Objectives of this webinar are to learn how grief affects children at different developmental stages. The Do’s and Don’ts of trauma informed responses. And how to best support grieving youth and families.
Date Recorded: 6/25/2025
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Lindsy Diener-Locke / Ryan’s Place (Goshen, Indiana)
Caregivers often face overwhelming physical, emotional, and mental challenges while balancing caregiving with their own well-being. In this session, librarians will learn how to support caregivers by connecting them with trusted health resources from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other key organizations. Participants will explore effective strategies for making libraries welcoming, resource-rich spaces for caregivers and gain practical tools to help prevent caregiver burnout within the community. Join us to strengthen your library’s role as a supportive hub for caregivers, fostering resilience and connection.
Date Recorded: 01/08/2025
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Bobbi L. Newman, MLIS, MA, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist, Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) Region 6, Wellness Ambassador, Senior Librarian, The University of Iowa Libraries
Get an inside view of how and why a public library transitioned from an insurance incentive that targeted those who failed screening benchmarks to a wellness incentive that treats health as holistic. Come learn about the research behind incentives and see how one program evolved. Presenters will detail inclusive and holistic features, ask attendees to personalize ideas for their own institutions, and break wellness activities into pieces that can be applied with or without an insurance discount.
Date recorded: 5/8/24
Format: Archived YouTube video
Presenters: Faith Brautigam, Library Director and Christie Tate, Head of Human Resources and Volunteers / Kokomo – Howard County Public Library
In our everyday work, we focus much of our time and energy on patron services, ways to improve these services, and innovative ways to support our patrons and communities. Yet, we regularly neglect one significantly underserved population – ourselves. Specifically, the mental health needs of librarians and library workers. These needs, alongside support, are rarely addressed in conference presentations or continuing education programs. This webinar will discuss practical and meaningful approaches for librarians and library workers to manage emotional labor, triggering service experiences, and compassion fatigue, preventing burnout or furthering of mental health issues. Additionally, this webinar will offer ways in which management and colleagues can compassionately and respectfully support those who are experiencing a mental health crisis.
Date Recorded: 04/24/2024
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Abigail Phillips, Assistant Professor – School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Learn how libraries can partner with local and state funding sources to bring evidence-based fitness programs, fall prevention courses, and chronic disease-management classes to their libraries. The focus will be on older adult programming. Hear from other Indiana libraries about their success stories and expansion efforts into offering community education classes for this special segment of the population.
Date Recorded: 04/10/24
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Fran Fisher, CEO of Geri-Fit Company, LLC
Stephanie Haines, from the Indiana Arts Commission, talks about the Lifelong Arts Indiana a program that teaches the benefits and practices of “Creative Aging.” Creative Aging is the purposeful development of creative experiences to benefit older adults, often in partnership with a local artist. Libraries have a meaningful connection with older adults in their community and the Indiana Arts Commission would like to provide library staff with the tools and funding needed to implement meaningful Creative Aging programs. Check out this great example of a strong creative aging program at a library from our friends at the Delaware Arts Commission https://youtu.be/N-WXvIaKyFw?feature=shared Indiana Arts Commission is offering up to 35 libraries across the state a Lifelong Arts Early Action Grant which will fund a sequential arts-learning experience for a group of older adults in their community. Grants will be for up to $5,000 and will be led by a qualified artist.
Date Recorded: 1/10/2024
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Stephanie Haines, Arts Education and Accessibility Program Manager, Indiana Arts Commission
Resources:
Sign up here: Lifelong Arts Creative Aging learning & funding sign up https://forms.office.com/g/Vh6H819GGW
Deadline February 26, 2024 4pmET
Contact info for Roberta Wong
The staff of the North Manchester Public Library strive to meet the needs of their community in a variety of innovative ways. Unique programs and resources strengthen community relationships, center the library as an integral part of community life, and undergird literacy. In this webinar, Sarah Morbitzer, Children’s Department head, will share the ways NMPL is working to promote food security, physical activity, sensory integration, accessibility, and curiosity in learning.
Presenter Sarah Morbitzer began her career in the library world as a 10 year old volunteer. As a high school student she was hired as a clerk and promoted to Children’s programmer in her late teens. She later served as a Children’s Department Assistant and is now the Children’s Department Head at the North Manchester Public Library. Big ideas get her excited and one of her greatest joys is implementing new ideas at the library to blow patrons’ minds and get them excited about coming to their library!
Date Recorded: 5/10/2023
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Sarah Morbitzer / North Manchester Public Library
Resource: Beyond Books Serving the Whole Patron resources
The 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
In this webinar we will be exploring the various database options within INSPIRE for use with health or medicine research requests. Join us for an overview of the database and come with questions.
Date Recorded: 3/9/22
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: George Bergstrom / Indiana State Library
Resources
Athens (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.
Resources: