Sarah Sever, Assistant Director

Wonderful things are happening at the Neuse Regional Libraries and we’re always thankful for opportunities to talk about them! Several staff members have been invited recently to discuss successful programs and services to a variety of audiences and we were happy to share details about our experiences that could help others reach out to meet needs in their own communities.

On October 11, Library Social Worker Joyce Hawkins and I spoke to students and faculty members at East Carolina University about Social Workers in Public Libraries and NRL’s Let’s Connect program. Because it is rare for public libraries in North Carolina to have a social worker on staff, students in ECU’s School of Social Work learned a great deal about the position and what it involves. Joyce was able to expound on the many ways that she helps people by connecting them to the resources they need, such as housing and employment. She explained how social workers and public library staff share many common goals in regards to assisting their communities, and that her ability to help people at public library locations as well as during outreach on the Digital Resource Rover is an excellent use of her social work education and experience.  Participants responded positively and it is our hope that the presentation may have inspired future public library social workers!

On October 18, NRL staff led two presentations at the biennial North Carolina Library Association conference in Winston-Salem. Head of Youth Services, Varin Worthington, and Youth Services Librarian, Monique Summers, spoke to library staff from all across the state about NRL’s Master Chef Jr., a weekly program where tweens learn basic cooking techniques and the science behind their favorite foods. They gave detailed information on how Master Chef Jr. is planned and implemented, as well as two delicious demonstrations of healthy snacks that kids could help prepare. Varin and Monique did an excellent job ensuring that any interested library staff would be able to replicate this successful program at their own library locations.

Head of Information Services, Justin Stout, Joyce Hawkins, and I also led a presentation on Reaching Underserved Patrons with Non-Traditional Library Services. We spoke about Let’s Connect as well as our adult tutoring service, Literacy Without Barriers, and the Mind Over Matter Mental Health program series. We also emphasized the importance of outreach, which enables us to bring services directly to people who may lack dependable transportation. The goal of this presentation was to emphasize the library’s evolving role as a community center and to help other library staff think outside the box when it comes to services and find creative means to address existing community needs.

It was an honor for staff to receive invitations to speak at these events, and we’re grateful for the chance to get the word out about all the exciting things that Neuse Regional Libraries do. Master Chef Jr. is held at the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library each Thursday at 4:30 pm. For information about Literacy Without Barriers or Let’s Connect, please call (252) 527-7066 ext. 123, email us at nrl@neuselibrary.org, or visit our website at www.neuselibrary.org.