Northeast Ohio Regional Library System

Calendar of Events - Northeast Ohio Regional Library System
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Join us for networking meeting of special libraries.  Come share your successes and challenges with your fellow special libraries colleagues.  This will be virtual via Zoom you will receive the link to the meeting 2 hours prior to the meeting.  Please send topics of interest to Jeff Laser.

more info...
5/14/20242:00pm to 3:00pmJeff Laser


This webinar is part of the 2024 New Supervisors Academy.

Time management is one of the most important skills that any manager/supervisor should have. Understanding, implementing, and following effective time management practices will help you accomplish more.
 
Learning objectives:
  • Valuing your own time
  • Setting realistic priorities
  • Delegating tasks effectively
  • Recognizing and avoiding time wasters
  • Taking Action
  • Practical Tools
Presenter:

Kim DeNero-Ackroyd has been the Deputy Director of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library for 12 years. In this role, she supervises eight public service managers directly, as well as leads all public service activities. She currently serves on ALA Council, ALA’s Committee on Organization and ALA’s Council Training and Engagement Committee. Prior to her current role, she has twice been a branch manager, in addition to other supervisory positions. In all of her positions, effective time management has been one of the critical components of success. She is passionate about helping to develop future and current library leaders.

 

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5/15/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


You’re a manager or supervisor with an employee who is missing the mark. It’s your job to help them improve – but how do you approach that tough conversation? This webinar is designed to help you take the fear out of challenging interactions like performance improvement, discipline, and even termination. By preparing now, you can spend that challenging conversation focused on supporting your employee. 

Learning Objectives:
  • How to think about and prepare for challenging conversations in a way that feels constructive and authentic
  • The manager's role in providing difficult feedback or news
  • How to share negative feedback in a way that people can hear
Presenter:

Dr. Audrey Barbakoff is the CEO of Co/Lab Capacity, which helps libraries grow and develop through community-centered consulting. She brings more than a decade of experience in public library leadership and innovation rooted in community engagement. In addition to her MLIS she holds a doctorate in organizational change and leadership; her research focused on building capacity for equity, diversity, and inclusion in public libraries through community-led planning.  Her contributions have been recognized by Library Journal Mover & Shakers, Urban Libraries Council Top Innovators, the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal “20 Under 40” and the Freedom to Read Foundation.
 

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5/16/20242:00pm to 3:00pmMelissa Lattanzi


We are excited to start this new genealogy networking group. Here is an opportunity to share your challenges and successes with your peers.    This meeting will be held through Zoom which is user friendly to all devices.  You will receive a link in your confirmation email  a reminder 2 hours before the meeting. We hope you will join us. Please send agenda items/questions to Jeff Laser.

more info...
5/22/20242:00pm to 3:00pmJeff Laser


We are excited to announce the 2024 Directors' Retreat:  Fostering a Thriving Work Culture.  We will be returning to the Punderson Manor Lodge & Conference Center this year. The retreat will kick off with a light breakfast on Thursday, May 23rd at 9:00 a.m. - the perfect time to catch up with your peers. The workshop will begin at 10 a.m. starting with Leading through Low-Morale Experiences: Recognizing Outcomes & Engaging Countermeasures.  The afternoon will focus on How to Talk so your Board will Listen: Education, Communication, and Transformation.  We will conclude the first day at 4:00 p.m. Dinner will be at 6:00 p.m. with the tradition of rich conversations to follow. The second day will start with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. followed by a program on Creating a Compassionate Workplace. We will conclude at noon with a quick lunch.

Thursday Morning, May 23rd:
Leading through Low-Morale Experiences: Recognizing Outcomes & Engaging Countermeasures
 
Low morale is detrimental to the health and well-being of employees, library organizations, and the communities they serve. Kaetrena Davis Kendrick has conducted extensive research on low-morale experiences in libraries, identifying various workplace behaviors, factors and events that can lead to employee disengagement, and revealing the systems and structures that enable organizational or interpersonal dysfunction or compromise how people lead. Join Kaetrena and Sunnie Scarpa, Library Director, to learn more about this important research and leave with actionable ideas that signal incremental systemic changes that will support a healthier work environment for all staff. The presenters will highlight established and emerging countermeasures for library workers, including promoting work-life balance, encouraging candid communication, and cultivating a supportive workplace culture that allows all employees to thrive. Brief pre-work is required for this event.

Presenters:

Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, MSLS earned her MSLS from the historic Clark Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies. Her research interests include professionalism, ethics, racial and ethnic diversity in the LIS field, and the role of communities of practice in practical academic librarianship. She is co-editor of The Small and Rural Academic Library: Leveraging Resources and Overcoming Limitations (ACRL 2016) and author of two annotated bibliographies. In her daily and long-term work, Kendrick has transformed library programs, services, and culture via creativity, leadership, and advocacy. She is committed to centering well-being, creativity, and empathy in the workplace and promoting career clarity and rejuvenation to workers. In 2019, Kendrick was named the Association of College and Research Libraries Academic/Research Librarian of the Year. Learn more about her mission, coaching, and consultative services.

Sunnie Scarpa is the Director of the Wallingford Public Library, a vibrant library located in central Connecticut. She began her career as a Teen Librarian at the New Haven Free Public Library before serving as Head of Children's Services at the Wallingford Public Library for six years. She left in 2019 to accept her first Director role at the E.C. Scranton Memorial Library in Madison, CT, but was very pleased to return to lead her hometown library in 2023. Scarpa is passionate about the library field and loves to read/listen/talk and coach people on career advancement, management, and leadership topics.


Afternoon Session: 
How to Talk so your Board will Listen: Education, communication, and transformation

Communication is the key to all relationships and your relationship with your Board of Managers is no exception. Join Sunnie Scarpa, Director of the Wallingford Public Library in CT, to discuss tips and tricks for defining and strengthening your connection with your Board through education and communication. This session will include time for facilitated discussion and structured group work with your fellow library leaders.

*** For our directors in academic and special libraries, most of this content will apply to you as well. The session is focused on communication, and can apply to various scenarios such as advisory councils and university peer group meetings. In the group discussion portion, all of the discussion prompts will be applicable to the academic setting.

Presenter:  
Sunnie Scarpa is the Director of the Wallingford Public Library

Friday, May 24th:
Creating a Compassionate Workplace
Compassion for yourself, staff, and patrons affects morale, productivity, finances, and satisfaction. Libraries are inherently caring communities and compassion can develop a space of psychological safety as well as mitigate compassion fatigue. Creating a compassionate workplace doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming but may require a slight shift in focus.
 
In this interactive and reflective program, discover the science around compassion and simple techniques for cultivating compassion for yourself, others, and as a work culture.

 

  • differentiate how compassion differs from pity, sympathy, and empathy
  • connect how your self-care affects compassion
  • design 2 strategies to boost compassion in your library
Presenter:

Laura Greco is a certified wellness coach, author, and speaker/trainer with a 20+ year background in nursing who helps professionals eliminate burnout, manage stress, create life balance, and rekindle their sense of purpose and joy. She believes that self-care (body, mind, and spirit) is the basis for well-being and that we all have the capacity to make positive lifestyle changes. Her books include Wellness Made Simple, and Wellness Made Simple-for Residents. For more information please visit her website
www.YouBloomWellness.com .

Laura has a BSN (University of Michigan), Master in Adult Education (Penn State), trainings from HeartMath and the Mass General Benson Henry Mind Body Institute, and certifications in wellness coaching from both Wellcoaches and Center for Credentialing and Education.
 

more info...
5/23/2024
-5/24/2024
Breakfast begins at 9 am on May 23rd and we conclude the retreat at noon on FridMelissa Lattanzi


Are you exploring cross-training at your library, but unsure of how it fits in with your union? Cheryl Grizzell, Chief Operating Officer at Lorain Public Library System, and Jennifer Welsh, Senior Director of Public Services at Stark Library, will offer their experiences navigating this matter. They will discuss topics such as:
  • The importance of the relationship between the union and management
  • How library size & staffing may impact cross-training
  • Staff members working "down" positionally versus working in multiple departments
  • Considerations for libraries that already have unions, as well as those where unionizing may be on the horizon
This program will include a Q&A and will not be recorded.

Presenters:

Cheryl Grizzell, Chief Operating Officer at Lorain Public Library System
Jennifer Welsh, Senior Director of Public Services at Stark Library

more info...
5/29/20242:00pm to 3:00pmJeff Laser


Difficult interactions often leave us rattled and we either want to bury the memory deep inside or chronically complain about them. Neither is helpful nor effective. We can care for ourselves and others individually and as a group. Discover some best practices (as well as some things to avoid doing) after difficult interactions.

Learning Objectives:
  • 3 aftercare techniques you can do for yourself
  • 2 practices that can be done as a group
  • 1 thing you can do for another team member
Laura Greco is a certified wellness coach, author, and speaker/trainer with a 20+ year background in nursing who helps professionals eliminate burnout, manage stress, create life balance, and rekindle their sense of purpose and joy. She believes that self-care (body, mind, and spirit) is the basis for well-being and that we all have the capacity to make positive lifestyle changes. Her books include Wellness Made Simple, and Wellness Made Simple-for Residents. For more information please visit her website
www.YouBloomWellness.com .

Laura has a BSN (University of Michigan), Master in Adult Education (Penn State), trainings from HeartMath and the Mass General Benson Henry Mind Body Institute, and certifications in wellness coaching from both Wellcoaches and Center for Credentialing and Education.

more info...
6/5/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


Join us for a session to have your Excel questions answered.  Here is an opportunity to share tips and ask questions about Excel.  Do you want to learn more about quickly navigating in Excel?  Excel formula basics?  Using automatic color coding to create a printable work schedule based on staff availability?  Summarize data you’ve exported from another system like your ILS?  Power Query basics?  You may email questions and files ahead to Melissa Lattanzi of time or just join us on Zoom for the conversation.  Keep in mind when sharing your files to protect the innocent.

Facilitator:

Scott Trimmer currently serves as the Director of the Learning Commons at Cuyahoga Community College’s Eastern Campus, where he has been since 2014.  Scott enjoys helping people use technology to meaningfully improve their lives.  His staff jokes that there’s very little Scott doesn’t try to organize in a spreadsheet.  While serving for more than ten years as the go-to person to answer Excel questions at a 1000+ employee University, he picked up a number of Excel tips and tricks.  In recent years, Scott has developed or assisted in the creation of variety of Excel tools to facilitate administrative tasks and dashboards, simplifying workflows and making data available to less tech-savvy folks in the organization.
 
With a degree in Computer Science and an MBA in Organizational Leadership, Scott has effectively used Excel to enhance data accessibility in a manner that benefits his organizations. 
 


more info...
6/5/20242:00pm to 3:00pmMelissa Lattanzi


Here is an opportunity to share your challenges and successes with your peers.  This meeting will be held through Zoom which is user friendly to all devices.  You will receive a link in your email when you register and 1 hour before the meeting.  We hope you will join us.  Please send agenda items/questions to Yvette Wasko.

Morning Session: Managing Behavioral Health Issues under the ADA and FMLA

Learning Objectives:
 
  • How to identify behavioral health issues in your workforce.
  • Assessing when a behavioral health issue is a serious health condition under the FMLA and/or a disability under the ADA.
  • How to manage the unique challenges presented by mental health issues, including the accommodation process under the ADA.
Presenters:

Jim P. Wilkins,  Shareholder, OSBA Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law, Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC
Jim began his law career more than thirty years ago when labor law – dealing with unions -- was in full bloom, and employment law was still emerging. As a result, he has a depth and breadth of experience in labor law that many younger lawyers won’t have because of the decline in the unionized segment of the American workforce.

Throughout his career, he has devoted significant time to representing and counseling employers on union relations matters, including collective bargaining negotiations, arbitration proceedings, and maintaining non-union status. He has negotiated countless labor contracts in both the private and public sectors, both blue collar and white collar. He regularly represents employers before the National Labor Relations Board and Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board in representation and unfair labor practice proceedings.

At the same time, Jim is as much an employment lawyer as he is a labor lawyer. He has been around from the outset of such landmark legislation as the ADA and FMLA. Both have a tremendous impact on the day-to-day advice he provides to employers who look to him to keep them out of trouble. When discrimination claims arise, Jim represents employers in state and federal courts and before the EEOC and state fair employment practice agencies. Jim also assists employers who have federal contracts with their affirmative action obligations, including the preparation of affirmative action plans.


Amanda S Smith, Shareholder, OSBA-Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment Law, DE&I Officer , National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional, Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC

Amanda’s unusual path to becoming a labor and employment attorney began with earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in neuroscience at Allegheny College and Kent State University, respectively. After determining that a career in science ultimately was not for her, she took a job as a legal assistant following her graduate studies, and immediately fell in love with law.

That first position at a plaintiff’s side labor and employment firm quickly evolved into enrolling in classes at the University of Akron School of Law, where she eventually earned her juris doctor degree, summa cum laude. Her experience to-date as a management-side labor and employment attorney has led to some lively discussions at the dinner table back home with her father (a police chief) and mother (a former union president).

Amanda has found the work to be both fascinating and fulfilling. She represents employers in many types of labor and employment matters, including charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ohio Civil Rights Commission and other state fair employment practice agencies. She also counsels employers on litigation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution matters, as well as wage/hour compliance, performance and leave management, discipline, and workplace policies.


 

more info...
6/7/20249:30am to 3:00pmMelissa Lattanzi


Here is an opportunity to share your challenges and successes with your peers.  This meeting will be held through Zoom which is user friendly to all devices.  You will receive a link in your email when you register and 1 hour before the meeting.  We hope you will join us.  Please send agenda items/questions to Yvette Wasko.

Morning Session: Managing Behavioral Health Issues under the ADA and FMLA

Learning Objectives:
 
  • How to identify behavioral health issues in your workforce.
  • Assessing when a behavioral health issue is a serious health condition under the FMLA and/or a disability under the ADA.
  • How to manage the unique challenges presented by mental health issues, including the accommodation process under the ADA.
Presenters:

Jim P. Wilkins,  Shareholder, OSBA Certified Specialist in Labor & Employment Law, Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC
Jim began his law career more than thirty years ago when labor law – dealing with unions -- was in full bloom, and employment law was still emerging. As a result, he has a depth and breadth of experience in labor law that many younger lawyers won’t have because of the decline in the unionized segment of the American workforce.

Throughout his career, he has devoted significant time to representing and counseling employers on union relations matters, including collective bargaining negotiations, arbitration proceedings, and maintaining non-union status. He has negotiated countless labor contracts in both the private and public sectors, both blue collar and white collar. He regularly represents employers before the National Labor Relations Board and Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board in representation and unfair labor practice proceedings.

At the same time, Jim is as much an employment lawyer as he is a labor lawyer. He has been around from the outset of such landmark legislation as the ADA and FMLA. Both have a tremendous impact on the day-to-day advice he provides to employers who look to him to keep them out of trouble. When discrimination claims arise, Jim represents employers in state and federal courts and before the EEOC and state fair employment practice agencies. Jim also assists employers who have federal contracts with their affirmative action obligations, including the preparation of affirmative action plans.


Amanda S Smith, Shareholder, OSBA-Certified Specialist in Labor and Employment Law, DE&I Officer , National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional, Kastner Westman & Wilkins, LLC

Amanda’s unusual path to becoming a labor and employment attorney began with earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in neuroscience at Allegheny College and Kent State University, respectively. After determining that a career in science ultimately was not for her, she took a job as a legal assistant following her graduate studies, and immediately fell in love with law.

That first position at a plaintiff’s side labor and employment firm quickly evolved into enrolling in classes at the University of Akron School of Law, where she eventually earned her juris doctor degree, summa cum laude. Her experience to-date as a management-side labor and employment attorney has led to some lively discussions at the dinner table back home with her father (a police chief) and mother (a former union president).

Amanda has found the work to be both fascinating and fulfilling. She represents employers in many types of labor and employment matters, including charges before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Ohio Civil Rights Commission and other state fair employment practice agencies. She also counsels employers on litigation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution matters, as well as wage/hour compliance, performance and leave management, discipline, and workplace policies.


 

more info...
6/7/20249:30am to 3:00pmMelissa Lattanzi


Take advantage of this opportunity to share challenges and successes with your peers.

more info...
6/10/20242:00pm to 4:00pmJeff Laser



For libraries to effectively meet their mission of serving the educational, informational, and entertainment needs of their communities, their collections must be diverse and inclusive, offering windows into and mirrors of the vast array of perspectives and stories that make up our world. Library selectors and readers’ advisors must have a keen understanding of the basic frameworks for building and maintaining collections through an equitable lens, including the ability to apply that knowledge to a collection audit.

In this course, learn from Collection Managers Dontaná McPherson-Joseph and Betsy Bird as they explore key concepts essential to cultivating and promoting inclusive and equitable collections. You'll find out more about conducting a diversity audit of your collections, and learn how to include diverse books with wider perspectives that allow you to be more responsive to the community you serve and more reflective of the diversity of our world.

Learning Objectives:
  • To have a thorough understanding of the different types of equity audits and which methods suit your collection best.
  • To understand how equity begins with purchasing and does not stop after the audit stops.
  • To consider weeding, displays, and community outreach and how each one of those factors affects the representation found in your collection. 
Presenters:

Betsy Bird is the Collection Development Manager of Evanston Public Library and the former Youth Materials Specialist of Evanston Public Library. Betsy reviews for Kirkus and hosts the blog A Fuse #8 Production for School Library Journal. 







Dontaná McPherson-Joseph (she/her) is a collection management librarian at Oak Park (IL) Public Library. She has presented for Library Journal on inclusive collection development and auditing, and is an advocate for reading widely and diversely.




 

more info...
6/12/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


Mental Health First Aid is a training course designed to give members of the public key skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Just as CPR training helps a layperson without medical training assist an individual following a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid training helps a layperson assist someone experiencing a mental health crisis.  This course will run 9:00 am - 3:30 pm.  There will be two hours worth of pre-work before the live instructor-led online workshop.  This course is limited to 30.  Register for this class only if you are able to attend. This class will not be archived.

The evidence behind Mental Health First Aid demonstrates that it makes people feel more comfortable managing a crisis situation and builds mental health literacy — helping the public identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness. Specifically, studies found that those who trained in Mental Health First Aid have greater confidence in providing help to others, greater likelihood of advising people to seek professional help, improved concordance with health professionals about treatments, and decreased stigmatizing attitudes.

Learning Objectives:
  • Recognize the potential risk factors and warning signs for a range of mental health problems, including: depression, anxiety/trauma, psychosis and psychotic disorders, substance use disorders, and self-injury
  • Use a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional help
  • Interpret the prevalence of various mental health disorders in the U.S. and the need for reduced negative attitudes in their communities
  • Apply knowledge of the appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help resources available to help someone
Presenter:
Jeremy Streem is an award winning MHFA instructor within the Ohio Army National Guard and the Northeast Ohio VA Medical Center. Jeremy also provides MHFA training to communities at large with the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. Jeremy has been a member of the Ohio Army National Guard for over 22 years, including 1 deployment, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class and specializing in supporting other Soldiers in need. Jeremy is also a Master Resilience Trainer, certified through the University of Pennsylvania, and has taught Resilience and Effective Communication strategies to over 2,500 Soldiers as well as the general public. SFC Streem's military experience and education allows him to teach MHFA within the VA, Ohio National Guard, and local communities, providing a Veteran's perspective to the unique challenges of supporting and caring for our military population. Jeremy was recognized by the National Council for Behavioral Health as one of the Top Veterans Mental Health First Aid Instructors for both 2018 and 2019, as well as the Top Mental Health First Aid instructor in the State of Ohio in 2019. 


 

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6/13/20249:00am to 3:30pmMelissa Lattanzi


More and more we hear about artificial intelligence (AI), but what is it exactly? Even as AI continues to develop as a technology, its influence can already be felt in libraries. Our speaker will explore the many ways AI has begun to impact our organizations and our patrons, before preparing attendees for what advancements lie ahead in the near future. 

Learning Objectives:
  • Learn the basic concepts and terminology of artificial intelligence (AI). 
  • Understand the current impact AI is having on libraries.
  • Plan for the program, policy, and service implications of AI.
Presenter:

Nick Tanzi is a nationally recognized library technology consultant, and author of the books Making the Most of Digital Collections Through Training and Outreach (2016) and Best Technologies for Public Libraries: Policies, Programs, and Services (2020). From 2019-2021, Tanzi served as the column editor for Public Library Magazine’s “The Wired Library”. His work has also been featured in publications including VOYA Magazine, Computers in Libraries, Library Journal, and Marketing Library Services.


 

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6/20/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


Whether you’re a newly minted library staffer responsible for the budget for Summer Reading, a Director concerned with making the most of your budget, or have budgeting responsibilities somewhere in between, budgeting can be intimidating. Join Wendy Bartlett, Collection Development & Acquisitions Manager for Cuyahoga County Public Library, and learn basic budgeting do’s and don’ts, how to be ready for unexpected decreases in funding, how to cope if you mess up, and how to educate yourself about the bigger budgeting picture. You’ll leave with practical ideas (and tools!) that will make working with the budget a pleasure rather than a chore.

Learning Objectives:
  • Basic budgeting do’s and don’ts
  • Prepare for the unexpected
  • How to handle a mistake
  • Understanding the bigger budgeting  picture 

Presenter:

Wendy Bartlett serves as the Collection Development & Acquisitions Manager for Cuyahoga County Public Library, a position she has held since 2009. Before that, Wendy was the branch manager for the Beachwood Branch of CCPL, and before that, the Assistant Director of the Kent Free Library. Wendy was the Regional Manager of the Cleveland-Pittsburgh Borders stories before joining the library world. She also served as a Councilperson for the Village of Lodi, her hometown in her twenties, where she first learned about budgeting for government agencies.

 

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7/17/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


The LGBTQ+ 101 training is designed to create a more inclusive and understanding workplace environment by providing participants with foundational knowledge and skills related to the LGBTQ+ community. This session will also incorporate intergenerational aspects of work, identity, and communication. This training aims to foster empathy, respect, and inclusivity towards individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

Learning Objectives:
  • Understanding LGBTQ+ Terminology: Participants will familiarize themselves with key terms and concepts related to sexual orientation and gender identity, including but not limited to LGBTQ+, transgender, non-binary, and cisgender.
  • Creating Inclusive Spaces: Participants will learn practical ways to create inclusive and welcoming environments for LGBTQ+ colleagues, clients, and customers, including language usage, policies, and organizational culture.
  • Enhancing Communication and Engagement Across Generations
Presenters:

Amanda Cole joined Plexus LGBT + Allied Chamber of Commerce as the first Executive Director in March of 2019. Her work in the non-profit sector began while a student at Antioch College during her first co-op directing an AmeriCorps program serving at-risk youth living in vulnerable communities. Since then she has been a servant leader and community activist. Amanda attended Wright State University where she pursued studies in non-profit management. After graduating she began a successful career in fundraising and development and returned to her alma mater, Antioch College, to run the annual fund and alumni relations departments. Her move to NEO was spurred by a wonderful opportunity to join the Museum of Contemporary Art leading the development department. Additionally, her community involvement and training includes leadership and change facilitation through Points of Light Youth Leadership, People’s Institute for Undoing Racism, and Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. 
An avid reader and consumer of podcasts, Amanda has been most inspired by Encyclopedia Brown to choose her own adventure. 

Dr. Jennifer E. Bosco (she/her) brings 20+ years of expertise in areas of business development, workplace culture, and inclusive practices. Jennifer serves as the founding Inclusion Hub Director for Plexus LGBT & Allied Chamber of Commerce for Northeast Ohio. Jennifer is also the founder of Bosco Consulting, a firm that guides businesses and organizations to align their vision and goals with a highly diverse, productive, and inclusive workplace. Her community actions include serving on the Board of Directors for Talespinner Children’s Theatre and as a member of an advocacy advising group for the LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland. She earned her doctorate in international and multicultural education with a concentration in human rights from University of San Francisco where her research focused on antiracism activism and the intersectionality of race and gender.
 

more info...
8/7/202410:00am to 11:00amJeff Laser


This interactive presentation will foster library staff confidence in engaging with community youth by addressing common challenges faced in the workplace. It will also cover best practices through the lens of mental health and social justice.

Learning objectives:
  • At the end of this session, participants will be able to collaborate effectively as part of a professional team to more confidently engage with youth patrons.  
  • At the end of this session, participants will be able to better analyze their system’s code of conduct and how it addresses behavior with a social justice lens.
  • At the end of this session, participants will be able to engage responsibly and sensitively when mental health issues arise.
Presenters:

Maggie Gall-Maynard (she/her/hers) has a BA from Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA and a MLIS, with a focus in youth librarianship, from Kent State University in Kent, OH. Maggie has served youth patrons in public libraries in Columbus, OH, Syracuse, NY, West Carrollton, OH and is currently a School Library Media Specialist at Tippecanoe Middle School in Tipp City, OH. She is also certified with Youth Mental Health First Aid through the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crafting, and hiking with her husband, David, and daughter, Aspasia. Email: mgallmaynard@tippcity.k12.oh.us Instagram: MrsMaggieLovesBooks



Amanda Feuerstein (she/her/hers) has a B.A. and M.A. in Spanish from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH. Amanda taught Spanish at a college level for four years and then high school Spanish for seven years. Post-pandemic she made the switch to being an Information Services Assistant at Dayton Metro Library’s West Carrollton Branch in West Carrollton, OH. She is currently studying for her MLIS at IUPUI.
 

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8/15/20242:00pm to 3:00pmMelissa Lattanzi


We've been circulating Roku devices to our patrons since 2015. It's a way for them to experience streaming video without the investment and confusion and offer access to programs we can't offer or purchase in other ways. Discover how we made this streaming world accessible and what lessons we learned along the way. Be ready to experiment and enhance your existing physical and downloadable offerings.
 
Learning Objectives: 
  • Understand how Rokus (and similar appliances) and streaming services work for consumers
  • Understand how you can provide access to these for your community
  • How to make sense with and keep up with the world of streaming to continuously improve offerings.
Presenter:

Gerry Vogel, Avon Lake Public Library 
Gerry has been assistant director of Avon Lake Public Library since 2006. Gerry and his family stopped using cable shortly after getting their first Roku in 2015.
 

more info...
8/27/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


In our roles as supervisors and leaders, the importance of self-care is often acknowledged but frequently overlooked. Our attention is dedicated to managing our organizations, supporting our employees, and achieving our objectives. Neglecting personal well-being can detrimentally impact our teams, whereas embracing a regimen of healthy self-care can significantly enhance our effectiveness and that of our employees. Recognizing the importance of self-care is a key characteristic of effective leaders. This session will guide you in identifying when to shift your focus inward and provide essential insights into the questions to ask to begin prioritizing self-care. 
 
Presenter: 
Ragan Snead, Executive Director, Northeast Ohio Regional Library System


 

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9/4/202410:00am to 11:00amMelissa Lattanzi


Faced with dismal reading scores and school readiness in Charleston County (SC) K-8 students, Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) created new Storytime standards prioritizing early literacy, raising awareness on school readiness, and leveraging staff expertise to address community needs. Through intentional Storytime practices and collaboration with Charleston County School District, CCPL is challenging post-COVID bridges and barriers to school readiness. Participants will learn what CCPL does and how to adapt our framework for your community.

Learning Objectives:
  • Recognize the importance of intentionally sharing early literacy information with parents/caregivers.
  •  Gauge the changing landscape of storytime needs in a post-COVID world.
  • Identify methods for partnering with your school district to help children on their journey to school readiness.
  • Learn how to establish and implement Storytime standards at your own library.
Presenters:

Cassie Welch (she/her) is the Children’s System Coordinator at Charleston County Public Library (SC). She has a B.A. in Elementary Education (K-6), an Early Childhood Certification (PK-3), and a Master’s in Library and Information Science. She has over a decade of experience in education and libraries working with young children and the adults who care for them. She believes in the necessity of diverse children's literature and the importance of helping parents, caregivers, and educators develop a child's early literacy and early years skills.


 
Kristin Hare is a Children’s Services Manager at Charleston County Public Library where she has become a leader in EDI work, serving on CCPL’s Strategic Vision Planning Committee, EDI Committee, and Children’s Annual Booklist Committee, as well as serving as the Chair of the South Carolina Library Association’s Rainbow Round Table. She holds a B.A. in English and a Master’s in Library and Information Science.

 

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9/24/202410:00am to 10:00amJeff Laser


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