Getting more people into your library is easy with online products that take their interests, hobbies and business ideas to the next level. Schedule a free Webinar to learn how Gale is working with your library to provide the best information solutions for your patrons — from global news to antiquing and collecting to starting a small business — there’s a resource that will engage everyone.

Please click on the desired date(s) to register for your free Webinar.
All times are Eastern Time.

Gale Virtual Reference Library

… provides your patrons with unlimited 24/7 access to thousands of electronic reference titles — eBooks — in virtually any subject area.
Oct. 16, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Oct. 22, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Literature Resource Center

Uniquely relevant to today’s curriculum, Literature Resource Center’s rich critical, biographical and contextual materials support interdisciplinary approaches, information literacy and the development of critical thinking skills.

Oct. 16, 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Oct. 30, 10:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Tags: gale, Online Resources

SOLINET (Southeastern Library Network) has released the fall schedule of learning opportunities. The classes include face-to-face, live online, and self-paced tutorials.

PLCMC staff must fill out a Continuing Education/Travel Requisition Form and submit this to HR for approval in order to have the library pay your registration fees.

The following is a sample of classes available. Be sure to check fall schedule to see the full list of classes.

10 Interactive Information Literacy Teaching Strategies (Live Online)
Instructor: Russell Palmer
$120(Member)
$170(Non-member)
Distance Education
• Tuesday, November 18 (2:00 to 4:00 p.m.)

Designing Learning Spaces for Your Library (Live Online)
Instructor: Tim Daniels
$120(Member)
$170(Non-member)
Distance Education
• Tuesday, October 21 (2:00 to 4:00 p.m.)

Latino Cultural Workshop: Getting to Know and Serve our Latino Patrons (Live Online)
Instructor: Susana Baumann
$170(Member)
$220(Non-member)
Distance Education
• Thursday, November 6 to Friday, November 7 (10:00 a.m. to noon)

Latino Cultural Workshop: How to Attract Spanish-Speaking Patrons (Live Online)
Instructor: Susana Baumann
$120(Member)
$170(Non-member)
Distance Education
• Wednesday, October 29 (10:00 a.m. to noon)

Promoting Library Services Using Blogs and RSS (Live Online)
Instructor: David Greenebaum
$170(Member)
$220(Non-member)
Distance Education
• Tuesday, December 2 to Wednesday, December 3 (2:00 to 4:00 p.m.)

The Library As Place (Live Online)
Instructor: David Greenebaum
$120(Member)
$170(Non-member)
Distance Education
• Wednesday, November 12 (2:00 to 4:00 p.m.)

Tags: solinet

Here’s a great one-day workshop for anyone new to training or who wants to brush up on his or her skills.

If you’re new to training or are transitioning to a training and development role,
this event’s for you!

Back to Basics is a one day conference that includes these topics:

Delivering Training

• Questioning Skills
• Listening Skills
• Operational Logistics
• Creative Facilitation
• Effective Use of Training Mediums

Designing Learning

• Basic Design Terminology
• Creating a Design Template
• Basics of Needs Analysis
• Classroom Activities
• Simulations
• Developing Effective Test Questions

George Piskurich, an industry expert in designing, developing, and delivering training,
provides the morning keynote!

Date: Friday, October 17th
Location: Employers Association, Charlotte, NC (map and directions)

Price: ASTD Members: $129, Non-members: $179

Registration: register online or register by mail (MS-Word doc, 64K)

PLCMC staff must fill out a Continuing Education/Travel Requisition Form and submit this to HR for approval in order to have the library pay for your registration.

If you are interested in becoming an ASTD member remember that the library will pay for one professional membership per year. Click here for details.

Tags: astd, conferences, train-the-trainer

Second Life is a 3-D virtual world where you can interact with other Second Life members. Many universities and businesses are offering training and even college courses in Second Life. Why? Because Second Life gives you a wonderful way to interact with other people from around the world and is an ideal tool for role playing and simulations.

Last week I found the PLCMC library in Second Life complete with a fireplace and wait…whose picture is that on the mantle?

If you’d like to check it out and see what it is like to attend a seminar in Second Life, here’s a great opportunity.

Libraries and the Homeless: A Discussion Between Library Staff and Shelter Staff in Second Life

Steve Eyler, Director of Information Systems for the Uptown Shelter in Charlotte, NC, will lead a discussion in Second Life with library staff around the world on the homeless and libraries.

This event takes place in Second Life, but you do not need to know anything about Second Life to participate. We will project the conference on a screen and give everyone an opportunity to participate via voice and chat.

When: Friday, October 17, 2008 11am - 12 noon

Where: Main Library (90 minutes of free parking is available at 7th Street Station)

For those of you following this blog who do not work for PLCMC you can participate by going to Cybrary City in Second Life or teleporting to coordinates 124, 157, 24. If you attend please say hello. Our PLCMC group will be logged in as my Second Life resident Rain McLeod.

You can learn more about Second Life here.

Tags: homeless, Second Life

Another free webinar from the MaintainIT Project this one is for trainers!

What: Train-the-Trainer: The Power of Stories in Technology Training

When: Wednesday, October 8, 2008 2-3 pm EST / 11 am - 12 pm Pacific

Where: Register on MaintainIT’s webinar space, and come prepared to share your training tips, too.

Library trainers from around the country are finding this popular webinar series a great opportunity to discuss training tips, techniques, and resources. This month we will focus on how storytelling can enhance your participants’ learning and retention.

Tags: Maintain IT Project, storytelling, train-the-trainer, webinar

37 staff have been to OverDrive training so far this month and learned how to browse and download ebooks, movies, music, and audio books to PCs and MP3 players. As we expand our OverDrive collection to include iPod compatible audio books this is a great opportunity to learn about the service so you can help promote the collection to PLCMC customers.

Sessions continue for the next two weeks, but if you are unable to attend the training materials, including a recording of the sessions, will be available to you soon.

Remaining sessions are:

• OVERDRIVE 101, 9/23/2008, 11AM-1PM, North County Regional Library
• OVERDRIVE 101, 9/24/2008, 11AM-1PM, University City Regional Library
• OVERDRIVE 101, 9/25/2008, 11AM-1PM, Sugar Creek Branch Library
• OVERDRIVE 102, 9/29/2008, 3PM-4:30PM, Freedom Regional Library
• OVERDRIVE MARKETING, 9/30/2008, 3PM-4:30PM, Freedom Regional Library
• OVERDRIVE MARKETING, 10/1/2008, 7PM-8:30PM, Morrison Regional Library

Register for these sessions on myHR.

Tags: audiobooks, digital media, downloadable media, ebooks, overdrive, webinar

The World’s Largest (Free!) Publisher: How the Government Can Help You Impress Patrons, Get Rich and Live Forever

Thursday, September 25th, 2008 @ 2pm at UNCC’s Atkins Library
Presented by: Lois Stickell

Don’t miss the next Metrolina Library Association workshop The World’s Largest (Free!) Publisher: How the Government Can Help You Impress Patrons, Get Rich and Live Forever, presented by Lois Stickell. Stickell is a reference librarian at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she is a liaison to the History Department and oversees Government Documents. She also teaches a class in Government Publications for UNCG’s M.L.I.S. program.

On Thursday, September 25th at 2 p.m., meet at UNCC’s Atkins Library for a hands-on demonstration of some of the best government websites for personal use like health and travel and for serious research for your patrons. If you’re intimidated by Government Publications, this is the workshop for you.

Registration Fee of $10 for members and $15 for non-members includes light refreshments and parking. Register at http://www.mlalibrary.org/

PLCMC staff must fill out a Continuing Education/Travel Requisition Form and submit this to HR for approval in order to have the library pay for your registration.

Tags: government, Lois Stickell, mla, resources

Do you know Novello? Novello brings authors and readers together to celebrate books and reading. This year’s festival takes place from Oct. 2-30, 2008.

In preparation for Novello branch managers are asked to select one person from each branch to act as a Novello ambassador. Selected staff will be asked to register for “Know Novello” a workshop designed to educate and excite staff about the upcoming Novello Festival for 2008.

Details and registration for Know Novello can be found on myHR.

To learn more about Novello and to view this year’s program line up visit plcmc.org/novello.
To view more photos from past Novello events visit Flickr.

Tags: novello

Tech Central at ImaginOn is currently seeking applications for the Fall 2008 Youth Technology Staff Exchange. The purpose of the program is to give PLCMC staff the opportunity to learn technologies they would like to use for a program or other services at their branch. The technologies learned will be available at the branches either as equipment that circulates, can be installed on a flash drive, or similar options.

Another part of the deal is that staff from Tech Central then provide an exchange by helping out your branch in either covering your hours that you spent learning the new technology at ImaginOn, helping give programs to youth involving technology, or wherever we can help serve you best.

Consider filling out the application: youth-technology-staff-exchange-it’s easy! Visit the blog about the program to see how librarian Catherine Haydon’s voyage with the staff exchange program went in the summer of 2008.

Contact Kelly Czarnecki, Technology Education Librarian, for more information.

Tags: ImaginOn, staff exchange, Tech Central, Technology, Youth

Creating Online: Video Game Design and Virtual Worlds Made Easy

Description:
This program will provide an overview of using Scratch and MultiMedia Fusion software that can be used to design games. Features of the programs, how to start learning, and how to offer it as a library program to patrons will be discussed. Since game design can often attract those that hand out in virtual worlds, participants will learn some steps on advertising their game designs in the virtual world of SmallWorlds and Teen Second Life.

Audience:
Library staff who would like to offer video game design workshops to youth and teens.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• List and be able to perform basic tasks in two video game design programs.
• List at least five tips and tricks on teaching the program as well as how to learn the programs themselves.
• Facilitate at least one program at your location for teens on video game design.

Prerequisites:
None

Session:

Monday, August 25, 2008 1-3pm at Steele Creek Branch Library

Register online through myHR.

Tags: games, programs, teens, video game design, Youth