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Rebound & Reconnect: Post-Crisis Management Strategies

The next All Directors Meeting is Thursday, November 17, 2022, at the Waunakee Public Library. The agenda for the meeting will be coming out in early November. The meeting will be available both in person and via Zoom. If attending in person, please register here and indicate if you'll stay for lunch (Taco Buffet from Cranberry Creek). If attending virtually, please register via Zoom.

The afternoon part of the November All Directors Meeting is a Continuing Education Workshop. This year, Rachel Arndt, will be presenting Rebound & Reconnect: Post-Crisis Management Strategies. Here's the description for you:

When crisis management ends, what comes next? Library directors are managing a return to “normalcy” after a long cycle of fast-paced change. Approaching business as usual may not result in the same benchmarks of success. This workshop will provide tools and strategies for rebuilding the connections vital to a library’s success. Participants will examine self-management tools, learn approaches to renew relationships with staff and patrons and identify prospective community partners.

Rachel Arndt has worked in public libraries for over a decade in front-line reference, archives, technical services, management, and library administration. As a library consultant, Rachel shares her knowledge and expertise to support the library community. She works from the belief that lifelong learning isn’t just for patrons; a successful practitioner continues to adapt and evolve over their career. Through Rachel Arndt Consulting LLC she delivers holistic and customized professional development to all types of library workers.

In addition to library directors, library managers and supervisors are invited to attend. Please register for the workshop here.

Note: This workshop will be in-person only. Rachel will present an online version on November 29 at 10 a.m.

 

Adult Mental Health First Aid

SCLS is offering another MHFA session on November 8 and 10 from 1 - 4 p.m. The sessions will not be recorded so please be sure you are able to attend both sessions.

Adult Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is intended for adults who wish to help people with emerging mental health disorders or experiencing a mental health crisis. The goal of MHFA training is to teach people to recognize signs and symptoms of an emerging mental health disorder or mental health crisis. Participants also learn a 5-step action plan to engage and ultimately guide people to both professional and community resources that can help.

The class is a two-part training. Part one is a self-paced, online overview of the entire training. It takes about 2 hours and must be completed before the instructor-led session(s). This section includes:

• What is Mental Health First Aid?
• What do Mental Health First Aiders do?
• What is the Mental Health First Aid action plan?
• Considerations before reaching out.
• What is mental health?
• What is a mental health challenge?
• What is stigma?
• What is person-first language?
• How do gaps in treatment impact people?
• What are the risk factors for mental health challenges?

Certified Mental Health First Aid instructors lead Part 2 of the training. The 6-hour online session takes place over two days and takes the knowledge and skills learned in part one and applies them to crisis and non-crisis situations. Through a combination of lectures, activities, scenarios, and videos, participants learn to assess, approach, listen nonjudgmentally, give reassurance/information, encourage appropriate help, and encourage self-help to people showing signs/symptoms of a mental health disorder or mental health crisis.

Participants who complete the class receive a 3-year certification as a Mental Health First Aider.

This program is presented, in part, by the Department of Public Instruction, with funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in the form of a Professional Learning Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant.

Pat Wagner Retiring

One of my favorite presenters (and people), Pat Wagner, is retiring from training and presenting at the end of 2022. When I started at SCLS in 2007, Pat was among the first presenters I worked with as a Continuing Education Consultant. SCLS and other Wisconsin library systems have had Pat for in-person and online workshops and webinars.

Pat is doing a final series of webinars for LibraryWorks and SCLS is coordinating group registration for them. The webinars are:

• Recruiting, Hiring, Orienting, Maintaining, and Saying Goodbye to Library Volunteers, October 6
• Mastering Uncomfortable Conversations with Library Visitors, October 20
• Everyday Leadership, Regardless of Your Job Title, November 3
• Spark! Little Things that Attract Library Users and Increase Circulation, December 3

The webinars are one hour long and scheduled from 1 - 2 p.m. Central Time.

If you are interested in attending one (or more) of Pat's webinars, please fill out this registration form and I will take care of the rest. To attend the first webinar on October 6, please fill out the form by Monday, October 3.

Registration for these webinars is funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which administers the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Thank you!

Scholarships for Fall WLA Conference in Lake Geneva

Thinking about attending the Fall 2022 WLA Conference in Lake Geneva? SCLS is offering Continuing Education Scholarships for member library staff to attend the conference. This scholarship will cover registration, mileage, lodging, meals, and other costs to attend the conference. The WLA Conference is scheduled for November 1 - 4 at the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa. There are seven (7) scholarships available for the fall WLA Conference and the deadline to apply is October 14, 2022.

The Scholarship program complements our existing CE Grant program. Applicants who don't receive a scholarship are encouraged to utilize CE Grant funds to offset the costs of attending a conference. The limit for in-state conferences has been increased to $300.

The SCLS CE Scholarship and Grant programs are funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which administers the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Thank you!

WAPL Conference Scholarship Reports

SCLS provided scholarships for three member library staff to attend the WAPL Conference in Pewaukee this past May. Here are a few highlights from our scholarship recipients.

Darla Allen, director of the Charles & JoAnn Lester Library in Nekoosa, attended her first WAPL in a few years. Darla "really enjoyed the Dynamic Dozen with Cathryn Pescinski. In this program, she talked about the 12 low-cost items she always keeps on hand, and how she uses these items to develop imaginative and fun programs. We've already worked a few items and ideas into our Summer Reading Program." Darla also noted how good it was for her to sit in a room and enjoy the questions and the speakers and get new ideas. "I can't put a price on what that did for my mental health."

Cynthia Schlegel, Adult Services and Teen Library Assistant for the Stoughton Public Library was a first-time attendee at the WAPL Conference. Cynthia also attended the Dynamic Dozen program and said it "was the most beneficial session" she attended. In addition, Cynthia attended Reaching out for Outreach with Jennie Fidler and Kelly Davis. "I particularly liked the idea of providing photo booths at outreach or even in the library; I am going to set one up in the teen area for SLP. Some very practical tips on checking out materials while not in the building and good suggestions for reaching out to the schools. It never occurred to me to go to a school open house - it is now on my radar!"

Carolyn Seaver, director of the Albertson Memorial Library in Albany, attended WAPL for the first time in her role as director. Among the sessions Carolyn attended was Veterans in the Library. "There were great resources presented for getting information about starting a veteran’s group in the library and presenting programming that would interest veterans and their families. The biggest takeaway was how the library partnered with a patron with a passion. By helping to facilitate his “dream” the library was able to do some great programming with a partner who came up with the ideas and had the contacts, leaving the library with hosting and promoting. It made me think of the patron in our library with a passion for history. We have partnered with him for some programming, but he may be an underutilized asset."

The SCLS CE Scholarship program is funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services which administers the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). Thank you!