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The Introvert's Guide to Author Social Media
In this three-part recorded lecture, Jenifer Boles walks authors through building a social media calendar.
From #Booktok and #Bookstagram, this series will help you get started developing your brand, find and grow your audience, and design a content routine.
Watch Boles series here:
Part 1: Branding
Part 2: Growth
Part 3: Content Routines
Then join Jenifer Boles at the Nov. 15 Writers Conference, where Boles will workshop your social media platforms with our local author community to develop a monthly #jocowrites content calendar and engagement group.
Library is Trusted Resource for Reliable Election Information
As the Kansas City region and the U.S. prepare for a crucial November 5 election, Johnson County Library reminds the community that it is a trusted, non-partisan resource for free access to local and national voter information.
Patrons can educate themselves about the candidates and issues through books, periodicals, newspapers and online news outlets with no paywall. They can also attend candidate forums, pick up excellent voter guides, register to vote and vote.
Voter information boards are displayed at all branches, with important dates and other reminders. Some Library branches serve as polling places and also have secure ballot drop boxes.
“We try to take a really positive and encouraging spin on supporting voters,” said Program Coordinator Ashley Fick, who has overseen the Library’s civic engagement programming for 11 years. “We want voting to feel accessible, not overwhelming. We’re here to help make the entire process easy.”
For the 2024 General Election, the Library will provide resources about the Kansas 3rd Congressional District, state Senate and House races, the Johnson County District Attorney and Sheriff’s races, and several Johnson County Commission District races. More information is available at jocolibrary.org/research/information-voters.
“We are particularly highlighting the Kansas City media collective’s voter guide,” Fick said. Kansas City’s major media outlets are teaming up to provide information for both Missouri and Kansas, free of charge. The General Election voter guide will be available online but Fick is excited that print versions will also be available in all branches.
The last Presidential election was in 2020, when the COVID pandemic made public gatherings difficult. This year, Fick is eager to welcome patrons into Johnson County Library’s branches for all sorts of in-person voter engagement opportunities.
For the primary election, Johnson County Library provided space for the Johnson County Post’s candidate forums for Sheriff, District Attorney and County Commission District 6 races. Fick said they were well attended, and additional forums are being planned ahead of the General Election.
“We work extremely hard to make sure we offer thoughtful and thorough programs that give people the chance to connect with the candidates and learn more and make informed decisions,” she said.
The Library also has a great partnership with the League of Women Voters of Johnson County.
“It’s very significant,” Fick said. “They make it easy to offer voting information at all our locations. They go into the branches and chat with patrons, helping them find their polling places and giving them the information they need. A personal connection is what they offer us.”
Marie Hernandez, who chairs the League’s voter information team, said voting is vital to a community’s civic health. The League’s 411 site helps people understand who is running locally and what they stand for.
The Library and the League are both well-respected, non-partisan organizations. The partnership serves both organizations well, Hernandez said, as they team up for candidate “meet and greets” that are opportunities for civil, respectful discourse.
“That’s an important part, the place they play in the voter education and voter registration space,” Hernandez said.
Once election season ends, the Library and the League continue to provide information and exposure to elected officials and a wide variety of viewpoints. They host well-attended legislative coffees where patrons ask questions and elected representatives get valuable constituent feedback. It’s another way that the Library fulfills its commitment to connect community members in a very positive way, over local issues that matter.
Johnson County Library is your trusted source for reliable election information. Explore resources that help you evaluate media, learn about local government, catch the latest news, and engage with the community. Get started at jocolibrary.org/community-matters.
What’s a Beta Reader and Why Every Writer Needs One
Do you have a completed manuscript? Are you wondering if it’s time to self-publish or submit to an agent? It’s not! Now is the time to find a Beta Reader. In this recorded video class Jessica Conoley, who specializes in helping creatives learn the business side of writing, will explain what a beta reader does, how to find one, and why you should definitely have one.
After viewing, join us at the 2024 Writers Conference on Friday, Nov. 15th where Jessica and her team from The CE Coaches will facilitate matching you with the perfect reader.
Which Storytime is Right for My Kids?
We offer Storytime varieties carefully planned based on a child’s age group and developmental abilities. If you have children in different age groups, we encourage you to join us for a Family Storytime or the variety best suited for the youngest child. Older siblings are always welcome. Each child is unique, but we recommend the following ages for the different Storytime varieties:
- Baby Storytime: Birth to 18 months and a caregiver
- Movin' and Groovin' Rhyme Time: 12 months to 24 months and a caregiver
- Toddler Storytime: 18 months to 3 years and a caregiver
- Preschool Storytime: 3-6 years and a caregiver
- Family Storytime: Fun for the whole family
Community Needs Spur Revamped Library Program Team
Johnson County Library has just launched a department entirely focused on continuing to develop its excellent program offerings to be even more robust, responsive and accountable to the community.
“We are adapting to a new model of designing and delivering library programs,” explains Angel Tucker, the new Program Department Manager, who will oversee the department of 22 people. “We see this as an opportunity to redefine and prioritize collaborative efforts as it relates to providing innovative services to the community.”
As the needs of diverse audiences grow and evolve, this focused approach to programming will allow the Library to better understand and serve their needs. It’s all about providing children, teens, adults and seniors with ideas, information, and experiences to enrich their lives.
The programming staff will focus on important community interests and outreach, enhancing cooperation and coordination with other Library departments, county agencies, volunteers and myriad organizational partners.
Tucker said communication both internally and with the public will be key. The department will be doing a lot of listening to their colleagues and members of the public, with a goal of responsiveness, creativity, strategic thinking, relationship building and service orientation.
The organization’s staffing structures were last evaluated about 10 years ago, when libraries and the world were very different. The need to take a step back and look at how to best meet patron and community needs became apparent during the pandemic, Tucker said.
“We started to think about the many challenges we are facing,” she said. “How can we make our efforts more sustainable?”
Change is hard, Tucker acknowledged, and it has proven to be disorienting for both staff and the public. “It will take time, training, and an intentional focus on cross-department collaboration,” Tucker said. “Johnson County Library staff are smart and creative and they want to be vested in impactful work.”
Patrons will see some changes to favorite providers of programs like Book Groups and Storytimes. But Tucker emphasized those popular and well-loved offerings will continue to be offered in pursuit of sustainability and growth. The ultimate intention is to balance process and outcome and to invest in relationships internally and externally. “We will center a co-design methodology that gives key stakeholders — the community, partners, and colleagues — a defined role in the program design process.”
Tucker brings 20 years of experience with Johnson County Library to her new role and has worked on successful initiatives throughout that time. She began as a part-time youth specialist at Central Resource Library and started a middle school creative writing class that evolved into the Library’s highly-praised teen literary magazine, elementia.
She eventually took a full-time Library position and in 2014 helped develop Race Project KC, a social justice project aimed at educating teens and the wider community about race relations in the Kansas City area and nationwide.
She says she’s been blessed with an incredible team of colleagues. “Everything I’ve accomplished, I’ve accomplished with my colleagues,” she said.
The new programming department includes veteran Library staff. In addition to 12 Program Services Specialists with decades of combined experience providing public programs, the department will be led by two Program Operations Managers and six Program Coordinators. Key program areas will include Pre-readers; Summer Reading; Reading Arts and Culture; Writing Arts and Language; and Community Matters (civic education and community engagement.)
Tucker said it’s exhilarating to forge even greater connections with the community, discovering their needs and wants and reaching people who don’t yet know all the Library has to offer. She’s excited about the possibilities and eager to get going with her team on this new initiative to carry the Library into the future.
Fall Into Cozy
We have recommendations to help make your fall more cozy! Charles takes the host seat and is joined by Librarians Piepie Baltz and Allie Gibler to recommend books and more from our collection that will make you feel cozy as we begin to spend more time indoors during the fall.
Beloved 6 by 6 Program Celebrates 15 Years
Johnson County Library’s signature early literacy program, 6 by 6, Ready to Read: Six Skills by Six Years, has captivated children, parents and caregivers since 2009. With dynamic artwork, materials and programming, it has provided invaluable tools to prepare kids to love reading.
As the Library celebrates the 15th anniversary of this hugely successful program, it is taking the opportunity for a rebrand, debuting a new look for the beloved characters that represent each of the six skills: Have Fun with Books (a monkey); Look for Letters Everywhere (a peacock); Notice Print All Around You (a kangaroo and joey); Take Time to Rhyme (a goat); Talk Talk Talk (a toucan); and Tell Stories About Everything (a turtle).
The new artwork and this fall’s activities honor the original program’s excellence while recognizing the multimedia aspects of contemporary Libraries, to connect with a new generation of young readers.
“Early literacy is more multidimensional now,” says Program Operations Manager Shannon Goebel, who was Early Literacy Coordinating Librarian from 2021 to 2024. “There are so many new ways to interact with Library resources, including Talking Books and eResources like BookFlix. It’s bringing the characters into a new generation of kids and Library resources, while still reinforcing the 6 by 6 skills."
When children’s author and illustrator Brad Sneed was invited to illustrate the original program in 2009, he used animals and humor, hallmarks of his work, to bring each skill to life in a fun way.
“As an illustrator I provide visuals,” he said. “I get people’s attention. They get curious and are inspired to read further and dig deeper.”
Updating the characters has allowed Sneed to reflect the evolution of Library services and his own artistic journey. While the originals were watercolors, the new ones are drawn digitally, allowing for bolder colors and even more expressive creativity.
He’s thrilled to be part of such an impactful initiative. “It’s just a very quality, thorough, interesting and well-researched program that lays it out for parents how to build a foundation for young readers,” he said.
Goebel said Sneed has succeeded in preserving the original characters’ whimsy and joy, while revamping them for a contemporary audience.
Jennifer Taylor, graphics coordinator for Johnson County Library, was honored to work on the initial launch and is excited about the rebrand. She said the characters have always appealed to children from birth to age six, and these updated graphics make them even more compelling.
“It was time for something new and fresh,” she said. “Just like what we’re looking for in these illustrations, the Libraries are more colorful and fresh now.”
Early Literacy skills, based on the science of children’s brain development, were originally identified by the Public Library Association in partnership with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Johnson County Library customized the research to resonate with patrons and launched what became the enormously popular 6 by 6 program in September 2009. In 2012, the State of Kansas adopted 6 by 6 as its own early literacy program.
It remains one of Johnson County Library’s premier services. Storytimes attracted more than 32,000 attendees in 2023. Another indication of 6 by 6’s impact is that, even 15 years on, the Library still gets countless requests from parents, grandparents and early childhood teachers for information on these proven approaches.
Goebel praised the staff from 2009 to today for sustaining and growing the program, with book lists, activity kits, workshops and other resources.
“6 by 6 is a collaborative effort supported by countless staff,” she said. “It’s a testament to the passion and expertise of Johnson County Library staff, and the rebrand is a way to carry it forward.”
Johnson County will celebrate the 6 by 6 program throughout this fall. The Johnson County Commission has designated Sept. 15-21 as Early Literacy Week, special birthday-themed storytimes will be featured in branches the week of Sept. 16, and the 6 by 6 Birthday Bash is planned for Saturday, Oct. 5, at Central Resource Library. More details can be found in the Fall 2024 Guide, available at a branch near you and also available to view online.
Your Fall 2024 Guide
The Fall 2024 Guide is available at all locations! You can also browse the full Guide online. The Guide is your source for the latest Library information. Inside you’ll find upcoming events and programs, service highlights, branch updates, Friends of Johnson County Library and Johnson County Library Foundation news. The Guide is published trimesterly and covers forthcoming events for the next four months.
The cover art was created by Kansas City, MO painter Kelly Meiners, whose artwork serves as a communication method for her to express emotions otherwise inaccessible because of a brain injury. Meiners’ art will be on exhibit at Lenexa City Center Library this fall. Make sure you pick up a copy of the Guide at a branch near you.
JoCoMuseum + JoCoLibrary = JoCoHistory
Johnson County Library and the Johnson County Museum each have a devoted patron base and a cherished community mission. But a partnership that began in 2004 has greatly enhanced both organizations, broadening their outreach and impact.
The most tangible result of that partnership is the JoCoHistory website that provides the public with an incredible array of digitized historical documents and thoughtful perspectives. It’s a vital resource for promoting the understanding of the area’s history and development.
Want to browse photos of schools, businesses and local landmarks dating to the late 1800s? Unearth maps and information about long lost Johnson County towns? Explore oral histories, obituaries and newspaper archives? Or search Shawnee Mission yearbooks featuring celebrities like Jason Sudeikis and Paul Rudd?
It’s all at JoCoHistory.org, along with lots of other weird and wonderful materials, painting a fascinating portrait of Johnson County’s transformation and place in American society.
Since 2017, this collaboration has been championed by Amanda Wahlmeier, Regional Librarian with Johnson County Library, and Andrew R. Gustafson, Curator of Interpretation for Johnson County Museum. They each write monthly blog posts for the website, providing rich analysis and context to the materials.
They emphasize how the partnership uses the strengths and expertise of each organization to mutual benefit.
“The Library, when it comes to history, is more about access than preservation. We are really looking for ways to provide access to the public,” Wahlmeier said. “It’s an invaluable partnership to have the Museum on board to provide that preservation aspect.”
Gustafson said the Museum benefits from the Library hosting the website and providing the technical infrastructure. He uses website materials regularly to inform his exhibits. Plus, the partnership connects the Museum to Library patrons.
“The Library brings in a whole different audience that are able to see the Museum’s collections,” he said.
The initial phase of the project began in Fall 2004 and was made possible by funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and from the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners through the Heritage Trust Fund.
Initial contributors were the Museum, Johnson County and Olathe Libraries, and Johnson County Archives. Additional partners now include the Kansas School for the Deaf, the Shawnee Mission School District and the Lenexa, Olathe and Overland Park historical societies.
The website has been well used, especially during the pandemic, when it attracted nearly 110,000 users in 2021. It served more than 32,000 users in 2023. People frequently search for information about farming, suburbanization, historic preservation, famous people and places, and cultural and political change.
Most users are from Johnson County, but one of Gustafson’s favorite stories involves the discovery of a World War I soldier’s ID disc in a French farm field. The ID, uncovered by a metal detector, belonged to Frank Hagaman. The men who found the ID searched the internet in 2018 and traced Hagaman to Johnson County Museum through JoCoHistory.org. Hagaman was a decorated soldier and Johnson County legislator who also briefly served as Kansas governor.
Gustafson wrote a blog post about this wonderful discovery, and the ID became part of the Museum’s collections.
Gustafson also selected website photos and documents to enhance recent exhibits about the old County courthouse’s 1951 time capsule and about a revolution in 1960s fashion. It’s also been invaluable for an upcoming 2025 exhibit about water as a critical Johnson County resource.
“I help people access their history. I help people learn their history and I help explain it,” Gustafson said. “This provides a way to do that through the blog, through old newsletter articles and through the collections.”
This collaboration has grown and blossomed over the past 20 years, and Wahlmeier said the Library is delighted to continue promoting and cultivating it. She said the website’s rich link to so many historical resources is exactly the type of access and outreach that Johnson County Library desires to provide.
Cybersecurity Protections and Patron Privacy are Library Priorities
News headlines nearly every day carry warnings about cybersecurity data breaches and theft of customer information. It’s become an alarming trend for governments, health care institutions and private companies.
Johnson County Library works diligently to guard against these threats and to protect patron privacy.
In March of 2022, Johnson County Library hired John Siceloff as its first full-time Cybersecurity Analyst. Since then, he has been laser-focused on protecting the Library’s systems, online services and patron information. He is part of the Library’s Information Technology (IT) team that shares those priorities, and also works closely with other security analysts throughout Johnson County government.
As threats constantly evolve, these security analysts work hard to keep ahead of the bad actors.
“We take a very pro-active approach to cybersecurity,” Siceloff said.
The mantra, he said, is “We protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of Library assets.”
Siceloff reports to Information Technology Manager Michelle Beesley, who oversees a team of 12 professionals. Beesley said her team has grown in recent years, and security has become an increasingly crucial part of everyone’s role.
“Library administration and the Library Board are very supportive of building and maintaining a culture of security here at the Library,” Beesley said. “That’s the overarching theme. We are assigning people resources and budgetary resources. All Library employees take regular security awareness training, to encourage security best practices.”
So far, that culture has helped Johnson County Library avoid recent cyber or ransomware attacks like those that have affected Kansas City and Jackson County governments, the Kansas court system and the Scout traffic camera system.
Siceloff and the Library’s Learning and Development team provide the security awareness training. All new employees receive training as part of coming on board. All staff participate in regular training as well.
“There is an annual baseline training for all,” Siceloff said. “There is monthly video training and a monthly email phishing simulation.”
Training is required even for part-timers and even for County Librarian Tricia Suellentrop and other top managers.
“Our employee compliance with the training requirement is very good,” Beesley said. “We are very consistent on that front.”
Key strategies in use by employees to ensure security of Library technology include: recognizing and reporting phishing emails, using strong passwords, using multifactor authentication for sensitive log-ins (for example, verifying identity by receiving a code on a cell phone), and keeping software and hardware updated.
These basic principles and techniques do not require IT training and can be used by everyone daily as well to avoid cybersecurity threats.
Beesley said there are solid security controls around eBook and eAudiobook provider Libby and the Library’s other online services that the public uses.
The Library pays close attention to protecting what limited information it does have on Library Card accounts or any data that is transmitted or stored. “Preserving patron privacy is of the utmost concern,” Siceloff emphasized. “Patron trust is one of our top priorities.”
The job is never finished, but it’s rewarding because the organization realizes it’s so important, Siceloff said. “You have to have the flexibility to learn the new techniques and adapt to them,” he said. “What is vitally important for somebody in my role is management support and cooperation. And I get that here.”