On the surface, applications such as Flickr and Twitter may not appear to be online communities; but they can be used by nonprofits to mobilize constituencies, enhance outreach and fundraising activities, and expand reach. This multi-media session includes an expert-led exploration of the above Web 2.0 tools, hands-on advice on how to best implement them for your organization, and a chance for you to ask questions to ensure that you will leave ready to implement what you have learned. A TechSoup Stock representative will present information on how to use the TechSoup website and the process for requesting donated products.

This is the first in a series of free online seminars sponsored by ReadyTalk and designed for any size organization. You should attend if you are interested in using these tools to showcase the work of your organization and reach your constituents in new and dynamic ways. You don’t need extensive time, money or tech skills to get started. Space is limited, so secure your space today!

Maintain IT Webinar: Wireless Acceptable Use Policies
May 21 at 11:00 AM Pacific/2:00 PM Eastern
Louise Alcorn, Reference Technology Librarian at the West Des Moines Public Library and contributor to Recipes for a 5-Star Library Cookbook, and author of Wireless Networking: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians [and also a frequent conference blogger for the PLA Blog], chats about her experiences with wireless, including considerations around the ever-important wireless acceptable use policy. Take 30 minutes out of your day and learn from the experiences of others. Get started with wireless at your library!

WebJunction Webinar: Introduction to “Shaping Outcomes”
May 29 at 11:00 AM Pacific/2:00 PM Eastern
Join presenter Rachel Applegate as she introduces the online course, ‘Shaping Outcomes,’ which teaches the principles of an ‘outcomes-based planning and evaluation’ (OBPE). The course was originally developed to help LSTA and IMLS grant applicants create stronger grant proposals and stronger programs. Trainers can use the website and extensive instructor’s materials to deliver the course on their own, or enroll at www.shapingoutcomes.org. This webinar will provide an introduction to outcomes-based planning and evaluation.

Learning Webinar: Cultivating a Culture of Learning at the Library
June 10 at 11:00 AM Pacific/1:00 PM Eastern
How much time does your library spend on “training?” Statistics show that most learning takes place on the job or with a coworker, yet as trainers we spend an inordinate amount of time preparing for and delivering classroom training. In this webinar you will learn why you need to get your staff out of the classroom and instead focus on creating a culture of learning in your library. Presented by guest speaker Lori Reed, Training Specialist for the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County.

On Wednesday, April 16, advocacy “guru Stephanie Vance will host the Washington Office’s second Advocacy Webinar. (The first webinar was a huge success.)

The webinar comes just as National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) approaches, when our advocacy skills need to be honed to a razor sharp edge. Librarians, friends, trustees and enthusiasts from across the country will be participating in NLLD on May 13 and 14, 2008. Some will be coming to DC to meet with their Members of Congress, while others will be participating in Virtual Library Legislative Day by calling and writing their elected officials from the safety of their own offices.

How can you best prepare for and be effective in these communications? How can you be sure legislators and their staff will hear your message and pay attention? What kinds of federal policy issues should you talk about?

Space is limited, so reserve your Webinar seat now.

As you think about your resolutions for the New Year, why not resolve to make your library a great educational asset within your community? This webinar will show you how to leverage social networking tools such as del.icio.us and Librarything to enable knowledge sharing and create collections of information around professional development. Ten key themes are presented to empower library staff as well as to increase a library’s value within the community. Presented by guest speaker Ed Rossman, adult services librarian at Shaker Heights Public Library and author of Castles Against Ignorance: How to Make Libraries Great Educational Environments.

Be Safe, Not Sorry: Protecting Your Data
PC Magazine Learning Center self-paced course, four 30-minute webcasts

Are you doing everything you can to protect your data? Malware—from viruses to spyware—continues to plague many businesses, not to mention internal security threats. Does your small business have a holistic security strategy in place?

Don’t have a plan to secure your business data? Let the expert editorial staff of PC Magazine teach you everything you need to know. Attend this course of four dynamic online webcast lessons each of which includes practical downloadable coursework.

Even though we aren’t “businesses” per se, libraries are large organizations dealing with computers — public and staff — and their issues. This course, which you can do at your own pace, offers something a bit deeper than your average article about vanilla virus protection, and will give you excellent fodder for your next coffee with the tech folks.

More and more people are accessing information and resources from home and work computers. Does that mean the physical library will go away? NO WAY! In this session we will talk about the evolving role of the physical library space. We will highlight innovative and interesting rural library examples. Join the Rural In Focus webinar facilitator, Brenda Hough, and guest presenter Cindi Hickey, Continuing Education Librarian and WebJunction Coordinator for the State Library of Kansas. Find information on joining the webinar in addition to archives of past webinars at Rural In Focus.

The webinar is FREE, and advanced registration is not required, you can just show up the day of. Visit WebJunction for information on how to attend the webinar, and to make sure your computer is ready to help you join the conversation. While you’re there, visit the archive of webinars (scroll down a bit on the page) that you can watch at your leisure.

Be sure to follow the instructions for making sure your computer is ready for the webinar, and arrive 10 minutes early.

In Focus Webinar: Joy of Computing with practical techniques for supporting public computing

Each month the Rural Library Sustainability Project presents an hour-long webinar related to the work of sustaining rural and small libraries. This month join us on August 23, 11:00 am PT/ 2:00 pm ET for You can do it! Practical techniques for supporting public computing. How are your peers meeting the challenges of providing access to public computers? Pooling resources, developing technology plans, and staff training are three things that can help. In this webinar, we will take a look at The Joy of Computing Cookbook for small and rural libraries at www.maintainitproject.org. Join a lively discussion around best practices that will include some of the libraries who contributed to the cookbook. Bring your success stories as well as your nightmares, and let’s find solutions together!

Also, the archive for the recently presented Core Competencies for Library Staff webinar is also available, complete with close captioning, and it’s definitely worth the watch. While you’re there, you should check out the WebJunction Core Competencies as a companion document to the webinar archive.

Second Circ: Using Web 2.0 Tools in Your Library
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM EST
This session is part of EqualAccess (a community partner of WebJunction), a professional development program that trains public librarians in how to address their community’s most pressing needs. “This webinar will introduce you to the world of online tools available–tools that make it easier than ever to share information, promote your programs, and mobilize support. We’ll start with the basics, and through visuals and real-time demos, you’ll learn the skills to bring your library marketing into the next generation. All are welcome and no prior experience is required!”

Tools for Planning: Action. Vision. Future. Planning.
March 29, 10:30 AM PDT/1:30 PM EDT
This session is a supplement to the Rural Library Sustainability Project workshops (I attended one myself, and it was super!), where the process of creating a public access computer action plan was introduced. “Attend this session to hear about some action plan success stories and discuss planning tools and resources that are being successfully used in the library world. Moderated by Brenda Hough, Technology Coordinator, Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS).” The planning skills and best practices presented are beneficial even if you haven’t attended a Rural Library Sustainability session!