Free Library Journal Online Courses for RI Library Staff - Seats are Limited!

There are limited seats available for each course. Interested library staff should fill out the Library Journal Fall Courses survey as soon as possible to be included. Selected librarians will be notified by October 10 with instructions for registration.

• Library De-Escalation Training (10 seats available to any library staff, especially front-line staff): In this crash course, you will learn trauma-informed, equity-centered practices for de-escalation in order to maintain a calm environment at your library. You will learn tools that focus on proactive preparation to ensure you are set up for success and can diffuse potential moments of conflict or tension. Live sessions will be available on-demand. You will leave this 2-hour crash course with tools and confidence to de-escalate conflicts in real time as they emerge in your library. The live session runs on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 from 2:00-4:00 pm ET (recorded for on-demand viewing)

• Equity-Centered Library Leadership (5 seats available to library directors, assistant directors, branch managers, and others in supervisory positions): The last few years have proven that leadership in the workplace must adapt and create work cultures with shared values in order to attract and retain top talent. In this course, you will learn to develop whole-person, healing-centered leadership skills to help you assess your current leadership style and organization, plan and prepare for organizational change, and foster and maintain an inclusive work environment through well-being, evaluation, and accountability practices. All of these topics will be taught with an equity lens that prioritizes radical empathy, vulnerability, and justice in your leadership practices.  This course has something for every level of leader, and will teach you how to lead up, down, and sideways. Whether you are an aspiring leader, a branch manager, a seasoned director, or somewhere in between, you will have the opportunity to participate in peer workshop groups to refine your skills with others in similar roles. Join us and learn tangible leadership practices that transform lives. In the workshop, you'll complete assignments over 3+ weeks in an interactive online classroom environment with personal coaching from an expert in the field. In addition, you’ll have access to our foundational bonus content—rich supporting materials you can explore at your own pace, including a series of webinars from Library Journal and School Library Journal contributors, readings, activities, and videos. The live sessions run on Thursdays, Nov. 2, 9, and 16, 2023 from 2:00-4:30 pm ET (recorded for on-demand viewing) with an ongoing facilitator-led workshop over 3 weeks.