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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260201T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260201T235959
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20241030T201350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241031T212745Z
UID:10000190-1769904000-1769990399@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Essentials of Library Science: A Crash Course for Library Staff with Regina Burgess
DESCRIPTION: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. \n\n\n\nYou 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.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/essentials-of-library-science-a-crash-course-for-library-staff-with-regina-burgess/2026-02-01/
CATEGORIES:Self-Paced Course
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20260121T221051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T221053Z
UID:10000383-1770199200-1770202800@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Artificial Intelligence Discussion Group
DESCRIPTION:Curious about artificial intelligence? Want to learn what others are trying\, or get answers to your own questions?  \n\n\n\nJoin us for our upcoming AI discussion group the first Wednesday of each month (except March and May\, when we’ll meet the second Wednesday)! \n\n\n\nEveryone is welcome\, whether you’re brand‑new to AI or already experimenting with tools. Come ready to share your experiences or simply listen and ask questions. It’s a relaxed\, peer‑to‑peer space to explore what’s possible.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/artificial-intelligence-discussion-group/2026-02-04/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20260112T164629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260112T164630Z
UID:10000379-1770210000-1770213600@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Stoplights\, Roundabouts\, and Leadership: Navigating the Highways and Backroads of Organizational Life & Leadership
DESCRIPTION:This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries\, and the recording will be shared on the PLAN Niche Academy within a week of the live event. \n\n\n\nSome leaders and teams spend their days waiting at stoplights: seeking permission\, direction\, or perfect clarity before moving forward. Others have learned to build roundabouts instead\, creating systems of shared trust and understanding that keep work flowing smoothly. \n\n\n\nIn this engaging and practical session\, we’ll explore the “transportation map” of leadership using metaphors like freeways\, speedbumps\, dirt roads\, and roundabouts to examine how organizational structures shape momentum\, creativity\, and collaboration. Participants will leave with concrete strategies for tearing down unnecessary stoplights and designing “well-functioning roundabouts” that empower teams to navigate safely\, efficiently\, and with less stress. \n\n\n\nAttendees will learn to: \n\n\n\n\nIdentify common “stoplights” that slow progress and decision-making in organizations\n\n\n\nExplore the principles of trust and shared understanding that make roundabout-style leadership work\n\n\n\nDiscover practical tools for creating smoother workflows\, clearer communication\, and empowered teams\n\n\n\nReflect on personal leadership habits that either create congestion or enable healthy movement\n\n\n\n\nAbout the Presenter: Sam Passey serves as the Associate Dean of Library Services at Colorado Mountain College\, a dual-mission institution with 11 campuses that offers both associate and bachelor’s degrees. Previously\, he spent 17 years as the director of Uintah County Library in Northeast Utah\, where he oversaw the design and construction of a new library facility and mentored numerous staff members who have since become leaders in the library field. He has a Master’s degree in Library Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education. A recognized speaker\, presenter\, and writer\, Sam specializes in library and museum management and leadership.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/stoplights-roundabouts-and-leadership-navigating-the-highways-and-backroads-of-organizational-life-leadership/
CATEGORIES:Leadership,Library Management Competencies,Management and Supervision
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260210T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260210T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20251029T161629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251029T161630Z
UID:10000355-1770717600-1770721200@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Introduction to News Literacy
DESCRIPTION:This one-hour session provides an overview of news literacy education that touches on all five of the News Literacy Project’s standards: \n\n\n\n1. Distinguishing types of information \n\n\n\n2. Understanding the importance of the First Amendment and a free press \n\n\n\n3. Understanding ethical standards of journalism \n\n\n\n4. Developing critical habits of mind \n\n\n\n5. Seeking and sharing credible information \n\n\n\nWe’ll explore key concepts and skills needed to effectively and responsibly navigate the information environment\, including verification skills for evaluating online claims. We will introduce the resources available for free from the News Literacy Project\, as well as guidance for incorporating news literacy into library programming. \n\n\n\nABOUT THE PRESENTER \n\n\n\nAlee Quick is the Director of Community Engagement for the News Literacy Project\, where she creates and shares resources with families\, libraries and community groups that want to teach kids and teens about news literacy outside of traditional classrooms. She also supports teachers and school administrators as they engage families and school communities around news literacy. She previously worked as a newspaper editor and nonprofit marketer\, and she advises the independent student newspaper at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Alee has a bachelor’s degree from the Missouri School of Journalism.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/introduction-to-news-literacy/
CATEGORIES:Information Literacy
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260211T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260211T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20260112T165721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260112T165723Z
UID:10000380-1770814800-1770818400@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Webinar: 2025 Readers' Advisory Year in Review
DESCRIPTION:This workshop is exclusive to PLAN member libraries\, and the recording will be posted to the PLAN Niche Academy within a week of the live event. \n\n\n\n2025 has moved into our rearview\, everyone is eager to jump into the fresh start of 2026\, but hold up for just a bit longer! It is important\, every year\, to take a step back and look critically at the year that was before setting goals or service plans for the next year. \n\n\n\nJoin noted Readers’ Advisory expert\, Becky Spratford as she walks you through the highlights [and lowlights] of 2025 in Adult Leisure Reading. \n\n\n\nFrom the biggest trends\, to the authors\, titles\, and genres that broke through\, Becky will break it all down for you\, wringing out the best of 2025 to take with us as we plan our service to adult readers for 2026. \n\n\n\nWho will Benefit from this Program: \n\n\n\n\nAll staff that interacts with patrons\, all circulation staff members and reader’s advisory staff\n\n\n\n\nBecky Spratford ~ Biography \n\n\n\nBecky Spratford [MLIS] is a Librarian in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All. She writes reviews for Booklist and a Horror review column for Library Journal. Becky was a 24 year locally elected Library Trustee and a former Board member for both the Reaching Across Illinois Library System and the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with Horror readers\, Becky is the author of three text books for library workers\, most recently\, The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror\, Third Edition [ALA Editions\, 2021] and the recently released Why I Love Horror [Saga Press\, 2025]. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association\, currently serving as the Association’s Secretary and Co-Chair of their Library Committee. You can follow Becky on Bluesky @raforall.bsky.social
URL:https://planfl.org/event/webinar-2025-readers-advisory-year-in-review/
CATEGORIES:Collection Development,Reader's Advisory
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260217T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260217T150000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20251124T193823Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260122T220504Z
UID:10000362-1771336800-1771340400@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Leave Your Stress @ Work! with Linda Bruno
DESCRIPTION:Although our work often brings us great joy\, it can also present a few challenges – differing personalities\, friction\, work overload\, patron demands\, negativity – you get the picture! \n\n\n\nAnd when we take those challenges home with us in the form of stress\, the cycle becomes a 24/7 rerun. \n\n\n\nIn this single 60-minute session\, we’re going to help you understand what’s really causing the stress – and it’s not always what we think. We’ll also discuss some simple steps to help you leave your workday at work – particularly if it’s been stressful! \n\n\n\nAbout the Presenter: Linda 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! \n\n\n\nThat’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/leave-your-stress-work-with-linda-bruno/
CATEGORIES:Essential Library Competencies
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260218T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260218T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20260112T170816Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260112T170818Z
UID:10000381-1771419600-1771423200@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Don't eat the Red Frog (Because Words Can Harm You)
DESCRIPTION: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. \n\n\n\nIf 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.  \n\n\n\nHere 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. \n\n\n\nTheir poison affects our confidence\, our belief in ourself and our mental and physical well-being. Their toxicity will harm us\, if we let it. \n\n\n\nIn this interactive and informative program\, you’ll discover: \n\n\n\n\n5 Red Frogs that are likely in your life today (and what to do about them)\n\n\n\n2 ways to conquer those and your future Red Frogs\n\n\n\nThe secret that everybody knows\, but you don’t remember to use: You Have 3 Super Powers!\n\n\n\n\nAbout 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. \n\n\n\nFor more than 20 years he has presented at national\, state and regional conferences\, meetings and retreats worldwide. \n\n\n\nHe is the author of three inspirational books and his latest book\, Don’t Eat the Red Frog will be published by this year.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/dont-eat-the-red-frog-because-words-can-harm-you/
CATEGORIES:Webinar
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260219T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260219T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20251217T142643Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260122T221232Z
UID:10000374-1771495200-1771498800@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Leading Transformative Change with Maurice Coleman
DESCRIPTION:Leading change in any organization is hard work. You have to balance the triumphs and restraints of institutional memory\, the ever-evolving temperature of your staff\, customer needs\, local government\, and industry trends\, all while creating and planning for the future. This workshop/event will show participants how to lead positive change from the front\, the side\, and the back of the organization. \n\n\n\nAbout the presenter: Maurice Coleman is a librarian\, educator\, keynote speaker\, and podcast host. Maurice uses his decades of practical experience to help people and organizations empower themselves with better leadership\, communication\, and technology skills to create positive change. He was recently certified as a Dale Carnegie Trainer.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/leading-transformative-change-with-maurice-coleman/
CATEGORIES:Leadership
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260224T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260224T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20251029T162216Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T192423Z
UID:10000356-1771927200-1771930800@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Characteristics of Credibility
DESCRIPTION:Addressing news coverage and current events – including claims library staff and patrons encounter online – can quickly become entangled in perceptions of partisanship. Cut through polarization by focusing on the characteristics of credible information and the standards and guidelines that are used in journalism. \n\n\n\nThis session provides a deep dive into journalism standards and ethics. These include aspects of verification — such as the practice of gathering and comparing information from multiple credible sources — and ideals such as fairness\, transparency\, independence and accountability. We’ll address how journalists work to avoid bias\, as well as the importance of context and balance. Finally\, we’ll demonstrate how you can apply an understanding of these standards to judge the credibility of news and other information. \n\n\n\nABOUT THE PRESENTER \n\n\n\nTracee Stanford is the Senior Manager of Professional Learning for the News Literacy Project\, where she designs and facilitates engaging news literacy professional development sessions for educators nationwide\, virtually and in person. Before joining NLP\, she was a program manager at Free Spirit Media\, where she led media educators in teaching essential journalism skills to youth in underserved Chicagoland communities. She also worked as a high school journalism teacher in Chicago Public Schools\, contributing to curriculum development\, instructional strategies\, and strategic partnerships. Tracee also has a background in local news\, producing morning news for WSFA 12 in Montgomery\, Alabama\, and working as a reporter and producer for Alabama Public Television. She began her career as a statehouse reporter covering politics in Springfield\, Illinois. Tracee holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois\, Springfield.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/characteristics-of-credibility/
CATEGORIES:Information Literacy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260225T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260225T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T234541
CREATED:20260112T171455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260122T222738Z
UID:10000382-1772024400-1772028000@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Picture Book Powerhouse: Top Titles of 2025
DESCRIPTION: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. \n\n\n\nLooking for inspiration for your next storytime\, library\, or display? Join us for an energetic tour of the best picture books published in 2025. From laugh-out-loud adventures to creative works of art\, this presentation features stories that spark joy\, prompt reflection\, and celebrate one another’s experiences. \n\n\n\nWhether for classrooms\, storytimes\, or family reading\, you’ll leave ready to refresh your programs and collections with new gems that showcase the beauty of illustration and embody the heart of storytelling. \n\n\n\nParticipants will: \n\n\n\n\nBuild a “go-to” list of the year’s top read-alouds and visual standouts.\n\n\n\nGather ideas for using these titles in programming\, curriculum\, collection development\, reader’s advisory\, and family engagement.\n\n\n\nLearn simple ways to evaluate picture books.\n\n\n\nDiscover new authors and illustrators who reflect our world.\n\n\n\n\nAbout the presenter: Katie Clausen holds an MLIS from Dominican University and an MA in Children’s Literature from Simmons College. She has held positions across multiple public library systems\, both large to small\, in various leadership roles. Katie has presented widely on children’s literature\, storytelling\, and fairy-tale studies\, with her writing featured in Children & Libraries and Marvels & Tales. She is a current PhD candidate in Information Studies at Dominican University.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/webinar-picture-book-powerhouse-top-titles-of-2025/
CATEGORIES:Collection Development,Reader's Advisory,Youth Services
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