Continuing Education Resources for Public Library Staff

A collection of free and low cost continuing education and professional development resources for public library staff.

Opportunities for Public Service Staff

 * North Carolina Train Station -  This annotated list managed by the staff of the North Carolina State Library contains information about  webinars and in-person training opportunities that focus on the resources available through the NC LIVE database collection. You don't need to have access to NC LIVE in order to benefit from these webinars- many vendors, like EBSCO and Gale, provide identical database content to most public libraries so the training modules are equally applicable.
 * WebJunction -  Looking for ideas on how to handle difficult patrons? Increase your digital literacy? Develop an outstanding customer service program? You'll want to check out this collection of free webinars on topics of general interest to librarians and paraprofessional staff.  Miss out on a webinar?  Archived sessions and related materials are also available through the link above.

Opportunities for Supervisors

 * Mind Tools: Leadership & Supervisory Skills - A comprehensive collection of articles and videos produced by management professionals that address a number of general topics of interest, including: leadership styles; project management; emotional intelligence; and effective communication.
 * InfoPeople - A project of the IMLS & the California State Library, InfoPeople offers a number of webinars and online classes that address the larger issues in libraries that will be of interest to management and professional staff.  Upcoming opportunities include: developing staff competencies; collection development; community outreach; team building; and library design/construction. Participation is mainly fee-based, but costs are typically under $200 per online course (additional discounts may be available).

Technology Essentials

 * GCF Learn - Use this collection of self-paced, video tutorials to learn a variety of software and internet applications, such as: MS Office Suite; MAC OS X; Facebook; Google Drive; setting up a blog and much more! This great service is sponsored by the Goodwill Community Foundation.
 * MakeUseOf -  CAUTION! This can be a magnificent timewaster of a website, but it is great way to learn about new tech trends and making the most of today's technology.  The collection of eBooks written by the MakeUseOf staff features a variety of topics that will empower you to better help patrons.  You'll find information about ways to harness the power of the web to locate and use genealogical resources; set up and curate a Tumblr account; create an  Android app; customize the Windows desktop and so much more!  Most eBooks are available to download as a PDF, ePub or Kindle.