Fabulous Five: Successful Outreach Programs During the Pandemic​
2021 Regional Conference
July 29, 2021
Outreach during the pandemic may have been more challenging but the impact was even greater. Boca Raton Public Library had just started a new Mobile Library Services branch when closures started and no in-person or offsite programs were permitted. The team quickly pivoted to new forms of outreach which supported partners trying to meet their goals of outdoor activities, home-based learning, and open preschools. We’ll talk about how we opened two permanent StoryWalks – one in partnership with Palm Beach County in a Natural Area and one in a City park – to support literacy and fitness. Then, we’ll present our first Community Bookshelf, including installing and opening a 700+ books community library in a walk-up community center. We’ll describe our very popular recorded storytime with the police, resulting in improved community relations. We offered hundreds of fun, educational activity kits to parents through our curbside service. Finally, we’ll talk about our popular new preschool outreach program which includes 1-hour early literacy sessions with activity bags. Not only did these programs provide an opportunity to maintain school partnerships, they provided essential support to preschool teachers struggling to maintain educational goals while meeting health and safety expectations. By focusing on their goals and being flexible, our community and our partners now have stronger interest and confidence in working with us on library projects and programs.
Presenters: Oyuki Poletz, Amanda Liebl
Oyuki De Santiago Poletz started her library career as a Youth Services Librarian. She is currently the Program Services Librarian III at the Boca Raton Public Library and chairs the Program, Outreach, Events and Marketing committee. She currently leads the Events & Community Engagement, Maintenance, and Youth Services teams. As a senior librarian, she is part of the Strategy and Management team that creates policies and sets direction for the library. In her role as Program Services Librarian III, she has led the library in yearlong initiatives focusing on Cultural Connections, Civic Engagement, and Sustainability and has helped shape the outreach team. Ms. Poletz completed her MLIS at the University of South Florida.
Amanda Liebl has worked for the City of Boca Raton since 2004, beginning her career as the Youth Programs Director. She is currently the head of the Events & Community Engagement department at the Boca Raton Public Library. This department focuses on yearlong initiatives such as, Cultural Connections, Civic Engagement and Sustainability, while bringing the importance of the library out into the community. Ms. Liebl has a BS in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University.