I’m excited to start on a new project this year alongside my co-researcher, and co-author, Dr. Beth Wahler. We’ve been chosen to help public libraries in New Jersey prepare for and implement a program for hiring social work student interns at their branches, beginning in the Fall of 2023. Starting this month, we will meet regularly with public librarians as well as social work field supervisors at Rutgers University (NJ). The aim of our meetings will be to prepare both library “task supervisors” and social work “field supervisors” about best practices for hosting social work students at public libraries. Throughout this nine month process, Dr. Wahler and I will develop and a toolkit and curriculum of best practices for hosting social work students. This will be an iterative process in which we will provide guidance and education based on our extensive research and, in turn, learn from our participants about their needs and strengths of how a partnership with social work students can help meet the needs of library patrons and library staff.

After laying the groundwork with both the library and social work supervisors, we will begin meeting with the social work students during the Fall 2023 semester in the same fashion: monthly meetings via Zoom; providing guidance and education; garnering questions and feedback from students; writing and editing the curriculum and toolbook as needed. We will continue to guide these students throughout the 2023-24 academic year.

The aim of this project, funded by the New Jersey State Library, is to refine best practices for hosting and working with social work student interns at public libraries. We aim to work alongside the students and their supervisors to help ensure successful placements.

For more information, check out: https://www.njstatelib.org/news/join-njsl-social-work-informed-library-services-in-new-jersey-for-an-information-session/

Stemming from a publication in the journal of Social Work and recent presentation at CSWE, I’m pleased to announce that our* manuscript for Public Library Quarterly has been accepted for publication. You can download the pre-print version at the link below. This paper is directed towards public librarians considering their branch as a host site for social work practicum students.

Wahler, E.A., Ressler, J.D., Johnson, S.C., Rortvedt, C., Saecker, T., Helling, J., Williams, M.A., & Hoover, D. (2021). Public library-based social work field placements: Guidance for public libraries planning to become a social work practicum site. Public Library Quarterly. https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_pubs/689/

*Check out Dr. Beth Wahler’s new website Social Work in the Library

This research with Dr. Elizabeth A. Wahler et al. examines the self-identified psychosocial needs of library patrons at a large urban branch in the Midwest. It also looks at the needs of 194 patrons who sought assistance from social work students conducting their field placements at this particular branch.

Wahler, E. A., Provence, M. A., Johnson, S. C., Helling, J., & Williams, M. (2021). Library patrons’ psychosocial needs: Perceptions of need and reasons for accessing social work services. Social Work, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swab032

I recently had an article about social work interns in public libraries published in the journal of Social Work Education. You can access the full text link here.

Citation:

Johnson, S. C. (2021). Innovative social work field placements in public libraries. Social Work Education: The International Journal, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2021.1908987

1/13/21:

Beth Wahler, a faculty member of the Indiana University School of Social Work, has conducted needs assessments with a number of public libraries around the U.S. She has also partnered with social work programs at multiple universities to provide assistance to their students conducting needs assessments as part of their practicum.  Dr. Wahler is willing to share the staff and patron surveys she has used with other schools and libraries as needed.  She can be reached at bwahler@iu.edu.  For more info about her work, please see Wahler et al. (2019) and Provence et al. (2020). 

Sources:

Wahler, E. A.,Provence, M. A., Helling, J., & Williams, M. A. (2019).  The changing role of libraries:  How social workers can help.  Families in Society, 101(1), 34-43.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1044389419850707

Provence, M. A., Wahler, E. A.,Helling, J., & Williams, M. A. (2020).  Self-reported psychosocial needs of public library patrons:  Comparisons based on housing status.  Public Library Quarterly.  https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2020.1730738

Public libraries are continuing to provide services to patrons both remotely and, for branches that are currently open, in person.

Thank you to the hundreds of folks who logged in yesterday for the Social Work Students and Public Library Partnerships webinar.

Here is the link to the recorded webinar (YouTube), pdf slides, handouts, and list of Resources.

Please contact me with any updates on new collaborations, especially any updates on how your branch’s social work interns are navigating remote resource assistance for patrons.

Thanks again!