Below are the headlines from the May 14, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Take the Marketing Toolkit Survey: Libraries Activating Workforce Development Skills
• Submit a PLA 2022 Program Proposal
• Grant Opportunities & News
  • Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Registration Open May 12, EBB Registration Webinar on May 19
  • National Preservation Program: Preservation Needs Assessment and Preservation Plan
  • Brown County Library Recipient of Grant to Fund Materials about East Asia
• Continuing Education Highlights
  • Registration Open for May 27th SSCS Conference
  • Customers Without Masks (by Ryan Dowd) - Free 1-Hour Webinar May 20th
  • Talking about the COVID Vaccine In Your Community

Below are the headlines from the May 7, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• 2021 Rural Libraries Summit: May 25-26
• Submit PLA Webinar Proposals through May 31
• ADANN 30th Anniversary Spotlight on ADA Resource Portals
• Grant Opportunities
  • WiLS 2021 Ideas to Action Fund Application Period Is Open
  • ARSL Conference Scholarship Applications Now Accepted
• Programming Resources
  • ARSL Program-Palooza Round Table: May 20th
  • CSLP Newsletter: April 2021
  • Stealing Away: Stories (by Wisconsin author Kevin Revolinski)
• The “Marketing Funnel” Approach to Customer Engagement
• Don’t Forget: Encourage Your Library Patrons to Share their Stories

Please check the NEWI list of free webinars to find online continuing education opportunities you may attend from where you are. Most sessions are 60 minutes long, and are provided – at no charge to you – by associations, agencies, companies, and library systems.

There’s a lot to choose from, so here’s a sample of topics that may be of interest to you.

Managing stress & building resilience webinars, click title to register:

• A Holistic Approach to Managing Anxiety - Noon on Wednesday, May 5
• Cultivating the Power of Resilience - 2pm on Wednesday, May 5
• Prioritizing and Promoting Self-Care to Avoid Burnout - 2pm on Tuesday, May 18
• From A to Z: An Amazing Array of Awesome Antidotes for Zoom Fatigue - 11am on Thursday, May 20

Equity, diversity and inclusion webinars, click title to register:

• Understanding the Present and Future of Diverse Children’s Literature - 1:30pm on Tuesday, May 4
• Tribal Nations at Your Library: Discussion and Reflection - 10am on Thursday, May 13
• Accessibility Features of Apple iOS Devices - Noon on Tuesday, May 18
• Spanish Language Collection Development - 2pm on Thursday, May 20
• Creating Accessible Virtual Programs for Children with Disabilities and their Families - Noon on Friday, May 21
• Indigenous Voices: Authentic Children's Literature in the Classroom and Library - 2pm on Tuesday & Wednesday, May 25 & 26
• Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA)'s Best of the Best Booklist: Ensuring Equity and Diversity in Public and School Libraries - 2pm on Thursday, May 27

A sample of webinars on other topics; click title to register:

• The Economic Power of Libraries: Introducing a Tool to Drive Meaningful Funding Conversations - Noon on Wednesday, May 5
• Police: How to Reduce Police Calls and Keep Everyone Safe in Your Organization - 1pm on Thursday, May 6
• Building a WOW Recognition Culture to Keep Employees Engaged & Motivated - 11:30am on Wednesday, May 12
• Managing Difficult Conversations at Work - Noon on Wednesday, May 12
• Designing for the Future: The Post-Pandemic Library - 9am on Thursday, May 13
• Be More Productive, Powerful & Persuasive with Board, Staff & Donors - 1pm on Thursday, May 20

Below are the headlines from the April 30, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Welcome Shannon Nichola Stoner, Gillett Public Library Director
• Everyone Has a Story to Tell: Library Stories Toolkit
• Employment Opportunities
  • Shawano County Library is Hiring Library Assistants
  • NWTC Searches for Library Circulation Technician
  • Executive Director/CEO, Wisconsin Library Association
• Continuing Education Highlights:
  • Present at the WLA SSCS Conference
  • Passive Programming That Pulls Them In: Provocative Passive Programming Ideas
  • U.S. Census Bureau Data Summit for Librarians
  • REMINDER: WAPL Conference is May 4-7

Below are the headlines from the April 23, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• COVID-19 Poster Project
• WiLS Community Chronicle: April 2021 Edition
• A Virtual Book Talk with Walter Echo Hawk
• WiLS Ideas to Action Fund: Save the Date
• Read Africa Grants Deadline Approaches: Apply by May 1
• U.S. Census Bureau Data Summit for Librarians

Below are the headlines from the April 16, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• ALSC Intellectual Freedom Programming Toolkit
• Trustee 101 & 201 Online Workshops in May & June
• Present at the WLA Support Staff and Circulation Services (SSCS) Conference
• Preservation Week - Save your stuff and pass it on!

If you missed any of Ryan Dowd’s customer service training webinars, you can watch the archived recordings when you log in to your "Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness" account at https://my.nicheacademy.com/dpi-wi-staff. If you don’t have an account yet, just email Joy Schwarz (NEWI) and she'll get you enrolled!

Here are the newest webinars added this year:

• Prejudice: Responding to Prejudicial Comments From Customers
• Resolving Liberal vs. Conservative Conflict in the Workplace
• Service Animals: Your Obligations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Unattended Children: How to Talk to Parents About Their Children's Behavior

Here are all the other archived webinars you can watch there:

1. Advanced Body Language
2. Body Odor: The Dreaded Conversation
3. Burnout and Stress (Updated): Just in Case 2021 is as Bad as 2020
4. Burnout, Vicarious Trauma, and Compassion Fatigue
5. COVID: How to Deal with Problem Behaviors Related to COVID-19
6. Dementia and Alzheimer's: Compassionately and Effectively Working with People With Dementia
7. Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault
8. Getting Hit on by Customers: Women (and Men) Share Their Tools for Stopping Unwanted Attention
9. Homeless Q&A with Ryan, Part 1
10. Homeless Q&A with Ryan, Part 2
11. Homelessness 201: A Deeper Understanding
12. Jerks with Homes: How to Deal with Members of the Public Who are Being Jerks About Homeless Folks
13. Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness (core training)
14. Ornery Teenagers: Compassionately and Effectively Managing Their Problem Behaviors
15. Supervisor Training: Tips for Managers
16. Traumatic Brain Injury: Invisible Cause of Homelessness

If you don’t see all these trainings when you log in to your account, click the green graduation cap icon in the top right-hand corner.

When you finish a course, you can download a pdf of your Certificate of Completion by clicking the green "Download Certificate" button. When you complete a course, you may count it as a continuing education (CE) activity. The number of tutorials increases each month – the courses now include the 3½ hour Core Training + 19 one-hour archived webinars.

The ALSC Intellectual Freedom committee writes: "Inside the toolkit, you will find practical, easy-to-implement tips for incorporating intellectual freedom and Information literacy into library cornerstone programs and services. Sample programs include storytimes, book clubs, outreach, and STEAM activities. They include both virtual and in-person activities, so you can serve your community flexibly, regardless of your current service model. An annotated list of additional resources rounds out the toolkit, making it easy for busy practitioners to find more tips and support.

We’re living in a climate of misinformation and heightened mistrust in news media and other information sources. Raising awareness of information literacy and intellectual freedom issues with our families has never been more important. Developing these crucial skills helps keep kids informed, safe, and prepared to support their communities."

• Read the ALSC Blog Introductory Post
• View the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Programming Toolkit​

Below are the headlines from the April 9, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Is Your Library Hiring? Let's Get the Word Out Together
• WeCOPE: Connecting with our Positive Emotions
• Webinars in April (NEWI)

Please check the NEWI list of free webinars to find online continuing education opportunities you may attend from where you are, whether in the library or working from home. Most sessions are 60 minutes long, and are provided – at no charge to you – by associations, agencies, companies, and library systems. There’s a lot to choose from, so here’s a sample of topics that may be of interest to you.

COVID-19 pandemic topics, click title to register:

• From Plexiglass to Physical Distancing: Library Spaces in 2021 - 1pm on Thursday, Apr 15
• Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines and How they Impact the Reopening and Ongoing Operations Plans for Libraries - 2pm on Thursday, Apr 15

Managing stress & building resilience webinars, click title to register:

• Compassion – Divided. Disconnected. Tired. - 9am on Wednesday, Apr 7
• Preventing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue - Noon on Wednesday, Apr 7
• Self-Care: Awareness, Acknowledgement, Action - 1pm on Wednesday, Apr 7
• Mental Health First Aid and Trauma-Informed Approaches for Libraries - 2pm on Tuesday, Apr 13
• Re-envisioning Resilience: Become the Narrator of Your Story - Noon on Monday, Apr 26
• Mental Maintenance - 9am on Wednesday, Apr 28

Equity, diversity and inclusion webinars, click title to register:

• From Being to Doing: Anti-Racism as Action at Work - 1pm on Tuesday, Apr 13
• Collection Development to Support Indigenous Patrons: Looking for Mirrors in the Library - 1:30pm on Monday, Apr 19
• Uplifting Native Voices: Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade discuss "We Are Water Protectors" - 1pm on Wednesday, Apr 21
• Book Clubs for Neurodivergent Adults: Let’s Get Together! - 2pm on Wednesday, Apr 21
• Diversifying Your Collection as a Small Library - 1pm on Thursday, Apr 22
• Measuring the Success of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs - 1pm on Wednesday, Apr 28

A sample of webinars on other topics; click title to register:

• Surviving and Thriving With Bad Bosses - 1pm on Tuesday, Apr 13
• Planning an Exit Strategy for a Board Member - 11am on Wednesday, Apr 14
• Adult Take & Make Ideas for Your Library - 1pm on Wednesday, Apr 14
• Story Time STEM with Steve Spangler: Strategies for Connecting Amazing Science with Great Children’s Literature - 2pm on Wednesday, Apr 14
• Communicating Impact 2: Helping Stakeholders See the Story in Your Data - 9am on Friday, Apr 23
• Smart Spaces are Community Places - 2pm on Tuesday, Apr 27

Below are the headlines from the April 2, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• WLA Support Staff and Circulation Services Paralibrarian of the Year Award
• Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) Newsletter
• Tails and Tales Summer Reading Program with David HB Drake
• WAAL Annual Conference 2021
• WAPL 2021 Annual Conference Registration is Open
• Read Africa: Books for Wisconsin Libraries
• ALSC New Membership Funding for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)

Below are the headlines from the March 26, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Indigenous Representation Newsletter
• Nominate someone exceptional for the WI Library Hall of Fame!
• Participate in WiLS’ Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) Survey
• Spring Webinar Series
• 2021 ARSL Conference
• Save the Date to Apply for WiLS Ideas to Action Funds
• Humanities Collections and Reference Resources Grants (HCRR)

Below are the headlines from the March 19, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• The Cooperative Children's Book Center Releases CCBC Choices
• Libraries Transform Newsletter
• Data that Counts: Intro to Census Data for Public Libraries
• Talk Story: Sharing Stories, Sharing Culture Grant

Below are the headlines from the March 12, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• CCBC Choices 2021: Two Tools to Choose New Books for Children & Teens
• Need to Know Legislative Newsletter for Library Leaders
• Participate in WiLS’ Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Survey
• Managing Digital Content Over Time: An Introduction to Digital Preservation - Scholarships Available
• ABC Circus with Sharon Page and the Circus Dogs

Here are two things to help you choose new books to add to your library’s youth & teen collection this spring.

The Workshops
The annual CCBC Choices workshops will be webinars:

• Great New Books for Birth - Grade 5
  9-10am on Thursday, March 11
  Register here
• Great New Books for Older Children and Teens
  9-10am on Thursday, March 25
  Register here

Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) librarians Merri Lindgren and Megan Schliesman will talk about great books for youth that were published last year, highlighting selected titles from the CCBC Choices 2021 booklet.

Both webinars will be recorded if you’re not available to attend them live. They can be found at ccbc.education.wisc.edu/education-outreach/online-presentation-archive/.

The Booklet
CCBC Choices 2021, the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s annual list recommending 257 books for children and teens published in 2020, is available in two formats:

• PDF – you may download and print it, so you can jot notes while watching the webinars
• CCBC-Recommended Book Search database – search by keyword, subject, title & author, and filter by age, diversity subject, content type, and format.

The annual CCBC Choices list was for decades published as a fully-annotated booklet, though the paper version is not available this year due to challenges brought by the pandemic (details here.) Staff are hoping and planning for a return to a physical booklet next year.

The Cooperative Children's Book Center, located on the UW-Madison campus, serves as a children's literature library for adults, a book examination center, and a research library.

Below are the headlines from the March 5, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• WLA Member Spotlight on Jen Thiele, Marinette County Library System Director
• Introducing the Library Services Team
• 6 Dr. Seuss Books Won't Be Published For Racist Images
• Gillett Public Library is Hiring
• Beanstack's New Admin Dashboard
• Health Information Online: Finding Information You Can Trust--Train the Trainer (see newsletter for the multiple registration links)
• WAPL Annual Conference is Going Virtual
• Webinars in March

Below are the headlines from the February 12, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Kewaunee Public Library Receives ALA Community Engagement Grant
• Embracing Special Needs, Building Inclusive Communities: A Program offered by Miss Wisconsin 2020-2021
• Apply for the ARSL Outstanding in Their Field Leadership Institute

​Below are the headlines from the February 5, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Shawano County Library is Hiring
• Submit your Program Proposal for WAPL 2021
• WiLS Annual Membership Meeting
• Programming Resources
  • Japanese Folktales with Origami and Magic Tricks
  • Lalo's Lunchbox: Live and Interactive Virtual Performances
• Continuing Education Highlights
  • Building Community Resiliency: How your Library can Help Prepare your Community Before a Disaster or Crisis Hits
  • Wild Wisconsin Conference Recap
  • Remember to visit the NEWI website for the latest CE opportunities.

Below are the headlines from the January 29, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Take ALA's Survey For a Chance to Win National Library Week Swag
• TeachingBooks' New Book & Author Chrome Extension
• Beanstack: New 2021 Challenges
• LAWDS Training on Use of Labor Market Indicator Tools
• ALA's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Training Calendar

Below are the headlines from the January 22, 2021 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• New Mileage Reimbursement Rate for 2021
• Virtual Library Legislative Day: Registration Due TODAY
• Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference: January 27-28
• RIPL Data Boot Camp Series: January 27 - March 16
• Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries Grant
• Check out the Libraries Transform Newsletter!
• Free, Ready-to-go Library Program: Understanding America's Longest War

From the Research Institute for Public Libraries (RIPL) Team:

"This free webinar series, which is open to anyone (not just RIPL alums), features five sessions from the 2020 event, remade into 90-minute live webinars and 60-minute follow-up recorded lessons for those who want to dive deeper into the topics. So, if you missed one of these sessions in December, now is your opportunity to take it in a live setting.

Similar to the RIPL 2020 event, these will NOT be webinars where you listen to a talking head the whole time; instead, please come ready to participate in a variety of interactive learning activities, some of which will occur in small groups in breakout rooms.

Here is the schedule – go to https://ripl.lrs.org/ripl-data-boot-camp/ to learn more about each webinar and register:

• January 27 (1:00-2:30 ET/10:00-11:30 PT): Observations: Data Hiding in Plain Sight
• February 2 (1:00-2:30 ET/10:00-11:30 PT): Can You Hear Me Now? Communicating Data to Stakeholders
• February 23 (1:00-2:30 ET/10:00-11:30 PT): Nothing for Us, Without Us: Getting Started with Culturally Responsive Evaluation
• March 2 (2:00-3:30 ET/11:00-12:30 PT): Meaningful Metrics for Your Organization
• March 16 (2:00-3:30 ET/11:00-12:30 PT): Evaluation + Culture = Change

All webinars will be recorded."

Below are the headlines from the December 23, 2020 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Video Message from NFLS Staff
• Join the Recollection Wisconsin Steering Committee
• WLA 2020 Winter Newsletter
• Beanstack: Countdown to #WinterRead2021
  • Winter Reading Launch Toolkit
  • 5 Steps to a Successful Winter Reading Challenge
• Fun Aviation Opportunities for WI Youth
• Upping Your Virtual Programming Game

Below are the headlines from the December 11, 2020 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Public Library System Redesign (PLSR) Implementation Update
• Libraries Transform Newsletter
• Successful Programs for Youth, This Summer & Year-Round (NEWI Webinar)