A challenging school year is winding down, and spring is transitioning into summer. Public libraries across the state will be kicking off Summer Reading Programs any day now. Plus, some news-worthy messages have been landing in our inboxes recently. We thought this would be a good time to send out a quick rundown of news items for Oklahoma libraries and the communities they serve. So… let's go!

Reading adventures for all ages start at your local public library this summer. Check out our Summer Reading page to learn about this year's theme, to locate your local library, and to watch a fun Public Service Announcement.

Public library staff can visit our Summer Reading Resources page to download artwork and reading logs, find ideas for social media promotion, and more!

The FCC's Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide monthly discounts of $50 to $75 toward broadband service to eligible households. The $75 discount is for households located in qualifying tribal lands, which includes the majority of Oklahoma's counties!

Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. (The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.)

Join Freedom of Information Oklahoma for their FREE Virtual 2021 Lunch and Learn Series on Government Transparency Laws. Make sure your city and library board are following the law and find out how to help library patrons who have questions on open records and open meetings. We missed the May overview, but the rest of this year's schedule looks amazing! All times are 12:00 noon on the second Wednesday of each month, and everyone is welcome!

June 9: How to submit an Open Records request

July 14: Open Meetings in a Virtual World

Aug 11: Open Records Act and Law Enforcement

Sep 8: Transparency and Health Care (HIPAA)

Oct 13: Transparency and Education (FERPA)

Nov 10: What the Open Meeting Act means for Nonprofits

Dec 12: Top 5 Open Records Resources Every Oklahoman Should Know

Millions of Americans have not claimed their federal stimulus payments, including those experiencing homelessness. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has developed a guide to assist these individuals.

So many of our libraries serve people who are experiencing homelessness in their communities. The CFPB's new, printer friendly, landing page lays out the steps these special patrons need to take to receive much-needed financial relief.

ODL partnered with a number of organizations and public libraries during this unusual year to help provide important services to our fellow Oklahomans:

FREE Tax Filing Service: ODL and public libraries worked with the IRS's volunteer tax assistance divisions to connect Oklahomans with Free Tax Filing Services. Get all the information here. The tax-filing deadline for Okies is June 15!

Disaster Assistance: Because of the pandemic, FEMA did not set up in-person centers to address the damage caused by February's winter storms. Instead, Oklahomans were invited to use their local public library to file claims with FEMA.

Emergency Rental and Utility Assistance: Oklahoma Community Cares Partners reached out to ODL and public libraries to help Oklahomans navigate the application process to receive assistance with rent and utility bills. (Public Librarians: Watch your inbox. You'll soon receive an invitation to a June Zoom presentation on this process.)