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G2S Project Code: 2022-CA-92219
State: California
Fiscal Year: 2022
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: 40-9336
Start Date: 07/01/2022
End Date: 09/30/2023
Abstract: The Riverside County Library System libraries bridged the divide that impedes under-resourced communities from accessing needed services by providing immediate connections to free onsite and/or virtual social welfare, legal and health services through partnerships with Inland Counties Legal Services and California Baptist University's College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Giving prompt access to these services directly benefited marginalized communities by offering critical access to vital services that could improve their quality of life.
State Goal: Goal 1: Equitable Access
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$21,232.00
$0.00
$815,308.00
$836,540.00
Intent(s)
Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal, family or household finances.
Personal/Family health & wellness
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Free Legal Consultation
Narrative: Inland Counties Legal Services staffed five library sites with pro-bono lawyers who specialize in Civil/Small Claims, Estate Planning, Family and Immigration law services for consultation legal representatives (e.g. legal aides, or lawyers). 6 attorneys staffed 372.5 hours at the five library sites visited twice a month at each site. Inland Counties Legal Services expanded to serve a sixth library through a state grant to provide on-site emergency housing legal services in January 2023. In total Inland Counties Legal Services processed 178 scheduled intake appointments.
Intent: Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal, family or household finances.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: In-person


Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 178
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 15


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: 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: Indio Library
Address: 200 Civic Center Mall
City: Indio
State: CA
Zip: 92201
Name: Louis Robidoux Library
Address: 5849 Mission Bld.
City: Jurupa Valley
State: CA
Zip: 92509
Name: Mead Valley Library
Address: 21589 Oakwood St.
City: Mead Valley
State: CA
Zip: 92507
Name: Perris Library
Address: 163 E. San Jacinto
City: Perris
State: CA
Zip: 92506
Name: Sun City Library
Address: 26982 Cherry Hills
City: Menifee
State: CA
Zip: 92586
Activity Details
Title: Free consultation with student social worker
Narrative: The library partnered with California Baptist University’s College of Behavioral and Social Sciences who provided the participating libraries with social workers. The social workers were Master of Social Work (MSW) student interns completing 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 most in-need library sites. Four sites were assigned MSW interns by the university, A total of 133 social work appointments were provided.
Intent: Improve users' ability to apply information that furthers their personal, family or household finances.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Consultation/drop-in/referral
Format: In-person


Quantity
Total number of consultation/reference transactions: 133
Average number of consultation/reference transactions per month: 15


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: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Home Gardens Library
Address: 3785 Neece St.
City: Corona
State: AK
Zip: 92879
Name: Louis Robidoux Library
Address: 5849 Mission Bld.
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: 26982 Cherry Hills
City: Menifee
State: CA
Zip: 92586
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Appointments for legal services greatly decreased when the intern social workers ended their services at the libraries, which suggests a direct correlation to the social workers referring clients to other services. This may also suggest that offering more and varied services onsite will generate greater engagement overall. The entire project requires a concerted and continual marketing strategy to communicate availability to patrons/clients.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
Although funding for a field supervisor to attend to the educational requirements of intern social workers has not been secured for 2023-24, the findings of this two-year project will be utilized to leverage future grant or budget opportunities. Currently, the grant writer is researching the increase of incident reports that have been submitted in correlation to the absence of a social worker for the sites that were recipients of intern social workers. The partnerships with Inland Counties Legal Services and Riverside County Library System continues to grow and flourish. Assessments of this past Fiscal Year's program are in process and adjustments will be made accordingly to increase sites, services and client engagement.
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Through the execution of this grant over two years the library has learned that hiring a library system social worker who can fulfill the role of both a field supervisor to intern social workers as well as coordinate and train staff would be the optimal solution to utilizing staff time. Although it would be easier to assign intern social workers in a smaller system than our 35 libraries, it still requires a concerted effort to attain and sustain the results that would be desired for both staff and patrons. A professional social worker that is assigned libraries, specifically, could assess and create a systematic program rather than relying upon a handful of disjointed classes to educate staff fully in the skills that are unique to patrons experiencing mental health or drug addiction.
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: social services, legal, wellness