WebJunction Course Catalog

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: WebJunction
Length: 1.5 hours

About this course: This course was created to complement the seven-course Digital Collections Stewardship series, and to encourage learners to consider how the collections they create do or do not represent the full range of people, groups and organizations in their communities. We recommend taking this course between 1: Introduction and 2: Preparing, though we think you will find it helpful at any point.

Overview
As you develop a digital collection, it’s important to pause and take stock of narratives that might have been left out of the popular stories in your community. To best represent the many voices and narratives of your community in your digital collections, you’ll need to build and sustain respectful relationships that focus on mutual support and trust. This course describes approaches that have proven successful for other libraries, archives, and museums, and illuminates a path forward to build collections that center the voices of many different communities.

Learning objectives
After successfully completing this course, you'll be able to:

• Describe and plan for a community-centered approach to collections.
• Identify missing voices and stories from your collections.
• Build your network so you can identify and connect with communities not represented or served by your collections.
• Engage in respectful collaboration with communities to build community-centered digital collections.
• Build and maintain trust and engagement with communities to sustain collaborations.

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: the Idaho Commission for Libraries
Length: 1.5 hours

Please note: we are continuing to offer the four ABLE cataloging courses with updated functionality, because despite their age, they still offer a level of detail in teaching the work of cataloging that new catalogers find helpful. Course completion will now automatically generate a certificate of completion, here in the WebJunction Catalog.

If you are interested in an introduction to library cataloging aimed at a more general library staff audience, we recommend the coming LiFT course series.

Course Objectives
In this unit, you will learn:

• The workflow for technical services and acquisitions
• Creating a cataloging record
• The purpose of cataloging records
• General information of cataloging records and types of entries
• Descriptive information and the format of catalog records
• Sources for cataloging information

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: the Idaho Commission for Libraries
Length: 2 hours

Please note: we are continuing to offer the four ABLE cataloging courses with updated functionality, because despite their age, they still offer a level of detail in teaching the work of cataloging that new catalogers find helpful. Course completion will now automatically generate a certificate of completion, here in the WebJunction Catalog.

If you are interested in an introduction to library cataloging aimed at a more general library staff audience, we recommend the coming LiFT course series.

Course Objectives
In this unit, you will learn about:

• The purpose of classification
• The organization of the Dewey Decimal Classification system
• The basic steps for classification of an item
• How to use Dewey Decimal Classification
• How to create a complete call number
  
  

Format: Webinar, original date June 22, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

A healthy and effective workplace often stems from strong leadership. For supervisors, it’s important to develop a team of individuals who work well together, do what needs to be done, and help each other succeed. Join us for a dynamic session to learn what it means to develop a healthy organizational culture, with an introduction to the concept of organizational citizenship behavior and its relevance to public libraries. You’ll learn techniques to build and support a team that is willing and able to go above and beyond, and to help your library succeed.

Presented by: Rachel G. Rubin

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: LibraryU, a program of the Illinois State Library and the regional library systems
Length: 1 hour

This course is designed for teachers, librarians, and parents who are helping beginning readers choose books to read. As professionals we can fine tune this process before it begins, eliminate much of the frustration, and offer the learner appropriate choices that will get them into actually READING books while they still want to, and not after they're too tired to even care anymore! It is based on the Reading Recovery Teacher training in which teachers learn how an appropriate book choice for each daily lesson encourages successful reading. Reading Recovery is a program for early intervention for 1st graders who are at-risk in the area of literacy.

This course will help you:

• Identify the interests and curiosities of a young reader by topics, authors and favorites
• Assess the reader's reading level for appropriate choices
• Choose books by looking at format, structure and language
• Introduce a book to a reader to help ensure reading success
• Become aware of different types of reading for varying difficulties and fluencies

Format: Webinar, original date June 12, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Transformation happens when a library reimagines and reconfigures its physical space so that community engagement shifts from passive to active. The fifteen libraries that participated in the Small Libraries Create Smart Spaces project are dynamic proof of that. They learned and applied principles of active learning, placemaking and design thinking to create “smart spaces” where the community learns and creates together and strengthens social bonds. In this webinar, we’ll describe an innovative process that any size of library can follow to uncover community needs and translate those needs into flexible lively learning space. Hear about the real experiences of two project participants who transformed drab, underused spaces into hubs of activity and energy. It can happen at your library.

Presented by: Betha Gutsche, Brianna Hoffman, Jennifer Trail and Melanie Morgan

Format: Webinar, original date November 15, 2016
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

• Have you thought about what to do in an active shooter situation?
• Have you identified the most vulnerable areas in your library?
• Do you know where to go for resources to create an active shooter procedure?

Join North Dakota State Librarian Mary Soucie as she discusses what should be included in an active shooter procedure, including an emergency & disaster plan, communication plan and evacuation plan. Additionally she will cover how to respond (run, hide, fight), and what you need to be aware of to prepare for this situation.

Presented by: Mary Soucie

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 August 9, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length:1 hour 30 minutes

Join this webinar to explore the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and applications for libraries. Learn about AI fundamentals, its relevance to libraries of all sizes and types, and how it can enhance services and engage communities. Discover various uses of AI, such as data analysis and service development, and gain practical tips on integrating AI using affordable and accessible tools. Ethical considerations and challenges associated with AI implementation will also be discussed, including privacy, security, and bias mitigation. Don't miss this chance to expand your knowledge, improve library services, and enable communities to benefit from the latest AI advancements.

Presented by: Linda W Braun, Juan Rubio and Dianne Connery

Format: Self-paced course
Developed by: WebJunction, IREX, and the Urban Libraries Council
Length: 2.5 hours

Overview:
This introductory course teaches you about "bridgebuilding" (also called bridging).  It’s about bringing different kinds of people together with respect and understanding. Bridging helps build trust and work toward shared goals. Over time, it can strengthen communities and create a more welcoming, connected society.

You’ll learn about reaching new people, building trust, creating belonging, and facilitating connection at your library. As an introductory course, it provides a high-level overview of these concepts, paired with concrete examples along the way. 

Learning objectives:
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Explain what bridgebuilding is and why it matters.  
• Identify moments in your everyday work where bridgebuilding can happen. 
• Explore ways to build trust, belonging, facilitation, and outreach into your work.
• Create a simple plan to strengthen and track bridgebuilding efforts in your library. 
• Find resources to keep growing your bridgebuilding skills. 

This course contains AI-generated audio (text-to-speech).

Format: Webinar, original date September 3, 2014
Hosted by: Infopeople, an ELF 2.0 Webinar
Length: 1 hour

• What do library staff need to know about the basic developmental tasks of early childhood?
• How can we use this developmental knowledge to help us more effectively interact with family members in supportive and constructive ways?

This webinar will build upon and expand the conversation begun with our April 10, 2014 webinar, also given by Dr. Hornstein and entitled Foundations of Early Childhood Development: It's All About Relationships. In this second webinar we will review the basic tenets of child development from the Touchpoints perspective - identifying the major developmental tasks of infants, toddlers and preschoolers within the context of their relationships and culture. The discontinuous nature of this developmental process will also be explored. We will then examine how library staff can respond to families by focusing on parent-child relationships, and supporting parental mastery as might occur in various library-based scenarios.

Presented by: John Hornstein

Format: Webinar, original date August 13, 2015
Hosted by: WebJunction and Public Library Association
Length: 1.5 hours

This webinar highlights free, newly revised downloadable materials for public libraries distilled from landmark advocacy and awareness-building programs. Learn about two resources: updated curriculum from Turning the Page including tools, worksheets and training materials you can adapt locally to grow your team’s advocacy knowledge and abilities; and a new online guide that walks through each step of planning and carrying out a local library awareness campaign modeled after Geek the Library. Hear from library leaders who have put these ideas to work to build advocacy know-how, increase staff confidence, and engage more deeply with the community. Whether you are looking to get started, or seeking to maintain momentum following a recent advocacy effort, join us to discuss strategies to take your library to the next level.

Presented by: Lance Werner, Cathay Keough, Ava Ehde, Barbara McGary, Julie Meredith, and Mary Lou Carolan

Format: Webinar, original date March 21, 2012
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

What is the use of a library if nobody comes? Or worse, what if they come but don’t come back?

Libraries offer a compelling set of resources and services to meet the needs of their communities. But old service models often focus on the needs of the library first, and the user second.

Retail establishments such as bookstores, coffee shops, information services, computing services, and purveyors of e-readers are all encroaching on the library’s core user base by replicating services traditionally associated with libraries. They really know what they’re doing, and we can, too!

Consumer research has shown repeatedly that understanding user needs and cultivating good customer relationships is key to the success of the modern organization. Creating a customer-focused library enables staff to know their users and meet their needs. A customer-focused library means more users, engaged staff, and a satisfying relationship with your community.

Presented by: Gretel Stock-Kupperman

Format: Webinar, original date June 23, 2015
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

It's time to take a fresh look at ideas for raising funds for your library. Although book sales have been a standard library fundraiser, they take a lot of time and effort, with dwindling returns on investment in recent years. Whether considering new types of events or tried-and-true activities, you’ll learn the "12 Must-Know Facts About Fundraising." Find out how to assess your library’s capacity for fundraising, enlist the right volunteers, engage the community, and create a sustainable plan to boost your library’s bottom line and raise visibility. With this strong foundation, libraries of any size can move into new directions to grow support for their libraries.

Presented by: Sue Hall

Format: Webinar, June 11, 2026
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

This webinar introduces practical nonfiction readers' advisory skills, including how to conduct an effective readers' advisory interview. We’ll explore strategies for recommending nonfiction titles and learn how to translate fiction reader preferences—such as genre, tone, pacing, and themes—into engaging nonfiction suggestions. Ideal for staff who want to feel more confident helping readers cross the fiction–nonfiction divide.

Presented by: Jessica Curtis, SearchOhio Coordinator, Adult Services, Westerville Public Library 

Format: Webinar, original date November 17, 2015
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

• Do you want a more in-depth understanding of the true needs of your community?
• Are you interested in learning easy ways to get valuable input and advice from your staff or public by conducting focus groups and interviews?
• Would like to learn how to communicate the library story using meaningful examples to make your case and get results?

During this one-hour webinar, you will learn the four steps involved in focus groups and interviews. You’ll discover how to clearly define the goal or purpose, how to select participants, and how to successfully conduct the focus group or interviews. We’ll also discuss how to analyze and synthesize the data to create valuable results that you can package and deliver in meaningful and useful ways.

We will show you how to be successful whether conducting interviews and focus groups in-person or online. If you are planning training for your staff, working on a strategic plan, gathering expert knowledge to solve a problem, or gathering stories to influence politicians and decision-makers, this is the webinar for you!

Presented by: Stephanie Gerding and Brenda Hough

Format: Webinar, original date November 18, 2025
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Think you need a big budget to build an engaging after-school program? Think again! In this session, discover how one librarian launched a thriving after-school program from the ground up with less than $100 a year. Serving a low-income community, this initiative brought in everything from coding and cooking classes to therapy animals, photography, sewing, music, and career exploration… all at little to no cost. Learn how to tap into community partnerships, think outside the box, and turn your library into the go-to after-school hub for enrichment, creativity, and connection. Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your existing offerings, you’ll leave with ready-to-use ideas, tips for finding hidden resources, and inspiration to create long-lasting partnerships.

Presented by: Chelsea Price, Library Director, Meservey Public Library 

Format: Webinar, original date May 24, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Across the United States, there are increased reports of book challenges from community members, which have led to very public and heated discussions. As public library leaders and staff consider how to prepare for similar local challenges, being proactive about developing and sharing policies and procedures can help to create clarity and establish expectations around responses to book challenges. This preparation may also include engaging stakeholders, partners, and supporters around the value and essential need for intellectual freedom in the library. Join this discussion with panelists who are working through these issues in their communities, to learn about the resources they have found useful, and their suggestions for getting started.

Presented by: Amanda Vazquez, Amber McLain, Brianna Hoffman, and Jennifer Pearson

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 April 20, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Access to the internet through broadband connections has become a critical service in libraries, allowing staff and patrons to learn, connect and grow. But libraries with limited support for information technology (IT) may be challenged with how to assess broadband and related technologies to keep these services up to date. Join this session to learn how to use the Toward Gigabit Libraries toolkit―a free, self-service guide created to help libraries understand and improve their IT capacities and broadband resources. The toolkit can help staff better articulate the library’s needs to leadership, policy makers, and broadband service providers, in order to improve on digitally serving the community and planning for the future.

Presented by: Stephanie Stenberg and Carson Block

Format: Webinar, original date August 24, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

The most innovative workplaces embrace learning as an essential activity for their employees. Since libraries are dedicated learning places in our communities, it is crucial that we practice learning intentionally and internally. But where do we begin? Learning is not one-size-fits-all for individuals or for organizations. This webinar, for all library staff, from front line to administration, encourages a broad approach to creating organizational learning structures. Learn how libraries of all sizes can map learning strategies to highlight the most impactful opportunities for staff.

Presented by: Jami Munk Carter

Format: Webinar, original date May 24, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

Libraries that cultivate a culture of learning encourage their staff to participate in continuing education. But shouldn't this learning culture also extend to library boards? At the State Library of Iowa, we say yes! Trustees can and should play a key role in fostering a culture of learning at their libraries—beginning with themselves. When library boards embrace a learning culture, they become more receptive to supporting continuing education, in policy, planning, and budgeting. This webinar presents ideas for growing board learning into a blossoming culture that motivates board members to see education and training as a natural part of their trusteeship.

Presented by: Bonnie McKewon

Format: Webinar, original date January 15, 2013
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

What does an ice cream sundae have to do with library partnerships? Let's pretend that your community organizations (school, academic, public and special libraries, and other local organizations) are your favorite kind of ice cream. Now let's ladle your favorite toppings over the ice cream to represent the organizations resources, programs, personnel and funding. How can the ice cream "mix" with the toppings to be the most luscious dessert possible for the most people? When community organizations collaborate to share their resources with one another, they make the biggest possible impact on the most lives. Learn easy, understandable and powerful strategies that will give you renewed energy to create bold and imaginative collaborations among all types of community organizations.

Presented by: Kathy Jacobs

Format: Webinar, original date November 21, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Climate change and its impacts on the health of our environment and communities are pressing concerns that can feel daunting. Where can you find the resources and partnerships to tackle these unique challenges? Join us to hear from public libraries and their partners who are championing community resilience in the face of climate change. You'll gain valuable insights, resources, and inspiration to empower your community and drive meaningful change. Together, we can build a more sustainable future.

Format: Webinar, August 12, 2025
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Craft programs in libraries can create space for fostering social connection in addition to participating in art projects. In this webinar, explore practical strategies to encourage interaction among participants and build shared learning experiences in your existing programming. Learn how to design activities that enable people to express their talents and encourage them to step into leadership roles to help each other succeed. Gain ideas for programs that incorporate inexpensive process art techniques for intergenerational attendees. This session will provide actionable insights and examples to help library staff integrate intentional community-building into craft programs.  

Presented by: Lissa Staley, Community Connections Librarian, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

Format: Webinar, original date March 31, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction and ALA's Learning Round Table
Length: 1 hour

As our profession transforms and our work changes, nurturing skillful and competent supervisors has become a priority for all types of libraries. Rising to the challenge, many people are creating and offering learning and development programs in their libraries. Whether we hire outside consultants or create in-house programs, we could all benefit from knowing the best practices. Let’s learn together about the most effective and low-cost options for supervisor development programs, and how to strategically promote implementation of those programs in our organizations. And let’s explore how we might motivate our supervisors to fully benefit from their learning.

Learn by example as we hear about successful programs implemented in a variety of library settings. We’ll explore several examples to identify successful models, the underlying drivers or needs, challenges faced, and opportunities for improvement in each. We’ll also learn about how specific organizations have assessed supervisor training outcomes, and the metrics used to quantify success. Finally, hear what these library organizations would do differently if they had to do it all again.

Presenters: Heather Sostrom and Melanie Hawks

Format: Webinar, original date May 22, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

In 2023, Brooklyn Public Library launched a research project to collect and study cardholder signup policies from public libraries across the nation. The project aims to identify the range of policies and procedures which govern cardholder access as well as the rationale used for establishing these policies. Research findings have been summarized in a report made available to the library field beginning spring 2024. Join us for a discussion about the inspiration for this study, how the research was conducted, and key findings and takeaways using data from more than 1,800 public libraries across the United States.  

Presented by: Amy Mikel and Emily Thomas

Format: Self-paced course
Developed by: WebJunction and Project VOICE
Length: 10-30 hours

Centering Community VOICE is based on an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant, Project VOICE (Value-sensitive design of Outcomes Informing Community Engagement). The course presents and details a social justice, outcomes-based planning and assessment approach for public library outreach work for children and families that was developed in partnership with twenty library practitioners conducting outreach in diverse communities across the United States. The course provides hands-on assistance for library staff who want to better support young children (ages zero to eight) and their families from underserved communities.

This course will help you:

• apply a social justice approach that focuses on equity, engagement, and empowerment to your outreach work with underserved children and families.

• use a collaborative process to design outreach programs and services that center the community and their values in the work you do; and

• implement an assessment plan–a critical stage in outreach program development–to provide you with valuable insights into the work you are doing to support families out in your community.

There are two pathways for working through the content depending on the level of engagement you would like: a basic certificate (10 hours) and an advanced certificate (30 hours). 

Format: Webinar, original date January 10, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Librarians have the power to make Wikipedia better and more reliable. Once you understand how this collaborative, community-driven encyclopedia works, you’ll see the value of contributing your expertise and knowledge. Wikipedia Library’s annual #1lib1ref (“One Librarian, One Reference”) campaign provides a simple and fun way to get started. This global initiative invites all library staff to improve the verifiability of information on Wikipedia by adding at least one reference during the campaign, which runs from January 15 through February 3, 2018.

During this webinar, Monika Sengul-Jones, OCLC Wikipedian-in-Residence, will illuminate the inner workings of Wikipedia to build your confidence in its viability as a resource. Emily Jack, community engagement librarian at UNC Chapel Hill Libraries, will share what library staff love about participating in #1lib1ref—and why engaging with Wikipedia makes sense for libraries. Learn how you can participate in #1lib1ref, confidently add a citation to Wikipedia and connect with other librarians who are motivated to contribute to this popular resource used by information-seekers around the world. Join the community of librarians who Wikipedia!

Presented by: Monika Sengul-Jones and Emily Jack

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: WebJunction, in collaboration with Legal Services Corporation
Length: 2 hours

Overview

In the four lessons of this course you will learn about the civil legal justice gap in the United States, the complexities of our legal systems and procedures, the role that public libraries can play by providing access to legal information and resources to their communities, and how to provide that information without straying into the prohibited activity of offering legal advice.

Learning Objectives
Learners successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Describe the scope and impact of the civil legal justice gap and the role public libraries can play in addressing it 
• Provide appropriate legal information to patrons while recognizing and avoiding crossing the line into legal advice
• Describe the 51 US legal systems, three types of primary law, and the distinction between civil and criminal legal issues

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: WebJunction, in collaboration with Legal Services Corporation
Length: 2 hours

Overview
In this course you will learn about the range of legal assistance options, how to find the providers who are available in your location, and finally how you might go about partnering with them to better serve your community's civil legal needs.

Learning Objectives
Learners successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Describe the range of legal assistance options that might be available to individuals experiencing civil legal issues
• Provide a legal referral appropriate to the patron’s situation and circumstances
• Identify and establish positive relationships with organizations offering legal aid, information, and referrals to individuals in your location

Format: Webinar, original date February 11, 2020
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

The lofty U.S. ideal of "justice for all" fails the equity test because many people, especially our nation’s poorest individuals, fall into the "justice gap"—the divide between the civil legal needs of low-income people and the resources to meet those needs. Many of your community members who instinctively turn to the library for help with crises in their lives might be on the verge of falling into this gap. Though legal issues can be intimidating for library staff, public libraries are well positioned to help reduce the justice gap. Join us to learn about the status of civil legal justice in our system and about the vital role you can play in connecting people with information and supporting them as they navigate the complexities of the legal system. Law librarian Catherine McGuire, who has conducted extensive trainings with public libraries, will share insights into interacting with patrons who approach the library with civil legal needs. With a basic understanding of the civil legal justice landscape, we hope you will be motivated to plunge deeper into helping close the justice gap by taking the live, multi-week online course to be offered in April.

Presented by: Catherine McGuire, Luis Interiano, and Betha Gutsche

Format: Webinar, original date April 18, 2017
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

To "choose civility" means to celebrate diversity and choose respect, compassion, empathy, and inclusiveness when interacting with others. Civility is the healing power we need to counteract the divisive, fragmented forces that seem to be undermining our social fabric. Since 2006, Howard County Library System (MD) has been leading the way toward community connectedness with their Choose Civility initiative. They, along with library systems across the country, invite you to join the movement to nurture civility in your own community. Learn how kindness creates communities, how to challenge stereotypes effectively, and cultivate random acts of civility. Find opportunities to implement Choose Civility to enhance internal and external customer service, develop partnerships and community support, and create a more connected community of people who will #choose2Bkind. Let’s see civility go viral in 2017.

Presented by: Valerie Gross, Christie Lassen and Sonya Durney

Format: Webinar, original date September 26, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction and Sustainable Libraries Initiative
Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

Format: Webinar, original date October 3, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction and Sustainable Libraries Initiative
Length: 1 hour 30 minutes

Format: Webinar, original date July 19, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Computer programming, or coding, is a digital literacy skill that has become as important as reading and writing. Learning to code builds rational thinking and problem-solving skills, providing powerful tools that transfer to other subjects and create lifelong learners. Libraries have stepped up to help everyone learn the basics of coding - preschoolers, elementary school kids, tweens, teens, young adults, mid-career professionals, and retirees. In this webinar, learn why coding is important for everyone. Hear examples of informal and facilitated learning approaches, resources and best practices for library coding programs for a variety of audiences. And the best news is that you don’t need any specialized training in computer programming yourself to run a successful program!

Presented by: Kelly Smith

Format: Webinar, original date January 28, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1.5 hours

In this interactive session, we will explore what it means to provide inclusive outreach to and engagement with members of your local community. How do you identify the needs of the diverse communities your library is serving? What are effective approaches for community engagement, and how do you apply what you learn along the way to improve your practice? Come prepared with a challenge or opportunity from your own community that you would like to workshop with your peers during the webinar. You will also leave with a framework and action plan for cultivating partnerships for successful community engagement.

Presented by: CiKeithia Pugh, Hayden Bass, and Rekha Kuver

Format: Webinar, original date September 15, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

You want to serve your community equitably and well, but you have endless possibilities and finite resources. How do you know which direction to go? Community-led planning is a strategy that invites community participation in service design and implementation by sharing power. Whether you’re creating a system-wide strategic plan, a single program, or anything in between, using community-led planning techniques can set you up for outstanding success. Discover the results of new research into how libraries can become more equitably community led. Then learn how to apply these concepts to create highly relevant, inclusive services for—and, more importantly, with—your community.

Presented by: Audrey Barbakoff

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed with: Funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Length: 1.5 hours

In this course, you'll apply strategies to mitigate the unsettling aspects of change. You'll also learn skills to help you cope with change and capitalize on it.

Course Objectives:

• Describe what change is
• Learn how to cope with change
• Incorporate and capitalize in the midst of change

Course Design: Katherine Adelberg, Maurice Coleman, Katie Fearer, Stephanie Zimmerman

Format: Webinar, original date March 27, 2019
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

Presented by: Kim Crowder

Format: Webinar, original date November 18, 2015
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

The immortal Kurt Vonnegut said, "The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries." In this webinar, you can discover at least three ways to shift your library from good enough to unexpectedly amazing, and to take your community's image of the public library to new heights. Locate your library's first impressions, displays, customer service, policies and more on the "Yes-O-Meter" and understand how to move from "No" or "Yes, but..." to a powerful culture of "Yes, and!" The insights you gain for shifting your library culture will invigorate the relationships between your staff and with your community.

Presented by: Sharon Morris and Kieran Hixon

Format: Webinar, original date March 22, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Broadly defined, restorative justice is an approach to repairing and addressing harm done within a community. Related to this approach, restorative practices provide proactive ways to build the relationships that can help to address and repair some of that harm done. Oak Park Public Library is using restorative practices to better serve both community and staff. In this session, you’ll learn about restorative justice and restorative practices, and how these practices can guide a powerful shift in communities and within an organizational culture. The webinar will have actionable strategies you can start practicing immediately, as well as methods for you to build buy-in from your organization as you get started on this impactful work.

Presented by: Stephen Jackson and Tatiana Swancy

Format: Webinar, original date March 31, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction and ALA's Learning Round Table
Length: 1 hour

As our profession transforms and our work changes, nurturing skillful and competent supervisors has become a priority for all types of libraries. Rising to the challenge, many people are creating and offering learning and development programs in their libraries. Whether we hire outside consultants or create in-house programs, we could all benefit from knowing the best practices. Let’s learn together about the most effective and low-cost options for supervisor development programs, and how to strategically promote implementation of those programs in our organizations. And let’s explore how we might motivate our supervisors to fully benefit from their learning.

Why is supervisor development so important in libraries? What are the best practices and techniques being used right now? Learn from a select group of consultants, trainers, and training coordinators about how they have addressed these questions!

This first session explores best practices for providing supervisor training in libraries. You’ll learn about effective road-tested delivery methods and strategies to help you discover those most appropriate for your library or consortium members.

Presenter: Jerilyn Veldof

Format: Webinar, original date June 12, 2014
Hosted by: Infopeople, an ELF 2.0 Webinar
Length: 1 hour

• Struggling to infuse creativity into a cramped, quiet or quirky space?
• Tired of following powerful literature with cookie cutter crafts?
• Confounded by events attended by children 2 to 18 years old?
• Think you have to be an artist to engage children in the arts?

As an institution, the library has the power to teach families the joy and meaning derived from the creative process. Yet, too often, after a powerful story, we shut down the opportunity for authentic, individual responses by asking children to mass produce popsicle stick protagonists or glue soaked story props.

Library staff and parents often feel inadequate as artists and pass along their hang ups by safety proofing crafts or spending loads of money for professional artists to lead the workshop. In this webinar, we will rethink what it means to engage children and their families in creativity as we explore play based and process art. You will leave with very concrete ideas about designing a space and an approach that nurtures the artist in each child. As the sole access point to the arts for many families, libraries are a key force in ensuring every child can engage with the world as a creator.

Presented by: Bridget Alexander

Format: Webinar, original date December 6, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction and Library Journal
Length: 1 hour

Opening in 2014, the Free Library of Philadelphia's Culinary Literacy Center offered the country's first commercial-grade kitchen classroom in a library. It is revolutionizing the way Philadelphians think about food, nutrition, and literacy. The Center reaches to every corner of the community. It teaches math and science to kids through measuring and mixing, builds English language skills and nutrition education for non-native speakers, empowers adults with disabilities to cook with confidence, and much more. Hear how this innovative idea was transformed into reality through strategic community partnerships and institutional support. Learn how your library can start teaching community residents everything from butchering a goat to making a vegan stew, boosting literacy and nutritional health for all.

Presented by: Liz Fitzgerald

Format: Webinar, original date July 17, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Cultural humility offers a renewing and transformative framework for navigating interpersonal interactions in libraries, whether between patrons and staff or staff members with one another. But what is cultural humility, and what does it look like in practice? Join the editors of Hopeful visions, practical actions: Cultural humility in library work, (ALA Editions 2023) as they define and explore the concept of cultural humility, its strengths and limitations, and strategies for applying more inclusive practices to library customer service, policies, and collection development.

Presented by: David A. Hurley, Sarah R. Kostelecky, and Lori Townsend

Format: Webinar, original date June 18, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Storytelling is a vital strategy for communicating impact and justifying future investments. Powerful and effective stories allow us to create a roadmap that weaves together information and emotion. This webinar will provide an orientation to storytelling that centers cultural humility while leveraging storytelling dynamics, including how to practice and refine an impactful story with a live audience. Participants will learn the techniques of story construction based on three classic narrative structures, with roots in folklore and narratology, and explore examples of data stories told by and about libraries. This is an opportunity to build confidence in the ability to recognize and craft a meaningful and memorable story.

Format: Webinar, original date January 17, 2018
Hosted by: NCompass Live, Nebraska Library Commission
Length: 1 hour

View this session to learn how to create eye-catching displays based on upcoming events or popular topics. You may be surprised when you see how using this passive programming technique will increase circulation of your library materials.

Presenter: Denise Harders

Format: Self-paced course
Developed by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Public libraries strive to be safe and welcoming spaces, but challenging situations can arise. By demonstrating empathy and de-escalating conflicts, library staff can create a positive and inclusive environment. This course teaches how to handle difficult situations calmly and effectively, ensuring the well-being of staff and patrons.

Course objectives:

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to:

• Identify common challenges faced by library staff in their daily interactions with patrons.
• Apply strategies to manage these challenges calmly and respectfully.
• Demonstrate effective communication techniques that prioritize the well-being of staff, colleagues, and patrons.
• Develop personal resilience and stress-management skills to maintain professionalism in challenging situations.
• Cultivate a supportive work environment that enhances team and patron satisfaction.

Course credits:

• Project support: OCLC and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (project number ODIS-246644-ODIS-20).
• Subject matter expert: Kate Hall, co-author of The Public Library Director's Toolkit and The Public Library Director's HR Toolkit www.librarydirectorstoolkit.com/. 

Format: Webinar, original date August 14, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction and OCLC Research
Length: 1 hour

You know what you want to know and how to ask the right questions. Now what? This session will delve into assessment tools and data collection methods—and how to choose the method that works best for you. You also will learn how to analyze your data and turn it into information your library can use. Don’t worry if using qualitative and quantitative data is new to you. You’ll gain the insight you need to use both with confidence.

This webinar is the second in a three-part series bringing together research and practice from across library sectors, covering the ins and outs of creating, and implementing assessments that provide insightful, actionable data. #libdata4impact

Presented by: Linda Hofschire and Lynn Silipigni Connaway

Format: Webinar, original date April 26, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Digital collections at your library can preserve local histories and artifacts at risk of being lost. They offer an opportunity to represent the diversity of stories and voices in your community likely missing from your physical collection. But they are resource-intensive, requiring new skills, technology, and an ongoing commitment to maintain them. Understanding the full lifecycle of digital stewardship is critical to successfully providing digital collections. In this webinar, practitioners will share how their digital collections have enabled their community members to connect with unique histories and cultures, increase appreciation of local history, and foster connections across generations. You’ll also learn about WebJunction’s free Digital Collections Stewardship course series, which will guide you through the lifecycle of digital stewardship from planning and gathering to saving and sharing digital collections—wherever your starting point is.

Presented by: Amanda McLaren, Dale Musselman, Selena Ortega-Chiolero, and Mercy Procaccini

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: WebJunction, in collaboration with Washington State University’s Center for Digital Curation and Scholarship
Length: 1.5 hours

Overview
Describes the importance of preparing for digital collections stewardship, and the key steps to preparation. Leads you through defining digital stewardship goals for your institution and community and helps you to identify and/or create the library policies and other documentation you’ll need to guide the work. This course will then take you through initial planning questions as you define a digital collection project and how you will accomplish it.

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Describe key steps needed to prepare for digital stewardship
• Document your institutional and community goals for digital stewardship and document them with a Digital Stewardship Purpose Statement
• Identify key policies, forms, and documentation that support digital stewardship, and when to use them
• Identify any initial resourcing, staffing, and stakeholder needs for digital stewardship work

dcs02

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: WebJunction, in collaboration with Washington State University’s Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation
Length: 2 hours

Overview
While digitization is only one of the ways to gather items for digital collections, it is central to the kinds of digital collections most institutions wish to create, and the method most people think of first. It also tends to be the costliest and most labor intensive, requiring specialized skills and knowledge. The various kinds of physical and analog items you might digitize require different technical processes, specifications, skills, and equipment to create the digital objects for your collection.

Learning Objectives:
After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Describe what digitization is and entails to your staff and community
• Understand the processes, technologies and skills involved in common digitization tasks
• Identify digitization technology or resources you will need to digitize your items
• Make decisions regarding the three basic strategies to accomplishing digitization work
• Plan for digitization and document relevant processes and workflows

_dcs04

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed by: WebJunction, in collaboration with Washington State University’s Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation
Length: 1 hour

Overview
In this course, we’ll take a closer look at the options for storing digital content and preserving it for the long-term. The focus here is on the preservation files that were created during digitization or received from other sources. Digital preservation work is ongoing and requires a considerable investment of time and resources. In this course, we'll focus on the tools and information you need to get started with the basics of preserving digital files for the long-term.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion, you will be able to:

• Describe the importance of, and resources required for digital preservation.
• Select archival storage options for your preservation files.
• Identify the tools or software needed for digital preservation.
• Begin to plan for maintaining long-term file integrity and access.
• Collaborate with your technical team to choose and implement preservation solutions.
• Begin drafting a digital preservation plan for your institution.

_dcs06

Format: Webinar, original date May 18, 2016
Hosted by: TechSoup
Length: 1 hour

Does your library offer technology assistance to older adults? Do you teach computer classes for seniors? Are patrons bringing in tablets and other devices that have been given to them by grandchildren? Recent research from the Pew Institute shows that only 59% of older adults go online. New technologies can be difficult to learn, and older adults may not understand the benefits of using technology. But libraries can help older adults adopt technology in meaningful ways for communication, lifelong learning, and entertainment.

Join us for this free webinar to learn how your library can help older adults learn to use new technologies. You will hear from the St. Mary's County Library (Maryland), which is providing older adults with effective training and technology assistance. This library will share examples of successful programming, as well as tips for working with older adults. You will also learn about TechBoomers, a free website that offers technology training tutorials developed specifically for older adults. Come hear examples of how this site is being used by libraries to supplement programs and services, and to help increase staff’s confidence in being able to help patrons.

Presented by: Steve Black and Kathy Faubion

Format: Webinar, original date July 30, 2025
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

The Library Foundational Training (LiFT) courses build on the popular ABLE (Alternative Basic Library Education) curriculum while introducing fresh content and innovative learning approaches. This webinar offers an overview of the Collection Management series, the first series of the LiFT courses. Understand the findings from WebJunction's surveys of the field regarding core library skill needs; become familiar with topics in the LiFT Collection Management courses and how they address core foundational skills; and learn how to create a staff development plan using the LiFT courses. Join this webinar to find out how the Collection Management LiFT courses can be used to empower staff and enhance library services. 

This webinar is designed for public library staff—from front-line workers to directors and managers, state library continuing education staff, and anyone involved in staff training or in collection development. 

Presented by:

• Annie Gaines, CE Consultant, Idaho Commission for Libraries
• Brooke Doyle, Program Manager, WebJunction

Format: Webinar, original date June 15, 2021
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

The growing research and library case studies on the benefits of eliminating overdue fines indicate that the advantages to both library and patron far exceed the monetary value of the fines. This webinar explores going (and staying) fine-free as a social justice issue and as a revenue issue. Presenters will discuss considerations such as the barriers to access for those facing financial insecurity, the cost to collect fines often exceeds the revenue they bring in, and that many libraries report that patrons return more items after going fine-free.

Presented by: Mark Fink and Peter Bromberg

Format: Webinar, original date July 25, 2018
Hosted by: NCompass Live, Nebraska Library Commission
Length: 1 hour

Is your library prepared for disaster? Find out what you need to know at this introduction to disaster planning. During this session, we will discuss the following:

• Identify, anticipate and avoid preventable emergencies
• Plan for emergency response for staff and patrons
• Suggest ways to prevent destruction and protect collections
• Consider mitigating damage when an emergency occurs so that disaster is avoided or minimized
• Establish guidelines for managing disaster salvage and recovery

Presenter: Michael Straatmann

Format: Webinar, original date July 7, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

In the U.S., there are 43 million adults–nearly one in five–who read below a third-grade level, and over half of all adults read below a sixth-grade level (National Action Plan for Adult Literacy, 2021). Low levels in literacy can impact many aspects of daily life including the ability to find and maintain employment, navigate health care needs, and complete government forms. This webinar will explore the characteristics of adults with low literacy levels and how they differ from those of adults with learning disabilities, including how and why each of these groups approaches reading. Learn about the importance and value of developing literacy skills, as well as strategies for library staff on how to identify when someone may need literacy support, how to broach the subject with a patron, and ways to suggest materials and resources to reluctant adults who may be struggling with literacy. 

Presented by: Katharine Ware

Format: Webinar, original date May 7, 2019
Hosted by: Infopeople, as part of the California State Library Mental Health Initiative webinar series, Where Compassion Meets Action
Length: 1 hour

Gang participation and gang recruitment diverts promising youth to a path of crime and violence—of undesirable shortcuts. Often, such youth end up in the juvenile justice system, caught in a system which forever denies them a future. Understanding the causes of gang involvement is crucial for guiding youth towards positive role models and healthy support systems.

In this webinar, presenter Kyle Lee, founder of Pasadena’s YES (Youth Empowerment and Strength), explains how his organization is working in gang prevention and intervention. He underscores the most common causes of gang involvement and discuss ways in which libraries can offer themselves as support systems for youth potentially involved with gangs.

Presented by: Kyle Lee

Format: Webinar, original date February 19, 2015
Hosted by: Coalition to Advance Learning in Archives, Libraries, and Museums
Length: 1 hour

This is Part 2 of a two-part webinar.

Join your colleagues from archives, libraries and museums for a two-part, interactive learning webinar that will introduce the fundamentals of project management: planning a project. All of our fields struggle with unstable budgets and dynamic technology, so learning to think and act in terms of projects is critical--it can be the difference between turning an idea into a successful, resourced initiative or not. Led by representatives from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the webinars will focus on the key elements of a project plan: the idea, the audiences, funding options, a work plan, an evaluation, and more. We will also discuss how to critically examine your project ideas, asking, Is it fundable? Valuable? Sustainable? And if not, what could you do differently? While learning these fundamentals, you will also benefit from the insights and experiences shared by your fellow participants from across archives, library, and museum institutions.

In this highly interactive second session, we will use sample project ideas and case studies to look at how we can assess the strength of a project plan before it is implemented. We will also discuss other project management resources and where to learn more about the topic.

See also part 1 in this series, Key Elements of a Project Plan

Presented by: Robert Horton and Sarah Fuller

Format: Webinar, original date February 2, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

When children have regular contact with nature, they learn and grow better. Children who play, build, climb, grow, splash and read are developing their observation, visual-spatial, social, and literacy skills. Nature Explorium, a nature-based program at Middle Country Public Library (NY), encourages children to explore, discover and connect with nature. Learn about best practices and resources that you can use at your library to create outdoor spaces, along with indoor and outdoor nature activities. It's a unique way to connect literacy, learning and appreciation for nature as a regular part of the library visit.

Presented by: Tracy LaStella

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed with: funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Length: 2 hours

Commitment to great customer service goes beyond “service with a smile.” It is a commitment to truly engage and communicate with patrons and to find ways to extend the experience above and beyond their expectations. Building on the success of the Darien Library, whose reputation is known internationally for providing “extreme customer service,” presenter Gretchen Caserotti will provide you with practical and actionable ideas that can help your library, whether small or large, commit to excellent customer service.

Course Design:
Based on a webinar originally presented by Gretchen Caserotti and designed by WebJunction

Format: Webinar, original date June 17, 2014
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

What happens at your library when something doesn't go according to plan? Do you or your colleagues find yourselves:

• Apologizing and promising not to let that happen again?
• Pointing out the circumstances that were beyond your control?
• Worrying about how this setback might affect your budget or your career?
• Wishing that other people had done more to support you?
• Or just feeling generally down and discouraged?

We hear a lot about the need for innovation and risk taking in the workplace but not so much about the flip side of that coin: failure. Failure happens. Some even say that there is no creativity without failure. In fact, many success stories - Thomas Edison, Vera Wang, Jay-Z, Dr. Seuss - are prefaced by accounts of repeated failures. Even so, the library environment has not been especially tolerant of imperfect outcomes. If we want to continue to change and grow, we'll need to rethink how we deal with failure.

Presented by: Joan Frye Williams

Format: Webinar, original date June 9, 2021
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Are you looking for ideas to "grow" a seed library and improve access to food for your community? Presenters from small and rural locations in South Carolina will share their experiences with seed libraries (inside branches, at outreach events, and on board a bookmobile) and community refrigerators, and highlight the value of partnerships. You’ll gain knowledge on how to start a seed library from the ground up, how to collaborate with community organizations not generally considered as library partners, and learn better practices for making your library an access point for those experiencing food insecurity.

Presented by: Rebecca Antill, Devon Andrews, Maddie Hibbs, Heath Ward, and Jimmy Wooten

Format: Self-paced course
Developed by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

This course is designed to empower you to prevent burnout and enhance your well-being at work in libraries, archives, or museums. Throughout this course, you will learn to identify the causes and consequences of burnout, as well as your personal stress triggers. You will develop a self-care plan tailored to your individual needs using evidence-based techniques to manage stress, enhance emotional regulation, and build resilience. While this course applies to staff at all levels, managers will learn special skills to promote teamwork, communication, and mutual support in the workplace, fostering a positive environment for all.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Evaluate the causes and effects of burnout. 
• Identify personal stress triggers and how they manifest in teams. 
• Use evidence-based techniques to manage stress, enhance emotional regulation, and build resilience. 
• Develop a self-care plan tailored to individual needs. 
• Apply stress management methods to foster work-life balance. 
• Identify ways to promote teamwork, communication, and mutual support in the workplace.

Format: Webinar, original date January 30, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Recent catastrophes have highlighted the important role public libraries play in enhancing their community’s resiliency and post-disaster recovery efforts. Many community leaders now view libraries as ad hoc disaster recovery centers and recognize librarians as Information First Responders. This presentation will help you and your library embrace this new role as Information First Responders, who quickly enable people to get back to work, back to their lives, and ensure recovery of the community’s economic life. Learn what you need to prepare before disaster strikes, guided by New Jersey State Library’s Disaster Preparedness & Community Resiliency Toolkit, which has been emergency-tested by libraries. Your library can be at the forefront in providing that safe haven in times of crisis and helping your community return to normal life.

Presented by: Michele Stricker

Format: Webinar, original date November 4, 2014
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Many librarians find themselves challenged to make the transition into proficient managers, often without clear guidance. For her dissertation on front-line public library managers, Michele Leininger, a PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh, chose to investigate how and where new managers find the help they need. Through a series of diaries and interviews at one library system, Michele’s research tells both the individuals' stories about how they learned and transitioned from librarians into managers, as well as the story of the library organization and its peer support network. Discover what the research has revealed and what it means for others interested in the transitional journey to proficient manager.

Presented by: Michele Leininger

Format: Self-paced course
Developed by: WebJunction
Length: 30 minutes

Course description

This course incorporates resources and information from the Opioid Crisis Support Kit for Public Libraries, made possible by support from OCLC and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (project number LG-250082-OLS-21). The course materials were developed with input from subject matter experts, case studies, discussions with library leaders and staff, and collaboration with national and local community partner organizations.

Course objectives:

By the end of this course, learners will be able to: 

• Increase their awareness and build understanding about people dealing with opioid use disorder.
• Use respectful and destigmatizing language and policies in the library.  
• Use national tools to investigate health-related data for their county, area, and/or state.  

Format: Webinar, original date July 10, 2019
Hosted by: NCompass Live, Nebraska Library Commission
Length: 1 hour

Are you having trouble peaking the interest of your teens and tweens? Does it seem like an impossible task to get them involved and excited about the programs? You have come to the right place! Janene Hill, from Jensen Memorial Library in Minden, NE, shares her expertise to teach us ideas for a variety of Teen Night Events, including examples of successful events, interaction stations with example activities, and group brainstorming.

Presenter: Janene Hill

Format: Webinar, original date May 19, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

The advent of the Internet liberated genealogy research. With the resulting ease of access, individual genealogy exploration has blossomed. However, many people pay for research services, not realizing that they can go to their public library for free, reliable tools and assistance. This webinar will teach library staff how to assist patrons with genealogical questions, using FamilySearch.org, a leading genealogy resource. Learn the reference skills necessary to determine a patron’s research experience and reveal the problem to be solved. Learn how to orient patrons to available resources and introduce them to the principles of finding a record for a known ancestor. Become a better guide to your patron researchers and help them to connect successfully with the details and stories of their ancestry.

Presented by: James Ison

Format: Self-paced course
Developed by: WebJunction in partnership with Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS)
Length: 1 hour

This course will provide you with the foundational ideas behind Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) and give you what you need to get started or to continue building community-based summer practices. Throughout this course, you'll have the chance to become a leader in creating meaningful, community-based summer services that transform lives and strengthen communities.

Course objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to: 

• Describe the importance of facilitating community-based summer services

• Recognize why reflection and iteration are essential to building community-based summer practices and services

• Assess their current summer services to determine opportunities to reimagine them with a community focus

Course credits

Course author: Building Community-Based Summers (BCBS) team
Instructional design: WebJunction 
Project support: OCLC and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (project number RE-252358-OLS-22).

Format: Webinar, original date June 16, 2020
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour 45 minutes

Many libraries are moving their storytimes online, to be able to engage with families during times of social distancing. If you want to launch virtual storytimes at your library, but don’t know where to start, this webinar is for you! This comprehensive introduction to virtual storytimes will include book selection and copyright, technology and social media tools, strategies for accessibility and inclusion, early literacy activities, and ideas for promotion. Learn lessons on how to create a dynamic and engaging online presence and building a rapport with your virtual audience.

Presented by: Renee Grassi

Format: Webinar, original date August 22, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction, EveryLibrary and Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

Library leaders have been trained to "do more with less" for so long that it’s become a virtue. Though talking about budgets is a challenge, library staff need better funding to provide the public with needed services and expertise. If your budget is stuck, and your board, staff and stakeholders are having a hard time talking about new taxes or levies, this webinar can help. Please join us for real-world, practical, actionable advice on how to overcome local political problems, negative feelings, and unmotivated stakeholders, to move your library toward a more financially secure future.

Presented by: John Chrastka, Lee Hallberg, and James Ochsner

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 October 27, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Grant funding provides libraries with the opportunity to offer programs and services to the community which may not fit into the library’s regular budget. If the process of evaluating opportunities and applying for a grant feels overwhelming, join us for this webinar to discuss strategies for success that can benefit libraries of all sizes. We’ll look at aspects of grant development including mission alignment, how to build organizational support, and submitting a strong application. Funders are often interested in a diverse set of applicants and communities to distribute their funding to, and this session will help you feel more confident and empowered to pursue these opportunities for your library.

Presented by: Kendra Morgan and Steph Harmon

Format: Webinar, original date February 3, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

As digital access becomes increasingly essential for participating in community life, libraries can play an important role in the digital equity and inclusion ecosystem. Hear about a variety of innovative services and partnerships that King County Library System (KCLS) has instituted for sustainable digital inclusion. These include launching a Digital Navigators service, circulating hotspots and laptops to partners to reach people experiencing homelessness, participating in a community-owned wireless network, and supporting telehealth. Learn to apply these ideas to overcome digital access barriers and meet the digital needs of your own communities.

Presented by: Dr. Audrey Barbakoff

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed with: funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Length: 1 hour

Don't let the pressures of working at the library bring you or your staff down. People want a work environment that is challenging, encourages trial and error, and makes them feel that they matter. It's time to make the workplace exciting again, all throughout the library's culture. Here are some things to do to make work fun again.

Course Objectives:

• Helping libraries cope with increasing pressures at work
• Providing meaningful things staff members can do to have fun
• Improving the work culture of libraries
  
  

Course Design: Colleen Eggett

Format: Webinar, original date February 26, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

As children grow, their potential to manage money and understand financial concepts grows as well. The knowledge, skills, and behaviors kids learn when they are young lay the groundwork for their financial well-being as adults, and libraries can play a role in building these important financial literacy skills.

The CFPB released youth financial education content with a robust set of activities for teen financial education programing. While designed for a classroom, these activities can be translated into youth financial education programing in your library. A robust search feature provides access to free high school activities to teach the building blocks of financial capability on topics ranging from saving for short-term goals, to preventing fraud and identity theft, to budgeting and managing credit. Join us to learn how to help your teen patrons become empowered to navigate their financial futures.

Presented by: Leslie Jones, Rachel Grimes, and Kristin Linscott

Format: Webinar, original date February 21, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

Homelessness means having no predictable and safe place to sleep. Libraries in rural and small communities are often a source of information and daytime shelter for individuals facing homelessness or housing insecurity. In an already busy library with limited resources, staff may be challenged to respond to the needs of these patrons and to cope with compassion fatigue. This webinar will provide practical insights on providing services to people who don't have stable housing. Learn how to create an environment that feels welcoming, informative and supportive, including ideas for reducing policy barriers. Learn how to host conversations that explore public perceptions, help to debunk myths around homelessness, and strengthen community ties.

Presented by: Mallory Pillard and Sara Zettervall

Format: Webinar, original date August 8, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries and Library Journal
Length: 1 hour

Building on part one, Hooray for Freedom! Privacy, Confidentiality, and Intellectual Freedom in the Library, this webinar will help you assess your library’s current policies and procedures within a legal context, and help you draft specific policy language. We’ll explore considerations for libraries of all sizes in order to codify the library profession’s values for our institutions

Presented by: Margo Gustina and Eli Guinnee

Format: Webinar, original date October 12, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Have you noticed that some libraries manage to thrive even when times are tough and things are going against them? We would all love to know how to pave the way for future success in a world that seems to change by the hour. Successful libraries don’t have a crystal ball but they do share five characteristics that encourage positive results, regardless of what the world throws their way. Learn how to activate these characteristics in your library, including low cost/no cost tips that apply to any size of library or community. Give your library a new lease on life and revitalize excitement about your services.

Presented by: George Needham

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 January 15, 2019
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

How do library administrators and managers foster a healthy, inclusive work environment so all employees can succeed? Unfortunately, individuals with diverse backgrounds and uniqueness are being subjected to subtle and overt bias in the library workplace due to the divisive climate in which we live. We have each been a part of the process; on either end of the bias whether we know it or not.

Presented by: Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran

Format: Webinar, original date October 16, 2012
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

Effective leadership in a library community is not performed by any one person. Instead, it is a collective act of many players contributing their toolset of complementary and evolving skills. Leadership "incubates" best in an environment nurtured by collaborative and continuous learning; it often grows accidentally, sometimes unbeknownst to the leader-to-be. Through peer mentoring and other methods, explore ways to create a generative space that nourishes the infectious qualities of leadership. Develop a network of seasoned learners who will incubate leadership, both within your library and in support of the broader community, collaboratively building and leading a rich and fulfilling learning organization.

Presented by: Jennifer Peterson

Format: Webinar, original date January 12, 2012
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

• A parent asks you to remove a book from the shelf because she feels it could harm her children.
• A library user complains that the current collection of magazines doesn’t include his political viewpoint and too much of a different one?

What do you do?

Learn techniques to approach these challenges and others, along with a firm background of intellectual freedom in libraries, including relevant laws and court cases.

Presented by: Mary Minow

Format: Webinar, original date March 29, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Walk into almost any public library and you’ll see people of all ages engaging in the community space. When libraries offer programs and services that intentionally spark connection between generations, they contribute to more vibrant and cohesive communities. Learn how your library can develop inviting opportunities to encourage more intergenerational connections on a day-to day basis. This webinar will discuss why intergenerational relationships are important and will help you develop skills to foster intergenerational communication in your library. We’ll explore ideas and resources that will turn your library into a community intergenerational catalyst.

Presented by: Jennifer Kulik and Wendy Pender

Format: Webinar, original date May 3, 2016
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Learning Circles offer a solution to the isolation of online learning by creating study groups for learners who want to take their online courses together, in-person. Developed by Chicago Public Library and P2PU, these librarian-facilitated study groups meet weekly in the library for 6-8 weeks to work through online courses in subjects ranging from resume writing to public speaking to web design. Participants experience the value of sharing strategies, progress and companionship with peers, all in a low-stress environment. Join presenters Grif Peterson of P2PU and Kate Lapinski of Chicago Public Library to learn more details and recent highlights of the program. If you decide that Learning Circles could work at your library, you can take advantage of the P2PU open source toolkit for librarians and practitioners around the world who want to start running Learning Circles in their community.

Presented by: Grif Peterson and Kate Lapinski

Format: Webinar, original date March 1, 2017
Hosted by: ALCTS
Length: 1 hour

This session will briefly cover the history and principles of the LCSH vocabulary and introduce the participant to the basics of content analysis. Participants will learn how to assign main headings and how to build structured headings with topical free-floating subdivisions. Participants will learn how to find and make use of the Subject Headings Manual and will be introduced to Classification Web and Authorities.loc.gov as tools for selection of controlled vocabulary from LCSH.

Presented by: Bobby Bothmann

Format: Webinar, original date September 22, 2010
Hosted by: ALCTS
Length: 1 hour

This introductory webcast on the proposed cataloging rules, Resource Description and Access (RDA), highlights the critical differences between the current cataloging rules (AACR2) and RDA. It is designed as a primer for both front-line catalogers and library administrators in all types of libraries who need to learn how bibliographic and authority records will change when RDA is implemented. The session would be an excellent introduction to record changes for both original catalogers and copy catalogers.

Presented by: Robert Ellett

Format: Webinar, original date May 22, 2019
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Dive into the tools and skills that you and your patrons need to verify the authenticity of user-generated content, and learn how to create engaging fact-checking investigations that will empower learners to detect and debunk misinformation online. News Literacy Project (NLP) covers topics such as developing keen observation skills that help detect images circulating in a false context; using reverse image searches to find the origins of a digital image; using webpage archivers to explore deleted or changed content; and using Google Street View to explore and confirm details of locations around the world. This webinar will help you boost your own skills and give you confidence to help patrons evaluate their sources, too. The session will also include a brief overview of NLP’s work with public libraries and strategies for adapting its resources for non-school settings.

Presented by: Peter Adams, Damaso Reyes, and Maryanne Olson

Format: Webinar, original date July 17, 2018
Hosted by: WebJunction and TechSoup for Libraries
Length: 1 hour

As of 2016, more than 43 million immigrants were living in the US, and that number is growing. Immigration can breathe new life into the local economy as young workers replace retiring baby boomers, open new businesses, and become active consumers. Libraries can ease immigrants’ transition into the community by acting as a resource hub. Asset mapping encourages libraries to go out into their communities and uncover and assess the resources available to immigrants. The information they gather gives the insight libraries need to develop programming to serve these patrons and help them thrive. This webinar will discuss how asset mapping can facilitate community entry for immigrants by helping libraries better understand the needs of this population and address those needs through service and program development.  

Presented by: Heather MacKenzie, Amanda Fullerton and Kenneth Williment

Format: Self-paced Course
Developed with: Funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Length: 2 hours

Through a series of small projects and collaborative efforts, Douglas County (CO) librarians explored a new dimension of modern reference service, one that places their expertise at points of need outside of the library to respond to the questions the public didn’t take to the library.

By reaching out to their community and building new relationships, they are raising awareness about the reference services of the public library and learning more about the range of information local businesses and community members really need.

Join us as we step away from the desk and…

• Explore new approaches to reference services that place public librarians directly in the community, answering questions at the point of need and growing community connections.
• Discover possible outcomes and impacts of embedding library staff in direct projects supporting community businesses and organizations.
• Identify your expertise. Identify new ways to place your expertise at points of need to respond to the questions the public does not typically take to the library.
• Consider change. Consider new ways to adjust to this change and the opportunities for personal and professional growth that are possible for all staff within your library.
  
  

Course Design:
Based on a webinar originally presented by Jamie LaRue, Colbe Galston, and Amy Long and designed by WebJunction

Format: Webinar, original date February 22, 2022
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Talking openly about race with kids can dramatically improve their racial literacy—but adults often don't know where to start! Staff from the Salt Lake City Public Library (SLCPL) will share how they built picture book-based kits to give caregivers the tools to have these important conversations. The session will also include discussion on book selection, the SLCPL framework for understanding racial literacy, and some of the joys and challenges that were faced during development and implementation. You'll receive a list of favorite race education resources, and a step-by-step plan for developing kits on your own.

Presented by: Charlene Dy, Lindsey Watts, Diana Castro, and Nancy Funes

Format: Webinar, original date February 5, 2020
Hosted by: WebJunction and the Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Length: 1 hour

Making connections and being an active part of the community you serve is especially important in small and rural libraries. It makes your library more visible and also enhances the quality of life in the community. Learn how a rural library director transformed library services over one summer, by getting out and growing awareness in the community. With the help of two enthusiastic staff, one simple idea grew into so much more. We will explore different ways to engage your community, spark young readers, and build relationships with families. Hear tips, tools, and personal stories about how the library implemented outreach services and created ways to positively impact the entire community! Learn how to make "librarian" not only your job title, but what you actively do.

Presented by: Lori Juhlin

Format: Webinar, original date December 8, 2021
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Building on the webinar Understanding Eviction and How Libraries Can Help, this special session provided an opportunity for library staff to share questions and experiences about how libraries are assisting patrons facing eviction. Whether you’re just beginning this work or have been answering eviction questions, you are absolutely welcome! We began with short presentations showcasing partnerships between libraries and community organizations that address eviction and then opened up the conversation for ideas and questions. Leaders representing law and public libraries, government agencies, and the legal aid field were available to respond to comments.

Presented by: Catherine Duarte, Beth Hill, Kristin Wong, Deb Hamilton, Ranya Ahmed, and Madeline Youngren

Format: Webinar, original date October 9, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Libraries are well-positioned to provide data analysis services to a variety of community groups, from nonprofits to government agencies, enabling them to gain insights into their operations and constituents. Recognizing the potential of data analytics, the Providence Public Library in Rhode Island (PPL) created "Data for Good," a project to train teens and adults in data analysis and provide these services to local nonprofits. PPL collaborated with library staff in Georgia and Texas to develop data analytics programming. Using the newly developed skills and the Data for Good (D4G) curriculum, participating library staff were able to bring their knowledge to local community members, organizations, and colleagues.

Presenters from libraries in Georgia, Texas, and Rhode Island share their experiences in using the D4G curriculum, their successes in working with community partners, and innovative ideas for utilizing AI in data analysis. We introduce you to the resources made freely available through IMLS funding (LG-250160-OLS-21) to libraries interested in learning about data analytics or implementing a data analysis training program.

Presented by: Sherry Lehane, Dianne Connery, Kristi Henry, Kate Aubin, and Daniel Munoz

Format: Webinar, original date January 4, 2024
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Format: Webinar, original date August 22, 2023
Hosted by: WebJunction
Length: 1 hour

Many refugees arriving in the US have spent all of their lives in a refugee camp before coming to the US, and most immigrants to the US come from countries with minimal infrastructure. Navigating the US financial system is an important skill these individuals must develop to thrive in their new home country. Libraries can provide some of that assistance. In this session, learn about free and trustworthy financial literacy resources developed specifically for new immigrants and refugees. Librarians will share how they work with new immigrant and refugee communities to provide this vital education.

Presented by: Ken McDonnell, Julie Robinson, Young E. Park, and Emily Mross

Format: Webinar, original date July 22, 2015
Hosted by: Infopeople
Length: 1 hour

If your library can lend books, why not:

• Telescopes and microscopes?
• Synthesizers or spinning wheels?
• Or even replica dinosaur bones?

A chief strength of libraries is making knowledge accessible through the lending of physical objects. Join us for an interactive discussion on building a circulating collection of objects for your library. Together we will explore how to select the tools needed by your community. We will also examine how partnerships with local organizations and events can help raise awareness of your tools collection.

Presented by: Steve Teeri and Anne Drozd