CE NEWS

January 1, 2019

Table of Contents

• Happy New Year!
• 2019: An Amazing Year of Continuing Education Events
• Thank you!
• Circulating Ideas: the librarian interview podcast
• Library Internships: A learning experience that benefits MLIS graduates and their supervisors
• Webinars You Don’t Want to Miss
• Alaska Library Association Conference Count Down

Happy New Year!

2019: An Amazing Year of Continuing Education Events

Offering training to meet the wants and needs of librarians working Alaska can be challenging.  Each year, we try to offer a variety of training opportunities in various formats to reach as many librarians as possible. There is exciting slate of training events planned for 2019 that should be of interest to librarians working with archival or digital collections, developing youth programs and rural library directors working without an MLIS and librarians working with staff or planning library marketing campaigns.

• January thru April-Alaska Digital Stewardship Intensive
• February-Alaska Library Association Conference
• April-NASA STEM Workshop
• May-Small Library Institute of Continuing Education (SLICE) and Three Cities Tour: Engaging Millennials
• July-Three Cities Tour: Guerilla Branding

In 2019, the monthly Public Librarians’ Chats will cover the following topics: online reference resources, engaging civic programs, and Maker & DIY programs for adults, Alaska literature of children and creating your own personal development plan.  Register for the chats you are interested in attending and we will send you a reminder email with a link to join the webinar.  If you missed one of our scheduled Public Librarians’ Chats you may view a recording of the webinar on the Archived Webinars for Librarians webpage.

 Visit the CE Calendar for a complete listing of free webinars and training events.

Thank You!

A great big "thank you" to all of the wonderful people who volunteered last year as guest presenters on the Public Librarians’ Chat:  Anna-Sophie Harling, Katie Abbott, and Jennifer Treadway, Carla Lehn, Ingvild Bjornvold, and Jeremy Wilson. Your willingness to share your knowledge, time and expertise with Alaska's librarians enriches the services and resources offered in libraries across our entire state.

A special thank you to Amy Carney, Publications Specialist for the Alaska State Library, whose can-do spirit and technical expertise make it possible for  Library Development to create and share accessible and engaging online learning resources and products.

Circulating Ideas: the librarian interview podcast

A great way to stay up-to-date with the innovations taking place in librarianship is to listen to the excellent interviews hosted by Steve Thomas on Circulating Ideas  podcast produced with support from the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. Circulating Ideas began in 2011 and has an extensive archive of interviews with some of library land’s most prominent movers and shakers.  Alaska librarians may be particularly interested in episodes (144, 145) with John J. Huber and Steven V. Potter, the authors of Lean Library Management and The Purpose-Based Library.  Anyone interested in learning how to manage libraries during tough economic times will find these two titles helpful.

Library internships: A learning experience that benefits MLIS graduates and their supervisors

Internships are popular with college students because they provide an opportunity to gain meaningful work experience, apply current theory and research to real problems and lead projects. Occasionally the intern is even able to create or contribute in the creation of a library resource that will become permanent feature in the libraries. The popular online guide, The Elizabeth Peratrovich and Alaska’s 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act created by Jason Russell is example of the lasting contribution an intern can make to an organization. Many universities that offer graduate level programs in library education require internships. Internships serve to bridge the theoretical knowledge taught in the classroom, or online, with the practical knowledge gained through experience.   While some library directors may harbor concerns that the time spent preparing for an intern, orientating them to the library and community, and supervising their progress could vastly outweigh the potential benefits. Research has found that when interns and supervisors work in partnership with one another and are willing to learn from one another, everyone benefits.  

The Alaska State Library is currently recruiting for two summer internship opportunities. To learn more visit the Alaska State Library Internship Project webpage.

Webinars You Don’t Want to Miss

• Public Librarians' Chat: Autographics SHAREit Resource Sharing

Monday, January 7, 2019 1:00 pm

• Public Librarians' Chat: Implementation of South Dakota's Share-It Network

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 1:00 pm

• AK Digital Stewardship Intensive Orientation

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 2:00 pm

Alaska Library Association Conference Count Down

The 2019 Alaska Library Association Conference is fast approaching.  Library directors, library staff, trustees and vendors from around the state of Alaska will converge in Juneau to attend the Alaska Library Conference which will be held February 28^th thru March 3^rd.  This annual conference is an excellent opportunity to learn about the many trends and innovations occurring in libraries, to meet and visit with professional colleagues and to be inspired to offer a new program or service in your library.

Registration is now open!  If you live in the Southeast Region of Alaska and work or volunteer in a library, you are eligible to apply for the Conference Attendance Award (an award of up to $1000.00 to help defray conference expenses).

The Alaska State Library supports public librarians' attendance to the AkLA Conference by providing each public library outlet with two Continuing Education (CE) grants. Visit the Grants for Alaska Libraries and Schools for CE grant eligibility requirements.