Adult Services Minutes - April 26, 2023

RFBO is our Read It Forward recipient this year if we reach our Community Goal of 12 million points. They distribute about 50 million pounds of food per year. Good Faith Donor Bill allowed retailers, food manufactures, and distributors to more freely donate food to the Regional Food Bank. Oklahoma routinely ranks as one of the 10 hungriest states, with high food insecurity. Lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. The quality of food is low. Oklahoma has the most severe food insecurity for children and 5th highest for food insecurity across all ages. RFBO serves 53 counties in central and western Oklahoma. 

Programs: Food for communities – Partner network of more than 300 Food for Community Partners: pantries, congregate meal sites, direct service agencies, trainings, food safety updates, SNAP outreach, operational support. 

Hunger on College Campuses: 50% of college students could not afford to eat a balanced meal and 35% were skipping meals due to lack of funds. Food insecurity in college students affects college completion rates as students are forced to drop out to solve their hunger problem. 

Food for Health Programs: Health Stats for Oklahoma. 36.4% obesity (national rate 31.9%). OK has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country. Oklahoma is 49th in the country for consumption of vegetables and fruit (Kentucky is 50th). Food for health programs: Healthy Pantries, Healthcare Partnerships, Community Access Program.  

Food for Seniors: Hunger takes a severe toll on seniors’ health. OK is among the top 10 states for food insecurity among seniors. Seniors are more likely to experience food insecurity if they have a disability, are Black, Latine/Hispanic, Indigenous, or low income. Programs include Senior Mobile Market, Senior Pantries, Senior Servings, and Senior Home Delivery. 

Food For Kids Programs: Childhood hunger. ~60% of OK children participate in the federally funded free or reduced cost school meals program. Chronic food insecurity impacts the emotional, physical, and cognitive development of children. Food is the most vital school supply as kids cannot learn when they are hungry. Programs include: Backpack program, School Pantry, Kids Café, and Summer Feeding. 

If you are interested in volunteering with RFBO, you can contact them at www.rfbo.org/volunteer. 

OES Updates 

Summer Reading, LitFest, Ai Weiwei– Emily – Summer Reading training is due by April 30. Theme is All Together Now, rack cards have been routed and posters are coming soon. Prize and goal overview. Community goal is 12 million points. YMCA is a new sponsor for drawing prizes this year and will be helping us promote. Visit the SR Downloads page on the intranet for answers and support. 

This year’s LitFest program will be an all-day writer’s conference Downtown on Saturday, August 19.  

Plans are moving forward with the Ai Weiwei 1000 Years book club, if you want to be involved or want more information contact Judie in SCR. 

Gardening tools, Casey McQuiston – Jessica – Garden tool lending is going well at 8 sites. Will do a report and assessment by the end of summer and will determine if we want to expand the program to other locations. Programs scheduled through May, plus fall gardening classes. 

Casey McQuiston program is full with a wait list. Overflow will be in the 4th flood classrooms. Joy Harjo will be at BI this Saturday. 

Neighborhood Arts - Kristin - New site for Neighborhood Arts programs will be at Penn Square Mall on Saturdays at 2pm. There will also be an outreach opportunity on those days at Penn Square Mall and there are still slots available to sign up. Kristin will resend the opportunity. Marketing created a Canva template that libraries can use to customize their posters to fit the programs occurring at their location. 

Sharing and Programming Discussion  

Annie (ED) - Mostly art-related programs, seed exchanges, backyard chickens with OK County Extension. Using transparency paper to do Pop Art-style programs for Juneteenth and Summer Reading.  

Darcus (ED) - Going to local senior centers and doing art programs. For February did program asking people who is an African American who inspired you. Book Bunch is growing and is offered in-person and virtually. Citizenship classes are going well. People have graduated and become US citizens. 

Adrien (ED) - Magnetic poetry for National Poetry Month. Working with OHAI on Matter of Balance program and trying to get Tai Chi back for the fall. Book club is going well. Preparing for Summer Reading and getting teen volunteers. 

Julianna (BI) - Rescheduled Joy Harjo event is this Saturday. National Poetry Month with draw jar of poetry prompts. Volunteer in MakerSpace led program teaching people how to make own 3D printer designs using TinkerCAD. Used 3D print station to create teen escape room materials. Kelly hosted an adult LEGO program that was well attended. Huge attendance at Murder in Space murder mystery. May 4th is Star Wars trivia night. September hosting book talk for 1000 years of Joys and Sorrows by Ai Weiwei. Hosting author visit in the fall. 

Robin (NW) - Robin and Becky traded focuses so now Robin is working with Adults and Becky is working with Children. May program – preschool for adults: will have side-by-side programs for adults and children. Art Show with guest created art from Art Club. Oklahoma History Center exhibit on display. CSLP ideas – chalk the walk with kindness around Juneteenth. Trying to establish some community relationships. 

Kadey (DC) - Raised garden beds from a grant is doing well. Stuff is starting to grow. Onboarded adult volunteer to assist with community garden. Earth Day take home kit was very popular. Started a once-a-month Paint and Sip with mocktails. Registration is already full for the next two months of Paint and Sip programs. Teen & Adult create your own budget wallet. Can tie into the collection. Bubble tea take home kit in May. June focus on Summer Reading passive programs and take-home kits. 

Grant (BE) - Murder and Mayhem series. Podcasters coming the first Saturday in May, DNA expert coming another week. Movie night in May. Lots planned for Summe Reading. Adult movie club, Keeping It Reel.  

Saidah (RE) - Ramping up for Summer Reading. Trying to find a good day/time to program for adults. Moved book club from Saturdays to Monday evenings. Planned programs with OSU extension. Gardening programs have been well attended and there is a lot of interest in those types of programs. Take home kits for adults during the summer 

Ann (RE) - Poetry month display with a new poem every day. Reading group is wrapping up for the year. May is having Pioneer Spirit pop up displays from Oklahoma Hall of Fame. 

Cindy (VI) - Tai Chi is going on and is well attended. Natural Grocers partnership is ongoing and offered virtually (in-person and virtually). Monthly book club. Gardening program was well attended and have upcoming gardening programs as well. OHAI offering Healthy Brain, Healthy Mind programs. Kate has been working with Sage and Elm Apothecary to offer programs like making bath balms. 

Armando (WA) - March offered poetry program with poems uploaded to Soundcloud. CLC has been offering ESL classes. Backyard chickens was well attended. Book club has had low attendance. Pour your own candle while watching a documentary program. April – chat books. Herb gardening for beginners, OKC Mobile Market, LEGO club, and storytime this weekend. Yayoi Kusama take-home kit. When We Were Sisters bookclub. Planning several Pride activities and take home kits.  

Jessica (SO) - Attended TLA last week. Preparing for Free Comic Book Day on May 6th. Comic book writer, Jerry Bennett will lead a workshop for kids. Perler bead activities. SMO, OKCMOA, and other museums planning programs for this summer. Gardening programs have been really successful. 

Tyler (CH) - ESL classes are going strong. BIPOC book club is pretty well attended. Next month is an AAPI author. Pete White Center for tech help. Garden tools have been cirulating well and received positive feedback. Partnering with Gabby from Black Soil Urban Farms to do some programs. Terrarium kit was successful. Star Wars Day take home kit coming in May. Acquiring AL’s plastic sleeping mat project. Attended Dia del Nino and saw 633 people 

Robert (DN) - Want to begin worm composting beds 

Risa (PSA) - Statistics are up 10% from last year in several areas. Looking at adding an adult changing table at the DN library for guest use. Considering utilizing interns from OU SLIS for the fall. 

Kelley (OES) - Oklahoma Book Awards are this Saturday. Remember When kits are available to use for programming. Request Spoticus suits early from Kelley to get on the calendar. DHS fair on May 2nd. 

Kristin (OES) - Sensory kits, lunch and learn opportunities, SoonerSuccess will do visits to look at library spaces to create a directory of spaces that meet accessibility needs.