Continuing Education Archives

Digitized newspaper archives such as those of the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and hundreds of others, are among the most popular resources in public libraries. Increasingly, digitized local newspapers are coming online as well, offering all kinds of opportunities for improving reference service. Evanston Public Library has recently worked with NewsBank to digitize about a dozen local newspapers dating back to 1872 and extending to the most current issues.

The rapid rise of ChatGPT, text-to-image generators, and other iterations of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked a range of reactions in libraries. These include fear, excitement, and a large dose of confusion! This presentation by nationally-renowned technology expert Nick Tanzi covers the basics of AI, before turning to specific (and popular) services, exploring their possibilities and pitfalls when used in a library setting.

Our goal is to make non-law library staff feel at ease with patron legal queries. We will discuss the difference between legal advice and legal information; the Illinois Supreme Courts Access to Justice initiative and what it means to our patrons; available print and online resources for common questions; what a public library core legal collection may look like; and where to refer patrons for further assistance.

Topics:
- Legal advice vs. legal information
- Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice initiative
- Print and online resources

Details/Watch

Public libraries, you know your community is looking to you for help answering their health questions. This session will provide an overview of freely available, trusted online resources for public libraries and their patrons. We will also cover resources available for continuing education to beef up your health reference skills, and funding sources for health-related programming for your communities.

Presenter:

Details/Watch

Take your genealogy research skills up a notch by learning advanced techniques for locating records by topic and type of repository and explore case studies for honing your skills.

Agenda:
* Types of records
* Types of repositories
* Case studies

Desired Outcomes:
* Understanding of the types of genealogical records that are created and the repositories where they can be found.
* Familiarity with basic genealogy research practices.

Presenter:

Details/Watch

Explore tools and resources library staff need to conduct an effective genealogy reference interview plus basic search strategies and case studies to help hone your skills.

Agenda:
* Conducting a reference interview
* Search tips for identifying basic genealogy records
* Online resources for starting a genealogy search
* Case Study

Desired Outcomes:
* Conducting a successful genealogy reference interview
* Understanding what makes a record useful to genealogists
* How to find basic genealogy records online

Presenter:

Details/Watch

Librarians are on the front lines when it comes to genealogy help. Many patrons, who are new to genealogy, need some direction towards the types of records that exist and how they can be located. This 90 minute session will give you the tools needed to get patrons on the right track using free genealogy sites, blogs and tutorials. Presented by Tina Beaird.

Details/Watch

How can you suggest titles you haven't read or authors you aren't familiar with? This session will explore how to use review sources to get up to speed, and will show you how your library can use reviews and annotations for both in-person and passive readers' advisory. Presented by Rebecca Vnuk. This program is part of the RA Conversations series, sponsored by Novelist.

Details/Watch

How can you suggest titles you haven't read or authors you aren't familiar with? This session will explore how to use review sources to get up to speed, and will show you how your library can use reviews and annotations for both in-person and passive readers' advisory. Presented by Rebecca Vnuk. This program is part of the RA Conversations series, sponsored by Novelist.

Details/Watch

The majority of library visitors are comfortable navigating their way through the library, approaching staff with questions and using available resources. But for some, these basic library experiences can be intimidating. This webinar will provide participants with the tools to make basic, yet effective changes to their programming in order to create an inclusive library atmosphere for adults with developmental disabilities.

Details/Watch

Libraries play a number of roles within their communities, which leaves them uniquely positioned to provide resources and services that can greatly benefit community members with autism spectrum disorder and their friends and families. This webinar introduced the Targeting Autism project spearheaded by the Illinois State Library and funded by a grant from IMLS.

Details/Watch

Library services to people with disabilities are provided by all levels of library staff. From the part-time aide checking out library materials to the library director determining policies, staff skills and attitudes are crucial for a satisfactory library experience. All libraries have a plan for serving people with disabilities, whether it is the installation of ramps or the creation of special needs story times. But improvements are always possible.

Details/Watch

Are you dreading an upcoming weeding project? Do your collections need refreshing but you don't know where to start?

Everything you wanted to know about weeding and then some: the why, the how, the pitfalls, and the joys. Participants will leave with a renewed understanding of the importance of weeding for good collection development, along with current resources to help them in their task.

Details/Watch

Collection development basics for libraries, including discussion on organizing your budget, weeding, and writing a plan. Also discusses current topics such as media and eBooks.

This workshop is the second in a series brought to you by RAILS and Booklist titled "RA and More: Practical Advice for Public and School Librarians."

Details/Watch

Details/Watch