Every year in the spring, the library director of each of the 12 public libraries in Umatilla County creates an Annual Library Service Plan (ALSP). In September and October of the year, they prepare and deliver a report to the Umatilla County Special Library District (UCSLD) Board of Directors. This year, UCSLD libraries reported on their activities of the last fiscal year, July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.

The UCSLD Board values these meetings as they hear what has been happening in your libraries. The library directors report on several items:

1. What were your goals for FY2019-20?

2. What community needs did your goals meet?

3. What goals did you accomplish in FY2019-20?

4. Share the challenges, if any, you had in meeting your plan’s goals. What changes would you have made to better meet the needs in your community? With the restrictions of the pandemic and the changes you had to make, how did your goals and activities change?

5. List your library and/or community partners, with a brief statement about how they supported the accomplishment of your goals.

6. What actions did you take this last year to increase awareness of UCSLD support of library customers?

7. Outside of current financial support, in what ways can the UCSLD continue to support district libraries’ staff members and customers?

In typical years, the review meetings are held in person at various libraries around the county. This year, as with all of the UCSLD Board of Directors meetings, they were held by Zoom.

Another difference this year in the reports, was the question about changes that occurred because of the pandemic. The reports from your libraries were replete with the amazing efforts that all made on behalf of Umatilla County communities during this pandemic. If you are curious about what occurred, either contact your library or check out the UCSLD website, https://www.ucsld.org/libraries-annual-service-reports.

An upcoming event for all library staff is the Fall All-Staff In-Service on Friday, Nov. 6, held by Zoom. All libraries will be closed for the day as library staff learn together. This fall’s theme is “The Basics – Moving Forward.” Our keynote speaker, Susan Bower of Eastern Oregon Business Source, will be speaking on customer service. Our afternoon speaker, MaryKay Dahlgreen, director of the Lincoln County Library District, will be speaking on advocacy. In addition to other activities, each library will prepare a brief presentation on what is happening in their library.

These meetings provide opportunities for learning and networking among all of the library staff in the UCSLD. For pictures and information from past in-services, please visit https://www.ucsld.org/in-service-training.

If you need to find out how to contact your library, visit https://www.ucsld.org/our-libraries. For contact information for the UCSLD Board of Directors, see https://www.ucsld.org/board-members. And to contact the staff of the UCSLD, visit https://www.ucsld.org/district-staff.