Tag Archives: Customer Service

Inspiring Library Growth Through Outreach – 1 LEU

image of the floyd county library logoEmbracing the old saying “the more you know, the more you grow” holds true for Libraries, but with just a little adjusting, “the more you are known, the more you’ll grow.” Expanding outreach allows the community to know and acknowledge the Library as a thriving community service.  Using this idea the Floyd County Library Director Melissa Merida will share their library’s expansion of services over the last 5 years through creating unique service locations including an art museum, a digital library branch, and a satellite library in a local college library. Their approach through a low cost commitment to deliver creative outreach points of service without a bookmobile will be highlighted and tools for successful events will be shared .  “Our growth in branches, funding and services is not due to any one thing, it is due to staff being committed to dream big and finding a way to say “yes” to community events and partnerships.” Allowing people to SEE the Library in new and unique ways that has people asking for library locations in their neighborhoods.  The ideas that will be shared can be duplicated or may inspire your own creativity.

Date Recorded: 4/12/2023

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter:  Melissa Merida, Library Director / Floyd County Public Library

 

Dementia Friendly Community Collaborations: Thrive Alliance and Bartholomew County Public Library – 1 LEU

image of brain with missing piece and elderly man with a caneOver the last decade many areas in the state of Indiana have paid increasing attention to individuals living with dementia, primarily due to the rapid growth of the elderly population. Thrive Alliance and Bartholomew County Public Library have formed a partnership to work with individuals that are experiencing memory issues. This partnership has included working with music, delivering educational programs to the community at large and to the staff at the library, circulating kits targeting this population, and many more services. Come learn about how Thrive Alliance and Bartholomew Public Library evaluated and implemented these services.

Date Recorded: 1/11/2023

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Sue Lamborn / Thrive Alliance and Sandy Allman / Bartholomew County Public Library

 

Because We Matter – 1 LEU

telehealth doctor and patient on computer screenThe Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of social workers will grow 12% from 2020 to 2030 to meet an increase in demand. Further, with the growth of telehealth and telemedicine visits continuing beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals are finding more ways to reach their healthcare providers. However, in rural areas, finding local providers and reliable Internet access can create a barrier to access. As public libraries have long been viewed as the central hub for information, gatherings, and broadband service, their pivot to serve as a place for patrons to meet virtually with social workers comes at an opportune time. This presentation will show how three public libraries developed a pilot program – titled “Because You Matter” – with the Indiana University School of Social Work to coordinate weekly telehealth visits with social work students and library patrons. They’ll share successes, failures, and what they learned to improve the program in the future. 

Date Recorded: 10/26/22

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Stephanie Rawlins / Director, Pike County Public Library & Jordan Orwig / Director, Sullivan County Public Library & Nathan Watson / Director, Bedford Public Library

 

 

I See a Library! Making Libraries More Accessible to the Visually Impaired – 1 LEU

Kate KosiorIt’s a daunting tasks for librarians to consider how best to welcome visually impaired patrons into their libraries.  However, with a better understanding of what vision loss is, you can make quick, easy, and inexpensive changes to your library that will open the doors more fully to those with vision loss.  Learn more about vision loss and how to quickly and easily change your flyers and presentations, physical space, technology, and signage to be more accessible.

Date Recorded: 6/8/22

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter:  Kate Kosior, Braille and Talking Book Library Manager / South Dakota State Library

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An Empathetic Approach to Customer Service Training – 1 LEU

Molly Meyers LaBadieThis presentation addresses customer service training by growing and nurturing empathy and empowering staff to navigate the gray areas in our policies. Using storytelling and group interaction, we will look at special and challenging situations such as code of conduct violations and difficult patrons. Discover how understanding our own implicit biases and not assuming the worst of our patrons can help you offer consistent customer service to everyone we serve.

Date Recorded: 8/25/21

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter: Molly LaBadie, Deputy Director / Delaware County District Library

Molly Meyers LaBadie has been in Libraries for almost 20 years. She was lucky to have four of those as a Library Trainer allowing her to train staff in customer service and spend time learning what really made a difference. Currently, as a Deputy Director, she finds that empathy for both staff and patrons is a powerful tool in offering exceptional customer service.

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Readers Advisory: The Art of Finding the Right Book – 1 LEU

Join librarian, book review blogger, and bookstagrammer Laura Jones as she shares her favorite readers advisory tools and tips to help library staff find the right book for even those patrons with the most eclectic tastes!

Date Recorded: 9/17/21

Format:  Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Laura Jones, Indiana State Library

 

Speak Up: Responding to Uncomfortable Situations – 1 LEU

This session covers real incidents that happened in libraries and good ways to respond to those uncomfortable situations. Great pro tips for new & seasoned library workers.

Date Recorded: 9/17/21

Format:  Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Paula Newcom and Kara Cleveland, Indiana State Library

Speak Up Resources List

 

A Trauma-Informed Approach to Public Library Social Service – 1 LEU

 

handsAthens (Georgia) Regional Library is one of the first public libraries to refocus a social work program toward a trauma-informed framework. This session presents replicable steps in providing library services, designing and implementing policies, and supplying holistic training for staff utilizing a trauma-informed lens. As libraries are asked to do more with less, this session highlights easily attained methods of becoming trauma-informed and establishing a system which reflects the assets of the community and organizational values. 1hr / 1 LEU.

Date Recorded: 6/30/21

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenters:  Trudi Green / Assistant Director for Public Services, Athens Regional Library System; Jennifer Elkins / Associate Professor, University of Georgia School of Social Work; Sarah List / Information Services Librarian, Athens Regional Library System.

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Affordable After Hours Pick-up Service – 1 LEU

Working patrons sometimes struggle with getting to the library before we close. By implementing an after hours pick up service you can now offer the freedom to pick up materials on the patron’s schedule instead of the library schedule. Learn how using a set of lockers and specialty locks can allow you to provide convenient pick-up times at your library for less than $1,000. Materials, processes, and our lessons learned will be shared.

Date Recorded:  04/07/2021

Format: Archived YouTube Video

Presenter:  Julie Elmore, Director, Oakland City Columbia Township Public Library