Inspiring Examples and News

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Wisconsin News

• Kenosha Public Library
  • Book vending machines, revamped `Zoom’ rooms among library’s initiatives for post-pandemic resilience (2022 May)
• La Crosse Public Library
  • La Crosse library to hire social worker to help people connect with community resources (2022 Jan)
• Oshkosh Public Library
  • Oshkosh Library staff to get social work training as part of the CLC ARPA Grant (2022 Feb)
  • Comfort Cabinet
    • How the Comfort Closet came to be at the Oshkosh Public Library (2022 May, article)
    • How the Comfort Closet came to be at the Oshkosh Public Library (2022, May, video)
    • Comfort Cupboard lends a helping hand to those in need (2022 June)
• Racine Public Library
  • Students, faculty, and alumna present on social work practices in libraries at national conference (2022 Oct)
  • Litigants need help? Send them to the library (really)! (2022 Apr, podcast)
  • Racine Public Library: All-Ages Sensory Room, Social Services Offered (2022 Feb)
  • Racine & Me: Racine Library Adds Social Worker (2021 Nov)
  • Now you can get help from a social worker at the Racine Public Library (2021 Nov, video)
  • Racine library adds social worker (2021 Oct, video)
  • Journal Times editorial: ‘Libraries are in the human business:’ Social workers in libraries is a good model (2021 Oct)
  • Wisconsin public library adds part-time social worker (2019 Sept)

Inspiring Examples from Elsewhere

• Indianapolis Public Library: Why your local library might be hiring a social worker (2022 Jan)
• DC Public Library
  • Pioneering a New Approach to Serving Customers without Homes (2014 Oct)
  • Social Workers DC Public Library (2019 Jan, podcast)
• Denver Public Library
  • Library Social Work: GSSW Adjunct Prof. Elissa Hardy is helping to define a new social work specialty (2018 June)
  • Libraries are reimagining what public safety and access to resources look like (2022 May)

• Enoch Pratt Free Library, Baltimore, MD: Social Worker in the Library Initiative
• Greater Victoria Public Library, BC, Canada: Libraries are open to all, but are library staff equipped to help everyone who comes through the doors? (2022 May)
• Long Branch Free Public Library, Long Branch, NJ: Social Work Office
• Public Library Association: Social Work Interest Group 
• Social Work Students & Public Libraries (librarian blog)