Two NTLP training opportunities!

Are you interested in a quick (15 minute) refresher on customer service?  Do you want tools and techniques to manage change?  Registration is currently open for the following NTLP Continuing Education opportunities:

Online Workshop: Customer Service at the Library 

Registration is open until June 1, 2011 but you will have until July 31st to complete the workshop, evaluation and exercise.  

Steve Wishnack, President of Think and Do (www.thinkanddo.us) presents a fifteen minute presentation on customer service in the library. You will receive a link and password by email within 7 days of registration, if not earlier.  After viewing the presentation, you will need to complete the exercise and evaluation for CE credit. The link for these will also be included in the email you receive after registration.   

Transitions: Moving Through, Keeping Up, and Moving On 

June 8th, 10:30-11:45 a.m. (Audio-only workshop)

Our presenter, Lauren Burnett, speaker, trainer and coach for The Center for Inner Quality works with professionals who strive to enhance their credibility, connection and Communication.   Her learning and coaching sessions unleash the power of choice for extraordinary results and embrace break-through thinking and action to create cultures and conversations of influence.  

As a result of this webinar you will be able to… 

• Identify 6 cycles, symptoms, what is needed to cope and properties of  the “danger zone” that can keep us stuck. 
• Take away practical strategies on managing the 5 areas that change during change and typical associated resistances—security, direction, competency, direction and territory 
• Benefit from best practice "how tos" of other library personnel—Front Line Wisdoms Leverage resiliency tips to enhance your elasticity and to move on

Attendees will be sent handouts prior to the date and will receive the phone number to call into the workshop via email 2-3 days before the workshop.

Salem Press Library Blog Awards

Do you love reading library blogs? Here's your chance to vote for your favorites and discover some new ones.

Salem Press Library Blog Awards

Librarians discuss Ebooks, continuing saga

At BEA, Librarians Describe Challenges and Future of Ebooks

Here is an article in Library Journal about a panel of librarians discussing Ebooks during the BookExpo America last Wednesday. It was very interesting to me to hear alternate views on the Harper Collins limited checkouts issue, as well as the comments from librarians whose Ebook budgets are growing exponentially. One librarian also made a particularly salient point for publishers to consider: while publishers might not need libraries for big-name, best sellers, libraries often pay a pivotal role for mid-list and debut titles. It will be interesting to hear how publishers respond.

The future of libraries

Seth Godin has an interesting blog post on the future of libraries in the digital age. He moves through the past history of libraries as a place to house the books and the home for librarians who take care of the books.  As information becomes increasingly digital, how will this change librarians and libraries?


Godin envisions librarians surviving by taking an active role, producing content and proactively guiding users through the digital universe:


"Librarians that are arguing and lobbying for clever ebook lending solutions are completely missing the point. They are defending library as warehouse as opposed to fighting for the future, which is librarian as producer, concierge, connector, teacher and impresario."


Godin also predicts: "The library is no longer a warehouse for dead books. Just in time for the information economy, the library ought to be the local nerve center for information."


What do you all think?  And, if you agree, how do we get there?

Md. Libraries Worried About Porn-As-Free-Speech Ruling In N.Y. « CBS Baltimore

Md. Libraries Worried About Porn-As-Free-Speech Ruling In N.Y. « CBS Baltimore