Fresh Start @ Your Library began locally at the Long Branch (NJ) Public Library, providing community reentry support to individuals returning to communities after serving time in prison or jail. In the fall of 2019, the New Jersey State Library, with grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and in partnership with the New Jersey State Parole Board, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Long Branch Public Library, and Free Library of Philadelphia (PA), embarked on a project to scale up Fresh Start @ Your Library.
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.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it critical for health information providers across the country to stay informed about the special protections and benefits health insurance coverage offers to the safety of LGBTQ community members. This free on-demandwebinar helps educate public library practitioners about available health insurance coverage options, benefits, and special federal protections exclusively for LGBTQ communities during the Open Enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act (Nov. 1–Dec. 15, 2020 for plans that start Jan. 1. 2021).
People who visit the library infrequently—or those who don’t visit at all—present a special challenge to public library staff. It’s hard to identify why they don’t use the library, because they typically ignore surveys or focus groups. And without knowing what their needs are, it’s difficult to know what services and programs will attract them. Don’t give up! This on-demand webinar offers some basic techniques that can be used to gain insights about non-users and help you draw them into the library.
Best known for his groundbreaking picture book, The Snowy Day (1962), Ezra Jack Keats created an imaginative, encouraging, and multi-ethnic community within his books. Drawing from Ezra’s legacy, the Ezra Jack Keats (EJK) Award, first awarded in 1986, nurtures and honors our country’s multicultural population, boosting the careers of authors and illustrators whose outstanding books reflect our diverse population and in turn the lives of countless children and families.
As a small agency with a big mission, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) counts on organizations like public libraries to help get information into the hands of people who need it. The FTC is the nation’s consumer protection agency and has created several campaigns, both print and online, to help consumers recognize scams and fraud and deal with them. Learn how your library can be an important part of “Pass It On,” the FTC’s new scam prevention campaign with tips and tools for older adults in your community.
PLA partnered with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office to present this webinar designed to teach participants the value of measuring outcomes within library programs. This introductory webinar provides an overview of outcome measurement and the Project Outcome tools, and is specifically aimed toward programming librarians interested in getting started using outcome measurement.
Public libraries have long been leaders in bringing people into the digital world, providing programs and services that help patrons get jobs, gain knowledge, increase productivity, and engage with others online. Leveraging and strengthening existing library and community resources can help reduce staff burden and increase the library’s impact on digital literacy. In this on-demand webinar, a panel of digital literacy experts share tools, resources, and partnership strategies to help you enhance digital skill development among patrons and library staff.
This on-demand webinar will help viewers understand how social media listening tools like social dashboards can be used to gather insights on a local community’s reaction to isolation and self-quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic. Also learn to use these insights to adjust services and plan programs that address active community needs.
Whole Person LIbrarianship applies social work concepts to library practice to improve patron services across library types.