Format: Webinar, original date March 27, 2012
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour
In just a few short years, the Laurens County Library, in rural South Carolina, has created an impressive and well attended series of adult programs on a shoestring budget. Join us for a webinar, hosted in collaboration with WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, to learn how the library selects topics, recruits presenters, raises funds, and promotes through effective public relations practices. Find out what Laurens has done that works, what doesn't work, and learn how your adult programming can make your library a valued community hub, building awareness and increasing usage of all your services.
Presented by: Joey P. Holmes
Format: Webinar, original date June 5, 2014
Hosted by: WebJunction, the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, and Library Journal
Length: 1 hour
Library Journal's annual Best Small Library in America Award, cosponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was created in 2005 to discover and reward exemplary work by libraries serving populations under 25,000, and to showcase these best practices to provide a replicable case study for their peers. In collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries and Library Journal, we are pleased to host this webinar featuring the two most recent award winners, 2013 Best Small Library in America: Southern Area Public Library and 2014 Best Small Library in America: Pine River Library. Join us to learn how these two libraries have developed creative programming, extensive partnerships, and innovative and responsive services so they can identify, meet, and even anticipate the ever-evolving needs of their communities.
Presented by: Amy Dodson, Mary Beth Stenger, and Meredith Schwartz
Format: Webinar, original date May 27, 2015
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Think outside the book group! Libraries are re-engaging with adult readers and sharing books with them in innovative new ways and in unconventional places. From pop-up programming on planes, trains and ferries, to Books on Tap, a literary sport over local brews, jump into the programming sandbox to explore creative ideas for reaching new adult audiences and delighting the bibliophiles in your own community.
Presented by: Audrey Barbakoff
Format: Webinar, original date June 14, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
The Euphorigen Investigation is an escape room that immerses players in a world of manipulated media, social media bots, deepfakes and other forms of deception. Featuring both an online and in-person version to help patrons navigate misinformation, Euphorigen was designed by faculty, staff, and students at the University of Washington Information School in response to library staff requests for alternatives to traditional information literacy programs. In this webinar we’ll explore how the designers approach teaching about misinformation, learn how libraries are using the escape room with their patrons, and find out how to get started with the Euphorigen Investigation at your library.
Presented by: Dr. Jin Ha Lee, Chris Coward, and Tracy Ashby
Format: Webinar, original date September 14, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Bridgebuilding is an approach for promoting engagement and dialog between groups of people with different perspectives and experiences. Recognizing libraries as trusted community spaces, IREX, in collaboration with Shamichael Hallman and with support from More Perfect, created the Bridgebuilding Resource Hub to support and enhance the bridgebuilding capabilities of public libraries, to help combat rising levels of distrust and division in our communities. Join this webinar to learn about the free tools in the Bridgebuilding Resource Hub, including methods for both conducting bridging activities and programs, and for measuring their effectiveness. Public library staff who have offered programs will share their experiences, the partners that they worked with, and what they learned.
Presented by: Tara Susman-Peña, Shamichael Hallman, Matt McLain, and Seth Smith
Format: Webinar, original date July 22, 2021
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
“Justice for all” is a core American value, and yet access to legal
assistance is not guaranteed by our civil legal system. Barriers to
civil legal justice disproportionately affect low-income people in the
U.S., creating the justice gap—the
divide between the civil legal needs and the resources to meet those
needs. Many people cannot afford a lawyer and may not even realize they
need one. Public libraries are well positioned to be an access point in
bridging the justice gap, particularly programming that connects patrons
to the civil legal resources and information they need. Presenters will
share their experiences with effective and creative civil legal
programming that meets their community’s needs. Participants will gain
knowledge on how to collaborate with local organizations and explore
ways library programming can align with advancing access to justice.
Presented by: Gemma Rose, Rebecca (Becky) Hass and Brooke Doyle
Format: Webinar, original date September 26, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Discover how libraries across the country are creating their own outdoor games and interactive stories that showcase local history, landmarks, and voices. These playful activities, often designed by library staff, include texting with murals, audio tours by Black feminist historians, ghost scavenger hunts, and "I spy" quests for architecture and culture. These low-tech creations are part of a national project, Engaging Beyond Our Walls, which aims to connect libraries with their communities in innovative ways. Learn how over 50 towns and cities have already joined in, using free templates and training from the Playful City Lab of American University and the DC Public Library. Find out how these do-it-yourself tools can help libraries of all sizes tell their own stories and build stronger places. Whether you're looking for a small or big project, this webinar will provide you with inspiration, resources, and real outcomes that can catalyze community engagement.
Presented by: Benjamin Stokes and David Quick
Format: Webinar, original date December 14, 2017
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Whether you're already full steam ahead with STE(A)M programming in your library or not sure how to get started or somewhere in between, there's something for you in this webinar. Our presenters—"The Heathers"—are passionate about creating engaging and skill-building STE(A)M programs for kids from preschool age to teenage. Find out what to look for in a good program and hear their top picks for programs for each age range. Learn some tips, tricks and useful resources. Get inspired—you don’t need to be a scientist or engineer to have fun exploring and learning with the kids in your library.
Presented by: Heather Love Beverley and Heather Thompson
Format: Webinar, original date February 26, 2015
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
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!
Presented by: John Pappas and Marti Fuerst
Format: Webinar, original date August 23, 2017
Hosted by: NCompass Live, Nebraska Library Commission
Length: 1 hour
Have you ever wondered how to break up boredom for your patrons, whether they are adults, teens, tweens or families...cheap? This small town Kentucky library brings out the human-size board games, life-sized Hungry Hippos and Battleship plus more!
Presented by: Aimee Newberry and Angela Smith
Format: Webinar, original date April 19, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
The Library as Incubator Project (LAIP) promotes the library as a place to connect and create. LAIP has networked with hundreds of libraries who are working with their communities to incubate and inspire creative projects. They have talked with scores of artists, writers, makers, performers, and other creatives about how they use their libraries and how their libraries can serve them even better. In this webinar, LAIP shares program and project ideas, resources and case studies to turn your library into a creativity incubator. Take the workable, scalable programming and resource framework from LAIP and become a hub for supporting creatives of all types and skill levels in your community.
Presented by: Laura Damon-Moore
Format: Webinar, original date January 4, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Libraries can play a vital role in building social cohesion and
promoting community resilience, especially in challenging times. The Surgeon General’s 2023 Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation
brings even greater urgency to the need for us to connect. This
engaging session explores ways to intentionally design for social
connection in library services and programs, from passive to hosted.
These innovative and practical strategies can deepen engagement with
staff, trustees, local officials, volunteers, and community members of
all ages and backgrounds. Through the lens of "social connector," we explore how libraries can invite the community in with intention,
build relationships that enhance social infrastructure, put community at
the center of the library, and demonstrate the library’s impact.
Presented by: Jennifer Peterson and Brooke Doyle
Format: Webinar, original date April 25, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Strong social cohesion is a crucial factor in a community’s resilience in times of stress and disruption. Unfortunately, studies show that our communities are experiencing a steady erosion of social cohesion, pointing to an increase in loneliness, depression, and separation because of too much time spent online and too little time spent in community. Libraries have the position and the power to rebuild social bonds, offering that sense of community and shared place that humans crave. Active learning programs that bring people together for participatory, shared experiences are a boost to community strength, but they could go even further to amplify social connection and build social infrastructure. Join us as we explore library programs through the lens of social possibilities and devise strategies to be more intentional about forging stronger community bonds.
Presented by: Betha Gutsche and Jennifer Peterson
Format: Webinar, original date December 18, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Adult programming at your library can bring the community together in meaningful ways but finding the ideal program and attracting the right audience can be overwhelming. This webinar will teach you to plan events and programs from start to finish, including identifying potential partners, getting community input, and successful marketing. Learn how to deliver quality, budget-friendly programs that will bring in the crowds without reinventing the wheel. From choosing dates and times to selecting events that get results, you’ll hear practical tips on everything it takes to launch adult programs your community will love.
Presented by: Cara Romeo
Format: Webinar, original date July 11, 2019
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour
Did you know that crafts are considered to be an excellent way to work through the pressures of daily life stressors? For over a century in the United States, crafts have played an integral part in therapeutic practices. The idea of providing crafts as a creative outlet emerged during the First World War in response to the needs of the returning soldiers. More recently, research has revealed that crafts can provide a variety of tangible health benefits, such as feelings of relaxation, stress relief, a sense of accomplishment, increased happiness, reduced anxiety, and enhanced confidence.
In this webinar, presenter Kimberli Buckley will discuss how to put together an adult craft program on a budget, how to utilize crafts to promote awareness, and she will offer a wide variety and range of craft examples that will prove that crafts aren’t just for kids. Additionally, she will discuss history of crafts and the current state of the crafting world as well as the therapeutic and health benefits that crafts can provide for adults.
Presented by: Kimberli Buckley
Format: Webinar, original date July 9, 2014
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
There’s a transformation going on in libraries—a shift in emphasis from consuming information to convening and creating. Makerspaces in libraries are a big part of this conversation, where the learning and camaraderie are just as significant as tools like 3D printers. If the idea of a makerspace conjures up the hurdles for you (limited space, limited resources, or limited confidence in your own tech skills), this webinar will help you learn how to get started and grow a space in your library for creating. Together, we will debunk the hype, learn how to define your library’s scope and audience, get your board on board, and find creative partners in your community.
Presented by: Mara Siegel and Samantha Maskell
Format: Webinar, original date August 17, 2021
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour
Our communities are made up of people and their stories. And what better place is there to help tell, share, and preserve these stories than the library! Sparked by the efforts of the Keene Valley Library in New York, OurStoryBridge is a project which helps libraries capture and share the rich social and cultural history of their communities. The project has released a free toolkit of resources for library staff and volunteers to create online, three-to five- minute oral histories, a format that appeals to young and old today. The toolkit includes everything a library needs to know to start a story project, such as step by step instructions, “how-to” videos, sample documents, and a guide to help teachers engage their students in community stories. Join the creator of OurStoryBridge and staff at two libraries who have implemented the program to hear their experiences with this inspiring and impactful project and learn how your library can participate.
Presented by: Jery Y. Huntley, AJ Gooden, and Debby Carter
Format: Webinar, original date May 15, 2013
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour
- Want to start programming but don’t know where to start?
- Need help on providing quality programs on a limited budget?
This webinar will introduce the beginning program coordinator to the basic tools necessary to plan, implement and evaluate successful library programs for adult programming on a budget. From book discussions and author visits to craft programs and film screenings, this webinar is designed to help public librarians create programming that underscore the role of the public library as an important cultural, recreational and educational institution in the community.
This webinar will provide participants with ideas and samples of programs they can bring to their own library. A step-by step process and details including getting started, program types and associated costs, resources for low cost programs, and marketing and evaluating programs.
Presented by: Dana Vinke
Format: Webinar, original date January 11, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Virtually every library has patrons who are veterans, military service members, or military family members. Learn from this webinar as library staff with experience developing programming for the veteran and military communities share best practices and practical ideas for engaging veteran and military-affiliated patrons. The presenters will also share the Libraries & Veterans Toolkit, a new resource to help workers at all types of libraries garner new ideas for veteran-related exhibits, book clubs, events, collections, celebrations and more.
Presented by: Sarah LeMire, Dawn LaValle, Christy Billings, and Lee Ann Amend
Format: Webinar, original date January 20, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
The idea of circulating ‘human books’ first emerged in 2000, in Copenhagen, Denmark, as a way to help grow community understanding of the diversity of the human experience, locally and on a global level. The Human Library® model seeks to create safe spaces for dialogue where topics are discussed openly between human books and their readers. Join us to gain insights from a public and academic library using this innovative and impactful model to create meaningful community dialogue.
Presented by: Lisa Thornell, Rebecca (Becky) Hass, and Monica Powell
Format: Webinar, original date February 26, 2016
Hosted by: Big Talk from Small Libraries, Nebraska Library Commission
Length: 1 hour
Regardless of your library and town size, you can help with your adult patrons’ ongoing learning. There is a wide variety of ways in which we can accomplish this effort. Attend this workshop to learn about putting together a Lifelong Learning Lecture Series at your library – it doesn’t have to require a lot of staff time, effort, or money. Learn some tips and tricks to make it work at YOUR library.
Presented by: Meg Wempe
Format: Webinar, original date January 24, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
While libraries have enthusiastically met the challenge to positively influence kids’ and teens’ attitudes, skills, and knowledge about STEM topics, adult-centered science programs are scarce in libraries. Youth have access to many creative, engaging, hands-on programs that use informal learning to develop exploration, experimentation, and computational thinking. But why are kids having all the fun (and skill enrichment)? As citizens and voters, adults are asked to make decisions that increasingly involve complex science. Join this webinar to learn about programs that make adult science learning fun and enticing, and that get people involved in investigating their environment. Join the conversation about expanding adult learning to include identifying environmental issues, applying science-based strategies, and working together to find solutions and take action for their communities.
Presented by: Betha Gutsche, Ash Kunz and Vivienne Byrd
Format: Webinar, original date January 23, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Libraries have long been at the forefront of providing community access to new technologies. Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) are now finding a place in library programming and services, engaging with communities in truly innovative ways. Two Maryland libraries are building their programming with straightforward approaches to community discovery and local partnerships. Join us to hear creative ideas for how to get started using VR/AR/MR at your library, as well as practical tips about applications, equipment and potential uses to meet your community’s needs.
Presented by: Jen Bishop and Liz Sundermann-Zinger
Format: Webinar, original date July 28, 2020
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour
Closed buildings and social distancing doesn’t need to mean the end of engaging and fun board game groups hosted by libraries. Many libraries have worked hard to organize board game groups, while others are still considering how to get started. Using popular and free online board gaming platforms (Board Game Arena, Yucata, Tabletopia, Tabletop Simulator, and Boitejeux), communities of gamers can continue meeting safely online. This webinar will explore how to make the transition to online board gaming, moderate meetups, and facilitate discussions among participants. The session will be applicable to those looking to move online and anyone interested in starting their first gaming group.
Presented by: John Pappas and Bebo
