Back in June, it was with cautious optimism that I emailed our staff to say “we’re getting the band back together!” It was time to dust off the prize wheel, order tchotchkes, air out the tent, and get back out into the community for some personal interaction with residents. We received a number of invitations to fests and gatherings, and I said yes to as many as I thought we could handle. We had great fun, meaningful conversations, and new experiences. Here are some bullet points to consider as your outreach schedule comes back to life:

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is home to several programs designed to facilitate meaningful collaborations that address state and regional challenges, promote growth, manage change, and build stronger communities.

As a youth services programmer this year has been tough.  Severe restrictions on space ensured an inability to fully engage and collaborate in person throughout the pandemic.  This restricted access made it difficult to feel connected to the community my library sought to serve.  In order to help bridge this gap, the Robert R. Jones Public Library has collaborated with the Village of Coal Valley’s Parks Department to provide Coal Valley's youth a fun-filled summer of possibilities through a revamped 2021 Day-Camp program.

For the fifth consecutive summer, my library will serve as a summer meal location to provide free, healthy, boxed meals for children over the summer. We provide this service from the Dundee Library, our main location in East Dundee. The meals are distributed to all kids 18 and under and are paid for by the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded program managed by the USDA and operated by the Illinois State Board of Education in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, who prepares and delivers the meals.