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; click title to register:

• Anxiety at Work: 8 Strategies to Help Teams Build Resilience, Handle Uncertainty, and Get Stuff Done  - 10am on Wednesday, June 8
• Beyond Resilience: A New Path to a Strong Culture - 1pm on Wednesday, June 8
• Compassion Resilience: Expectations from Self and Others - 9am on Friday, June 10
• The Relationship Between Personal Stress and Community Resilience - 11am on Monday, June 20
• How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You in the Workplace - 1pm on Tuesday, June 21
• Compassion Resilience: Compassionate Boundary Setting - 9am on Friday, June 24

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); click title to register:

• Inclusive Leadership for Social Impact - 10am on June 2
• Be Intentional, Not Identical: Creating DEI Strategies for the Library That Serves Your Community - 1pm on Tuesday, June 7
• I See a Library! Making Libraries More Accessible to the Visually Impaired - 9am on Wednesday, June 8
• Policies of Yes - 10am on Wednesday, June 8
• Ensuring Accessibility of Information Products and Services - 10am on Wednesday, June 8
• LGBTQ+ 101 - 9am on Tuesday, June 14
• Creating Healthier Productive and More Inclusive Workplaces - 1pm on Tuesday, June 14
• LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion - 9am on Tuesday, June 21

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

• Supporting Families and Young Children in Times of Fear and Anxiety - 1pm on Wednesday, June 1
• Info Lit 101 Part 3: Misinformation and Disinformation - 3pm on Thursday, June 2
• Instagram Basics for Libraries - 1pm on Wednesday, June 8
• How to Turn Real Events into Fantastic Fiction - 6pm on Monday, June 20
• From Numbers to Narrative: Getting from Data to a Visual Story - Noon on Wednesday, June 22
• Am I Doing This Right? Advice for First Time Managers - 1pm on Wednesday, June 22
• Classic Picture Books are Boring and What You Should Read in Storytime Instead - 1pm on Wednesday, June 29

Algoma Public Library was able to once again hold its Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Library staff hid many eggs (children were limited to five eggs, which held treats and small prizes), played some Easter-themed games, and had crafts available to work on either at the library or to take home with them.

​The library had a wonderful turnout, with approximately 140 participants coming and going within an hour period. This was definitely more than had shown up to any of the library's previous Egg Hunt programs.

Thanks to Cathy Kolbeck, Director at Algoma Public Library, for contributing to this post.

Farnsworth Public Library started new partnerships with two local organizations this spring, leading to some wonderful events for the community of Oconto.​

First, the library reached out to the Bond Community Center about participating in their monthly Family Night events. While normally membership is required to attend events at the Bond Center or use their facilities, Family Nights are free and open to the public.

​The Bond Center typically picks a theme and then organizes activities for children, and makes the pool and gym facilities available. The library's first Family Night was in April, where library staff facilitated a craft, bookmark-designing competition, and coloring and activity sheets. The Easter-themed Family Night brought in 175 people! "These families had a great time, and it was a mutually beneficial experience for the library and the Bond Center - we were able to provide a quiet room with options for those families that weren't interested in swimming or hitting the gym, be an extra set of eyes and hands for Bond Center staff, and reach many new families who aren't regular library users," said the library's director, Kristin Laufenberg. "It was a wonderful partnership that we are eager to continue in the coming months."

The library then partnered with the Oconto Elks Lodge #887 to provide an Easter egg hunt at the library. In years past, the Elks have hosted an egg hunt at a local park. But unpredictable weather, water and ground conditions at the park, and then COVID has meant that an egg hunt hasn't happened for several years. Laufenberg said "the library asked the Elks if they would be interested in co-sponsoring an egg hunt held in the library, and they graciously accepted." The Oconto Elks and the Friends of Farnsworth Public Library were jointly able to sponsor an egg hunt, craft activity, book and prize giveaways, snacks, bike and scooter raffles, and an appearance by the Easter bunny to over 250 people on Good Friday! "This turnout far exceeded what we expected, and we never would have been able to host an event of this size without the monetary donations and hours of work from our local Elks."  And while it did snow that day, the library was toasty warm inside for a wonderful Easter celebration.

The Brown County Library and Ledgeview Parks and Recreation have teamed up to offer a Storywalk® throughout Ledgeview Park along the East River Trail from May through October.

Storywalk will feature a new book each month displayed on yard signs along the trail. This is a great way for adults and their children or grandchildren to enjoy a story together, practice literacy skills, and enjoy healthy exercise as they walk from sign to sign.

​The Brown County Library Bookmobile will be on site June – August and staff will lead storytime and crafts for all ages in the Ledgeview Park shelter, 2064 Dickinson Road.

Here are the headlines from the March 25, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• Nominate someone for the SSCS Paralibrarian of the Year Award
• June National Pollinator Month Workshops for Public Libraries
• WiLS Ideas to Action Fund application period opens April 11
• Continuing Education:
  • April Webinars from OverDrive
  • Wisconsin Libraries Talk About Race: Sensitive Conversations & Handling Pushback

During the month, patrons were encouraged to read one (or all!) of the titles and to participate in several anti-racist awareness activities independently available through a Beanstack challenge.
​

Here are the headlines from the February 18, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• What’s News
  • WLA Awards & Honors Committee Seeks Volunteers
  • CCBC Choices 2022
  • State Superintendent's Reading Advisory Council Seeking Applicants
• Library Program Ideas & Resources
  • Use Beanstack's 2021 Summer Reading Report to Adapt for Summer 2022
  • Libraries and Veterans Toolkit
  • Alex Thomas and Friends
• Continuing Education
  • Value the Act of Reading

Here are the headlines from the February 11, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• DPI Hiring Data Analyst
• Wisconsin Magician Nickey Fynn
• Continuing Education
  • Library Marketing Strategies That Get Results
  • ARSL Professional Development Book Club
  • Transitioning from OverDrive app to Libby

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. Just click each title to register.

Managing stress & building resilience:

• Be a Burnout Mastermind: Lessons Learned from an ICU Nurse - Noon on Thursday, Feb 3
• We Are NOT Okay: Library Worker Trauma Before and During COVID-19 and What Happens After - Noon on Tuesday, Feb 8
• Leading with Happiness: Proven Ways to Lead Positive Change and Embrace the New World of Work Well-being - 11am on Tuesday, Feb 15
• Creating a Culture of Wellness and Connection: A Trauma-Informed Approach - 2pm on Wednesday, Feb 16
• Finding Joy in Your Work - Noon on Tuesday, Feb 22
• How to Create Psychological Safety in the Workplace - 1pm on Tuesday, Feb 22
• Build a Better World at Work and in Life with Kindness and Gratitude - 9am on Wednesday, Feb 23

Equity, diversity, and inclusion:

• The Hidden Biases of Good People - 11am on Wednesday, Feb 2
• Growing Digital Equity Through Community Partnerships - 2pm on Thursday, Feb 3
• Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace and Diversity in Collection Management - 1:30pm on Wednesday, Feb 9
• Let's Talk About Race At Work - 10am on Tuesday, Feb 15
• Building Belonging: Pronouns at Work - 1pm on Tuesday, Feb 15
• Creating Safe and Inclusive Spacing for 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth in Public and School Libraries - 1pm on Wednesday, Feb 16
• "Let's Talk Race" Toolkits - 2pm on Tuesday, Feb 22
• Promoting the Positive Racial Identity of Black Infants and Toddlers in Early Childhood Programs - 1pm on Thursday, Feb 24
• Welcoming Immigrants Through Cultural Programming: Lessons from the Field - 3pm on Thursday, Feb 24

A sample of webinars on other topics:

• Transitioning to Libby: Tips for Winding Down the OverDrive App and Welcoming More Readers to Libby - 1pm on Wednesday, Feb 2
• Five Facts to Publishing Your Children’s Picture Book - 6pm on Wednesday, Feb 2
• Canva Design Basics - 2pm on Thursday, Feb 10
• Event Preparedness: Active Shooters and Hostile Activity at Your Venues - 1pm on Tuesday, Feb 15
• Calming the Storm: Foundational Skills in Verbal De-escalation - Noon on Wednesday, Feb 16

Special event this month:

• Big Talk From Small Libraries Conference - 8:45am to 4:50pm, Friday, Feb 25
  • Schedule: http://nlcblogs.nebraska.gov/bigtalk/schedule/
  • Registration form: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventreg.asp?ProgID=21049​

Here are the headlines from the January 28, 2022 - 📢 Nic News Weekly:

• WAPL 2022 Call for Proposals
• PBS KIDS Community Learning Cohort for Youth Services Staff
• Game On! Grant
• Lake Michigan Shipwrecks, Mysteries: Virtual Programs by Ross Richardson
• Continuing Education:
  • Copyright for Librarians: What You Need to Know
  • PLA 2022 Virtual Conference Registration is Open

Algoma Public Library was recently announced as a winner of the “East Asia in Wisconsin Library Program” grant competition by the Center for East Asian Studies at UW-Madison. "Grants were awarded to public libraries throughout Wisconsin, enriching their collections with new titles that will enable patrons to deepen their understanding of East Asia (which includes China, Japan, and Korea)."

The library purchased books, DVDs, and programming materials that will enable people to deepen their understanding of East Asia. They were able to purchase over 30 new titles that include materials for all ages. These materials include DVDs, children's fiction books, children's picture books, children's nonfiction, young adult graphic novels, and adult fiction and nonfiction titles. 

With this grant, the library will also be able to host three programs.

• Two of these programs will be kits available for patrons to pick up and do at home.
  • One will be a Chinese New Year Good Fortune Kit for children and will include one lantern craft, a Chinese New Year Activity Book with Stickers, and a 12 Days of Lunar New Year book.
  • The other kit will be a DIY Silk Scarf kit for adults.
• The library will also be playing Bingo in the library to bring in the Chinese Year and will have Chinese New Year prizes for their winners.