Face-to-Face Trainings Offered by the Indiana State Library

Do you need a training for a staff day, round table, or counterparts meeting?  Book a PDO staff member to give one of the trainings below.  Please follow the Indiana State Library’s Face to Face Training Policy when booking a trainer.

To begin the planning process with your regional coordinator or children’s consultant, please fill out this form with preliminary details.  All final arrangements will be made with your regional coordinator or children’s consultant.

Choose from the following broad categories:

Adult Trainings | Youth Services

Adult Trainings

Communication in the Library
Good communication is key in the library, but how often do we take the time to evaluate whether we’re doing it well?  At this session we’ll improve our listening skills and make sure we’re sending the right messages to our audience, whether we’re speaking to a co-worker or patron.  We’ll also discuss barriers to clear communication.  Enhanced group exercises are included.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Customer Service
In a library, every interaction is an opportunity for great customer service. This comprehensive workshop is designed for all staff, not just new, front-line staff. Refocus, re-energize, and retrain your staff on excellent patron service, from the phone, to email, to face-to-face interactions. Internal customer service is also included.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Developing Community Partnerships
It is becoming increasingly important to take our libraries into the community and meet people where they are.  How do you start and what things should you consider when approaching possible community partners?  Get tips and tools for developing those community partnerships and relationships.  And learn how other libraries and doing it with real-life examples.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Managing Difficult Situations in Public Service
“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it.  That factor is attitude.”
Anyone who works with others is very likely to be a party to some disagreements on occasion but conflict doesn’t have to be a bad thing.  This training focuses on ways library staff can work with patrons and co-workers to resolve conflict in the workplace and empower them to manage the stress resulting from conflict. Enhanced exercises are included.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Earth, wind & fire – be prepared if disaster strikes!
Disasters can come in many forms!  So whether it be a roof leak, an active shooter, or an F5 tornado, make sure you have a plan for recovery, restoring and rebuilding!  Will cover writing a disaster plan, impact on staff and how preparedness helps if disaster strikes.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Google Drive, Apps and Docs
In this training you will learn the difference between Google drive, Google docs, and Google apps, and how to use them effectively together.  Also included – live demonstrations on how to use Google docs, sheets, slides, hangouts, and more!
Attendees need a Gmail account do this training.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

INSPIRE – Introduction to INSPIRE
Millions of articles, hundreds of government websites, and countless catalog records are all available to you through the INSPIRE Virtual Online Library. You’ll learn search tips, discover unique collections, and explore a valuable, reliable tool available to all Hoosiers.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

INSPIRE – Career Prep/Job Seekers
How do you stand out in a pool of potentially hundreds of job applicants? How do you guide your patrons on preparing for the application process?  Or Interview?  This specialized INSPIRE training will cover some of the common databases within INSPIRE that can be used to answer these and many more questions involving career prep and/or to help your job seeking public.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

INSPIRE – Train the INSPIRE Trainer
Want to help your patrons or students get ahead of the curve at work and in the classroom?   Need help teaching your users about INSPIRE?  No idea on how to start?  Look no further!  This hands on training will give you the tools needed to teach your library users how to get the most out of INSPIRE – Indiana’s free virtual library.   You will be provided with a basic PowerPoint presentation, sample script and lots of tips on how to adapt this presentation for many different groups. It is recommended that you take the Introduction to INSPIRE training, either in person or by watching the video, before taking Train the INSPIRE Trainer.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

INSPIRE for Youth Services
INSPIRE, a collection of databases from the Indiana State Library, is free for all Indiana residents!  But there are so many databases available—which ones are most useful to Youth Services staff, teachers, and kids doing homework?  We’ll cover that and answer your questions during this training.  When requesting the training, please let us know if you have a special audience or focus and we’ll adapt the training to fit you (please request this training a minimum of two months in advance to allow for adaptations).  Length can vary, based on the needs of the audience.
Note: To earn 1 General LEU, the session should be at least 31 minutes.

Invisible Work:  Reference Best Practices in the Public Library
Whether you are new to the reference desk or a seasoned professional, this presentation covers best practices at the Reference desk.  Included are basics of good reference, the reference interview, barriers to good reference, knowing your audience and helpful resources.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

It’s Complicated: Challenging Co-workers
Dealing with mean, sarcastic, argumentative or manipulating co-workers?  You can’t change them, but you can change how you deal with them or how you perceive them. Learn specific tips and different approaches when dealing with difficult situations.  Find your inner strength to survive these challenging co-workers!   Enhanced activities are included.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Professionalism in the Workplace
Professionalism doesn’t always mean what position you hold at a library. It can also mean how you show honesty and responsibility in any position you hold. This presentation will discuss topics such as dress codes, appropriate workplace language and conversations, diversity, and electronic communication issues. Small group exercises are also included.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Self-Care for Library Workers
You love your job, your organization, and your community.  But there can still be days when you feel like you have nothing left to give.  If at the end of the day you feel drained, or irritated, or both, you may be experiencing burnout or compassion fatigue.  Explore ways to take care of yourself so you can continue to show compassion and give your patrons the care they need.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Services from the ISL
Make sure you are getting the most out of your Indiana State Library by learning more about all the services the ISL offers.  From Book Club Kits for kids to reference services for librarians, there’s something for everyone.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Soft Skills for Library Professionals
What are soft skills??!!  Soft skills are personality traits and behaviors you display in different situations.  Hard skills are the knowledge you possess (how to do something).  Find out what soft skills are and the top skills that library employers look for.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Teambuilding 101
Library staff work in an environment that relies on working together. There is no quick fix for building teams or helping build a team atmosphere. Find out why being a team is so important and learn how to build better teams within your library.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Teambuilding 202
Teambuilding 202 is a companion session to Teambuilding 101.  This session is filled with fun activities to bring staff together as a team with a healthy touch of competition.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Tech Kit Training is available on our Moodle – click for more information.

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Youth Services

Booktalking to Children and Teens
If you’re looking for a way to get into schools and to make connections with both kids and teachers, you should start booktalking!  Booktalking is an excellent way to get your audiences excited about books–both new and old, fiction or non-fiction–and provides a perfect opportunity for outreach and engagement.  This introductory session covers the why’s and the how’s of presenting a booktalk.  Are you already an experienced “booktalker?”  Come prepared to share your experiences!
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Children’s Services from the Indiana State Library
This session is all about making your job easier by taking advantage of services offered to you from the Indiana State Library. Book Club Kits, grant opportunities, listservs and more! This session provides an overview of the services the Indiana State Library, including the Indiana Center for the Book and the Indiana Young Readers Center, provides for libraries serving children and teens.
1 General LEU / 40 minutes

INSPIRE for Youth Services
INSPIRE, a collection of databases from the Indiana State Library, is free for all Indiana residents!  But there are so many databases available—which ones are most useful to Youth Services staff, teachers, and kids doing homework?  We’ll cover that and answer your questions during this training.  When requesting the training, please let us know if you have a special audience or focus and we’ll adapt the training to fit you (please request this training a minimum of two months in advance to allow for adaptations).  Length can vary, based on the needs of the audience.
Note: To earn 1 Technology LEU, the session should be at least 31 minutes.

Programming for Teens
Not sure what to do with your teens?  This session wilI cover teen programming best practices, and we’ll discuss how you can reach teens if they aren’t already coming in your door.  Please note that while some program ideas may come up, the focus is not sharing specific programming ideas.  This training is great for teen services round tables and other gatherings of youth services librarians.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Readers’ Advisory for Youth
In this session, we will talk about the readers’ advisory interview and how to match the right book to the right reader.  This training focuses specifically on best practices for Readers’ Advisory for Youth and does not include an overview of current titles. This interactive session allows participants to practice their RA skills and is great for youth services staff looking for a refresher course as well as adult librarians who’d like more insight into providing RA to youth.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Serving Homeschoolers
The numbers of homeschoolers are steadily increasing in Indiana every year and often those families are heavy library users.  Learners will leave this workshop understanding why families may choose to homeschool, the methods parents may use to homeschool their children, why the library is a natural partner for homeschoolers, and suggestions for how their library might better serve this population.  This training is appropriate for all staff, as all library staff may encounter homeschoolers in some way.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Running STEM Programs for Youth
This training will address best practices for implementing STEM programs for youth in your library.  We’ll discuss the benefits of STEM programming and how it connects to literacy, with a focus on encouraging critical thinking through science experiments.  Participants will experience a short sample program and will have a chance to practice asking open-ended questions. This training is derived from the Leap into Science program, which was developed by The Franklin Institute science museum in Philadelphia.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Teens & the Library
 This workshop will cover the basics of teens & the library:  Why we should want them in the library, how we can serve them, basic developmental information, and best practices for interacting with them.  Library staff in all departments can benefit from a deeper understanding of the teens they encounter in the library, so this training is perfect for general sessions at staff days.
1 General LEU / 60 minutes

Youth Services Workshops Offered Annually

The following workshops are scheduled in advance by the Children’s Consultant, rather than on-demand.  These trainings are set at the end of each year for the following year.  In general, no additional sessions are added once the calendar is set for these trainings.  Watch for these on the Indiana State Library Calendar of Events.

Collaborative Summer Library Program
Every year, the Children’s Consultant schedules a number of Collaborative Summer Library Program Trainings/Roundtables across the state.  These trainings change yearly and are based on the CSLP slogan and theme for the upcoming summer.   Participants can expect to be introduced to the theme, the artwork, and the manual for the current year’s CSLP Summer Reading Program, followed by a round table discussion of programming ideas where attendees share their own program ideas with the group.    An adapted version of the training will be available via webinar each year.  Check the Events Calendar for upcoming opportunities!  LEUs dependent on time spent.

Every Child Read to Read & School Readiness in Storytime
Talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing! Parents who do these five things (while sprinkling in early math & science skills) can set their children up for success in school. This workshop will introduce attendees to the Every Child Ready to Read program, as well as the basic tenants of the Reimagining School Readiness program, and will discuss ways to encourage reading and school readiness during storytime. Join us for this interactive workshop that will provide you with concrete examples for using ECRR in your library. While this training is introductory in nature, those looking for a refresher on the ECRR practices are welcome to attend.  Check the Events Calendar for upcoming opportunities!  LEUs dependent on time spent.

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Updated 7-20-2021 PN