards to thank
  us for recognizing their parent in this way. You
  cant buy that kind of feedback

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One Room
Schoolhouse Project

• Due to the success of this World War II project,
  the Chelsea Senior Center and the library
  partnered again and we were recently awarded with
  a 6000 grant to do another, more extensive oral
  history project about one-room school houses.
• At one time, there were 24 one-room school houses
  in the Chelsea area. Our idea is to interview
  the students and teachers about their experiences
  at these institutions. Although this started as a
  partnership, you better believe this is something
  that the entire community is going to rally
  around, from the schools to the historical
  museum.
• The concept is the same. We interviewed and
  captured on film these people and preserved it
  for the historical record.
• There has been a tremendous buzz and we have had
  people contacting us from all over the country,
  who grew up in Chelsea and wanted to be a part of
  this special project.
• We staged special events to set up an environment
  in which to film former students and capture
  their stories, including
• - Special luncheons
• - A picnic at a local farm
• - A visit to a one-room school house that is
  still functional and standing

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One Room
Schoolhouse Project
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Oral History
Project Next Phases

• Five-Year Plan
• Year One Veterans History Project
• To collect and preserve the stories of wartime
  services of local veterans
• Our primary focus is on first-hand accounts of
  U.S. Veterans from the following wars World
  War I (1914-1918) World War II (1939-1945)
  Korean War (1950-1955) Vietnam War
  (1961-1975) Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)
  Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts (2001-present)
• Year Two Landmarks of Chelsea
• Collect interviews with the surviving workers
  and members of the plant as well as provide a
  history of the facility and its ultimate fate.
  Federal Screw Works began in 1913 in Chelsea.
  The plant moved to its location on South Main in
  1917 due to its closeness to a Consumers Power
  substation, which powered the Detroit Urban
  Railroad. The plant survived the depression to
  make a strong recovery during World War II, when
  it produced artillery shells and other weapons
  for the war effort. From a post-war peak of 250
  employees in 1959, the plant declined to 131
  employees by 1997, and only 37 in 2005, when it
  closed its doors during a restructuring.
• To include the following Federal Screw Works,
  Hospital, Clock Tower, CRC, Old prison, old mill,
  the Library

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Oral History
Project Next Phases

• Year Three Village Life Founding Families of
  Chelsea/Family Farming
• Whether your family came from Germany in the
  early 1800s and has lived in the Chelsea area
  ever since or you moved here from Detroit in the
  1920s, we want to collect a record of the many
  different experiences that have added to our
  community over time, as told by Chelsea area
  families.
• Year Four Chelseas Advancement As Arts
  Community
• As told by stories of Purple Rose, Jeff Daniels,
  Common Grill, Chelsea Center for the Arts, River
  Gallery, Chelsea Gallery, Sounds Sights,
  SummerFest.
• For ex., interview people who visit Purple Rose
  Common Grill (Why did you come? Where did you
  come from? How did you hear about it?)
• Ask businesses, why did they choose Chelsea?
• Year Five History of Jiffy Mix
• Chelsea Milling Company has been operating by a
  family whose roots in the flour business dates
  back to the early 1800s. The family has been
  milling flour in Chelsea for over 120 years.
• Cynthia Furlong Reynolds, author of Our Hometown
  and Jiffy book could be our project go to
  person.

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Stories of
Chelsea
59

About Formed in 2009, the Library-Biz Connect
includes Washtenaw Community College, the Chelsea
District Library, Small Business Development
Technology Center (SBDTC), Food System Economic
Partnership, Art Meets Business, and
SCORE Goal The groups aim is to educate the
business community about resources available
through their local libraries and business
service organizations offer library programming
that will guide small business owners to
results-driven resources, and combine current
resources to broaden the boundaries of its
impact. The mission of the Library-Biz Connect is
to provide access to a network of business and
support services for new and existing small
businesses. What We Provide One on One
Counseling Business Workshops (Business, Plans,
Marketing Plans, Funding, Start Up, etc.)
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Program Title Low Vision Service Center

• The Library and Lions Club of Chelsea have
  joined forces to help people with vision
  impairments maintain their independence through
  the use of optical, non-optical, or electronic
  vision aids. With the help of a 3,000 donation
  from the Lions Club, we plan to install a low
  vision service center in the first floor lobby,
  which we hope will become the resource center for
  people with macular degeneration, diabetic
  retinopathy, and other eye diseases resume
  activities like hobbies or work that they thought
  they could no longer do because of their vision.
• The Center will consist of a glass case that
  will house low vision equipment including a
  variety of magnifiers ranging in power, which may
  be borrowed for up to three weeks for an at-home
  trial, free of charge. Nearly two dozen state of
  the art, handheld and stand magnifiers will be
  available, all of which incorporate an LED light
  that has a life span of up to 10,000 hours,
  illuminating the magnifiers entire visual field!
  The equipment is lightweight and can be placed on
  top of a newspaper or book page allowing the user
  to slide the magnifier across the text with
  relative ease.
• In addition, the library will also feature a
  Merlin Reading Machine, a powerful, auto-focus
  desktop magnifier that benefits those with poor
  eyesight. The reading machine can be used to
  magnify photo images, book pages, magazines, or
  newspapers. The operation is user friendly and
  requires only basic instructions. Boasting an
  ergonomic design, this flexible desktop magnifier
  allows you to pivot and adjust the screen to suit
  your most comfortable viewing position.

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Program Title Kids Read Comics
62
Program Title Kids Read Comics

• About the Convention
• Generations of kids have grown up reading and
  loving comics. And its not hard to see why
  comics have captured the imagination of kids and
  teens with their unique blend of words and
  pictures, even the most everyday comics stories
  open up worlds of wonder.
• And beyond the sheer joy of comics is the fact
  that they can help turn kids into more active and
  engaged readers. They also provide a model for
  young readers to explore and develop their own
  creativity.
• But comics are no longer the mass medium they
  once were. Far fewer kids are exposed to them
  today, and many of the comics they find are
  intended for older readers. Thats where Kids
  Read Comics comes in!
• Our Kids Read Comics Convention is a totally
  free event that unites kids, teens, parents,
  teachers and librarians with professional artists
  and writers from the comics and animation fields.
  Our goal is to introduce kids to worlds of
  imagination while unlocking their creative
  impulses, and to serve that goal, the convention
  features
• hands-on workshops
• panels and presentations for kids, families,
  and educators
• a chance for kids to meet and chat with comics
  and animation professionals
• the opportunity for kids to have their own art
  portfolios reviewed
• KRC also works throughout the year to promote
  comics and creativity for kids and teens. Were
  building a recommended reading list gathering
  resources for parents, teachers and librarians
  and organizing artists and writers who can bring
  presentations and workshops to libraries around
  the state of Michigan and beyond.
• Kids Read Comics was founded by youth and teen
  librarian Edith Burney of Chelsea, cartoonist and
  educator Jerzy Drozd of Ann Arbor, comic shop
  owner Dan Merritt of Dearborn, and comic book
  writer Dan Mishkin of East Lansing. You can reach
  us at kidsreadcomics_at_gmail.com.
• Notes
• The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural
  Affairs awarded the Chelsea District Library, on
  behalf of Kids Read Comics, a grant of 5600!