Working from home difficulties

I'm having some trouble working from home. 

Registration for webinars and programs that have fees - what to do while we are out of the office

We've been sending out training opportunities for staff, and some of you have questions about those that charge a fee.  We will continue to pay these fees for staff, and the process to request funding is similar to the usual process. 

1. The staff member identifies a program they wish to attend.  There is a fee involved.

2.  The staff member creates a 354 request with a goals statement (and any registration information needed) and sends these by email to their supervisor.

3.  If the supervisor approves, they forward the email (with the form and statement) to their division chief with a statement like "I approve this."  If not approved, supervisor notifies staff member.

4.  If the division chief approves the request, they forward the email and attachments to SD&T, also stating "I approve this," or similar.  If not approved, chief notifies supervisor.

5.  SD&T will register the staff member for the program and pay the fee.  Staff member will get confirmation of registration from SD&T.

6.  When the program is complete, the staff member forwards confirmation of completion to SD&T.

Once we return to the library, the forms will be printed and appropriate signatures will be required.

No requests without the appropriate paper/email trail can be considered, so please follow the directions carefully.  

If you have any questions, please let us know.

NicheAcademy webinars

Looking for ways to develop your skills while working from home?  There are a lot of interesting recorded webinars on NicheAcademy that can be accessed from their website without having to create an account.  

These range from Diversity/Inclusive topics like "Cultivating Strong Girls" and "Serving Individuals with Autism,"  to general library topics like "Practicing Intellectual Freedom," and even some topics for managers like "Best Practices for Developing Employees' Soft Skills."

Not everything is CEU worthy, so be sure you are selecting topics that are appropriate to your work at the library, and that you are accessing webinars and not just informative articles.  Remember, the webinar has to be at least 60 minutes long to count for credit.

These are recorded webinars, so you'll need to include a review/discussion of the program with your CEU form when you submit it.  I'll attach the information about recorded webinars, which can also be found on the blog.

https://www.nicheacademy.com/blog  

Library 2.0 Mini-conference March 26, 2020

It's easy and free to join Library 2.0 but plan ahead because it can take a day or two for membership approval.

We are expanding our planned Library 2.0 special broadcast webinar for librarians to a special mini-conference, being held in conjunction with PCI Webinars and Andrew Sanderbeck. Please note the new expanded times. DATE & TIMES: Thursday, March 26th, 2020 | 1:00 - 6:30 pm US-Eastern Time (4 one-hour sessions with 1/2-hour breaks) COST: Free REGISTRATION: To register for the mini-conference, please join Library 2.0. Those who are already members of Library 2.0 do not need to do anything. ATTENDING: The schedule with the live session links will be sent to all members of Library 2.0. PLATFORM: The mini-conference platform is Zoom. To make sure your computer or mobile is configured for Zoom, please visit zoom.us/test. SESSIONS: 1. SELF-CARE DURING A CRISIS: BREATHE, THINK, AND GROW 1:00 PM US-Eastern Daylight Time Click here to see in your own time zone As libraries deal with the global crisis of 2020, staff have many difficult choices to handle every day. From deciding whether to stay open to managing the constant flow of information, the work can be all-consuming. In this webinar, we will talk about how to take time out of your day to focus on yourself and to nourish your own growth. Participants will: Learn methods and exercises for staying in the moment and remaining mindful while dealing with stress and uncertainty Spend time discussing their challenges and how they are working to handle them, while planning mindfully for the future Focus on healthy self-care activities Cari Dubiel Adult Learning and Information Services Manager at Twinsburg Public Library Cari is the Adult Learning and Information Services Manager at Twinsburg Public Library. She is also a writer, teacher, and podcaster. She is a former Library Liaison to Sisters in Crime, an organization of 3600 crime writers and readers nationwide. 2. WHY AND HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR ONLINE SERVICES DURING THE QUARANTINE 2:30 PM US-Eastern Daylight Time Click here to see in your own time zone We are certainly "living in interesting times" ... and working in them too. Even if your building is closed, your library is still offering services—but are you telling people that? While it's tempting to look at these pandemic-related closures as much-needed downtime, librarians don't have that luxury. People still need you. In fact, people who haven't used libraries in years need your boredom-breaking services and your long-trusted guidance, too. So it's vital to keep marketing your libraries now, for three reasons: 1) telling people what's available online and how to get it; 2) being the trusted source of info that people expect; and 3) proving your value to retain funding after the crisis. In this webinar, specially created to help your library be as useful as possible during the current Coronavirus pandemic, library marketing maven Kathy Dempsey will share her best advice on these topics: Working at home (Dempsey has worked at home for 10 years) Turning today's chaos into a Crisis Communications Plan in the near future Exactly what services and products to promote (some might surprise you) How to get the word out, beyond your own social media followers How to approach messaging in trying times Why today's promotion will help secure next year's library funding Why to scratch out mini marketing plans to make your work effective Resources for self-care and for social sharing In a time where everyone is inundated with information, the world still needs their librarians and librarians. The "new normal" will likely have super-tight budgets, so proving how essential you are during this crisis may well determine whether your organization survives the virus. Kathy Dempsey Libraries Are Essential Kathy Dempsey wrote the popular how-to tome The Accidental Library Marketer and founded her own marketing consultancy, Libraries Are Essential. Her work is dedicated to helping librarians and information professionals promote their value and expertise in order to gain respect and funding. Kathy has been the Editor of Marketing Library Services newsletter for 25 years, and was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Computers in Librariesmagazine. She also blogs at The 'M' Word. She's a member of the New Jersey Library Association, and Founder of the Library Marketing and Communications Conference, which she chaired in 2015, 2016, and 2017. This writer, editor, and marketing maven has been giving presentations across the U.S. and Canada for 20+ years, always sprinkling them with humor to make marketing concepts more interesting and accessible. She continues to fight the stereotypes that librarians are boring and that "marketing" is a dirty word. 3. SERVING PATRONS IN A CRISIS 4:00 PM US-Eastern Daylight Time Click here to see in your own time zone Helping people make decisions based on facts and evidence is what libraries of all types do everyday. With libraries closing to the public and reducing services because of COVID-19, how can we continue to provide the facts in this fast-paced changing environment? And how can libraries provide the services that their communities will need to remain vital to the health and welfare of their communities? This interactive and informative webinar will help attendees find the latest resources and information available to help them serve their patrons and communities, as well as looking into how libraries are responding to community needs of today and will focus on the work ahead as we shape the future of library services after the pandemic passes. Andrew Sanderbeck PCI Webinars Andrew has been developing and conducting training programs for libraries and library organizations for more than fifteen years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is a board member of the Haywood County Public Library and a monthly donor to EveryLibrary, advocating for libraries everywhere that support is needed. Kathy Zappitello Executive Director of the Conneaut Public Library in Conneaut, Ohio Kathy has worked for fifteen years in Ohio libraries and is currently the Executive Director of the Conneaut Public Library in Conneaut, Ohio. Kathy serves on the National Board of Directors for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries and is co-chair of the Partnership committee. Locally, she produces educational content for one of Ohio's cable access channels that provides programming to households in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. 4. PREPARING YOUR DIGITAL BRANCH FOR INCREASED USE 5:30 PM US-Eastern Daylight Time Click here to see in your own time zone As libraries engage in social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are placing new emphasis on our online services. Is your organization ready? In this interactive and Informative program, we will discuss how to prepare your digital branch for an influx of users, and examine best practices for virtual reference and digital collections as you work to meet your community's needs. Nick Tanzi Assistant Director of the South Huntington Public Library Nick Tanzi has been incorporating emerging technologies into the library as a children’s librarian, the founding member of a digital services department, and most recently, as the Assistant Director of the South Huntington Public Library. During this time, he has spoken in the U.S. and abroad on topics ranging from social media marketing to 3D printing. He is the author of Making the Most of Digital Collections through Training and Outreach (2016), and Best Technologies for Public Libraries (2020). He writes “The Wired Library” column for Public Libraries Magazine. Tanzi was named a 2017 Dewey Fellow by the New York Library Association, and currently serves as President of its Making and STEAM Round Table.

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How can SD&T help you to improve your abilities?

Ten Tips for Comfortable Conferences

This is a great list for new attendees, or as a reminder for the seasoned conference veteran.

• Take a sweater/jacket even if the weather is warm, as the conference hall and session rooms may be glacial.  Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes.  
• Take a refillable water bottle and keep it filled.  Top up at every opportunity.  You never know when you might get stuck in a session without water or start coughing during a keynote.  Fill it before you leave for the day to avoid having to buy $4 bottles of water at your hotel.
• Charge you devices frequently, for they will run out of power at the most inconvenient time.  One tip is to take a power strip with you, that way you don't have to fight for outlets, and you'll be a hero to other attendees.  The best option is to purchase a recharger that you can carry with you, but be sure you have all the cords you need before you leave your hotel.
• Arrive at sessions early where possible to get a good seat (or even a seat at all).  Aisle seats go fast, as do table seats that face the presenter.
• Carry baby wipes, or face cleansing wipes in case of stickiness or greasy food at lunch.
• If there is a huge vendor area, review the list and make notes of those you actually want to meet.  It makes it easier to traverse the vendor jungle and not get lost among the booths.  You also won't "miss" any really important companies.
• Take a small bag of mint/hard candy/breath strips in case of garlic at lunch (not gum).
• Check Amazon.com before buying books at the conference, unless you want to take them to author signings.  Often conference prices aren't the best price and you won't have to haul them back in your suitcase.
• Check the conference app (if there is one) for presentations and slide decks before the first day of the event.  Not only will this save photocopying, but in some cases you can get a sense of the program from the slides and decide if you really want to attend that program.
• Get in a line, it's a great way to meet people.  Lines for registration, meals, general sessions, and even the bathroom are ways to make contact with new people in a more casual way.  The movement of the line also helps keep the conversation brief and can give you a opening to the conversation.  "Have you seen the bags they are giving out this year? or "That lunch yesterday was interesting, I hope today we have better options."

Top 5 Tips for Networking at Conferences

One of the best things about conferences is meeting new people and making connections.  Here are 5 tips to help make the most of this opportunity.

- Take your business cards with you and have them handy at all times.  This is a quick way to share information with new people, and also to enter give-away events during sessions.  Many conferences are using QR codes on name badges, but physical cards are still a great way to make connections.

- If you take someone's business card, take a minute to jot a few notes on the back - who is this person, where did you meet, what did you discuss, what is your followup, or even a physical description in case you run into them later.

- If the conference has a "meet to eat" option, where you sign up to go out for meals, then sign up for these.  It's a great way to meet people in a more casual atmosphere but still with the conference connection.  Also great if you are the only one from your system at the event.

- Sit with someone new in breakout sessions and at meals, especially if you are with other staff members from your system.  Don't huddle together in a group, spread out and say hello.

- Get in a line.  Meal lines, registration, even lines for the bathroom are great places to meet people in a natural way and this has the advantage of limited time to talk so you won't get stuck in an awkward conversation.

Bonus tip -- Look up from your phone at meals and before breakout sessions.  Look around and try to meet the people sitting near you, rather than sitting with your head down and ignoring everyone.