On-Demand Webinars

Customer Service/Staff Development

On-demand webinars are archived recordings of previous PLA webinars available 24/7 for viewing at your convenience.

Click to view all webinars—both live and on-demand—currently available in the ALA eLearning catalog.

Please note: As PLA transitions its webinar content to the new, centralized ALA eLearning site, some older on-demand webinars may be temporarily unavailable for purchase. If you’d like to purchase access to an older on-demand webinar, please contact PLA at plawebinars@ala.org and we will follow up with you when these products are available on the new eLearning site. However, many of PLA’s on-demand webinars are free, each denoted with a green “Free!” icon below the title.

 

On-DemandWebinarFree!
Every day community members who lack basic computer knowledge and skills access their local public libraries hoping to complete life tasks many of us take for granted. The Public Library Association (PLA) is proud to partner with AT&T to expand upon its work helping libraries and their communities close the digital divide through new and improved DigitalLearn.org courses and training materials.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
Benchmark: Library Metrics and Trends is the latest evolution in PLA’s data-driven initiatives and tools for libraries. It features a range of interactive data visualizations that allow libraries to easily make peer comparisons across a wide range of metrics related to library programs, services, and operations. Learn how Benchmark can support your library in everyday decision making, such as establishing baselines and identifying opportunities to improve.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
The Census is an essential source for discovering and reconstructing local and family history. Rich data about communities, neighborhoods, and families document local demographics, immigration and naturalization information, ancestral family names, relationships, birth years, and birthplaces. Although the U.S. government has conducted a Census every ten years since 1790, the categories of data collected and the details provided in the Census records vary. Learn how categories for race, ethnicity, and other demographics have changed over time and how that impacts research.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.
On-DemandWebinarFree!
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.