Upcoming Webinars and Training (Updated: 2/27/25)

Webinar/Training

Date/Time

Ryan Dowd Newsletter Sign Up

*Free for MLS employees only*

Enter Metropolitan Library System in Organization section of sign up. 

How to Sign Up For Free Ryan Dowd monthly training directly via your email? 

Organizations with a current subscription are invited to attend our live training each month for free.

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NOTE: Because your name and email address must be matched with a subscription in our system, it may take 4-6 weeks before you receive your first email. If you have questions, please email Crystal at [email protected].

Thank you for your interest and support of our monthly webinars!

New EBSCOhost UI Preview for OK Department of Libraries

Use the passcode to access: E86Kj&%% 

This webinar is on EBSCOHost's updated user interface. 

Dealing with Difficult Situations

Learners completing the course will be able to achieve these objectives:

• 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.
  

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FREE for Amigos Members ~ The People-Powered Library Conference

In almost any organization, it is often said, “People are our greatest resource.” And that is especially true in libraries. Welcoming communities into our spaces, unlocking the power of our collections, and connecting people to the information and knowledge they need, people power the library. And in times of success and challenge, the care, development, and celebration of staff becomes even more important.

Graphic Novels for Adults and Young Adults

There are so many stories to tell, and what better way to consume them than through graphic novels! With graphic novels being one of the most accessible ways to read, they’re a must have for any collection. Join us Thursday, February 27 at 1 PM CT / 2 PM ET for a free one-hour webinar to hear representatives from Fantagraphics, Oni Press, Diamond Book Distributors, Mad Cave Studios, and Yen Press, as they share all the latest must-have graphic novels for adults and young adults soon to hit your shelves!

Disney Publishing 2025 Preview

Join staff and authors from Disney Publishing for a look at some of our exciting 2025 titles! Learn all about our new program, Disney Planet Possible, with authors/illustrators Charlotte Gunnufson and Brian Biggs (HARD HAT HANK AND THE SKY-HIGH SOLUTION), Kellie DuBay Gillis (IF YOU FIND A FAWN), Ryan T. Higgins (BRUCE SAVES THE PLANET), and Wendy Mass (GREEN JOLENE AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD SWAP). You’ll also get to hear from three creators of our young graphic novel chapter book series, Greg Foley (Dex Dingo series), C.S. Jennings (Pet Shop Racers series), and Kon Tan (We’re All Gonna Die-nosaur series). We’ll close with a look at more upcoming titles, from picture books to young adult, presented by our School and Library Marketing team. Join us for this free one-hour webinar on Friday, February 28 at 1pm CT / 2pm ET! Ronny Khuri, Senior Editor of Books for Youth, will host.

Magnificent Middle Grade

Middle graders are exceptional readers interested in a variety of book genres and formats, all reflective of their varied interests, lives, and ever-growing curiosity. To make sure your collection is providing young patrons with everything they want to read from fantasy to graphic novels to sports-themed biographies, join Booklist for our Magnificent Middle-Grade webinar on Tuesday, March 4 at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT. We’ll learn about new titles from Disney Publishing, Publisher Spotlight, Shadow Mountain Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Second Story Press during this free, one-hour webinar moderated by Books for Youth associate editor Kelly Ferreira. Register now!

Adult Faves

Looking for some great new adult titles to share with your patrons, pitch to your book club, or just to add to your ever growing TBR list? Then look no further than this free one-hour webinar! Join us Thursday, March 6, at 1pm CT/2pm ET to hear representatives from Simon & Schuster, Disney Publishing, Hachette, Sourcebooks, and Shadow Mountain share their favorite upcoming adult titles! Susan Maguire, Senior Editor, Collection Management & Library Outreach at Booklist, will moderate. Register now!

Readers' Advisory: Ideas & Practice 2025

Booklist is back with a new series of free readers' advisory workshops on Wednesday, March 12 starting at 11 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET designed to keep you up to speed on both the ideas and practice that will enhance your RA game. Learn from experts in the field about how genres relate to each other, how to talk to patrons about their leisure reading, and how to write an effective book annotation. Participants should have an understanding of the basic readers’ advisory concepts of appeal elements (character, pace, storyline, tone, and writing style).

Advancing Title II ADA Compliance Through Inclusive Engagement and Collaboration

Join James Ouellette for this presentation providing guidance to public entities under Title II of the ADA, including an understanding of its history and significance.

James will address the barriers and distrust faced by people with disabilities, emphasize the importance of collaboration, and highlight the value of strong documentation and record-keeping practices. Real-world case studies from Butte-Silver Bow showcase practical insights into the challenges and successes of fostering accessible and inclusive communities.

AI & Libraries: Literacy, Ethics, and Responsible Use Conference

Our first Library 2.025 mini-conference (and our third mini-conference on AI and Libraries), "AI and Libraries: Literacy, Ethics, and Responsible Use," will be held online (and for free) on Thursday, March 13th, 2025, from 12:00 - 3:00 pm US-Pacific Time. The main conference page is at https://www.library20.com/ai-and-libraries-3.
 

Promising Picture Books

Picture books continue to be an important part of every well-rounded collection, and if you’re looking for additional titles to fill out your shelves, look no further than this free one-hour webinar! We’ll hear, representatives from Gnome Road Publications, W. W. Norton and Co. Charlesbridge and Phoenix International Publications as they share their latest most promising picture books. Join us Tuesday, March 18 at 1pm CT / 2pm ET. Sarah Hunter, Editor for Books for Youth and Graphic Novels, will moderate. Register now!

ALA Tech Lists 2025 - a Special Edition of Edi and Neal's Book Club

Ways to stay apprised of the latest technology for library workers and professionals in training broadly, presented by Robin Hastings, author of the forthcoming Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion: A Basic Guide for Library Staff, Seventh Edition (12:30 to 1:00 PM CT) - How the new RDA impacts serials cataloging, presented by Ed Jones, author of RDA and Serials Cataloging, Second Edition; and EDISJ-centered cataloging tips, presented by Amber Billey and Rebecca Uhl, authors of Inclusive Cataloging: Histories, Context, and Reparative Approaches (1:00 to 1:50 PM CT) - Navigating artificial intelligence in school libraries, presented by Delandrus Seales, whose new book will soon be announced; and Ways that AI will impact the future of learning and the library as a workplace, presented by Chris Rosser and Michael Hanegan, whose book is also to be announced (1:50 to 2:40 PM) - Digital and creative technology for academic libraries, presented in two parts by Anna Neatrour and Jeremy Myntti, authors of The High-Impact Digital Library: Innovative Approaches for Outreach and Instruction; and Vanessa Rodriguez, Eric Johnson and Emily Thompson, authors of the forthcoming A Complete Guide to Creative Technology Spaces in Academic Libraries: Media Labs, Makerspaces, and More! (2:40 to 3:30 PM) - Best practices for making your library's online presence accessible, presented by Carli Spina and Rebecca Oling, authors of The Digital Accessibility Handbook for Libraries (3:30 to 4:00 PM) Each presentation will allow time for audience Q&A, with a few minutes of break time built into each segment. Start and end times are approximations. Register for the full event to access any and all parts.

Civic Literacy Starts at Home

Libraries around the country host a lot of programs about civic education and civic engagement for their communities. However, we may not be focused on our own staff, boards, and leadership team’s civic literacy and skills. Your role as a community anchor institution means you need to be involved in the discussion and not just host. 

In this webinar, EveryLibrary’s executive director, John Chrastka, will share insights into how effective libraries can understand and operationalize their own role in the "civic conversation".

Participants will learn strategies to build civic literacy within their organizations, develop actionable plans for engaging in civic discussions, and strengthen their role as active contributors to civic life. From budgeting and taxes to legislation and public policy, the library itself should be an active participant in shaping civic life.

ODL's Reader Advisory Training - 3 Part-Series

February 21st, March 28th, 

April 18th 

Upcoming Conferences ~ 

SAVE THE DATE FOR NAVR ONLINE CONFERENCE 2025

The future of libraries is unfolding today, with many institutions embracing cutting-edge technologies and innovative strategies to better serve their communities. By integrating advancements such as artificial intelligence, chatbots, and augmented reality, libraries are transforming into dynamic, user-centered spaces that evolve to meet the changing needs of their patrons.

The NAVROC planning committee is proud to announce the keynote for this year's conference, Dr. Sandra Hirsh who currently serves as the Associate Dean for Academics in the College of Information, Data & Society at San José State University. Their work focuses on the future of libraries and they recently published the book "Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries," which explores lessons learned over the past decade and forecasts opportunities, strengths, and challenges for libraries in the future. 

NAVROC is a free event and fully online. Consider presenting at NAVROC.

A call for proposals will be announced in November, 2024. Please direct any questions to [email protected]. 

On-Demand Webinars ~

Disability 101 for Libraries

This presentation will include a brief overview of Disability Law Colorado’s work, an overview of the ADA and how that applies to public entities including libraries, and a summary of disability rights issues library patrons may face in other aspects of their lives.  There will be time for questions and discussion.

What's Your E? - The E's of Libraries

Facing the Challenge: Intellectual Freedom in Libraries

At the conclusion of this on-demand virtual town hall, participants will be able to:

• Support colleagues in local school libraries who are facing challenges;
• Advocate for the role of public library staff in making selection decisions and managing requests for removal, in accordance with established library policy; and
• Amplify and support community voices not heard during challenges, especially from historically marginalized groups and students.

Data Storytelling: Advocating for the Library and the Community

At the conclusion of this on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Gain a foundation in data storytelling for library advocacy;
• Apply a narrative framework to develop engaging stories that effectively communicate data about the library and community;
• Know how libraries and community organizations can use data to advance equity and influence local decision-making; and
• Discover potential uses of the Census Bureau’s resource, America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers.

Free Online Tools to Increase Your Workflow & Productivity

This informative webinar will be filled with online (and free!) tools that can help you improve how you work.

At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will:

• Know at least 20 tools for helping with personal productivity
• Know at least 5 tools for improving or changing one’s work environment
• Have a list of at least 30 free online tools

Rekindling from Burnout: Lessons and Strategies for Public Library Workers

In this webinar we will discuss: Trauma exposure at the library, how our library’s “Rekindling from Burnout" project came about, and strategies & actions you can try at your library to build resiliency and networks of support. Additionally, we will share several resources created and curated by the Brooklyn Library staff.

We consistently put in the effort and energy to make our libraries welcoming spaces that connect our communities to the resources they need. As we all recalibrate to new strictures and shift our service model accordingly, we are witness to the increasing challenges children, teens, families, adult learners, and job seekers face. An informed approach embracing a variety of self-care strategies can shift staff culture towards resilience, preventing burnout and elevating patron services.

At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will:

1. Recognize and define signs of secondary trauma and burnout
2. Receive resources to address burnout and learn strategies for self-care
3. Brainstorm actions steps they can take at their library, either free or funded

Talking Racism and Bias in the Library Catalog

At the conclusion of this on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Recognize the ways in which systemic racism and bias are hidden within library catalog records and metadata;
• Understand the opportunities and limitations in addressing problematic language in the catalog;
• Leverage procedures, processes, and other resources appropriate for all libraries; and
• Design community engagement and public programming around the use of catalog language.

Whole Person Library Service

In this webinar we will discuss what happens when you take Readers Advisory, Reference, Customer Service, Social Work and Community Collaboration and mix it all up in each and every interaction! You will learn what whole person librarianship is and how you can be your whole self. We’ll cover many real-life library examples and leave with actionable steps to provide resources and meet customers where they are without depleting yourself.

At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will:

• Define Whole Person Librarianship
• Feel encouraged to show up as your whole self each day
• Create space to authentically engage and connect
• Leave with actionable ways to implement this immediately

This webinar will be of interest to: all library staff especially public facing staff.

In these lessons on Leading a Motivated Workplace Culture, you’ll learn how to lead a motivational workplace by creating a supportive environment, as well as how you can balance your authority with employees’ autonomy to provide them with opportunities to grow. Then you’ll see why it’s important to enforce respect as part of your workplace culture, link your company’s vision to its culture, and establish clear communication between yourself and your subordinates.

Learning Objectives

• Identify Best Practices for Reducing Workplace Stress 
• Explain the Importance of Employee Autonomy 
• Describe How Task Delegation Leads to Increased Employee Engagement
• Explain How an Organization’s Vision, Mission, and Goals can Improve Workplace Culture
• Identify Best Practices for Communicating with Employees

NoveList Webinar ~ Book Clubs: Your Community Connection

Thinking of starting a new book club at your library or revamping an existing group you inherited? Struggling with attendance or participation? Join NoveList for a look at book clubs and the factors that make them successful as we celebrate National Reading Group month.

Library UX: Unique Programs and Services for an Engaged Community

One of the key principles of good user experience is to design everything with your users in mind. And many libraries are doing exactly that, leveraging a rich portfolio of programs and services that go well beyond just circulating books.

During this insightful discussion between Aaron Schmidt, Principal, Influx Library User Experience and LJ columnist (The User Experience) and the co-founders/directors of DOKLAB, we will highlight a variety of novel and meaningful things that libraries around the world are doing to engage their communities.

Beating Employee Burnout: How to Keep Your Team Engaged and Motivated

What you'll learn:

• Create dialogue that decreases feelings of burnout—your own and your employees’
• Effectively speak up (and listen to) employees’ concerns

OLA Presentation Accessibility Guidelines Webinar

The Oklahoma Library Association requires all presenters for workshops, webinars, and conferences to view the OLA Presentation Accessibility Webinar. Join us for an overview of best practices and learn how to create an inclusive presentation.

Can People Really Change? Practical Advice for Leadership Development

Nearly all leadership development programs target individual growth and the development of soft skills, such as emotional intelligence, influencing skills, relationship management, etc., with 63% of organizations using executive coaching to support leader growth. But efforts to develop soft skills, which are based in personality, are hard to quantify, study, and measure, making ROI difficult to calculate.

This begs an important question that we get from clients every day: Can you really change your personality? If so, how much and for how long? What strategies or interventions work best? And what’s the cost? Hogan’s Jackie VanBroekhoven Sahm, director of global learning and development, and RyneSherman, PhD, chief science officer, will answer these questions and share practical advice for leadership development professionals.

We can’t wait to see you there! If you’re excited as we are and want to get a head start on learning about this topic, check out our blog,“How Stable Is Personality?”

Affecting Change in a Middle Management Role

Program coordinators, department heads, and other supervisors are the leadership of public libraries on the front lines, but they don't always have a seat at the table when administrators talk about change within the library. Hear from public librarians representing libraries of varying sizes, geographic regions, and diverse populations who have affected change from their positions in middle management through effective communications, advocacy, and storytelling.

Teaching Research Skills in School Libraries - Tips and Tricks for Student Success

Information literacy is more important than ever, and our students are struggling to keep up. In this webinar, we’ll discuss how we can better teach our students the importance of finding and evaluating accurate and reliable information. Tools for helping students learn to keep their research organized will also be shared. There will be time for attendees to share their ideas as well, so we can learn from each other.

Practical Tips for Remaining Proactive - Youtube Video

Remaining proactive is more than just anticipating the future so you are better prepared to deal with it; it is about recognizing that regardless of the situation and whether or not you have control over it, you always have a choice in how you respond to it. Join us for a free one-hour webinar on the benefits of remaining proactive in uncertain times. Learn practical tips to help you gain the confidence you need to make more strategic decisions in how you respond to obstacles beyond your control.

Practical Tips for Remaining Public

Remaining proactive is more than just anticipating the future so you are better prepared to deal with it; it is about recognizing that regardless of the situation and whether or not you have control over it, you always have a choice in how you respond to it. Join us for a free one-hour webinar on the benefits of remaining proactive in uncertain times. Learn practical tips to help you gain the confidence you need to make more strategic decisions in how you respond to obstacles beyond your control.

How to Help Employees Deal With Imposter Syndrome or Insecurity (Especially in a Remote Working World)

Join Stella Grizont, Positive Psychology Expert and Executive Coach, to understand the mechanics of imposter syndrome and how it affects employees. Equip your organization with the right tools to help retain your talent and keep them energized, confident, and well.

In this webinar you will:

• Identify the root cause for imposter syndrome and get relief
• Transform their inner critic into a loving friend
• Talk with their managers in a way that's not awkward or too vulnerable
• Generate confidence in a way that feels natural and empowering.  

Public Library Programs for the Homeschool Community: Webinar

More and more families are taking up homeschooling for their children’s education, and a significant percentage of at-home educators rely heavily on public library resources and services to aid in teaching their children. If you’re looking for creative programming ideas that can help you meet your homeschool community’s needs and help at-home students excel in their studies and beyond, watch this webinar, where we hear from three libraries with three very different approaches to public library and homeschool partnerships.

New Federal Funding for Libraries: What It Means For You

Learn about the brand new funding for public libraries that the Federal government has made available through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund.

In this webcast, we will cover how many millions are included; how libraries can get it directly from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, through their state library, or from the FCC; what expenses are eligible to spend it on; and more. Led by Stephanie Gerding, author of Grants for Libraries, Winning Grants, Second Edition, the Library Grants blog, and more.

Project Ready

Project Ready is a series of free, online professional development modules for public youth services librarians, library administrators, and others interested in improving their knowledge about race and racism, racial equity, and culturally sustaining pedagogy. The primary focus of the Project READY curriculum is on improving relationships with, services to, and resources for youth of color and Native youth.

Rekindling from Burnout: Lessons and Strategies for Public Library Workers

Library workers provide support for patrons in distress on a regular basis. A hard and busy day might leave us depleted. Though we feel the effects of secondary trauma, we may not have the tools to describe and process the experience, leading to our own emotional distress. Without a practice of self-care and a network of support and solidarity, the stress of service work can evolve into guilt, cynicism, numbness, chronic exhaustion, and diminished creativity–legitimate responses that contribute to burnout.

In this webinar we will discuss: Trauma exposure at the library, how our library’s “Rekindling from Burnout" project came about, and strategies & actions you can try at your library to build resiliency and networks of support. Additionally, we will share several resources created and curated by the Brooklyn Library staff.

Navigating Nonfiction Readers' Advisory

During this webinar, you’ll learn how to think about the vast category of nonfiction in four manageable parts, explore different conversation starters that lead to nonfiction suggestions, and discover some nonfiction titles to read next.

Romance in the Stacks: Why Genre Fiction is Important for Student Engagement

Reading is a skill, and practice makes perfect. As academic librarians, we need to encourage our students that they can find ways to mitigate the unrewarding reading they have struggled through in the past. The first step in making reading rewarding for even non-readers is creating a collection that is student-centered, browseable, and representative.

Resolution Re-Do: How to get your habits back on track

Scott Robley talks about how to get your habits back on track.

200% Accountability: How to Create and Sustain a Just Culture

How to create and sustain a just culture.

Pivot Leadership: The Key to Leading Change is Changing the Way You Lead

Scott Robley shares a big idea: The key to leading change is changing the way you lead.

Supporting Formerly Incarcerated Individuals with a Fresh Start @ Your Library

Learn from members of the Fresh Start @ Your Library team, including social workers, and understand the steps they took to reach formerly incarcerated individuals and provide services to six communities through the public library. Hear about the critical importance of forging authentic connections with formerly incarcerated individuals to help determine what services are most needed, and the importance of building partnerships with local government agencies and nonprofit organizations. This on-demand webinar—the sixth in the Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development series—also explores the modifications to the original project plans imposed by the coronavirus pandemic and the lessons learned from the experience.

Trends Shaping Employee Experience in 2022

The Qualtrics 2022 Employee Experience Trends report of nearly 14,000 global employees pinpoints exactly why your people are leaving and who’s most at-risk to depart. Join seasoned employee experience experts as they break down the key trends and share specific actions you can take to engage your top talent and keep them for the long run. Plus, they’ll share the practical steps leading organizations are taking to reverse the Great Resignation.

Digging Deeper into Local and Family History with Census Data

The Census is an essential source for discovering and reconstructing local and family history. Rich data about communities, neighborhoods, and families document local demographics, immigration and naturalization information, ancestral family names, relationships, birth years, and birthplaces. Although the U.S. government has conducted a Census every ten years since 1790, the categories of data collected and the details provided in the Census records vary. Learn how categories for race, ethnicity, and other demographics have changed over time and how that impacts research. Discover public library programming and strategies to engage your community in a deeper understanding of local and family history. Census sources important to local history research and family genealogy will be discussed.

Partnering to Meet Community Workforce Needs

As the nation begins recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are seeking opportunities to build skills, find and improve job prospects, and prepare for in-demand careers. The Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development webinar series showcases public library and partner workforce and career services from around the country. Each webinar tackles a different topic related to workforce development and provides practical tools and tips for libraries to plan, deliver, promote, assess, and advocate for these services to advance equitable economic recovery.

The first webinar in the series introduces and showcases national workforce partners and local collaborative program examples. Panelists will answer the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and, most importantly, HOW to collaborate to improve library services and visibility—no matter your starting point—as well as enhance patron and community impacts. Hear from the director of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies and better understand their network and resources. Learn about local workforce ecosystems from the Urban Institute. And hear from Saint Paul (MN) Public Library and Ramsey County (MN) Workforce Solutions staff about their CARES Act-funded Career Labs and how they are working to sustain the labs and pivot to meet changing community needs.

Unpacking New Diversity Titles: Webinar

In this timely webinar, Sue Maniloff, VP Business Development at Omnigraphics, covers the increasing need for diversity resources in schools and libraries as well as the benefits of conducting a diversity audit to best assess which areas within a collection need further development. Intended for school administrators, librarians, and educators, this informative session discusses the importance of unpacking and building diversity collections for various marginalized groups, helping attendees see themselves as a mirror and also as a window, seeing other points of view. Sue also spotlights the newly published Understanding and Navigating Discrimination in America, available now in Credo Reference and Source Reference.

LJ Webcast: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Public Library

Public libraries have a unique ability to bring about positive social change in their communities, whether by addressing issues of systemic racism, reaching out to immigrants and refugees, or providing essential resources for political, cultural, or personal growth.

This webinar features a panel of distinguished public library professionals who are embracing their role as community leaders. The thoughtful discussion spotlights how these librarians are promoting equity and inclusion and offering support for their diverse communities. They share their experiences improving services for underserved populations, adopting effective racial literacy plans, and taking concrete action to create inclusive and welcoming library spaces and services to uplift their communities. Presented by Infobase and Library Journal.

Strengthen Patron Workforce Opportunities with Labor Market Information

Helping patrons with job search and resumes are just the first steps toward economic recovery and resilience; libraries are well-positioned to help people explore career opportunities and prepare for the future of work. Library staff accessing and using state and regional labor market information (LMI) are better equipped to work with community partners to help people move from “dead-end” jobs to “quality” jobs and careers that match people’s skills and passion.

This webinar—the second in the Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development series—highlights LMI resources and use cases and demonstrates how this information can inform and improve workforce service development, outreach, and partnerships to connect residents with in-demand jobs, gain in-demand skills, and improve economic mobility.

As the nation begins recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are seeking opportunities to build skills, find and improve job prospects, and prepare for in-demand careers. The Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development webinar series showcases public library and partner workforce and career services from around the country. Each webinar tackles a different topic related to workforce development and provides practical tools and tips for libraries to plan, deliver, promote, assess, and advocate for these services to advance equitable economic recovery.

Originally presented August 26, 2021.

Practical Tips for Remaining Proactive

Remaining proactive is more than just anticipating the future so you are better prepared to deal with it; it is about recognizing that regardless of the situation and whether or not you have control over it, you always have a choice in how you respond to it. Join us for a free one-hour webinar on the benefits of remaining proactive in uncertain times. Learn practical tips to help you gain the confidence you need to make more strategic decisions in how you respond to obstacles beyond your control.

Building Business Know-How Through Data Literacy

Discover the power of Census data to help your community's entrepreneurs plan and grow their businesses. In addition to demographic data, the U.S. Census Bureau collects information about American businesses, providing opportunities to use data to build business plans, compare industries and locations, investigate workforce characteristics, research local labor market indicators, and assess the economic health of your community. Learn how libraries collaborate with economic development agencies, community groups, and individuals to foster workforce development and promote informed business planning and decision-making.

Originally presented June 16, 2021

Ten Tips for Managing Conflict

This webinar will focus on Ten Tips for Managing Conflict highlighting the ideas and practices that help us navigate the challenges we find in communicating with others. These tips include ideas about what we are thinking, what we are saying, and how we are hearing what the other has to say. As each tip is shared, real-world examples will be highlighted.

At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will:

• Be prepared to navigate challenging conversations with co-workers and patrons.
• Understand human underlying needs and be able to incorporate that knowledge into their ability to defuse upset individuals.
• Be more thoughtful in their words and actions when conflicts occur.
  

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Beyond Check the Box: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

During the webinar, J. Israel Greene will address those concerns. He will begin by providing data that shows how retaining diverse talent improves company culture and the bottom line. He will share a framework that highlights the groups and benchmarks where your company should focus and also provide actionable steps to ensure that you are moving the needle and moving past checking the box.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• The top four reasons why DE&I initiatives fail in organizations 
• A framework and understanding of the categories to be considered in order to drive a sustainable Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Strategy
• A current real-world example of how an initiative fits into the framework to create a sustainable solution
• Three actions that you can immediately implement to ensure you are moving beyond check the box
  

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Recorded Webinar