WELCOME TO THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OFFICE HOMEPAGE.

This learning page is a great place to find information about training, learning portfolios, and get helpful tips on customer service, managing employees, or other library issues. We'll also be posting post-conference reflections and ideas discovered by staff members at programs they attended.

Subscribe to the blog to get updates when ideas are posted.

Monday, October 20, 2025

The LMS is currently unavailable due to the AWS issue.

The LMS was affected by the AWS outage today, so you may not be able to log in to the program.


From Docebo's website:

Our upstream provider, AWS, is currently experiencing an outage affecting multiple services in all the regions, which is causing a broader impact on Docebo's system — specifically on intra-service authentication.

Customers located in US East 1 are experiencing long load times or errors when attempting to access or navigate their sites due to ongoing issues with AWS recovery. We are actively reviewing our possible mitigation paths and will update when additional information is available.  

We'll update you if we hear anything.

Monday, September 29, 2025

25 Signs You’re Not Tough Enough to Live in Baltimore - We're #4


25 Signs You’re Not Tough Enough to Live in Baltimore

By Ankita Rawoorker

September 19, 2025

Maryland, Real Estate


4. You treat the Enoch Pratt like a rainy-day plan


It’s a civic cathedral—free internet, job help, story time, and history you can hold in your hands. The library is where futures quietly change, and where the city gathers in ways no app can replace. If you’re not a cardholder, you’re skipping Baltimore’s most generous open door.


https://www.homestratosphere.com/signs-youre-not-tough-enough-to-live-in-baltimore/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Sep+22+-+Signs+Not+Tough+Enough+for+BALTIMORE+-+/signs-youre-not-tough-enough-to-live-in-baltimore/&fbclid=IwZnRzaANAHzBleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqyebnqM0iwEe5ciOT2vB1QzQDrOclU4Dw6bsc22Nwqgvgz7tBgXSQU5QGnaShUuYMqDr-VY_aem_8pxLbxMYxxG0psOAP4gOJQ&utm_id=120233357410870203&utm_content=120233357436260203&utm_term=120233357410960203

Friday, August 29, 2025

Call for Proposals for ALA Annual in Chicago

 

ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition Chicago June 25-29, 2026. For our
 libraries. For 150 years more.

 

Present a PLA Program at ALA 2026 Annual

The Public Library Association (PLA) invites you to submit an education program proposal relevant to public libraries for the ALA 2026 Annual Conference, which takes place June 25–29 in Chicago.

 

The conference explores key challenges and opportunities facing libraries, with professional development rooted in timely research, innovation, and best practices. It will also celebrate the American Library Association's (ALA) 150th anniversary! Proposals from a broad variety of perspectives that celebrate, commemorate, or educate about the impact that ALA and our affiliate partners have made on the profession and on libraries nationally and internationally over the last 150 years are encouraged.

 

PLA program proposals are due by September 22.

 

Learn More & Start a Proposal

 

 

Public Library Association

www.pla.org • (800) 545-2433 x5PLA

 

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Public Library Association

 

American Library Association

225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601 | pla.org | Review the ALA Privacy Policy

 

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Program Proposals Now Open: MLA|DLA 2026 Annual Conference

Proposals for 2026 MLA/DLA conference sessions can now be submitted. ðŸ—“️ If you are interested in participating in May's conference in Cambridge, you can submit a proposal for pre-conference sessions (Wednesday) or regular conference sessions (Thursday and Friday).  If you prefer to do a short presentation, you can submit a proposal for an Ignite session or a Poster session. ðŸ“œ

Pratt always has a strong presence at the conference, and I look forward to seeing what our staff has to share with the MD library community.

Links for the online form and the proposal submission guide are below, or you can email Paula Mitchell for assistance.  Terrible puns for session titles are encouraged. ðŸ™ƒ



Dear Maryland Library Community, 

We’re excited to announce the call for program proposals is now open for the 2026 MLA|DLA Annual Conference! Join us May 6-8, 2026, back at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Maryland, as we explore this year's theme: "Our Stories, Our Shelves."

We look forward to seeing the programs you'll propose for what promises to be an unforgettable conference celebrating the power of stories in our communities and the library collections that reflect those communities.

Submission Guidelines
All proposals must be submitted through our online form. Proposals should clearly demonstrate relevance to library professionals across all sectors. Review our program proposal submission guide for a preview and descriptions of the form's questions. 

Proposal Submission Period: August 25 - October 17, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: December 2025

Program Proposal Form »

Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to a conference that celebrates the diverse narratives within our library community. 

We're Seeking Proposals For

  • Pre-Conference Sessions
  • General Sessions 
  • Ignite Sessions 
  • Poster Sessions

Questions? 
Contact the Conference Director, Paula Mitchell, at md.la.conference@gmail.com or check out our proposal submission guide

Sincerely,
The MLA|DLA Conference Planning Committee

This email was sent on behalf of Maryland Library Association located at 1401 Hollins St., Baltimore, MD 21223.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Staff Training grant renewed for FY 2026

We are happy to share that the Maryland State Library Agency's federal award, through the Library Services and Technology Act, has been level-funded and certified by the Institute for Museum and Library Services for fiscal year 2026.

SD&T will receive the same funding as last year, which will help with program and conference registration for all staff.  As always, we'll use the funding for a variety of activities and events as outlined in the grant regulations.  


Thanks to MSLA and the IMLS for this assistance.  

Friday, July 18, 2025

Online learning from MLSA continues for another year!

Grant funding for the Maryland Statewide Webinars Project has been renewed with no interruption to service. Thanks to support from both the Maryland State Library Agency (MSLA) and Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds administered by IMLS, we will be continuing our partnerships and expanding our offerings.


  • PCI Webinars will remain available to all library staff across the state.
  • Dr. Steve Albrecht’s Safety Series from Library 2.0 will also continue uninterrupted. We’re excited to share that Dr. Albrecht plans to broaden his focus with additional sessions on organizational development and leadership in the coming months.
  • We are adding statewide access to the Library 2.0 Wellness Series and the AI Series. These will be available both as live sessions and on-demand recordings.
  • Once these new series are active and integrated into the Niche Academy archive, we will send out another update with registration and access details.
As always, we encourage you to take full advantage of these professional development opportunities—and to advocate for IMLS support. These resources are made possible through ongoing federal and state investment in library development and staff learning. Your voices matter in helping to preserve and grow this support.