On February 9–10, WebJunction is hosting a free two-day online conference, and you are invited to attend. The theme for this inaugural event is Technology Essentials, with a focus on practical and timely strategies for leveraging technology to help you in a wide range of library services and operations including staff training, marketing, outreach and funding, services and programming, technology planning, Virtual libraries and your library’s web presence. Read on for more details about the conference and how you can register.

Contents: Resources | Courses and Learning | Community | What could I do with…? | What’s New RSS Feed

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Resources

Conference Schedule and Workshop Descriptions

• Use these descriptions of the conference sessions, logistics, presenter bios and schedules for each day of the conference to plan your attendance.
• Path: [Member Center » Events & Webinars » Conferences]

Registration Information

• Check L2 for information on registration to this free conference.

Courses and Learning

Here are a few samples of the scheduled conference sessions

Building Digital Community: Arizona Memory Project

• Libraries have long served as digital repositories but the Internet has provided an opportunity to reach further out into our communities through shared histories, images, and archives. Since 2005, the Arizona Memory Project has partnered with numerous institutions offering a platform for digital exhibits using CONTENTdm, a digital collection management software, to extend access to collections. Come hear about the project’s creation, outreach, management and training and learn how you and your library can sustain digital memories in your community.
• Time Slot: February 9, 11:00 – 12:00 CST

Learning when there is no Time (or Money) to Learn 

• It goes without saying that our work in libraries is constantly changing with new technologies and new patron needs. It’s hard to keep up with it all…Stop the whining! You can improve your skills and increase your knowledge without breaking the bank or skewering your schedule. How? By knowing how to be an effective learner, by creating a personal learning toolbox, by taking advantage of free and low-cost learning opportunities and by sharing what you know with others. Attend this session presented by Pat Carterette and you’ll be taking the first step in making continued learning a part of your everyday routine and your life.
• Time Slot: February 9, 12:30 – 1:30 CST

The Planning Puzzle: Integrating Your Strategic Plan and Your Technology Plan

• Do you ever think that you have too many plans and not enough implementation? Do you ever wonder how to integrate all your plans into one clear blueprint that will help you and your colleagues continue to provide excellent service to the people you serve? Join Sandra Nelson to get the information you need to manage effectively in this time of stagnant or decreasing resources, increasing demand, and rapidly changing public expectations.
• Time Slot: February 9, 1:30 – 2:30 pm CST

Implementing Reliable Instant Messaging At Your Library

• In this presentation, Karen McCoy will provide some basic guidelines for implementing reliable instant messaging at your library. IM and SMS technologies will be compared and explored so that you can customize different options to best fit your library’s needs. Issues covered will include staff buy-in, technical glitches and how to avoid them, and possible assessment strategies. Library workers from all technological backgrounds are encouraged to attend.
• Time Slot: February 10: 12:30 – 1:30 CST

Helping Washington Libraries in Hard Times

• Learn how Washington State Library staff created an online Hard Times Resource Guide to help Washington libraries deal with increased demand for resources and training while their budgets and hours were being slashed. Librarians now have a handy tool to offer patrons seeking information regarding unemployment, housing, financial services, and much more. Technology resources play a vital role in helping libraries during these Hard Times.
• Time Slot: February 10, 4:00 – 5:00 pm CST

Library Grants 101

• Discover the confidence and knowledge you need to successfully win library grant funding. Find out how to easily locate grant opportunities online, learn the entire process for winning library grants, and hear about real library grant success stories that involve technology projects. Stephanie Gerding will provide practical advice and top tips, ideal for librarians who are new to grant work.
• Time Slot: February 10, 3:00 – 4:00 pm CST

Community

Reasons why you will want to attend Technology Essentials 2010

• It’s free!
• You can attend those sessions that fit your schedule. Rather than having to dig through an epic conference program, you can focus your conference agenda to meet your immediate learning needs around targeted topics.
• Since the conference is free and hosted on the web, you’ll save on travel time, travel budget, time away from library, back up staffing, time away from family… and you don’t need to beef up your wardrobe!
• You get to break the isolation silo, connect with others facing the same challenges, and share solutions.
• If you are in charge of staff training, you can use the conference as part of your training efforts. Provide staff with an opportunity to attend in some way, to expose them to online learning, new topics, and new skills to share with their colleagues.
• WebJunction will collect conference material in one, easy-to-use online space including presenter’s slides and handouts and archived recordings of each session.
• CEU or LEU credits will be made available to conference attendees.

What Could I do with…Technology Essentials 2010?

• Study the conference schedule, assign workshops to specific staff,  then share notes and ideas
• Plan a staff development day for February 9th and 10th and encourage all staff to attend at least 1 or 2 of the conference sessions
• Attend a workshop such as Implementing Reliable Instant Messaging in Your Library, then commit to follow up and explore the ideas in your library
• Explore new technologies for your library in a free and convenient format