Author: Gina Robinson

Categories
Libraries

Actively Anti-Racist Services to Readers

Ibram X Kendi, author of How to Be an Antiracist, writes that “Every policy in every institution in every community in every nation is producing or sustaining either racial inequity or equity between racial groups.” As a profession, we must ask ourselves how our libraries are or should be producing or sustaining racial equity. This iterative process requires that librarians and library staff take a thoughtful look at Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion principles in every aspect of our work. It requires that we move from being neutral and well meaning to actively anti-racist in our work.

In the upcoming CALL event ‘Actively Anti-Racist Services to Readers’, participants will craft an actionable plan and come away with tangible skills that will guide every interaction with readers, including direct service, collection development, and displayed materials.

This course consists of three lessons: Two self-paced lessons (two hours each) must be completed before the third live session. You will have 24/7 access to the first two lessons in this course, and they can be completed at your own pace. This foundational work will inform the interactive, hands-on workshop on April 17th, 2-4pm.

Learn more about ‘Actively Anti-Racist Services to Readers’ from the two instructors, Robin Bradford and Becky Spratford.

Register today for this event taking place on Monday, April 17th!

Categories
Libraries

Reflections on Leadership from a DLCL Coach

A guest post by Fin Minjee Lee

I’ve been reflecting a lot about the types of leaders I have encountered for the past 5 years in libraries and in my studies. How am I upholding some of those skills and experiences I’ve seen and felt in the way I show up as a librarian? How can I implement leadership skills in the micro (from “Emergent Strategies” by Adrienne Maree Brown) and continue to show up by active listening, using an equity-based lens, and leading with empathy?

I’m working through those skills, every single day. I think it can be reflected on all levels of the library. I am not in management or administration, yet I know I am making a difference through leadership qualities. Leaders are not necessarily managers/admin – and managers/admin are not necessarily leaders. I’ve had the amazing opportunity to really explore leadership and how it pertains to myself and in libraries through The California Library Association Developing Leaders in California Libraries (DLCL) program. Last year I was a cohort member and this year I was asked to join the mentor/coach team (with other AMAZING coaches/mentors) for the 2022-2023 cohort.

Last week, the coaches and the cohort members all met to really work through their position paper projects that will be presented at this year’s CLA conference. There was so much depth, openness, and what Ivan Aguirre mentioned as a share out near the end of our time together – growth. Growth was evident in the position papers, team presentations, and the values of the project the cohort members are focused on. AND, in many ways, I sincerely felt growth in myself. I am filled with so much gratitude for all the types of connections I have made throughout my career and the folks I met through CLA have been the most giving, supportive, and inspiring. I never met a network of folks who truly want to make a difference and, simply, want to root for you.

Sitting with so much gratitude and inspiration for what comes next.

Categories
Libraries

CAreer Pathways: Resources for Climate, Agriculture, and Infrastructure Jobs

This series of CAreer Pathways webinars looks at the CA Dept of Labor’s 5 focus areas: Healthcare, Care Economy, Climate, Agriculture, and Infrastructure.

Join us to learn more about Stanislaus County Library and their key partnerships with Stanislaus County Workforce Development and LearningQuest (literacy), both of which were instrumental in driving traffic to their CAreer Pathways resources page. They will share promotional materials, including a commercial that ran on social media. Panelists will include Vicki Salinas, Reference Librarian, Stanislaus County Library and Ramina Carlton, Stanislaus County Department of Workforce Development. The webinar will also feature resources across all platforms that focus on the high-need, high-growth industries of Agriculture, Climate and Infrastructure. Workforce development and related community partners and library staff of all levels are invited to attend.

Register for this webinar, taking place on March 22, 2023 at 11:00 am PDT.

These resources are supported by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Categories
Libraries

New CALL Calendar

screenshot of the new CALL calendar

The New CALL Calendar is launching January 16, 2023. Similar in look and feel to the old calendar, but with new features and improvements such as:

  • More accurate keyword searching
  • Color coding by Program Type (i.e. Conference, In-Person, Online Course, Webinar, etc.)
  • Hover for event description

To register for an event, click into the event and scroll to the bottom to input your information. After you click ‘Register’ you will receive a confirmation email from call@cla-net.org. You will also receive a reminder email 24 hours before your event.

We hope you enjoy the new calendar! If you have questions or need technical assistance please email grobinson@cla-net.org.

Categories
Libraries

DLCL Meets In-Person

developing leaders in california libraries

A guest post by Danis Kreimeier

Developing Leaders in California Libraries (DLCL) met in-person Wednesday, November 30 and Thursday, December 1 in Oakland. After meeting remotely since September, it was obvious that cohort members were excited to be together for the first time in person, as the volume in the meeting room rose quickly in an enthusiastic rumbling.

Engagement was high and rose even more with the first activity focused on getting to know the coaches. (As a part of the DLCL program coaches are available to cohort members.) Coaches and cohort members talked together in a modified speed dating format, with the coaches rotating from table to table, sharing their philosophy and getting to know one another.

“Connecting with this year’s new cohort of Developing Leaders was invigorating. It was an honor to witness these leaders collaborate on how we can better serve our communities and become strong allies. The future of libraries is bright!” Coach Mandy Nasr, Director, Camarillo Public Library

Following coach speed dating we participated in a world café exercise exploring what elements and qualities are inherent in equitable leadership. The focus was on answering the question, What are the qualities, values, and skills that a leader should embrace in order to increase equitable outcomes within the library community? (Learn more about the World Cafe.)

Authenticity, accountability, respect, embracing differences, mindfulness, tenacity, I’m sure all these words make sense to you as you consider the qualities of leadership. The challenge is how do we take these qualities into our workplace and communities? That’s something else that DLCL cohort members discussed. Conversation included recognition that authentic leadership requires self-knowledge, the willingness to be vulnerable, and to see setbacks or failures as an opportunity to grow and learn. It doesn’t matter where you are in your organization, anyone can be a leader and an ally. “Leading from behind” can be one of the most transformative ways to evolve an organization. And it’s not just for extroverts, it comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

As we learned during the session on Allyship, we may get it wrong sometimes, but that’s no reason not to try. Learning to work through the uncomfortableness and have authentic encounters is a key skill set in developing all the other tools. But with vision, courage and strength we can grow.

What’s next for the DLCL cohort members? They will participate in teams over the next several months on a leadership challenge project. These projects will focus on community assets and challenges and designing community-based services that reflect those.

“The library, via its incredible and inspirational staff, is at the forefront of many for the conversations that shape our future. The library is a source for connection to people, community, culture, and ubiquitous learning.” Coach Marissa Murphy-Becerra

Learn more about Developing Leaders in California Libraries and find out how you can be a part of this forward-looking initiative.

Categories
Libraries

Tutoring for ALL

adult helping child use desktop computer

A guest post by Chris Durr, Library Programs Consultant, California State Library

Tutors can be expensive, and families are often faced with the challenge of trying to secure the services of a tutor.

In his book, Dream Hoarders, Richard Reeves describes how scarce resources – such as the instructional time of qualified tutors – are often hoarded in America by the wealthy. This system, believed by many to be simply ‘good parenting,’ creates a glass floor for the wealthy and a glass ceiling for the other 99%. As Dr. Mark Bray has pointed out in his work, The Shadow education system: private tutoring and its implications for planners, traditional school education is supplemented, to great effect, by the efforts of private tutors. In some countries, this supplement can be an astronomical cost. In 1996, South Korean families spent the equivalent of $25 billion on private tutors, more than the total budget for the entire government.

Enter California State Library’s new online tutoring program, accessible to all California children in grades K-12. Through this resource, anyone with a computer and internet connection can access a live tutor, speaking in English or Spanish, for support with Language Arts or Mathematics, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additional topics and languages are available between 10 am and 10 pm. These tutors, 99% of whom have at least a bachelor’s degree, can help walk students through their classwork with a variety of tools and address a large array of needs. This statewide program is a step forward for all California families.

The online tutoring service is authenticated via “geolocation,” meaning that anyone with an IP address inside of California can access a tutor, with or without a library card. This also means that if a user has a library card and has forgotten it, lost the pin, or is not in good standing with the library, they can still use the tutoring service through the same geolocated link. The program is streamlined for learner access, offering as few barriers as possible for a tutor and a student to be able to connect.

In rolling out this exciting new service, the State Library and partners are providing trainings to educators, library workers, and others on “HelpNow,” the surrounding supports and other touchpoints for the service. The training calendar is below. We hope California library staff will join these training opportunities and learn how to help their communities.

Upcoming Trainings

HelpNow: Online Tutoring and K-12 educators (Audience: K-12 Educators)

Learn how the HelpNow tutoring service can be useful for your students and learners. From test prep, to homework help, to flashcard creation, this training offers expert guidance in how to use the HelpNow tools to increase student achievement, all with little to no prep from the educator.

HelpNow: Nuts, Bolts and Troubleshooting User Issues Part 1 (Audience: Library Workers)

You have HelpNow active on your library website, now what? This training will focus on the nuts and bolts of bringing this service to users and will familiarize frontline staff with how HelpNow can meet community needs. This training will also cover common ways to troubleshoot the service if an end user experiences a problem.

HelpNow: Marketing and Outreach Part 1 (Audience: Library Workers)

Brainfuse offers a variety of resources to help your library raise awareness of the HelpNow service. As your library prepares for students to take midterms, finish college applications, and tackle learning over the holiday breaks, this session will help you position your library as a ‘just in time’ service for patrons seeking help with tests, homework, and essays.

HelpNow: Nuts, Bolts and Troubleshooting User Issues Part 2 (Audience: Library Workers)

A refresher from the October 26th training, this training focuses on the nuts and bolts of bringing this service to users, familiarizing frontline staff with what community needs HelpNow can meet so that workers can point staff to ‘just in time’ resources and focus on troubleshooting issues more advanced users may encounter.

HelpNow: Marketing and Outreach Part 2 (Audience: Library Workers)

Essential to the success of this resource is how well your library can raise awareness of this service. Previous trainings will have touched on the promotion of HelpNow, but this training will be a more focused look at the resources and supports your library has for promoting this service to your community, especially relating to testing season for schools.

HelpNow: Test Prep Resources (Audience: K-12 Educators)

HelpNow offers a variety of tools to assist with test preparation. You know about HelpNow’s live tutoring services, but with finals, the California High School Exit Exam and college entrance exams looming, it’s time to learn more about how HelpNow can support test prep. Product experts will provide an overview of sample test preparation materials offered by HelpNow.

HelpNow: Summer Services Pitch (Audience: Library Workers)

As the school year comes to an end, learn how to turn this resource into a meaningful resource for your community during the summer months. From specific marketing materials for summer, to other forms of engagement like chess tutor, to setting and tracking summer learning goals, HelpNow has resources so your library can make this service useful even when children have no homework to complete.

This program is supported with funds provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Librarian.

Categories
Libraries

Leadership Development with California Library Staff

developing leaders in california libraries

As of Aug 2022, the Developing Leaders in California Libraries was merged into the California Libraries Learn (CALL) project.

Leadership Cohorts 2022/23 (Applications are now closed for these opportunities)

In 2022-2023 the Developing Leaders program consists of two cohorts which will work together during the program cycle.

The Leadership Development Learning Cohort is designed to help all levels of library staff build equity and community-based leadership skills. Those selected for this cohort are engaging in synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities. These include bi-weekly Zoom sessions, activities such as reading about equity-based leadership topics and engaging in online discussion forums, and three in-person meetings.

The Leadership Challenge Cohort is designed to give those with leadership skills and those new to leadership the chance to work in teams to learn about community assets and challenges. Areas of focus will be jointly determined by Leadership Challenge teams who will work from fall 2022 through spring 2023 to design services that respond to identified assets and challenges. Teams will present their projects in the spring of 2023. (More information will be available on these presentations in 2023.)

All those participating in the 2022-2023 DLCL initiative will have the opportunity for coaching and mentoring from leaders across California. Coaches and mentors will work with Learner Cohort members on an as needed basis. Leadership Challenge teams will be coached and mentored throughout their process.

You can learn more about the Leadership Learner Cohort via this FAQ and learn more about the Leadership Challenge by reading this FAQ. See the full list of 2022-2023 Learner Cohort and Leadership Challenge Cohort members on this page.

For information and archived recordings from previous years of the Developing Leaders project please visit the archival website.

Leadership for All

All California library staff are invited to visit the CALL events calendar for professional development and leadership learning opportunities under the Leadership for All banner, including the My Leadership Journey series hosted by Robert Karatsu. You will also find numerous self-paced learning opportunities around leadership in the CALL Academy under the Leadership/Management category.

Learner Cohort

Arsine Ansryan, Burbank Public Library
Cherie Buenaflor, Pleasanton Public Library
Nicole Cooksey- Voytenko,
Meghan Croll, Sonoma State University
Olivia Elb, Colusa County Library
Ted Kane, Buena Park Library District
Courtney Kesinger, OC Public Libraries
Alma Madrigal-Ward, Madera County Public Library
Susie Quinn, LA County Library
Megan Ralston-Munger, Montery Park Bruggemeyer Library
Heidi von Mayrhauser, Lost Altos Library
Tamiko Welch, Los Angeles Public Library
Cloud Whorl, Moreno Valley Public Library
Katrena Woodson, Palos Verdes Library District
Taylor Ytuarte, Chula Vista Public Library

Leadership Challenge Cohort

Carmen Letona-Adams, San Mateo County Libraries
Amy Trulock, LA County Library
Natalie Vega, Chula Vista Public Library
Dee Winn, UCLA

Coaches/Mentors

Ivan Aguirre, Riverside County Library System
Marissa Murphy Becerra
Todd Deck, Sacramento Public Library
Robert Karatsu, Retired
Fin Lee, Alhambra Library
Akilah Manuel Mills, Lodi Public Library
Mandy Nasr, Camarillo Public Library

Categories
Libraries

All Aboard for Onboarding

life preserver ring that that has welcome aboard printed on it

Has your library been experiencing high employee turnover or are you experiencing an influx of new hires? Are you interested in learning about a way to increase employee retention? Then you may be interested in learning about how you can improve your employee onboarding process.

What is Onboarding?

Onboarding refers to the process in which new hires are integrated into the library. It includes the entire hiring process (applying and interviewing), orientation (which may include new-hire paperwork and reviewing of policies), and learning about the library, its structure, daily operations, culture, strategic goals, and more.

When we go through the process of hiring new people we hope to keep them as long as possible, but employee retention is complex. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has noted that “newly hired employees are 58 percent more likely to still be at the company three years later if they had completed a structured onboarding process.” This means that while there will always be situations where employees need to quit for reasons beyond the library’s control, many resignations can be prevented with effective onboarding that ensures employees have a clear understanding of their job responsibilities, are in possession of the right tools for the job, receive ongoing training, and feel connected to management and their coworkers.

But therein lies a problem common to many libraries. How do you provide great onboarding experiences when time and staffing are already tight? You may not have time to recreate the onboarding wheel or make sure the new employee gets enough training. That’s where CALL can help.

CALL has developed a new customizable Onboarding Template in CALL Academy, available to all California Libraries. The simple framework provides suggestions for topics to include in your onboarding such as your Ethics Statement, Mission, Strategic Goals, Policies, and Procedures. Within each topic you’ll find tips to help you fill in your own customized information and links to relevant CALL Academy tutorials in case you and your staff need to learn more about a topic.

How to Use This Template As:

Niche Academy Administrator
If you’re a library that currently uses Niche Academy for staff development you’ll have the option to copy CALL’s Onboarding Template into your own academy. From there your academy administrator can customize the template by following the suggestions provided within the framework.

Users Without Niche Academy in Their Library and/or Regular Users
What if you don’t have Niche Academy at your library, or you’re not an academy administrator? Is this template still useful to you? Absolutely. Many of the sections within the template provide links to “Relevant Tutorials in CALL Academy.” Think of these as curated lists of tutorials to provide you with training on specific topics such as ethics, conducting community assessments, incident reporting, and so much more. You may want to review them yourself, or share them with your colleagues who are responsible for onboarding new staff.

Don’t have a staff academy? Feel free to use CALL’s Onboarding Template as inspiration for your onboarding process. Recreate the suggested sections within your own Content Management System such as Microsoft Teams or Google Drive, and share relevant tutorial links with staff.

More Information and Live Q&A
Are you interested in learning more about CALL’s new Onboarding Template? Join us for a live informational webinar on Tuesday, October 18th at 1:00 pm PST. CALL’s Senior Project Coordinator of Technology, Gina Robinson, will give you a first-look at the template and provide suggestions for implementation. Niche Academy’s Customer Success team will also join the webinar to answer all of your more technical questions.

This session will be recorded and added to CALL Academy.

Categories
Libraries

Free eResources for Your Library

library staff member assisting a patron at a computer station

Learn to do more with less [effort], really! State and federal funds support online tools for California public libraries, including K-12 tutoring, eBook collections, workforce upskilling, library staff learning opportunities, and so much more. Don’t let your library community miss out. Join the California State Library for a bi-weekly series of workshops to learn about the varied offerings available for your community at no cost.

These resources are supported in whole or in part by:

  • The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act and the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian
  • Funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
Free eResources for your Library: CAreer Pathways

September 13, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM
In this workshop, California State Library staff will help you review CAreer Pathways digital resources for upskilling, job searches, test prep, and more. Join us for an overview on how your library can use these platforms to serve your community, as well as a sneak peek of what’s to come.

These resources are supported in whole or in part by:

  • The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act and the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian
  • Funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.
Free eResources for your Library: Digital Navigators

September 27, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM
In this workshop, California State Library staff will help you learn how the Digital Navigators pilot program is bridging the digital divide across California. Digital Navigators provide timely assistance to your users, free up staff time, and help provide an essential service to your patrons with English and Spanish contact options. Come to find out how and when to enroll your jurisdiction. For more information, see the California State Library’s webpage on Digital Navigators.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act and the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

Free eResources for your Library: Youth Resources

October 11, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM
In this workshop, California State Library staff will share a wide variety of free online resources for your K-12 students. Discover how to provide online tutoring to your community, at no cost, through new statewide funding. Learn more about our K-12 collection, including Britannica, Gale Interactive: Science, National Geographic Kids, Teaching Books, and a variety of ProQuest offerings. We will also briefly discuss strategies for using the literacy tool Beanstack for summer reading and beyond. For more information on these youth resources, visit California State Library website.

These resources are supported by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Free eResources for your Library: eBooks-for-All California

October 25, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM
In this workshop we will explore the new initiative eBooks-for-All California. Come see how your participation in this eBook platform will lift up communities across our state while increasing offerings for your own patrons. This session will connect library decision-makers interested in benefiting from this shared collection. For more information, visit the eBooks for All California webpage.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the American Rescue Plan Act and the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

Free eResources for your Library: CALL

November 8, 2022, 2:00-3:00 PM
This workshop will highlight how California Libraries Learn (CALL) can help you cultivate a skilled workforce at your library. Learn how CALL will improve your staff’s skills in areas like customer service, conflict management, library worker wellness, and community engagement. CALL provides no-cost workshops, webinars, courses, and cohort-based trainings, as well as access to CALL Academy, an online platform that provides over 700 training opportunities. Visit the CALL website and calendar and sign up for an account with CALL Academy.

This resource is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

Categories
Libraries

Developing Leaders in California Libraries 2022-2023

developing leaders in california libraries

Applications are now open for the California Library Association 2022-2023 Developing Leaders in California Libraries initiative. In 2022-2023 the program consists of two cohorts which will work together during the program cycle.


The Leadership Development Learning Cohort is designed to help all levels of library staff build equity- and community-based leadership skills. Approximately 20 library staff will be selected for the cohort. Those selected will engage in synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities that will include bi-weekly Zoom sessions, activities such as reading and posting on discussion forums, and three in person sessions: November 30 – December 1, 2022, February 22 – 23, 2023, and June 1, 2023. The locations for the December and February face-to-face events are to be determined. The June 1st event will take place during the California Library Association Conference in Sacramento. (All travel costs for the in-person events will be covered by the project.) Office hours for those interested in applying for the Learning Cohort will take place on August 30th at 2PM. Registration for the office hours is available. A Leadership Learning cohort FAQ and a complete schedule of activities is available. Applications are due by 5PM Pacific September 15, 2022.


The Leadership Challenge Cohort is designed to give those with leadership skills and those new to leadership the chance to work in teams on learning about and designing solutions for challenges faced by California libraries and communities. Approximately 20 library leaders will be selected for the Learning Challenge cohort. These cohort members will join with Leadership Learning cohort members to determine an area of focus and integrate leadership skills into the process of developing solutions in the chosen challenge area. Leadership Challenge cohort members will be required to attend the February 22-23, 2023 event and the June 1, 2023 event. (All travel costs for the in-person events will be covered by the project. Attendance at other virtual and face-to-face learning opportunities is optional for Leadership Challenge cohort members) A FAQ for those interested in the Leadership Challenge is available and applications for the Leadership Challenge are due on September 15, 2022 by 5PM Pacific.

If you have questions about the 2022-2023 Developing Leaders in California Libraries opportunities get in touch with Linda W, Braun, project lead, lbraun@leonline.com.