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G2S Project Code: 2024-OR-94922
State: Oregon
Fiscal Year: 2024

Grantee
State Library of Oregon

Project Director
Director Name: Buzzy Nielsen
Director Phone: 971-375-3486
Director Email: buzzy.nielsen@slo.oregon.gov

General Information
Title: Lifelong Library Users
State Project Code:
Start Date: 07/01/2024
End Date: 09/30/2025
Abstract: The State Library of Oregon uses LSTA funds to support library programs and services that encourage lifelong learning and library use. This year funds supported small subgrants to libraries for teen internships, a statewide reading program, and a subgrant focused on reflective conversations. Through these activities, Oregon libraries helped develop lifelong learners and library users.
State Goal: Support students, youth, and lifelong learners

Budget Information

LSTA

MATCH-State

MATCH-Other

Total

$116,350.61

$0.00

$116,350.61

Intent(s)
Improve users' general knowledge and skills.
Employment
Reading Program (Not Summer Reading)

Activities
Activity Details
Title: Teen Internships (subgrants)
Narrative: The State Library offered local libraries small subgrants to fund teen internships. The goals of the project were for interns to increase work skills and more fully understand the scope of library work; for library mentors to develop leadership, communication, and coaching skills; and for participating libraries to better understand how to engage and support teens while also creating career and programmatic pathways to increase interest in the field. 20 libraries received subgrants, and the interns worked a total combined approximately 3,575 hours. Teen projects included creating new teen programs, developing new collections and spaces, and outreach and engagement with the community.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Other
Format: In-person
Other: 20 internships

Quantity

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: Urban
Suburban
Rural
For what age groups: 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: BANDON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1204 11TH ST SW
City: BANDON
State: OR
Zip: 97411
Name: Burnt River School District
Address: 201 South 1st Avenue
City: Unity
State: OR
Zip: 97884
Name: C. Giles Hunt Memorial Library
Address: 210 E. Central Ave
City: Sutherlin
State: OR
Zip: 97479
Name: CANBY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 292 N HOLLY ST
City: CANBY
State: OR
Zip: 97013
Name: CLATSKANIE LIBRARY DISTRICT
Address: 11 LILLICH ST
City: CLATSKANIE
State: OR
Zip: 97016
Name: COQUILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 105 N BIRCH ST
City: COQUILLE
State: OR
Zip: 97423
Name: CORVALLIS-BENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 645 NW MONROE AVE
City: CORVALLIS
State: OR
Zip: 97330
Name: FOREST GROVE CITY LIBRARY
Address: 2114 PACIFIC AVE
City: FOREST GROVE
State: OR
Zip: 97116
Name: GRANT COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 507 S CANYON BLVD
City: JOHN DAY
State: OR
Zip: 97845
Name: HARNEY COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 80 WEST D ST
City: BURNS
State: OR
Zip: 97720
Name: LAKE COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT
Address: 513 CENTER ST
City: LAKEVIEW
State: OR
Zip: 97630
Name: MAGGIE OSGOOD LIBRARY
Address: PO BOX 490
City: Lowell
State: OR
Zip: 97452
Name: NORTH BEND PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1800 SHERMAN
City: NORTH BEND
State: OR
Zip: 97459
Name: OREGON TRAIL LIBRARY DISTRICT
Address: 200 S MAIN
City: BOARDMAN
State: OR
Zip: 97818
Name: PORT ORFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1421 OREGON ST
City: PORT ORFORD
State: OR
Zip: 97465
Name: SANDY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 38980 PROCTOR BLVD
City: SANDY
State: OR
Zip: 97055
Name: SEASIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 1131 BROADWAY
City: SEASIDE
State: OR
Zip: 97138
Name: SOUTHERN WASCO COUNTY LIBRARY
Address: 410 DESCHUTES AVE
City: MAUPIN
State: OR
Zip: 97037
Name: ST. HELENS PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 375 S 18TH ST, STE A
City: ST. HELENS
State: OR
Zip: 97051
Name: UKIAH PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 201 HILL ST
City: UKIAH
State: OR
Zip: 97880

Activity Details
Title: OBOB (subgrant)
Narrative: The State Library supported Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB), a statewide, voluntary reading-promotion program in which teams of students in 3rd-12th grades compete against each other to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a common set of reading level-appropriate, high-quality books. This year 637 schools registered for OBOB and 35 regional tournaments were hosted throughout the state. The grant funds supported program operations and materials, including key administrative functions, volunteer coordination, training materials, and updates to question-writing and review processes. This helped ensure that OBOB activities were implemented smoothly and consistently statewide.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Other
Format: Combined in-person & virtual
Other: Competitions

Quantity

Partner Information

Public Libraries: 136
Academic Libraries: 0
SLAA: 0
Consortia: 0
Special Libraries: 0
School Libraries: 452
Other: 0

Activity Details
Title: Reflective Conversations (subgrant)
Narrative: The State Library partnered with Oregon Humanities to host reflective conversation facilitation trainings at Oregon libraries. Facilitators trained 40 library staff, patrons, and volunteers to lead reflective conversations about democracy and civic engagement.
Intent: Improve users' general knowledge and skills.

Activity: Instruction
Mode: Program
Format: In-person

Quantity
Session length (minutes): 90
Number of sessions in program: 2
Average number in attendance per session: 13
Number of times program administered: 3

Partner Information

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: CORVALLIS-BENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 645 NW MONROE AVE
City: CORVALLIS
State: OR
Zip: 97330
Name: HILLSBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 2850 NE BROOKWOOD PARKWAY
City: HILLSBORO
State: OR
Zip: 97124
Name: PENDLETON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Address: 502 SW DORION AVE
City: PENDLETON
State: OR
Zip: 97801
Question 1: I learned something by participating in this library activity.
Strongly Agree: 12
Agree: 0
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 0
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 2: I feel more confident about what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 8
Agree: 3
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 1
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 3: I intend to apply what I just learned.
Strongly Agree: 7
Agree: 4
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 1
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0
Question 4: Applying what I learned will help improve library services to the public.
Strongly Agree: 8
Agree: 3
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 1
Disagree: 0
Strongly Disagree: 0
Non-Response: 0

Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
Teen Internships (subgrants): 100% of libraries that received a subgrant agreed or strongly agreed that their teen intern more fully understood the scope of library work and identified how their interests and skills matched the library’s work, that participating mentors developed leadership communication and coaching skills, and that their library better understood how to engage and support students. 95% agreed or strongly agreed that their library better understands how to create pathways to increase interest in the field. See the attached Facebook post (Teen Internships – Publicity) summarizing impact. When asked what impact the program had on the teens, subgrantees described how the program gave teens opportunities they may not have had otherwise, such as work experience and giving presentation to local officials; how teens learned work skills – from customer service and building programs, to more general workplace etiquette such as keeping to their schedule. When asked what impact the program had on the library and community, subgrantees described how the teen brought new energy and ideas, attracted new teens and families to the library, and built relationships with people in the community. The internships gave libraries opportunities to establish partnerships with schools and local organizations. Perhaps most importantly, library staff had positive experience with teens and teens had positive experience with library staff. OBOB (subgrant): Some of the grant funds helped purchase copies of the books for under-resourced schools and libraries. 83 Elementary Schools, 48 Middle Schools, and 22 High Schools received books funded with LSTA funds. Reflective Conversations (subgrant): Each of these programs drew participants from smaller regional libraries, as well as those associated with the host library. Participants were excited to discover ways they could contribute to local efforts that improve community well-being and strengthen civic engagement. As one library staff member said, “Thank you for making everything so smooth and accessible for small, remote places in Oregon such as ourselves, and for bringing us such invigorating and relevant content.”
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:
Each of these projects helped build community connections and encouraged lifelong learning and library use. They give children and adults a chance to get outside their comfort zone and learn new skills. As an OBOB volunteer noted, “It teaches valuable skills of time management, responsibility and accountability that also in turn make students feel valued.”
Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Each of these projects owes success to building and sustaining partnerships. It takes many groups in a community, including the library, to support community engagement and lifelong learning.
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:
Yes
Explain:
Objective will stay the same, but specific activities vary year to year (especially subgrants).
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: lifelong learning, literacy, workforce development