Wednesday, January 26
The conference has 7 sessions each day (listed in Central Standard Time). This day has an opening session, followed by 3 sessions in the Management and Wellbeing tracks. You must register for each session individually.
9 a.m.
Radically Imagining the Role of Public Libraries (Opening Session)
Register
Presently we are at a precarious point in history. Perhaps we’ve always been in one but this one feels particularly piercing. If this is our reality, one filled with global grief, fear & uncertainty, what kind of future is possible for us? Where are we actually trying to go, and have we spent enough time imagining it?
It takes a lot of creativity to imagine a world that doesn’t exist while living within the realities of a world filled with a tremendous amount of suffering and oppression. In 2020, DPL EDI Manager Ozy Aloziem and Colorado Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre conceived of a radical imagination game as a part of Proyecto Sobremesa, a project that gathers and engages Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists and cultural workers in intimate dinners to discuss and plan a liberated future. They recognized a need for radical imagination, accountability, and collaboration in creating the communities and organizations we desire. The purpose of the game is to collectively practice radical imagination so that new innovative ideas and solutions can come to light. It’s important to practice this muscle of radical imagination so that we can imagine and then create the institutions we’re all deserving of but that don't yet currently exist.
Join this opening session to learn more about radical imagination and how it can play a role in our libraries and communities.
Participants Will:
- Define what radical imagination is in theory and praxis
- Engage participants in practicing radical imagination
- Learn tangible steps to move in the direction of sustainable change
Ozy Aloziem; Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Denver Public Library
The conference has 7 sessions each day (listed in Central Standard Time). This day has an opening session, followed by 3 sessions in the Management and Wellbeing tracks. You must register for each session individually.
9 a.m.
Radically Imagining the Role of Public Libraries (Opening Session)
Register
Presently we are at a precarious point in history. Perhaps we’ve always been in one but this one feels particularly piercing. If this is our reality, one filled with global grief, fear & uncertainty, what kind of future is possible for us? Where are we actually trying to go, and have we spent enough time imagining it?
It takes a lot of creativity to imagine a world that doesn’t exist while living within the realities of a world filled with a tremendous amount of suffering and oppression. In 2020, DPL EDI Manager Ozy Aloziem and Colorado Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre conceived of a radical imagination game as a part of Proyecto Sobremesa, a project that gathers and engages Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists and cultural workers in intimate dinners to discuss and plan a liberated future. They recognized a need for radical imagination, accountability, and collaboration in creating the communities and organizations we desire. The purpose of the game is to collectively practice radical imagination so that new innovative ideas and solutions can come to light. It’s important to practice this muscle of radical imagination so that we can imagine and then create the institutions we’re all deserving of but that don't yet currently exist.
Join this opening session to learn more about radical imagination and how it can play a role in our libraries and communities.
Participants Will:
- Define what radical imagination is in theory and praxis
- Engage participants in practicing radical imagination
- Learn tangible steps to move in the direction of sustainable change
Ozy Aloziem; Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Denver Public Library
10:30 a.m.
Managerial Leadership: Leading from the Middle (Management)
Register
Before libraries can successfully combat the many external challenges they face, they need to be strong internally. The long-term success of libraries has to start from within. This webinar will focus on three critical areas where managers can fortify themselves, their staff, and their organizations’ culture. The current revolution in libraries requires leaders with the confidence to lead from any position to create an environment in which employees are encouraged to support each other and establish healthy organizations.
Participants Will:
- Destroy leadership myths that are pervasive within the library profession
- Examine how library directors can encourage emergent leaders to take on surfacing leadership deficits
- Address the need for healthy leaders to create healthy organizations
Felton Thomas, Director, Cleveland Public Library
Managerial Leadership: Leading from the Middle (Management)
Register
Before libraries can successfully combat the many external challenges they face, they need to be strong internally. The long-term success of libraries has to start from within. This webinar will focus on three critical areas where managers can fortify themselves, their staff, and their organizations’ culture. The current revolution in libraries requires leaders with the confidence to lead from any position to create an environment in which employees are encouraged to support each other and establish healthy organizations.
Participants Will:
- Destroy leadership myths that are pervasive within the library profession
- Examine how library directors can encourage emergent leaders to take on surfacing leadership deficits
- Address the need for healthy leaders to create healthy organizations
Felton Thomas, Director, Cleveland Public Library
10:30 a.m.
Why Psychological Safety Matters More Now Than Ever (Wellbeing)
Register
Psychological safety is the ability to reveal one's true self and opinions without fear that doing so will lead to negative repercussions in terms of reputation, career or status. While high levels of psychological safety in the workplace are linked to better outcomes, increased innovation, and deeper work satisfaction, many organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to create a sense that it is safe to speak up or take risks. In this interactive session, we will address current forces working against psychological safety in the workplace to include tone policing, vocabulary shaming, political differences, and remote work.
Participants Will:
- Acquire the concept of psychological safety
- Discuss why psychological safety is important in the workplace
- Address vocabulary, political differences and remote work
Paula Singer and Allison Vaillancourt, The Segal Group
12 - 12:30 p.m.
Stretch Break
Register
Take some time for yourself on this lunch break. Stretching can help decrease your stiffness, increase your range of motion, and improve your posture. Make sure you register ahead of time so you receive the link to sign in. All you need is a chair and yourself. Get ready to relax!
Stretch Break
Register
Take some time for yourself on this lunch break. Stretching can help decrease your stiffness, increase your range of motion, and improve your posture. Make sure you register ahead of time so you receive the link to sign in. All you need is a chair and yourself. Get ready to relax!
1 p.m.
Tools in Disaster Response for Libraries Adapted from Emergency Management (Management)
Register
Helping a community return to normalcy as quickly as possible after a disaster requires planning and adaptability to the crisis at hand. This presentation will introduce you to disaster response and recovery tools adopted from Emergency Management that are designed to help libraries rebound from disasters quickly, and restore library services more rapidly than ever.
Participants Will:
- Ascertain the concept of situational awareness.
- Create disaster tools and templates that should be completed before a disaster
- Learn how to develop The Incident Action Plan
Michele Stricker, Deputy State Librarian, New Jersey State Library
Tools in Disaster Response for Libraries Adapted from Emergency Management (Management)
Register
Helping a community return to normalcy as quickly as possible after a disaster requires planning and adaptability to the crisis at hand. This presentation will introduce you to disaster response and recovery tools adopted from Emergency Management that are designed to help libraries rebound from disasters quickly, and restore library services more rapidly than ever.
Participants Will:
- Ascertain the concept of situational awareness.
- Create disaster tools and templates that should be completed before a disaster
- Learn how to develop The Incident Action Plan
Michele Stricker, Deputy State Librarian, New Jersey State Library
1 p.m.
Coping with Compassion Fatigue (Wellbeing)
Register
Libraries are increasingly adding social services to their workload, but many library workers do not have the training or support that is expected for social workers or mental health experts. Most professionals agree that compassion fatigue is a combination of secondary trauma and burnout, and is commonly seen among first responders who are exposed to traumatic events. Though it is rewarding to help the most vulnerable people in the community, empathetic people are also at risk for taking on the emotional burdens and stressors of others. Playing a caring role can come with a price. If you ever feel worn out at work, overwhelmed, or preoccupied with someone you're trying to help, this webinar will help you assess your own personal level of compassion fatigue and learn self-care methods to help you cope.
Participants Will:
- Learn about compassion fatigue
- Develop methods of self-care in times of stress
- Find the balance of being compassionate to the public and to one’s self
Amy Franco, Adult Department Director, Glen Ellyn Public Library
2:30 p.m.
Welcome Aboard: Planning for New Employee Success (Management)
Register
You hired a new employee but now have the daunting task of training. Before panic sets in, let’s talk about setting up onboarding practices! Onboarding is how you thoughtfully integrate your new employee into your library. In this session, we will explore tools and tips for best supporting the success of your new hires while making the process efficient and effective. We will review onboarding toolkits and checklists as well as the various phases of onboarding. The goal is to create a successful and manageable training program for you and your new employee!
Participants Will:
- Learn the concept of onboarding
- Review toolkits and checklists in the onboarding process
- Create a manageable onboarding training program
Emily Rogers, Deputy Director, Brown County Library
Welcome Aboard: Planning for New Employee Success (Management)
Register
You hired a new employee but now have the daunting task of training. Before panic sets in, let’s talk about setting up onboarding practices! Onboarding is how you thoughtfully integrate your new employee into your library. In this session, we will explore tools and tips for best supporting the success of your new hires while making the process efficient and effective. We will review onboarding toolkits and checklists as well as the various phases of onboarding. The goal is to create a successful and manageable training program for you and your new employee!
Participants Will:
- Learn the concept of onboarding
- Review toolkits and checklists in the onboarding process
- Create a manageable onboarding training program
Emily Rogers, Deputy Director, Brown County Library
2:30 p.m.
Honoring Resilience
Register
Tap into your strength by being reminded of how powerful you are when you combine your purpose with passion. This webinar will focus on the importance of storytelling as a tool to re-member, put ourselves back together, and transform through our resiliency. As we begin a new year, let's participate in some reflective writing activities that help us learn how to continue honoring our resilience through empathy, compassion, respect, reciprocity, and love.
Participants Will:
- Discover how to transform themselves through resiliency
- Create writing passages to help cope with compassion and respect
Tanaya Winder, Director of Upward Bound, University of Colorado
Honoring Resilience
Register
Tap into your strength by being reminded of how powerful you are when you combine your purpose with passion. This webinar will focus on the importance of storytelling as a tool to re-member, put ourselves back together, and transform through our resiliency. As we begin a new year, let's participate in some reflective writing activities that help us learn how to continue honoring our resilience through empathy, compassion, respect, reciprocity, and love.
Participants Will:
- Discover how to transform themselves through resiliency
- Create writing passages to help cope with compassion and respect
Tanaya Winder, Director of Upward Bound, University of Colorado