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G2S Project Code: 2020-UT-85182
State: Utah
Fiscal Year: 2020
Grantee
EMERY COUNTY LIBRARY

Project Director
Director Name: Desirée A. Malley
Director Phone: (435)381-3583
Director Email: desireem@lib.emerycounty.com
General Information
Title: Assisting Students for a Stronger Emery Tomorrow (A.S.S.E.T. Program)
State Project Code: 211979
Start Date: 01/05/2021
End Date: 08/01/2021
Abstract: Emery County Libraries partnered with the Emery County School District to increase student access to electronic educational resources within the libraries through the Assisting Students for a Stronger Emery Tomorrow (ASSET) Program. In the ASSET Program - Phase 2, the Emery County Libraries purchased 22 Chromebooks, which were designated for outside of the library circulation amongst the 8 libraries. These Chromebooks for circulation include a carrying bag, a hotspot with filtered internet access,  and wireless headphones with integrated microphone, which allows students to participate in distance learning opportunities (ie., Zoom meetings, video creation, etc.) The ASSET Program was promoted through library staff outreach at parent-teacher conferences, parents' nights, school outreach events, classroom visits, flyer distribution, and school and district website advertisement.
State Goal: Information Access
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$8,980.00
$0.00
$5,613.00
$14,593.00
Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.
Education
Curriculum support
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Purchasing and Promotion of Resources
Narrative:

ASSET Program - Chromebooks 

Emery County Library System partnered with Emery County School District to expand the ASSET Program to Chromebooks that would circulate for use outside of the libraries. 22 Chromebooks were purchased along with carrying bags and Bluetooth headphones with microphone. The Chromebooks for circulation were accompanied by a hotspot with filtered wifi access to facilitate offsite usage.

ASSET Program - Promotion

Due to the pandemic, many in-person conferences and parents' night events were cancelled. As a result, the staff of the Emery County Library System used every avenue available to us to promote the ASSET Program - Phase 2 to the students and parents of students.


Director: The library director created a flyer for distribution on the ASSET Program - Phase 2 and presented information about the program at three public meetings.


Castle Dale Library: Castle Dale Library staff contacted Emery High School and Castle Dale Elementary and arranged for the ASSET Program flyers to be distributed to all of the students attending each school as well as copies of the flyer being available in the office for parents to have. Each week, beginning on March 30, 2021, Castle Dale Library staff advertised the ASSET Program on their Facebook page. Castle Dale Library placed a copy of the ASSET Program flyer on their community bulletin board and distributed copies of the flyer to patrons who expressed interest in the program.  Castle Dale Library staff made contact with several teachers and encouraged them to promote the program with their students.  


Cleveland Library: Cleveland Library staff met with the secretary of Cleveland Elementary to discuss the ASSET Program and answer her questions. The Cleveland Library staff distributed 150 copies of the ASSET Program - Phase 2 flyer at parent-teacher conferences on February 23 and 24, 2021. Cleveland Library staff posted copies of the ASSET Program flyer at the Cleveland Post Office, on the community bulletin board, and at the local store. The Cleveland Library staff has posted the ASSET Program flyer on their Facebook page and continue to distribute flyers to patrons who expressed interest in the program.


Elmo Library: Elmo Library staff has posted the flyer on their circulation desk, community bulletin board, and Elmo Post Office. Elmo Library staff has posted information regarding the ASSET Program along with the flyer on their Facebook page. Elmo Library staff has spoken with parents and students who visit the library about the ASSET Program and the resources available in the library. Elmo Library staff placed information about the ASSET Program in their January, February, March, April, and May newsletters.


Emery Library: Emery Library staff posted the ASSET Program flyer in the library, on their Facebook page, and in the Emery Town Newsletter that is mailed to every home in the town. Emery Library staff attended conferences at San Rafael Middle School in Ferron and distributed flyers on February 10. 2021.


Ferron Library: Ferron Library staff contacted the secretary at Ferron Elementary and got the number of students in each teacher’s class to give flyers to each teacher for distribution to his/her students. Ferron Library staff hand-delivered the flyers to each teacher and personally discussed the ASSET Program - Phase 2 with each one. Ferron Library staff contacted the San Rafael Middle School principal and arranged to distribute flyers at parent-teacher conferences along with Emery Library staff. Ferron Library staff posted the ASSET Program flyer on the community bulletin board and in the Ferron Post Office. Ferron Library staff is placing a miniature version of the ASSET Program flyer with a checkout receipt to families whenever they checkout books from the library.


Green River Library: Green River Library staff contacted Book Cliff Elementary and Green River High School and arranged for distribution of the ASSET Program - Phase 2 flyer to all students. Green River Library staff posted the ASSET Program flyer in the library, at the Green River Post Office, at local restaurants, at the local store, and on the community bulletin board. The Green River Library staff has distributed flyers to patrons interested in the program and has partnered with the Teen Center to advertise the program once the Teen Center reopens.


Huntington Library: Huntington Library staff contacted Huntington Elementary teachers and provided ASSET Program - Phase 2 flyers to send home with each student and had the school post the flyer on their school Facebook page. Huntington Library staff provided flyers to be distributed at Canyon View Middle School’s parent-teacher conferences and had the flyer posted on the school’s web page. Additional flyers were provided to the school counselor to hand out during SEOP meetings with 8th-grade students and parents. Huntington Library staff hung the ASSET Program flyer in the library, on the community bulletin board, in the Huntington Post Office, and at Hart's . Huntington Library staff is distributing flyers to patrons interested in the program and promoting the ASSET Program at all other programming offered at the Huntington Library (i.e., book club, story times, Just for Fun Activities, etc.). Huntington Library staff sent a digital flyer for the ASSET Program to all patrons via the Remind APP. Huntington Library staff posted the ASSET Program flyer on their Facebook page.


Orangeville Library: Orangeville Library staff attended the Cottonwood Elementary parents' night, where they passed out ASSET Program flyers, demonstrated use of the Chromebooks with hotspots, and spoke with parents about the program. Orangeville Library staff is distributing ASSET Program - Phase 2 flyers to all families that come to the library and using the flyer to discuss resources available in the library. Orangeville Library staff reached out to all educators and administrators personally known by the staff to discuss the ASSET Program and the resources available to Emery County students. Orangeville Library staff has posted the ASSET Program flyer in the library, on the community bulletin board, and at the Orangeville Post Office.



Intent: Improve users’ ability to obtain and/or use information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Acquisition
Format: Combined physical & digital


Quantity
Number of hardware acquired: 44
Number of software acquired: 22
Number of licensed databases acquired: 0
Number of print materials (books & government documents) acquired: 0
Number of electronic materials acquired: 0
Number of audio/visual units (audio discs, talking books, other recordings) acquired: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
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: 6-12 years
13-17 years
For what economic types: Economic Not Applicable
For what ethnicity types: Ethnicity Not Applicable
Is the activity directed at families: No
Is the activity directed at intergenerational groups: No
Is the activity directed at immigrants/refugees: No
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: No
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: Book Cliff Elementary
Address: 255 S Solomon
City: Green River
State: UT
Zip: 84545
Name: Canyon View Middle School
Address: 550 N 400 W
City: Huntington
State: UT
Zip: 84528
Name: Castle Dale Elementary
Address: 195 E 600 N
City: Castle Dale
State: UT
Zip: 84513
Name: Castle Dale Library
Address: 135 North 100 East
City: Castle Dale
State: UT
Zip: 84513
Name: Cleveland Elementary
Address: 30 E 100 S ST
City: Cleveland
State: UT
Zip: 84518
Name: Cleveland Library
Address: 60 West Main Street
City: Cleveland
State: UT
Zip: 84518
Name: Cottonwood Elementary School
Address: 55 E 200 S
City: Orangeville
State: UT
Zip: 84537
Name: Elmo Library
Address: 100 East Main Street
City: Elmo
State: UT
Zip: 84521
Name: Emery County School District Office
Address: 120 N Main ST
City: Huntington
State: UT
Zip: 84528
Name: Emery High School
Address: 975 N Center ST
City: Castle Dale
State: UT
Zip: 84513
Name: Emery Library
Address: 85 North Center Street
City: Emery
State: UT
Zip: 84522
Name: Ferron Elementary
Address: 125 W Mill Rd
City: Ferron
State: UT
Zip: 84523
Name: Ferron Library
Address: 90 North 200 West
City: Ferron
State: UT
Zip: 84523
Name: Green River High School
Address: 455 W 400 N ST
City: Green River
State: UT
Zip: 84525
Name: Green River Library
Address: 85 South Long Street
City: Green River
State: UT
Zip: 84525
Name: Huntington Elementary
Address: 90 E 100 N
City: Huntington
State: UT
Zip: 84528
Name: Huntington Library
Address: 70 South Main Street
City: Huntington
State: UT
Zip: 84528
Name: Orangeville Library
Address: 115 South Main Street
City: Orangeville
State: UT
Zip: 84537
Name: San Rafael Middle School
Address: 390 W 500 S
City: Ferron
State: UT
Zip: 84523
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
1. Students attending Emery County Schools who do not have access to a computer and internet within their homes will be aware they may access the computer programs and online programs utilized by the Emery County Schools for educational purposes via Chromebooks available through the Emery County Libraries as a result of this project. 2. Parents/Guardians of students attending Emery County Schools who do not have access to a computer and internet within their homes will be aware of the Chromebooks for completing school assignments available through the Emery County Libraries as a result of this project. 3. All library staff who interacts with patrons will exhibit confidence in assisting students attending Emery County Schools who do not have access to a computer and internet within their homes with using Chromebooks and hotspots to access the computer programs and online programs utilized by the Emery County Schools for educational purposes as a result of this project. 4. Students (kindergarten through twelfth grade) will have access to all of the resources needed for distance learning (including computers, hotspots, headphones with microphones, etc.) through the Emery County Libraries.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
1. As a result of the pandemic, students have a need to have overnight access to Chromebooks and hotspots. We revised our policies to make this possible and began circulating the new Chromebooks to students with hotspots. Furthermore, we revised our library card policy to make library cards more accessible as well as resources within the libraries based on feedback from the citizens who applied for cards. Additionally, we revised the library card policy to allow children to have their own library cards. 2. There have been many challenges to promoting the ASSET Program with students and parents as in-person interactions are extremely limited during the pandemic; however, Emery County Libraries have worked with the Emery County Schools and community partners to ensure that all students and parents of students have had an opportunity to hear about the program. Further, Emery County Libraries are engaged in ongoing promotion of the program and remain committed to operating the program throughout the 2021-2022 school year. 3. We have continued outreach and programs within the libraries based on the relationships and partnerships built during our outreach activities. 4. Students have access to Chromebooks through the libraries to complete school work at home during the course of regular school attendance as well as when they are quarantined as a result of the pandemic.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
1. Be aware that the pandemic can affect prices. The price we were quoted for Chromebooks when we applied for the grant doubled by the time we purchased the Chromebooks. This increase in cost was not contemplated in our grant, and we had to make changes to be able to purchase as many Chromebooks as possible. When planning to purchase technology, request funds with the anticipation of a possible price increase to avoid shortfalls.
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: educational partnership, Chromebooks, access