All webinars are held on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. Central time, and are hosted via GoToWebinar or Zoom Webinar. Registration is required. Participants must submit a separate registration form for each webinar. There is no limit to the number of webinars that an individual can attend.
The views expressed in webinars provided by PCI do not necessarily reflect the views or official policies of the State of Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Education, or the Arkansas State Library.
Treat them with Kindness: Coordinating and Managing Volunteers
January 4, presented by Maggie Rose
Have you found yourself coordinating the efforts of unpaid library volunteers? Would you like to start using volunteers to help provide services in your library? Can you “fire” a volunteer?
Many libraries wouldn’t be able to provide such excellent services to the public without volunteers. Working with volunteers can be tricky though; what are the best ways to communicate with them? What if they aren’t a good fit for your organization? How can you recruit them? Learn some tips and best practices in this program with Maggie Rose.
Register online to:
- Create a library volunteer recruitment and onboarding program
- Maintain communication and contact information with volunteers
- Identify library services that can be enhanced by volunteer work
- Utilize library volunteers with respect and gratitude
- Access volunteer work to promote the library’s mission, goals, and programming
Comic Books, Coding, Cosplay, Crazes, and D&D: Making Libraries a Hub for the Inclusive Nerd Culture
January 11, 2023 presented by Sarah Hall & Gloria Larson
In the 1980’s, nerd = social suicide. In 2022, nerd = the place to be for inclusivity! Fandoms and other cultural trends bring people together in a nondiscriminatory way.
Come learn how you can increase the diversity of your library through programming, MakerSpaces, and other nerd-based resources. As the Jedi librarian would say: “Attendance leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to action, action leads to inclusion!”
Register Online to welcome the nerd contingent with:
- A short history of how the once marginalized “Nerd Culture” have now become one of the most inclusive communities in America
- Ideas on events, clubs, and activities – both large and small in scope – to help make the library a welcoming destination for people of all interests in the community
- A list of specific resources and books to build a foundational nerdy collection that can be used by all ages, abilities, and interests
- Ways to discover what is popular with your patrons
PCI Webinar: Can You Help Me? How Libraries Can Help Non-Profits in Your Community Thrive
January 18, presented by Sam Passey
Sometimes we all need some help. In the community are amazing people who are trying to make the world a little bit better for everyone, or the trees and plants, or for animals, or for the kids at the local skate park. There are many reasons why people start or become involved with nonprofit organizations.
They have passion for their community in common and are often cash-strapped. Sharpen skills and see library resources with new eyes to learn how to help local non-profits thrive.
- Discover how libraries can help non-profit organizations increase their organizational capacity
- Apply analytical skills to helping patrons from non-profits access quality information to help them further their cause
- Learn how to create a nonprofit support center within the library
PCI Webinar: See Your Library Through Your Patron’s Eyes
January 25, presented by Greg Peverill-Conti & Adam Zand
The Library Land Project looks at public libraries from the patron’s perspective. Since 2018, its founders have visited more than 400 public libraries across America.
This session will focus on the approach, experiences, and observations from the point of view of a user walking through the door for the first time.
Register online to:
- Be introduced to a framework to evaluate the library from the patron perspective
- Understand how this approach can be used in different scenarios
- Be provided with real-world examples of great (and not so great) practices from library visits across the country
