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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for PLAN
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260304T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260304T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20260224T154433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T154435Z
UID:10000398-1772629200-1772632800@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Weeding Popular Materials Collections
DESCRIPTION:When it comes to books\, we all like to buy! However\, selecting materials is only half of the collection development process. Book hoarding does not create a useful collection. Weeding\, or deselecting materials\, must receive equal and continuous attention as selection to have a truly patron-driven collection that serves its community. \n\n\n\nAs increasing demands tax libraries’ limited resources\, every item in a physical collection must justify its shelf space; while every item\, both physical and digital\, vies for patrons’ time and attention. We’ll discuss practical advice for weeding popular materials collections for youth and adults across formats. Along the way\, I’ll debunk some popular weeding excuses. \n\n\n\nUpon completion\, participants will be able to: \n\n\n\n\narticulate to internal and external stakeholders that weeding is equally as important as selection to collection development\n\n\n\nimplement logical\, rigorous weeding doctrines within popular materials collections\n\n\n\nweed to create space for new collections\, highlight materials\, and increase circulation with confidence\n\n\n\npromote patron driven collection policies and revitalize collections\n\n\n\n\nWho will benefit from this program: \n\n\n\n\nAll staff that interacts with the collection and the public\n\n\n\nStaff who select for the collection\n\n\n\nStaff who maintain the collection\n\n\n\n\nAbout the presenter: Karen Toonen is the Collection Services Manager at Naperville Public Library\, the second-highest circulating public library in Illinois. Throughout her time as a Readers Advisory Assistant\, an Adult Services Librarian\, and in Technical Services\, Karen has remained focused on collections. She has presented extensively on weeding and other collection development aspects at the regional\, state\, and national level. Her service on the Adult Reading Round Table’s Steering Committee has not only allowed her to learn about weeding from colleagues across northern Illinois\, but also informed her philosophy that weeding and readers advisory go hand in hand.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/weeding-popular-materials-collections/
CATEGORIES:Collection Development
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260310T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260310T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20251029T162732Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260120T192343Z
UID:10000357-1773136800-1773140400@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Evaluating News Media Bias: A Nuanced Approach to a Vital Topic
DESCRIPTION:People frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage\, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased\, and who decides? What role do our own biases play in our perceptions of bias? This session explores this vital\, controversial and complex topic in ways that empower librarians\, educators\, students and library patrons to meaningfully evaluate the fairness and impartiality of news coverage. In the session\, we will: \n\n\n\n• Reflect on the ideal of avoiding bias as a standard of quality journalism. \n\n\n\n• Analyze actual examples of news and other information and reflect on the nuanced\, highly subjective nature of perceived bias in news. \n\n\n\n• Learn an approach for evaluating potential bias in news by recognizing different types of potential bias and the forms they can take in coverage. \n\n\n\n• Explore the limitations of popular media bias charts and rating systems. \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/evaluating-news-media-bias-a-nuanced-approach-to-a-vital-topic/
CATEGORIES:Information Literacy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260311T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260311T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20260121T221051Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T221053Z
UID:10000384-1773223200-1773226800@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/2026-03-11/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260311T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260311T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20260224T160000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T190101Z
UID:10000399-1773234000-1773237600@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Managing the Afterschool Crowd at Your Library
DESCRIPTION:*If you registered for this webinar prior to March 9\, 2026 you will need to re-register as the links have changed! \n\n\n\nThe hours of 3-5pm\, Monday-Friday can be a busy time for libraries. This is when libraries may get an influx of young people\, and an increase in behavior incidents. But this is also a time of great potential impact\, where libraries can be a safe place and reach out to teens. \n\n\n\nIn this webinar you’ll hear from a former Teen Services Librarian whose library typically had 100-150 teens most days after school. She will share her and her colleagues’ experiences on how to manage these chaotic (and fun!) hours. \n\n\n\nIn this webinar you’ll learn: \n\n\n\n\nTeen developmental stages and how that can affect behavior\n\n\n\nTips on setting policies and guidelines\n\n\n\nSetting and enforcing behavior expectations that make the library a place for everyone\n\n\n\nSuggestions on partners and programs after school\n\n\n\nCommunication techniques to deescalate behaviors\n\n\n\n\nAbout the presenter: Carrie Rogers-Whitehead is the founder and CEO of Digital Respons-Ability\, a mission-based company that educates tens of thousands of students\, parents\, and teachers through in-person and online courses across the country. She has written two books for librarians about adolescents: Teen Fandom and Geek Programming: a Practical Guide for Librarians\, and the ALA-award winning Serving Teens and Adults and the Autism Spectrum: a Guide for Libraries and continues to work with teens.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/managing-the-afterschool-crowd-at-your-library/
CATEGORIES:Challenging Patrons
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260312T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260312T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20251217T143115Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260122T221203Z
UID:10000375-1773309600-1773313200@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Free Tools for (Professional & Personal) Success with Maurice Coleman
DESCRIPTION:Free digital resources are overlooked as digital divide “bridges” that can relieve professional and personal pain points. These powerful and diverse products can stretch library and customer dollars while providing similar functions to many popular and expensive programs. Get to know many (60+) useful and free tools\, programs\, and websites you can use to be thrifty and productive. We will discover and discuss resources and explore the true cost of “free” on the net. \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/free-tools-for-professional-personal-success-with-maurice-coleman/
CATEGORIES:Technology Competencies
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260312T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260312T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20260309T175714Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T184511Z
UID:10000402-1773320400-1773324000@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Q&A With Ryan Dowd
DESCRIPTION:Free for PLAN member library staff \n\n\n\n\nDownload flyer here
URL:https://planfl.org/event/qa-with-ryan-dowd/
CATEGORIES:Homelessness Issues
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260317T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260317T150000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20251124T193633Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260226T155226Z
UID:10000363-1773756000-1773759600@planfl.org
SUMMARY:How to Stay Positive in a Negative World with Linda Bruno
DESCRIPTION:Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get 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”! \n\n\n\nAnd 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?? They often “catch” our negativity\, make it their very own\, and proceed to share it with even more people! \n\n\n\nWhat we sometimes forget is that holding on to negativity or focusing on the positive is a choice\, not something over which we have absolutely no control. \n\n\n\nIn this 60-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 those feelings. \n\n\n\nThen 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? \n\n\n\nHow\, in other words\, do we choose to stay positive when negativity seems to be the norm? \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. \n\n\n\nHandout
URL:https://planfl.org/event/how-to-stay-positive-in-a-negative-world-with-linda-bruno/
CATEGORIES:Essential Library Competencies
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260318T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260318T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20260224T161304Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T190036Z
UID:10000400-1773838800-1773842400@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Best Romances of 2025
DESCRIPTION:*If you registered for this webinar prior to March 9\, 2026 you will need to re-register as the links have changed! \n\n\n\nIn 2025\, publishers gave us thousands of ways to fall in love. But which romance novels made our hearts really sing? Join us for our “Best Romances of 2025” webinar\, where we’ll talk about our favorite love stories that came out last year. \n\n\n\nWe’ll cover titles at all heat levels as we discuss contemporary\, historical\, romantasy\, and more. From award winners to sleeper hits\, we won’t let your dream read pass you by! \n\n\n\nWho will benefit from this program: \n\n\n\n\nStaff that interacts with patrons\n\n\n\nAll circulation staff members\n\n\n\nReader’s advisory staff\n\n\n\n\nAbout the presenter: Emilia Mudd has been a librarian for thirteen years with Calvert Library in Maryland\, and has been reading romance for a lot longer than that! She has an MLIS in Library Science from San Jose State University and is a published romance author. In her spare time\, she is an avid reader of many genres and enjoys gardening and drinking too much coffee.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/best-romances-of-2025/
CATEGORIES:Collection Development
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260324T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260324T110000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20251029T163211Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251029T163212Z
UID:10000358-1774346400-1774350000@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Algorithms and Generative AI: Pitfalls and Possibilities for Students
DESCRIPTION:Young people spend a lot of time on social media\, but do they know why certain content appears on their feeds? Algorithms are powerful but often invisible forces shaping our online experiences — but whose interests are they designed to promote?  \n\n\n\nThis presentation will help you dive into the world of algorithms and generative artificial intelligence so you can teach students and public library patrons to consider the civic and social impact of these technologies. You’ll gain an understanding of how search and social media algorithms work; explore the opportunities and pitfalls of large language model chatbots\, such as ChatGPT; and learn about the evolution of AI image generators\, such as DALL-E. We’ll also take a look at where these technologies are heading\, including the rapid development of AI video\, and discuss their implications for civic discourse\, research and library best practices. \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/algorithms-and-generative-ai-pitfalls-and-possibilities-for-students/
CATEGORIES:Information Literacy
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T140000
DTSTAMP:20260425T221142
CREATED:20260224T162934Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T190008Z
UID:10000401-1774443600-1774447200@planfl.org
SUMMARY:Library Signage: The Good\, The Bad\, and The Ugly
DESCRIPTION:*If you registered for this webinar prior to March 9\, 2026 you will need to re-register as the links have changed! \n\n\n\nCustomer service and library signage go hand in hand. How do patrons see your library’s signage and does it address appropriate customer needs? \n\n\n\nThis session will look critically at many types of library signs and review the positive and negative aspects of library signage. We will also address how to conduct a signage audit and the importance of library branding. This session also addresses customer service issues as they relate to signage. Online resources will be provided and there will be opportunities for Q&A and discussion. \n\n\n\nAs a result of this program\, attendees will: \n\n\n\n\nUnderstand the importance of effective library signage.\n\n\n\nIdentify common reasons why library signage might be misinterpreted or confusing.\n\n\n\nExplore the key components of conducting a library signage audit.\n\n\n\nDevelop skills to rethink and rejuvenate library signs.\n\n\n\n\nAbout the presenter: Dr. Curtis Rogers is a library consultant who has worked in the library and information science field for over 35 years. He has worked at the Union (SC) Carnegie Library\, and the Charleston County (SC) Public Library\, and retired as the Communications Director of the South Carolina State Library. He has also taught courses at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography\, a Master of Library and Information Science\, and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina. He is a recipient of the 2015 F. William Summers Outstanding Alumni Award from the USC School of Library and Information Science.
URL:https://planfl.org/event/library-signage-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/
CATEGORIES:Public Services
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