City of Baltimore Registration Form and Process

If you are interested in taking one of the classes offered by the City DHR, you need to print the registration form, complete the first page, and get your supervisor to sign, and then send it to SD&T.  If the relevance of the class to your position is not obvious, you also need to submit a goals and intentions statement as well.

The form can be found here:

 http://humanresources.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/Registration_Form_0318_0.pdf

As always, if you have questions contact SD&T.

MLA/DLA 2016 Conference Notes - Unleashing Staff Potential

I attended a program at MLA called “Unleashing Staff Potential” which was presented by Beth Roszkowski and Megan Hunt, from George Mason University.  The presenters created a program where staff members dedicate 1 hour per week to a training that is related to their interests or their job. 

Staff members chose their own training and meet with their supervisors each week for 15 minutes to discuss what they did in the previous week and what they want to do in the next week.  The training was built into their schedules to ensure that it was done, and done while they were at work.  The employees were responsible for identifying trainings that interest them and supervisors also made recommendations.

Their staff is obviously significantly smaller than ours, and this wouldn’t work as a mandatory program right now, but I thought could be a useful model for our staff.

If each of our librarians and library associates did 1 hour of training every other week, or 2 hours per month, then they could easily make their re-certification goal without having to attend day long trainings or leave their locations.  This would be particularly useful in departments that may be understaffed or in smaller braches where staff have difficulty attending classes.  If the librarians and LAs did an hour every week (allowing for vacations and holidays) they could meet the re-certification goal in under 2 years.

Likewise, staff interested in increasing their skills or moving into higher positions could use this model to learn skills that would make them better candidates when these positions become available.  Managers who are interested in developing the skills of their employees might also want to think about this model when creating performance plans.

Just something to think about, and it would be an easy way to get training and explore your interests.

Lisa R. Kenyon

SD&T

MLA/DLA 2016 Conference Notes - Desk Yoga

About 63 conference attendees took the chance to unplug and De-Stress with Desk Yoga on Friday Morning, May 6.  Everyone did a great job of listening and moving thorough a series of short seated and standing routines, demonstrating everyone's ability to refresh during the work day using a break or lunch period without wearing spandex, learning Sanskrit, or standing on our heads. 

Participants learned 

1. 4 quick ways to calm and activate using simple breathing techniques 

2. Easy routines to be completed during a 5, 15, 30, or 45 minute break  

3. DIY ways to address work day stiffness or discomfort in the head and neck, back, arms and hands

4. A 5 - 7 minute deep rest period that relaxes each part of the body

Valerie Diamond

Collection Management

If you would like copies of the handouts from the class, please email Valerie at vdiamond@prattlibrary.org

MLA/DLA 2016 Conference Notes - Homelessness and Libraries

At MLA/DLA conference I attended two workshops, "Best Practices for Serving the Homeless" and "Improving Library Service for Our Homeless Patrons," about library service to the homeless. These workshops were excellent presentations, which helped participants understand that homelessness is a complicated social problem. Library's can help by providing information, programming and a welcoming attitude.

"The Homeless" is  a term frequently used as a catch all for customers who are not blending in with the typical user population. It covers a range of behaviors such as coming to the library as frequently as all day, every day, bringing a large amount of personal belongings, attempting to sleep in the library and more. Their problems include joblessness, housing insecurity, homelessness, mental health issues, addiction, no facilities to maintain personal hygiene and exposure during extreme weather.

The pre-conference workshop began with  a presentation by David Prittle, a formerly homeless  advocate for the homeless in the DC area. Sharing his story gave a human face to the complicated problem of homelessness. Participants in the workshop took the opportunity to ask “Why do the homeless not go to shelters?” , "what did you read?" "Did you ask the library staff for help?"and other practical questions. In Mr. Prittle's experience, the library was a peaceful safe place as long as he did not fall asleep too often. Eventually he was asked to leave the library.

Librarians need to raise awareness that our customers who are under stress need information and assistance from the library staff, although they may not know to ask staff directly for help. Policies must welcome all members of the community. The public areas need to be managed fairly.  Library policies should always consider how to create/maintain access to the library by all members of the community.

What helps  homeless/stressed community members?

Inclusive Programming – customers who are experiencing stress such as homelessness do not feel invited to typical programs. Scheduling Adult programing in day time helps. Fun programs are appreciated.  Movie screenings, chess boards, Art classes for adults and even “Meet the Staff” style programs are successful.  Staff may have to encourage attendance with specific verbal invitations to individuals. Job hunting and work skills oriented programming is appreciated. Programming such as health screenings and “Lawyer in the Library” are very useful to customers who have many needs.

What hurts the homeless/stressed community members?

In some cases, well intended policies may prevent community members from using the library. All libraries need to have policies which allow them to issue library cards to customers who have no fixed address. All policies that are implemented need to be applied equally at all library users. [For example, if the book club members can eat in the public areas of the library, so can every other customer.]  Policies that target specific sectors of the community can hinder positive service attitudes of the staff towards the community.

What can Librarians do?

Librarians can review proposed and existing policies to consider how the policies impact the entire community. Library staff may need training to recognize (and respond to) information needs that customers do not articulate clearly.  Staff may need to adopt a less formal style; for example, actively invite community members to attend daytime adult programming. Library staff should also be aware of the wide variety of help that is available in the community. This is a challenge.  Resources, organizations and social service programs are constantly changing. There is no one resource for all our customer’s needs.

Sarah Kuperman

Collection Management

MLA/DLA 2016 Conference Notes -- SOLID Conference Discussion

During the session "Lessons From Non-Library Conferences," Scott Reinhart & Bob Kuntz from the Carroll County Public Library shared some very interesting technology innovations from the SOLID Conference.  Some notable examples included the following: 

• custom 3D printed cell phone cases available through vending machines in Japan
• an electronic "smart plate" that keeps track of your eating habits and calorie intake
• 3D printed automobile chassis made from carbon fiber.  (This was an example of using technology to create products locally.)

Mr. Reinhart & Mr. Kuntz discussed how the field of biology is influencing technology in the notion that "binary diversity" can potentially help improve computer security and how DNA may be used as a high capacity storage unit in the future.  The presentation provided an insider's glimpse into some of the innovations from Silicon Valley that could impact society in general and library service specifically.

Greg Fromme
Herring Run Branch

MLA/DLA 2016 Conference Notes - Beyond Session Attendance

Since I’ve been going to MLA for a few years now as a Conference Committee member, I’d like to talk about some of the other aspects of MLA I’ve found valuable, especially as a SLRC outreach provider.

Presenting

Jeanne, Ray, and I organized a panel on outreach to adults titled “Connecting Resources: Becoming a Link to Local Industries.” We had very good attendance (exact numbers TBD), and I received two requests for SLRC services on the spot with a third following a few days later. There is often a lack of understanding for what SLRC does, and while that was not the central topic of the panel, it gave us a chance to explain what we do to a statewide audience. Also, I think I get CEUs for my own presentation?

Volunteering

This was my fifth (maybe sixth?) MLA conference, though it was my first year volunteering at the registration table. One of the main reasons I go to MLA is to network with other librarians in the state and learn directly from the source about the new things happening in their regions. Volunteering at the registration table turned out to be by far the best way to do this. Not only did I get to see all of the attendees I already knew, but I was also able to meet several new people via the other volunteers working at the table. I was able to coordinate with my co-presenters, field questions about SLRC services, and ask about upcoming presentations. I can’t even remember the number of business cards I received. I found it an extremely valuable two hours of my life and I highly recommend it.

Vendor Presentations

MLA is a smaller conference and the vendor presentations are often poorly attended as a result. I attended three presentations: OverDrive, a library architectural firm, and a bilingual teen magazine “Motivos.” I was able to ask direct questions about their services and hear about the new and upcoming features (especially in the case of OverDrive).

Aryn Dagirmanjian

Social Science and History Department

MLA/DLA 2016 Conference Notes - "Legal Resources for Public Librarians"

I took an informative course called "Legal Resources Training for Public Librarians." Many of the poor and indigent come to the public library looking for legal information. Often they expect us to know the answers to the legal questions they seek. As librarians, we cannot give legal advice, but we should be able to provide good resources. Please keep in mind that there is a misperception that the poor have access to free representation in court; this is only true in regards to criminal matters, not civil. It is our duty to help them as best we can.

With that in mind, here are some good online sources:

• Maryland Courts.  mdcourts.gov.   Best starting place.
• The Maryland People's Law Library.  peoples-law.org.  Think "Wikipedia" for Maryland law - but maintained by the Maryland State Law Library. Try the "Get Help" link.
• Google Scholar.  scholar.google.com   Best for finding cases nationwide and for legal articles.
• Maryland State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services.   msba.org/public/lawyer-referral.aspx    For finding a lawyer.
• Code of Maryland (aka Michie's)  https://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/mdcode/  In case you don't have it in print at your location.
• Maryland Legal Aid. http://www.mdlab.org/   Private, non-profit law firm providing free legal services to low-income people statewide.
• Family Law Assistance. http://mdcourts.gov/family/familylawassistance.html    Family Services Programs & Self-Help Centers

Morgan Stanton
Edmondson Avenue Branch