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The Current Issues workshop will help you find the answers to these questions and more. In Current Issues, you will learn how to:

• Identify trends in the local, regional, national, and international environment that affect public library service.
• Develop strategies for adapting to these factors.
• Analyze current services in the light of a changing environment.

The Current Issues workshop is brought to you by the Public Library Association (PLA) in conjunction with the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records. This two-day workshop will be held February 21-22, 2008 at the Carnegie Center in Pheonix, AZ.

• Course curricula, fees, local information, and registration
• About the Certified Public Library Administrator (CPLA) Program

If you’re looking to learn how to:

• Link the budget process to the library’s strategic planning priorities.
• Assign budget responsibilities, identify typical budget categories, and prepare a program budget from a line-item budget.
• Complete a cost-benefit analysis, establish fiscal controls, and manage cash flow.

Sandra Nelson’s workshop on Budget and Finance for Public Libraries is the learning opportunity for you. Brought to you by PLA and the Peninsula Library System, this two-day workshop will be held at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library in San Jose, CA. For details on the course and to register, visit the PLA web site.

Fundraising with June Garcia
January 29-30, 2008
Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Georgia
Register Now

This two-day, in-depth, interactive program will provide public librarians with the practical skills and knowledge they need to develop and implement effective fundraising projects for their libraries. In this workshop you will learn how to:

• Make a case for library fundraising initiatives
• Build and nurture public-private partnerships
• Develop the fundraising infrastructure within the library
• Create a needs or case statement to support a fundraising effort
• Develop a plan to market the fundraising effort

Completion of this course can be used as credit toward the Certified Public Library Administrator (CPLA) program. This voluntary program is designed for post-MLS public librarians with at least three years of supervisory experience, but you do not need to be enrolled in the CPLA certification program to take advantage of PLA/CPLA courses. For more information about certification, visit the ALA-APA Web site.

Registration is now open for:

Serving Diverse Populations
Prairie Area Library System
Rockford, Illinois
October 24-25, 2007

Equip yourself with the skills and knowledge librarians need to effectively serve diverse populations. At the end of the Serving Diverse Populations workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify the key issues and challenges of serving diverse populations; assess a library’s readiness to serve diverse populations; and apply intercultural communication techniques to the delivery of library services.
• Understand how diversity factors impact the delivery of library services and how cultural differences impact people’s perspectives on libraries and library service.
• Develop a culturally responsive library services plan that addresses identified community needs and develop marketing messages that connect with diverse populations.

Click here for a full class description and instructor bio.

Course Fee:

• $250 for PLA members and partners
• $300 for ALA members
• $400 for non-members

Learn the principles of building planning and management as it pertains to public libraries at PLA’s upcoming workshop:

Planning and Management of Buildings
Columbus, Ohio
September 5-6, 2007

The Planning and Management of Buildings workshop will teach participants how to:

• Assess the current condition of their buildings, develop a list of building maintenance and operation procedures, and monitor performance for maintenance personnel.
• Plan a building improvement project, present the planning documents, and develop a communications plan to keep stakeholders informed throughout a building project.
• Learn the procedures to employ architectural, engineering and consultant assistance in assessing or improving their building, and list technology planning needs and associated building requirements.

Planning and Management of Buildings is one of nine PLA-approved Certified Library Administrator (CPLA) courses.

Course Fee:

• $250 for PLA members and partners
• $300 for ALA members
• $400 for non-members

Click here for more information, full class description, and instructor biography.
About CPLA

The CPLA program is a voluntary post-MLS certification program for public librarians with three years or more of supervisory experience. However, you do not have to be enrolled in the certification program to take advantage of CPLA courses. This series of continuing education programs meets both the requirements for CPLA certification and the needs of librarians wanting to enhance their managerial skills.

PLA is proud to be an approved provider of Certified Public Library Administrator (CPLA) courses. This series of continuing education programs is designed to meet both the requirements for CPLA certification and the needs of library managers wanting to enhance their skills outside of the CPLA framework.

The basic content of the workshops is of equal interest to librarians pursuing certification and librarians desiring to enhance their professional skills in more informal way. The workshops have been designed to be practical rather than theoretical and include interactive exercises and group work. Librarians pursuing CPLA certification will be required to take both a pre-test and a post-test and will be asked to do outside readings or complete a project.

All of the PLA courses for CPLA are interactive and include a variety of group exercises based on a case study about a medium-sized county library with multiple branches. Using the same case study throughout each training program will give participants an opportunity to apply what they are learning in a practical way in the “real” library – and to see the effects of the decisions they make throughout each of the two-day programs.

Detailed list of courses, locations, dates, and more information including registration

For more information about PLA, visit www.pla.org