CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR GEORGIA'S PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF
Upcoming CE Events
Welcome to the Upcoming Events page, where we showcase Georgia's in-person and online continuing education opportunities sponsored by GPLS and associated organizations. These opportunities are tailored to meet the needs of our busy professionals, and most sessions are recorded and archived for later viewing.
Introduction
Whether you're looking to sharpen your skills, learn new techniques, or explore new areas of interest, our continuing education offerings have something for everyone. Our experienced presenters are committed to helping you achieve your goals, and we provide a supportive and collaborative learning environment to ensure your success.
So why wait? Register to attend the listed events and start learning. We look forward to helping you achieve your full potential.
Project 2025 and Its Consequences for Libraries
Time: Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
ASERL
Libraries face unprecedented political attacks targeting their very existence. States across the country have introduced legislation directly targeting school and public libraries, librarians, and the materials they provide. While academic libraries may not be the immediate focus, policies impacting education, research, funding, and DEI programs will have a profound impact on their operations and services.
Understanding the political landscape and the implications of policies like Project 2025 is crucial. This initiative threatens to dismantle the First Amendment, reshape the public sphere, and undermine the fundamental principles that support libraries. By targeting libraries, this project aims to limit access to information, suppress diverse perspectives, and erode the foundations of a democratic society.
To safeguard our libraries, we must actively engage in advocacy and support initiatives that protect their independence, diversity, and essential services. By mobilizing our communities and working together, we can ensure that libraries continue to thrive and serve as vital resources for all Americans.
Bring your questions to this timely and informative presentation
Empowering Libraries to Support Caregivers: Essential Resources and Strategies
Time: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 10 am Eastern (7 am Pacific | 8 am Mountain | 9 am Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Indiana State Library
Caregivers often face overwhelming physical, emotional, and mental challenges while balancing caregiving with their own well-being. In this session, librarians will learn how to support caregivers by connecting them with trusted health resources from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other key organizations. Participants will explore effective strategies for making libraries welcoming, resource-rich spaces for caregivers and gain practical tools to help prevent caregiver burnout within the community. Join us to strengthen your library’s role as a supportive hub for caregivers, fostering resilience and connection.
Best Teen Reads of 2024
Time: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 11 am Eastern (8 am Pacific | 9 am Mountain | 10 am Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Nebraska Library Commission
Brief book talks and reviews of new titles recommended to school and public librarians, covering both middle and high school levels, that were published within the last year.
Presenter: Sally Snyder, Coordinator of Children and Young Adult Library Services, Nebraska Library Commission.
Please note: Registration closes on Monday, January 6 in the evening. The recording will be available after the fact to everyone.
Let's Collaborate: Teen-Adults Partnerships to Enhance Youth Leadership
Time: Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain |1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
Public libraries have long been pillars of community learning and engagement. By partnering with teens through internship and volunteer opportunities, libraries can not only empower young people but also cultivate future leaders, provide hands-on experience, and foster a deeper connection with their communities.
This webinar will explore how public libraries can leverage teen internships and volunteer programs to enhance leadership skills, increase civic engagement, and provide meaningful career exploration opportunities for youth. In addition, this could create library ambassadors, lead to enhanced services, and creative initiatives.
Attendees will:
Learn about the benefits of creating internship programs and volunteer opportunities for teens within public libraries
Understand how to design and implement programs that focus on developing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills in teens
Explore strategies for recruiting and retaining teen volunteers
Discover best practices for mentoring and supporting teens in these roles
Gain insights from successful case studies
Who will benefit from this program:
Youth Services Supporters
Library Administrators
Anyone interested in developing teen leadership and engagement in public libraries
Tiffany Duck ~ Biography
Tiffany Duck is a consultant and owner of LitDext LLC, a literacy and information services company. She has thirteen years of experience as a public library manager in various types of library systems. As an Executive Team member, she built long-lasting relationships with community ambassadors and partners, and helped to develop spaces that reflected community needs. She facilitated many innovative and diverse initiatives that expanded the libraries’ reach into the community. Tiffany is an adjunct instructor in the Library and Information Science programs at UNCG and the University of Alabama.
David Duck ~ Biography
Born in the East End Community of Newport News, VA David Duck is dedicated to serving youth and families. With a B.A. from the University of Virginia, and an M.S. from Frostburg State University (concentrating in Youth Development and Organizational Management), David shares his passion for engaging families through quality programming, evidence-based practices, and an overall understanding and connection to youth/family needs. David's diverse experience in community development and the arts has allowed him to facilitate trainings, programs, and educational opportunities to local government agencies, libraries, community-based organizations, the faith community and the general public sector (all ages).
Starting his career in Newport News, David has lead youth development and community engagement efforts (with focuses on outreach, mentoring, tutoring, leadership, recreation, education, parenting, wraparound case management, neighborhood development and volunteerism) in Norfolk, Chester/Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Hanover before returning home to Newport News.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
The Power of Mental Health First Aid
Time: Thursday, January 9, 2025, 1 pm Eastern (10 am Pacific | 11 am Mountain |12 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
NNLM
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an evidence-based, early intervention program that teaches individuals about mental health and substance misuse challenges. The course takes a person-first approach to supporting others and is grounded in the belief that recovery from a mental health or substance misuse issue is achievable. Through skills-based activities and discussions, participants will strengthen their knowledge to become better equipped with tools and resources to support their loved ones, friends, and community.
While the full MHFA course is 6-8 hours long, the Power of Mental Health First Aid webinar will explore the course framework and objectives, its global impact, and the tangible skills that one can expect to walk away with after completing the course.
Guest Speaker:
Victoria Watson, M.Ed – Assistant Director of Health Promotion and Basic Needs at the University of Colorado, Denver
Registration is required. By registering for this class, you are agreeing to the NNLM Code of Conduct
Objectives:
Learn the key principles and structure of the MHFA program and its person-first approach.
Explore the skills one could acquire if they decide to sign up for the full MHFA program at a later date.
Discover the global reach and effectiveness of MHFA in promoting early intervention and recovery.
Please contact Dana Abbey at dana.abbey@cuanschutz.edu if you have questions about this event.
Please note: You will need to create a free NNLM account if you do not already have one.
Building Community: Strategies for Coming Together
Time: Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Niche Academy
Jamie LaRue shares strategies for coming together to provide coordinated responses to pressing community needs.
For some time now, many communities have been grappling with political division and conflict. How can the library be a more positive and unifying influence?
Part of the solution is "turning outward"- the shift in librarianship that sees our services as part of a web of social assets to provide coordinated responses to pressing community needs. But to make this real we need to build narratives founded on human story, on evidence, and a deliberate frame of both individual and social value.
By the end of the webinar, participants will be able to:
* Articulate library services in a "community building" framework.
* Describe a low-cost process for gathering community wisdom.
* Build protocols that help frame public meetings and services around a larger framework of shared values.
* Demonstrate civic courage and institutional purpose.
If you're interested but not able to attend the live webinar, go ahead and register. We'll send a recording to all registrants after the fact.
Foundations of Comics Librarianship
Time: Wednesday, January 15, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
The world of graphic literature can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Olivia Radbill can help!
This interactive and informative program will dive into the history of comics in libraries, best practices for collection development, and how library workers can better interact with comics and graphic novels in their libraries.
Who will Benefit from this Program:
All staff that interacts with patrons
All circulation staff members
Readers' advisory staff
Olivia Radbill ~ Biography
Olivia Radbill is a Los Angeles-based librarian and archivist. She has served as the Adult Services/Local History Librarian for the South Pasadena Public Library since 2019. In her day-to-day work she handles public research requests, manages the Library's Local History Collection, and runs Library programming for adults.
She has previously served as a reviewer for No Flying No Tights, a site dedicated to reviewing and sharing graphic literature with information professionals, and has presented on various topics at the California Library Association (CLA) Annual Conference, including LBPQ comics, comic purchasing, best archival practices for libraries, and library programming.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
Getting Started with Libby
Time: Thursday, January 16, 2025, 11 am Eastern (8 am Pacific | 9 am Mountain | 10 am Central)
Cost: Free
Description
OverDrive
Join OverDrive's training team for this live session to learn how easy it is to get your patrons started with Libby, the library reading app. This session will demonstrate:
How to browse and borrow ebooks and audiobooks.
Tips for customizing the experience.
Answers to frequently asked questions from end users.
Where to find Libby marketing and help resources.
Audience: This session will benefit public library, academic, and professional staff who support OverDrive digital library patrons.
Note: Times shown in Eastern Standard. We understand the timing may not suit everyone but signing up ensures that a recording is sent the day after the live session so you can view at your convenience
Don't Manage Change - Embrace It
Time: Thursday, January 16, 2025, 3 pm Eastern (12 pm Pacific | 1 pm Mountain | 2 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
WebJunction
Learn strategies to lead positive, collaborative change in libraries by reframing challenges as growth opportunities.
Trying to make changes at your library can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you get people on board? What do you do when you encounter resistance? Change management plans can help, but too often they frame the change as a problem to manage rather than an opportunity to reach for a shared vision. In this webinar, you will:
Learn strategies for effective, positive change-making
Examine how shifting your mindset to center growth and strengths can help you positively reframe change
Explore approaches to leadership, collaboration, and power-sharing that meaningfully engage impacted groups
Plan for and address change anxiety and resistance
Presented by: Dr. Audrey Barbakoff, CEO of Co/Lab Capacity and author
Copyright Confusion? Fair Use to the Rescue!
Time: Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Niche Academy
Sara Wolf helps librarians answer copyright and fair use questions from patrons
If you’ve ever been confused about whether or not a patron’s use of copyrighted materials can be considered “fair”, this webinar is for you.
Definitive answers about fair use are tough to find, as most copyright decisions are determined by the courts. Yet, library patrons seek guidance about their use of copyrighted materials more frequently than sometimes the reference desk can handle. So, how do librarians provide appropriate guidance to their patrons without risking inappropriate giving of legal advice?
Sara Wolf will give librarians strategies for helping patrons make their own use decisions, and solidify the foundations on which fair use decisions are made.
Crisis Management in Libraries: Preparedness and Response
Time: Wednesday, January 22, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
Libraries are not immune to crises, whether they involve security threats, natural disasters, or public health emergencies. This webinar provides essential strategies to prepare library staff for effectively managing various crises, ensuring the safety and well-being of both patrons and employees.
Participants will gain the tools to develop comprehensive crisis management plans, execute them efficiently, and communicate clearly during emergencies
Attendees will learn how to:
Develop and implement a crisis management plan.
Communicate effectively during emergencies.
Maintain safety and security during various crisis scenarios.
Who will benefit from this program:
Library Directors and Managers
Safety and Security Teams
All Library Staff
AnaLía Fiorio ~ Biography
Analia Fiorio has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of Public Relations (PR), Networking, Organization and Management.
She is an Ontological Coach certified by the two most important federations in the world. She has a degree in Public and Institutional Relations and a Master’s degree in Business Management (MBA).
She is recognized in Argentina for being a reference for gender equality and female empowerment, which has earned her national awards and recognition.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
What Gets in the Way of Excellence?
Time: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Niche Academy
Dave Dodson shares practical and actionable steps for breaking down barriers, reaching your potential, and achieving success.
We all know our meetings are too long and largely not impactful, that we cut corners when hiring, and that we waste time responding to low-value emails. Yet we keep doing it day after day. There are reasons. But only after you understand them can you overcome these barriers to success.
Best-selling author and Stanford Business School lecturer David Dodson will provide practical and actionable steps you can take the next day to break down the barriers to reaching your potential and get you on the path to success.
If you're interested but not able to attend the live webinar, go ahead and register. We'll send a recording to all registrants after the fact.
Understanding and Managing Burnout in Libraries
Time: Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
Burnout among library staff is an increasing concern, impacting both personal well-being and workplace productivity. This session is designed to address the importance of recognizing the signs of burnout, fostering open communication, and implementing strategies for sustainable management. You will learn strategies for managing, enhancing awareness, and actional ways to create more supportive and sustainable library workplaces.
Attendees will cultivate skills to:
Recognize early signs of burnout
Foster empathy and support
Build a strategy for preventing and managing burnout
Develop a resilient team
Dr. Stevie Munz ~ Biography
Dr. Stevie M. Munz, Ph.D. is an award-winning teacher and researcher with 10+ years of experience in the communication field. She has led hundreds of discussion forums, presentations, trainings, and workshops. As a communication expert, she is passionate about developing your communication power skills!
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
Building Community Connections by Hiring for Cultural Knowledge
Time: Thursday, January 30, 2025, 3 pm Eastern (12 pm Pacific | 1 pm Mountain | 2 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
WebJunction
Learn how the Cultural Liaison Library Assistant program builds community connections by hiring for cultural knowledge and creating a team that reflects a diverse library community.
Staffing demographics rarely match those of the communities they serve. Learn how valuing specific knowledge, skills, and abilities during the hiring process can develop a staff ready to serve a diverse community. Hear from Cultural Liaison Library Assistant staff representing Hispanic and Tribal communities, including the results of their efforts to build connections with and share stories of these communities. Attendees will be challenged to reconsider some common hiring practices and how to make them more inclusive. Hear a success story from a library that identified cultural knowledge gaps and worked with community stakeholders during the job posting and selection process.
Presented by staff from Whatcom County Library System (WA), including:
Amelia Martinez, Hispanic Cultural Liaison
Coreen Kurtz, Lummi Cultural Liaison
Diana Antaño, Hispanic Cultural Liaison
Joshua Olsen, Nooksack Cultural Liaison
Michael Cox, Deputy Director
Fostering Healthy Communication in Your Library
Time: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 11 am Eastern (8 am Pacific | 9 am Mountain | 10 am Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Nebraska Library Commission
Good communication skills are no accident. Quality communication takes sustained effort, an open mind, and a listening ear. Come learn about some different approaches for enhancing communication pathways and improving your communication skills. Better communication skills not only improve relationships with coworkers but help us serve our communities more effectively. Following a presentation on some different approaches for fostering healthy communication, there will be time to share what’s working well in your library and discussion about practical ways to implement new ideas.
Presenter: Jessica Chamberlain, Library Director, Norfolk (NE) Public Library.
If you would like to watch the webinar but cannot attend the live session, register and you will receive a recording of it.
Please note: Registration closes Monday night, February 3.
Simplifying E-Rate Funding for Mobile Hotspots and School Bus Wi-Fi
Time: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Niche Academy
Carrie Rogers-Whitehead and Gene Ballard share how E-Rate funding can support mobile hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi connectivity.
Join Carrie Rogers-Whitehead and Gene Ballard for an informative webinar on how E-Rate funding can support mobile hotspots and school bus Wi-Fi connectivity.
They'll cover the latest eligibility requirements, the application process, and best practices for securing funding. Learn how libraries can ensure compliance, increase student access to online learning, and enhance connectivity for underserved communities.
If you're interested but not able to attend the live webinar, go ahead and register. We'll send a recording to all registrants after the fact.
Best Picture Books Published in 2024
Time: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
Are you looking for new picture books to share in your classroom, curriculum, or collection? This presentation will showcase the "best of the best" from the 2024 publishing crop. A variety of books will be featured, including quality read-alouds, distinguished illustrations, and stories ranging in tone, theme, and style. Don’t miss this hour-long event to discover the latest standout picture books.
Participants will:
Develop a list of new picture books that connect to the preschool and kindergarten audience, both as read aloud performance and one-to-one reading sessions
Learn how to select quality books for collections and programming, with a wide variety of themes, tones, subjects, and illustration styles. Acquire simple techniques to analyze picture book art
Identify books that align with kindergarten readiness skills or Early Learning standards, and make connections to other books while discovering new authors and illustrators
Katie Clausen ~ Biography
Katie Clausen is the Early Literacy Services Manager at Gail Borden Public Library and a current PhD candidate in Information Studies at Dominican University. She holds an MLIS from Dominican University and an M.A. in Children’s Literature from Simmons College. Katie has shared her expertise at numerous conferences, and her articles have been featured in the Children & Libraries: The Journal of ALSC and Marvels and Tales. Her specialties include early literacy, children’s literature evaluation, and best storytime practices.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
Empowering Teens: Enhancing Information Literacy through Games and Interactive Programming
Time: Thursday, February 6, 2025, 3 pm Eastern (12 pm Pacific | 1 pm Mountain | 2 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
WebJunction
Learn fun ways to help teens boost information literacy, featuring escape room games and social media tools, developed with public libraries.
You can help your teen patrons to become better navigators of the information that they find online. Come learn about how you can offer fun and engaging experiences that bring teens to the library and build their information literacy skills. Researchers at the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public will walk you through programs developed with public libraries, including an escape room game and youth video program. You’ll also discover activities adapted from school libraries that help teens reflect on their interaction with social media and give them the tools to verify questionable posts.
Presented by: Liz Crouse, Research Program Coordinator, Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington; and Stacey Wedlake, Research Scientist, University of Washington Information School
Tools for Overcoming Rejection and Social Exclusion at Work
Time: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Niche Academy
Dan Berstein, a mediator living with bipolar disorder, shares a model for responding to social exclusion and discrimination in workplace settings.
Discrimination or not, it always hurts when someone tries to avoid you, socially exclude you, or reject you from conversations or events. What can you do about it?
Dan Berstein, a mediator living with bipolar disorder, will share a model for responding to social exclusion and discrimination in workplace settings. This model was originally developed for people facing mental illness discrimination to help them clarify what happened, cope with the trauma, collect evidence, cultivate support, and consider options. But the tools work for anyone.
Join us and Dan will share free resources you can use to navigate any time you might be rejected.
If you're interested but not able to attend the live webinar, go ahead and register. We'll send a recording to all registrants after the fact.
Photography Basics for PR and Marketing
Time: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
Are you wanting to make your organization’s images really pop? This session will delve into information about types of digital cameras, lenses, basics of camera operations, image composition, online image storage, and online editing tools. Learn how to stage an area to make it look its best and how to incorporate those images into your organization’s promotional and marketing strategies. We’ll also look at how to create your own stock images using Canva.
Attendees will:
Understand the importance of staging and framing images.
Identify common reasons why promotional photos and images look great vs. what may not be appealing.
Explore the key components of photography and camera basics.
Develop skills to further explore and use imaging tools.
Dr. Curtis Rogers ~ Biography
Dr. Curtis Rogers is a library consultant who has worked in the library and information science field for over 35 years. He has worked at the Union (SC) Carnegie Library, and the Charleston County (SC) Public Library, and retired as the Communications Director of the South Carolina State Library. He has also taught courses at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, a Master of Library and Information Science, and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
Brief, but Descriptive: Writing Effective Alt Text
Time: Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
Niche Academy
Practice Essential Accessibility
Melissa Wong helps participants increase accessibility by writing effective alt text for different contexts and types of content.
Adding alt text to images is an essential accessibility practice for librarians. A brief textual description used by screen readers, alt text should be present anytime a librarian uses an image, including in social media marketing, instructional materials and online guides, and websites.
Effective alt text can be tricky. How detailed does one need to be? Would context change the alt text? And if alt text is supposed to be brief, how does one describe complex images like artwork and research data?
In this webinar, Melissa Wong will help participants learn to write effective alt text for different contexts and types of content, from simple social media posts to complex scientific and artistic materials.
If you're interested but not able to attend the live webinar, go ahead and register. We'll send a recording to all registrants after the fact.
Access and Agency: Welcoming the Disabled Community at Public Libraries
Time: Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
From Sensory Storytimes to Disability Justice Book Clubs, libraries around the country push beyond the basics of ADA compliance to welcome disabled patrons at the library. But how do these libraries reach disabled library users and determine their information needs?
In 2023 on behalf of Publishers Weekly, author and public librarian Susan Metallo interviewed librarians about their challenges and successes in serving disabled patrons. In this webinar, Susan shares best practices and lessons-learned from these proactive programs. She also recommends a framework for developing library services that empower the disabled community to engage with the public library, crafted both from her research and from her lived experience as a disabled library-lover.
Attendees will learn:
Who belongs to the broad and diverse disabled community, how to reach them, and what language and behavior will signal welcome and respect
Different marketing strategies for disabled patrons and for non-disabled caregivers of disabled people (e.g., parents of disabled children, family members of patrons with Alzheimers)
How to make your collection more accessible and relevant to disabled patrons
Strategies for giving disabled patrons agency and input in decisions about services and policies that will affect them
Susan Metallo ~ Biography
Susan Metallo is a neurodivergent author, librarian, and Publishers Weekly contributor. Her debut novel, Reasons to Hate Me—winner of the 2022 SCBWI Young Adult Work-in-Progress Award and the 2022 Seven Hills Literary Contest for Young Adult Literature—will be released Fall 2025 from Candlewick Press and features themes of honesty, agency, and disability justice against the backdrop of hilarious high school misadventures. Find her online at www.susanmetallo.com.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
ELL and Literacy on the Table: Using Board or Card Games to Foster Fun with Language
Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 2 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific | 12 pm Mountain | 1 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
PCI Webinars
You know about word games like Scrabble, Boggle and Bananagrams, but what about using Outfoxed, What Do You Meme?, or even Jenga for language development? Learn about some modern games, along with fresh ways to look at old favorites to highlight language skills.
Your presenter, Annabelle Blackman, has used games professionally since 2017 in a variety of library programming. From Family Game Days to reading intervention programs to English Conversation Club, she has used games to encourage language skills in groups of all ages. Adapting well established early literacy guidelines from children's librarianship, Annabelle will share ideas for you to apply to your audience.
Takeaways from this program will include:
Information about how board games support various types of literacy.
A rubric to assess board games for your language goals.
Confidence in adapting board games to your audience.
Tools and resources for further growth as you create a tabletop culture in your library.
Annabelle Blackman~ Biography
Annabelle Blackman is a Librarian II at Oakland Public Library in California. Around 10 years ago, she discovered modern hobby games alongside her then 3-year-old. She stays active in her local scene, serving as a Board Game Captain at a local indie role playing game convention, Big Bad Con. Professionally, Annabelle has a particular interest in games that appeal to intergenerational groups of varying literacy levels, and English language fluency.
Please note: All PCI Webinars are recorded and will be available on the GPLS Learning Center within a week of the original airdate. Kindly refrain from contacting the host for a copy of the recording.
Turn Strategy into Action with Theory of Change
Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 3 pm Eastern (12 pm Pacific |1 pm Mountain | 2 pm Central)
Cost: Free
Description
WebJunction
Learn how to use Theory of Change to align your library's vision, drive strategy, and support flexible, collaborative implementation.
You're getting ready to implement a change at your library, from a new strategic plan to a major project. How do you get your staff, partners, or community to understand and align with this new direction? Theory of Change is a powerful tool to help you define a shared vision that everyone can strive for together, while allowing flexibility and autonomy in how they get there. In this webinar, you’ll learn how one library is using Theory of Change to drive strategic alignment while reducing bureaucracy. You will also learn to:
Identify the core concepts of Theory of Change and how they relate to change in libraries
Apply Theory of Change principles to a strategic change in your library
Presented by: Dr. Audrey Barbakoff, CEO of Co/Lab Capacity and author; and Alison Eckes, Customer Experience Director - Programs and Services, Pierce County Library System (WA)
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