BlogJunction » Weekly Tips

Weekly Tips: Traverse the Webinar Archives

Becca — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:01:26 +0000

As anyone who has attended a webinar knows, online education is a fun and enriching experience. Do you have a specific topic you’d like to learn more about? Check out WebJunction’s webinar archives for learning opportunities in various subjects.

The Spanish Language Outreach Program has archives for the In Depth Webinar series.

Learn about Effectively Dealing with Anti-Immigrant Sentiment.
Expand your reference skills with Strategies for the Health Reference Interview with Spanish Speakers.

Services to Rural and Small Libraries include the In Focus archives at Rural Webinars.

Contribute to the evolving world of our physical spaces in libraries in Bringing People Together at the Library.
Improve relations with your Board or make a great relationship even better in Board Challenges and Successes.

The Learning Webinars will keep you abreast of the great ways to optimize ongoing learning opportunities.

In Pat Wagner’s Webinar on Library Leadership and LE@D, she touts the benefits of training all library staff in leadership skills.

Create an educational environment for both employees and patrons at your library in 10 Ways to Make Your Library Great in 2008.

Last Week’s Poll Results: Podcasting

Past Tips:

Banish Burnout
Join the Conversation
View all out past tips here.

Weekly Tips: Podcasting

Becca — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:22:28 +0000

Providing audio content on your library’s website improves the user experience and enriches patron services. WebJunction’s Pathfinder on Creating Audio and Podcasts for Your Library will navigate you to different resources on podcasting, including this quick guide. To acquaint yourself with the finer points of working with sound files, check out this article.

Discover the unique needs of creating podcasts for academic libraries in Learning to Speak: Creating a Library Podcast With a Unique Voice.

Check out examples of what other libraries are doing with podcasts at the Library Success Wiki Podcasting page.

Last Week’s Poll Results: Banish Burnout

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Weekly Tips: Banish Burnout

Becca — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:29:41 +0000

Library professionals are no strangers to burnout. Indeed, the high demands of our work are sure to take a toll sooner or later. If you’re feeling the effects of burnout, it’s time to prioritize your well-being and recharge your batteries.

Running on Empty: Dealing with Burnout in the Library Setting – This article from LIScareer.com is a must-read for preventing, identifying, and coping with burnout.
Return to the roots of your passion in the Why do you love libraries? discussion.
This month’s I’m Curious, George provides sound advice on how to Beat the Winter Blues.
Improving Co-Worker Relationships – If workplace politics are getting you down, picking up tools for interpersonal interactions from this course can help.
Feeling the tension? Check out a course on Stress Management. People who are paragons of peace seem impervious to stress, but really they just manage it well!

Even when you love what you do, burnout can occasionally trickle in. Remember, it’s a good feeling when you can look forward to going to work. Be kind to yourself: take time to refocus your priorities, prevent exhaustion, and banish burnout!

Last Week’s Poll Results: Join the Conversation

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Weekly Tips: Join the Conversation

Becca — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:12:28 +0000

An online discussion forum is a great medium for holding conversations amongst busy, geographically dispersed people. At WebJunction, the Discussion Boards are the place where your fellow library professionals deliberate all matters concerning our work, from technology to patron services. Since we all face similar problems, the next step is to share solutions! Some interesting topics to explore:

Test your patron services programming ideas or get inspired in The Idea Exchange.
Seeking employment in the library field comes with unique challenges. If you’re happily settled, share any tips and tricks to landing a fulfilling position in Job Searching.
Disaster doesn’t just happen to facilities. Check out the various Networking & Security threads for managing and protecting your library’s networks.
Some forum questions become the Question of the Week.

Participating in a conversation with like-minded souls is heartening, and even if they’re not like-minded, thrashing out differences is an elevating learning experience. Think about taking the next step and join the conversation today!

Last Week’s Poll Results: Online Communities of Practice

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Weekly Tips: Online Communities of Practice

Becca — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 06:29:19 +0000

According to this definition, a community of practice is “[An] informal, self-organized, network of peers with diverse skills and experience in an area of practice or profession”. Virtual communities of practice stem from emerging internet technologies, and their influence on knowledge management and innovation is well known. In the collaboration that occurs across community sharing, new knowledge is created, which can evolve a profession into exciting new territory. Has your engagement in your favorite communities been dwindling? Check out some resources to recharge your batteries:

Recent Research on Virtual Communities. Read this comprehensive article that covers everything from forum behaviors (have you ever “flamed” a discussion board?) to building successful virtual community spaces.
In Everything I Need to Know I Learned Online, WebJunction’s own Chrystie Hill advocates the leverage of online communities amongst librarians in order to enrich our work and improve patron services.
Library websites aren’t just for the catalog. Read about Michael Habib’s focus on creating community within library websites in this feature from the Member Spotlight Archives.
Use the Community of Practice discussion space in All Aboard for discussing your experiences with developing, contributing, and learning from communities of practice.

Last Week’s Poll Results: The Open Source Alternative

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Weekly Tips: The Open Source Alternative

Becca — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:37:16 +0000

The debate between open source and proprietary software is lively and ongoing. Some libraries succeed with large-scale open source overhauls, while others prefer the use of one or two open source applications. The function, should you choose to go there, is dependent on the unique environment of your library. WebJunction has a focus on Open Source Software which includes the following articles that can help you evaluate where your library stands.

What is Open Source?

Uses in Public Access Computing

Uses in Integrated Library Systems

Uses in Virtual Reference Services

There’s an upcoming course on open source solutions in April, don’t miss No Geeks Required: Open Source Public Workstations, Options and Issues. Also check out what WebJunction members are saying in the Open Source Solutions for Libraries discussion space.

Last Week’s Poll Results: Proactive Disaster Planning

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Weekly Tips: Proactive Disaster Planning

Becca — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:21:41 +0000

Your ability to recover from disaster is in direct proportion to how prepared you are beforehand. WebJunction has a focus on preparation and prevention in Disaster Planning. Explore a group of resources that cover strategies for protection, including risk management, prevention methods, and creating a practical disaster relief plan.

Flooding is one of the biggest concerns for libraries. In the aftermath of the destructive flooding of Hurricane Katrina, a nationwide sense of urgency arose in an effort to ready ourselves for future disasters. The following resources promote considerations for future prevention efforts:

Algiers Regional Library: Riding the Aftermath of Katrina
FEMA at ALA
WebJunction’s Focus on Disaster Planning and Recovery for Libraries
When There is No Time to Plan: Responding to the Information Needs of Hurricane Katrina’s Victims
Visit the Disaster Planning & Recovery discussion space in All Aboard.

The following courses are a great opportunity for learning about effective disaster planning:

Last Week’s Poll Results: Successful Patron Interactions

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Weekly Tips: Successful Patron Interactions

Becca — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:11:24 +0000

If you’ve ever come away from a patron interaction feeling frustrated and discouraged, you’re not alone. Providing services to people is an unpredictable roller coaster of twists and turns, and sometimes it feels like you’re barely hanging on for the ride! The good news is that working effectively with the public is a skill set that can be learned and refined through practice.

Techniques and tools can help you customize best practices to fit your personality and library. The following courses will help you manage the spectrum of patron interactions.

Transform negative interactions into positive learning experiences through exchanges with your community. Getting support is crucial for maintaining an upbeat disposition.

Difficult Patron Behavior – Focus on Success: Use this forum for sharing your winning methods with fellow members.
For further inspiration, read some great Success Stories from the WebJunction Community.
For an example of a helpful policy, check out the Middletown Problem Patron Policy.
Virtual reference is a unique service that is no stranger to challenging patron interactions. Read a study on trends in inappropriate behavior in “Hurry! Hurry! r u dum? *#%@!”.

Last Week’s Poll Results: Choose the Right Path

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Weekly Tips: Build Strong Readers

Becca — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:31:52 +0000

There are many factors that work against youth literacy, sprouting more and more reluctant readers every day. Once we get them in the library the opportunities for fostering a lifelong passion for reading are endless. The challenge is big, but extra resources and your library community can help you create a strong group of future bibliophiles!

Reaching Reluctant Readers – This course offers varied ideas for libraries to implement in order to stimulate an interest in reading.
Readergirlz: An Online Book Community Celebrating Gutsy Girls in Life and Lit This online community is a place for girls to connect with each other and build strong ties around reading, a key catalyst for empowerment.
Promoting Reading Among Boys: Reasons and Methods – This comprehensive paper presents recent research on the declining readership of boys and offers ways that librarians can reverse this distressing trend.
Beyond Angst: What’s New in Literature and Resources for GLBT Youth and Their Allies – Meet the specific needs of your GLBT youth patrons and initiate a love for reading in the process.
Help create a shared online collection of materials that create strong readership. The Turnaround Titles discussion is where you can add titles that have helped change the tide of youth reader apathy at your library.

Giving young readers a platform to voice their opinions is another idea. The Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Award is coming up in mid-March, and this post from All Aboard refers to the helpful nominee discussion guides from Multnomah County Library.

Last Week’s Poll Results: Harness the Power of the Budget

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Weekly Tips: Harness the Power of the Budget

Becca — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:04:12 +0000

Regardless of whether you write this detailed planning report, its contents affect every aspect of library operations. The following three companion courses will get you up to speed on making sense of budgets:

Understanding Budgets – This overview course can help you take control of the budget process with confidence.
Basic Budgeting – Learn about different budget building blocks, including forecasting, presentation, and adoption.
Financial Management – Once the budget has passed, the work of managing it begins. This course covers ongoing concerns such as budget revisions, tracking systems, and financial management software.

Technology and materials are examples of two important expenditures covered by your budget. Browse Technology Budgeting for help with planning technology costs. In All Aboard, members are discussing the Materials Budget Allocation and Materials Budget for Rural Libraries. Finally, further resources can be found at ALA’s wiki, which has a spot for Library Budgets and Funding.

Last Week’s Poll Results: Planning Interior Spaces

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