Lori Reed | Stephanie Gerding

Tech Training Made Simple with Online Videos

Wouldn’t it be great if complicated technology concepts were explained in a simple way that’s easy to understand? Imagine how something like this could assist you in training sessions for patrons or staff. Well look no further, Common Craft creates explanatory videos “In Plain English” that cover topics like green, money, society and technology.

In this free webinar, Stephanie Gerding from TechSoup will interview Lee LeFever, from Common Craft to learn more about their videos and how they are created. We will also hear how librarians are using these videos to support the needs of their community.

Wednesday, November 18 from 2-3pm EST

ALA Part V: CLENE Fun and MaintainIT Project Fun

CLENE Training Showcase

I spent Sunday afternoon with fellow trainers at the CLENE Training Showcase. I am new member of CLENE, and let me just say that this is a great group of people! It makes it so much easier to navigate through ALA when you have a relatively small group like this to be a part of.

The showcase was similar in format to the poster session I did on Saturday, participants were at tables around the room with displays and prepared to talk about, i.e. showcase, what they are working on. There was a much larger crowd for the showcase which may have been because members were standing in the lobby encouraging people to come in or because of the raffle for prizes every 15 minutes led by Stacy Schrank.

I was able to use the same display I used on Saturday, and I brought general information about PLCMC and copies of handouts about PLCMC’s Core Competencies program and live online learning to share. I gave away Brarydog magnetic poetry sheets which were a big hit.

Late Saturday afternoon I attended a train-the-trainer session with Stephanie Gerding and Kam McEvoy given by Brenda Hough and Sarah Washburn of the MaintainIT Project. Here’s a photo of Sarah explaining, Common Craft style, the relationship between WebJunction, MaintainIT Project, and TechSoup.

Afterwards we all went out to dinner in downtown Disney and celebrated Louise Alcorn‘s birthday.