Presenter: Holly Bognar, Ph.D.
This short interactive session will provide an overview of intellectual freedom, the many issues it presents for library staff, and how you can prepare for materials challenges. Bring your questions and IF stories to share.Why is "equal access" a cornerstone of public library service?
How can you reconcile conflicts between library policies and procedures and personal beliefs?
What training should all library employees have in the area of intellectual freedom?
Learn ways to deal with recalcitrant employees, manipulative co-workers, and bullying bosses.
Pat Wagner is a trainer and consultant with 40 years of experience working for libraries, universities, local government, non-profits, and small businesses. She supports the success of libraries with programs on personnel, supervision, management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and communication. Pat has worked with libraries and library organizations throughout the United States, from the smallest rural storefronts to the largest academic and urban library institutions. Pat also is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is known for her good-humored and practical presentations.
Your job is to enforce a rule, protect property, and create a safe place for people who come to work and play. If you knew what to say and do, and how to say and do it, you would be more likely to take effective action. Learn how the experts deal with the every day chaos of a library and what works, most of the time, with most people, in most situations.
Pat Wagner is a trainer and consultant with 40 years of experience working for libraries, universities, local government, non-profits, and small businesses. She supports the success of libraries with programs on personnel, supervision, management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and communication. Pat has worked with libraries and library organizations throughout the United States, from the smallest rural storefronts to the largest academic and urban library institutions. Pat also is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is known for her good-humored and practical presentations.
How to present yourself.
Ways to exude confidence.
What NOT to do in certain situations.

How do you work as a team player?
How do you encourage others to work together?
What does a skillful interviewer, a memorable presenter, a motivating team facilitator and a strong negotiator all have in common? They understand and use body language effectively!
Successful political candidates know that the right way to connect with their voters starts by sharing their vision for the community they serve. For library funding - either at the ballot box or through donor support - your library strategic or facilities plan is where your vision and hope reside. In this session, learn how to create a 'fundable plan' using the tools of winning political campaigns to frame the community conversation. Join EveryLibrary's executive director John Chrastka for a practical session that will help you deploy effective communications - both positive and opposition messaging - and provide you with useful take-home exercises for staff and boards.
“Why can’t I find it?” “Don’t we have anything on this?” If you’ve ever been frustrated by searching your library’s catalog, this is the program you need to learn more about how to search effectively. Let a cataloger with experience in public and academic libraries demystify stopwords, operators, browsing versus keyword searches, subject heading subdivisions and more. Learn how to make the most of the treasure hoard of data in your library’s catalog!
People with disabilities, be it physical, mental, or medical, are among the most disadvantaged in our society. According to the US Department of Labor, only 16% of people with disabilities will complete a Bachelor’s and less than 50% will find gainful employment.
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator assessment is one of the most popular and well-known personality tests today, taken by 80% of Fortune 500 companies and 89% of Fortune 100 companies according to the CPP. There has recently been a lot of buzz, both positive and negative, surrounding the assessment, but it continues to be a highly demanded test to be taken by professionals. What is the Myers Briggs Type Indicator assessment? How can it help you work more effectively as a colleague, manager or customer service representative?Learn about what the Myers Briggs Type Indicator measures and how it is related to your personality preferences
Understand how you can utilize the information in your work dynamics and effectiveness, from problem-solving to communication to leadership development
Be provided with practical strategies for working more productively with others of different and diverse personality preferences
This faced paced webinar will lead you through how to plan, prioritize and schedule for a highly effective day. Come with your issues and concerns as there will be time for specific questions and concerns. Don’t miss out on this interactive, informative session with handouts and lots of tips and tricks to reduce your stress and get more done.Learn how planning upfront can save you time in the long run.
Understand three different prioritizing methods and which one works best for you.
Recognize how blocking your time for important tasks can help you get more accomplished.
You want your library to welcoming. It is more than just customer service. You want to surprise and delight your patrons to keep them coming back.Explore all five senses and discover how to best use each in delivering a welcoming library experience for our patrons
Identify your strengths in addressing the needs of all types of patrons
Ponder the talents of your team at your branch
Do you wonder what's involved with a levy campaign? Want to know what you can and cannot do as a staff member to support your library's levy? Are you concerned you will say or do something incorrect? Learn the basics about levy campaigns (PACs, fundraising, what your director does etc)
Learn simple things you can do to help your library's levy succeed
Bring your questions and concerns!
Providing Library access to English Language Learners (ELL) can be much more than developing your foreign language and ESL collections. Those learning English can have more pressing information needs and all staff can play a part in creating a welcoming environment. Keep ESL patrons coming back (hint, it’s not just the free services but the new connections and relationships they make at the Library) and provide programming opportunities for the entire community to engage.How to effectively welcome the ELL community into the Library using best practices in outreach
How to engage ELL patrons with staff encounters, signage, relevant programming, collections and volunteerism
Learn about grant funding and potential community partnerships
Whether you're new to libraries or a more experienced member of library land, you probably noticed that Ohio has a lot of library organizations! It can be confusing to navigate these organizations, determine what services they offer, and decide how to get involved with them. (Deciphering the acronym soup can be tough too!) This webinar, co-hosted by NEO-RLS and the New-to-Libraries Network, will provide an overview of the many Ohio library organizations and help you determine how to make the most of these important groups.
In Ohio:
An estimated 1,078 American-born minors are trafficked annually. Nearly 3,000 American-born minors are at risk for being trafficked. By coming to this webinar you will have a better understanding of what human trafficking us and if it is going on in your library.
List the risk factors for becoming a victim of human trafficking
Understand the role of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center in assisting victims
Identify the red flags (indicators) when a person is being trafficked
Gain an understanding of the research methodology and study results that shows the prevalence of human trafficking in NE Ohio.
Presenter:
Jan Apisa joined the Victim Assistance program as a Human Trafficking Public Education Specialist. Under an Office of Criminal Justice Services grant, she coordinated a 3-month collaborative quantitative Backpage research project of local human trafficking. She has been an active member of the Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking since 2014. From December 2015 through October 2018, she served as Chair of the Collaborative Executive Committee. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from The University of Akron.
Have you ever found a tool or service that made you go “AHA!”? Are there little gems that make your life so much easier that you wonder how you lived without them? This informative webinar is filled with online (and free!) tools that can help you improve your workflow. Come discover a plethora of online tools that you probably haven’t heard of but will be glad that (now) you have
Presenter: Laura Solomon, , MCIW, MLS, is the Library Services Manager for the Ohio Public Library Information Network . She has been doing web development and design for more than twenty years, in both public libraries and as an independent consultant. She specializes in developing with Drupal. She is a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker. She’s written three books about social media and content marketing, specifically for libraries, and speaks nationally on both these and technology-related topics. As a former children’s librarian, she enjoys bringing the “fun of technology” to audiences and in giving libraries the tools they need to better serve the virtual customer.
Have you ever found a tool or service that made you go “AHA!”? Are there little gems that make your life so much easier that you wonder how you lived without them? This informative webinar is filled with online (and free!) tools that can help you improve your workflow. Come discover a plethora of online tools that you probably haven’t heard of but will be glad that (now) you have
Presenter: Laura Solomon, , MCIW, MLS, is the Library Services Manager for the Ohio Public Library Information Network . She has been doing web development and design for more than twenty years, in both public libraries and as an independent consultant. She specializes in developing with Drupal. She is a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker. She’s written three books about social media and content marketing, specifically for libraries, and speaks nationally on both these and technology-related topics. As a former children’s librarian, she enjoys bringing the “fun of technology” to audiences and in giving libraries the tools they need to better serve the virtual customer.
When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator assessment is one of the most popular and well-known personality assessments today, taken by 80% of Fortune 500 companies and 89% of Fortune 100 companies according to the CPP. It allows you to understand your personality type and effectively use your unique strengths. It also helps you to appreciate and successfully navigate differences in communication, decision-making and problem-solving.
Learning Objectives:
Have you seen bullet journaling on social media? Are you wondering what it's all about? This webinar will teach you about bullet journaling, which is a flexible organization method that can be your planner, to-do list, notebook, calendar, and more - all in one place! A bullet journal allows you to create a customizable system that works for you to help you get organized, whether you prefer a beautifully decorated scrapbook or a lean list-making planner. You will also learn how to present a program on bullet journaling at your own library.
Learning Objectives:
Mary Jo Kachurik is an Adult Services Librarian at Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, where she is responsible for providing reference service, presenting programs, and assisting with collection development. Her professional interests include programming for younger adults and community engagement. Mary Jo began bullet journaling in 2015 and has taught several classes on bullet journaling since then.
Brainstorming is an incredibly powerful innovation tool. From solving problems to generating creative, groundbreaking ideas, the act of brainstorming can spark fresh and extraordinary concepts, vision and actions. However, is there a systematic way to brainstorm? And how can we make our brainstorming sessions most productive and efficient in order to produce innovative ideas?Discover what can hinder the brainstorming process and strategies on how to successfully overcome them, providing “out of the box” thinking for innovation.
Work on ways to break down problems systematically and create a foundation for effective and productive brainstorming.
Understand and apply a wide variety of brainstorming techniques to be used individually, in meetings, with groups and more, for immediate results.
Perhaps you’ve heard that being; acting, and looking professional is in the eye of the beholder. Perhaps you heard that professional behavior and performance does not matter anymore. The reality is that if you want to be successful, the way you look, talk, write, act and work will determine whether you are seen as a professional or not. Being professional is more than just about taking responsibility for yourself and your work, it's about seeing beyond your immediate needs and thinking about the long-term perceptions of you, your workplace, and the people you serve.
Learning Objectives:
Dean Russell is a Professional Strategic Coach. He helps organizations and businesses increase their effectiveness through leadership coaching, training, and public speaking engagements. He has a gift and passion for helping people and organizations quickly grasp their company’s vision, gain operational traction, and work as a healthy, functional, and cohesive team. He is a national speaker and recognized expert specializing in business management, leadership improvement, and better employee performance.
Lexy Kmiecik has been at the Cleveland Public Library for seven years. Her well-rounded experience as a Substitute, Computer Aide, Children’s Librarian, and Assistant Manager at various locations on both the East and West sides of Cleveland all prepared her for her current role, Hough Branch Manager.
Crystal Tancak has been with the Cleveland Public Library for 14 years. Originally starting as a Page before making her way through various positions in the organization, Crystal is currently the Manager of the Lorain Branch.
How can Office 365 Outlook and Calendar make your life easier? Join us for a quick over view of the two App's and then follow us into some organization tips and tricks. These are tools that should be working for you! Let us guide you and build on your knowledge to make your every day work quicker and smoother.Quick over view of Office 365's Outlook and Calendar
Organization tips and tricks for both Outlook and Calendar
How to create folders and have e-mails automatically sent to them, to ease in-box congestion
Lexy Kmiecik has been at the Cleveland Public Library for seven years. Her well-rounded experience as a Substitute, Computer Aide, Children’s Librarian, and Assistant Manager at various locations on both the East and West sides of Cleveland all prepared her for her current role, Hough Branch Manager.
Crystal Tancak has been with the Cleveland Public Library for 14 years. Originally starting as a Page before making her way through various positions in the organization, Crystal is currently the Manager of the Lorain Branch.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. In addition, Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.This advanced session will build out your tech troubleshooting tool box by exploring deeper or more subtle problems and discussing higher-level tech concepts that have an impact on users. At the end, you’ll learn how to continually increase your tech knowledge and develop a structure to hang new information on.
Learning Objectives:
Jennifer Koerber has two decades of experience in libraries, in both public-facing and behind-the-scenes roles. After 17 years at the Boston Public Library, she established her own business providing technology training and consulting services to libraries, and recently completed a contract as Training Manager at Harvard University Library, overseeing staff training for a new ILS platform.
She has written extensively for Library Journal on public library services and technology, and in May 2018, her book Library Services to Immigrants and New Americans: Celebration and Integration was released by Libraries Unlimited. In what remains of her time, she is an avid mobile photographer, crafter, and traveler.
You can find Jennifer online at www.jenniferkoerber.com and www.worksfromthetreehouse.com.
This advanced session will build out your tech troubleshooting tool box by exploring deeper or more subtle problems and discussing higher-level tech concepts that have an impact on users. At the end, you’ll learn how to continually increase your tech knowledge and develop a structure to hang new information on.
Learning Objectives:
Jennifer Koerber has two decades of experience in libraries, in both public-facing and behind-the-scenes roles. After 17 years at the Boston Public Library, she established her own business providing technology training and consulting services to libraries, and recently completed a contract as Training Manager at Harvard University Library, overseeing staff training for a new ILS platform.
She has written extensively for Library Journal on public library services and technology, and in May 2018, her book Library Services to Immigrants and New Americans: Celebration and Integration was released by Libraries Unlimited. In what remains of her time, she is an avid mobile photographer, crafter, and traveler.
You can find Jennifer online at www.jenniferkoerber.com and www.worksfromthetreehouse.com.
Stephanie H. York serves as vice president and in-house counsel at Hennes Communications, one of the few firms in the U.S. focused exclusively on crisis communications and crisis management.
User experience is the study of how users interact with products, spaces, and websites, and it's increasingly being applied to libraries. In this webinar, we'll look at user experience principles and how to evaluate existing buildings and sites, including journey maps and direct observation. We'll briefly discuss developing patron personas and how they help conceptualize how users interact with sites and spaces. Then, we'll move on to resources and strategies for improving the library user experience with low or no budget, and conclude with a chat-based brainstorming session on what you already see you can change about your building or website. A list of resources - print materials, websites, and organizations - will be available, along with the presentation slides.Are introduced to user experience terminology, strategies, and tools, for both online and physical spaces.
Will learn how to construct and implement a basic, low/no budget user experience study and improvements.
May construct a brief list of "quick wins" they can implement immediately, based on brainstorming in the webinar chat.
Can follow up with a list of additional user experience resources.
Jennifer Koerber has two decades of experience in libraries, in both public-facing and behind-the-scenes roles. After 17 years at the Boston Public Library, she established her own business providing technology training and consulting services to libraries, and recently completed a contract as Training Manager at Harvard University Library, overseeing staff training for a new ILS platform.
She has written extensively for Library Journal on public library services and technology, and in May 2018, her book Library Services to Immigrants and New Americans: Celebration and Integration was released by Libraries Unlimited. In what remains of her time, she is an avid mobile photographer, crafter, and traveler.
You can find Jennifer online at www.jenniferkoerber.com and www.worksfromthetreehouse.com.
Chris started in police work as an Auxiliary Police Officer in 1990 with the Hubbard Ohio Police Department and has moved through the ranks and is currently a Patrol Sergeant. Besides his supervisor duties Chris is also the departments OPOTA certified Firearms Instructor (Semi-Auto, Revolver, Shotgun, Carbine Rifle) a certified Field Training Officer (FTO) , NRA “Refuse to be a Victim” Instructor, and a Glock Armorer.
Bob’s career began in 1994 and then in 1996 he swore in with the Hubbard Ohio Police Department. In 2011 He was promoted to Patrol Sergeant. Prior to his promotion Bob was assigned to a FBI Drug Task Force where he was afforded the opportunity to train at Camp Perry, and the FBI academy in Quantico Virginia. Currently Bob is a contracted instructor at Youngstown State University and Kent State University (Trumbull) Police academies as well as the department Defensive Tactics Instructor and Field Training Officer (FTO). A dedicated trainer, Bob put himself through Firearms Instructor school and is a OPOTA certified instructor (Semi-Auto & Revolver). Both Chris and Bob are Taser, Asp, Pepper spray and A.L.i.C.E. instructors..
Susan Willeke is an accomplished government-relations professional with more than 27 years’ experience in public affairs, communication and public speaking. Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager where she oversees and conducts educational and communication outreach. In that position, Susan presents approximately 200 speeches annually, develops information strategies regarding agency programs and represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media and the Ohio legislature.
This lively session will help public officials and employees in understanding how to identify and avoid acting on potential conflicts of interest. It will also provide information regarding ethics prohibitions related to public contracts and potential post-employment requirements. Attendees will also learn about general assistance available from the Ohio Ethics Commission to assist both the public and public sectors in understanding and complying with the Ethics Laws.Hear about ethics prohibitions related to public contracts and potential post-employment requirements
Learn about general assistance available from the Ohio Ethics Commission to assist both the public and public sectors
Susan Willeke is an accomplished government-relations professional with more than 27 years’ experience in public affairs, communication and public speaking. Susan joined the Ohio Ethics Commission in 2005 as the Education and Communications Manager where she oversees and conducts educational and communication outreach. In that position, Susan presents approximately 200 speeches annually, develops information strategies regarding agency programs and represents the Ethics Commission to Ohio citizens, the media and the Ohio legislature.Change has become a part of everyday working life, yet how those changes are managed on a personal basis and our own personal attitudes to change are intrinsically linked. This seminar teaches how to handle transitional periods of change with less disruption and sustained productivity. This program addresses the human side of change which is more complex and harder to achieve.
Learning Objectives:
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges. This webinar will give an introduction into the Spanish language as well as the people that speak it. You will be provided with short cuts and an understanding of the basics of the language. Know the essential phrases that can breach some of the communication gap when working with Spanish speaking patrons that do not speak English.
Learning Objectives:
Presenter:
Jaime Declet was born and raised in Caguas Puerto Rico. Moving to Ohio to finish his college degree at OSU. He made a stop to visit relatives in Cleveland, and the rest as they say is history. Married to Jeannine, children Andrew & Victoria. He started working in libraries as a volunteer in the sixth grade through High School. Working for the Cleveland State University, Fine Arts Library for six years and has been working in public libraries for the past 19 years. Mr. Declet started his public library career with the Lorain Public Library. He currently works for the Cleveland Public Library managing the South Branch. Mr. Declet is a member of the Advisory Board of Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Children's Literature, member of the Board of Directors of the Tremont West Development Corporation. His job is to make sure that the community he serves knows that the Library is here to help. Therefore, he makes sure that the Library is front and center in all community events
Caitlin Hawkins, Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
As a community social worker, Caitlin is passionate about creative, authentic engagement in workplaces and communities. Her educational and professional experiences in community development and higher education lead her to the understanding that relationships matter, and that relationships with people who are different from ourselves provide opportunities for immense growth and collaboration, as long as we know how to harness those connections. . At The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, she works alongside businesses and organizations through every step of the consulting process and engages staff in customized workshops around the topics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Caitlin works with the express intention of facilitating the growth of inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Kaila “KJ” Johnson, Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
At The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, KJ researches and designs diversity and inclusion programming for the Higher Education & Young Adults (HEYA) division of The Diversity Center. HEYA offers a variety of services and opportunities that emphasize young adult leadership development based in promoting multiculturalism, anti-racism, and accessibility in learning communities. Additionally, KJ organizes and facilitates diversity education programming for middle and high school conferences, summits, and retreats to equip students to be agents of change. KJ is dedicated to eliminating bias, racism, and bigotry through education, networking and establishing community partnerships between higher education institutions and the communities they reside in.
Perhaps you’ve heard that being; acting, and looking professional is in the eye of the beholder. Perhaps you heard that professional behavior and performance does not matter anymore. The reality is that if you want to be successful, the way you look, talk, write, act and work will determine whether you are seen as a professional or not. Being professional is more than just about taking responsibility for yourself and your work, it's about seeing beyond your immediate needs and thinking about the long-term perceptions of you, your workplace, and the people you serve.
Learning Objectives:
What being “a professional” really means
How being professional increases your value in the workplace
Thirty specific ways employees can be more professional at work
Presenter:
Dean Russell is a Professional Strategic Coach. He helps organizations and businesses increase their effectiveness through leadership coaching, training, and public speaking engagements. He has a gift and passion for helping people and organizations quickly grasp their company’s vision, gain operational traction, and work as a healthy, functional, and cohesive team. He is a national speaker and recognized expert specializing in business management, leadership improvement, and better employee performance.
The immortal Kurt Vonnegut said, "The America I love still exists at the front desks of our public libraries." In this webinar, you can discover at least three ways to shift your library from good enough to unexpectedly amazing, and to take your community's image of the public library to new heights. Locate your library's first impressions, displays, customer service, policies and more on the "Yes-O-Meter" and understand how to move from "No" or "Yes, but..." to a powerful culture of "Yes, and!" The insights you gain for shifting your library culture will invigorate the relationships between your staff and with your community.Discover at least three ways to go from good enough to unexpectedly amazing.
Look at the value of “Yes, and…” as it applies to policies and services at your library.
Share and learn techniques for shifting your library culture to invigorate the relationship between your staff and your community.
Sharon Morris is Director of Library Development at the Colorado State Library and offers a myriad of professional development on leadership topics as well as positive organizational development, such as happiness & libraries, using “yes, and” for library services, and conflict resolution. She offers staff days and provides interactive workshops and presentations throughout the U.S. This session offers practical activities and learning that excite Sharon because she has seen first-hand how these techniques have improved people’s feeling of welcome and wonder in libraries.
This webinar will give an introduction into the Spanish language as well as the people that speak it. You will be provided with short cuts and an understanding of the basics of the language. Know the essential phrases that can breach some of the communication gap when working with Spanish speaking patrons that do not speak English.
Learning Objectives:
Introduction to the Spanish Language
Learn short cuts
Learn essential phrases
Presenter:
Jaime Declet was born and raised in Caguas Puerto Rico. Moving to Ohio to finish his college degree at OSU. He made a stop to visit relatives in Cleveland, and the rest as they say is history. Married to Jeannine, children Andrew & Victoria. He started working in libraries as a volunteer in the sixth grade through High School. Working for the Cleveland State University, Fine Arts Library for six years and has been working in public libraries for the past 19 years. Mr. Declet started his public library career with the Lorain Public Library. He currently works for the Cleveland Public Library managing the South Branch. Mr. Declet is a member of the Advisory Board of Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Children's Literature, member of the Board of Directors of the Tremont West Development Corporation. His job is to make sure that the community he serves knows that the Library is here to help. Therefore, he makes sure that the Library is front and center in all community events.
When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
This advanced session will build out your tech troubleshooting tool box by exploring deeper or more subtle problems and discussing higher-level tech concepts that have an impact on users. At the end, you’ll learn how to continually increase your tech knowledge and develop a structure to hang new information on.
Learning Objectives:
Learn more advanced techniques for tech troubleshooting, including looking “under the hood” and reverse engineering what happened.
Understand that it’s not always the device in front of them that’s the issue, and how to explain higher-level tech concepts to less-savvy patrons.
Gain confidence in their own ability to navigate technology troubleshooting.
Are able to view tech troubleshooting interactions as another form of customer service, to support an open mindset towards finding solutions.
Jennifer Koerber has two decades of experience in libraries, in both public-facing and behind-the-scenes roles. After 17 years at the Boston Public Library, she established her own business providing technology training and consulting services to libraries, and recently completed a contract as Training Manager at Harvard University Library, overseeing staff training for a new ILS platform.
She has written extensively for Library Journal on public library services and technology, and in May 2018, her book Library Services to Immigrants and New Americans: Celebration and Integration was released by Libraries Unlimited. In what remains of her time, she is an avid mobile photographer, crafter, and traveler.
You can find Jennifer online at www.jenniferkoerber.com and www.worksfromthetreehouse.com.
When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
Do you ever find it challenging to maintain a positive attitude at work? If so, this webinar is for you! This session will teach you how to deal with negativity and the value of self-care.
Have you seen bullet journaling on social media? Are you wondering what it's all about? This webinar will teach you about bullet journaling, which is a flexible organization method that can be your planner, to-do list, notebook, calendar, and more - all in one place! A bullet journal allows you to create a customizable system that works for you to help you get organized, whether you prefer a beautifully decorated scrapbook or a lean list-making planner. You will also learn how to present a program on bullet journaling at your own library.
Learning Objectives:
Attendees will learn what bullet journaling is and what components typically make up a bullet journal
Attendees will learn how to create a bullet journal and ways to use a bullet journal as an organization system
Attendees will learn how to facilitate a class on bullet journaling at their own library
Mary Jo Kachurik is an Adult Services Librarian at Warren-Trumbull County Public Library, where she is responsible for providing reference service, presenting programs, and assisting with collection development. Her professional interests include programming for younger adults and community engagement. Mary Jo began bullet journaling in 2015 and has taught several classes on bullet journaling since then.
When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.
Approximately 40 million Americans deal with anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a common mental health concern that we are seeing more often. Our brain function remains the same but our lifestyles keep taking on more and more stress, just like what is happening during the current COVID-19 crisis. Yoga helps to reduce anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” system. How Yoga/Meditation help to reduce anxiety
Breath Control for anxiety
The Basics of Mindfulness
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.
Finding and sustaining a sense of control during times of ambiguity is complicated and very human. You will gain self awareness surrounding their own personal signs and triggers to worry and grief
You will learn ways to heal and cope with tools to support the process
You will gain awareness of ways to practice emotional agility during times of stress.
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including, trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
If someone told you there’s a practical and easy way to increase circulation, patron visits, program attendance and the job satisfaction of your staff, would you do it? Of course you would. Librarian Becky Spratford has developed a method you can use to accomplish all of this and it plays off of the skills, talents, and interests you already possess. She’ll explain how to deepen staff involvement in readers’ advisory in a way that gets everyone from staff to patrons excited. You are spending a lot of effort and money on cultivating good collections, but are you giving those collections a fair chance to shine? Are you linking your work with patrons as you find them items to your programming and other services? Do your patrons even know the full breadth of what you offer them? And how are you measuring results? With just a few simple tweaks to how you already market your collections, services, programs and even staff, Becky will help you leave a trail of happier and more engaged patrons in your wake.learn how to get all library staff involved with creating displays and promoting your collections
understand value of creating a participatory patron experience
be able to promote library services and programs from every service point
Becky Spratford is a Readers' Advisor 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 is under contract to provide content for EBSCO’s NoveList database and writes reviews for Booklist and content for Library Journal. Becky is also known for her work with horror readers as the author of The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, Second Edition [ALA Editions, 2012] and is currently hard at work on the 3rd Edition. She is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association and currently serves as the Association’s Secretary and organizer of their annual LIbrarians’ Day. You can follow Becky on Twitter @RAforAll. When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.
Approximately 40 million Americans deal with anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a common mental health concern that we are seeing more often. Our brain function remains the same but our lifestyles keep taking on more and more stress, just like what is happening during the current COVID-19 crisis. Yoga helps to reduce anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” system. How Yoga/Meditation help to reduce anxiety
Breath Control for anxiety
The Basics of Mindfulness
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.
“Walt Disney is known as the ‘Father of the Customer Experience’ because he had the vision to create Disneyland as the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’.”
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training seminars for libraries and library organizations for more than ten years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the founder of the People Connect Institute Webinars.
While classroom training has an important place in library staff education, learning is extended and reinforced when staff have the opportunity to work through difficult topics outside of the classroom. In order to support staff learning about issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, Multnomah County Library has developed a “Racially Just” toolkit, containing activities staff can use to learn on their own, with colleagues or in their staff groups.
Learning Objectives:
Recognize some of the indications that an organization is ready to support staff with self-paced learning about EDI
Describe the process staff at Multnomah County Library undertook to develop self-paced learning about EDI, and how you might modify that process in your own organization
Access resources to help with your own EDI training efforts
Presenter:
Amy Honisett has been working in libraries for ten years. Her work has focused on education and training, as well as supporting health and digital literacy awareness. She is currently the Learning and Development Specialist at Multnomah County Library, where she enjoys supporting her colleagues’ professional development. Amy has an MA in English Literature from Portland State University and an MSLIS from Drexel University.
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.
Approximately 40 million Americans deal with anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a common mental health concern that we are seeing more often. Our brain function remains the same but our lifestyles keep taking on more and more stress, just like what is happening during the current COVID-19 crisis. Yoga helps to reduce anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” system. How Yoga/Meditation help to reduce anxiety
Breath Control for anxiety
The Basics of Mindfulness
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.
Approximately 40 million Americans deal with anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a common mental health concern that we are seeing more often. Our brain function remains the same but our lifestyles keep taking on more and more stress, just like what is happening during the current COVID-19 crisis. Yoga helps to reduce anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” system. How Yoga/Meditation help to reduce anxiety
Breath Control for anxiety
The Basics of Mindfulness
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling. Emily Clasper, Director of Service Strategies, River Campus Libraries University of Rochester
Since 2003, Emily Clasper has worked with a wide range of libraries across the country, offering a unique skill set as a librarian, technologist, speaker, trainer, consultant, and certified Project Management Professional (PMP®). A leader in the profession and Library Journal Mover and Shaker (2012), Emily has served as an ALA Councilor, member of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, and member of numerous other ALA and NYLA committees. Most recently, Emily has entered the world of academic libraries, joining the University of Rochester’s River Campus Libraries as their Director of Service Strategies. This comes on the heels of 13 years working with the 56 public libraries of Suffolk County, NY as the Training and Operations Manager for their shared ILS.
Janie L. Hermann is the Public Programming Librarian at Princeton Public Library in Princeton, NJ where she oversees a cross-departmental team of 15 staff that members that plan and execute more than 1,700 programs per year with an annual attendance in excess of 54,000 at the programs. She is currently a member of the ALA Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee and the co-chair of the ALA Programming Librarian Interest Group.
Djaz F. Zulida is a Programs & Community Outreach Librarian at the Boston Public Library. Their service focus is on outreach, library events, contributing to the BPL We are Pride booklist, and sharing non-traditional like seeds and honey from the library's hive with their neighborhood. They have been a librarian with the Boston Public Library since 2014 and a spoonie for longer than that.
Carson Block, President, Carson Block Consulting Inc.
Carson Block has lead & loved library technology efforts for more than 20 years. He's been called a "Geek who speaks English" and occasionally compared to Ferris Bueller and Calvin (and Hobbes). Carson is dead serious about the essential and positive community impacts of libraries and focuses his consulting practice on helping libraries increase their capacity to serve patrons. Carson has served in leadership positions in ALA ASCLA, ColoradoPLA and others, and evangelizes libraries to SXSW Interactive and other tech communities. Carson is the author of Managing Library Technology: A LITA Guide (Rowman & Littlefield).
Do you find yourself always being busy at work? Working past your regular hours? Thinking about work night and day? Not taking your vacation time? Starting to dread going to work, getting sick a lot, or feeling overworked and exhausted? You are not alone. Library work, in any role and any type of library, can take a heavy toll on people. This panel presentation will address best practices for self-care from three perspectives: what you can do for yourself, what you can do as a coworker for others, and what you (or others) can do in management roles. Hear from a variety of library staff in different roles and types of libraries. Participants will come away with practical tips and action items to implement right away to better take care of yourself, others, and to foster a physically and mentally healthy work environment.Emily Clasper, Director of Service Strategies, River Campus Libraries University of Rochester
Since 2003, Emily Clasper has worked with a wide range of libraries across the country, offering a unique skill set as a librarian, technologist, speaker, trainer, consultant, and certified Project Management Professional (PMP®). A leader in the profession and Library Journal Mover and Shaker (2012), Emily has served as an ALA Councilor, member of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, and member of numerous other ALA and NYLA committees. Most recently, Emily has entered the world of academic libraries, joining the University of Rochester’s River Campus Libraries as their Director of Service Strategies. This comes on the heels of 13 years working with the 56 public libraries of Suffolk County, NY as the Training and Operations Manager for their shared ILS.
Janie L. Hermann is the Public Programming Librarian at Princeton Public Library in Princeton, NJ where she oversees a cross-departmental team of 15 staff that members that plan and execute more than 1,700 programs per year with an annual attendance in excess of 54,000 at the programs. She is currently a member of the ALA Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee and the co-chair of the ALA Programming Librarian Interest Group.
Djaz F. Zulida is a Programs & Community Outreach Librarian at the Boston Public Library. Their service focus is on outreach, library events, contributing to the BPL We are Pride booklist, and sharing non-traditional like seeds and honey from the library's hive with their neighborhood. They have been a librarian with the Boston Public Library since 2014 and a spoonie for longer than that.
Carson Block, President, Carson Block Consulting Inc.
Carson Block has lead & loved library technology efforts for more than 20 years. He's been called a "Geek who speaks English" and occasionally compared to Ferris Bueller and Calvin (and Hobbes). Carson is dead serious about the essential and positive community impacts of libraries and focuses his consulting practice on helping libraries increase their capacity to serve patrons. Carson has served in leadership positions in ALA ASCLA, ColoradoPLA and others, and evangelizes libraries to SXSW Interactive and other tech communities. Carson is the author of Managing Library Technology: A LITA Guide (Rowman & Littlefield).
When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
Join your colleagues in public service for a morning learning about how to Ditch the Drama: Strategies for Peak Performance: More Peace, Less Drama.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges.
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for libraries and library organizations for more than twenty-five years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the chairman of the board of the Haywood County Public Library and a monthly donor to EveryLibrary, advocating for libraries everywhere that support is needed.

Customer service experience is the ability to provide positive experiences for and with our customers. In libraries, customers experience our services and programs and much, much more. An experience can be individual, or for a group or family and can take place in the library, on the phone or in our social media accounts and in our virtual branch. (Our website)Best Practices in the Customer Service Experience
How to Communicate in Needs and Benefits Language
Build Unique Customer Experiences With Each Customer
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for libraries and library organizations for more than twenty-five years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the chairman of the board of the Haywood County Public Library and a monthly donor to EveryLibrary, advocating for libraries everywhere that support is needed.

The elements of professionalism are important to internal customer service, which includes providing services to others within your organization, and treating them as you would treat external customers. Showing professionalism in the workplace has many benefits including improved worker relationships, trust, and even efficiency.Job Skills (Technical, Communication and Leadership)
Good Judgement
Polite Behavior
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for libraries and library organizations for more than twenty-five years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges.
Navigating through Times of Transition is about how to move forward during times of limbo and uncertainty and take up new behaviors or ways of thinking. This session will teach how to handle transitional periods of change with less disruption and sustained productivity. The program will focus on understanding and mastering the human side of change, which is more complex and harder to achieve.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges. When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
It is increasingly important to make certain we are able to communicate effectively with everyone in our communities. The Deaf community faces new communication barriers as the presence of face masks at work and in public becomes the new norm. Join Bill Morgan, Artistic Manager, SignStage, for an overview of Deaf culture and the opportunity to learn common ASL (American Sign Language) signs used in a library setting.
William (Bill) Morgan is the Artistic Manager at CHSC (The Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center) where he controls the day to day activities of SignStage, a Deaf awareness program within the Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing department. In Oct. 2013, Bill received an award from the Mayor of Cleveland for his “Creativity in Promoting Awareness of Deaf Culture”. Bill also has several years experience producing and implementing school residencies that integrate theatre arts programming with American Sign Language and the State of Ohio Standards for the Arts.
It is increasingly important to make certain we are able to communicate effectively with everyone in our communities. The Deaf community faces new communication barriers as the presence of face masks at work and in public becomes the new norm. Join Bill Morgan, Artistic Manager, SignStage, for an overview of Deaf culture and the opportunity to learn common ASL (American Sign Language) signs used in a library setting.Learn about Deaf Culture
Learn common ASL signs for Libraries
William (Bill) Morgan is the Artistic Manager at CHSC (The Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center) where he controls the day to day activities of SignStage, a Deaf awareness program within the Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing department. In Oct. 2013, Bill received an award from the Mayor of Cleveland for his “Creativity in Promoting Awareness of Deaf Culture”. Bill also has several years experience producing and implementing school residencies that integrate theatre arts programming with American Sign Language and the State of Ohio Standards for the Arts.
Learning Objectives:
Accounting terminology defined.
Typical accounting processes explained.
Laws and rules affecting budgeting explained.
Join your colleagues in public service for a morning learning about how to Ditch the Drama: Strategies for Peak Performance: More Peace, Less Drama.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges.
Kathy Dempsey wrote the popular how-to tome, The Accidental Library Marketer, and founded her own marketing consultancy, Libraries Are Essential. Her work is dedicated to helping librarians and information professionals promote their value and expertise in order to gain respect and funding.
You probably have a pretty good understanding of what a "brand" is. But what about a "brand touchpoint"? Do you know what that is? And do you realize that you are a brand touchpoint?Define the business terms and relate them to libraries
Explain how every employee and every interaction matter
Discuss user experience (UX) and public perception
Share real examples of how laypeople see and discuss libraries
Offer guidelines on how to be a positive touchpoint
Kathy Dempsey wrote the popular how-to tome, The Accidental Library Marketer, and founded her own marketing consultancy, Libraries Are Essential. Her work is dedicated to helping librarians and information professionals promote their value and expertise in order to gain respect and funding.
Don Boozer, Manager: Literature Department, Ohio Center for the Book, and Homebound Services at Cleveland Public Library.
In an age when we can easily access online information, share photos with family and friends, and live a large part of our lives via the Internet, we often don't give a second thought to "how" all that works. As Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." But is there any dark magic at work to make our online lives possible? This presentation will explore how much control you give up - both willingly and unwittingly - over your data, your information, your research, and your privacy when you go online and how you can (possibly) mitigate those effects.Understand the difference between privacy and security
Learn a number of strategies for protecting one's information online
Gain confidence to explain these concerns to patrons
Don Boozer, Manager: Literature Department, Ohio Center for the Book, and Homebound Services at Cleveland Public Library.
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for libraries and library organizations for more than twenty-five years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the chairman of the board of the Haywood County Public Library and a monthly donor to EveryLibrary, advocating for libraries everywhere that support is needed.

Customer service is not an easy job for anyone. It’s hard work to just stay on top of the ever-changing products and services the library has to offer, and it takes real skill to talk with people, determine their needs and fulfill their requests.Learn tools that you need to be more successful and in-control in your customer interactions
We will focus on the strengths of the “Quiet Approach” including active listening and thinking before speaking
Sharpen the skills needed to handle all customer situations with less anxiety and stress
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for libraries and library organizations for more than twenty-five years. He has presented Web-based, On-line, and Face-to-Face sessions on Management and Leadership, Customer Service and Communication Skills in the U.S. and numerous countries around the world. He is the chairman of the board of the Haywood County Public Library and a monthly donor to EveryLibrary, advocating for libraries everywhere that support is needed.
When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges.
Do you know someone who keeps on keeping on, no matter what life throws at them? How do they continue to thrive, flourish and grow even stronger as they overcome the obstacles they face? The answer is resilience which is described as “the process of facing adversity and bouncing back from difficult experiences. “ This session will focus on key skills to not only survive and bounce back after a setback, but to come back stronger and wiser.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges. When you receive your confirmation of registration for this archive the link to the archive will be included in the confirmation email.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Brittney C. Howard is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). She joined the agency in March of 2018 and currently serves in the Cleveland, Ohio field office. In this role, Ms. Howard aids in the resolution of labor and management disputes by providing collective bargaining mediation and grievance mediation services. Ms. Howard also provides training tailored to parties’ needs and covering a variety of labor and management topics, including labor/management committees, contract administration, grievance processing, steward/supervisor relationship building, interest-based problem solving, and consensus decision making. Ms. Howard is a licensed attorney in the State of Ohio. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ohio University and obtained her Juris Doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (Cleveland State University).
Join your colleagues in public service for a morning learning about how to Ditch the Drama: Strategies for Peak Performance: More Peace, Less Drama.
Marti Peden is the owner and principal of Peden & Associates, a training and consulting company based in Akron, Ohio. For more than 30 years, she has been a trainer, facilitator, speaker and organizational development professional. She specializes in conflict resolution, managing change, strategic planning, team building and positive approaches to life’s challenges.
Jennifer Koerber is a consultant who advises and guides libraries on staff training programs, especially around technology change and skill-building. She has more than 20 years of experience in public-facing and behind-the-scenes roles, including children’s librarian, reference generalist, branch manager, and web services librarian. After 17 years at the Boston Public Library, she established her own business providing technology training and consulting services to libraries. In 2017, Jennifer became staff Training Manager for the Harvard Library ILS migration and pivoted her career to follow this new path.
When a library system moves to a new service platform, it can feel chaotic and disruptive. The whole staff needs to be trained at the same time, while the implementation team is still actively working on configuration and data migration. How do you give everyone what they need to start work on Day 1 when even staff who know the most are still learning and the system isn’t entirely ready? Just as importantly, how do you address the change management needed to prepare staff for a new technological system that may also change physical workflows and even job responsibilities?
Jennifer Koerber is a consultant who advises and guides libraries on staff training programs, especially around technology change and skill-building. She has more than 20 years of experience in public-facing and behind-the-scenes roles, including children’s librarian, reference generalist, branch manager, and web services librarian. After 17 years at the Boston Public Library, she established her own business providing technology training and consulting services to libraries. In 2017, Jennifer became staff Training Manager for the Harvard Library ILS migration and pivoted her career to follow this new path.
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
Participants will engage in learning around ways to take care of ourselves and provide quality public service during COVID.
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
It’s that time of year again! It's the time that everyone begins their search to find the best toys for their loved one, friends, or even themselves. Learn about the new emerging tech products that your patrons may likely want, have questions about, or even bring into your library for assistance. Indeed, there may even be some fun, new emerging tech tools that you might consider for your library!
Caitlin Hawkins, Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
As a community social worker, Caitlin is passionate about creative, authentic engagement in workplaces and communities. Her educational and professional experiences in community development and higher education lead her to the understanding that relationships matter, and that relationships with people who are different from ourselves provide opportunities for immense growth and collaboration, as long as we know how to harness those connections. At The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, she works alongside businesses and organizations through every step of the consulting process and engages staff in customized workshops around the topics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Caitlin works with the express intention of facilitating the growth of inclusive and equitable workplaces.

Approximately 40 million Americans deal with anxiety disorders. Anxiety is a common mental health concern that we are seeing more often. Our brain function remains the same but our lifestyles keep taking on more and more stress, just like what is happening during the current COVID-19 crisis. Yoga helps to reduce anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system or the “rest and digest” system.
Learning Objectives
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.

During the pandemic lock-down (followed by the NE Ohio winter) many people noticed a shift in their personal and professional habits: some for the better, some for the worse. Harnessing the better habits and nixing the unwelcome habits requires an understanding of the science of habits, awareness of the foundational habits, and the tools to evaluate your habits. Join Dr. Tamsin Astor, Chief Habit Scientist, International Speaker & Author for a deep dive into habits, so you can create and maintain the right habits for your life!
Learning Objectives:
Tamsin Astor, PhD is the founder and Chief Habit Scientist of Yoga Brained Coaching. She is known for giving her clients the tools to shift their mindset, organize their vision, and improve their habits to create an efficient, productive business. We make 35,000 decisions every day, which leads to decision fatigue. Dr. Astor helps her clients reduce the amount of overwhelming decision-making they do by harnessing their goal-achieving machine – AKA – their brains. This also increases their time and energy for fun!
This online workshop is for people who prefer to look on the upside instead of the downside and who recognize that we can all use some support in doing so from time to time. Join Cheryl as she talks about our natural instincts to be problem solvers and how we can re-frame stressful situations. By stressing the value of play and fun (which we’ll be having in this session), you’ll get some new solutions for dealing with negativity and learn how to move forward to a positive new future.
Cheryl Gould is a learning facilitator and training consultant who believes in the transformative role libraries can play in their communities. Cheryl’s professional role is to help libraries with the culture shift required to move from an institution that provides access to resources to one that promotes conversation, learning and engagement at all levels. Cheryl’s ability to connect people and ideas, to facilitate conversation and to enhance learning has been demonstrated through 17 years of working with libraries in thousands of hours of consulting,mentoring and training. Her passion for learning, crossed with current developments in neuroscience and her involvement with Applied Improvisation to create library cultures of “Yes, And…” define her work.
It’s not enough to criticize and complain if you want to make your workplace better, particularly when you don’t have power or authority. Also, being right about the technical details of the problem and possible solutions is usually not enough either. You can improve your situation by building better workplace relationships, learning to navigate the political maze of your workplace, and ensuring your own behavior is beyond reproach.
Pat Wagner is a trainer and consultant with 40 years of experience working for libraries, universities, local government, non-profits, and small businesses. She supports the success of libraries with programs on personnel, supervision, management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and communication. Pat has worked with libraries and library organizations throughout the United States, from the smallest rural storefronts to the largest academic and urban library institutions. Pat also is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is known for her good-humored and practical presentations.

When bad things happen, most people need time to mourn and make sense of the experience. Budget cuts, furloughs and layoffs, the loss of familiar routines and connections with people, working remotely, the worries that accompany the pandemic, and the impact on-coworkers and library customers. Workplace grief can be debilitating. Discover new and practical ways to cope and learn how to focus on tomorrow.
Pat Wagner is a trainer and consultant with 40 years of experience working for libraries, universities, local government, non-profits, and small businesses. She supports the success of libraries with programs on personnel, supervision, management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and communication. Pat has worked with libraries and library organizations throughout the United States, from the smallest rural storefronts to the largest academic and urban library institutions. Pat also is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is known for her good-humored and practical presentations.
Considering it takes just 2.45 seconds to load a typical web page and just a few more than that to send a text, it’s not surprising that anything in the range of 10 seconds has us huffing and puffing about why it’s taking so long. Google has even found that a web page on a mobile device takes a “jarring” 7 seconds to load – gasp!
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
Cheryl Gould is a learning facilitator and training consultant who believes in the transformative role libraries can play in their communities. Cheryl’s professional role is to help libraries with the culture shift required to move from an institution that provides access to resources to one that promotes conversation, learning and engagement at all levels. Cheryl’s ability to connect people and ideas, to facilitate conversation and to enhance learning has been demonstrated through 17 years of working with libraries in thousands of hours of consulting,mentoring and training. Her passion for learning, crossed with current developments in neuroscience and her involvement with Applied Improvisation to create library cultures of “Yes, And…” define her work.
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
Caitlin Hawkins, Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
As a community social worker, Caitlin is passionate about creative, authentic engagement in workplaces and communities. Her educational and professional experiences in community development and higher education lead her to the understanding that relationships matter, and that relationships with people who are different from ourselves provide opportunities for immense growth and collaboration, as long as we know how to harness those connections. At The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, she works alongside businesses and organizations through every step of the consulting process and engages staff in customized workshops around the topics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Caitlin works with the express intention of facilitating the growth of inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Pat Wagner is a trainer and consultant with 40 years of experience working for libraries, universities, local government, non-profits, and small businesses. She supports the success of libraries with programs on personnel, supervision, management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and communication. Pat has worked with libraries and library organizations throughout the United States, from the smallest rural storefronts to the largest academic and urban library institutions. Pat also is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is known for her good-humored and practical presentations.
Dr. Steve Albrecht manages a training, coaching, and management consulting firm, using a dedicated and experienced team of subcontractor specialists. As a trainer, speaker, author, and consultant, Steve is internationally recognized for his expertise in high-risk HR issues.
He provides HR consulting, site security assessments, coaching, and training workshops in supervisory improvement, workplace violence prevention, harassment prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, team building and team conflict resolution, negotiation, and stress management.
Thursday, January 28, 2021
We Need to Talk: A Step by Step Guide to Difficult Conversations
10:00 am - 12:15pm
This highly interactive webinar will give participants the tools for having difficult conversations that achieve results. Participants will learn, and practice, a step by step process for managing difficult conversations about a variety of workplace issues.
Learning Objectives:
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Pat Wagner is a trainer and consultant with 40 years of experience working for libraries, universities, local government, non-profits, and small businesses. She supports the success of libraries with programs on personnel, supervision, management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, project management, and communication. Pat has worked with libraries and library organizations throughout the United States, from the smallest rural storefronts to the largest academic and urban library institutions. Pat also is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is known for her good-humored and practical presentations.Friday, January 29, 2021
Creating & Maintaining Good Habits
10:00 am - 11:30 am
During the pandemic lock-down (followed by the NE Ohio winter) many people noticed a shift in their personal and professional habits: some for the better, some for the worse. Harnessing the better habits and nixing the unwelcome habits requires an understanding of the science of habits, awareness of the foundational habits, and the tools to evaluate your habits. Join Dr. Tamsin Astor, Chief Habit Scientist, International Speaker & Author for a deep dive into habits, so you can create and maintain the right habits for your life!
Learning Objectives:
Tamsin Astor, PhD is the founder and Chief Habit Scientist of Yoga Brained Coaching. She is known for giving her clients the tools to shift their mindset, organize their vision, and improve their habits to create an efficient, productive business. We make 35,000 decisions every day, which leads to decision fatigue. Dr. Astor helps her clients reduce the amount of overwhelming decision-making they do by harnessing their goal-achieving machine – AKA – their brains. This also increases their time and energy for fun!Learning Objectives
Vanessa Blair Farris, currently residing in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is no stranger to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised near Youngstown, Vanessa has a passion for both her Indiana and Ohio communities. She uses yoga to soothe the mind and the body. Vanessa has a passion for helping people with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She has spent countless hours educating herself on trauma-sensitive yoga methods, attending online summits for trauma sensitivity, as well as learning the fundamentals of yoga and meditation to help those that are struggling.

This highly interactive webinar will give participants the tools for having difficult conversations that achieve results. Participants will learn, and practice, a step by step process for managing difficult conversations about a variety of workplace issues.
Learning Objectives:
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
New research suggests that pandemic fatigue - the mental exhaustion caused by being in a state of heightened awareness and alertness due to COVID-19 coupled with uncertainty about how the pandemic will develop - is real, and it is already causing an increase in difficult customer behaviors such as resistance to wearing masks and ignoring social distancing guidelines.
Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for organizations for more than 15 years. He has presented web-based, online, and face-to-face sessions on customer service, managing customer behaviors and communication skills in the U.S. and numerous other countries around the world.

Andrew Sanderbeck has been developing and conducting training programs for organizations for more than 15 years. He has presented web-based, online, and face-to-face sessions on customer service, managing customer behaviors and communication skills in the U.S. and numerous other countries around the world.
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
It’s official – there is simply too much to do to ever get it all done! Funding cuts, fewer staff, higher expectations for programming and services…it all adds up to “not enough time in the day.”
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
Dr. Steve Albrecht manages a training, coaching, and management consulting firm, using a dedicated and experienced team of subcontractor specialists. As a trainer, speaker, author, and consultant, Steve is internationally recognized for his expertise in high-risk HR issues.
He provides HR consulting, site security assessments, coaching, and training workshops in supervisory improvement, workplace violence prevention, harassment prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, team building and team conflict resolution, negotiation, and stress management.
In this 90-minute session, Steve will discuss what tools and skills we need to use as libraries continue to re-open their doors to provide skillful and dedicated service to patrons. He’ll provide tools to recognize and resolve conflicts with patrons, including the need for patience, empathy, and understanding other points of view without judgment. His learning points include these important topics:
Dr. Steve Albrecht manages a training, coaching, and management consulting firm, using a dedicated and experienced team of subcontractor specialists. As a trainer, speaker, author, and consultant, Steve is internationally recognized for his expertise in high-risk HR issues.
He provides HR consulting, site security assessments, coaching, and training workshops in supervisory improvement, workplace violence prevention, harassment prevention, drug and alcohol awareness, team building and team conflict resolution, negotiation, and stress management.
Alexis Vaughan, has an MA in English from Cleveland State University and has been an Adjunct Instructor at Bryant & Stratton College for the past eleven years where she teaches English, Communications, Information Technology and Internship courses. In addition, Ms. Vaughan has been an Instructor with the Berlitz Corporation for the past two years, tutoring individual students from overseas looking to improve their spoken and written business English. Ms. Vaughan was named the Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year for 2015 and is a highly accomplished professional with classroom based and virtual instruction. She is an expert problem solver able to devise creative solutions to help learners reach their goals and has consistently received the highest possible evaluation rating during classroom observation.
We have all likely been a bystander, seeing a situation where someone is acting inappropriately with another person, and we didn't know what to do or how to help make a difference. In this session you will be transported to the "bystander zone" and learn how to safely intervene as a bystander to help defuse a situation and still provide a level of service beyond any other.
Donna Seaton has over 30 years working at EVPL public library system, first as a customer services representative, then as a supervisor for 20 years and for the last 8 years the system wide training specialist. Donna develops and conducts training for both new and existing employees and conducts On-Boarding for all EVPL staff. Donna has conducted the Bystander Intervention presentation for many library conferences and library systems. Donna loves the library, reading, traveling and spending time with her husband, family and friends.

Donna Seaton has over 30 years working at EVPL public library system, first as a customer services representative, then as a supervisor for 20 years and for the last 8 years the system wide training specialist. Donna develops and conducts training for both new and existing employees and conducts On-Boarding for all EVPL staff. Donna has conducted the Bystander Intervention presentation for many library conferences and library systems. Donna loves the library, reading, traveling and spending time with her husband, family and friends.
Jeff Modzelewski, Senior Engagement Manager, SHIFT Consulting, The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
Bec Czarnecki is the assistant to the City Librarian at Denver Public Library. When they’re not herding cats or arranging calendars, they work on special projects on a variety of topics. They are passionate about the library's role in engaging the community and committed to helping it be a welcoming and inclusive space for all.
Adrian Johnson works as a Library Program Associate at the Denver Public Library where he provides access to tech services in the Denver community, shows folks new creative opportunities in the Central library’s makerspace, and helps digitize materials in the Western History and Genealogy department.


Bec Czarnecki is the assistant to the City Librarian at Denver Public Library. When they’re not herding cats or arranging calendars, they work on special projects on a variety of topics. They are passionate about the library's role in engaging the community and committed to helping it be a welcoming and inclusive space for all.
Adrian Johnson works as a Library Program Associate at the Denver Public Library where he provides access to tech services in the Denver community, shows folks new creative opportunities in the Central library’s makerspace, and helps digitize materials in the Western History and Genealogy department.
Mannie Brown, Diversity, Equity and INclusion Consultant, SHIFT Consuting Team, The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio
Tamara King is the Community Relations Director for Richland Library. In her role, she is tasked with developing, directing and implementing communications strategies to key stakeholders and audiences of Richland Library. Tamara also supervises the Office of Development, which supports the Richland Library Friends and Foundation along with the library volunteer program. She has nearly two decades of experience in broadcast television, public relations, marketing, strategic communications, media and crisis communication training and program management.
From racial unrest to the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries all over the country are grappling with many societal challenges. With our cities and states in need, how does a library respond and help cultivate healing, social awareness and empathy in our communities?
Tamara King is the Community Relations Director for Richland Library. In her role, she is tasked with developing, directing and implementing communications strategies to key stakeholders and audiences of Richland Library. Tamara also supervises the Office of Development, which supports the Richland Library Friends and Foundation along with the library volunteer program. She has nearly two decades of experience in broadcast television, public relations, marketing, strategic communications, media and crisis communication training and program management.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Vanessa Bullock was appointed Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in May 1997. She is employed as a mediator in the Philadelphia office located in the Northeast region. As a Commissioner, Ms. Bullock has mediated both Labor and Employment disputes in the private and public sectors. In addition to her primary duties of dispute mediation, she is responsible for curriculum development and training in a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs for the FMCS Institute; Federal Executive Board; and the Cornell University ILR Scrimmage program.
This highly interactive session will explore the meaning of diversity and the benefits of an inclusive workplace. The session will cover discrimination and harassment laws and participants will discuss various workplace scenarios to explore discrimination vs. inappropriate behavior. Training will include tips for creating an inclusive workplace and having difficult conversations about diversity and discrimination.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Vanessa Bullock was appointed Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in May 1997. She is employed as a mediator in the Philadelphia office located in the Northeast region. As a Commissioner, Ms. Bullock has mediated both Labor and Employment disputes in the private and public sectors. In addition to her primary duties of dispute mediation, she is responsible for curriculum development and training in a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs for the FMCS Institute; Federal Executive Board; and the Cornell University ILR Scrimmage program.
Assertiveness – grrrrr! Oh wait, that’s being aggressive! In this webinar, we’ll discuss the differences between being assertive and aggressive, as well as the dangers of being passive. Moving through today’s world, no matter what our position is in the workplace, learning to be assertive can be a valuable skill. But there can definitely be a fine line between that and aggressiveness. And it won’t serve us well to cross that line, just like it typically doesn’t serve us well to be passive.
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.


Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
Have you ever been guilty of “not listening” (who, me??), even when you are right there in front of the speaker, looking them in the eye? Communication experts say that 42% to 57% of our time communicating is spent listening – or maybe we should say “hearing,” since we all can be adept at hearing without listening!
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.


Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Vanessa Bullock was appointed Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in May 1997. She is employed as a mediator in the Philadelphia office located in the Northeast region. As a Commissioner, Ms. Bullock has mediated both Labor and Employment disputes in the private and public sectors. In addition to her primary duties of dispute mediation, she is responsible for curriculum development and training in a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs for the FMCS Institute; Federal Executive Board; and the Cornell University ILR Scrimmage program.
This highly interactive session will take an in depth look at the diversity in the workplace. The group will explore topics including the meaning of diversity and the benefits of a diverse workplace, inclusion, unconscious bias, and cultural competency and civility. Participants will discuss various workplace scenarios to explore these concepts. Training will include tips for creating an inclusive workplace and having difficult conversations about diversity and inclusion.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Vanessa Bullock was appointed Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in May 1997. She is employed as a mediator in the Philadelphia office located in the Northeast region. As a Commissioner, Ms. Bullock has mediated both Labor and Employment disputes in the private and public sectors. In addition to her primary duties of dispute mediation, she is responsible for curriculum development and training in a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs for the FMCS Institute; Federal Executive Board; and the Cornell University ILR Scrimmage program.
This session will be a broad introduction to what disability is, what the Americans with Disabilities Act says, and how we in libraries can assist patrons with disabilities who use our services and spaces. We will cover a variety of topics including some disability statistics, examples of good and poor accessibility as well as where to get more information.
JJ Pionke is the Applied Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an award-winning librarian whose research revolves around disability and accessibility for library patrons and employees. His most recent work focuses on the educational and behavioral needs of library science graduate students and current library employees in regards to disability and accessibility in libraries.

JJ Pionke is the Applied Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an award-winning librarian whose research revolves around disability and accessibility for library patrons and employees. His most recent work focuses on the educational and behavioral needs of library science graduate students and current library employees in regards to disability and accessibility in libraries.
Security Specialist and Library Trainer, Eddie Kristan, will present 10 concrete and actionable solutions to difficult patron interactions with the goal of providing empathetic service, keeping staff safe, and upholding the principles of librarianship.
Eddie Kristan ran the Safety & Security Team at Warren-Newport Library in Gurnee, IL for 6 years before finishing graduate school and becoming a reference librarian and staff trainer in 2020. During his time as Head of Security, Eddie re-wrote procedure and advised on policy to turn a distrusted and counter-productive security team into a force of support and empathy for staff and the community. With the close help of Ryan Dowd (author of "A Librarian's Guide to Homelessness") and Warren Graham (author of "The Blackbelt Librarian"), Eddie was able to balance a need for confident enforcement of policy with a desperate need for trauma informed services and empathy in all things. He was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in the Community Builder group in 2020 and Herbert Goldhor Award Winner for Public Librarianship by the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences in 2021. 

Eddie Kristan ran the Safety & Security Team at Warren-Newport Library in Gurnee, IL for 6 years before finishing graduate school and becoming a reference librarian and staff trainer in 2020. During his time as Head of Security, Eddie re-wrote procedure and advised on policy to turn a distrusted and counter-productive security team into a force of support and empathy for staff and the community. With the close help of Ryan Dowd (author of "A Librarian's Guide to Homelessness") and Warren Graham (author of "The Blackbelt Librarian"), Eddie was able to balance a need for confident enforcement of policy with a desperate need for trauma informed services and empathy in all things. He was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in the Community Builder group in 2020 and Herbert Goldhor Award Winner for Public Librarianship by the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences in 2021.
Scott Warrick, JD, MLHR, CEQC, SHRM-SCP (www.scottwarrick.com) is both a practicing Employment Law Attorney and Human Resource Professional with almost 40 years of hands-on experience. Scott uses his unique background to help organizations get where they want to go, which includes coaching and training managers and employees in his own unique, practical, entertaining and humorous style.
Scott Warrick, JD, MLHR, CEQC, SHRM-SCP (www.scottwarrick.com) is both a practicing Employment Law Attorney and Human Resource Professional with almost 40 years of hands-on experience. Scott uses his unique background to help organizations get where they want to go, which includes coaching and training managers and employees in his own unique, practical, entertaining and humorous style.
JJ Pionke is the Applied Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an award-winning librarian whose research revolves around disability and accessibility for library patrons and employees. His most recent work focuses on the educational and behavioral needs of library science graduate students and current library employees in regards to disability and accessibility in libraries.
This session will briefly talk about the Americans with Disabilities Act and what the law says about accommodations. Then we will segue into a discussion of what the accommodation process can look like and what to prepare for. Finally, we will discuss boundary setting and tips and tricks to navigating library workplaces with disabilities, especially chronic ones. This session will involve lecture, with a QA to follow, however questions are encouraged throughout the session.
JJ Pionke is the Applied Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an award-winning librarian whose research revolves around disability and accessibility for library patrons and employees. His most recent work focuses on the educational and behavioral needs of library science graduate students and current library employees in regards to disability and accessibility in libraries.
Have you given much thought to why patrons come to your library? “They have to,” you say? Not so fast. In today’s world, they have a wealth of options to choose from when they need to access resource material, conduct research on a computer, or any other type of service or programming your library currently provides.
Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.


Linda Bruno has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries and other organizations for more than fifteen years. She offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between! Linda received her MBA from the University of Florida and has years of experience in hands-on management positions. She develops her workshops based on solid research and – more importantly – real-life application.
Chris started in police work as an Auxiliary Police Officer in 1990 with the Hubbard Ohio Police Department and has moved through the ranks and is currently a Patrol Sergeant. Besides his supervisor duties, Chris is also the departments OPOTA certified Firearms Instructor (Semi-Auto, Revolver, Shotgun, Carbine Rifle) a certified Field Training Officer (FTO) , NRA “Refuse to be a Victim” Instructor, and a Glock Armorer.
Bob’s career began in 1994 and then in 1996 he swore in with the Hubbard Ohio Police Department. In 2011 he was promoted to Patrol Sergeant. Prior to his promotion Bob was assigned to a FBI Drug Task Force where he was afforded the opportunity to train at Camp Perry, and the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Currently Bob is a contracted instructor at Youngstown State University and Kent State University (Trumbull) Police academies as well as the department Defensive Tactics Instructor and Field Training Officer (FTO). A dedicated trainer, Bob put himself through Firearms Instructor school and is an OPOTA certified instructor (Semi-Auto & Revolver). Both Chris and Bob are Taser, Asp, Pepper spray and A.L.I.C.E. instructors..
Welcome to the updated 2021 Professional Etiquette Basics. Based on our latest needs analysis we have updated this popular class. Perhaps you heard that professional behavior and performance does not matter anymore. The reality is that if you want to be successful, the way you look, talk, write, act and work will determine whether you are seen as a professional or not. Being professional is more than just about taking responsibility for yourself and your work, it's about seeing beyond your immediate needs and thinking about the long-term perceptions of you, your workplace, and the people you serve.
Dean Russell is a Professional Strategic Coach. He helps organizations and businesses increase their effectiveness through leadership coaching, training, and public speaking engagements. He has a gift and passion for helping people and organizations quickly grasp their company’s vision, gain operational traction, and work as a healthy, functional, and cohesive team. He is a national speaker and recognized expert specializing in business management, leadership improvement, and better employee performance.

Dean Russell is a Professional Strategic Coach. He helps organizations and businesses increase their effectiveness through leadership coaching, training, and public speaking engagements. He has a gift and passion for helping people and organizations quickly grasp their company’s vision, gain operational traction, and work as a healthy, functional, and cohesive team. He is a national speaker and recognized expert specializing in business management, leadership improvement, and better employee performance.
Mark your calendars to attend the NEO-RLS 2021 Annual Membership and Appreciation Meeting on Tuesday, November 16, 2021.
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.
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.
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
Providing care and customer service in a public setting is purposeful and wonderful work. However, without our ability to take care of ourselves outside of the work, we can become unwell and at risk of burnout. Our communities need you now more than ever! Let's come together to discuss how and why this work can be depleting and ways to seek and sustain balance so that we can keep doing it!
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
Managing and responding to the heightened emotions of others can be very challenging in the public service world. Our ability to do this well relies on our understanding of how stress impacts humans and more important, how we are able to regulate during times of increased stress in order to best manage the emotions of others.
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing. 
Managing and responding to the heightened emotions of others can be very challenging in the public service world. Our ability to do this well relies on our understanding of how stress impacts humans and more important, how we are able to regulate during times of increased stress in order to best manage the emotions of others.
Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
Brenda Hough is a librarian, writer, and learning professional with 25 years of professional experience working in and supporting libraries by providing training and consulting services. She is the author of Crash Course in Time Management for Library Staff and the co-editor of WebJunction’s Competency Index for the Library Field. She is an adjunct instructor for Emporia State University (KS). She has worked on projects for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WebJunction, the Public Library Association, Infopeople, California Libraries Learn (CALL), the State Library of Arizona, the State Library of Oregon, the Northeast Kansas Library System, and more. She is the owner of EluciDare Learning.
Since joining OCLC’s WebJunction team in 2005, Betha Gutsche has contributed to library staff training through compiling the Competency Index for the Library Field, developing curricula, delivering training, and exploring new strategies. In addition to leading many grant-funded projects, Betha created curriculum and training for Small Libraries Create Smart Spaces, Supercharged Storytimes, Wikipedia + Libraries, and Creating Pathways to Civil Legal Justice. Betha received her MLIS from the University of Washington Information School and interned with the Gates Foundation U.S. Libraries Program 2002-2004.
Meghan Harper, Ph.D. Director and Professor, School of Information at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.
Eddie Kristan ran the Safety & Security Team at Warren-Newport Library in Gurnee, IL for nearly 7 years before finishing his MLIS to become a reference librarian and staff training coordinator in 2020. During his time as Head of Security, Eddie re-wrote procedure and advised on policy to turn a distrusted and counter-productive security team into a force of support and empathy for staff and the community. With the help of Ryan Dowd (author of "A Librarian's Guide to Homelessness") and Warren Graham (author of "The Black Belt Librarian") Eddie was able to balance a need for confident enforcement of policy with a desperate need for trauma informed services and empathy in all things. He was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in the Community Builder group in 2020 and Herbert Goldhor Award Winner for Public Librarianship by the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences in 2021. As Staff Training Coordinator, Eddie has developed monthly content for his library on a wide range of subjects including Person Pronouns, Trauma Informed Services, Material Challenges, and Bystander Intervention.
Nicole Bryan, MLS Neighborhood Library Supervisor, Brooklyn Public Library
John is a business owner and private consultant. His company: Winsoft Computer Education, has provided corporate training and consulting to business organizations for over twenty years. During this time, he has been a frequent trainer to libraries throughout Ohio. John specializes in Microsoft applications but has trained on many platforms. His courses include Office applications, Adobe, Project Management, database management, report writing, and more. In addition to training, John provides consulting services, focusing particularly on database creation for managing projects, departments, or company-wide functions.
Lindsey Dorfman is a dynamic leader dedicated to strengthening libraries through curiosity, compassion, and connection. While serving the Kent District Library (MI) as their Director of Branch Services and Operations, she received a Library Journal Mover and Shaker Award for her work spearheading the KDL Way, a customer service model based on kindness, empathy, and love. Ms. Dorfman currently serves as Director of the Glenview Public Library, located just north of the city of Chicago.
Authentically connecting with people through kindness and compassion is more important than ever. Libraries are perfectly positioned to enhance social connections and positively impact lives through thoughtful and dependable patron service.
Lindsey Dorfman is a dynamic leader dedicated to strengthening libraries through curiosity, compassion, and connection. While serving the Kent District Library (MI) as their Director of Branch Services and Operations, she received a Library Journal Mover and Shaker Award for her work spearheading the KDL Way, a customer service model based on kindness, empathy, and love. Ms. Dorfman currently serves as Director of the Glenview Public Library, located just north of the city of Chicago.
John is a business owner and private consultant. His company, Winsoft Computer Education, has provided corporate training and consulting to business organizations for over twenty years. During this time, he has been a frequent trainer to libraries throughout Ohio. John specializes in Microsoft applications but has trained on many platforms. His courses include Office applications, Adobe, Project Management, database management, report writing, and more. In addition to training, John provides consulting services, focusing particularly on database creation for managing projects, departments, or company-wide functions.
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 online workshop. This course is limited to 30. We will take a waitlist. Register for this class only if you are able to attend. This class will not be archived.
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.
John is a business owner and private consultant. His company, Winsoft Computer Education, has provided corporate training and consulting to business organizations for over twenty years. During this time, he has been a frequent trainer to libraries throughout Ohio. John specializes in Microsoft applications but has trained on many platforms. His courses include Office applications, Adobe, Project Management, database management, report writing, and more. In addition to training, John provides consulting services, focusing particularly on database creation for managing projects, departments, or company-wide functions.
Dr. April Dawkins is an assistant professor in the Library and Information Science department at UNC Greensboro. She teaches Materials for Adolescents, Legal & Ethical Issues in School Libraries, and Reading, Literacy, and the Library. Dr. Dawkins is a member of the School Library Research editorial board. She is also the editor of Intellectual Freedom Issues in School Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2017). Her research interests include intellectual freedom, self-censorship, and access and equity issues in school libraries and diversity in young adult literature.
Recorded 5/18/2022
Dr. April Dawkins is an assistant professor in the Library and Information Science department at UNC Greensboro. She teaches Materials for Adolescents, Legal & Ethical Issues in School Libraries, and Reading, Literacy, and the Library. Dr. Dawkins is a member of the School Library Research editorial board. She is also the editor of Intellectual Freedom Issues in School Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2017). Her research interests include intellectual freedom, self-censorship, and access and equity issues in school libraries and diversity in young adult literature.
Ragan Snead is a Continuing Education Coordinator at the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System and has over 10 years of experience in public and academic libraries. She has a passion for staff development and helping library staff reach their full potential. In addition to her work in various areas of librarianship, Ragan has also helped library staff and patrons navigate new and evolving technology. She received her MLIS from Kent State University and her MBA from Lake Erie College. 
Recorded 6/2/2022
Ragan Snead is a Continuing Education Coordinator at the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System and has over 10 years of experience in public and academic libraries. She has a passion for staff development and helping library staff reach their full potential. In addition to her work in various areas of librarianship, Ragan has also helped library staff and patrons navigate new and evolving technology. She received her MLIS from Kent State University and her MBA from Lake Erie College. 
Ragan Snead is a Continuing Education Coordinator at the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System and has over 10 years of experience in public and academic libraries. She has a passion for staff development and helping library staff reach their full potential. In addition to her work in various areas of librarianship, Ragan has also helped library staff and patrons navigate new and evolving technology. She received her MLIS from Kent State University and her MBA from Lake Erie College. 
Recorded 6/14/2022
Ragan Snead is a Continuing Education Coordinator at the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System and has over 10 years of experience in public and academic libraries. She has a passion for staff development and helping library staff reach their full potential. In addition to her work in various areas of librarianship, Ragan has also helped library staff and patrons navigate new and evolving technology. She received her MLIS from Kent State University and her MBA from Lake Erie College.
Katie Mattise (they/them pronouns) joined Kent State in 2016, first serving as program coordinator and later as assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Through this position, Katie worked across Kent State to educate, advocate and be a resource to the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to Kent State, they worked at various universities in residence life. Katie now serves as a director in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through this role, they work with others to create, provide and facilitate opportunities for people to engage in meaningful conversation around various social justice topics.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in English Literature and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Katie’s passion lies in social justice, and they are excited to collaborate with Kent State stakeholders, on and off campus.
Marquis Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration in 2012 from Kent State University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management in 2015 from Kent State University. Marquis is a strong advocate for student success, not only in their academic, but in their personal lives. Marquis joins DEI after spending the last five years in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship as their Academic Diversity Outreach Coordinator. Marquis was very instrumental with helping create diversity initiatives with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Diversity in Business (an interest area) within the Business Learning Community (BLC), developing the Cultural Diversity course for first-year students in the BLC, and establishing The Network. Marquis has a passion for developing creative diversity programming for faculty, staff and students.
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Recorded 8/23/2022
Barbara Baker is a Commissioner with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in Independence, Ohio. As a Federal Mediator, she assists parties in collective bargaining negotiations and mediates labor and employment disputes in the private, public and federal sectors. In addition, Ms. Baker trains labor advocates and management in collective bargaining including bargaining processes, contract administration, steward/supervisor training and developing effective labor management committees. She also provides training in communication skills such as conflict resolution, active listening and communication dynamics. Ms. Baker facilitates person to person dialogues as well as group discussions to promote strong workplace relationships.
Brenda Hough is a librarian, writer, and learning professional with 25 years of professional experience working in and supporting libraries by providing training and consulting services. She is the author of Crash Course in Time Management for Library Staff and the co-editor of WebJunction’s Competency Index for the Library Field. She is an adjunct instructor for Emporia State University (KS). She has worked on projects for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WebJunction, the Public Library Association, Infopeople, California Libraries Learn (CALL), the State Library of Arizona, the State Library of Oregon, the Northeast Kansas Library System, and more. She is the owner of EluciDare Learning.
Recorded 8/31/2022
Brenda Hough is a librarian, writer, and learning professional with 25 years of professional experience working in and supporting libraries by providing training and consulting services. She is the author of Crash Course in Time Management for Library Staff and the co-editor of WebJunction’s Competency Index for the Library Field. She is an adjunct instructor for Emporia State University (KS). She has worked on projects for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WebJunction, the Public Library Association, Infopeople, California Libraries Learn (CALL), the State Library of Arizona, the State Library of Oregon, the Northeast Kansas Library System, and more. She is the owner of EluciDare Learning.
Ken Ditlevson, serves as Kent State University’s first director for the LGBTQ+ Center, where he started in 2014. Ditlevson is a two-time graduate of Kent State University, having received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Masters of Education degree in Community Counseling.
Amber Salmon
Brooke VanDerlin
Recorded 10/19/2022
Amber Salmon
Brooke VanDerlin
Katie Mattise (they/them pronouns) joined Kent State in 2016, first serving as program coordinator and later as assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Through this position, Katie worked across Kent State to educate, advocate and be a resource to the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to Kent State, they worked at various universities in residence life. Katie now serves as a director in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through this role, they work with others to create, provide and facilitate opportunities for people to engage in meaningful conversation around various social justice topics.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in English Literature and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Katie’s passion lies in social justice, and they are excited to collaborate with Kent State stakeholders, on and off campus.
Marquis Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration in 2012 from Kent State University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management in 2015 from Kent State University. Marquis is a strong advocate for student success, not only in their academic, but in their personal lives. Marquis joins DEI after spending the last five years in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship as their Academic Diversity Outreach Coordinator. Marquis was very instrumental with helping create diversity initiatives with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Diversity in Business (an interest area) within the Business Learning Community (BLC), developing the Cultural Diversity course for first-year students in the BLC, and establishing The Network. Marquis has a passion for developing creative diversity programming for faculty, staff and students.
Learning Objectives:
Angela Hursh, Senior Engagement Consultant, NoveList
Katie Mattise (they/them pronouns) joined Kent State in 2016, first serving as program coordinator and later as assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Through this position, Katie worked across Kent State to educate, advocate and be a resource to the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to Kent State, they worked at various universities in residence life. Katie now serves as a director in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through this role, they work with others to create, provide and facilitate opportunities for people to engage in meaningful conversation around various social justice topics.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in English Literature and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Katie’s passion lies in social justice, and they are excited to collaborate with Kent State stakeholders, on and off campus.
Marquis Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration in 2012 from Kent State University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management in 2015 from Kent State University. Marquis is a strong advocate for student success, not only in their academic, but in their personal lives. Marquis joins DEI after spending the last five years in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship as their Academic Diversity Outreach Coordinator. Marquis was very instrumental with helping create diversity initiatives with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Diversity in Business (an interest area) within the Business Learning Community (BLC), developing the Cultural Diversity course for first-year students in the BLC, and establishing The Network. Marquis has a passion for developing creative diversity programming for faculty, staff and students.
Katie Mattise (they/them pronouns) joined Kent State in 2016, first serving as program coordinator and later as assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Through this position, Katie worked across Kent State to educate, advocate and be a resource to the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to Kent State, they worked at various universities in residence life. Katie now serves as a director in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through this role, they work with others to create, provide and facilitate opportunities for people to engage in meaningful conversation around various social justice topics.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in English Literature and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Katie’s passion lies in social justice, and they are excited to collaborate with Kent State stakeholders, on and off campus.
Marquis Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration in 2012 from Kent State University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management in 2015 from Kent State University. Marquis is a strong advocate for student success, not only in their academic, but in their personal lives. Marquis joins DEI after spending the last five years in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship as their Academic Diversity Outreach Coordinator. Marquis was very instrumental with helping create diversity initiatives with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Diversity in Business (an interest area) within the Business Learning Community (BLC), developing the Cultural Diversity course for first-year students in the BLC, and establishing The Network. Marquis has a passion for developing creative diversity programming for faculty, staff and students.
Recorded 1/19/2023
Recorded 2/1/2023
Intersectionality is a concept that allows us to examine multiple areas of our lives and social identities. During this session, participants will examine what it actually is, discuss the history of the theory and begin to apply an intersectional lens.
Katie Mattise (they/them pronouns) joined Kent State in 2016, first serving as program coordinator and later as assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Through this position, Katie worked across Kent State to educate, advocate and be a resource to the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to Kent State, they worked at various universities in residence life. Katie now serves as a director in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through this role, they work with others to create, provide and facilitate opportunities for people to engage in meaningful conversation around various social justice topics.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in English Literature and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Katie’s passion lies in social justice, and they are excited to collaborate with Kent State stakeholders, on and off campus.
Marquis Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration in 2012 from Kent State University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management in 2015 from Kent State University. Marquis is a strong advocate for student success, not only in their academic, but in their personal lives. Marquis joins DEI after spending the last five years in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship as their Academic Diversity Outreach Coordinator. Marquis was very instrumental with helping create diversity initiatives with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Diversity in Business (an interest area) within the Business Learning Community (BLC), developing the Cultural Diversity course for first-year students in the BLC, and establishing The Network. Marquis has a passion for developing creative diversity programming for faculty, staff and students.
Presenter: Christina Dorr’s love affair with books began early when her mother took her to the tiny, red-brick public library in their village. This involvement has led her to become an award-winning librarian, faculty member, author, presenter, and consultant. She has served on a number of state and national book award committees, including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Geisel Award, and Stonewall committees. Profiles in Resilience: Books for Children and Teens that Center the Lived Experience of Generational Poverty is her third book, and second published by the American Library Association. You can visit her website at www.opendorrs2books.com.
Presenter: Angela Hursh, Senior Engagement Consultant, NoveList
Barry Trott, Adult Services Consultant with the Library of Virginia
Chris started in police work as an Auxiliary Police Officer in 1990 with the Hubbard Ohio Police Department and has moved through the ranks and is currently a Patrol Sergeant. Besides his supervisor duties, Chris is also the departments OPOTA certified Firearms Instructor (Semi-Auto, Revolver, Shotgun, Carbine Rifle) a certified Field Training Officer (FTO) , NRA “Refuse to be a Victim” Instructor, and a Glock Armorer.
Bob’s career began in 1994 and then in 1996 he swore in with the Hubbard Ohio Police Department. In 2011 he was promoted to Patrol Sergeant. Prior to his promotion Bob was assigned to a FBI Drug Task Force where he was afforded the opportunity to train at Camp Perry, and the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Currently Bob is a contracted instructor at Youngstown State University and Kent State University (Trumbull) Police academies as well as the department Defensive Tactics Instructor and Field Training Officer (FTO). A dedicated trainer, Bob put himself through Firearms Instructor school and is an OPOTA certified instructor (Semi-Auto & Revolver). Both Chris and Bob are Taser, Asp, Pepper spray and A.L.I.C.E. instructors..
Here is your opportunity to be introduced to diversity, equity, and inclusion training all in one day.
Katie Mattise (they/them pronouns) joined Kent State in 2016, first serving as program coordinator and later as assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Center. Through this position, Katie worked across Kent State to educate, advocate and be a resource to the LGBTQ+ community. Prior to Kent State, they worked at various universities in residence life. Katie now serves as a director in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Through this role, they work with others to create, provide and facilitate opportunities for people to engage in meaningful conversation around various social justice topics.
Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in English Literature and a Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University. Katie’s passion lies in social justice, and they are excited to collaborate with Kent State stakeholders, on and off campus.
Marquis Davis earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration in 2012 from Kent State University. He also earned a Master of Arts in Sport and Recreation Management in 2015 from Kent State University. Marquis is a strong advocate for student success, not only in their academic, but in their personal lives. Marquis joins DEI after spending the last five years in the Undergraduate Programs Office in the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship as their Academic Diversity Outreach Coordinator. Marquis was very instrumental with helping create diversity initiatives with the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship; Diversity in Business (an interest area) within the Business Learning Community (BLC), developing the Cultural Diversity course for first-year students in the BLC, and establishing The Network. Marquis has a passion for developing creative diversity programming for faculty, staff and students.
Mary Frankenfield has worked in the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library system for more than 20 years. During her time at MRCPL, Mary has worked as a page, a clerk, a children's librarian, and a branch manager. She has been in her current position as Deputy Director for a little over five years. Among her many other duties, Mary has an active role in employee training and development and has presented workshops for NEO-RLS, OLC, and the MRCPL staff.
Mary Frankenfield has worked in the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library system for more than 20 years. During her time at MRCPL, Mary has worked as a page, a clerk, a children's librarian, and a branch manager. She has been in her current position as Deputy Director for a little over five years. Among her many other duties, Mary has an active role in employee training and development and has presented workshops for NEO-RLS, OLC, and the MRCPL staff.Keynote: You are the Guardians at the Gate
You may not know this, but you are the leaders in the fight against ignorance, censorship, and misinformation. When your customers think of the library, they think of you! You are the guardians at the gates, truly unsung heroes who deal with all types of chaos and disorder throughout the days and nights at your library. This keynote will celebrate your awesome work, get some tools to fight the good fight and learn some techniques to make deeper connections with your customers.
Presenter:
Maurice Coleman is a trainer, coach, and keynote speaker. Maurice helps organizations improve their human processes and use of technology, expand their internal/external communications, and broaden their focus and implementation of EDI activities.
Maurice is also the host and producer of the long-running (and oldest) training/education and empowerment podcast T is for Training and the Technical Trainer at a county library system located in the North-Eastern corner of Maryland.
He was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker in 2010 and was a member of the first class of WebJunction’s National Library CE Training Institute in 2014.
Breakout Session 1
Ambassadorship = Customer Service + Marketing + Community Engagement
Are you promoting your library the best you can, both inside and outside the library walls? Learn ways that you can better represent your library in your community. Become a good ambassador!
Learning Objectives:
Empowering you and your staff members to become good ambassadors.
Preparing for successful contacts within your community.
Enhancing your community's perception of your library.
Presenter: Susan Ungham, former children's associate and retired branch manager with experience in rural, suburban, and urban public libraries; current part-time instructor in Cuyahoga Community College's Encore program for older adults.
Together We Need to Understand Diversity in the Library Collection
Why is having a collection that is diverse such an important goal for libraries? In our time together we will explore what “diversity” means in regard to collections, what our history is with serving diverse communities, and why every staff member, no matter what their job, needs a good understanding of the importance of diverse collections.
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.
Unleash the Power of Nonverbal Communication!
Explore the importance and impact of body language and how you can use it to elevate your customer service to new heights. Learn where body language comes from and how to decipher what the body is saying. Utilize nonverbal tells to establish rapport, convey confidence, and manage conflict. Explore ways body language has evolved since the pandemic and how you can leverage nonverbal cues to create positive and effective interactions in today’s environment. Finally, discover not only how to positively influence others, but truly change how you think and feel, all through body language. Don't miss this transformative session and enhance your customer service approach today!
Presenter: Holly Klingler
For over thirteen years, Holly Klingler has been training people in a variety of career fields on how to maximize their communication, creativity, and critical thinking skills. She has presented at the Akron Women’s Bar Association, the Ohio Certified Public Accountants Annual Conference, OhioMeansJobs and the Hudson Job Corp., and has trained library staff for over twelve years, eight of which were as the Continuing Education trainer at the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System. She teaches valuable techniques to help professionals showcase their strengths, sharpen their skills, and build their confidence. Holly has a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy, a Masters of Library and Information Science, and a certification in nonverbal analysis. She is also a certified Career Development facilitator and an MBTI Certified Practitioner and Facilitator. She is currently an Instructional Systems Designer for the Technical Excellence Office at the NASA Safety Center.
Re-energizing Your Space: How Cleaning and Mental Health are Connected
Feeling anxious, stressed or unable to focus? Take a look around you. Clutter, mess or an untidy work area can make some people feel overwhelmed. In fact, research shows that cleaning (or a lack of cleaning) can have an impact on your mental health. Clinical psychologist, Dawn Potter, PsyD, discusses tips for decluttering, and how a neat workspace can positively impact your wellbeing.
Presenter: Dawn Potter PsyD is a psychologist and clinical assistant professor with the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety and stress-related disorders. She is an experienced health psychologist trained in cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr. Potter completed her bachelor of arts and master of arts in psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. She then completed her doctorate of psychology from Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. She completed a pre-doctoral internship with IU Health Ball Memorial Family Medicine Residency Center in Muncie, Indiana and a postdoctoral fellowship with MetroHealth in Cleveland, Ohio.
Breakout Session 2: Networking sessions
Breakout Session 3
Bridging the Gap: Social Work in Libraries
Meeting people where they are is a significant yet unwritten social work rule. An increase in community needs coupled with the evolution of libraries and their varying clientele, there is no better place for Social Workers to be. This workshop is designed to provide insight into community-based needs, identify ways in which staff and patrons benefit from social service expertise, and dispel the myth that libraries have a future without the incorporation of Social Work Principles & Practices.
Presenter: Bryanta L. Spencer is a licensed independent Social Worker and founder of Fortitude Wellness and Consultations LLC where she provides psychotherapy and professional development training. She holds certifications as a Clinical Trauma Professional and Mental Health First Aider. To compliment her passion for helping others and rooting for the underdog, she completed her undergraduate studies at The Ohio State University earning dual degrees in Social Work and Communications with a minor in Criminology. She also holds a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Currently, she is serving as the Social Work Manager of Cuyahoga County Public library. Social services being provided in libraries is a growing trend and she is the first Social Worker in Cuyahoga County to be employed by a library system.
Roundtable Conversation about Book Challenges
Come share your concerns about book challenges and leave not only with a feeling of solidarity, but with techniques to aid your work.
Facilitator: Wendy Bartlett, Collection Development and Acquisitions Manager
Art of Storytelling
Want to learn how to tell a captivating story? This session will show you how to unlock the power of storytelling and turn your experience into compelling narrative. We'll discuss the building blocks of narrative, how to shape your story, presentation tips, as well as how to overcome writer's block. You'll leave this workshop with a strong start to your own story, as well as ideas for how to incorporate storytelling into your programming.
Presenter: Dana Norris is the founder of the Story Club, a storytelling show which has held shows in Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis, Belgrade, Columbus, and Tulsa. She currently produces and hosts Story Club Cleveland and teaches at Literary Cleveland. She is the author of The Storytelling Code: 10 Simple Rules to Shape and Tell a Brilliant Story. She has also been published in McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The Rumpus, CLE Scene, Tampa Review, and her stories have been featured on NPR stations WBEZ and WKSU, among others.
Re-energize Your Spirit
As library staff, your jobs are more important than ever to support the emotional and intellectual needs of your patrons. Your time and talents make you very important people! To keep your work active and purposeful you must focus on ways to recall and maintain your purpose and energy so that you may continue to be healthy stewards of this work. Come be a part of a conversation that will aid in re-energizing your spirit and remind you of WHY you do this work!
Learning Objectives:
Learn how our energy contributes to our emotional wellness and the energy of others.
Identify ways to protect, heal and revitalize your Spirit for the work that you do.
Presenter: Erin Turner, LISW-S, is the Intensive Services Program Manager at Crossroads/Beacon Health in Lake County and Adjunct Faculty for Youngstown State School of Social Work Graduate Program. She has worked in community mental health settings for over 20 years as a volunteer, direct service provider, clinical supervisor and program manager. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults with a variety of mental health issues, including trauma, mood disorders and crisis situations. Erin specializes in community-based crisis intervention. Erin has provided multiple trainings within the context of Social Work including, Risk Assessment, Trauma, Compassion Fatigue and Motivational Interviewing.
In addition, there will be stations throughout the day for relaxing and re-charging your energy. These will consist of adult coloring, puzzles, health tech, meditation and more.
An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area, and recent active shooter incidents have underscored the need for a coordinated response by law enforcement and others to save lives. The FBI is committed to working with its partners to protect schools, workplaces, houses of worship, transportation centers, other public gathering sites, and communities.
The FBI provides operational, behaviorally-based threat assessment and threat management services to help detect and prevent acts of targeted violence, helping academic, mental health, business, community, law enforcement, and government entities recognize and disrupt potential active shooters who may be on a trajectory toward violence. The Bureau also continues its research to identify indicators that could signal potential violent intent.
This training will demonstrate the three tactics you can use to keep yourself and others safe during an active shooter attack—run, hide, and fight. Learning these principles now will prepare and empower you to put them into practice—and survive—should the unthinkable occur.
Presenter:
John Breen has been a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the past 17 years and is currently assigned to the Cleveland Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). SA Breen's assignments include International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime investigations. As a JTTF coordinator, he provides counterterrorism and active shooter response training to a variety of audiences including Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, the military, and members of federal, state, and local law enforcement. In addition to domestic audiences, he has also delivered global training programs to executives and leaders of foreign countries and their government agencies.
SA Breen is also an assault team leader on the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team and is an instructor for the Firearms, Tactics, Active Shooter, and Defensive Tactics programs. Prior to becoming an FBI Agent, SA Breen served in the United States Army from 2000-2006.
Mary Frankenfield has worked in the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library system for more than 20 years. During her time at MRCPL, Mary has worked as a page, a clerk, a children's librarian, and a branch manager. She has been in her current position as Deputy Director for a little over five years. Among her many other duties, Mary has an active role in employee training and development and has presented workshops for NEO-RLS, OLC, and the MRCPL staff.
Mariana Branch, Director at Kingsville Public Library
Mary Frankenfield has worked in the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library system for more than 20 years. During her time at MRCPL, Mary has worked as a page, a clerk, a children's librarian, and a branch manager. She has been in her current position as Deputy Director for a little over five years. Among her many other duties, Mary has an active role in employee training and development and has presented workshops for NEO-RLS, OLC, and the MRCPL staff.
Mariana Branch, Director at Kingsville Public Library Join us for a Virtual Focus Group Session as we begin developing our 2025-2028 strategic plan. We value your insights and invite staff from all roles and library types to participate. This is your chance to share feedback on how NEO-RLS can better support you and your libraries. Your input will play a key role in determining the resources, services, and programs we offer over the next three years. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard!
Facilitator: Janelle Thomas, Director, NORWELD.
Join us for a Virtual Focus Group Session as we begin developing our 2025-2028 strategic plan. We value your insights and invite staff from all roles and library types to participate. This is your chance to share feedback on how NEO-RLS can better support you and your libraries. Your input will play a key role in determining the resources, services, and programs we offer over the next three years. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your voice heard!
Facilitator: Janelle Thomas, Director, NORWELD.
Amy B. Shannon, President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions, LLC, and a Partner in Your Partner in HR has specialized in Organizational Development, Human Resources and Training for over 25 years. For the past 13 years, Amy has been an Organizational Development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently, Amy served as the Executive Director II/Vice President of Corporate College where she built robust leadership training curriculum to serve her clients. Amy also holds certifications with numerous nationally known training vendors. She is a regular speaker at national conferences such as The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She is a seasoned speaker for the HR Star Conference Cleveland. As a result of her high ratings, she has also been a key speaker at the HR Star Atlanta and received the Gold Medal Award three years in a row for best session speaker. Amy was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & CSHRM.
Amy B. Shannon, President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions, LLC, and a Partner in Your Partner in HR has specialized in Organizational Development, Human Resources and Training for over 25 years. For the past 13 years, Amy has been an Organizational Development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently, Amy served as the Executive Director II/Vice President of Corporate College where she built robust leadership training curriculum to serve her clients. Amy also holds certifications with numerous nationally known training vendors. She is a regular speaker at national conferences such as The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She is a seasoned speaker for the HR Star Conference Cleveland. As a result of her high ratings, she has also been a key speaker at the HR Star Atlanta and received the Gold Medal Award three years in a row for best session speaker. Amy was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & CSHRM.Ed Slusarski, President of Regarding Your Systems, LLC (Cyber Consulting Company) - He graduated college with a triple major in Accounting, Finance, and Management and a minor in Computer Science. He started his business career in public accounting, serving very diverse set of clienteles. In his career, he continued to focus on becoming an integrated consulting expert as he progressed through various industries - manufacturing, financial, retail, and mining - which were US and internationally based companies. He continued to refine his skills by: 1) obtaining his MBA/MSMIS degree from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management; and 2) conducting research, analysis, and studies in the business, operational, and IT fields with the culmination of certifications in key IT security and governance, risk management, and business management fields. He continues to learn and adapt to the ever-changing business/IT environment by obtaining training and seeking certifications in his areas of study and interest (Dark Web, Artificial Intelligence, IoT devices, quantum computing). While his consulting practice does address large companies (Eaton, Timken Steel, Hyster Yale), he strives to help the medium to small businesses the most.
Ed Slusarski, President of Regarding Your Systems, LLC (Cyber Consulting Company) - He graduated college with a triple major in Accounting, Finance, and Management and a minor in Computer Science. He started his business career in public accounting, serving very diverse set of clienteles. In his career, he continued to focus on becoming an integrated consulting expert as he progressed through various industries - manufacturing, financial, retail, and mining - which were US and internationally based companies. He continued to refine his skills by: 1) obtaining his MBA/MSMIS degree from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management; and 2) conducting research, analysis, and studies in the business, operational, and IT fields with the culmination of certifications in key IT security and governance, risk management, and business management fields. He continues to learn and adapt to the ever-changing business/IT environment by obtaining training and seeking certifications in his areas of study and interest (Dark Web, Artificial Intelligence, IoT devices, quantum computing). While his consulting practice does address large companies (Eaton, Timken Steel, Hyster Yale), he strives to help the medium to small businesses the most.
Amy B. Shannon, President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions, LLC, and a Partner in Your Partner in HR has specialized in Organizational Development, Human Resources and Training for over 25 years. For the past 13 years, Amy has been an Organizational Development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently, Amy served as the Executive Director II/Vice President of Corporate College where she built robust leadership training curriculum to serve her clients. Amy also holds certifications with numerous nationally known training vendors. She is a regular speaker at national conferences such as The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She is a seasoned speaker for the HR Star Conference Cleveland. As a result of her high ratings, she has also been a key speaker at the HR Star Atlanta and received the Gold Medal Award three years in a row for best session speaker. Amy was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & CSHRM.
Amy B. Shannon, President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions, LLC, and a Partner in Your Partner in HR has specialized in Organizational Development, Human Resources and Training for over 25 years. For the past 13 years, Amy has been an Organizational Development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently, Amy served as the Executive Director II/Vice President of Corporate College where she built robust leadership training curriculum to serve her clients. Amy also holds certifications with numerous nationally known training vendors. She is a regular speaker at national conferences such as The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She is a seasoned speaker for the HR Star Conference Cleveland. As a result of her high ratings, she has also been a key speaker at the HR Star Atlanta and received the Gold Medal Award three years in a row for best session speaker. Amy was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & CSHRM.
LGBTQ+ Cultural Competence Training is designed to foster safer, more inclusive communities for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. This training equips participants with the knowledge and tools to recognize and address bias, understand current terminology, and engage in respectful and informed conversations around gender and sexuality. Upon completion, participants are invited to display a Safe Space Ally sign in their workspace—demonstrating visible support for the LGBTQ+ community and a commitment to inclusion.
Ken Ditlevson is a dedicated trainer and facilitator specializing in LGBTQ+ education and advocacy. He served as the inaugural Director of Kent State University’s LGBTQ+ Center, a position he held for nearly 11 years. In this role, Ken led numerous initiatives to support LGBTQ+ students, staff, and faculty, building a more inclusive campus environment.Do your work days feel like a blur? Between patron demands, programming pressures, and shifting priorities, it’s easy to fall into survival mode. This one-hour introductory webinar will offer practical strategies to help you reconnect with what you love about library work. We’ll explore how to manage time and tasks, navigate workplace conflict, and rediscover purpose in your daily routine—so you can thrive, not just get through the day.
Learning Objectives:
Recorded 10/30/25
Do your work days feel like a blur? Between patron demands, programming pressures, and shifting priorities, it’s easy to fall into survival mode. This one-hour introductory webinar will offer practical strategies to help you reconnect with what you love about library work. We’ll explore how to manage time and tasks, navigate workplace conflict, and rediscover purpose in your daily routine—so you can thrive, not just get through the day.
Learning Objectives:
Amy B. Shannon, President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions, LLC, and a Partner in Your Partner in HR has specialized in Organizational Development, Human Resources and Training for over 25 years. For the past 13 years, Amy has been an Organizational Development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently, Amy served as the Executive Director II/Vice President of Corporate College where she built robust leadership training curriculum to serve her clients. Amy also holds certifications with numerous nationally known training vendors. She is a regular speaker at national conferences such as The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She is a seasoned speaker for the HR Star Conference Cleveland. As a result of her high ratings, she has also been a key speaker at the HR Star Atlanta and received the Gold Medal Award three years in a row for best session speaker. Amy was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & CSHRM.
Amy B. Shannon, President, Pinnacle Leadership Solutions, LLC, and a Partner in Your Partner in HR has specialized in Organizational Development, Human Resources and Training for over 25 years. For the past 13 years, Amy has been an Organizational Development consultant working with clients in manufacturing, service, financial and healthcare industries. Most recently, Amy served as the Executive Director II/Vice President of Corporate College where she built robust leadership training curriculum to serve her clients. Amy also holds certifications with numerous nationally known training vendors. She is a regular speaker at national conferences such as The Corporate University Week at the Disney Institute. She is a seasoned speaker for the HR Star Conference Cleveland. As a result of her high ratings, she has also been a key speaker at the HR Star Atlanta and received the Gold Medal Award three years in a row for best session speaker. Amy was a recipient of the 2015 HR Awards presented by ERC & CSHRM.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 of time to Melissa Lattanzi or just join us on Zoom for the conversation. Keep in mind when sharing your files to protect the innocent.
Facilitators:
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.
Melissa Lattanzi, Continuing Education Coordinator, NEO-RLS
Recorded 12/16/25
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 of time to Melissa Lattanzi or just join us on Zoom for the conversation. Keep in mind when sharing your files to protect the innocent.
Facilitators:
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.
Melissa Lattanzi, Continuing Education Coordinator, NEO-RLS
Recorded 2/10/26The term “neurodiversity” refers to the infinite variation in brain functioning that leads to differences in thinking, attention, memory, and communication. Some neurodivergent individuals have differences in executive functioning skills like time management, and as a result, need different support and accommodations in the workplace. In this presentation, learn about time management from a neurodivergent lens. Whether you are neurodivergent or you are a supervisor to someone who is, this webinar will provide concrete strategies to support time management in the workplace.
Learning Objectives: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 Hillary Brown.
As teachers and librarians, you’re on the front lines of introducing AI to students. But with headlines warning about AI’s massive energy demands, how do you balance the need for AI literacy with decisions about acting sustainably?
This webinar cuts through the confusion to help you make informed choices about sustainability in your classrooms, libraries, and communities.
We’ll examine independent estimates of AI’s energy and water use and put them in context in ways that are easy to understand.
We’ll include an introduction to how data centers work and what they are used for. We’ll clarify what we know and what’s still uncertain about AI’s carbon footprint (both in the present and in future projections).
We’ll compare individual AI use to other digital activities, and we’ll also look at global use of data centers with statistics from the International Energy Agency.
Did you know that AI technologies are also being used to mitigate climate change? We’ll look at some of the many innovations underway related to greener data centers, hardware, and chips. And we’ll look at how AI is being used in projects that map deforestation, improve recycling, clean up the ocean, innovate new materials for greener buildings, and more.
You’ll come away with some practical tips for answering questions from students, and some simple advocacy steps to use in your communities.
Nicole Hennig is an expert in instructional design, user experience, and emerging technologies. She is currently an e-learning developer and AI education specialist at the University of Arizona Libraries.
Previously, she worked for the MIT Libraries as head of the user experience department. In her 14 years of experience at MIT, she won awards for innovation and worked to keep academics up to date with the best new technologies.
She is the author of several books, including Keeping Up with Emerging Technologies, Apps for Librarians, and Privacy & Security Online.
Librarians who take her courses are applying what they’ve learned in their communities. See their testimonials.
To stay current with the latest developments in AI, sign up for her email newsletter, Generative AI News, and follow her on Bluesky or Mastodon, where she posts daily about libraries, artificial intelligence, and other technologies.