One thing I’ve always loved about libraries is that we are working together for the greater cause of literacy and public good. We’re good at sharing and we’re not in competition with each other because we are all trying to do what works best for our patrons in our library with the resources we have. We have that same spirit in state library service. Today, as a reminder of the wealth of resources available through state libraries across the country, I want to share 3 things I love from other states:

The PB&J (Consultants Paige B. and Joanne) Show from the Wyoming State Library has been a great resource for database training for Iowa library workers and beyond. Their new series beginning in January 2026, sticks with the PB & J theme and provides bite-size training on staff well-being and support for building a balanced, sustainable library life no matter your role, library size, or context.
The Spanish for Library Staff professional development resource page from the South Carolina State Library contains slides, handouts, and links to tools, videos, and other resources used in this training series. These tools will be helpful to library staff who are learning to use basic Spanish with their customers.
This webinar from the Iowa State Library last fall: Stats and Stories: Combining Data & Narrative provides an introduction to communicating your library’s story using qualitative and quantitative data in a way that is compelling to your community and doable for your staff.

There’s no reason to ALWAYS reinvent the wheel with so many brilliant people in this profession, working hard to connect with their patrons and with each other. Next time you are supporting staff training or planning for continuing education, remember to check out the resources we’ve curated here at Library of Michigan, at universities and iSchools, or at other state libraries. At LM, we may already have a recorded webinar on that your topic on our website or YouTube channel. There might be a self-paced course or webinar recording in our Niche Academy or via Webjunction. There might already be a webinar, toolkit, or project for you to learn from or borrow, hopefully saving you time! If you are working on a training topic on which you’d like more support from us at LM, please feel free to reach out anytime. My role as Continuing Education Coordinator is to bring you training opportunities and consult on training needs. I’d love to hear what you are working on and provide support!

Coming Up from Library of Michigan

Unearth Gale Resources: Enhancing Summer Reading Programs for Middle Grades and Teens

Thursday, February 19th at 2:00-2:30pm ET on Zoom

Uncover the wealth of content in Gale resources available in the Michigan eLibrary to enrich summer reading programs for middle and high school patrons. This training will explore how Gale’s curated collections can supplement programming with dynamic, age-appropriate materials that spark curiosity and deepen learning. We’ll also provide a guided tour of Gale’s user-friendly platform and built-in tools, showcasing features that support diverse learning styles and accessibility needs. Join this session to learn practical strategies to integrate Gale resources into your summer initiatives, making reading programs more interactive, inclusive, and impactful.

Gather ‘Round the Table with Teens is an interactive food literacy workshop for library staff serving young adults offered at 3 locations this Spring.

April 20 at Jackson District Library – Meijer Branch

April 22 at Traverse Area District Library - Woodmere

April 24 at Gloria Coles Flint Public Library

Food Education Consultant Rebecca Antill will provide in-person workshops on how to plan and deliver nutrition & cooking programs for teens, featuring how to do so with minimal kitchen access. As a former librarian, Rebecca will offer a tailored learning experience that will equip library staff to offer food programming of all levels at their libraries. Basic health and safety information, kitchen classroom management, culinary skills, and community partners will all be discussed as participants cook and share time together. Bring your own apron as this cooking workshop is hands-on and very interactive! Registration is limited.

Office Hours with LM Library Development Staff - Register on LM’s Continuing Education Calendar to receive Zoom link

Grants Office Hours with Karren Reish – February 10, 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Digital Collections Office Hours with Biz Gallo – February 12, 10:30 – 11:30 am
Library Law Office Hours with Claire Membiela – February 19, 3:00 – 4:00 pm

Webjunction Self-Paced Courses and Webinars

LM’s Staff Skills Niche Academy

United for Libraries

People Connect Institute’s (PCI) Weekly Webinars – Wednesdays at 2 pm – Next Up: Stoplights, Roundabouts, and Leadership: Navigating Organizational Life and Leadership

For full details on all of Library of Michigan’s Continuing Education opportunities including upcoming events and recorded webinars, visit our website. Library of Michigan projects are made possible in-part by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan.

Other Continuing Education Opportunities

The Science of Failing Well: How to Change Your Thinking to Lead (and thrive) in an Uncertain World with Amy C. Edmondson

Thursday, February 26, 3:00 – 3:00 pm online or in-person at the UofM

This session explores a mindset shift that supports effective action in the face of uncertainty. This shift is well captured by the short phrase, “think like a scientist,” offered as a deliberate contrast to thinking like a (command-and-control) manager. Classically, managers supplied answers and plans and evaluated how well others executed on them. In contrast, successful leaders of scientific labs offer direction and questions that empower action and help others make sense of data. This is not about being more lenient or laissez-faire, but rather about a new type of discipline. Their model provides an analog that leaders in any industry today can learn from. In short, today’s leaders must abandon the discipline of control to embrace the discipline of learning. Key concepts covered include psychological safety, intelligent failure, and interpersonal skills for high-quality conversations.

Amy C. Edmondson is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. Edmondson has been recognized by the biannual Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers since 2011. She studies teaming, psychological safety, and organizational learning, and her articles have been published in numerous academic and management outlets, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Harvard Business Review, and California Management Review. Her 2019 book, The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth, resonated with many librarians and library workers. Edmondson’s latest book, Right Kind of Wrong, builds on her prior work on psychological safety and teaming to provide a framework for thinking about, discussing, and practicing the science of failing well.

The Ready NOW Field Guide titled “Centering Community: Library Staff Responding to Crisis

New from the University of Maryland’s iSchool and supported by IMLS funds, this field guide helps library staff strengthen relationships, build community-centered services, and prepare with their communities for whatever challenges may arise. Developed through national co-design sessions with library teams across 14 states and D.C., Ready NOW offers practical tools, real examples, and clear guidance for turning community needs into meaningful action. Whether you’re supporting youth and families or serving your broader community, this Field Guide gives you a roadmap to build trust, collaborate deeply, and respond with confidence.

Libraries are essential community partners—especially in times of crisis. Start here. Build together.

Andrea

Andrea Vernola

Continuing Education Coordinator | Library Development

Library of Michigan, 702 W. Kalamazoo St, P.O. Box 30007, Lansing, MI 48909

vernolaA@michigan.gov | 517-335-0123

https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan

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