The Boardroom Comes Back

Back for 2018, the State Library is providing a webinar series for library boards.  Titled The Boardroom, the series begins in February with 9 classes in total, one scheduled each month from February through October 2018. (6:00-7:30PM each time)

Beginning on Tuesday February 27 with “Creating a Culture of Learning,” this session looks at education standards for staff and trustees, offering ideas for how boards can support ongoing training in policy, in planning, and in the budget.  Next in the line-up is “Toward Better Board Recruitment” on March 20, followed by “Toward Better Board Meetings” on April 25.  Topics in the months to come will include policies, planning, and advocacy, as well as “The Seven Habits of Effective Library Boards” and “Toward Tech Savvy Trustees.”  Look to the C.E. Catalog for registration through May.  Please note that not all sessions have been added to the catalog yet, so be sure to check back. 

The Boardroom represents another way that State Library staff can further assist local boards in meeting standards.  With the 2016 standards revision, one significant change comes in the area of board education, which is now required of all libraries at a Tier 1 level.  Specifically Standard #8 reads “…All members of the library board of trustees participate in a variety of board development training each year. The recommended average is three to five hours per year per trustee…” 

Bringing this standard to a Tier 1 level impacts many more libraries statewide.  Attending programs like The Boardroom is a very effective method of board development, especially if everyone chooses to gather together at the library.  Come together to watch these programs and talk about what most resonates with your trustee experience.  What changes, large or small, will your board choose to make?   

Mark your calendars and make plans to join The Boardroom webinar series! 

C.E. Catalog

HR Series Of Classes:

In 2018, the State Library will continue our practice of offering a “topic track” that will weave its way through our continuing education classes.  This year’s topic track centers on human resource management—more commonly called HR.  

Based on comments from workshop evaluations, the State Library’s Education & Training Team has developed a six-month series covering a range of HR subjects, from legal concerns, to hiring staff, to evaluating staff.  At this point, January to June offers personnel-related classes; there will likely be more coming in the latter half of the year.  For today, a summary shows below.  Visit the C.E. Catalog for details and registration although please note, not all events have been added to the catalog yet.

• February 12 = Legal Aspects of Management (webinar with Iowa attorney Matt Brick)
• March (date pending) = Job Descriptions
• April (date pending) = 10 Steps for Hiring Staff (webinar with Maryann Mori)
• May (date pending) = Performance Evaluations
• May (multiple dates and locations across the state) = Director Roundtables with HR Focus
• June (date pending) = Motivating Staff

With Survey Monkey evalulations, a familiar question we pose is “what training topics would you like to see the State Library address?”  Very frequently, the answer is “more training in personnel issues.”  We hope 2018 delivers on this training need with roundtables and webinars.  The C.E. Catalog is loading in, keep checking there and be sure to register! 

C.E. Catalog

February Promo Ideas:

February boasts National Heart Month, Black History Month, and of course Valentine’s Day.  With February right around the corner, those plus any of these additional occasions can lead to tabletop displays, bulletin boards, newsletter ideas, or Facebook posts. Consider these February promo possibilities:

• February 3 == Take Your Child to the Library Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/take-your-child-to-the-library-day/  This originated in 2011 in Connecticut.  It has grown to an international initiative that seeks to raise awareness about the importance of libraries in the lives of children.
• February 4 == Super Bowl Sunday. It’s the Eagles vs the Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday…chips and dip and football books…
• February 6 == Safer Internet Day https://www.saferinternetday.org/  The 2018 theme, "Create, Connect, and Share Respect” asks everyone to play their part in creating a better Internet experience, especially for the youngest users.  
• February 9 == Winter Olympics. Coverage of the 2018 Winter Olympics starts on Feb 9…a natural for sports-themed displays @ your library.
• February 17 == Random Acts of Kindness Day https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/  Or expand the sentiment to the entire week  Feb 11-17 is Random Acts of Kindness Week