[Libs-Or] Upcoming learning opportunities

Fri Feb 6 15:59:18 PST 2026

Hello Library Community!

Here’s a summary of upcoming learning resources available through the State Library and other organizations. Be sure to visit the State Library of Oregon’s CE website<https://slo.oregon.gov/conted/> for more learning resources and the CE Calendar<https://slo.oregon.gov/conted#s-lib-ctab-24120710-1>.  You can also view the PDF<https://maine-msl.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=76010632> (with webinars listed by category )and an online<https://www.webjunction.org/find-training/free-events.html> version of this month's free events (compiled by the Maine State Library and hosted by WebJunction).

You can view this email online as well.<https://slo.oregon.gov/conted#s-lib-ctab-24120710-2>

>> If you’re looking for learning resources on a particular topic, please contact me<mailto:darci.hanning at slo.oregon?subject=I'm%20looking%20for%20CE%20resources> – I’m happy to help! <<

WATCH:  Info2Go! Stress Management: Living Life Essentially<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBBTMZI5bAg> (Idaho Commission for Libraries, recorded webinar)
Need to lighten your stress load? This webinar will discuss practical ways to take a break from stress through exploring choices, eliminating the trivial, and executing positive habits.

LEARN: Welcoming All: Inclusivity in Library Spaces<https://my.nicheacademy.com/oregonstaff/course/88605> (Niche Academy, self-paced tutorial)
Libraries have long been known as places for everyone, but does your building really feel welcoming to all potential users? Inclusivity and equity in a library’s physical space are not just about accessibility in terms of mobility, vision, and hearing, but also for diversity related to gender and sensory abilities. Awareness of current conditions and trends is the first step.

Join Lauren Stara for ideas to help libraries assess and improve their environment in ways that promote equity, well-being, and health. She will discuss small, inexpensive changes as well as more substantial long-term planning.

Note: This tutorial are being made available in the Oregon Library Staff Academy. Oregon library staff and volunteers can request access to this tutorial from the Oregon Library Staff Academy by using this form<https://www.cognitoforms.com/StateLibraryOfOregon/RequestAccessToContinuingEducationResources> and choosing the option for the Oregon Library Staff Academy.

LISTEN: S4, E10: Illuminating Local History Part 2 with Irene Rasheed and Megan England<https://www.buzzsprout.com/1948067/episodes/18438645-s4-e10-illuminating-local-history-part-2-with-irene-rasheed-and-megan-england> (OLA EDI Antiracism Committee)

In this episode, part 2 of 2, our hosts welcome ILLUMINATION collection team members Irene Rasheed and Megan England about their unique roles on their project teams. They explore how shared community identity and relationships, built on trust, impacted their work and the stories that were shared and what influence this has on how communities interact with libraries and museums. The full episode description is on Buzzsprout.

Hosts: Kristen Curé & Mindy Linder (guest host)
Date of recording:  December 11, 2025

You can listen to Part 1 here<https://www.buzzsprout.com/1948067/episodes/18334106-s4-e9-illuminating-local-history-part-1-with-ofelia-guzman-and-thomas-hiura>.

ONLINE CONFERENCES:

Friday, February 27,  6:45a-3:00p: Big Talk from Small Libraries 2026<https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgId=25071> (Nebraska Library Commission and Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL))
This free one-day online conference is tailored for staff from small libraries - the smaller the better! All of our presenters are from libraries serving fewer than 10,000 people, or are directly partnered with a small library and co-presenting with the library. Topics range from technology to programming to new roles for the library. This event is a great opportunity to learn about the innovative things your colleagues are doing in their small libraries.

Recordings: Unless otherwise noted, sessions are recorded and posted to the Previous Conferences<http://nlcblogs.nebraska.gov/bigtalk/previous-conferences/> page as soon as possible after the event. You do not need to register for the conference to access the recordings.

You can register here<https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgId=25071> to attend the live conference sessions for free.

Tues - Thurs, March 10-12, 2026: Southeast Collaborative Online Conference<https://sites.google.com/view/secollaborative/Home> (Georgia Public Library Service, State Library of North Carolina, South Carolina State Library, Tennessee State Library & Archives, and The Library of Virginia)
The 2026 Southeast Collaborative Online Conference (SECC) is a collective effort to offer innovative and useful online learning experiences for library staff at all levels through a convenient online conference. Registration is now open<https://sites.google.com/view/secollaborative/Home> (free) –  you can view the agenda<https://sites.google.com/view/secollaborative/Shedule> and learn more about the presenters<https://sites.google.com/view/secollaborative/speakers>.

HIGHLIGHTED WEBINARS/COURSES:

Wednesday, February 11, 11:00a PT: Library Trustees and Advocacy<https://www.nicheacademy.com/webinar-library-trustees-and-advocacy> (Niche Academy live webinar)
One of the most important jobs for a library trustee is advocating for the public library the board represents. Many trustees consider their advocacy role to be conscripted to library crises, such as loss of funding or large-scale book challenges. However, there is a great deal that trustees are allowed (and encouraged!) to do to advocate on behalf of the libraries they represent that isn't tied to a specific event.

In this webinar, Al Hayden, Library Advisory Specialist with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, will discuss ways that library trustees and other library advocates can keep their public library a part of the local, county, and state conversations throughout the year.

Trustees, those who regularly work with trustees, or other library advocates such as library Friends, will come away with customizable ideas to highlight the essential nature of their libraries to their communities, regardless of their situation or level of experience.

Thursday, February 19, 10:00am PT: Info2Go! Libraries as Cooling Centers: Every Library Can Be One<https://libraries.idaho.gov/event/info2go-libraries-as-cooling-centers/> (Idaho Commission for Libraries)
Your library can be a cooling center, even if you don’t use that term! As extreme heat events become more common even where people typically worry more about snow or ice than heat waves, libraries are adapting to welcome people who require shelter from heat. Before inviting attendees to share tips from their libraries, we’ll discuss heat risks, who is most affected, and challenges encountered in this work. Attendees will get ideas about incorporating this into existing library services, staffing needs, buy-in, and publicity. Emphasis will be on creative, inexpensive strategies. Not every library is air-conditioned, but every library can do something to meet this increasing need in their community! Presented by Joy Worland, Library Consultant at the Vermont Department of Libraries.

Thursday, February 19, 11:00am PT: Smarter Search, More Content: What’s New in Gale Power Search<https://cengage-gale.zoom.us/webinar/register/7517654749952/WN_Ve1di6ZnSPSKnnJMwxiebg#/registration> (CENGAGE/Gale)
Join us as we showcase the redesigned interface, improved navigation, and expanded cross-search capabilities of Gale Power Search - making it easier than ever for your students and patrons to find trusted information. These enhancements help learners discover new content types, including primary sources and literature reference, and allow topic guides to be cross-searched for deeper, more meaningful research. With a cleaner, more intuitive experience, you’ll be equipped to support inquiry and engagement in your school or library.

For more information and to register or access the recording, go here<https://cengage-gale.zoom.us/webinar/register/7517654749952/WN_Ve1di6ZnSPSKnnJMwxiebg#/registration>.

LIVE WEBINARS for the week of February 9 (details are available in the CE Calendar<https://slo.oregon.gov/conted/free#s-lib-ctab-24120710-1> or at WebJunction<https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/free-webinars-for-library-staff.html>)

Monday:

  *   8am Data-Driven Fundraising: Lessons from 2025 to Power Up 2026 (Nonprofit Learning Lab)
  *   10am Land of the Free, Home of the Brave
  *   11am Certified Swoon Worthy Reads (Booklist)
  *   12pm Inviting emerging adults into the library: Lessons from El Paso's Centre Future (WebJunction)

Tuesday:

  *   10am AI Applications and Safeguards for the Future-Forward Finance Office (Blackbaud)
  *   10am Chronicling America for Historical Research (Library of Congress)
  *   11am Hope in the Library: How Libraries Can Help Shape Our Future with Artificial Intelligence (ASERL)
  *   1pm Future-Ready Classrooms: Innovating Early Learning with Digital Tools, AI, and Data-Informed Instruction (edWeb)
  *   3pm The Reading Culture Advantage Webinar Series: Module 6 | Partnering with Families & Caregivers (LibrariesLearn/CSL)

Wednesday:

  *   7am What's Up Wednesday - Story & Strategy: A Library Con (Indiana State Library)
  *   8am Measurements of Health Literacy
  *   11am Beyond Behavior: Understanding Attention-Seeking in Young Children by Shelby Secoura, RECE (Early Childhood Investigations)
  *   11am PCI: 2025 Readers' Advisory Year in Review
  *   11am Staff Development & Empowerment Roundtable - Seeking Solutions to the Problems of Practice in Library Makerspaces
  *   11am Library Trustees and Advocacy (Niche Academy)
  *   12pm Let AI Reveal the Story Behind Your Google Form Responses (Tech-Talk)
  *   12pm A Math Education Game Changer: Assessing What Really Counts (edWeb)
  *   12pm Asking Styles: A Revolutionary Concept in Fundraising (CharityHowTo)
  *   3:30pm Cosmic Pioneers: Discovering Galaxies Together (SciStarter)
  *   4pm Telling the Library Story: Advocacy Tools for Budget Season (ALA/AASL)

Thursday:

  *   9am LibGuide Accessibility Webinar – Part II (Technical Focus) (Library Accessibility Alliance)
  *   10am An Introduction to Congress.gov Webinar (LOC: Law Library)
  *   11am Celebrating America 250 in the Secondary Classroom
  *   11am Amazing Audiobooks (Booklist)
  *   1pm The Science of Reading is Necessary but Insufficient: Enter the Three-Sciences Framework (edWeb)

Cheers,
Darci Hanning, MLIS (she/her/hers)
Public Library Consultant / CE Coordinator
Continuing Education Resources: https://slo.oregon.gov/conted/
State Library of Oregon | Library Support and Development Services
971-375-3491 | darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov> | www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>

[State Library of Oregon (Logo)]

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Schedule time to meet with me<https://outlook.office365.com/bookwithme/user/a59abb0a2327467fac503ddb3913cf5e@slo.oregon.gov?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled&ep=pcard>

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