ASCLA 2014 Midwinter workshops: leadership success, online course design and how to become a library consultant

2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in PhiladelphiaDesigning online courses, the secrets to successful leadership and how to become a library consultant are some of the exciting topics to be addressed at institutes offered by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) at the 2014 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia.

ASCLA, a small, mighty and innovative division of the American Library Association, is known for high quality educational events that offer skills and information to transform your library or your career. These 2014 Midwinter institutes continue this outstanding tradition with three institutes and one networking luncheon scheduled between Thursday, Jan. 23 and Saturday, Jan. 25.

All of these events require advance ticket purchase, however registration for the 2014 Midwinter Meeting is not required in order to purchase a ticket. Bundle registration for 2014 Midwinter institutes, the 2014 Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference will open on Sept. 9. Regular Midwinter meeting registration will open on Oct. 1. ASCLA members receive the best registration rates on all of these events; learn more about ASCLA and join today.

Visit www.alamidwinter.org/bundle beginning Sept. 9 for more information about Bundle registration. Additional meeting information can be found at www.alamidwinter.org.

This year’s Midwinter institutes and events hosted by ASCLA are:

Designing Online Courses for Significant Learning Experiences
8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24 
Are you a teaching librarian currently offering an online course but looking for ways to enhance the course structure and content? Are you a seasoned professional with special skills and expertise that you see a market for via an e-course? Developing and teaching online courses that create the best possible learning experiences for student participants is both an art and a science. Using a collaborative, hands-on approach, presenters Dr. Stewart Ross and Linda Jacoby of internationally known consulting firm Dee Fink and Associates will guide institute participants through the (re)design of an online course using an integrated course design template. At the end of the workshop, participants will have the skills and confidence to assist others in the development of online courses, or to develop their own online training modules or courses. The techniques applied in this session can also be applied to face-to-face course development. All participants will receive certificates of participation. REGISTRATION RATES: ASCLA members, $279; ALA members, $299; non-ALA members, $349; Student/Retired members of ALA, $229.

Knowing You, Knowing Them: The Secret to Successful Leadership
9 a.m. – 4 p.m, Friday, Jan. 24
One of the biggest challenges of leading others is understanding what makes them tick. This full-day workshop will help you understand both yourself in light of your leadership responsibilities and those who work for you. Instead of offering a checklist or template of how-tos, presenter Linda Bruno, MBA, will focus on the human element of leadership. You will leave this session with insights into personalities, emotional intelligence, dealing with change and creating a motivating environment – secrets that can help you be a more successful leader! Linda has presented several workshops for ASCLA and receives rave reviews for her content and presentations. REGISTRATION RATES: ASCLA members, $279; ALA members, $299; non-ALA members, $339; Student/Retired members of ALA, $229.

Assembling a Consulting Toolkit: What You Need to Know to be a Successful Library Consultant
1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23 and 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24

ASCLA – the home to library consultants and independent librarians within ALA – is bringing back its wildly successful, sell-out workshop! Seasoned consultants Nancy Bolt and Liz Bishoff will present an overview of the consultant’s role and guide you through an active and engaging self-assessment to uncover your unique consulting potential and strengths. Takeaways include marketing tips, pricing your services, responding to RFPs, finding clients, business management strategies and so much more. Note that this event is held over two days–Thursday afternoon and Friday morning–with an opportunity for networking on Thursday evening. This institute will not be offered in Las Vegas, so don’t miss out on this opportunity! REGISTRATION RATES: ASCLA members, $279; ALA members, $299; non-ALA members, $339; Student/Retired members of ALA, $229.

Consultants Networking Luncheon hosted by ASCLA Library Consultants Interest Group
12 – 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 25, 
Lunch and learn with colleagues! This event provides an opportunity for consultants and independent librarians to make connections with other professionals. We’ll also have an hour of education focused on valuable skills for consultants; last year’s event covered icebreaker activities, refining your elevator speech and Twitter. The event is hosted by ASCLA’s Library Consultants Interest Group (http://connect.ala.org/node/151445). Whether you’re new to consulting or have decades of experience, please join this fun group for some peer-to-peer networking and education. REGISTRATION RATES: ASCLA members, $79; ALA members, $95; non-ALA members, $99; Student/Retired members of ALA, $79.

ASCLA, a small, mighty and growing division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a diverse organization of librarians and support staff who work in academic and public libraries, state agencies, specialized libraries and cooperatives, as well as those who are self-employed. Our division’s work centers on member-driven interest groups that represent the diversity and important work of our engaged and active members. Learn more about ASCLA and how to join this innovative division.

Call for online learning proposals: Submit by Sept. 10 for ASCLA online courses, webinars

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ASCLA invites subject matter experts and experienced librarians with knowledge to share to submit proposals for ASCLA webinars and online courses to be presented between October 2013 and August 2014 as a part of ASCLA’s outstanding online learning offerings.

ASCLA welcomes proposals on topics that will assist our diverse membership in improved service delivery and job performance, as well as topics that reflect ASCLA’s expertise and are valuable for all types of libraries, librarians and library support staff across the profession.

Proposals will be accepted Aug. 1-Sept. 1 through September 10. Webinars approved for presentation will be offered between Oct. 22 and Dec. 1. Approved online courses will launch in February or March 2014.

What are we currently offering as webinars and online courses? Check them out at the ASCLA website. More information about the submission process and ASCLA’s online learning offerings is at the ASCLA website under the Online Learning section.

Webinar presenters and online learning instructors are compensated for their work and will receive training and support for Blackboard Collaborate, the webinar technology platform used by the division, and Moodle, the online tool used for courses.

Ready to submit a proposal?

Access the online webinar submission form here.

          Download a PDF of the webinar form to help you prepare your submission.

Access the online course submission form here.

          Download a PDF of the online course form to help you prepare your submission.

Proposal topics for courses and webinars may include, but are not limited to the following (listed in no particular order, and bulleted for easier reading):

  • ADA updates for libraries; adult programming in a correctional library; eBooks;
  • assessing accessibility knowledge; benchmarks and evaluation measures; best practices, standards and guidelines to improve library services;
  • innovative services for an aging population; budgeting; collaborative digitization;
  • correctional librarianship 101: covering the basics of a good prison/jail library; data analysis and assessment;
  • dealing with learning disabilities; designing effective surveys; cultivating member loyalty through relationships in cooperative organizations;
  • download training for patrons who use screen readers; emerging technologies for those with special needs, including apps and iPads;
  • evaluating and improving cooperative services; evaluation content analysis; financial literacy;
  • future trends in library service; GIS training; grants: how to find grant funding and write your proposal;
  • group purchasing; health literacy; how to be a consultant; how to be a futurist; how to deliver online training;
  • how to hire a library consultant; nonprofit leadership; increasing public understanding of the value of libraries;
  • innovations in library service; law librarianship for correctional librarians; managing and improving services in a library cooperative;
  • marketing library services to special needs populations; marketing on a shoestring budget; navigating book selection sources;
  • outcomes-based education; outreach skills; outreach to visually or physically handicapped populations;
  • partnering with community organizations; project planning; public education as a marketing tool; recognizing great service in member libraries;
  • seeking grants for consultancy work; services to library patrons with cognitive or mental impairments;
  • low-literacy adults; diverse populations, including special needs populations; tablet computers;
  • training staff to confidently serve library users with disabilities, and raising awareness of this important population;
  • technology trends for special needs populations; utilizing focus groups to prioritize services to the disabled; and working with refugees.

Questions about submissions or about ASCLA’s online learning programs should be sent to Andrea Hill, ASCLA web manager and primary online learning contact at ahill@ala.org.

 

More learning opportunities from our ALA colleagues

Our friends down the hall at the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) have some pretty awesome online courses starting next Monday, Feb. 9. Brief descriptions are below, but you can read full descriptions and register at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/edcareeers/profdevelopment/alscweb/index.cfm

Fees are $95 for personal ALSC members; $145 for personal ALA members; and $165 for non-members.

Questions? Please contact Aimee Strittmatter, ALSC Deputy Director, at astrittmatter@ala.org or (312) 280-2164.

Courses include:
The Tech Savvy Booktalker
Get children excited about books by using booktalks. Booktalks are not book reviews but short promos that tease the child into wanting to know more. Why not jazz up the booktalks by adding a technology component? During this course, learn how to make use of available technology to enhance integration for student success. From podcasts to Powerpoint, from MovieMaker to Photostory, Nancy Keane, author of fourteen books, will share ideas that will help you become the Tech-Savvy Booktalker.
Instructor: Nancy J. Keane, Library Media Specialist, Rundlett Middle School

Sharing Poetry with Children
This course offers an introduction to the major poets, titles, and anthologies of contemporary poetry published for children with a focus on interactive and participatory techniques and approaches for sharing poetry with children and fostering their responses to poetry. For librarians and library aides who work with children ages 5-12.
Instructor: Sylvia M. Vardell, Professor, Texas Woman’s University

The Newbery Medal: Past, Present and Future
What does it mean when we recommend Newbery Award winners to the children in our communities? Should the ALA seal of approval stand for 100 years? Why is that gold medal often considered the “kiss of death” by kids? How can we help parents and teachers understand what the Newbery Medal is – and isn’t? This 6-week online course will give participants a solid grounding in the history of the Medal and how it’s changed over time; an opportunity to read, discuss and consider past and present Newbery winners with their colleagues from across the nation; a chance to talk to former Newbery Committee members and a Newbery author, and suggestions for programming using Newbery-winning books.
Instructor: Kathleen T. Horning, Director, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, University of Wisconsin- Madison