Staff Development Day 2024 Schedule & Speakers

Full Schedule

* Optional Lunch & Learn Session with Empower and Nationwide from 11:50am-12:10pm.

Keynote Session Descriptions

Building Connection Through Technology
The digital world is changing as you read this and libraries will play a pivotal role in preventing the digital divide from widening and fostering stronger connections within our communities. Join us for an inspiring keynote session where we delve into the transformative power of digital literacy. Discover how library staff can harness advanced technologies particularly artificial intelligence (AI) to engage with patrons more effectively and enhance their overall experience. Prepare to be inspired by visionary insights and practical strategies that will empower you to lead your library and patrons into a digitally inclusive future.

Disruption is Our Thing! Libraries in the Age of AI
The rapid rise of artificial intelligence has resulted in a range of emotions, including fear, excitement and confusion. It has also brought out some voices questioning the relevance of libraries. Our speaker will discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping our information landscape and make clear that while the future may seem uncertain, there is no doubt that libraries are essential in the age of AI.

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Breakout Session I (9:35-10:30am)

Breakout Session Descriptions

STEM Activities in the Community Libraries
Johnathan has been the STEM librarian for the Community Libraries for the past couple of years. In those years, he had to learn how to provide STEM programs for all ages without duplicating the work of our Children’s, Teen’s, and Adult librarians. He will present some of the events he has been doing at the Community Libraries such as coding clubs, teaching CAD for 3D printing, and inviting STEM professionals to talk about their expertise with the community. He will also share some of the problems and solutions that the communities have run into as they have increased their STEM presence in the service area.

Leveraging AI for Enhanced Patron Engagement
Dive deeper into the practical applications of artificial intelligence in our breakout session. This interactive session is designed to equip library staff with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively utilize AI by exploring various AI tools and technologies, discussing best practices, and providing hands-on demonstrations and activities to help you confidently navigate AI.

The Young Storytellers Publishing Workshop
We're excited to invite you to a special training for the Young Storytellers Publishing Workshop. Started two years ago as a pilot project, this program allows dedicated young writers to develop and illustrate their best story ideas for publication through the Metropolitan Library System and inclusion in our catalog and public collection. Join us to learn how you can bring this exciting opportunity to your branch and allow our youngest guests to contribute to the library in a very special way.

Aspen Discovery: A Year in Review
Come learn about everything we've achieved in the past year with Aspen Discovery. We'll talk about ongoing updates and priorities from ByWater (Aspen Discovery), and how user experience testing has driven updates by MLS staff. A highlight section at the end will include some searching tips/tricks. We'll have an activity for staff to help determine development requests Metro asks ByWater to build.

Stay Safe Online: Understanding Cyber Attacks and Protecting Yourself

NOTE: Attending this session in either the morning or afternoon will count as your fourth quarter cybersecurity training requirement assigned to all staff on October 1st.

In today's world, staying safe online is more important than ever. This presentation is designed to help you understand and recognize the different types of cyber attacks that can threaten your personal and work life. We will cover common scams and tricks used by cybercriminals, such as phishing emails, malware, and social engineering. You'll learn simple steps to protect your personal information and keep your organization secure. We will discuss several common examples of attacks from hackers and discuss why they work.  This training will give you the tools you need to stay safe online and be a part of a security-conscious community.

Empathy in Action: Navigating Personal Trauma Support in the Workplace
As a leader, have you ever wondered how to support your employees as they navigate complex personal trauma, while also protecting the organization and maintaining compliance? You are not alone. As compassionate leaders, we want to take care of our employees, for so many reasons; we care about them, we want them to be engaged at work, and did I mention, we care about them? But it is also our responsibility to protect the organization and mitigate risk. This is a tightrope of leadership.

Join us for this session where we explore how you, as a leader, can be empathetic and compassionate to your employees, and support them in an emotionally intelligent way; all while also protecting your organization and maintaining compliance. Learning Objectives:

• Recognizing Trauma Situations that you can Support
• What can you do?
• How Far is Too Far
• Risk Mitigation
• Favoritism
• Adverse Impact
• ADA Consideration

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Lunch and Learn - OPTIONAL (11:50am-12:10pm)

Are you doing all you can to be prepared for retirement? Do you know about the 401a and 457b plan? Join us for an informative session at Staff Development Day with Nationwide and Empower. Learn about these two retirements benefits available to full-time employees and gain valuable insights on retirment income planning, like how to maximize your social security, create other income streams, and what retirement income expenses you may need to consider.

This session is optional and will be held from 11:50am-12:10pm during lunch in the Everest Conference Room.

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Breakout Session II (2:25-3:20pm)

Breakout Session Descriptions

3D Print Your Library
What is 3D printing? How does it work? How can it help me do my job? All these questions and more will be answered and discussed in this session. Handle 3D printed parts, get a new perspective on the manufactured world, and get a glimpse of possible futures of our part in the fourth industrial revolution.

Tech Trends for Libraries
What were the tech trends of the past year? What lies ahead? An exploration of technological change, innovation, and adaptation! Learning Outcomes: attendees will
• Discover recent trends impacting libraries.
• Plan technology-based programs and services.
• Explore case studies in the innovative application of technology in libraries.

Cursive and Cursors: Communicating Technology Across Generations
Using our technology resources can be frightening for many of the guests we serve. In this presentation, we will share some tips and techniques for working with our guests that have limited skills in navigating technology. Come prepared to interact with your peers, in a fun environment where learning will seem effortless. Whether you are a technology native, or a technology pioneer, this session is for you!

Pixels and Pages: Building Metro’s Brand
From Canva to Info Mag, and everything in between, you can see how the Metro brand impacts the community. The Communications team will share updated brand guidelines and best practices for design. You'll feel empowered to help tell Metro’s story to your community and beyond.

Stay Safe Online: Understanding Cyber Attacks and Protecting Yourself

NOTE: Attending this session in either the morning or afternoon will count as your fourth quarter cybersecurity training requirement assigned to all staff on October 1st.

In today's world, staying safe online is more important than ever. This presentation is designed to help you understand and recognize the different types of cyber attacks that can threaten your personal and work life. We will cover common scams and tricks used by cybercriminals, such as phishing emails, malware, and social engineering. You'll learn simple steps to protect your personal information and keep your organization secure. We will discuss several common examples of attacks from hackers and discuss why they work. This training will give you the tools you need to stay safe online and be a part of a security-conscious community.

The Art of Awkward
As professionals and leaders of our organizations, our days are filled with awkward and uncomfortable situations. It’s human nature to turn and run in the other direction when we encounter these situations. Whether it is having a hard conversation or calling someone on their behavior, this is hard stuff and takes a mind shift and PRACTICE to get good at. This session is designed to provide the tools to not only deal with “awkwardville” but grow from it.

Learning objectives:
• Increased awareness around personal triggers of discomfort
• Development of a process to use in these encounters
• Gain knowledge of tools to help move through awkwardville
• Applicability of those tools that can be used in personal and professional settings

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About Staff Development Day Speakers

About Brian Alford

Brian Alford is a public relations industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience in communications, marketing, community relations, public affairs, culture development, strategy formation and execution, and change management. His work has been recognized locally and nationally for its innovation, foresight, and quality outcomes.

Before retiring in 2021, he led Corporate Affairs at Oklahoma City-based OGE Energy Corp., parent company of Oklahoma Gas & Electric and general partner in Enable Midstream Partners, a natural gas and crude oil midstream company formed by OGE and Houston-based CenterPointe Energy. While at OGE, he was responsible for the company’s communications, advertising, brand, community affairs, and economic development functions.

During his tenure at OGE, Brian served as vice president of Communications and Public Affairs at Enable Midstream. At Enable, he was responsible for standing up the company’s communications, government relations and community affairs functions, as well as leading communications through the company’s initial public offering. Under his leadership, the Enable communications team was named a finalist for PR Week magazine’s top internal communications team of the year.

He joined OGE in 1997 and served as managing director of public affairs before joining Enable Midstream in 2014. He returned to OGE in 2017.

Before joining OGE, Brian was director of marketing and public relations at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. He also served as the public information officer for the City of Irving, Texas, and as an account executive for the global public relations firm of Hill and Knowlton. Before joining Hill and Knowlton, he served as a legislative aide and assistant sergeant-at-arms for the Texas House of Representatives.

Brian completed certification programs at the University of Idaho’s Utility Executive Program, the Disney Institute, Georgetown University’s Campaign Institute and Leadership Oklahoma. He also holds an accredited professional in public relations designation given by the Public Relations Society of America.

In addition to his professional roles, Brian has been active in the nonprofit community, serving on a variety of nonprofit and civic boards. He currently serves as chair of the Oklahoma City Arts Council, chair of the Metropolitan Library Commission, vice-chair of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, and board member for Downtown Oklahoma City, REI Oklahoma, and the Last Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

About Jonathan Kimmitt

Jonathan currently serves as Chief Information Security Officer for Alias Forensics. Jonathan has 20 years of experience at TU in Information Services & Security Operations and has been involved with all aspects of information technology in his career. He is proud to be President of the ISSA Oklahoma Chapter, and an InfraGard Board Member. Jonathan sees the goal of Privacy and Cyber Security is to protect people, and actively works with industries, professionals, and leaders to grow and develop their security and privacy postures for their organizations.

About Dr. Brandy McNeil

As the Deputy Director of Branch Programs and Services at the New York Public Library, Dr. McNeil has transformed community access to technology, knowledge, and opportunity across the 89 branches under her stewardship. Dr. McNeil's game-changing innovations have forged successful partnerships between libraries and tech giants such as Apple, Spotify, and Google to name a few. Her visionary leadership and dedication to community empowerment have led her to create the highly successful TechConnect program, which has become a digital literacy model for libraries nationwide.

She is the recipient of the 2017 Library Journal Movers and Shakers award, a contributing writer for Public Libraries Magazine, and a contributor to the book titled Libraryland; It's All About The Story, published in 2020. She also serves as President-Elect of the Public Library Association and served on the Black Caucus of the American Library Association Executive Board.

Dr. McNeil's expertise is not limited to her work in libraries, she holds a Doctorate in Business and an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship and has worked for several Fortune 500 companies.

About Kristi Spaethe, SHRM-CP, PHR

Kristi Spaethe is the Chief Executive Officer of The People Perspective and People Perspective Search and Recruiting designed to be the one stop shop for all things people in the communities that these organizations serve. With almost 20 years’ experience in “all things HR”, Kristi has worked with organizations such as QuikTrip, Solvay, NORDAM, WPX Energy, Pinot’s Palette, Andolini’s, and various Chambers and Nonprofits across the region.

Kristi earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Human Resources Development option and also holds the PHR and SHRM-CP certifications.

Kristi is the current OKHR State Director for the Oklahoma Human Resources State Council where she has served in prior various roles beginning in 2018. Kristi has also served in various roles with the Tulsa Area Human Resources Association, including President, since 2014. Additionally, Kristi currently serves on the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and has served on the Bixby Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Kristi also gives back to the community by giving her time to non-profit organizations such as Women in Recovery, Muddy Paws and Lindsey House.

Kristi received the President’s Award from the Tulsa Area Human Resources Association in 2016 and the Richard R. Messer Excellence in Human Resources award in 2019. She also received the Oklahoma Human Resources Award of Excellence in 2020. The People Perspective has also been nominated for various awards through TYPROS Boomtown Awards, the Bixby Metro Chamber of Commerce, Tulsa Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards and the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce. The People Perspective was selected as the Small Business of the year in 2021 through the Bixby Metro Chamber of Commerce and as the Small Business of the Year in 2023 through the Broken Arrow Chamber of Commerce.

Kristi and her family reside in Broken Arrow, OK.

About Nick Tanzi

Nick Tanzi is the Assistant Director of the South Huntington Public Library. He is an internationally recognized library technology consultant and the author of the books Making the Most of Digital Collections Through Training and Outreach (2016) and the coauthor of the Best Technologies for Public Libraries: Policies, Programs, and Services (2020). Nick is a past column editor for Public Library Magazine’s “The Wired Library," and his work on the intersection of libraries and technology has been featured in publications including Computers in Libraries, Library Journal, and American Libraries Magazine.