Category Archives: Training

Services, Training

Episode 214: Programming


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Programming in libraries is the tool we use to connect our services with our community members. All libraries and archives do some level of programming, and for most of us doing more is better. But finding time to develop programs our community members want and need, advertising it to everyone, getting needed materials, doing the programming, and doing evaluation of the results is a lot to handle! To help us with this, we have Guest Host Angie Yanke, from Zimmerman Middle-High School.

We have talked about building connections across your community, and programming can be a tool you use to reach out to connect people with your materials and resources. This is something very individual to each library or archive or history center – everyone will have a different population needing to be reached.

Some jobs are all programming and outreach, all the time. Most public services library people will be doing some level of programming, in addition to their other work. So, how do you know what to do? If you are new to your job, or new to doing programming, or just want to spice up your programming offerings in your library, where do you start? We have a few tips!

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Whatever tool you use, we hope you enjoy it! Thanks for listening, and sharing ideas on libraries!

Want to talk with us about this topic? Do you, your staff, or your organization need training in this topic? Want to write a policy, or develop a program?  We are here for you!
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CMLE, Communication, Training

CMLE Resources: Architectural and Floorplan Design

CMLE is here for you with all kinds of resources and information. Each week we will share a look at another piece of that information, to help draw some attention to resources that may help you as you serve your community.


Architectural and Floorplan Design

This resource is still a work in progress, but we are assembling a series of materials you can use to help you design a library or to do some refurnishing.

We have some samples of library designs you can admire, because it’s always fun to see some possibilities out there! Even when your budget is much more limited, you can get some inspiration from seeing how other library choose to design their spaces.

We have a list of vendors you might check into for new furniture for your library.  One vendor ready to provide good quality library furniture is MINNCOR. “As the Minnesota Department of Corrections industry program, MINNCOR Industries maintains a delicate balance of providing works skills training to offenders and premium products to customers while maintaining financial self-sufficiency.  Receiving no state subsidies, taxpayer dollars or grants, MINNCOR runs a contemporary, cohesive, self-sufficient business operation, featuring 18 diverse product lines.” Some of our CMLE members have this furniture, and it is pretty impressive!

There are also some links to some design resources you might use for your library. We also give information from the Society of American Archivists to provide some useful information on safeguarding your collections.

Figuring out the best ways to design your library, and to provide great spaces for your community members, is an important part of any library’s work. If you have the opportunity to do some redesign; or if your community decides to redo your library, or even (shudder) to disassemble it – you can always call us to come help. We can go to meetings, we can provide expert opinions. We are always here to help our members! Being part of a multitype system is a great way to provide the best service to all our community members.

 

Communication, Training

Leadership Training Bites: Motivation

Your job title is irrelevant in leadership; you can lead from any position. And as a library person, especially in many of our libraries where you are a solo worker, your motivational leadership can be important to all kinds of people!

CMLE is here to help you with all kinds of information and ideas!  This series provides weekly small bits of training on leadership, management, and supervision skills. We have heard from our members that this is an issue they would like to have more training to meet. And I have been a researcher and trainer for many years, focusing on library management, leadership, and administration.

Follow this series using our Leadership Training Bites tag; and if you want to talk about your own leadership development, or to set up some training in your library, we are here for you!

This week we talk about Motivation!

You have had “those” days. The ones where it is just hard to get going, to push yourself to do good things, or to encourage the people around you to do their best work.

Some days are hard.

But being a leader means keeping up your own motivation levels, and helping others to be successful! You want to be successful at work – otherwise, why bother showing up? Motivation is what lets you do that. Continue reading Leadership Training Bites: Motivation →

Training

Leadership Training Bites: Emotional Intelligence

CMLE is here to help you with all kinds of information and ideas!  This series provides weekly small bits of training on leadership, management, and supervision skills. We have heard from our members that this is an issue they would like to have more training to meet. And I have been a researcher and trainer for many years, focusing on library management, leadership, and administration.

Follow this series using our tag (see end of the article!); and if you want to talk about your own leadership development, or to set up some training in your library, we are here for you!

This week we talk about Emotional Intelligence!

Map symbol theatre 02

It’s handy to be smart, of course – especially when you work in an information profession. But for many situations in library work, being emotionally intelligent is more useful. Being a good leader and manager can mean knowing how to do the hard skills: budgeting, hiring, collection development. But often it is the soft skills that make people the best leaders: communication, motivation, teamwork. Emotional intelligence can be one of the best skills leaders can develop to be successful, and to help you lead your library, your department, or your own desk!

There are several facets to emotional intelligence:

  • self-awareness
  • self-management
  • social awareness
  • relationship management

Each of these have skills under them to make them stronger. (See the chart here!)

Browse through some of these articles to get more ideas about developing your own Emotional Intelligence skills:

 

CMLE, Communication, Training

Leadership Training Bites: What are your BHAGs?

CMLE is here to help you with all kinds of information and ideas!  This series provides weekly small bits of training on leadership, management, and supervision skills. We have heard from our members that this is an issue they would like to have more training to meet. And I have been a researcher and trainer for many years, focusing on library management, leadership, and administration.

Follow this series using our tag (see end of the article!); and if you want to talk about your own leadership development, or to set up some training in your library, we are here for you!

This week we are looking at BHAGs!

ChupacabrasWhat are your BHAGs? How are your tracking them? Do you have regular BHAG meetings?

If this is not a term you are using regularly – don’t worry! You don’t need to visit a doctor with a BHAG (though, I guess you can? if that’s part of yours??), and it’s much less scary than it sounds. (Few, if any, actual monsters are involved!)

BHAG stands for Big Hairy Audacious Goal.

You know when you start making plans for the future, and make those plans that are maybe juuuuusssstttt slightly out of reach? Those are BHAGs! This is dreaming big, having exciting goals for yourself and your library! It’s the big time!

We just had our Fall planning meeting this week here at CMLE HQ, and we are filled with BHAGs!! We love setting scary-level goals, and then trying to hit them. Things do not always work out perfectly, but it’s good to try! We are starting an online training series, a daily book newsletter, and a second, book-themed/Reader’s Advisory podcast. I’m terrified! Will we be able to actually do these things? Will they turn out great (or at least useful/fun)? Will our members like them?? I don’t know! And that is the excitement of BHAGs!

BHAGs let you push beyond the ideas people expect from you. They give you permission to try new things, to go a new way, or to radically ramp up what you are already doing. Failure is an option – but it’s not fatal. BHAGs are, by their nature, tough to achieve. Sometimes it’s the journey, not the destination.

Making the effort to dream big, to do great things – this is what gives you the chance for huge successes!!

It’s okay to play it safe sometimes – but if you want to improve, and to become better than you are today, a BHAG may be just the thing!

Fall, and back-to-school time in general, is a  good time to set some goals for your library.  If you have not yet had a chance to think about your goals – for yourself, for your department, or for your whole organization – now is the time. And if you want to throw in a few audacious goals, CMLE supports you!

Here are a few readings, if you want to explore a little more:

Go dream big this week!

Do you have BHAGs to share? Tell us below!