Training resources from the State Library of Oregon are supported in whole by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the State Library of Oregon.
The following resources are available to staff, volunteers, and board members from all Oregon academic, public, school, and tribal libraries.
View upcoming training events related to services and programs offered by the State Library of Oregon and free online training events as compiled by the State Library of Wyoming in the new training calendar. New events are added weekly and online conferences are listed below the calendar.
Basic Library Skills Academy
The State Library is pleased to announce the new Basic Library Skills academy -- open and free to everyone. This new academy covers introductory level tutorials and webinars on collection development, technical services, public programming and services, and more. Directors can use this resource to help onboard new staff and volunteers; staff can learn more about the overall operations of a library. No registration or user account necessary; however with a user account, Niche Academy will help you pick up where you left off.
New in the Oregon Library Staff Academy (Niche Academy):
Each week, the latest tutorials and recorded webinars are collected in their own category, New Tutorials and Webinars. Highlights include:
And many more can be found in the New Webinars and Tutorials section.
Need access to Oregon’s Library Staff Academy? Just fill out this form (available to Oregon library staff, volunteers, and board members). Then you can get started here: https://my.nicheacademy.com/oregonstaff.
Trainings by Ryan Dowd
LYRASIS
People Connect Institute (PCI) Webinars
Each Wednesday from 11:00a - 12:00p PT, explore new, relevant topics during a live webinar from People Connect Institute. These webinars will also be recorded and available about one week later in the Oregon Library Staff Academy / PCI Webinars category. For titles and registration information, please visit the PCI Webinars section. This resource is available to Oregon library staff, volunteers, and board members.
Statewide Databases
EBSCO LearningExpress Library is the statewide subscription for practice tests, skills-building for math, reading, and writing, computer skills tutorials, e-books and career development tools; for training resources and more, visit this resource page on EBSCO LearningExpress Library.
Tech-Talk Newsletter (electronic)
Provides how-to technology, communications, and leadership tips. While not written specifically for library staff, the State Library regularly receives positive feedback about this service.
The following calendar shows free online training events as compiled by the Maine State Library and training events related to services and programs offered by the State Library of Oregon. To see a text version this month's free events listed by category, please visit the WebJunction page on Free Training or download the PDF version. Online conferences are listed below the calendar.
Friday, Feb 28 (6:45 am – 3:00 pm PT): Big Talk From Small Libraries 2025 (Nebraska Library Commission)
This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries - the smaller the better! Each of our speakers is from a library serving fewer than 10,000 people, or is directly partnered with a small library and co-presenting with the library. Topics range from technology to programming to new roles for the library. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries. Everyone is welcome to register and attend, regardless of how big or small your library. But, if your library serves a few hundred to a few thousand people, this is the day for you!
For more information and to register, visit: https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgID=24353
Tuesday - Thursday, March 11-13 (9:00a - 1:00p PT): Southeast Collaborative Conference
Concurrent 1-hour sessions will run each day from noon to 4:00 p.m. ET and attendance is free of charge for all attendees. This conference will utilize the Whova event app and all conference sessions will be pre-recorded. Mychal Threets, library advocate and literacy ambassador, will kick off the conference this year! Don't miss our opening session Catching Joy with Mychal Threets.
Presentation Topics Include:
Visit the conference website to learn more about the speakers, sessions, and registration (free). Hosted by Georgia Public Library Service, Library of Virginia, South Carolina State Library, State Library of North Carolina, and the Tennessee State Library & Archives.
Have a topic you'd like to suggest for a presentation and/or discussion? Please let us know! Looking for recordings from previous Topic Talks? See below the upcoming schedule.
Check back soon for new topics in 2022!
October 27, 2021 - Oregon Job Seekers: Who They Are and How Libraries Can Help
As extended unemployment benefits come to an end this summer, libraries anticipate an increase in the number of job seekers in their communities. This session will provide an overview of Oregon job seekers, focusing on trends and emerging areas of employment as the Oregon economy recovers. It will also present information about the characteristics of current job seekers and provide ideas for designing services to better support this important group of library users.
Presenters: Liza Morehead, Research & Data Analyst, Worksystems, Inc. (A 501(c)3 non-profit organization that pursues and invests resources to improve the quality of the workforce in the City of Portland, Multnomah and Washington Counties.) Michele Martin, Director of Technical Assistance, Director of New Start Career Network & NJ Career Network Online Job Seeker Community. John J. Heldrich, Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Video recording: Video recording: Niche Academy (with slides, resources, etc.) or YouTube.
October 13, 2021 - Virtual Meet-up with Library Support & Development Services
Meet the Staff! Join your friendly library support staff this hour to hear about who we are and what we're up to. Bring your questions, all are welcome! Hosted by the Library Support staff: Greta Bergquist, Jennifer Cox, Ross Fuqua, Darci Hanning, Jennifer Mauer, Tamara Ottum, Arlene Weible, Ferol Weyand, and Program Manager, Buzzy Nielsen.
Video recording: YouTube
July 20, 2021 - Northwest Digital Heritage
Katie Henry (Oregon Heritage Commission), Evan Robb (Washington State Library), and Ross Fuqua (State Library of Oregon) hosted a session (including Q&A) about the new cross-state, interagency partnership, Northwest Digital Heritage. Learn about this new program which seeks to help public libraries and heritage organizations in Oregon build and share their historic and cultural collections broadly through a newly established, regional service hub of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
Video recording: YouTube.
March 30, 2021 - Learn all about: Oregon Documents Depository
Jey Wann, Oregon Documents Coordinator, discusses the history of the Oregon Documents Depository Program, describes how to access State Library’s Oregon Documents Collection, and features some interesting, useful, fun, and even wacky, Oregon government publications.
Reference librarian Dave Hegeman covers the many ways Oregon documents can be used to reference, including laws and rules, statistics, and notable reference sources.
Video recording: Niche Academy (with slides, resources, etc.) or YouTube
March 16, 2021 - County Law Libraries and YOU
Oregon’s county law libraries provide invaluable services to the general public and legal community. They provide specialized legal resources and staff guidance to assist with legal matters and research.
In this session, join Amy Gregory from the Washington County Law Library and Jenny Pedersen from Deschutes Public Library to learn more about Oregon’s law libraries. Amy and Jenny will share examples of services offered by county law libraries, the types of resources available, and how the public can access those services and resources.
Video recording: Niche Academy (with slides, resources, etc.) or YouTube.
January 13, 2021 - Shared Learning: Providing Trauma-Informed Services in Small and Rural Libraries
How can staff in small and rural libraries adopt a trauma-informed approach without access to the resources that a larger library or a library in an urban community may have? That's just what several Oregon librarians set out to learn by participating in a recent Infopeople course, "Providing Trauma-Informed Services in Small and Rural Libraries." Come listen to their take-aways and hopefully leave with some of your own!
Video recording: Niche Academy (with additional resources) or YouTube.
December 9, 2020 - Winning Library Grants: An In-Depth Approach
Ready to learn the best method for writing grant proposals to give you the competitive edge? Discover how to plan and write grant proposals, including the nitty-gritty essentials of needs assessments, project development, and outcome measurement. Find out who gives funding best suited for your library and how to find grant applications (including five free resources for finding grant library funders and a funder’s wish list). Join Stephanie Gerding as she shares common grant proposal components and the top five tips for writing winning proposals. Your grant work will become easier and more effective! Access to the recording is limited to Oregon library staff, volunteers, board members, Friends and foundation members, please request access here.
December 2 - Winning Library Grants: Beginner Tips in 30 Minutes
Are you new to grant writing? Stephanie Gerding’s webinars are known for being practical and easy to understand. Learn the basic process of grant work and the shortcuts that will enable you to start winning grants now. Discover the most important thing to keep in mind when doing library grant work, easy planning steps, grant sources for beginners, and the top ten tips for success. You CAN win grants for your library! Access to the recording is limited to Oregon library staff, volunteers, board members, Friends and foundation members, please request access here.
November 18, 2020 - Library Innovation in COVID Times
Oregon libraries of all types are responding to the challenge of service during COVID times with a wide array of innovative programs and services. Innovation may include new services, but can also mean offering traditional services in different ways.
State Library staff have been collecting stories and want to celebrate the great work happening in the Oregon library community. In this session, Buzzy Nielsen and Arlene Weible will share examples and help participants connect with other library staff to learn more about how they may implement these ideas in their own community. Please come and share your own innovation stories or just listen and gain inspiration from your library colleagues across the state.
Video recording: YouTube or Niche Academy; download presentation (with embedded links)
October 20, 2021 - Virtual Programming Meetup
Have you been working to maintain connections to your community virtually? Would you like some ideas and strategies? This recorded session has your colleagues taking virtual programming in a variety of directions. From digital rooms to recorded demos, staff are working to help community members feel connected to the library in tangible ways. Each panelist briefly shared about a virtual strategy their library is using and there and at the end of the session, audience members were able to share their own endeavors and ask questions. Greta Bergquist moderated.
Panelists:
Video recording: YouTube or Niche Academy (with supporting resources)
September 29, 2020 - Virtual Meet-up with Library Support & Development Services
This is your chance to learn more about Library Support & Development Services and what we can do for your library. Hosted by the Library Support staff: Greta Bergquist, Ross Fuqua, Darci Hanning, Jennifer Mauer, Tamara Ottum, Arlene Weible, Ferol Weyand, and our new Program Manager, Buzzy Nielsen. Library Support provides services for all types of libraries in Oregon: academic, law, public, school, tribal, you name it! We will take a bit of time introducing you to our services and leave plenty of time for your questions. This session is useful to any library worker or supporter who’s interested in learning more about the State Library’s free services available to help make local libraries’ lives easier.
Video recording. Library Support and Development Services website. Contact Us web page.
August 7, 2020 - In partnership with OLA's Public Library Division: "Centering Race in Library Reopening: Opportunities for Systems Change".
Sonja Ervin, Equity and Inclusion Manager at Multnomah County Library, will talk about the work and progress Multnomah County Library has made with diversity, equity, and inclusion. She will also include things you can do at your library, no matter the size of your library. There will be time for questions and answers after her presentation. This presentation is free for all in the library community, and will be recorded for viewing at a later date.
Video recording (hosted in Niche Academy, no login in required) and the Presentation slides (PDF)
June 17, 2020: PL stats (COVID-specific) - an update
June 10, 2020: Check-In: How's It Going?
June 3, 2020: Unemployment and job-seeking services
May 27, 2020: Having difficult conversations with patrons
May 20, 2020: Reference during the pandemic: challenges and opportunities
May 13, 2020: Reopening Oregon (Governor’s Plan) and Libraries
May 6, 2020: Statistics - how to capture our work during the pandemic
April 29, 2020: Staging a return to library services: planning for a post-quarantine library
April 22, 2020: Services for Spanish speakers during COVID-19
Each Wednesday from 11:00a - 12:00p PT, explore new, relevant topics during a live webinar from People Connect Institute. These webinars will also be recorded and available a few days later in the Oregon Library Staff Academy / PCI Webinars category.
Request your registration links for these upcoming webinars. Note: all PCI Webinars (live and recorded) are limited to Oregon library staff, volunteers, board members, Friend and Foundation members.
February 26: ELL and Literacy on the Table: Using Board or Card Games to Foster Fun with Language
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:
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.
March 5: Back to Basics: Book Displays (Note: Artificial Intelligence as a Cataloging Tool will be rescheduled)
Any library worker can be a hero and use book displays or online book lists to market their library's collection, revealing the hidden gems on their shelves and introducing patrons to materials they may have missed. In addition, book displays, both in the library and online, can tie your programs, partnerships, and library services into your collection. Attendees will learn how to craft displays and lists that are effective in promoting the theme or message behind the display while also gaining tips on making these tools include those titles which could benefit from more attention. Join Passive Readers’ Advisory expert Lila Denning for an hour of all the ways that you can promote your library’s collection with better book displays. Book displays are a fun, creative marketing technique that any library can use. Learn how to create book displays that will draw readers in and help them to find those titles that don’t get enough attention.
Attendees will learn how to:
Presenter: Lila Denning is a library in Florida specializing in Passive Readers Advisory for patrons of all ages. She is the acquisitions coordinator for the St Petersburg Library System and has worked in circulation, reference, and youth services. She serves the volunteer coordinator for the Horror Writers of America. You can find her on Twitter @Vantine and on BlueSky @Vantine.bsky.social. On her blog, bookdisplays.blogspot.com, she talks about ideas for book displays and other forms of Passive Readers Advisory and how to best use it to serve your patrons.
March 12: Back to Basics: Building Strong Community Partnerships
Partnering with community can be a great strategy for the Public Library. Identifying the needs of community and then partnering with the correct resource can be a win-win solution for patrons and others. There is no need to recreate the wheel and there are significant benefits involved for the library and the community partner. In this webinar we will look at the foundational principles of creating and sustaining impactful community partnerships. We will explore practical strategies for identifying shared goals, fostering mutual trust, and leveraging collective resources to address community needs effectively. As a result of this program, attendees will learn how to:
Presenter: Nicolle Davies is a library leader, speaker, and consultant. Davies serves as the State Librarian for Colorado. She holds both a Master’s in Public Administration and a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences. Davies served as the Executive Director of the Charleston County Public Library in South Carolina, and the Arapahoe Library District in Colorado. She was named Library Journal’s 2016 Librarian of the Year. Before coming to libraries, Davies worked in broadcast journalism and public relations. She is considered an expert in policy design, advocacy, leadership, public relations, and communications.
March 19: Customer Service: Ten Basic and Essential Skills
Customer service skills generally consist of the knowledge, processes, expertise and the understanding that are needed to make customers as satisfied as possible. These skills are developed through several different avenues, including training, support and experience. There are generally two different types of these skills: people and technical. Both types of skills are equally important and good customer service is the ability to combine a good balance of both skill sets to provide the best experience possible. Join Andrew for this program as we examined his top ten basic and essential skills that every successful organization and employee focuses on with their customers.
Presenter: Andrew Sanderbeck is a respected expert presenter and consultant on customer service and the customer experience, improving workplace communication and sharpening organizational management and leadership practices. He believes that one of the fastest ways to win a customer’s loyalty and trust is to actively listen to them.
March 26: Back to Basics: Reference Skills
Are your reference skills ready for a refresh? Join us for a practical and engaging webinar designed for librarians and library staff who want to sharpen their foundational reference abilities.
This session will empower you with:
Presenter: Kira Smith has been a dedicated Virtual Reference Specialist with Florida’s Ask A Librarian service for over 15 years. A recipient of multiple Exemplary Reference Awards, Kira is passionate about guiding people to the information they need. In addition to her work in virtual reference, she freelances as a research consultant for journalists, providing expert insights and fact-finding services. Kira also regularly hosts webinars, sharing her knowledge and experience in the fields of online reference and information literacy. Her diverse background includes experience as an elementary school teacher and a certified childbirth educator, adding depth to her understanding of teaching and communication. With a love for technology, education, and travel, Kira continually seeks innovative ways to enhance learning experiences and connect with people around the world.
April 2: For Managers and Supervisors: Cultivating an Inclusive Workplace for Neurodivergent Staff
Presenter: Author, trainer, librarian, administrator, teacher, and accessibility consultant Renee Grassi is an advocate for equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in libraries, schools, and communities. As a neurodivergent librarian herself, Renee has worked in public libraries for over 17 years, developing award-winning library initiatives that welcome, support, and welcome disabled residents and their families and caregivers. Learn more at reneegrassi.com.
April 9: Focusing on Focus Groups
Are you thinking about hosting focus groups? This session is designed to equip librarians and non-profit professionals with the essential skills to conduct effective focus groups. Delve into the intricacies of gathering qualitative data and harnessing valuable insights to inform strategic decision-making.
This session will explore best practices for designing, facilitating, and analyzing focus group discussions tailored specifically for the unique needs of libraries and non-profit organizations. Whether you’re seeking to enhance community engagement, refine program offerings, or evaluate user experiences, this webinar promises to provide actionable techniques and valuable guidance to maximize the impact of your organization’s initiatives.
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. In 2008, he was President of the South Carolina Library Association.
April 16: Enhancing Your Energy and Enthusiasm
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live each day enthusiastically and energetically? Your fatigue, which is telling you something, can stem from your food choices, mindset, sleep cycle, decision making, thinking patterns, movement, grief, lack of purpose, or worry. There are simple steps you can take to bring enthusiasm and energy back to each day! As a result of this program, attendees will:
Presenter: Laura Greco, RN, MEd is a certified wellness coach and speaker who facilitates learning and changing habits. She helps professionals eliminate burnout, manage stress, create life balance, and rekindle their sense of purpose and joy. Self-care (body, mind, and spirit) is the basis for well-being and we all have the capacity to make positive lifestyle changes are 2 of her foundational beliefs. She is the author of Wellness Made Simple. For more information, please visit her website www.YouBloomWellness.com.
April 23: Managing Difficult Employee Behaviors
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!
April 30: Trauma-Informed Libraries -- What are they, why do they matter, and how do we become one?
Trauma-Informed Libraries has become a buzz word in the field and seemingly everywhere, but what exactly does it mean? In this webinar, we will take deep dive into providing easy to digest explanations of what it means to be trauma-informed, why does it matter, and simple, actionable steps that professionals working in libraries can take to implement at their libraries from small scale to large scale. Trauma and traumatic events impact approximately 90% of adults in the United States. And according to the large-scale study conducted in the late 1990s by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, traumatic events that occur in childhood otherwise known as Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impacted 64% of the study participants and that those traumatic events in childhood later impacted health outcomes for adults.
Trauma is ubiquitous, so what do we do about it? Join Bea and find out.
As a result of this program, attendees will:
Presenter: Bea Forkan is a writer and librarian based outside of Chicago. She holds a certification in ACEs through the ACE Interface company and has worked with youth and family services in the public library sector for 13 years. She has a special interest in providing services and collections that serve new parents and babies and is committed to providing services that reach marginalized populations. Outside of library work, she also runs an adventure travel company, Vacation Writing, that offers international writing retreats.
PCI (People Connect Institute) Webinars - Archived
Recorded webinars are available to staff, volunteers, board members, and Friends and Foundation members of Oregon libraries through the Oregon Library Staff Academy in the PCI Webinar section. Need access? Please use this request form and select "I would like access to: The Oregon Library Staff Academy".
From the OLA EDI and Antiracism Special Committee:
EDI Antiracism Toolkit Now Available:
PLD Director's Training Session on the EDI Antiracism Toolkit, recorded on 1/29/21 (YouTube, approximately 2 1/4 hours).
Be sure to visit the OLA EDI Antiracism Committee web page.