Continuing Education Resources for Library Staff

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 

Presenters: 

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.

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.

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
• Reader’s Advisory Staff

Presenter: 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.

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 

Presenter: 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 2 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.

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. From this session, you will gain ways to:
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 

Presenter: 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!

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

Presenter: 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.

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.

Presenter: 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. 

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

Presenter: 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.

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.

Presenter: 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.