Program Handouts & Information -- Continuing Education -- South Central Library System

Notable Books (and More) Marathon

Originally presented at the 2023 Wisconsin Library Association Conference and recorded post-conference.

The Notable Books Panel is expanding our reach beyond the ALA Notable Book list. The four-librarian panel will highlight titles from the current WLA Literary Award Committee's Outstanding Achievement list, the ALA Notable Books List, and one Award List of their choosing. Come and hear about award-winning books to add to your library's collection and your TBR.

Presenters: Helene Androski, Jean Anderson, Eliot Finkelstein, Amy Lutzke

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Recording

How to Write Effective Survey Questions to Get Useful Data

Recorded webinar with Kathy Dempsey presenting.

Is your library planning for upcoming services, programs or events? They’ll be more successful if you know what sorts of things the people in your service area truly want and need. Great marketers and planners don’t guess what people want, and they don’t presume to already know. They ask! Still, doing a “simple survey” isn’t all that simple. If you don’t know how to write and ask the questions, you may find out later that you didn’t get any actionable data. Marketer and wordsmith Kathy Dempsey can prepare you to avoid survey pitfalls. Sign up for this webinar so you’ll understand the tactics: -Every word you choose matters. -Beware of open-ended questions. -Always avoid library lingo. -Never ask about “interest.” -Ask the same question more than once. -Write, test, tweak, repeat. -What makes people take surveys? Presenter: Kathy Dempsey wrote the popular how-to book The Accidental Library Marketer and founded her own marketing consultancy, Libraries Are Essential. Her work is dedicated to helping librarians and information professionals promote their value and expertise in order to gain respect and funding. Kathy has been the Editor of Marketing Library Services newsletter for 28 years, and was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Computers in Libraries magazine. She's Founding Chair of the Library Marketing and Communications Conference and serves on the Executive Board of LibraryLink New Jersey, a statewide cooperative. This writer, editor, and marketing maven has been giving presentations across the U.S. and Canada for 25+ years, always sprinkling them with humor to make marketing concepts more interesting and accessible. This webinar is supported by Public Library Systems of Wisconsin. Its completion is worth 1 contact hour for public library certification.

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CE Activity Report

Recording

 

De-escalation and Recovery

Originally presented on December 14, 2023, with Jess Bowers, Association Professor and Field Coordinator, UW Stevens Point presenting.

Over the past several years, studies have begun to reveal significant trauma experienced by staff in public libraries due to aggressive patron behaviors, including verbal abuse, harassment, physical safety concerns, and drug and alcohol issues. In addition, library workers report secondary trauma from interactions with patrons struggling with poverty, homelessness, and untreated mental illness (Albanese, 2022). Librarians have also found themselves on the front lines of the battle for intellectual freedom as activists are demanding the removal of controversial books, programming, and displays (Allam, 2023).

To help address some of the challenges faced by library workers, this workshop will explore concepts of secondary traumatic stress (STS), burnout, and compassion fatigue and identify strategies to manage difficult work dynamics. Resources and tips on de-escalation, setting healthy boundaries, and engaging in ethical practice will be discussed. Finally, ideas on creating a supportive culture will be shared.

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CE Activity Report

Recording

Summer Library Program and Early Literacy

Originally presented on December 7, 2023, with Shawn Brommer presenting.

Shawn Brommer will present practical program ideas that encourage toddlers and preschoolers to engage in early literacy activities during next year's Summer Library Program. Shawn will discuss the highlights of a 6-week program outline and will draw attention to book lists, songs, fingerplays, rhymes, activities, crafts, early literacy connections, and messages for parents that support the 2024 summer theme, Adventure Begins at Your Library. A .pdf of the outline will be available online and will be sent to all registrants.

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