Reference

Continuing Education, Library Management, Reference
OCLC: What Would Walt Do?: Quality Customer Service for Libraries
December 2nd, 2012 | Permalink | Comment?

Looking for some magic to improve customer service in your library? The Disney Institute on Quality Service has set high standards for creating a quality customer experience and their ideas can be applied at your library. Our panel of Colorado librarians attended the Disney Institute Quality Service preconference sponsored by ALA’s LearnRT at the annual conference in Anaheim in 2012. Since then, they’ve been waving their magic wands to improve customer service in Colorado libraries and they’d like to share their discoveries with you. Learn how to define quality service, set a common purpose for all library staff, and better understand your customers. You’ll walk away with ideas to make your library’s customer service sparkle.

This WebJunction webinar is presented in collaboration with ALA’s LearnRT. Did you attend the Disney Institute? Join this conversation and share your ideas and successes.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Online

For additional details and registration information visit: OCLC: What Would Walt Do?: Quality Customer Service for Libraries
Continuing Education, Libraries and Technology, Reference
CLA Reference/Adult Services Meeting & OCLC Best Practices in Virtual Reference Webinar
June 4th, 2012 | Permalink | Comment?

You’re probably already aware, but not all virtual reference exchanges are friendly chats, despite our best efforts. An uncomfortable online exchange can happen in virtual reference with any type of library. Whether you’re talking with elementary schools students, researchers, or the general public, it’s easy to get offended at some of the things people might say online. From using inappropriate language to being impatient to SHOUTING BY USING ALL CAPS, online reference can be a little different to in person requests because it’s hard to know the intended tone.

Hear and share some effective ways to deal with rude users without losing your cool. OCLC’s QuestionPoint Product Manager, Susan McGlamery, and guest speakers will share their experiences along with some helpful tips. Starting with the best way to set the tone and have a positive online interaction through to ways to diffuse a conversation that has become combative or disrespectful, their suggestions should help your virtual reference conversations go more smoothly. And, of course, it’s good to know when to let things slide and how to keep from getting too discouraged by rude commenters, despite your best efforts.

Join other CLA Reference/ Adult Services librarians to talk more about their virtual reference experiences. We’ll start with the OCLC webinar and then discuss what works best for librarians in our area. Share your own experiences and find out what resources are available to CLA librarians to get more training in this area.

Thursday, June 14, 20012
1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Middletown Library Service Center
Fee: Free Limit: 25

For additional details and registration information visit: CLA Reference/Adult Services Meeting & OCLC Best Practices in Virtual Reference Webinar
Continuing Education, Libraries and Technology, Reference, Services to Immigrants & Non-English Speakers
Archived March 2012 Library Webinars
April 4th, 2012 | Permalink | Comment?

The following March 2012 webinars have been archived and are now available for viewing:

ALA: Transforming Libraries

Common Knowledge: Facebook Updates: Impact of Page Timelines

InfoPeople: Being Customer Focused: New and Emerging Trends in Customer Service

InfoPeople: Corporate Fundraising for Children’s Programming in Public Libraries

InfoPeople: Digital Preservation: Audio & Video Formats

InfoPeople: Engaging Volunteers During Difficult Economic Times

InfoPeople: Outreach to Hispanic/Latino Populations – Tu Biblioteca!

OCLC: Adult Programs on a $0 Budget

OCLC: Best Practices in Virtual Reference: Keeping the Virtual Lights on 24/7

OCLC: It Takes a Community to Bridge the Digital Divide
Continuing Education, Libraries and Technology, Reference
OCLC: Best Practices in Virtual Reference Series
February 27th, 2012 | Permalink | Comment?

OCLC: Best Practices in Virtual Reference Series

Best Practices in Virtual Reference: Keeping the Virtual Lights on 24/7
This session will focus on how joining a cooperative group can help libraries keep their virtual reference services going at all hours. Studies show that up to 40% of virtual reference inquiries come in after typical library hours.

Explore the challenges and benefits to working through a cooperative to keep your virtual reference answering users 24/7. Find out if being “on” all the time really makes a difference in your community.

March 6, 2012
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Register here

Best Practices in Virtual Reference: Virtual Reference in Tough Times
In tough economic times, everything gets a turn on the chopping block. Make the case for virtual reference to your funding bodies and show them the impact you have online. Hear what has an impact on funders and learn what features are most valuable to your library.

Despite the best advocacy, paying for virtual reference still may not make the cut. Explore what free options you have and hear how they’ve worked for those already using the service. Know what you really need to have in a virtual reference service to make it work for your community.

April 24, 2012
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Register here

Best Practices in Virtual Reference: Finding Your Virtual Reference Users Online
Seeking Synchronicity found that one of the biggest obstacles to a successful virtual reference service was getting users to simply know the service existed. How do you find your users online? How do they find you?

Look at what signs have been effective in letting users know about the service. What works best in both drawing users’ attention and getting them to know what the service is about? With our constantly changing technical vocabulary, are you really saying what you want to say?

May 17, 2012
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Register here

Best Practices in Virtual Reference: Dealing with Rude Patrons Online
Not all virtual reference exchanges are friendly chats, despite our best efforts. Hear and share some effective ways to deal with rude users without losing your cool.

June 14, 2012
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Register here
Reference, Services to Immigrants & Non-English Speakers, Services to Older Adults
Connecticut Money School: free financial courses
February 2nd, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

Alert your patrons! The Connecticut Money School (CMS) provides free, volunteer-led financial education courses for adults in Connecticut.

The current course listings include these topics:

Debt, Saving, Credit, Loans, Health Care, Homeownership, Senior Issues, and State Benefits.

And are offered in these communities:

Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, North Branford, Orange, West Haven, and Westport.

Connecticut Money School (CMS) is a project of the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) and five nonprofit partners.
Reference
Kiva.org Launches Pilot Expansion in United States
June 12th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Of interest to our small business and entrepreneurial patrons is that the person-to-person microlending site Kiva.org is expanding into the United States.

From their 6/11 press release:

Starting this week, individuals anywhere in the world will be able to make small loans through the Kiva site to qualified small business owners in the U.S. who have been vetted by Kiva partners ACCION USA and the Opportunity Fund. Lenders can make loans in increments of $25 and will be able to track the progress of their loans from initial funding to repayment. Upon receiving repayment — Kiva borrowers in developing countries have a 98 percent repayment rate — lenders can chose to withdraw their funds or continue the lending cycle by re-lending the money to another borrower.

Although small businesses represent more than 87 percent of all businesses in the United States and are responsible for creating 900,000 new jobs every year, more than 10 million small business owners had difficulty obtaining capital last year. Kiva’s decision to expand into the United States was inspired by California’s first lady, Maria Shriver, who visited the organization’s San Francisco office in March 2008, learned about Kiva’s enormous impact in the developing world, and asked if the model could be replicated domestically to support low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs in the United States.
Breaking News from DLD, Reference
Strategies for Career Growth in Today’s Volatile Economy 11/17, 12PM – 1PM
October 22nd, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

As part of National Career Development Month, Hartford Public Library presents:

Strategies for Career Growth in Today’s Volatile Economy

Monday, November 17, 2008, 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.

Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street, Hartford, 3rd Floor Program Room

Speaker: Eleta Jones, Associate Director, Center for Professional Development, University of Hartford

Bring your own lunch, drinks and desserts provided

Registration preferred: in person, online, or by calling 860-695-6295.
Reference
There’s No Place Like Earth
April 22nd, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

In celebration of Earth Day I thought libraries would appreciate knowing about this great Science Reference Guide from the Library of Congress. It includes research guides to a variety of topics including sustainable agriculture, climate change, and bioethics. They’ve also compiled resources from the American Memory project at LC, webcasts and links to other environmental websites.

Happy Earth Day,
Sharon Brettschneider
Continuing Education, Reference, WebJunction Community
WebJunction Information Guides
June 26th, 2007 | Permalink | 1 Comment

Check out the new Resource section on WebJunction. The Resource section provides informational guides to help you and your staff serve the general public and special populations.

Topics include:

Information Literacy

Internet Resources for Patrons

Patron Training

Services to Children

Services to Older Adults

Services to Spanish Speakers

Virtual Reference

For a complete list of information guides visit the Resource section today!!!!
Reference, WebJunction Community
Government Information Guides Added to WebJunction
June 15th, 2007 | Permalink | 1 Comment

In case you haven’t already noticed, WebJunction has a new Resource section providing information guides to librarians who need to know about government information resources. “Government Information in the 21st Century: Training Librarians to be Government Information Specialists” is a continuing education program to train reference and public services librarians and library workers in the use of government information. This grant program, though not taking place in Connecticut, places information guides and links used in the program into WebJunction. If government information is of interest to you, take a look at this material and watch it grow as more information goes up.

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Reference

Continuing Education, Library Management, Reference

OCLC: What Would Walt Do?: Quality Customer Service for Libraries

Continuing Education, Libraries and Technology, Reference

CLA Reference/Adult Services Meeting & OCLC Best Practices in Virtual Reference Webinar

Continuing Education, Libraries and Technology, Reference, Services to Immigrants & Non-English Speakers

Archived March 2012 Library Webinars

Continuing Education, Libraries and Technology, Reference

OCLC: Best Practices in Virtual Reference Series

Reference, Services to Immigrants & Non-English Speakers, Services to Older Adults

Connecticut Money School: free financial courses

Reference

Kiva.org Launches Pilot Expansion in United States

Breaking News from DLD, Reference

Strategies for Career Growth in Today’s Volatile Economy 11/17, 12PM – 1PM

Reference

There’s No Place Like Earth

Continuing Education, Reference, WebJunction Community

WebJunction Information Guides

Reference, WebJunction Community

Government Information Guides Added to WebJunction