Continuing Education Archives

Your library facility is your largest physical asset, and you'll likely spend a significant amount of your budget keeping it maintained. This presentation will walk you the basics of getting to know your facility, the importance of keeping it clean and maintained, and additional tips and information including doing a renovation, remodel or new build, and having a capital improvement plan.

When new trustees and directors start their roles at the library, some confusion about responsibilities can arise. Clarifying boundaries and roles helps strengthen relationships and the organization as a whole. Chatham Area Public Library Vice-President Christine Westerlund and Library Director Amy Byers discuss how each position is essential and how success depends on understanding their respective roles.

Dr. Brandy McNeil discusses the key ethical and operational considerations in AI use; translating library values into actionable AI principles; communicating policies effecitvely to staff and the public; and addressing bias, transparency, and accountability in AI tools.

Richard Bruen, Senior Counsel at Ancel Glink, will break down what library staff should know about posting political or sensitive content on social media. He’ll talk about how your posts might connect to your job, what your rights are, and what your employer can and can’t do in response. He’ll also share what library leaders should consider when it comes to supporting staff, protecting the library’s reputation, and handling community concerns.

Ancel Glink Associate Katie Nagy explains libraries' rights, obligations, and best practices when enforcement officers are on-site, including handling warrants, I-9s, and records confidentiality. Additionally, Vernon Area Public Library District’s Director Anne Rasmussen and Head of Human Resources Mikki Johnson will share how they developed safety protocols and guidelines to protect staff while fostering a supportive, unified workplace culture.

Beginning January 2026, Public Act 104-0056 requires local public libraries to maintain a supply of approved “opioid antagonists” for use in assisting individuals experiencing an opioid overdose. In this workshop, Live4Lali will prepare you by providing training to help you recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and confidently administer Narcan (naloxone) to reverse it.

During periods of disruption, library leaders must align services with evolving priorities and resources. This session introduces a practical model—including tools for evaluating, sunsetting, and clarifying services—designed to support sustainability, staffing realities, and staff well-being through people-centered change management.

The slides can be accessed here.

Professional Registered Parliamentarian Steve Anderson provides a practical review of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised to help you lead and participate in board meetings with confidence and fairness. He covers the essentials of meeting management, including bylaws, agendas and the order of business, how to handle motions and debate, conducting elections and voting, and addressing issues of member discipline.

Dr. Leanne Furby, Project Manager and Course Developer, gives an overview of the statewide iLEAD Trustee Training Portal. This free resource is designed to give Illinois public library trustees a solid foundation of learning and best practices on which to build their library knowledge.

In this webinar, participants will learn practical strategies for engaging with and “speaking” to positional power with clarity and confidence. First, we will explore how awareness is strategic and how successful interactions begin with this core principle. Next, participants will see how “plating” helps set the table for the discussion and provides an opportunity to be positioned as a thoughtful, solution-oriented leader; scenarios will be shared to illustrate the approach.

As AI and emerging technologies continue to reshape the information landscape, libraries should embrace experimentation to navigate uncertainty and drive innovation. Using techniques from startups and rapidly evolving tech companies, this program explores how experimentation can lead to evidence-based decisions and transformative initiatives. Through interactive activities, you’ll learn how to cultivate curiosity and innovation within traditional library constraints.

Emily Weak, founder of Hiring Librarians, explores ways to improve each stage of your hiring process, from defining recruitment needs to onboarding new staff. Learn how to evaluate and update outdated or harmful practices, broaden your applicant pool, and fairly assess candidates. Gain tools to communicate clearly about the process and foster a collaborative, team-based approach to hiring.

Lily Zheng, Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation Strategist and bestselling author of Reconstructing DEI and DEI Deconstructed, will discuss how to make diversity, equity, and inclusion resonate with skeptics, applying the FAIR Framework to defuse backlash, sustain impact, and build inclusive organizations. In a dynamic 1-hour virtual conversation with RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris, Lily will discuss how these principles can be specifically applied to libraries.

This presentation will cover key aspects of the budget and levy process, focusing on the statutes that govern them, the interplay between law and politics, and the procedural steps involved. Topics include the tax cap, differences between home rule and non-home rule jurisdictions, the role of Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), and the Personal Property Replacement Tax (PPRT).

Presented by Adam Simon, Partner Ancel Glink.

Amanda Standerfer of Fast Forward Consulting outlines a four-phase strategic planning process that guides libraries from initiating the effort to implementing and evaluating a clear plan.