Professional Development Opportunities

All school and academic librarians are invited to join this Town Hall discussion that will focus on building relationships between K-12 and post-secondary librarians. As educator librarians who serve the same population, just at different age levels, this conversation will provide an opportunity to grow connections between both types of libraries. Participants in the Town Hall will be encouraged to share their thoughts on how they currently support learners, what a dream partnership between K-12 and academic librarians would look like, and ideas on how to increase connections between K-12 and post-secondary.

Dive into detailed race and ethnicity data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2020 Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics File (DHC). This webinar will explain the similarities and differences in between the ACS and the DHC. Data users will learn about the race and ethnicity data available through the ACS and DHC, how and when the data is collected, when the data is released, where the data can be found, and when to use one instead of the other.

Join us for a roundtable discussion, in partnership with OpenAthens, as we explore how academic libraries and IT departments can work together to meet the needs of patrons.

In our everyday work, we focus much of our time and energy on patron services, ways to improve these services, and innovative ways to support our patrons and communities. Yet, we regularly neglect one significantly underserved population – ourselves. Specifically, the mental health needs of librarians and library workers. These needs, alongside support, are rarely addressed in conference presentations or continuing education programs. This webinar will discuss practical and meaningful approaches for librarians and library workers to manage emotional labor, triggering service experiences, and compassion fatigue, preventing burnout or furthering of mental health issues. Additionally, this webinar will offer ways in which management and colleagues can compassionately and respectfully support those who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

How are health communication and health literacy connected? How can you be more effective in providing health information to consumers, patients, clients, library patrons and your community? This 1 hour webinar introduces the concepts of health literacy and health communication, outlines components of clear health communication, and identifies online resources from NLM, government agencies and other recognized resources for health literacy and health communication. This presentation addresses improving health literacy, by including information about the NLM/NIH resource MedlinePlus.gov.

How can university libraries broaden access for students and faculty, optimize cost-per-use, and manage costs effectively within shrinking budgets? University librarians, alongside our in-house experts, explore actionable strategies that do just that and more.

Learn tips and tricks for networking at conferences, connecting with peers, and building your professional network.

Every Indigenous community has cultural and biological knowledge within educational systems, archives, libraries, and museums that they do not own, do not control, and cannot govern circulation over. Local Contexts is a global nonprofit organization that was founded to address the needs of Indigenous communities and local organizations who wanted a practical method to deal with the range of intellectual property issues that arise in relation to managing cultural heritage materials. The Local Contexts Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels and Notices are tools for Indigenous communities and collections- and research-based institutions to support Indigenous cultural authority and data sovereignty. In this webinar, which is being hosted by the DPLA Rights Statements Working Group, the Local Contexts team will introduce the Labels and Notices and how they can be used to support Indigenous rights and interests in collections and data.

This panel discussion will offer valuable insights for librarians working with international vendors. Panelists will share their experiences and offer practical tips for collection development, problem-solving, translation, and interfacing with foreign vendors. The session will also discuss technical services aspects of purchasing international materials, such as cataloging, outsourcing, recruiting language assistance from volunteers on an academic campus and hiring staff with language expertise.

This 90-minute webinar explores the use of MeSH in the cataloging environment. By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

Describe the overall process of cataloging using MeSH
Explain the principles of subject analysis
Find information about specific terms and the MeSH hierarchy using the MeSH Browser
Properly structure MeSH in a bibliographic record
Explore topics that require special consideration or exceptions for catalogers when using MeSH
Request changes to the MeSH vocabulary

This presentation delves into the profound effects of trauma and stress on the well-being of library workers, with a focus on the experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) professionals. Trauma, whether stemming from singular incidents or prolonged circumstances, poses significant challenges to individuals’ mental health and overall well-being. Through personal narratives and insights, this session sheds light on the intricate ways in which trauma and stress intersect with the professional lives of BIPOC library workers. By fostering awareness and understanding, the presentation aims to contribute to a more supportive and inclusive work environment within the library community.

Join us for a live webinar to learn about Scite, an award-winning AI-powered search and discovery platform that enhances research discoverability and evaluation. Our experts, Sean Rife, co-founder of Scite, and Tony Landolt from Research Solutions, will guide you through Scite’s integration into Research Solutions’ product portfolio. Elias Tzoc, Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Research at Clemson University Libraries, will discuss his library’s recent trial of the product.

Join expert Mary Ellen Bates, founder of Bates Information Services, Inc. for a 30-minute conversation around the shifting search trends you need to be paying attention to. You’ll learn how to transition from an information gatekeeper to a knowledge navigator, empower researchers across your organization, foster collaboration, and drive innovation in the age of AI.

Prepare to examine the dark underbelly of academic publishing as Cabells profiles different archetypes of predatory publishers. In this session, our sleuths of scholarly integrity will explore the sinister world of predatory practices, from surprise fees, to fake peer reviews, to deceptive metrics. Led by Cabells’ expert journal auditors, attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of the types of crooked operations we encounter, and their respective modus operandi.

Whether you are a seasoned researcher or new to scholarly publishing, this session will provide valuable intel on protecting academic integrity while navigating scholarly publishing. Register now to crack the case.

Join Copyright Clearance Center for a complimentary one-hour webcast that explores global copyright challenges in a business environment.

After attending this Research Forum, attendees will be aware of new directions in education and behavioral science librarianship.

On July 10th, 2023, after weeks of inclement weather, it began to rain across Vermont. The saturated ground could not absorb the water from the sky or the rivers, and there was widespread flooding. The Vermont Arts & Culture Disaster and Resilience Network (VACDaRN), organized in 2018, activated and provided assistance to several cultural heritage and historical records repositories. Coordination through this network enables artists, as well as arts and heritage organizations, to work together to share expertise and resources, mobilize response for mutual assistance during emergencies, and engage collectively with first responders and government emergency management agencies.

Join NNLM Project Director, Martha Meacham, to hear about the work and accomplishments of the NNLM over the past year. Find out what is in store for the future of the NNLM. There will also be time for questions.

The world of art is undergoing a revolution with the emergence of AI-generated creations. But who owns the copyright to these works – the person, the software developer, or someone else entirely? This critical question has implications for libraries, museums and other cultural heritage institutions. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on how copyright law interacts with AI art. We’ll explore how libraries can support the responsible use of AI in artistic creation, navigate the legal complexities of copyright ownership, and ensure the accessibility of these new forms of art for everyone.

During the AASL Town Hall at 6:00 p.m. Central on May 7, AASL President Courtney Pentland will be joined by John Schu, author of "The Gift of Story: Exploring the Affective Side of the Reading Life." They will lead a discussion about his book which invites readers to consider literacy beyond its academic benefits, highlighting the ways story speaks to our hearts and brings us together. To learn more about the book and to download a copy of the Study Guide, visit www.johnschu.com/the-gift-of-story.

Whether you’re new to fundraising or have an established program, have you evaluated which efforts will maximize your success? The Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation has a 30 year fundraising history and its Director of Development has almost 20 years of fundraising experience in a variety of industries. In the past few years, they’ve tripled their donor base and almost doubled their average annual amount raised. Learn which efforts have the biggest return on investment (ROI) based upon library surveys, experience, and proven success. You’ll leave with a road map to success that you can manage, no matter your team’s size.

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) – Dungeons & Dragons being the most popular example - can positively impact the multiple facets of students’ lives: academics, durable skills, social-emotional learning. In Part One of our two part series, let's quest together as we encounter how research supports using TTRPGs in education, explore stories of teachers using TTRPGs in their classrooms, and discover ideas and ways that librarians and the library can play a critical role in making such transformative game-based learning a success.

Get an inside view of how and why a public library transitioned from an insurance incentive that targeted those who failed screening benchmarks to a wellness incentive that treats health as holistic. Come learn about the research behind incentives and see how one program evolved. Presenters will detail inclusive and holistic features, ask attendees to personalize ideas for their own institutions, and break wellness activities into pieces that can be applied with or without an insurance discount

In this final workshop of the series, presenters will share how they approached description projects for special collections at their universities. Projects include: reparative description for Nazi publications identified in the collection, expanding access to electronic agricultural extension reports through non-English language subject headings, and applying content statements and strategies for graphic images/thumbnails.

Join the ACRL Student Learning and Information Literacy Committee’s (SLILC) Professional Development Team for a webinar on Universal Design for Learning, information literacy, and student learning. Panelists will discuss their experiences designing and incorporating UDL within their instruction practices, including synchronous, asynchronous, and hybrid learning environments. Conversations around UDL will extend to other areas of librarianship, including outreach and assessment practices. Attendees will learn more about how to incorporate UDL into their pedagogy and practice.

Resources and support are essential to accomplishing not only overall library goals but also the goals of individual departments, librarians, and staff. In this webinar, Taira Meadowcroft and Megan Ballengee will share strategies for successfully advocating for your position and/or unit. Learn how to communicate your needs to administrators and to undertake an internal marketing campaign to promote your value and build networks within the library. Whether a manager or not, everyone in a library can be an advocate for their own work and for the mission of the library.

This webinar is aimed at librarians and other information professionals who are familiar with NLM’s products and services, but want to explore NLM data in new ways. Students with all levels of technical expertise are welcome, regardless of whether you’ve never heard of APIs before, you’re a new API user who needs a little help, or are an API expert looking for more information about NLM’s API offerings. As long as you’re interested in finding new and improved ways of interacting with NLM’s resources, this webinar is for you!

Join us to learn how to recognize new areas of outreach and collaboration available to you in your local community: understand the value of connecting with cultural institutions and partners in your community to garner new learning and support of public spaces and generate new ideas for programming and learning opportunities through the lens of art librarianship.

As library workers, we recognize the significance of creating environments that embrace diversity and prioritize the well-being of all patrons and staff. In this webinar we will be starting the conversation around how body shape and size stigma affect our society. We will be focusing on libraries, and how we can create services, spaces, and workplaces that better support people of diverse body shapes and sizes. We will describe the significance of weight stigma, its historical context, and its intersection with other identities, offering insights into the barriers it creates. Together we will discuss individual and organizational strategies to combat body shape and size stigma and support all library users and workers.

By fostering awareness and implementing actionable steps, we aim to cultivate environments where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to access library resources and services without fear of judgment or discrimination. Join us as we initiate this essential conversation and take meaningful steps towards creating equitable and inclusive libraries for all.

The University of Minnesota is hosting a free, virtual accessibility event on Thursday, May 16, 2024 to engage in conversation, thinking, and learning about access and inclusion. ASERL members are welcome to attend! This year’s theme is “Built Without Barriers” to highlight ways we can write content, create websites, and build our organization to remove barriers for people with disabilities. The event was put together by a volunteer group of dedicated University employees.

The webinar will present an overview of freely-available research tools and collections provided by the NAL to support a wide range of disciplines and research types from STEM and the sciences, to food and culture, to history and art. Attendees will increase their awareness of NAL tools and collections that connect users to information on food, agriculture, and the related sciences.

How can Scopus AI aid your institution’s research community?

Save the Date – Indiana State Library’s Government Information Day is free to attend and is a great learning opportunity for librarians, library staff, information professionals, and members of the public. The conference will be a hybrid format allowing those interested to attend in person or virtually. For any questions, or requests for presentation topics, please contact Brent Abercrombie, Indiana Regional Depository Coordinator, at babercrombie@library.in.gov.

As an instruction librarian in a makerspace and later as science liaison librarian at both large and small universities, the author has participated in various virtual reality projects for education, including doing workshops and class-related instruction on virtual reality and creating 360 video tours, creating an asynchronous virtual reality paper prototyping assignment, and participating in a faculty AR/VR working group and helping create a virtual chemistry lab. There are ways for librarians to be involved in virtual reality for education at all levels, whether your only experience is with Google Cardboard or you are an expert at creating 360 videos or virtual reality scenes. The library can also be an excellent place to introduce students to virtual reality in a way that reaches across disciplines, invites participation from underrepresented groups, and levels the playing field for all. In this session, participants will learn some basic uses of virtual reality in instruction, identify various ways that librarians can participate in instruction using virtual reality, and identify some basic tools and software for using and creating virtual reality. In the interactive portions, they will have an opportunity to share their own experiences, ideas and questions with each other and try some basic tools.

In this session, we will cover how to hold community conversations leading up to and following the 2024 election using the Living Room Conversations dialogue model.

We will go over election resources and conversation guides that will enable your library to bring your community together around this topic through conversation.

Gain Valuable Insights into the Intersection of AI, Research Integrity, and Responsible Publishing.

Gain Valuable Insights into the Intersection of AI, Research Integrity, and Responsible Publishing.

Curious about standardized rights statements? Standardized rights statements help increase access and reuse of your items. By providing rights in the form of a machine-readable URI, users can facet on rights in the DPLA interface and open access items can be shared by DPLA to Wikimedia Commons. Want to learn how to apply them to your digital collection? Join the DPLA Rights Statements Working Group for an introduction to standardized rights statements. RightsStatements.org statements are a simple, standardized system of labels that more clearly communicate the copyright and re-use status of digital objects to the public. Adding these labels to your digital collections will improve usability and access for users. Presenters for this webinar will include members of the DPLA Rights Statements Working Group, many of whom are currently implementing rights statements for the collections they manage. They will share their expertise and experiences, as well as a wide range of resources for implementation.

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation (Constitution Annotated) provides summaries of U.S. Constitutional provisions and the leading U.S. Supreme Court decisions and historical practices that have interpreted them. This orientation is designed to give a basic overview of the features and navigation of the Constitution Annotated website.

The NIH Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy went into effect early last year. That means that the policy that so many medical data librarians have been talking about is finally in place and affecting researchers. Any organization that receives research grant funds from the National Institutes of Health will need to add a new “Data Management and Sharing Plan” to grant proposals, and then follow that plan. Libraries are being mentioned by many organizations as the place to find expertise and support for this new data policy.

This presentation will cover my staff training on “Grace in the Workplace.” I will cover what I presented to my staff and how I worked the theme throughout the year. I will talk about what has worked well and what did not. I will also share other staff themes that I have done with my staff and discuss what made me choose those ideas. Staff themes help bring the staff together and give them things to talk about when they have nothing else in common. Themes can help you work through difficult transitions and bring the staff together to work toward a common initiative. This “Grace in the Workplace” really helped us all come back together after the pandemic created a lot of upset and frustrated people in the world.

Earthquakes can be devastating to building structures and their contents for small and mid-sized institutions, resulting in extended recovery periods based on accessibility and structural reinforcement, and they affect numerous regions throughout the United States. During this webinar, part of AIC’s MayDay programming, experts will explain the science behind these natural phenomena, helping attendees understand what earthquakes are and what causes them. A case study will also be presented that will offer practical guidance on earthquake mitigation, prevention, and recovery that cultural institutions will be able to apply to their facilities.

Aiming to provide collections care professionals from small and mid sized institutions with practical strategies for effectively managing and preserving film and glass negatives, this webinar will emphasize pragmatic advice, resourceful solutions, and cost-effective measures to ensure the longevity and integrity of these valuable collections.

This 1-hour webinar is designed to assist librarians, and others who work with diverse populations, to locate health information in languages other than English. The resources presented are selected for their emphasis on providing information in the preferred language of the population. Participants will have the opportunity to become familiar with the features and scope of several Internet resources.

In addition to photographs, families captured their memories on 8 millimeter (mm) film beginning from the late-1930s into the 1980s (until videotape dominated the American consumer market). By the 1960s, it was superseded by Super 8mm film which allowed for a wider image to be captured. These films were generally captured at home around the holidays, at various celebrations, on vacation, or during any sort of leisure activity. There’s a good chance that your family or the library/historical organization you work at, also has films like this of your hometown. Now is the chance to pull them off the shelf and get them digitized.

This session will focus on an overview of recognizing what causes conflict in the workplace, understanding our responses to conflict, and strategies for better conflict resolution. This is a high-level view of conflict resolution but participants should leave with a few solid, actional strategies for dealing with conflict in their workplace. There will also be time to practice some of these strategies.

The Dementia Friendly Library Challenge, held in January and February of 2024, served as a an opportunity for library workers in Virginia to gain a better understanding of dementia and how to best serve patrons with dementia and their care partners. Join Nan Carmack, Ed.D., from the Library of Virginia, to learn about Virginia dementia and mild cognitive impairment data, resources to support folks with dementia, examples of library practices and the challenge itself. Replication of the challenge and broad sharing are encouraged!

Are you curious about what this whole data thing entails? Are you interested in starting new research data services at your institution? Have you considered a career in data services? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, this webinar is for you. We'll discuss how to start and where your library fits in.

This 90-minute, hands-on class will cover how to make documents created in Word and PowerPoint accessible to those who use screen reader technology. During the class, we'll work on sample files together. Sample files (Word and PowerPoint) will be provided to registrants prior to the class date.