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G2S Project Code: 2021-CA-87972
State: California
Fiscal Year: 2021
Grantee
RIVERSIDE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM

Project Director
Director Name: Joan Tyler
Director Phone: 951-233-5876
Director Email: Joan.Tyler@lsslibraries.com
General Information
Title: Project Connect Now
State Project Code: 40-9223
Start Date: 07/01/2021
End Date: 09/30/2022
Abstract: The Riverside County Library System worked to meet the needs of marginalized and under-resourced communities’ access to services by partnering with two local organizations to provide an immediate connection to free onsite and/or virtual social welfare and legal services. Project Connect Now trained library staff, empowering them to engage patrons experiencing need with compassion, information, and actionable onsite assistance with professionals. Project Connect Now ensured that patrons received prompt referrals to social welfare and legal services. 
State Goal: Goal 1: Equitable Access
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$32,527.00
$0.00
$46,696.00
$79,223.00
Intent(s)
Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal or family health & wellness.
Other
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Legal Consultations
Narrative: The Riverside County Law Library (RCLL) acted as a liaison for our libraries and Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS) to staff our sites with pro-bono lawyers who specialize in Civil/Small Claims, Estate Planning, Family and Immigration law services for consultation via Zoom appointments for patrons. The Riverside County Law Library prepped 55 staff by providing an instructional video and a live virtual Q&A session to improve library staff’s knowledge and ability to research legal questions using tools that are already available on the Internet.


Intent: Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal or family health & wellness.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: Combined in-person & virtual


Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 4
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 1


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: 18-25 years
26-49 years
50-59 years
60-69 years
70+ years
For what economic types: Below Poverty
Unemployed
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: Yes
Is the activity directed at those with disabilities: Yes
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: Yes
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Home Gardens Library
Address: 3785 Neece St.
City: Corona
State: CA
Zip: 92879
Name: Louis Robidoux Library
Address: 5840 Mission Blvd.
City: Jurupa Valley
State: CA
Zip: 92509
Name: Sun City Library
Address: 163 E. San Jacinto
City: Perris
State: CA
Zip: 92506
Activity Details
Title: Consultations with student social workers
Narrative: Riverside County Library System partnered with California Baptist University’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences who provided the participating libraries with Master of Social Work (MSW) student interns who need to complete practicum hours. The library hired the necessary Field Instructor with grant funds to supervise the students creating a Social Work Team to rotate weekly through the 4 most in-need library sites. When in-person visits were not feasible given the pandemic, instant or scheduled virtual meetings were to be made available utilizing the project’s laptops and private study rooms.

Intent: Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal or family health & wellness.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: Combined in-person & virtual


Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 128
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 25


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: 13-17 years
18-25 years
26-49 years
50-59 years
60-69 years
For what economic types: Below Poverty
Unemployed
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: Yes
Limited functional literacy or informational skills: Yes
Is the activity category not already captured: No


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: California Baptist University
Address: 8432 Magnolia Avenue
City: Riverside
State: CA
Zip: 92504
Name: Home Gardens Library
Address: 3785 Neece St.
City: Corona
State: AK
Zip: 92879
Name: Louis Robidoux Library
Address: 5840 Mission Blvd.
City: Jurupa Valley
State: CA
Zip: 92509
Name: Perris Library
Address: 163 E. San Jacinto
City: Perris
State: CA
Zip: 92506
Activity Details
Title: Staff Mental Health First Aid Training
Narrative: In preparation for serving an increase of patrons in-need, the library partnered with their County Health Department (Riverside University Health System) who offered an in-person training at 4 libraries in de-escalation skills that enabled library staff to compassionately serve patrons experiencing anger and anxiety. All 55 employees of Louis Robidoux, Home Gardens, Sun City and Perris libraries were able to attend this class either at their library or by participating at another site’s class. 


Intent: Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal or family health & wellness.

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


Quantity
Presentation/performance length (minutes): 480
Number of presentations/performances administered: 6
Average number in attendance per session: 11


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: Yes
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Home Gardens Library
Address: 3785 Neece St.
City: Corona
State: CA
Zip: 92879
Name: Louis Robidoux Library
Address: 5840 Mission Blvd.
City: Jurupa Valley
State: CA
Zip: 92509
Name: Perris Library
Address: 163 E. San Jacinto
City: Perris
State: CA
Zip: 92506
Name: Sun City Library
Address: 163 E. San Jacinto
City: Perris
State: CA
Zip: 92506
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Though offered, the social work and legal services via Zoom were not popular with patrons from other library sites. This may be due to a distrust of technology and/or by the patron’s mental health status that required a physical person to intervene successfully. Participants did not want to complete their online intake forms required by the Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS) as they found it to be difficult and intrusive.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
Rather than relying upon virtual appointments, we will expand our number of Social Work interns from 4 to 6 to rotate through the four libraries offering services. This will allow for seamless coverage. If this model is successful, rotation between many sites for each intern may be the most viable option for future implementation and expansion. The greatest challenge foreseen is the need for an ongoing salaried Field Supervisor for the interns. In order to expand services across the county’s 36 sites, it is projected that three Field Supervisors would be required to advise 18 interns (6 interns for every 12 libraries). Many changes needed to be made to find the most conducive way to offer the varied legal services for which patrons were seeking assistance. This included changing the intake process to in-person visits that are staffed by ICLS assistants who will then Zoom the patron to the appropriate lawyer who specializes in the legal area required starting in July 2022. There is a possibility that ICLS will create a generalized outreach team if this model proves successful so that expansion of services may include all 36 library branches in the coming years.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
The ability of the project team to communicate and engender a working relationship with community partners that allows for changes yet still retains the shared end goals cannot be overstated. Success is dependent upon the willingness and capacity of the community partners to achieve the desired results for both organizations. Patrons who are in need of immediate social work services are hesitant to participate in virtual appointments. They require in-person assistance that is irreplaceable with technology.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
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: social services, legal, access