Professional Development Opportunity: Trauma Informed Library Service Workshops with Beth Wahler | Compendium

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News for Pennsyslvania Libraries

Professional Development Opportunity: Trauma Informed Library Service Workshops with Beth Wahler

by | Jun 15, 2023 | Event, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Trauma informed library service is the practice of integrating empathy and healing into each exchange we have in the library – with customers, our colleagues, and the communities we serve. Viewing library work through a trauma-informed lens allows us to consider the lasting impact that trauma has on the individual, creating a shift in the way we interact with customers and coworkers.  

Beth Wahler, PhD, MSW will present a series of workshops to Pennsylvania library staff and leadership on trauma-informed librarianship. The first set of workshops listed below are available to all staff. The second set of workshops listed below are available to library leadership. All workshops will focus on developing practical skills and providing realistic strategies to manage challenging moments with patrons, our coworkers and ourselves.


Training for All Staff

Managing Patron Challenges from a Trauma Informed Lens (in-person or virtual)
This workshop is largely focused on developing and practicing skills for working through patron challenges and setting boundaries/enforcing policies from a trauma-informed librarianship lens. In this program, you can expect to learn:

    • General information about trauma and how it impacts both patrons and staff in a library setting
    • The six guiding principles of trauma-informed care and how they can be applied in a library setting for the benefit of both patrons and staff
    • Examples of library services and programming offered through a trauma-informed lens

To increase flexibility for attendees, this workshop has the option to attend either virtually or in-person.

The virtual session will be held on Tuesday, June 27, 2023 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. Register for the virtual event. To give virtual attendees the opportunity to practice skills learned in the workshop, there will be live, virtual practice sessions with Beth Wahler on Thursday, July 20, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM, Tuesday, July 25, from 10:00 to 11:30 AM and Wednesday, August 2 from 10:00 to11:30 AM. Participants should choose one practice session to attend. If you cannot attend the virtual session live, a link to the recording will be available to watch before your registered practice session. Each practice session has a max capacity of 35 participants. Registration information for practice sessions will be shared with participants at a later date.

The in-person session will be held on Monday, September 18 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, 453 Maple Street, Grove City, PA 16127. Available for up to 80 participants. Register for the in-person event. Opportunities to practice skills learned will be included in this 3-hour workshop.

 

Self-Care and Community Care Strategies for Library Staff (virtual)
This workshop will focus on the impact of changing patron needs and workplace trauma on staff well-being. From this workshop, you can expect to learn:

    • About “community care,” which emphasizes collective efforts to create psychologically safe, responsive, and protective workplace environments that promote employee well-being, rather than focusing entirely on individual and self-focused strategies for wellness
    • Strategies for promoting community care in the workplace
    • Personal self-care strategies, including developing a self-care plan and exploring coping mechanisms

This virtual session will occur on Thursday, August 3, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. This session will be recorded and made available at a later date in the PA Library Staff Academy. Register for the virtual event.

 

Training for Library Leadership

Managing Patron Challenges from a Trauma Informed Lens (in-person or virtual)
This workshop is largely focused on developing and practicing skills for working through patron challenges and setting boundaries/enforcing policies from a trauma-informed librarianship lens. In this program, you can expect to learn:

    • General information about trauma and how it impacts both patrons and staff in a library setting
    • The six guiding principles of trauma-informed care and how they can be applied in a library setting for the benefit of both patrons and staff
    • Examples of library services and programming offered through a trauma-informed lens
    • Content will also be provided about creating behavioral policies that are trauma-informed, reflect the skills mentioned above, yet enforce clear behavioral guidelines for patrons. 

To increase flexibility for attendees, this workshop has the option to attend either virtually or in-person.

The virtual session will be held on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:30 AM. Register for the virtual event. To give virtual attendees the opportunity to practice skills learned in the workshop, there will be live, virtual practice sessions with Beth Wahler on Thursday, July 27, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:30 AM or Tuesday, August 29, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Participants should choose one practice session to attend. If you cannot attend the virtual session live, a link to the recording will be available to watch before your registered practice session. Each practice session has a max capacity of 35 participants. Registration information for practice sessions will be shared with participants at a later date.

The in-person session will occur on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, 453 Maple Street., Grove City, PA 16127. Available for up to 80 participants. Register for the in-person event.

 

Effective Library Leadership for Reducing and Responding to Staff Stress and Trauma (in-person or virtual)
This training will provide participants with strategies to both respond to and reduce staff stress and trauma. From this session, you can expect to learn:

    • Organizational approaches to creating a “culture of care” and a psychologically safe environment
    • How to create an effective behavior response guide to reinforce policy, model boundary-setting, and empower staff to take action.
    • Creation of emergency response plans for psychological emergencies

The virtual session will occur on Thursday, August 31, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM and a live, practice session will occur on Thursday, September 7, 2023 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Participants should plan to attend both sessions. If you cannot attend the virtual session live, a link to the recording will be available to watch before your practice session. Register for the virtual event.

The in-person session will occur on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at James V. Brown Library, 19 E. 4th Street, Williamsport, PA 17701. Available for up to 80 participants. Register for the in-person event.

Please send all questions to Julie Moore (julmoore@pa.gov), Professional Development Advisor, Bureau of Library Development, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.


About Beth Whaler 

Beth Wahler, PhD, MSW is founder and principal consultant at Beth Wahler Consulting, LLC. Dr. Wahler is a social work consultant, researcher, and administrator whose primary focus is trauma-informed librarianship, addressing public library patrons’ psychosocial needs (needs related to mental health, substance abuse, poverty, etc.), supporting library staff with serving high-needs patrons and reducing work-related stress/trauma, and various kinds of collaborations, services, and programs to meet these types of patron and staff needs. She has worked with multiple public libraries- urban, suburban, and rural- as well as large library systems and state library associations to provide personalized training opportunities, conduct needs assessments, and develop individualized plans to help meet the needs of their patron populations and staff. She has also published and presented nationally on library patron and staff needs, trauma-informed librarians and library/social work collaborations. She has co-authored a book forthcoming in Summer 2023, “Creating a Person-Centered Library: Best Practices for Supporting High-Needs Patrons,” published by Libraries Unlimited and focusing on strategies for supporting patrons with psychosocial needs while simultaneously supporting library staff. Prior to her current roles, she has 14 years of experience as a social work practitioner and administrator, working with organizations serving individuals who have barriers to economic mobility and stability including mental health problems, substance use problems, intimate partner violence and other experiences of trauma disabilities, and chronic health problems. She has over 20 years experience with organizational strategic planning and leading and implementing organizational change efforts.

This training is made possible by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services https://www.imls.gov/. administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries. The views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the Department of Education.