Essentials of Library Science: A Crash Course for Library Staff with Regina Burgess
2025-05-01 00:00 - 23:59, 2025-06-01 00:00 - 23:59, 2025-07-01 00:00 - 23:59, 2025-08-01 00:00 - 23:59, 2025-09-01 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Chicago) | FL
This self-paced course explores libraries as dynamic community centers and covers key areas, including intellectual freedom and access to information; understanding different library types and staff roles; using classification systems such as the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress; how technology reshapes library functions; and strategies for effective collection management and community programs. This course is perfect for enhancing your skills and understanding of modern librarianship.

You will need a Niche Academy account to access this course; if you don’t have a Niche Academy account, you can create one at my.nicheacademy.com/plan-staff. Due to licensing agreements, this course is available to PLAN-member library staff only. If your library is not a member of PLAN, please contact your multitype library cooperative for access to self-paced courses.

Knowledge Hub: Microsoft 365
2025-05-01 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-05 10:00 - 11:00
Are you a library staff member who wants to stay ahead of the curve with the latest features and integrations of Microsoft 365? Then this is the group for you!

Stay Updated: Get the latest news on Microsoft 365 updates and features.

Collaborate: Share your experiences and learn from fellow library professionals.

Innovate: Discover new ways to integrate Microsoft 365 into your library’s workflow.

Support: Find solutions to common challenges.

When? The first Thursday* of each month at 10 AM CT (11 AM ET). Register once and attend any or all of the sessions.

Knowledge Hub: Artificial Intelligence
2025-05-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-07-09 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-06 10:00 - 11:00
Join us for our monthly AI discussions—whether you’re an AI novice or a daily user, everyone is welcome!

We meet on the first Wednesday of each month. Register once and attend any or all of the sessions.

These informal discussions start with a brief demo of an AI tool, followed by an open conversation where you can share your experiences, learn about AI in libraries, and catch up on the latest AI news.

No prior AI experience is required, and all Florida library staff are welcome to attend.

Webinar: Beyond the Pizza Party: A Panel Discussion on how to Maintain Staff Morale
2025-05-08 13:00 - 14:00
Join Ryan Dowd and guests as they discuss these topics:

How to communicate during crises without causing panic, from navigating politics, layoffs, funding cuts, etc.

Why recognition and connection matter more than pizza for staff morale (and how to do that)

The importance of being authentic and transparent as a leader (and what that looks like)

Flyer – Share with your colleagues!

About the Guests:

Brittany Larson has experience working in leadership roles for both academic and public libraries. Brittany currently works as the Muskego Public Library Director in southeastern Wisconsin, supervising a staff of 20 team members, managing a 40,000 sq foot building, and an operating budget of $1.5 million dollars.

Rick Guzman is the Executive Director of The Neighbor Project, a housing and community development organization. In 2020, The Neighbor Project co-launched Illinois’ first-ever “Financial Empowerment Center” with the City of Aurora—and in 2024 was one of just 20 organizations in Illinois to receive a $2 million innovation-award as part of Mackenzie Scott’s foundation’s first-ever open call for applications. Guzman has worked on housing & community development issues in the Illinois Governor’s Office and as Deputy Chief of Staff to two previous Mayors of Aurora.

Lynda Schuler has devoted her 30-year career to leading the formation of solution-focused programming intended to mitigate and end homelessness for those in the suburban Cook County, Illinois. Serving as CEO of Housing Forward, Lynda’s leadership has enabled the agency’s growth from a $450,000 a-year emergency shelter provider to a $22M agency offering services that prevent, respond to, and stabilize through supportive housing, over 2,500 men, women and families who are experiencing a housing crisis each year.

Please note that our license limits this training to PLAN-member library staff and volunteers.

Legislative Advocacy: An Interview with a Representative of Congress on What Actually Works with Ryan Dowd
2025-06-12 13:00 - 14:00
Printable flyer

TOPICS COVERED:

What if your representative is from the “wrong” party?

What are the most effective forms of advocacy?

Do letters count the same as emails? What about phone calls? What about marches?

Teenagers Part 1: How to Manage Problematic Behavior with Ryan Dowd
2025-07-10 13:00 - 14:00
Printable flyer

TOPICS COVERED:

Why teens test boundaries (and what you should do about it)

How “respect” works with teenagers

Two things you should NEVER do when dealing with teens

Promoting Your Library in the Community with Linda Bruno
2025-07-15 14:00 - 15:00
You know what a valuable resource your library is – but do the members of your community know? When we are immersed in the library environment ourselves, it’s easy to forget that there are many in our community who really don’t know what we have to offer. So it’s our job to tell them!

“Promoting Our Libraries in the Community” will prepare you to do just that. In this 60-minute session, we’ll brainstorm ways to get the attention of not only our patrons, but also members of our community who may wonder just what goes on at their local libraries.

We’ll discuss avenues for promotion – How can we get the message out? Where should we go to talk about our library? What should we talk about? There is no one who knows better why your library is such an important part of the community – and a passionate employee can promote your library like no one else!

But wait! Does this mean I have to be a public speaker?? Not at all! All you have to do is talk about where you work and I know you already love to do that.

Join us for this session and learn how to help others discover one of your community’s greatest treasures…your library!

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.

Auditing Your Library's Website: Benchmarking What You've Got with Laura Solomon
2025-07-16 14:00 - 15:00
Is your library’s website up to par? Determining the effectiveness of your website shouldn’t rely on guesswork. This webinar dives into the heart of website auditing, providing you with a clear, objective approach to evaluate your current site. Learn how to benchmark your website against modern standards for content, images, navigation, usability, and more. By applying these standards, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of what works and what doesn’t. A website audit offers a robust foundation, ensuring you’re well-prepared before embarking on a redesign, whether it’s a minor update or a complete overhaul. Join front-end web developer, Laura Solomon, for an insightful one-hour session packed with data-driven principles and practical tools to 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.

Turning Patrons into Cheerleaders with Linda Bruno
2025-07-22 14:00 - 15:30
Customer service – we hear about it every day, if not every hour! Sadly, what many call “service” in today’s world is simply the minimum attention required to get the transaction over with.

We all know that with budget cuts and the ever-present “doing more with less,” there is still a need to make sure our patrons are being served – and being served well. Indeed, if our patrons are unhappy, there’s a strong likelihood that we may experience even more budget cuts. It’s hard to convince those who hold the purse strings that they should let loose of those strings if the people we are supposed to serve think we don’t care!

Your library is a wonderful place – people learn, you help patrons find information they need, you provide so many resources for people – all good reasons to cheer. And when our patrons are our biggest cheerleaders, it becomes obvious why we exist – and why we should continue to do so!

Let’s use this time to brainstorm ideas on how to turn our patrons into our biggest cheerleaders!

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.

Mastering Negative Feedback Online: Effective Strategies for Libraries with Laura Solomon
2025-07-24 14:00 - 15:00
We all dread it: the negative comment. Whether it’s on a blog post, in an email, or on a social media channel, negative feedback can be demoralizing and challenging to address. This webinar explores the most common types of negative commentary and provides effective strategies for handling each. Learn to differentiate between online trolls and other negative users, and discover the best approaches for managing these situations. By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to handle negative feedback professionally and constructively, ensuring you’re prepared for those inevitable undesirable comments.

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.

Strategic Marketing for Libraries with Ned Potter (2-part series)
2025-07-30 10:00 - 11:30
2-parts series: July 30th & July 31st

This is a hands-on and interactive workshop which breaks library marketing down into manageable chunks, free of jargon and gimmicks. Above all the focus is on tying your library promotion together into effective marketing campaigns.In the first half we’ll look at marketing strategically as a non-profit organisation, and then work on segmenting your audience and tailoring messages for each group, simplifying key messages without dumbing down. In the second half we’ll look at social media before tying everything together in a strategic marketing plan. Delegates will get a template marketing campaign document to work on in the session and then take back to their own institutions to develop. Everything in this training is designed to be applicable right away, whether you want to better communicate the value of a particular service, or to market your entire library.

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.

Tapping into Employee Talents with Linda Bruno
2025-07-30 14:00 - 15:00
We say that our staff members are the most important resource for achieving the library’s mission and goals. Supervisors spend valuable time to recruit, interview, and hire the right person at the right time.And yet often, once the new employee is just another staff member, it’s easy to forget to look at them as individuals – each with unique knowledge, skills, and talents.So how do we decide who is the best for a particular task or project? One of the best ways to foster staff growth is to tap into their specific talents so that your patrons receive the highest quality of service. After all, if they are doing what they are naturally good at, they will provide excellent service. In this fast-paced one-hour webinar, we will discover tips to tap into that talent. We will discuss key questions you can ask to determine employee talents and perspectives that may have gone unnoticed. We will also work on understanding the connection between an employee’s personality and parts of the job that may be a natural fit for their talents.

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.

Better Social Media for Libraries with Ned Potter
2025-08-05 10:00 - 11:30
2-parts series: August 5th & August 14th

This hands on workshop covers key social media platforms, how they work and how to use them effectively. We’ll discuss building social media networks, increasing your following and increasing engagement, as well as managing multiple social media platforms and measuring and analysing impact.In the first half we’ll cover what we’re trying to achieve as organisations on social media, and which role each platform plays in reaching different audiences. We’ll cover potential exit strategies for libraries on Twitter / X, and possible alternatives to the platform including Bluesky which is gaining popularity in the sector.

In the second half we’ll touch on Facebook, sourcing and using copyright free imagery, and Instagram’s increasing importance to library and information services. We’ll look at content types, picture tips, use of hashtags, the increasing importance of Stories and Reels, and of course analysing and measuring impact.

By the end of the course delegates will be able to:Use social media more strategically, in conjunction with your other marketingUnderstand and learn from statistics and analyticsMake use of relevant social media tools and techniques to help your organization increase engagement onlineDiscern the different roles and areas of overlap between the various social media platformsEverything in this training is designed to be applicable right away; this is not a workshop about the technologies of tomorrow, but rather things you can do the very next day.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.

How to Train Staff Effectively with Linda Bruno
2025-08-05 14:00 - 15:30
You’ve finally done it! You’ve found the perfect fit for a vacant position. Or maybe you’ve realized that your staff needs some refresher training to absorb all of the changes that have happened in your library.

So what’s your plan? Are you sure you’ve got everything covered? Have you established criteria for success? How deep does your plan go?

Something we don’t always think about is the fundamental differences that exist among human beings. Yes, we talk about serving everyone in the way they need to be served, but are we training our staff members in the way they need to be trained? Are we using all of the resources at our disposal?

Come to this 90-minute webinar to get answers to these important questions and likely a host of others as well!

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.

Picture Perfect: Making Your Images Ready for the Web with Laura Solomon
2025-08-07 14:00 - 15:00
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.

Teenagers (Part 2): Teens with Trauma/ACEs - Ryan Dowd
2025-08-14 13:00 - 14:00
TOPICS COVERED:

Five tools for working with teens with trauma/ACEs

Types of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) teens can experience

Impact of trauma on the brain (and their behavior)

Download the flyer and share with staff at your organization!

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.
