Pandemic Innovations

Pandemic innovation

Kawartha Conservation and our library system have responded by making themselves more relevant than ever

RODERICK BENNS Publisher

Lyndsay Bowen, library specialist, outreach and community engagement, hopes to introduce local history storywalks for adults by summer. Photo: Sienna Frost.

When the Kawartha Lakes Public Library’s virtual book club began, most participants didn’t know each other, given they were from all across the city. Getting to know each other began with the sharing of book suggestions.

Soon club members were asking to exchange emails so they could chat outside of book club time. Then it turned into socially-distanced porch drop-offs of books, parking lot visits to exchange books, and even buddy reading — reading the same book at the same time to talk about it.

In no time, Lyndsay Bowen, says, she realized it was “a full-blown community” that had been created.

One person was in tears the first time the book club met on Zoom, says Bowen, as they had been missing social interactions.

“To think that this all started with a simple, 45-minute Zoom program,” she said.

It’s the challenge shared by dozens of local businesses and non-profit organizations: how to balance the fact that people are largely being told to stay home to help stop the spread of COVID-19 against the reality that most people are desperate to find things to do after 15 months of relative isolation. Amidst the upheaval of the pandemic, Bowen’s book club is but one of many success stories for the library. From book bundles and cognitive kits to the movie-streaming Kanopy app and outdoor storywalks, the library has managed to not only stay relevant but actually increase the number of programs it offers. For instance, with people staying home to cook more, the library introduced the highly popular Spice Club for its adult clientele. “We thought that perhaps 20 or so people would join if we were lucky, but we currently have over 65 participants. People are visiting restaurants less, but with more time spent cooking at home, those go-to recipes and meals have gone sort of stale for many,” Bowen says. She adds that the Spice Club is a great way to learn how to incorporate new spices into families’ kitchens, and access new recipes, too. “Of course, the social component is a selling feature as well, even if it is just making virtual connections for now.

A runaway success for children and families has been something dubbed “storywalks” — outdoor reading sites set up around Kawartha Lakes. The initiative takes pages of a children’s book and posts them on yard signs stationed around a trail. Families can read the story together as they get out for a walk.

“I remember scrolling through my personal Facebook page and seeing Facebook friends posting about taking their kids to different storywalks. That’s when I got the feeling like, wow — word has really gotten out. These are a success,” she tells the Advocate.

It started with just one storywalk at Ken Reid Conservation Area in December, and has continued there ever since, in addition to other locations.

“We update the stories approximately once a month,” says Bowen.

Library CEO Jamie Anderson says the library “did not expect the huge interest that developed for these programs with people asking when they would be available in their communities.”

Since then, the library has partnered with Settlers’ Village in Bobcaygeon to do the same thing.

“And I mean, what’s not to love?” Bowen says. “It pairs literacy and physical activity together and encourages families to get outside. Participants can stay in their own community and still enjoy a fun and safe family activity.”

There were nine locations set up for spring break, says Bowen, noting that some families tagged the library daily on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts as they worked their way through the storywalks in many Kawartha Lakes communities.

Bowen hopes to introduce local history storywalks for adults, likely in time for summer.

Anderson says parents were also actively looking for ways their children could disconnect from computers, but still be engaged. “This led to our Full STEAM Ahead take-home kits,” Anderson says.

Families can borrow the STEAM kits from the library and connect in some way to science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

Bowen says her best success in navigating during the pandemic has been through social media, local media and striking partnerships with other groups, all to get the word out about free library opportunities for families.

“We’ve found partnerships we may not have otherwise explored,” says Bowen, from Kawartha Conservation to Settlers’ Village, Burns Bulk Food, Kawartha Lakes Food Source, the local Alzheimer Society and others.

KAWARTHA CONSERVATION

The library’s partnership with Kawartha Conservation started with the Christmas at Ken Reid event in 2019, when the first storywalk was piloted.

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Full STEAM Ahead

These are toys and activities that build skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The program proved to be so popular more items were added; there are now more than 40 available for families to borrow. Many items were purchased from Tradewind Toys in Lindsay.

Take-Home Packs

The library provides all the supplies as well as an instruction sheet to do a craft or activity. New activity packs are available at the beginning of each month on a first-come, first-served basis. There are two different packs: one for ages two to five, and the other for kids five and up, presented in partnership with Pinnguaq, a not-for-profit that uses STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) to create learning opportunities.

Book Bundles

With in-branch access not available in some stages of reopening, shelf browsing — usually the best way to pick children’s books — hasn’t always been possible. If families aren’t sure which books to check out, they can fill out a form on the library website telling staff about their child’s reading interests. Library staff will then hand-pick books and have them available at the preferred library branch.

Grab and Go Bags

Grab and Go bags are perfect for busy families who need some help picking out books to read together. There are five books in each themed bag, which may include a mix of picture books, easy readers and non-fiction books. Themes include unicorns, dinosaurs, kindness and more.

Cognitive Kits

Cognitive Kits help support the skills and abilities of people living with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment. The collection of eight unique kits contains an assortment of activities that encourage social engagement and success with daily activities.

Kanopy

Kanopy is the library’s newest digital resource. It’s a collection of movies and television shows for all ages, including classic cinema, independent films, documentaries, award-winning foreign films and more. The new service expands the movies, television shows, music and other items available through Hoopla.

COVID-19: The Kawartha Lakes Pandemic Time Capsule

To capture how COVID has affected our community, the library started a collection of local and general news articles, photographs and experiences shared by citizens of Kawartha Lakes. The entire collection can be found in the digital archive found in the Local History area of the library system’s website.

Park Passes

Ontario Parks has provided permits that allow members of the library entry to provincial parks in Kawartha Lakes, allowing families to get outside while still not travelling far from home.

People have flocked to Ken Reid Conservation Area’s trails during the pandemic. Photo: Roderick Benns.

PANDEMIC INNOVATION He says it’s well documented that spending even CONT’D FROM PAGE 29 20 minutes in nature can reduce stress, improve mood, lower blood pressure as well as providing exercise and a

“Kawartha Conservation was a huge reason that these change of scenery. were successful,” says Bowen. “They did an excellent job “I think people have really been able to embrace and of getting information out to members of the Kawartha benefit from that.” Lakes community, and staff there have been known to Chambers says there has been a marked increase in walk the conservation area to locate a missing storywalk Google searches for Kawartha Conservation properties, sign that has gone astray.” which ranges from a 78 per cent increase up to a 300 per

Bowen says she has come to realize that “people cent increase over last year. are very interested in any sort of outdoor activity, no For example, he says from Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, matter the weather.” 2020, there were roughly 1.4 million searches for con-

That truth isn’t lost on John Chambers, marketing servation area properties, with about 381,000 of them and communications specialist with Kawartha Conserva- for Ken Reid. tion, which has seen people flocking to its popular out- “Those searches are a combination of both direct door trails. searches, meaning someone searched the name of the

The organization has thrived since the pandemic be- conservation area, and discovery searches, where somegan as people look for as many outdoor opportunities as one would put ‘walking trails near me’ or ‘where to hike’, possible to get out of the house. etc. and one of our conservation areas would appear on

Chambers says between the storywalk trails created their search,” Chambers explains. in conjunction with the library and developing and Engagement has been somewhat easier for the conlaunching The Talking Forest app, there are now more servation area compared to the library, given people reasons than ever to visit places like Ken Reid Conser- were literally searching for things to do outdoors. But vation Area. there’s no doubt its ongoing work to connect with

The Talking Forest app is an interactive trail where visitors has paid dividends, as social media photos attest. visitors can use their smartphones to hear some of the As Chambers says, the conservation areas “allow trees “speak” through. families and individuals places to walk, exercise, decom-

Staff at Ken Reid have tried to provide “new experi- press and just enjoy being outdoors for a while.” ences and new reasons to come and explore and embrace The community has clearly benefited from the library the wonderful resource we have right here,” he says. and conservation area’s efforts to reach new people and

Chambers calls the local conservation areas “criti- to connect to those who have been feeling isolated. cal” during the pandemic, having “provided families and As the pandemic recedes, with people’s circumstances individuals an opportunity to escape from the news and buoyed by higher vaccination rates, it’s clear that the the headlines and the overwhelming information for a innovation and persistence of groups like this has helped little while.” along the way.

KL

WHY I CAME BACK TO CALL KAWARTHA LAKES HOME

KARL REPKA

After 11 years away from Lindsay for school and several early career years in Toronto and Ottawa my wife and I were considering a few longer-term options. Staying in Ottawa or moving back to Toronto were both possibilities; even The Hague was in the mix. In the end, we thought we would never regret moving close to both of our parents and siblings who live in Kawartha Lakes. That was eight years ago and I’m happy to report there are still no regrets and many happy memories.

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