Lori Reed

Library Unconference Recordings Available #libuncon

Monday was National Library Unconference Day organized by JP Porcaro and 8BitLibrary and sponsored by the ALA Learning Round Table.

The virtual sessions were recorded and are available on the ALA Learning YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/ALALearning

Take a few moments to listen, enjoy, and be inspired. If you hosted or attended an unconference we’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Intro by JP Porcaro

Meditations on Libraries, Library Work & Kindness by Michael Stephens

Library Spaces Part 1 by Jaime Hammond

Library Spaces Part 2 by Jaime Hammond

Make It Happen by JP Porcaro

What Can Libraries Expect in This Century by Eli Neiburger

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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Free Online Conference – Trends in Library Training and Learning: Developing Staff Skills for the 21st Century

ALA Learning Round Table and OCLC’s WebJunction
collaborate to offer free online conference

Trends in Library Training and Learning: Developing Staff Skills for the 21st Century program is set for August 10–11

WebJunction, OCLC’s online learning community for library staff, and the ALA Learning Round Table, which promotes quality continuing education for all library personnel, will team up to offer a free, online learning and training conference August 10–11, 2011.

The conference, to include eight one-hour sessions over two days, will be hosted using the WebEx web conferencing tool, which will provide attendees with easy online access to all live sessions and the ability to interact with other attendees and presenters using text-based chat. Registration will open by June 1 when full conference details are available on WebJunction.org.

“Libraries are changing quickly and staff need more training than ever to navigate nimbly through change,” said Sharon Morris, ALA Learning Round Table President 2010–11. “This conference will help library trainers, managers and staff to find new ways to train, learn and keep up. The Learning Round Table members are excited to be working with WebJunction on this cutting-edge online conference.”

Jay TurnerJay Turner, a leader in developing creative e-learning solutions for libraries, will serve as keynote speaker for the conference. Mr. Turner serves on the Learning Round Table Board and is the training manager for the Gwinnett County Public Library until May 13. He will then become the new Director of Continuing Education for the Georgia Public Library Service. Mr. Turner was selected as an ALA Emerging Leader in 2008 and is also active in the Public Library Association.

Session presenters will provide practical solutions for libraries looking to implement both staff and patron training using innovative learning techniques that include formal and informal, and online and face-to-face methods. Topics will be particularly relevant to public libraries, but all library staff are welcome and encouraged to attend. Session details will be made available on WebJunction.org in the coming weeks.

With tight training and travel budgets, this free conference provides library staff an easy and affordable opportunity to learn from and network with both the WebJunction and Learning Round Table communities. Anyone unable to attend the live sessions will be able to view the recorded presentations that will be archived on WebJunction.org after the conference. Full session archives from WebJunction’s two 2010 online conferences are also available to view on WebJunction.org.

About the ALA Learning Round Table

The Learning Round Table of the American Library Association promotes quality continuing education for all library personnel. The Learning Round Table helps library staff network with other continuing education providers, serves as a source for continuing education assistance and advocates for quality library continuing education at both the local and national levels. More information, including training resources and membership opportunities, is available at www.alalearning.org.

About WebJunction

WebJunction is the online learning community for librarians and library staff. We provide information, insights, and online learning relevant to staff, their organizations, and the library field as a whole as part of our mission to foster collaboration and partnership within the library community. WebJunction is supported in part by OCLC, grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute for Museum and Library Services, partners in state library agencies and other library systems and organizations, and by the library community. Launched in 2003, WebJunction is based in Seattle, Washington and Dublin, Ohio. More information is available at www.webjunction.org.

About OCLC
Founded in 1967, OCLC is a nonprofit, membership, computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purposes of furthering access to the world’s information and reducing library costs. More than 72,000 libraries in 170 countries have used OCLC services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend, preserve and manage library materials. Researchers, students, faculty, scholars, professional librarians and other information seekers use OCLC services to obtain bibliographic, abstract and full-text information when and where they need it. OCLC and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the world’s largest online database for discovery of library resources. Search WorldCat on the Web at www.worldcat.org. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.

A PDF version of the press release is available at: http://alalearning.org/about/press/

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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National Unconference Day May 2, 2011

As we wrap up April’s theme of e-learning it’s apropos that tomorrow is National Unconference Day and 8bitlibrary along with the Learning Round Table will be hosting some online learning events. While it might be a little short notice to host your own unconference, we hope that you can take advantage of the free sessions and back channels via Twitter and the unconference chat room.

You can RSVP on Facebook and help tweet the link: http://on.fb.me/h2DG7r #libuncon

At 1pm EDT head over to https://ala.ilinc.com/ . You might want to sign in about 15 minutes before the event so you have time to work out any tech issues.

The  Twitter hashtag is #libuncon and the chat-room unconference link is: tinychat.com/8bitlibrary. We’re also hoping people share what they learned and accomplished by tagging posts with libuncon!

We’ll be streaming a free keynote session full of lightning talks to all participating librarians, libraries and library organizations. Our confirmed speakers include:

Where ever you are tomorrow, we hope to see you online!

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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Welcome Mary Beth Faccioli and Russell Palmer

Please join me in welcoming our newest contributing authors to ALA Learning, Mary Beth Faccioli and Russell Palmer.

Mary Beth Faccioli, MLIS has worked in libraries since the mid-90s. Before that, she was a bookseller and manager, and before that, a research psychologist. In libraries, Mary Beth has worked in public services (reference and library instruction), in administration (library director) and in various web, graphic, multimedia and instructional design capacities. She is currently the Instructional Design and Technology Senior Consultant for the Colorado State Library, where she develops web sites, learning content and other services and resources that can be effectively delivered online. She is the lead producer for the State Library’s online meetings, seminars and learning events. Success in her career has come in part because of her ability to relate skillfully and empathically with non-tech-inclined learners and colleagues on technology-related topics.
Russell Palmer is the Supervisor of Professional Development at LYRASIS.  He has been with LYRASIS (formerly SOLINET) since May 2006 and works as the Supervisor of Professional Development. He writes and teaches classes on OCLC services, resource sharing, information literacy, and reference. Russell has spoken at various conferences, including the Georgia Conference on Information Literacy,  Reference Renaissance, LOEX,  and LOEX of the West . His interests include information literacy, reference librarianship, resource sharing, collection development and analysis, electronic resources and social media. Russell earned his MLIS from Florida State University. He began his career as Interlibrary Loan and Reference Librarian at  Mercer University in Macon, Ga., and later earned the rank of assistant professor and Instruction and Outreach Coordinator. At Mercer, Russell effectively developed and managed the library’s information literacy program.

Welcome to the team and our wonderful online learning community!

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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Congratulations to Our Own Jay Turner

I’m happy to share the news that Jay Tuner, one of ALA Learning’s contributing authors, is the new director of continuing education for the Georgia Public Library Service. Jay is currently the training manager for the Gwinnett County Public Library. Jay is not only active within the Learning Round Table but is also active in PLA and on the ballot for director at large (if you haven’t won’t yet please do). Jay was selected as an ALA Emerging Leader in 2008 and since then, he has gone on to chair PLA’s Communities of Practice Taskforce and has been selected as a member of PLA’s 2012 Nominating Committee and the 2012 National Conference Programming Subcommittee. Jay was also called upon to provide input into PLA’s 2011–2015 strategic plan and the association’s strategic leadership session in 2009.

Please join me in congratulating Jay on his new position. Jay begins with GPLS on May 23rd.

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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April News from ALA Learning

This month’s theme at ALA Learning is e-learning in libraries. What tools are you using and how are you using them? We want to hear your best practices (or biggest blunders) in self-paced learning, webinars, screencasts, social media for learning, etc. We want to hear from you! If you’d like to be a guest contributor this month please send your post along with a bio and photo to webmaster@alalearning.org.

Many thanks to our guest contributors last month on the topic of e-readers: Jasmine Posey and Angela Nolet. Be sure to check out the e-reader training materials posted on the ALA Learning Wiki under the topic Downloadable Media–special thanks to Mary K. Pelton, Jay Turner, and Chris Baker for their contributions to the wiki.

Do you have training materials to share? Please post them to the wiki. It’s easy, free, and a great resource for the community of learners we have here at the Learning Round Table.

Lastly congratulations to our contributing authors Buffy Hamilton and Bobbi Newman and Learning Round Table board member Angela Nolet on being selected as 2011 Library Journal Mover and Shakers. Your dedication and contributions to the library learning community exemplify the best in the profession.

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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APPLY NOW to be a sponsor or participant in the 8th Annual Training Showcase

Going to the ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans? Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in the training showcase!

Who: Trainers, Continuing Education Providers, Vendors of learning/education related products and services

Where: ALA Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA

When: Sunday, June 26, 2011, 1:30 – 3:30pm  

What: The training showcase is a poster-type session giving participants/exhibitors and sponsors a chance to showcase best practices in library training, learning, and continuing education. Participating affords you the opportunity to share information about your program as well as learn about the best practices of other libraries and organizations. The Training Showcase planning committee is on the lookout for libraries, library organizations, presenters, speakers and vendors to participate – anyone who has a great training or staff development program they’d like to share. The Learning Round Table is all about sharing ideas (and stealing/borrowing ideas) and the Training Showcase is the perfect venue. The Showcase normally attracts between 200-300 attendees – all of whom are interested in training and staff development. The number of participants (presenters) varies from 20-30. It’s a fast-paced, fun event with refreshments and door prizes. Each participant has a 6′ draped table on which to put a portable table-top display unit, handouts or other related materials.

Participant Application: http://bit.ly/trainingshowcase2011

Donor/Sponsor Application: http://bit.ly/showcase2011donors

Application Deadline: April 31, 2011

The 2011 Training Showcase will feature old favorites and new opportunities!

  • 6′ Tables for participants and sponsors
  • Showcase Sponsorship
  • Networking Opportunities
  • Refreshments
  • Door Prizes

HEY, THIS SOUNDS LIKE FUN.  I WANT IN!!

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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E-books: Are Libraries Screwed

Since we’ve focused this month on training for e-books and e-readers, I thought it appropriate to take a few minutes to think about the future of libraries and books. Take a look at the following presentations by Eli Neiburger at the Library Journal/School Library Journal eBook Summit.

Let’s talk about this in the comments. Will electronic books make libraries obsolete? If all of our content goes digital what is the future for libraries? As trainers how can we prepare for this huge shift in the way content is consumed?

Eli Neiburger at the LJ/SLJ eBook Summit: Libraries Are Screwed, Part 1

Eli Neiburger at the LJ/SLJ eBook Summit: Libraries are Screwed, Unless… Part 2

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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New Digital Supplement from American Libraries

E-Learning Comes to You

American Libraries Winter Digital Supplement is now available online!

This new American Libraries Digital Supplement features a look at the latest in cutting-edge delivery of online education to the library profession, a host of continuing-education opportunities available from the American Library Association regardless of where you practice your profession, and candid reactions from e-students about their experiences.

The Winter 2011 edition contains a feature article about e-learning written by by ALA Learning Contributing Author Paul Signorelli.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

  • ONLINE @ ALA
    From regional institutes to online classes, ALA offers a wealth of continuing-education resources
  • REFLECTIONS OF CERTIFICATION CANDIDATES AND GRADUATES
    How the online learning experience has touched their lives and advanced their goals
  • E-LEARNING: THE PRODUCT OF A RISK IS A LESSON
    Online learning for library staff is taking shape and taking off
  • FROM THE EDITOR
    Investing in Your Staff with Online Learning, by Jenifer Grady

You can read this supplement in the easy-to-use Zmag web browser format, or download it as a PDF for offline reading. Just click here to get started.

Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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E-readers, Libraries, and Training…Oh My!

After Christmas it hit like a storm. Questions from patrons about e-readers along with usage of NetLibrary and OverDrive soared. With the drop in price of Amazon Kindles and then competitors dropping their prices to match, e-readers went from being the tool of the tech-elite to a device that nearly anyone can afford.

According to Linda Raymond, materials management manager for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, new patron use of OverDrive is up 160% over last year, circulation of digital content increased by 399%, and holds on digital content increased 178%. Raymond says circulation would be even higher if we had more materials to meet the increased demand.

Evolution of Readers

Evolution of Readers by John Blyberg

With this surge in the use of e-readers and library lending of digital materials, questions from the public have increased as well. Nathan Cook, library service specialist II for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library works in the busy Telephone Reference department of the library. Cook says that for the first few days after Christmas nearly every other call was about e-readers–mostly from the elderly who received e-readers as gifts. Now the questions are down to five to six a day

Providing training on e-readers for staff at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been challenging due to the fact that we have no money in our current budget to purchase the devices needed to conduct training. Luckily staff from the North Carolina Master Trainer program have been trained in the use of e-readers and are prepared with an “E-Reader Petting Zoo” which will be coming to Charlotte in April.

How has Cook answered this blitz of questions with no training? Cook says, “I’ve answered questions with a combination of guesswork, luck and the printed instructions that are linked from our Media Downloads page. Between using what we already have available on our page, and the Internet to check out the websites and FAQs of the individual readers themselves (or their makers’ companies), I’d estimate I am actually successful in helping at least 75% or 80% of the questions I get about these services.”

I’m always pleased when I see staff like Cook who are resourceful and seek out the information needed to get the job done. Other staff at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library have taken field trips or training classes to Barnes and Noble to try out the Nook. These are the people we need helping us to research and prepare for training! As leaders in training it is our job to not only provide training for staff, like Cook, who field such questions about tech gadgets but to also anticipate “the next big thing” that will impact our staff.

Our theme at ALA Learning for February and March will be staff training on e-readers. Were you prepared for the e-reader craze? How are you preparing now? Do you have any materials you’d like to showcase here on ALA Learning? In addition to posts from our contributing authors, we want to hear from you! If you have a story to tell or training materials to share, please contact me at webmaster@alalearning.org. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!



Lori Reed

Lori Reed, Managing Editor of ALA Learning, has more than 15 years experience in training and is the Learning & Development Coordinator for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library where she oversees the learning & development of a diverse group of staff at twenty libraries. Lori’s passions are performance consulting, learning strategies, and e-learning. Lori is coauthor, with Paul Signorelli, of Workplace Learning and Leadership: A Handbook for Library and Nonprofit Trainers. Lori also blogs at LoriReed.com and can be reached at lori[at]lorireed.com.

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