On-Demand Webinars

What are the unique needs and opportunities for youth in the current workforce landscape and how can libraries help? The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the workforce readiness track and educational path for today’s young adults. In the past, many young people have pursued part-time employment and the development of skills and interests in anticipation of college or career readiness.

Nearly one in three US workers lack foundational digital skills—with 13% having no digital skills and 18% with very limited skills, according to the National Skills Coalition’s New Landscape of Digital Literacy report released in May 2020. Digital divides have persisted for decades, but COVID threw it into stark, unavoidable relief. By some accounts, the pandemic accelerated ten years of planned technological change in workplaces in less than a year.

During this on-demand webinar—the third in the Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development series—hear from a panel of experts who have made sense of the maze of available learning opportunities to connect workers to high-quality non-degree credentials (NDCs) that lead to in-demand jobs and career pathways. Learn about nationally recognized, “stackable,” and portable credentials, and how library staff are supporting patrons to secure them to boost their employability and career mobility.

Data literacy is increasingly an essential skill set for navigating everyday life. Learn how public libraries can increase awareness and understanding among youth of the pervasive role of data in their lives. The rich resources of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistics in Schools are a valuable tool to advance data literacy, and many libraries are using Census data to foster civic education and community engagement among children and teens. The webinar speakers discuss approaches to data literacy that reach diverse populations and address real-world issues of interest to youth.

This webinar—the second in the Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development series—highlights LMI resources and use cases and demonstrates how this information can inform and improve workforce service development, outreach, and partnerships to connect residents with in-demand jobs, gain in-demand skills, and improve economic mobility.

The first webinar in the Public Libraries: Partners in Workforce Development series introduces and showcases national workforce partners and local collaborative program examples. Panelists will answer the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and, most importantly, HOW to collaborate to improve library services and visibility—no matter your starting point—as well as enhance patron and community impacts. Hear from the director of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies and better understand their network and resources. Learn about local workforce ecosystems from the Urban Institute.

Discover the power of Census data to help your community's entrepreneurs plan and grow their businesses. In addition to demographic data, the U.S. Census Bureau collects information about American businesses, providing opportunities to use data to build business plans, compare industries and locations, investigate workforce characteristics, research local labor market indicators, and assess the economic health of your community.

The history of public libraries is deeply rooted in white supremacy, and white cultural norms still dominate management practices in public libraries today. In order to create more inclusive workplace cultures in public libraries, new norms must be established by creating decision-making processes and modes of communication that honor the cultural norms of BIPOC staff members.

Program coordinators, department heads, and other supervisors are the leadership of public libraries on the front lines, but they don't always have a seat at the table when administrators talk about change within the library. Hear from public librarians representing libraries of varying sizes, geographic regions, and diverse populations who have affected change from their positions in middle management through effective communications, advocacy, and storytelling.

Public library directors fill a unique role in their organizations as leaders in both policy and culture. Whether it is a single building rural library to a multi-location big city system, all library directors face a series of similar problems as they strive to keep operations going. Between budgets, politics, policies, and staffing, no two days are the same. In this on-demand panel discussion, experienced directors will share their stories about why they chose this career path, its challenges, and their thoughts on the future of the profession.