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G2S Project Code: 2019-TX-83524
State: Texas
Fiscal Year: 2019
Grantee
NUECES COUNTY KEACH FAMILY LIBRARY

Project Director
Director Name: Crystal Drillen
Director Phone: 361-387-3820
Director Email: Crystal.Drillen@nuecesco.com
General Information
Title: Sensory Backpacks: Young Learners of the Heart
State Project Code: TXR-20011
Start Date: 09/01/2019
End Date: 08/31/2020
Abstract: Nueces County Keach Family Library initiated sensory backpacks (Young Learners of the Heart) in Pop Pop’s Place at Robstown, Texas, to provide an all-in-one take home kit for families that are designed to help children build life skills, social skills, and reading comprehension. The Backpacks were designed to help children on the autism spectrum or sensitive to sensory overload by providing books, writing activities, tips for caregivers and sensory items. The program included Sensory Storytime and materials to expand informational literacy and help the youth become lifelong learners. The program targeted area youth up to 19 years of age, lower income, at-risk teens and the intellectual disabled with the goal of providing them access and instruction in using current book subjects on mindfulness, sensitivity and anxiety.
State Goal: Goal 3: Access to library services for early literacy, digital literacy, and lifelong learning
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$9,578.23
$0.00
$0.00
$9,578.23
Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Literacy
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Sensory Storytime
Narrative: Beginning of March, we were ready to host Sensory Storytime, however, due to unplanned circumstances of COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic, we had to change our plans. We quickly changed our Storytime’s to virtual Storytime’s online. During the grant period of mid-March – August, the library hosted 22 Virtual Sensory Programs on its Facebook page and its Facebook group page Nueces County Family Place Library. Each video was about 15 minutes and out of those 22 videos we had 1,243 views from adults and kids total.  


Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Presentation/performance
Format: Combined in-person & virtual


Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 15
Number of presentations/performances administered: 22
Average number in attendance per session: 57


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: Yes
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: Targeted
Geographic community of the targeted group: Rural
For what age groups: 0-5 years
6-12 years
13-17 years
18-25 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Black
Hispanic
Is the activity directed at families: Yes
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: Yes
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: No
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: NUECES COUNTY KEACH FAMILY LIBRARY
Address: 1106 S Blackburn St
City: Brady
State: TX
Zip: 76825
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
From the subrecipient: Our virtual programs were helping people connect to the library. The Sensory Storytime virtual programs were helping parents do things around the house with their child and teen.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
From the subrecipient: Virtual programming provided by the library could prove useful for parents well after the pandemic.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
From the subrecipient: We learned to ask questions to other libraries and to other professionals that could guide us to put together some kits and what they included in the bags. We learned that when you put together a Google site you need to turn on the Google analytics to get more statistics or how many clicks were on the site.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
Yes
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: No
Exemplary Narrative
Project Tags: sensory, autism, kits