September 3, 2009 By Lori Reed Leave a Comment

A search for “digital branch” on your favorite search engine proves that David Lee King is one of those responsible for inserting the term into our library lexicon and into the job titles of some of today’s most innovative library leaders. He’s the author of the recently published edition of Library Technology Reports focusing on the topic and also the presenter of our next WebJunction webinar.

Join us on September 15 for Building the Digital Branch: Guidelines to Transform Your Website for the 21st Century, a webinar brought to you in special collaboration with WebJunction-Kansas and ALA TechSource.

David will present on the process his web team used at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library (KS) to transform their outdated website into a 21st century digital branch. He’ll address the differences between a website and a digital branch, and describe the redesign process – everything from the introductory planning stages of overhauling their website to the process of actually “doing stuff” at the new digital branch.

Read the excerpt: What Is a Digital Branch, Anyway?

Filed under: Webinars

August 31, 2009 By Lori Reed 2 Comments

Taking Your Ideas to the Next Level: Free Webinar

Infopeople Webinar: George and Joan on Taking Your Ideas to the Next Level

You have a terrific idea for improving your library’s service. You excitedly share this fantastic new idea, only to have your enthusiasm deflated by picky questions, managerial indifference, or passive/aggressive resistance from your colleagues.

No matter how good your ideas are, if you don’t present them in a way that can be discussed and understood by the people who can make them happen, they won’t be implemented. You’ll be left frustrated. And your community will never experience that terrific new service.

This webinar will describe techniques that prepare library staff members at any level to present new ideas effectively. Participants will learn how to:

Demonstrate how your idea fits in with other organizational goals and practices;
Improve your empathetic skills, “think with someone else’s brain,” and anticipate how ideas will be received;
Identify the people who can assist you in carrying your ideas to reality;
Face resistance squarely and overcome objections;
Improve presentation skills so that a good idea won’t be lost in a substandard delivery.

This webinar will be of interest to any members of the library community who wish to see their ideas move forward. The tips and techniques covered here will also be useful to those who need to coach others in how to present their ideas more effectively. Participation by past and prospective Eureka! Leadership Institute participants is strongly recommended.

Webinar: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: 12pm-1pm PDT
Speaker: Joan Frye Williams, George Needham

For more information go to: http://infopeople.org/training/webcasts/webcast_data/328/index.html

Filed under: Free Stuff, Professional Development, Webinars

June 24, 2009 By Lori Reed Leave a Comment

Free Webinar on Learning Management Systems

Brandon Hall regularly offers free webinars related to training, learning, development, and e-learning. In July they are offering two webinars that look like great sessions:

Managing Virtual Teams: an online roundtable and clinic(Free)
Wednesday, July 1 — 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) (GMT 5:00)

Learning Management Systems: Trends and Issues (Free)
Wednesday, July 8 — 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (U.S. & Canada) (GMT 5:00)

You can view the schedule and register for these sessions here: http://www.brandon-hall.com/webinars/webinars.shtml

Filed under: Learning Opportunities, Training for Trainers

May 20, 2009 By Lori Reed 1 Comment

Competencies Webinar Archive

If you missed last month’s WebJunction webinar Technology Competencies in Your Library you can view the archived webinar, related links, and discussion here: http://www.webjunction.org/competencies/articles/content/57702385.

Filed under: Core Competencies, Learning Opportunities

April 28, 2009 By Lori Reed Leave a Comment

Technology Competencies Webinar

Tomorrow from 2-3pm EDT I’ll be part of a webinar with WebJunction regarding technology competencies and the core competencies program that I helped create for PLCMC.

From BlogJunction:

This Wednesday, April 29, we’re hosting a free webinar about libraries that are using technology competencies to identify what training staff need and how staff can succeed at their jobs. We’ll be joined by the following speakers:

Lori Reed, Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (NC)
Phyllis Winfield and Kim Gales, Worthington Libraries (OH)
Kris Rosenburg, St. Johns County Public Library System (FL)

The presenters will discuss how they implemented a competency-based program in their library, including steps to

create a training program

define job descriptions

assess staff needs

You’ll hear their suggestions for implementing such a program at your library, and also field your questions.

Librarians share their experiences to help you to avoid “reinventing the wheel” and to save you time and money. There is always a lot of work involved in launching a new program or initiative in your library, but this webinar is an example of how you can build on what others have already done and customize it for your staff.

To learn more and to register for the session, please visit the WebJunction Events Calendar: http://evanced.info/webjunction/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=1586

Hope to see you there, and I can’t wait to “meet” co-presenter Kris Rosenberg who works with the library system of my hometown in St. Augustine, Florida!

Filed under: Core Competencies