Professional Development Opportunities

Successful library meetings begin with reflection and intention. Beyond well-crafted agendas, libraries can utilize diversity and inclusion activities to strengthen empathy, communication, and expectations within library organizations. Applying these continuously to library meetings can open dialogue and empower greater voices. Discover ten diversity and inclusion activities to use in library meetings.

This workshop will equip attendees with the essential tools and knowledge to create a robust professional development plan tailored to their individual career aspirations. Participants will delve into self-reflection, identifying their core values, strengths, and areas for growth. We will explore the significance of setting SMART goals and outline a practical approach to creating 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day plans to achieve their professional objectives. Attendees will receive a digital workbook to guide their brainstorming and facilitate the development of their personalized professional development plan.

Thinking about the future is not about prediction. It is about seeing the changes and trends in our world – across society, technology, education, economics, politics, and the environment – and finding opportunities for learning and actions that can help us move forward. This overview will share a bit about future thinking before diving into some recent (and continuing) trends and their possible implications for libraries.

Learn some of the best time management principles to increase productivity and assess the value of tasks. Discover the benefits of creating goals and how productivity is tied to the ability to assess time and establish priorities.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming every stage of the research cycle, from discovery to dissemination. This series will explore the evolving role of AI in shaping research workflows, addressing both the opportunities and challenges it presents. Join experts across various fields as they delve into how AI is enhancing research processes, improving efficiency, and raising new questions about ethics, transparency, and the future of knowledge creation. Join us as we build on our AI & the Research Cycle series with Phase II.

Writing effective alternative (alt) text is a key component of creating accessible documents and websites. For beginners or those with limited experience, knowing exactly what to write can be difficult. Explore best practices for writing alt text for different types of images, both information and decorative, and learn some common mistakes to avoid. Active participation in hands-on practice examples will be strongly encouraged.

There are times when we seek board or committee service and then there are times when we are called to board or committee service. Discover the first steps in becoming a great board or committee member. Become versed in board and committee best practices.