Picture Perfect: Making Your Images Ready for the Web with Laura Solomon
2025-08-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Are you responsible for creating and posting graphics or photos online? If your images are stretched, pixelated, or not optimized for specific social media channels, they could be costing you valuable attention—and potentially your patrons’ mobile bandwidth. This webinar will guide you through best practices for preparing web images, ensuring they look their best and are efficient to load. Learn how to optimize photos and graphics for different platforms, avoid common pitfalls, and make your images stand out. Gain the insights you need to make your images ready for prime time and enhance your library’s online presence.

Laura Solomon, MCIW, MLS, is the Library Services Manager at the Ohio Public Library Information Network and a W3C-certified front-end web developer. With over two decades of experience in web development and design, Laura has honed her expertise in both public libraries and as an independent consultant, specializing in Drupal development and in website accessibility.

Recognized as a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, she has authored books on social media and content marketing tailored for libraries, as well as about library website design. She has dedicated many course hours to learning how to make websites accessible, ensuring that digital spaces are inclusive for all users.

Laura is a frequently-requested speaker for public library organizations, sharing her passion for bringing the fun of technology to audiences and equipping libraries with the tools to better serve their virtual customers.

Customer Service from the Inside Out with Linda Bruno
2025-08-12 14:00 - 15:00
Have you ever been in an establishment where you could feel the tension of the employees? Or perhaps you could see them stomping around or hear them “harrumphing” as they went about their business. Whichever signal they were sending to give you a clue about their dissatisfaction, chances are that clue was at least in part due to a lack of internal customer service.

But what is “internal” customer service? Aren’t our customers from the outside? Most are, of course. But we can’t serve those outside customers unless we are working to serve our internal customers as well.

In this one-hour session, we’ll define internal customer service – what it is and who’s involved. Then we’ll brainstorm best practices to make sure ours is as good as it can be!

Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves! That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

17+ Ways to Nurture Customer Relationships with Linda Bruno
2025-08-19 14:00 - 15:30
If you look up the word relationship, you’ll find something along the lines of… “the relation connecting or binding participants in a relationship” or… “a specific instance or type of kinship.”

Although normally you may not think of binding your customers (although sometimes you might feel like you’d like to!), maybe the more accurate meaning of “relationship” when it applies to our customers would be to blend those two statements. I like to think of customer relationships as a “binding kinship.” In other words, something draws them – and keeps them coming – to your library. Often that something is “kinship.” They like how they feel when they come to your library. It has become their “third place.”

In this 90-minute webinar, we’ll talk about how to nurture relationships with your customers to keep them coming back. We’ll develop a list of simple, cost-free, easy-to-implement ways to make them feel welcome. When they feel welcome, they’re more likely to be an advocate for your library – and we can all use more advocates!

Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves! That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

Overcoming the Email Avalanche: Three Steps to an Empty Inbox with Doug Crane
2025-08-21 14:00 - 15:00
Huge volumes of email are a fact of office life, yet it threatens to overwhelm our work. Is there a way to get email under control short of mass deleting your entire inbox? Yes, there is!

In this fun and engaging class, participants will learn how to:

Clear out inbox backlog, no matter how large

Identify different types of actionable email and respond accordingly

Create an efficient organizational structure to their email client

Reliably locate archived email

Celebrate the joys of an empty inbox!

Doug Crane began his career with the Palm Beach County Library System as a children’s librarian in 1998. He was appointed Library Director in 2014 and has spoken at national conferences on topics such as office productivity and leadership for over a decade. Doug is the author of the articles, “May I Ask You a Question? Lessons Learned from Interviewing Public Library Leaders,” “Efficient Librarianship – A New Path for the Profession,” and “Go For It! Advice From Library Directors.” For his public speaking skills, he recently received the Distinguished Toastmaster designation from Toastmasters International. Doug shares his musings at www.efficientlibrarian.com. In his spare time, he admires his collection of Doctor Who sonic screwdrivers, and relaxes at home with his wife, daughter, dog, and cat.

Coaching Others for Success with Linda Bruno
2025-08-26 14:00 - 15:30
What comes to mind when you think of the word “coach?” It’s likely that you’ll think of words like encourage, teach, help, develop, grow, train, instruct, mentor, and advise. Whew! That’s a big job! And the reason it’s such a big job is that effective coaching is critical to “winning” – or as we say in the workplace – “success.”

Success doesn’t just happen though, does it? It often takes someone coming alongside to coach and mentor others to give them the best chance for succeeding.

Indeed, feedback through coaching is a roadmap of sorts. A good coach sees when someone is veering off-course and gives feedback to help that person get back on track.

In this fast-paced 90-minute session, we’ll discuss helping others set meaningful goals and all that entails. We’ll learn why understanding obstacles, listening to their concerns, and helping them move forward is so important in helping them achieve what you both want – a job well done.

Whether you’re a supervisor or just enjoy helping others succeed, join us for this thought-provoking webinar!

Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves! That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

The State of Social Media: Trends & Challenges with Laura Solomon
2025-08-27 14:00 - 15:00
Social media is no longer a novelty for libraries; it’s an essential part of modern operations. However, social media platforms have significantly matured and evolved. What worked ten, five, or even one year ago might not be effective today. User demographics, behaviors, and motivations have shifted in unexpected ways. Join social media author Laura Solomon for an in-depth exploration of the current state of social media. Discover the latest trends and the unique challenges libraries face in this ever-changing landscape. Stay ahead by understanding what’s happening now.

Laura Solomon, MCIW, MLS, is the Library Services Manager at the Ohio Public Library Information Network and a W3C-certified front-end web developer. With over two decades of experience in web development and design, Laura has honed her expertise in both public libraries and as an independent consultant, specializing in Drupal development and in website accessibility.

Recognized as a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, she has authored books on social media and content marketing tailored for libraries, as well as about library website design. She has dedicated many course hours to learning how to make websites accessible, ensuring that digital spaces are inclusive for all users.

Laura is a frequently-requested speaker for public library organizations, sharing her passion for bringing the fun of technology to audiences and equipping libraries with the tools to better serve their virtual customers.

Leadership: Challenges and Rewards with Doug Crane
2025-09-04 14:00 - 15:00
What does it take to be a leader? To be blunt, leadership is not easy. In fact, it may not even be right for you! Discover the challenges and rewards of leadership in this webinar.

Participants will learn:

The reasons why you should NOT become a leader

The special aspects of leading in a government or non-profit organization

The hidden rewards of leadership (it’s not just about promotions)

Six starter tips for the leadership path

Doug Crane began his career with the Palm Beach County Library System as a children’s librarian in 1998. He was appointed Library Director in 2014 and has spoken at national conferences on topics such as office productivity and leadership for over a decade. Doug is the author of the articles, “May I Ask You a Question? Lessons Learned from Interviewing Public Library Leaders,” “Efficient Librarianship – A New Path for the Profession,” and “Go For It! Advice From Library Directors.” For his public speaking skills, he recently received the Distinguished Toastmaster designation from Toastmasters International. Doug shares his musings at www.efficientlibrarian.com. In his spare time, he admires his collection of Doctor Who sonic screwdrivers, and relaxes at home with his wife, daughter, dog, and cat.

Understanding Yourself as a Supervisor with Linda Bruno
2025-09-09 14:00 - 15:00
As a supervisor, it comes as no surprise to you that no two people are alike. Sometimes one person can even behave differently from day to day!The differences people exhibit can add interest and creativity to your workplace. But if you don’t understand what’s behind the differences, those “interesting” behaviors can also be a bit frustrating, especially when they aren’t behaving as YOU would behave!In this fast-paced one-hour session, we’ll look at common characteristics – the good, the bad, and the ugly! – of the four primary behavioral styles. We’ll examine strengths and weaknesses so that you can recognize both aspects of your own behavior and apply that knowledge to your daily interactions with your staff. This is a chance to learn more about yourself – which is especially helpful when you’re supervising others!

Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves! That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

Presentation Skills for Librarians with Ned Potter
2025-09-10 10:00 - 11:30
2-parts series: September 10th & September 17th

The aim of these workshops is to build confidence and be able to produce amazing looking but, crucially, effective presentations, in a variety of styles depending on how important the presentation is and how much time you have.

Everything in this hands-on training is based on the research into multimedia communication, and how to get your key messages to stay in the minds of your audience: how to make your message stick. No gimmicks, just achievable ideas and techniques which work.

The workshop covers the golden rules of creating presentations, finding amazing images without breaking copyright laws or spending any money, and creating PowerPoint Presentations in different styles, varying in complexity and flexibility so you can choose which to use for a given presentation.

We’ll also look at presenting itself: researching presentations, delivering talks and teaching, and conquering nerves.

Ned Potter is Faculty Engagement Manager at the University of York, and a Trainer for various organizations across four continents. His presentations have been viewed over 2.5 million times online, and his book The Library Marketing Toolkit was published by Facet in 2012. Ned can be found online at ned-potter.com and on Bluesky at @nedpotter.bsky.social.

Future Forward: Emerging Tech Trends with Laura Solomon
2025-09-11 14:00 - 15:00
With the rapid pace of new technology, keeping up can be a challenge. Join Laura Solomon for an insightful exploration into emerging tech trends and their potential impact on library services. Discover how these trends might reshape the way libraries operate, serve their communities, and stay ahead in the digital age. This webinar will provide a glimpse into the future of technology, helping you stay informed and prepared for what’s next.

Laura Solomon, MCIW, MLS, is the Library Services Manager at the Ohio Public Library Information Network and a W3C-certified front-end web developer. With over two decades of experience in web development and design, Laura has honed her expertise in both public libraries and as an independent consultant, specializing in Drupal development and in website accessibility.

Recognized as a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, she has authored books on social media and content marketing tailored for libraries, as well as about library website design. She has dedicated many course hours to learning how to make websites accessible, ensuring that digital spaces are inclusive for all users.

Laura is a frequently-requested speaker for public library organizations, sharing her passion for bringing the fun of technology to audiences and equipping libraries with the tools to better serve their virtual customers.

Shields Up! Warding Off Negativity with Linda Bruno
2025-09-16 14:00 - 15:30
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get totally drawn into the world of the negative? Or maybe I should say, “how easy it is to get drawn into what sometimes seems a totally negative world”!

And have you ever noticed that we often tend to share our negativity with others – our co-workers, patrons, friends, and family – and sometimes total strangers? And that it becomes a rather vicious cycle of “sharing?”

What we sometimes forget is that holding on to negativity vs. focusing on the positive is a choice, not something over which we have absolutely no control.

In this 90-minute webinar, we’re going to look briefly at what tends to bring out our negativity, how long we hang on to negative thoughts, and how we generally react to the feelings that come as a result of those negative thoughts.

Then we’ll talk about choices – how do we raise awareness of the choices we’re making regarding our own feelings? How do we ensure that those choices are going to be to our benefit? How do we use this skill to impact our lives?

In other words, how do we choose to stay positive when negativity seems to be the norm?

Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves! That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

Developing Motivated Cultures: Six Simple Factors that Shape Your Organization with Doug Crane
2025-09-17 14:00 - 15:00
Every good organization has a strategic plan. However, the success of that plan is highly dependent on your organization’s culture. A strong culture motivates employees to work harder and find ways past obstacles. So how can culture be developed and shaped to increase everyone’s motivation?

In this webinar, you will learn:

A specific definition of culture and how it shapes an organization

The six direct and indirect factors that determine motivation

How a group of cultural “Firewatchers” can shape your culture

Strategies to grow a strong culture and keep it thriving

Doug Crane began his career with the Palm Beach County Library System as a children’s librarian in 1998. He was appointed Library Director in 2014 and has spoken at national conferences on topics such as office productivity and leadership for over a decade. Doug is the author of the articles, “May I Ask You a Question? Lessons Learned from Interviewing Public Library Leaders,” “Efficient Librarianship – A New Path for the Profession,” and “Go For It! Advice From Library Directors.” For his public speaking skills, he recently received the Distinguished Toastmaster designation from Toastmasters International. Doug shares his musings at www.efficientlibrarian.com. In his spare time, he admires his collection of Doctor Who sonic screwdrivers, and relaxes at home with his wife, daughter, dog, and cat.

Understanding Compassion Fatigue with Linda Bruno
2025-09-23 14:00 - 15:30
You love your job. You love your library. You love helping your patrons prepare for a job interview or apply for benefits or even just find a good read. But…There are days when you’ve given just about all you have to give. At the end of the day, you feel drained, or irritated, or both! You feel like you’ve helped everyone you can help ~ but there are more patrons who still need you. And family members who need you. And friends who need you. And even the grocery store clerk needs you!“Compassion Fatigue” is a term normally heard in a medical/caregiver environment, describing a caregiver’s reaction to chronic stress that results in feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, self-doubt, lack of focus and fatigue.Yet isn’t that what you are, too…a “caregiver”? Sometimes people just need to know that someone really does care – and you’re happy to let them know that. At the end of the day, though, when every single solitary person you have seen has required extra “care,” your energy level can be depleted.Add in the additional care that’s needed during a community crisis (hurricanes, pandemics, floods!) or any of the challenges we face on this journey we call life and…how do you deal with the depth of fatigue that caring can create?“Understanding Compassion Fatigue in Your Library” is an honest discussion of just what “compassion fatigue” is. What kinds of situations cause that energy drain? How can we recognize it? How does it affect our working environment? What can we do about it?? We’ll explore ways to take care of yourself so you can continue to show compassion and give your patrons – and others – the care they need.Join us for this webinar and leave with a better understanding of why you feel the way you do and how you can deal with it more effectively.

Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves! That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

Managing Employee Performance: A Simple Formula for Talking with Staff with Doug Crane
2025-09-24 14:00 - 15:00
The success of any project or plan relies on the work of your staff. Supervision is not for the faint of heart, especially when employees need to be coached or counseled. So how can we manage employee performance without tearing our hair out? In this webinar, learn a simple and widely tested approach to interacting with your employees that takes some of the stress out of the process.

This webinar will present on:

The challenges of employee performance management

The SBI Feedback model for coaching and counseling employees

Working with your HR Department

FMLA, ADA, and other Fair Employment principles

Doug Crane began his career with the Palm Beach County Library System as a children’s librarian in 1998. He was appointed Library Director in 2014 and has spoken at national conferences on topics such as office productivity and leadership for over a decade. Doug is the author of the articles, “May I Ask You a Question? Lessons Learned from Interviewing Public Library Leaders,” “Efficient Librarianship – A New Path for the Profession,” and “Go For It! Advice From Library Directors.” For his public speaking skills, he recently received the Distinguished Toastmaster designation from Toastmasters International. Doug shares his musings at www.efficientlibrarian.com. In his spare time, he admires his collection of Doctor Who sonic screwdrivers, and relaxes at home with his wife, daughter, dog, and cat.

Self-Care for Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, and Moral Injury
2025-11-20 13:00 - 14:30
TOPICS COVERED:

The causes of burnout, vicarious trauma, and moral injury and how they uniquely affect people in helping professions

Practical tools for nervous system regulation (based on Polyvagal Theory) to stay grounded and calm

Essential self-care strategies that everyone needs (setting boundaries, managing compassion fatigue, caring without burning out)

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Gabrielle Juliano-Villani is a licensed clinical social worker, consultant, and educator based in Sarasota, Florida. With a background in child welfare, residential treatment, and crisis response, Gabrielle brings real solutions to burnout.

After building and selling a successful group practice, Gabrielle now trains organizations, nonprofits, and care teams on nervous system regulation, workplace wellness, and sustainable service.

Stoicism and Gratitude: Being Thankful for What We Can Control, and What We Cannot
2025-11-26 13:00 - 14:00
Every year, Andrew presents a program in November on Giving Thanks. This year he invites you to take a look at gratitude and life through Stoicism. Stoicism is a philosophy that provides a framework for ethical self-improvement and for living a human life worth living.

On Thanksgiving Day, we’re supposed to make time for thanks, to actively think about gratitude. But what is gratitude? The Stoics believe it is inclusive and counterintuitive. It wasn’t just about being grateful for the good, but for all of life.

Join Andrew for an hour of thought-provoking information including The Control Test. This program could change how you think, feel and act about gratitude on Thanksgiving Day and every day after.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Andrew Sanderbeck – Andrew has been developing and conducting training programs for library organizations for more than twenty years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions in the U.S. and many countries around the world.

AI in Libraries
2025-12-10 11:30 - 12:30
Artificial intelligence isn’t just a tech trend — it’s becoming a powerful partner in how libraries connect people, ideas, and information. From smarter search results and on-the-fly translations to creative tools that spark learning and storytelling, AI is opening exciting new possibilities for library services.

As 2026 approaches, the pace of change is picking up. Generative AI, retrieval-augmented search, and locally hosted models are giving libraries fresh ways to enhance discovery, improve efficiency, and support patrons in entirely new ways — but they also bring big questions about privacy, ethics, and readiness.

In this lively, skills-focused session, we’ll look at what’s next for AI in libraries and how to get ready for it. You’ll leave with a toolkit of emerging tools worth exploring, and a clear picture of the trends shaping how libraries will lead — not just adapt — in the years ahead.

About the Presenter: Kira Smith has been a dedicated Virtual Reference Specialist with Florida’s Ask A Librarian service for over 15 years. A recipient of multiple Exemplary Reference Awards, Kira is passionate about guiding people to the information they need. In addition to her work in virtual reference, she freelances as a research consultant for journalists, providing expert insights and fact-finding services. Kira also regularly hosts webinars, sharing her knowledge and experience in the fields of online reference and information literacy.

Her diverse background includes experience as an elementary school teacher and a certified childbirth educator, adding depth to her understanding of teaching and communication. With a love for technology, education, and travel, Kira continually seeks innovative ways to enhance learning experiences and connect with people around the world.

Emotional Intelligence During the Holidays
2025-12-10 13:00 - 14:00
The holidays heighten emotions in both positive and negative ways. From joy to sadness, learn how to understand and navigate your emotions and the bah-humbugs of others.

This program will provide a basic overview of emotional intelligence and give you 12 easy tips to use during the holidays that help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and feeling overwhelmed.

Who will Benefit from this Program:

All Library Personnel – from full-time to volunteers

About the Presenter: Rosie Clark specializes in training adults using a learner-centered and participant-engaged approach in various professions, contexts, and life experiences. Over the last 20 years, she has taught a variety of topics to include professional development, public speaking, emotional intelligence, leadership development, interpersonal communication, goal setting, workplace safety, environmental compliance, and much more. You can contact Rosie at rosie.x.clark@gmail.com or connect on LinkedIn.

Don't eat the Red Frog (Because Words Can Harm You)
2026-02-18 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries, the recording will be posted to PLAN’s Niche Academy within a week following the live event.

If you have ever traveled to Central or South America, you may have come across or heard about the Red Poison Dart Frog. The poison dart frog’s brightly colored bodies serve as a warning to us and their predators of their toxicity.

Here in our country, we too are surrounded by poisonous Red Frogs, but they look different. Surprisingly they look a lot like you and me. You see, there are many people in our lives that are poisonous to us. They may be our family members, friends, colleagues, customers and people on social media.

Their poison affects our confidence, our belief in ourself and our mental and physical well-being. Their toxicity will harm us, if we let it.

In this interactive and informative program, you’ll discover:

5 Red Frogs that are likely in your life today (and what to do about them)

2 ways to conquer those and your future Red Frogs

The secret that everybody knows, but you don’t remember to use: You Have 3 Super Powers!

About the presenter: Andrew Sanderbeck is positive realist. He champions meliorism, the belief that we can contribute to positive change and improve the world and our community, through acts of love, creativity, compassion and kindness.

For more than 20 years he has presented at national, state and regional conferences, meetings and retreats worldwide.

He is the author of three inspirational books and his latest book, Don’t Eat the Red Frog will be published by this year.

Developing Your Personal Archive
2026-04-15 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

Personal archiving involves capturing and protecting your “living history” to ensure that your experiences remain available for the duration of life- and for the benefit of future generations. Whether your history is contained in overflowing physical boxes, or a sprawling digital footprint, archival principles provide a roadmap to transform these materials from a stuff to be filed pile into your organized legacy.

This webinar will teach you how to get started putting together your personal archive, allowing you to manage your memories methodically.

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

Determine which items have enduring informational, evidentiary, or intrinsic significance to their personal narrative

Organize their collection

Identify appropriate preservation guidelines for non-digital media

Begin to outline a digital storage strategy, including social media

About the presenter: Mitchell Friedman, EdD, APR, develops people. Known as an enthusiastic, energetic, and insightful educator and consultant, he relishes opportunities to help others to develop their skills and abilities on the path to achieving their full potential. Dr. Friedman teaches leadership, management communication, organizational behavior, and public relations at universities located throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Friedman also helps a range of organizations to develop the communications and leadership skills of their employees.

Domestic Violence: A Conversation with Dr. Carolyn West
2026-04-16 13:00 - 14:00

Get Smart About Emotional Intelligence: Enhance Your Effectiveness
2026-05-06 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is being able to perceive, interpret, and respond to your emotions and those of others. It is crucial for working collaboratively and effectively and having difficult conversations.

People with more emotional intelligence tend to be more resilient, better decision makers, more effective leaders, better communicators, have more self-awareness and self-control, and more success in life overall.

The good news is that EI can be learned and developed. Discover how to harness the power of emotions for more effective interactions!

As a result of this program attendees will:

Define emotional intelligence and describe its 4 domains

Explain the benefits of emotional intelligence in the workplace

Describe 4 ways you can improve your EI

About the presenter: Laura Greco spent more than 20 years in nursing before focusing on coaching and speaking to help professionals live vibrantly with joy and purpose. She believes that mindset and self-care of body, mind, and spirit, are cornerstones for well-being and that we all have the capacity to make positive lifestyle changes. Her work highlights simple action steps and why they work. Laura has a BSN (University of Michigan), master’s in adult education (Penn State), trainings from HeartMath and the Mass General Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, and certifications in wellness coaching from both Wellcoaches and Center for Credentialing and Education. Her books include Wellness Made Simple and Wellness Made Simple for Residents. You can find more information on her website www.YouBloomWellness.com.
