Study like a Ravenclaw or work to the sounds of a storm at sea

Ambient-mixer.com

Ambient-Mixer.com has a section dedicated to the background sounds of fictional worlds, so you can study to the sounds of the Gryffindor common room, read in Belle’s library, or browse the Internet while you’re being chased by a hoard of Dothraki.

Library locations

The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.

Albert Einstein

Online Learning and CEU Requirements - a new form

For a training to be counted toward your CEU total it has to be at least 60 minutes long (and counted in 30 minute intervals after that). 

Many of the SkillSoft classes are now less than 60 minutes, but there is a way to complete these shorter classes and still receive credit.

For SkillSoft Classes that are less than 60 minutes long.

1.      Create a new, distinct title for each group of classes that you want to complete.  The title must reflects the subject or overall purpose of the programs in the group.  For example, several classes on sentences, grammar, and capitalization could be called “Business Writing Essentials.”  Other possibilities might be “Gender and Leadership,” “Update Your Customer Service,” “Excel Basics” and so on.  
2.      Find 2 or more classes on a similar topic that together total an hour or more.  
3.   Go to the "Forms" page of the blog and select "Learning Log for Online Programs

4.     Enter your general title and purpose of the classes in the space marked "What do I want to learn?" and put the name of the program or provider of the classes in the space marked "Program Used."

5.      As you complete the programs, add the names, length, and completion dates to the log.  Print your completion certificate for each class and attach the certificates to your log.

6.      If your total is over 60 minutes write down the number of complete hours and look at what is left.  If you have 30 minutes or more you can claim that extra half hour, but will lose any time less than 30 minutes.  For example, a 72 minute total is worth 1 hour, a 95 minute total is worth 1.5 hours, and a 130 minute total is worth 2 hours.  Put the “total” hours on the log in the "Contact Hours" space.

7.   Sign the bottom of the form and submit the log and certificates to SD&T.  The log takes the place of the CEU form in this case.

                                                                                                                                

You need to complete a separate form for each group of classes, and submit all of the paperwork together to receive credit .

As always if you have any questions, contact the SD&T Coordinator before you begin.

What's that word again?

Can't think of a word? Need a better word?

Wordhippo.com is a website that helps you find synonyms, antonyms, and even  sample sentences containing your word.  It will help you conjugate your verb, translate a word into English or into a large number of other languages, or even find a word when you only have a phrase that describes it.  Give it a try.

Review: Motivate, Engage, and Energize Your Team

Motivate, Engage, and Energize Your Team

Che’ Evans, instructor

Baltimore City HR Department

July 20, 2017

The instructor, was enthusiastic and brought a great energy to the discussion.  She was happy to answer specific questions and adapt the course to the needs and interests of the participants.

The class started by discussed employee motivations and how to create an environment that encourages employees to be engaged in their work.  Communication is definitely the key to sharing expectations and clarifying what tasks are “do now” and which can wait.  We also learned that employees can be working at a satisfactory level, but if they are not supported or even worse are in the wrong job they will not improve their performance or be motivated to expand their abilities.

One suggestion offered in class is to meet one-on-one with each member of your team at least once a month to review progress and discuss any problems.  This doesn’t have to be a long meeting, and shows the staf that you are interested in their growth.  Another interesting ideas was to provide interim performance evaluations with scores to staff having difficulties so that they can track their progress from version to version, and review areas that need improvement. 

This was a very interesting class, and I highly recommend it for supervisors and managers.  It does seem to be directed toward managers of larger groups, but those with smaller teams will still get some good ideas to try with their staff.   

Lisa R. Kenyon

Staff Development and Training

MLA Libraries = Education

I attended a thought-provoking training called “Libraries=Education: Your Key to Success.” In it, Valerie Gross, President and CEO of the Howard County Library System, laid out a persuasive case that the key to libraries remaining relevant in the public eye, and not to mention well-funded, lies in a thorough rebranding of who we are and of the services we provide.  Her theme is relevant, particularly in the age of Google and the clamor for fiscal accountability. When pressed with the question “Libraries – what are they good for?” how do we answer that concisely and convincingly, before it’s answered for us with the refrain Absolutely Nothing (apologies to Edwin Starr)?

For Valerie Gross the solution lies in regarding libraries as an essential component of high-quality public education, hence the slogan Libraries=Education. Lifelong education is key to survival in the Information Age. The public, and the politicians they elect, sense this when put in these terms. Howard County, led by a fiscally conservative county executive, has not only fully funded but increased funding for their public libraries.

            There are three pillars to the Libraries=Education concept:

I.                   Self-Directed Education through vast collections of items in print, audio and electronic formats; and thousands of premium online research tools.

II.                Research Assistance and Instruction for individuals and groups. This pillar includes classes, seminars and workshops for all ages, taught by library instructors.

III.             Instructive and Enlightening Experiences through cultural and community concepts, events, and partnerships.

Gross advocates replacing common terms in library world with new ones that reflect the concept of library as essential educational institution delivering high-quality education for all. Patron should be replaced with customer. Programs replaced with class, seminar, or workshop. Storytime replaced with Children’s Class or Year-Round Preschool Classes. Programming with class content or curriculum. Reference Desk with Research Desk and Reference Librarian with Instructor and Research Specialist. Information literacy with Research skills. Gross also believes that less-jargony terms can be used that the public can relate to; why not call Circulation just Borrowing or the Circulation Desk the Customer Service Desk? The list goes on, and for the class Gross compiled 5 pages of common terms with their preferable substitutes.

We know libraries are relevant to the public. Do they? 

Morgan Stanton

EDM

MLA - Two great sessions

I enjoyed my time at the MLA/DLA in Conference Cambridge, MD. Two sessions stood out to me.

My first workshop was Starting with “Yes, and…”:  Improv Fundamentals for Collaboration in Libraries.  This session used physical and verbal communication to build trust and buy-in with participants as we worked in groups. Using both forms of communication allowed the team members to practice taking initiative, working as a team, and working towards their goal through improvisation. Although some people may use these activities to generate team building at their libraries the concepts covered can be introduced in a variety of ways.

The other session was Underserved Communities: Outreach and Effective Services for Immigrant and ELL Populations. This program was presented by librarians from Prince George's County Memorial Library System. The two branches represented have a high immigrant population. Many of the residents in this area don’t speak English and many of them live in poverty. The libraries serving this community wanted to have impactful outreach and services. They partnered with an area church and a Judy Center. The church’s parishioners are English language learners. A librarian from one branch teaches a 12 week program that covers multiple topics from how to fill out forms to using library resources. The library also has a satellite collection at the church and offers programs to the children of the participants so they can focus on their class. The Judy Center program is conducted by another branch. It includes a small satellite library and the library has children’s programs for the organization’s clients. 

To anyone who is thinking about going to the conference or who has not attended the MLA/ DLA Conference in a while please consider going next year. This year there were so many sessions that gave you a real-life glimpse into what is happening in libraries in Maryland and Delaware. And this year’s site was a really nice place to be for a couple of days. 

Zandra Campbell

ORL