A Note from the
Programs and Services Associate
These days the term self-care comes up a lot. While it is easy to see why it is important, and so many of us wish we could make more time for self-care, it is not always easy to do. There is so much great advice on self-care out there but no one way works for everyone. Meditation, mindfulness and movement practices are all wonderful tools, if you can find the time to do them. However, if we’re not careful, self-care can become just one more task on our ever-growing to do list.
The Chair Yoga for Library Workers series was developed in response to requests from our members for more self-care focused webinars to help reduce stress and prevent burnout. We hope to take some of the guesswork out of self-care practices with this series, so you can focus on your well-being.
Stress and burnout are complex concepts best addressed through social connections and small changes to daily habits. In this series, I hope to provide an hour once a month for librarians and library professionals to connect with their mind, body, spirit and community. I also provide an introduction to a wide variety of tools taken from Accessible Yoga, Mindfulness, Somatics and other healing modalities.
The next installment of the Chair Yoga for Library Workers series will focus on Embodying Compassion. In this session, we will practice breathing and grounding exercises and move through a gentle chair yoga flow. We will also discuss research from Stanford University that indicates that harsh self-criticism raises cortisol levels and can shut down the learning process, while self-kindness can generate feelings of well-being that help us stay ready to learn.
Join us for Embodying Compassion on Oct 22, and sign up for our winter Chair Yoga sessions, Practicing Gratitude on Nov 24 and Reconnecting on December 17. When you sign up for these live webinars, you also receive a link to download the recordings, so you can repeat the yoga flows as much as you’d like. Don’t forget that community care begins with self-care.
Hillary |
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| Postponed- A Deeper Dive into the Science of Reading
Due to unforeseen circumstances the October 16th workshop has been postponed. Watch the newsletter for new dates. |
Upcoming Active Learning Community Meetings You Will Not Want to Miss
Wednesday, 10/29/2025
Thursday, 10/30/2025
Tuesday, 11/4/2025
Wednesday, 11/13/2025
Tuesday, 11/18/2025 |
Last Call to Register for the NEO-RLS Open House-Featuring Mychal Threets
Registration will close on Monday, October 20th. Register this week to attend. Here is the event with more information and to register. |
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Reminder: Applications for the 2025 State Library of Ohio LSTA Competitive Grant Closes October 20, 2025
LSTA grants are an essential part of the State Library's service, and eligible Ohio libraries are encouraged to submit proposals for the State Library of Ohio's LSTA Competitive Grant. This grant initiative supports Ohio's LSTA Five Year Plan 2023-2027 and invites proposals that address at least one of the following three focus areas:
Library as Community Anchor: Project proposals in this focus area would support the role libraries play in strengthening their communities and providing a destination for learning, engagement, social support, workforce development, and expression. This can include areas of employment-related help, economic development support, civic engagement, gathering spaces, and support for the physical and mental well-being of the community served. Literacy: These project proposals would support the library's role in the development of learning experiences where literacy is defined as the ability to read, write, and interact across a range of platforms and tools. This could encompass early literacy, digital literacy, functional literacy, adult literacy, financial literacy, health literacy, and others.
Outreach and Engagement: These project proposals would assist libraries in providing new and innovative ways of offering services to users (and potential users) and in reaching individuals at a variety of locations and through a range of methods. Typically focused outside of the traditional library facility, proposals may include reaching populations not otherwise served by the library as well as the establishment of new or novel partnerships that would expand the library's reach.
Eligible libraries of all types are welcome to apply here. Applicants may request up to $50,000 in federal funds and all projects must include a 25% local cash match of the total project cost. Applications must be filled out via online form, supplying required attachments, and must be received at the State Library by 11:59 p.m. October 20, 2025. Please note: applications must be completed in one sitting, so prepare accordingly.
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| Updates from CSLP
The 2026 Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) manual and artwork were released last week. The 2026 program features the all-ages theme of dinosaurs, paleontology, and archaeology and the slogan Unearth a Story™ / Desentierra una historia™ with artwork by Tom Bonson. The access code and details were sent to one or more summer library program point people at each Ohio public library on Wednesday. The CSLP Shop is also open.
The Ohio Summer Library Program webpage has been updated for 2026. Additional resources and links will be added through the winter and spring. Register now for CSLP's fall 2025 webinar: Universal Design: Inclusive Approaches to Public Librarianship Thursday, November 13, 2:00 pm ET
Presenter Rachel G. Hawkins will address the Universal Design for Learning framework, how to use it, and why it matters. Rachel will cover how to proactively utilize UDL principles when developing inclusive library programming. Register here for this webinar, which is made possible at no cost to attendees. After the webinar, the recording will be added to the CSLP Professional Development page along with recordings of past CSLP webinars and Summer Symposium events.
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| Avon Lake Public Library Brought Thrills and Chills with Library of Terror Avon Lake Public Library, the city of Avon Lake, and Avon Lake Recreation Department recently hosted the annual Boo by the Woods. Now in its 12th year, this event featured shows, crafts, food trucks, outdoor trails, and live entertainment. Thrill-seekers were able to test their courage at the Library of Terror, a high-intensity, jump-scare maze inside the Avon Lake Public Library!
Email our Marketing & Engagement Coordinator Jill at jill.grunenwald@neo-rls.org if you have a story from your library you want to share. |
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