Continuing Education Archives

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 Learn how to evaluate and update outdated or harmful practices, broaden your applicant pool, and fairly assess candidates.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.

Adam Simon, Partner at Ancel Glink, covers 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).

Kathy Parker of Kathy Parker Consulting introduces the basics of insurance, including health, liability, unemployment, and workers' compensation coverage. You'll learn what each type of insurance is, why it matters, and how it protects you in different situations.

Amanda McKay, Director of the Effingham Public Library, guides you through the essential steps of emergency preparedness, covering what to do before, during, and after an emergency. Learn how to create a plan, stay safe in the moment, and recover effectively once the danger has passed.

Kate Hall and Kathy Parker, authors of The Public Library Director's Toolkit, teach you how to navigate leadership transitions with a clear succession plan so your library’s “takeoffs and landings” go smoothly. Learn what directors and trustees must have in place before a director departs, how to onboard a new leader successfully, and strategies for ensuring a seamless transition, complete with a flight plan, onboarding checklist, and sample succession plan.

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.

RAILS Executive Director Monica Harris and IHLS Executive Director Leslie Bednar outline the benefits of library system membership and how you can take advantage of everything the systems offer.

Learn how libraries of all sizes can assess risks, create comprehensive disaster response plans, and ensure continuity of services during and after crises. Whether you're building a preparedness plan from the ground up or enhancing an existing strategy, you'll gain practical tools and insights to safeguard your library and community. Learn why proactive planning matters, how to design an effective emergency response plan, and strategies to maintain operations during challenging times.

Government use of social media can raise a number of legal issues, including compliance with the Open Meetings Act and the First Amendment. In this session, attorney Julie Tappendorf provides best practices on avoiding Open Meetings Act violations and helps you learn how the First Amendment can apply to trustee social media activities, even on their personal social media accounts. Julie discusses recent U.S. Supreme Court cases on government officials and social media, and provides the do’s and don’ts for moderating comments on social media.

As a manager, one of the gloomiest tasks is managing challenging employees. It's one of the most stressful and time-consuming parts of the job and it is so easy to doubt yourself. Are you being respectful? Are you being fair? To be an effective manager, there are times that you need to have hard conversations. Join IHLS HR Director Jill Trevino and SHARE Director Cassandra Thompson as they discuss the shoulds and should-nots of managing employees and why this often dreaded part of management is so important.

After completing three staff engagement surveys (administered by HR Source) in recent years, we're ready to share some best practices on how to sift through the data, communicate the results to staff and supervisors, and create an action plan that holds you accountable for change.