Join us for an insightful webinar designed specifically for libraries on how to use Microsoft Teams as an effective communication tool at all levels of your organization. Learn from Emily Ellis, Director of Greenwood Public Library, as she shares her 18 years of experience transitioning staff from tools like Google Docs and Trillian to Teams.
Topics include:
- Streamlining communication with department-specific Teams and special project channels.
- Best practices for staff training and a smooth rollout.
- How to use Teams for transparency, quick access to information, and efficient project management.
Believing strongly that some change is good, Emily Ellis has 18 years of experience working with an amazing staff who is adverse to “new” – especially technology. While serving as Assistant Director she somehow managed to get her building of 30+ employees to not only start using Microsoft Teams, but embracing it as a positive…over the course of a year. Now as Director of Greenwood Public Library, she is dedicated to finding other “new” ideas that improve communication, efficiency, and productivity within her building.
Date Recorded: 5/27/2026
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Emily Ellis, Executive Director / Greenwood Public Library
Resources:
This workshop will walk participants through the full lifecycle of a successful community placemaking project, from grant award to ribbon cutting. Jaime Pitt, Director of the Marion Public Library, and Kelsey Winters, Project Lead, will share their firsthand experiences obtaining a Community Placemaking Grant and partnering with Project for Public Spaces (PPS) to reimagine the library’s outdoor courtyard. Presenters will discuss the project process from design to implementation, and how meaningful community engagement and collaboration shaped this public space from start to finish. The session will conclude with lessons learned and insights on celebrating the completed project with the community, offering practical guidance and takeaways for libraires and organizations undertaking similar placemaking initiatives.
Join director Nicki Kirchoff on a recorded tour of her new library, inside the Love Community Center of Rushville, Indiana. This event will be hosted by Meg Pool from the Indiana State Library, and the tour will showcase the new Rushville Public Library, the Love Community Center’s other services inside the building, and the Love Community Center’s background. As we navigate the future, Nicki will share why this special opportunity to be part of Rushville’s community center was the best decision for them, and how it has impacted the community they serve. Come join us, and bring your questions!
This webinar will discuss foresight (or futures thinking) and how strategically thinking about the future can support the people that work in libraries, the library organization, and the community the library serves. With insights from a group of library staff across the state of Idaho, library consultants at the Idaho Commission for Libraries have been investigating how to incorporate thinking about the future into library work and developing fun ways to share what they’ve learned. Their newest toolkit, the Things From Future Libraries Toolkit, provides a guide for anyone to put on a creative, participatory design workshop where attendees imagine and prototype an object from a library in a future they select.
Learn how our library works closely with community partners to bring fun adventures to our patrons. By working closely with our local game shop, toy store, comic book store, volunteer GMs, a local brewery (the list could go on and on), we’re able to provide an array of fun events related to gaming, filmmaking and more. These events bring new users to the library who sometimes have never set foot inside before. Find out how we make it work and strategies we suggest to work with partners in your community.
Equip library staff with foundational AI knowledge to support patrons. Cover AI fundamentals, common misconceptions, and practical applications, enabling librarians to educate and guide users effectively.
Discover how AI can automate repetitive tasks, improve workflow efficiency, and enhance library services. Explore tools for automated metadata tagging, chatbots for patron assistance, and AI-driven content curation to free up time for high-value tasks.