Liftoff to Learning
Houston Public Library, Texas
Education - Children & Adults
| 2020
| Top Innovator
Innovation Synopsis
Liftoff to Learning was an innovative initiative launched as a call to action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide. A first of its kind library/television station partnership in the city, the initiative featured educational videos reimagined for a 12-week televised series for learners without home computer and internet access.
Challenge/Opportunity
Through inception, Liftoff to Learning afforded the opportunity to address the following challenges:
- Digital inequities in Houston’s largest school district, including 180,000 homes without computers and 210,000 homes without broadband.
- Compounded learning loss due to “summer slide” and COVID-19 school disruptions with significant threat for pre-K through 3rd grade learners.
- Providing access to and awareness of available programs/services/resources during COVID-19 for all HPL customers.
- Reaching children in homes that have access to local TV but not home computers.
Key Elements of Innovation
Key elements of Liftoff to Learning:
- Mobilized staff to reimagine roles, repurpose talents/skills and reinvent programming designed for in-person learning to online, constructed for TV
- Public/private partners included Mayor Turner, KHOU 11, Houston TV
- Production of 48, five-minute videos featuring library programs (Storytime, STEM), services (HPL To Go) and resources (Brainfuse, Learning Link Card) aimed at students (K-3), parents and teachers
- KHOU airing of series 6/15-9/3; Mon-Thurs at 9:52 a.m. following Great Day Houston
Achieved Outcomes
Liftoff to Learning achievements:
- Created pathway for media partnerships/models
- Citywide impact: Reached 24 million TV viewers and 89 million viewers across all platforms
- Sustained impact via re-airing on KHOU/HTV reaching 17.2 million viewers weekly
- Media visibility resulted in new Comcast PSA and HTV show
- Elevated profile of HPL in role as a community leader
- Curated robust video library and gained new knowledge/skills of benefit beyond COVID-19
- Airing new virtual summer reading/camp programs maximized impact beyond 2,000 K-12 registrants
