February 2015 Professional Development Opportunities | Compendium

February 2

Ditching Dewey: Genrefication in your Library (TL Virtual Café)
The TL Virtual Cafe is committed to creating conversations about teacher-librarians, educational technology, and collaborative connections to facilitate meaningful and lifelong learning skills.

February 3

Murder & Mayhem @ Your Library: Mystery RA (Maine State Library)
Join experienced Readers’ Advisor Becky Spratford for 90 minutes of murder and detection as she walks you through the current state of mystery fiction. She will get you up to speed on the best resources, most popular authors, and biggest trends of the genre. This program will walk you through the RA interview as it specifically applies to mystery fans. She will provide an overview of what mystery readers like most about the genre and illustrate the differences in the various mystery subgenres, small differences that can make a huge difference when helping patrons. During this webinar, Becky will also consider the appeal of other crime centered stories for mystery readers including suspense, thriller, and true crime options. You will come away from this webinar re-energized and ready to help all of your mystery fans.

10 Technologies to Make Library Life Easier (Washington State Library)
This presentation will cover 10 different solutions that can make your job easier. The majority of these technologies do not require the skill level of an IT professional. The following will be covered: Disc Resurfacing, Preventative Maintenance, Printer Maintenance, Basic Wireless Networking, Drive Vaccine, Microsoft IT Academy, M Disc Archival Backup, Hard Drive Cloning, Power Point Library Information, and Microsoft Steady State. Some of these things are completely free, while others can be purchased for under $50.

Introduction to Corporate Giving (GrantSpace)
Learn a basic planning process for diversifying your organization’s support. A successful nonprofit organization has diversified funding streams. If your organization has never developed a fundraising plan or calendar, this session is for you. It provides an overview of the process of strategically thinking through the components of a fundraising plan. You’ll learn how to: Conduct an assets inventory, Develop a case statement, Identify funding partners, and Prepare a fundraising plan and calendar.

Instructional Design for the Real World (InSync)
Join in for a fast, fun tour of quick tools and tricks that will support rapid instructional design, cut to the heart of needs analysis, and improve communication with subject matter experts and managers and others requesting training solutions.

Integrating Virtual Opportunities and Remote Volunteers into your Volunteer Program – Part II (VolunteerMatch)
Managing remote volunteers can be challenging – how do you supervise, evaluate, or recognize the work of a volunteer you never meet face to face? The good news is that now, with an ever growing set of online tools, building an online community and connecting with someone across miles (or continents) is easier. In this webinar Jennifer Bennett and Deanna Cole will discuss best practices for creating meaningful relationships with remote volunteers, including building and empowering remote teams, managing projects by letting go but not checking out, and creating a two-way communication plan to share the work of remote volunteers with the organization and share what’s happening at the organization with remote volunteers. While it is strongly encouraged and extremely beneficial to attend both Part I and Part II of this series, attending both is not required.

Emergency Preparedness Webinar (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
Do you have the attitude of some of the characters in Munchkin Country in the current MCR game – Librarians in the Wonderful Land of Oz – that “houses falling from the sky: never will happen to me!”?  We hope you don’t have that attitude.  Is your library ready for the next emergency situation? What can you do to prepare for threats to the continuity of service for your library patrons? How can you protect staff and preserve/recover resources?  Join us in the next MCR sponsored (free webinar) to learn more about emergency preparedness for libraries.

February 4

Strategic Planning in a Nutshell (Nebraska Library Commission)
Do you have a plan? The new Nebraska Guidelines for Public Library Accreditation require that a library have an up-to-date strategic plan in place. The new guidelines are community-based, so libraries need to know what their communities’ needs are in order to provide appropriate library services that meet those unique needs. That’s where planning comes in. Richard Miller, NLC’s Library Development Director, will guide you through Strategic Planning for your library. Public Library Directors, Staff and Library Board Members are encouraged to attend.

Manage Training for Transitioning from Sage on the Stage to Engaging Learning: Tips and tricks for presenting to adults (Montana State Library)
Tired of attending the same old presentations? Want to learn how to truly engage with your audience? Whether delivering presentations online or in person, attendee interaction and engagement are central to learning.

February 5

Databases of the Month: Shakespeare in GoWYLD.net (Wyoming State Library)
In conjunction with the PBS showing of Shakespeare Uncovered, we will explore the many resources in GoWYLD.net that focus on his life and works. (LION, ProQuest Learning: Literature, and Britannica with incredible things like Poets Onscreen, Shakespeare Audio Plays and Study Guides.)

Design and Deliver Interactive and Effective Online Training Pt 1 (Training Magazine Network)
Register for this 2-part webinar series with Cindy Huggett, author and CPLP, to learn how to design and deliver an effective, world-class virtual training program. Join us for this series to learn: A 3-step design model for online courses, 2 key techniques for promoting interactivity, How to effectively engage out-of-sight participants, and How to get attendees talking with one another.

Project Management 101: Part 1 of 2 – Key Elements of a Project Plan (WebJunction)
Join your colleagues from archives, libraries and museums for a two-part, interactive learning webinar that will introduce the fundamentals of project management: planning a project. All of our fields struggle with unstable budgets and dynamic technology, so learning to think and act in terms of projects is critical—it can be the difference between turning an idea into a successful, resourced initiative or not. Led by representatives from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the webinars will focus on the key elements of a project plan: the idea, the audiences, funding options, a work plan, an evaluation, and more. We will also discuss how to critically examine your project ideas, asking, Is it fundable? Valuable? Sustainable? And if not, what could you do differently? While learning these fundamentals, you will also benefit from the insights and experiences shared by your fellow participants from across archives, library, and museum institutions.

Tools for More Effective Board Meetings (Wild Apricot)
While each board situation is unique, there are common challenges facing the conduct of effective nonprofit board meetings. These challenges include board size (typically 10, 12 or more), use of time, decision-making, and ability to keep members engaged and committed to the work. In this session I share a number of tools that can help boards have more effective meetings. These tools help you structure the meeting and do not require special training or facilitation skills. You can use them to improve your very next board meeting.

Graphic Design for Libraries (Part 1 of 2) (Library Learning)
This interactive two-part workshop will improve your graphic design skills and give you the opportunity to put them to work. In Part One, Schmidt will cover the basics of practical graphic design, show examples of good graphic design in libraries, suggest tools that you can use to improve your library’s signs, posters, brochures, websites and more. The session will end with an assignment. Part Two will be hosted two weeks later, giving you some time to apply what you’ve learned and continue the conversation. Schmidt will be available between the sessions to answer any questions.

Rich Student, Poor Student, & the School Library (American Association of School Librarians)
In the ideal picture, schools and their resources, including school libraries, are intended to help level the playing field and make sure all American children are academically successful. In practice, we know this is not always the case, that schools in poor neighborhoods have fewer resources and more academic challenges.  The Programme for International Student Assessment in 2009 looked at 15-year-old students’ library use and educational performance. This provides a snapshot into the material resources and backgrounds that students come from, and gives insight into challenges a school librarian might face in providing equitable services for all children. It also provides evidence that school library “adequacy” plays a role in student performance.  The PISA exam also provides an opportunity to look at reading and technology use among teenagers, including what technologies they prefer to use for information, what they prefer to read, and how they use the library. PISA results give us some insight into both what our students know and what they do, and these may help school librarians shape their practice.

February 6

Flip the Script: Changing the Direction of Your Library (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
Pottsboro Public Library Director Dianne Connery reprises her standing-room-only presentation from the most recent meeting of the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL). Learn how their library dramatically changed focus in the last 3 years—from book depository to tech hub, and how they’ve turned outward to build relationships and try new ideas.

Libraries as Agents of Change (GALE Geek)
Librarians have always had the ability to change lives and at the dawn of the 21st century, we can transform whole communities – and the publishing marketplace itself. Join Jamie LaRue, director of the Douglas County Libraries and ALA 2016-17 Presidential candidate, as he discusses how your library can be an agent of change.

6 Essentials for Teams That Work (Effectiveness Institute)
Learn what it takes to build your high performance team. The strongest and most effective teams tap into and activate the strengths of every team member and build an environment rich with trust and respect. This allows for open communication and cohesiveness, which enables a team to rise to its full potential and overcome any obstacle to achieve desired results. Learn how you can build a breakthrough team by participating in our one-hour webinar. As a result of participating in this session you will: Discover the 6 characteristics of high performance teams. Determine where to focus to build a stronger team. Start development of an action plan to increase team performance.

February 9

Outreach for Rural Librarians (Idaho Commission for Libraries)
Join Meredith Wickham for an informative session on conducting outreach in a rural library setting.  Meredith worked in four library branches that serve small communities and managed a rural library branch in Upstate South Carolina.  She has initiated library outreach at schools, community centers, businesses, churches, and in cooperation with non-profits, festivals, citizen associations, and government offices.  Her outreach efforts have garnered her library publicity, television coverage, increased circulation and program participation, patron feedback, community partners and support. Meredith currently serves as the Young Adult Librarian at the Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library in Mississippi.

February 10

Raise More and Retain Donors with a Monthly Giving Program (Network for Good)
Monthly giving empowers your supporters to give more over time and leads to higher donor retention rates. Want to upgrade your one-time donors to monthly sustainers? Join this free webinar to learn how to start your own recurring online giving campaign or optimize your existing program, plus find out about Network for Good’s new Recurring Giving Challenge.

Successful Volunteer Interview Strategies (VolunteerMatch)
Interviewing each prospective volunteer can seem overwhelming, but it’s one of the best ways to ensure that the volunteers you recruit are the volunteers you need. This webinar introduces a variety of question types used in volunteer interviews and offers strategies for honing your interview skills. Materials will be provided to help you implement this process in your organization, as well as a training syllabus so you can learn how to recruit and train a volunteer staff to assist with prospective volunteer interviews.

Start Your Día Right: Celebrating El día de los niños/El día de los libros at your library (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
You know that it is important to provide multi-lingual literacy programs at the library, but how do you start your Día the right way? Discover some of the many ways that El día de los niños/El día de los libros activities and programs can link children and languages in the public library. Jeanette Larson will walk participants through the development of various types of activities, many of which can be incorporated into existing programs, and highlight ways to find even more ideas and resources. While at the Texas State Library, Jeanette worked with Día founder, Pat Mora, to develop the first program resources for libraries and she is the author of El día de los niños/El día de los libros: Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community through Día (American Library Association, 2011).

2015: The Year of the RA Makeover (Library Journal)
Can your library benefit from a fresh look at readers’ advisory service? While some libraries are investing in maker spaces and new technologies, many libraries are focusing their attention on updating this foundational service. Join us for an engaging and informative discussion as three libraries reveal why their attention is now on helping readers find the perfect read.

February 11

Fun with Friends: Integrating Programming for Adults with Special Needs Into Your Library (Nebraska Library Commission)
This presentation will highlight what we have learned from our experiences planning and implementing a monthly educational and social program for adults with special needs at Sump Memorial Library. This includes finding sources for additional funding; forming relationships with organizations currently serving these adults; the development of our program; and suggestions of other innovative program ideas to meet the needs of our patron base.

Creative Ways to Get More Facebook Engagement in 2015 (4Good)
You see the potential that Facebook offers for engaging supporters and creating more exposure for your nonprofit. But with declining reach, and more competition in the newsfeed, reaching your supporters is more challenging than ever before. This free webinar will show you innovative ways to get more engagement on Facebook, from high-quality fans.

Practical Uses of Altmetrics (Library Journal)
There is growing interest in altmetrics and people are hungry for stories about how people are using them. Many institutions are utilizing new metrics to help showcase research, do analysis, bring value to their institutional repositories and more. This webinar features users telling their stories about what they are doing with these new modern metrics.

Privacy and Security Issues in the Internet of Things (O’Reilly)
The coming wave of connected devices presents further challenges to our collective conception of privacy. Blind, mute devices could tell no tales – but when Things monitor you invisibly more and more, how do we feel less vulnerable? How do we bring privacy values along and encode them into the devices? We’re just starting to figure out which questions to ask. This webcast will survey some of the near-term challenges to governing our personal data in the emerging IoT.

Planning for the Future of K–12 Libraries: Multifunctional Learning Commons (DEMCO)
In this Demco-sponsored webcast, Janet Nelson, Demco’s Director of Library Engagement, and Angie Schoeneck, Demco’s Manager of New Business Development, explore how the future of the school library is in creating a dynamic learning commons, anchoring the entire school around knowledge, expression and collaboration, and developing both virtual and physical spaces. Current trends in education require school libraries to evolve from book warehouses to multifunctional learning resource centers in order to support these needs. Throughout the presentation, you will develop an understanding of how furniture and spaces can be designed to create a variety of zones to support multiple learning activities and the needs of the students, staff, parents and the community.

Sensory-Enhanced Storytimes (Infopeople)
Join Laura Olson and Laura Baldassari-Hackstaff, youth librarians for Douglas County Libraries in Colorado, who co-developed and have been offering a sensory storytime for three years. A sensory storytime is a traditional storytime, with added enhancements that engage the participants through their senses and thus add to their enjoyment of the experience. This webinar will describe the development of an ongoing sensory storytime, from inception to establishment and growth. Participants will receive detailed information on how to develop and sustain this program, including who from their community to contact, what resources they will need, when to offer their storytime, how to market their storytime, and why it supports the ALA’s Core Values of Librarianship.

February 12

10 Tips for Successful Webinars (Idealware)
Today, your constituents are more likely to be diverse—and geographically diverse—than ever before. How do you communicate with an audience that can’t be stuffed under a single roof? One solution is a webinar–a number of tools allow you to host webinars for far-flung attendees from around the world. But how do you promote a webinar to encourage registration? Once you have people’s attention, how do you keep it?

Design and Deliver Interactive and Effective Online Training Pt 2 (Training Magazine Network)
Register for this 2-part webinar series with Cindy Huggett, author and CPLP, to learn how to design and deliver an effective, world-class virtual training program. Join us for this series to learn: A 3-step design model for online courses, 2 key techniques for promoting interactivity, How to effectively engage out-of-sight participants, and How to get attendees talking with one another.

Library Learning Goes Online (American Libraries Live)
Get the inside scoop on pressing library topics from leaders in the field—free–with American Libraries Live. It’s a streaming video program that you can view in your library, at home, or while sipping coffee at your favorite wi-fi enabled coffee shop. This is not just a webinar with voice-overs drilling through PowerPoint slides. You’ll watch presenters live onscreen, and you can ask questions in real time via chat.

Creating Healthy & Productive Meetings (GuideStar)
Kick-start your nonprofit’s 2015 meeting strategy with an exclusive GuideStar webinar featuring the sector’s leading experts in social media and fundraising, Beth Kanter and Andrea Kihlstedt. During the first half of the webinar, Beth will present Walking as Part of Work Meetings: Don’t Call It A Break. Beth will discuss why walking is important, how to integrate it into work meetings, and various tools and techniques that can help you do it well.

New Spring Nonfiction for the Library, Classroom and Home (School Library Journal)
This free webcast, moderated by Jess deCourcy Hinds, the library director of Bard H.S. Early College Queens, will showcase a wide range of reading materials and educational series covering motorcycles, wildlife, history, kid-friendly culinary recipes, research projects, thinkers, innovators, and many other new nonfiction titles all with plenty to offer librarians serving today’s youth.

Graphic Novels: A Gateway for Reluctant Readers (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
During this one hour webinar, Kyla Hunt, a librarian at the Art Institute of Fort Worth, will talk about how reading graphic novels can help build literacy. She will discuss how and why various types of comics appeal to different reader-groups, from wordless picture books for younger kids to manga for teens. The webinar will include a discussion of program ideas designed to encourage readers to get excited about the world of comics, and eventually, the world of reading.

February 13

Professional Associations: Requirements, Pathways (with and without $!) and Extreme Benefits (GALE Geek)
One of the tenets of professionalism is association membership and activity.  Although most of us are not fully or even partially funded, association membership AND activity can yield great rewards both for individuals and their organizations. Join Julie Todaro, ALA Presidential candidate for 2016-2017, author of Mentoring A to Z (2015) and Library Management for the Digital Age (2014), as she outlines how all library professionals can benefit from associations. Attendees will get a firsthand account of the 30+ web documents Todaro has made available from her Presidential website.

February 16

The Mobile Virtual Classroom: Learner Choice & Business Needs (InSync)
A major concern, with respect to the mobile virtual classroom, is that organizations expect the same outcomes from mobile learners as they expect from individuals learning from desktop virtual classrooms or even traditional classrooms. They have not yet learned that different learning environments are NOT created equal and there must be a different expectation for each learning environment in terms of outcome. This session will help you to lead the discussion about the mobile virtual classroom in your organization, by focusing on the following topics: Designing for live desktop learning vs. designing for mobile devices – what’s the difference? Meeting business needs – the manager’s take on mobile virtual classrooms. BYOD – learning on mobile devices. Adult learning theory and mobile virtual learning.

Teacher Librarian News Night (TL Virtual Café)
This is a LIVE show presented in news show format featuring a Wrap up of “This Month in School Libraries” and deeper discussion of topical school library issues with special guest experts. Did we mention it was LIVE?

February 17

Introduction to Intellectual Freedom in Libraries – 2015 Update (Infopeople)
At the end of this one-hour webinar, attendees will be able to: Identify and interpret key ALA documents, policies, and decisions related to intellectual freedom, both in print and online, Identify and understand holdings in key court cases on intellectual freedom in libraries, Understand how the law treats different libraries – academic, school and public, Understand the types of speech that are not protected by the First Amendment, and when to call the police to report child pornography, and Develop skills for recognizing and strategies for responding to challenges.

February 18

Anatomy of an Ad Campaign (Nebraska Library Commission)
Heather Imhoff, Head of Public Information Services at Des Plaines (IL) Public Library, will share how the library used state per capita grant funds to plan and launch a multi-channel consumer advertising campaign promoting the eResources available for free with a library card. Includes the who, what, when, where and why as well as real costs, examples of the campaign, and tips for launching a campaign of your own.

Breezing Along with the Regional Medical Library: How to Use the Results of the Marshall Study (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
Join the Regional Medical Library to learn How to Use the Results of the Marshall Study

Rebels with a Cause: Creating Positive Change at Work (O’Reilly)
Rebels at Work challenges the assumption that leadership comes from a position of power or authority. With practical advice and guidance, authors Lois Kelly and Carmen Medina—rebels in their own right—will help empower you by transforming the way you present your ideas and engage your coworkers and bosses.

Inclusive Information Access: Assistive Technology in Action (TechSoup)
Does your library technology accommodate users with disabilities? From public access technology to online resources, libraries must be sensitive to the needs of all users, especially those who may not be able to fully access information using traditional technology. Join us for this free webinar to learn what three libraries have done to create a more inclusive technology environment. Assistive technology is the software, peripherals, and specialized devices that help connect disabled individuals with information and communication. Hear how these libraries have played a key role in allowing disabled patrons to fully participate in and benefit from digital technology.

How to Listen to Your Community 1: Using Surveys to Gather Data for Needs Assessment and Advocacy (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
Collecting data on patron use and needs for library and technology services is critical to providing valuable services to your community. This session discusses how to efficiently collect data through surveys, and will address planning your survey to get information you can use, structuring the survey and wording questions, and how to use the data for strategic planning and advocacy efforts.

Representation Matters: The School Librarian and LGBTQ Curriculum Inclusion (American Association of School Librarians)
Although the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ students has become a widely discussed topic across the U.S., little has been written about the role of school librarians in supporting LGBTQ students beyond gay and lesbian book lists. As educators, curriculum leaders, and information specialists, school librarians are in a unique position to advocate for LGBTQ students through supporting LGBTQ curriculum inclusion.  Recent studies by the California Safe Schools Coalition have shown that a LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum not only improves safety and school climate for all students (LGBTQ and straight), but can positively impact academic performance as well. Since many educators still face barriers covering LGBTQ topics in school, this webinar aims to go beyond LGBTQ book lists.  The webinar will introduce the rationale for LGBTQ inclusive education and legal rights and protections. Participants will also learn strategies for curriculum inclusion, including defining and overcoming barriers, providing access to information, uncovering LGBTQ topics in the subject areas, and classroom best practices.

February 19

Project Management 101: Part 2 of 2 – Evaluating Your Project Plan (WebJunction)
Join your colleagues from archives, libraries and museums for a two-part, interactive learning webinar that will introduce the fundamentals of project management: planning a project. All of our fields struggle with unstable budgets and dynamic technology, so learning to think and act in terms of projects is critical—it can be the difference between turning an idea into a successful, resourced initiative or not. Led by representatives from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the webinars will focus on the key elements of a project plan: the idea, the audiences, funding options, a work plan, an evaluation, and more. We will also discuss how to critically examine your project ideas, asking, Is it fundable? Valuable? Sustainable? And if not, what could you do differently? While learning these fundamentals, you will also benefit from the insights and experiences shared by your fellow participants from across archives, library, and museum institutions.

Social Media and Volunteer Engagement (VolunteerMatch)
Volunteer engagement is changing. What do you need to know about social media as a volunteer program manager? How can you use social media to promote your volunteer opportunities and recruit volunteers? This webinar will offer an introduction to including social media in your volunteer recruitment and retention plans. You’ll see examples of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as blogs that other nonprofits have successfully used to draw attention to their organizations and volunteer opportunities. You’ll also learn about the social media tools available as part of your VolunteerMatch account that can help you promote your volunteer opportunity on other social networking sites.

Upskilling: The Future Trainer (InSync)
New tools for and ideas about learning are bringing in a new age for training and development practitioners. We now have real means of extending our reach, learners who can identify and satisfy their own learning needs, and opportunities to support workplace learning and performance like we’ve never had before. This session provides an overview of some 21st century skills we’ll need to develop to stay current and viable in a rapidly changing, but more learning-focused, time.

Graphic Design for Libraries (Part 2 of 2) (Library Learning)
This interactive two-part workshop will improve your graphic design skills and give you the opportunity to put them to work. In Part One, Schmidt will cover the basics of practical graphic design, show examples of good graphic design in libraries, suggest tools that you can use to improve your library’s signs, posters, brochures, websites and more. The session will end with an assignment. Part Two will be hosted two weeks later, giving you some time to apply what you’ve learned and continue the conversation. Schmidt will be available between the sessions to answer any questions.

Big Data: What We Learned about Information Literacy from 10,000 Students and 1,200 Librarians (American Association of School Librarians)
As an ed tech company, EasyBib has unique insight into how students conduct research. How are students interpreting and synthesizing information? How skilled do they consider themselves with key information literacy skills? And how do their perspectives differ from the librarians who teach them? EasyBib surveyed 10,000 EasyBib users and 1,200 librarians in the K-12 and academic space to find out. Emily Gover from Imagine Easy Solutions will share their findings, and encourage participants to share their own experiences, during this webinar.

February 20

The Way Forward (GALE Geek)
Spend some time with Joe Janes thinking and talking about how to think and talk about the future of libraries. Joseph Janes, associate professor and chair of the MLIS program at the University of Washington Information School and 2016-2017 ALA Presidential candidate, will be joining us for a conversation on what comes next in libraries.

People – Difficult or Different (Effectiveness Institute)
Why are some clients or co-workers so frustrating to work with?  Or more importantly, why would anyone think of YOU as a difficult person? For example, isn’t it irritating when the person across the desk or on the phone can’t seem to ever make a decision… or makes a snap decision only to change it a day later? In this highly interactive and engaging presentation, you will discover why “different” does not have to mean “difficult.”  Then you will learn the magic of making slight adjustments in your awareness and behavior that will have a significant impact on your ability to “click” with customers and co-workers. You will laugh as you identify your behavior style, as well as those with whom you work.  While you laugh, you will also learn that people are different and that “intent” doesn’t always equal “impact.”  In short, you will realize how to make work… less work!

February 23

Trigger your Transformation: 5 Steps to Creating your own Individual Development Plan to determine your focus & future (InSync)
Join facilitator Trish Uhl and the team @ InSync for this strategic planning session where you’ll make this the year you connect with purpose; spend the time to create your own unique Individual Development Plan (IDP); and take your turn at putting it into practice to achieve your dreams and become the person you aspire to be.

Proposal Budgeting Basics (GrantSpace)
This session, geared to the novice grantseeker, will cover such topics as: What is included under the “personnel” section and how to calculate it? What level of detail do you need to include for non-personnel expenses? How do you determine reasonable costs? What types of expenses are considered “overhead”? What other financial documents will funders want to see?

February 24

Influence when you have no power or authority (Utah State Library)
Regardless of whether you have a great deal of positional power or authority or none at all, you can exert meaningful influence and help bring about the future you prefer. Using proven techniques grounded in a simple model of coaching, and practicing emotionally and socially intelligent behaviors, you can learn to bring yourself into a state of greater resourcefulness, focus your attention and energy, get into action, and exert purposeful influence in any situation.

YA Announcements: Fresh Titles for Teens (Booklist)
Join Booklist for a free, hour-long webinar where you will preview this year’s hotly anticipated YA releases. Representatives from Bloomsbury, Disney Book Group, Harlequin Teen, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Running Press Kids/Weinstein Books will share upcoming titles perfect for your teen readers. Moderated by Booklist’s Books for Youth (Acting) Editor Keir Graff.

Teen Learning Labs (Infopeople)
Be sure to join us for Teen Learning Labs where we’ll discuss the background, basics, and benefits of user-directed, project-based programming. You’ll hear about successful examples of this programming in libraries across the U.S.

February 25

Tech Talk with Michael Sauers (Nebraska Library Commission)
In this monthly feature of NCompass Live, the NLC’s Technology Innovation Librarian, Michael Sauers, will discuss the tech news of the month and share new and exciting tech for your library. There will also be plenty of time in each episode for you to ask your tech questions. So, bring your questions with you, or send them in ahead of time, and Michael will have your answers.

Help! I’m an Accidental Government Information Librarian presents … Accessing Federal electronic records at the National Archives (North Carolina Library Association)
For well over a century, the U.S. government has produced an ever increasing volume and array of electronic records.  These records range from World War II Army enlistment data to 1970s State Department telegrams to 2010 home mortgage data.  But once the creating agency no longer has a need for the electronic records, where do they go?  The National Archives accessions, preserves, and provides access to U.S. Federal Government electronic records of permanent value.  This webinar will provide an overview on the types of government electronic records, especially data, available at the National Archives and how to access it.

To Manage or to Motivate: 9 Need-to-Know Traits of the Best Leaders (American Management Association)
Enabling Your People to Succeed Leadership, as Dwight Eisenhower once said, is the ability to get people to do what they don’t want to do and like it. That quote addresses two aspects of the power that a leader exercises. One is asking people to do something. The second is motivating people to achieve. At its core leadership is simple: moving others toward a goal. However leadership is difficult: creating an environment that enables people to succeed. This webcast will focus on those traits a leader can utilize to bring his/her people toward purpose that unites in common cause.

13 Techniques that will Make Designing #PowerPoint Slides EASY (Training Magazine Network)
A repertoire of specific techniques and treatments that you can quickly apply in almost any situation, focusing on images and slide layout: How to “flip” your presentation to free up your slide from text, Four layouts that always look good, A repertoire of image treatments that you can quickly apply, How to embrace emotion without appearing sappy, and Formatting text so that it’s legible on top of an image. This session is for those of you who are artistically challenged but still need to quickly create professional-looking, striking, and engaging slides.

Effective Delegation (4Good)
Delegation is a common management task yet one that can be deceptively challenging in skill set, time management, and mindset requirements. When we don’t delegate, though, we miss an opportunity for everyone to do their best work — for managers to focus on their core talents and for employees to develop new skills, strengths and abilities.

Got Fandom?: How Mini-Cons Can Transform Libraries and Communities (Georgia Library Association)
Fandoms and libraries go together like Sherlock and Watson. Megan Aarant and Natalie Couch from Chattahoochee Valley Libraries in Columbus, GA will share their best practices on how to tap into the power of fandom to promote multiple literacies and attract customers by hosting a mini-convention at the library. Learn how they took a small, teen centric mini-convention called FanFest and expanded it into an all-ages event that attracted 1,000 customers in just one year. Get creative content ideas for all budget sizes, learn why libraries play an important role in fandoms, and discover how a program like this can transform the image of the library in your customer’s eyes.

Discover National Library of Medicine Resources: ToxNet Changes/Interface with National Training Center (National Network of Libraries of Medicine)
Coordinators from the Regional Medical Library will present information on ToxNet Changes/Interface with National Training Center.

How to Listen to Your Community 2: Using Interviews and Focus Groups to Gather Data for Needs Assessment and Advocacy (Texas State Library and Archives Commission)
Interviews and focus groups provide an opportunity for deeper insight into patron use and community needs for library and technology services, and can be used alone or in concert with surveys to help you prioritize future services. This session will address how to prepare for conducting interviews and focus groups, develop questions, create an environment for rich responses, and analyze the results. With some preparation and courage you’ll find engaging with your community this way to be a uniquely enriching experience!

Unmask! (Collaborative Summer Library Program)
Help teens unmask heroes of all kinds! In this hour-long webinar, youll hear programming and display ideas to inspire a super summer! With illustrator/cartoonist Hope Larson’s graphics and ideas from the teen manual, Patti will help you discover ways to engage teens in learning more about everyday and historical heroes and superheroes (and some villains as well), and ways teens can find the hero in themselves.

Video Instruction in K-12 (EdWeb)
Feel overwhelmed? Pulled in too many directions? Supposed to be in more than one place at once? Try video instruction! In this session, educators will share their experience using video as an instructional tool. This webinar will cover software, organization, content, duration, editing. This webinar will benefit school librarians, classroom teachers, curriculum leaders and administrators using a Mac or PC.

February 26

Institutional & research repositories: Characteristics, relationships and roles (Library Connect)
Many types of institutional and research repositories exist to address different institutional needs, digital collections and research outputs. In this webinar, the presenters will discuss the approaches their institutions have taken, their mandates, software and systems, and staffing. They will also look at the relationships involved: between the library and research office, institutions and publishers, and repository staff and authors.

The Golden Age of Gaming: Board Games for Grown-ups (WebJunction)
Board games have social, creative, and educational potential. Schools are using games and game mechanisms as enrichment activities with application to the Common Core. It’s time that libraries got “on board” as well! Following on the successful “Board in the Library” series published on WebJunction, this webinar will provide practical advice on how to choose the right games for your community, how to set up your own circulating board game collection—including a quick inexpensive starting collection—and how to plan board gaming events. Learn more about modern board games—their rules, mechanics, classifications and themes. Game on!

Managing Chaos: Digital Governance by Design (O’Reilly)
Organizations spend a lot of time debating over who gets to make decisions about the nature of websites, apps, and content. Sometimes the debates are so fierce that organizations are almost at a standstill when it comes to digital development or they find that their organization is creating a cacophony of digital artifacts, a big dis-integrated mess that leaves users frustrated and sometimes leads to out and out business liability. Organizations like these need to take the time to clarify role sand responsibilities for digital development—this is the domain of digital governance.

Myth Masters: A Conversation with Holly Black, Kate Elliot, and Barry Lyga (Booklist)
Join three of modern Science Fiction and Fantasy’s most prestigious authors as they discuss their craft. Holly Black, Kate Elliot and Barry Lyga will talk about how they create new worlds, the important role myth plays in Young Adult literature, and how discussions of identity and community in speculative stories help teens makes a place for themselves in their own environments. This unique webinar will be moderated by Victoria Stapleton, Director of School and Library Marketing at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Ilene Cooper, Senior Editor, Booklist Books for Youth.

Customizing Library Vendor Tools for Better Customer Service (Infopeople)
Using JavaScript, a simple scripting language that runs in a users browser, you can often make customizations to your library’s online tools that your vendor could only dream of. In this webinar, I’ll show you how to improve the usability of vendor tools with JavaScript, allowing you to tailor the tools to your users’ needs. PLEASE NOTE: While knowledge of JavaScript or other scripting languages can be helpful, it’s not required.

It’s All About Choice, Baby! Flipping the Professional Development Model for Librarians (Colorado State Library)
Does the professional development you provide for your staff elicit more groans than cheers? Would you rather offer PD that is useful and engaging? After years of experimenting, we found a PD model that is more dynamic, offers more choices, and encourages leadership from within the group you are coaching, mentoring, etc. Using a combination of the flipped model and the workshop model, we created PD that puts our librarians in control of their own learning. Come learn how we did it and how to replicate it with your staff, in your own library or library district!

February 27

Big Talk from Small Libraries Online Conference (Nebraska Library Commission)
This free one-day online conference is aimed at librarians from small libraries; the smaller the better. Each of our speakers will be from a small library or directly works with small libraries. Topics will range from technology (new tech and old tech) to programming to new roles for the library. Come for the programs on what you’re dealing with now, or maybe try something new. Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small their library is, but if your library serves a few thousand people, or a few hundred, this is the day for you.

Programs Include:

  • Reaching Out: Fighting back against a bad public image
  • Hack the OPAC: How to Create a Free Online Library Catalog
  • The Little Library that Could (and did!)
  • If They Build It They Will Keep Coming Back
  • Youth Programming: Art Against Bullying
  • Passports from your Library
  • Programming Exclusively for University Staff: Blind Dates with Books & DVDs
  • Zopim live-chat for libraries
  • Little Free Public Libraries
  • The library’s open: meeting the needs of your community by giving up control
  • Kickstart Community Caring
  • The Senior Connection: Helping Technology Make Sense to Seniors

Kid, Teen, & Tween Spaces: 21st Century Edition (GALE Geek)
Downtown Chattanooga Public Library’s new frontier for kids, tweens, and teens, features a 3D Printer Station, 2nd Floor Arcade, Button Maker Station, Music Station, Record Player, Photo Booth, Art Station, and much more. Join us as we talk to Justin Heinle, Coordinator of Teen Services, to learn how they got started, what they’ve learned, and what they’re up to next!