Free Course on Civil Legal Justice for Library Staff: Now Enrolling

A free training opportunity is now available to strengthen library staff’s knowledge and ability to help identify when there is a civil legal issue at play and to direct library users to relevant, helpful information to narrow the justice gap in their communities. In partnership with the Legal Services Corporation, WebJunction will host the free, five-week course, Civil Legal Justice: The Crucial Role of Libraries. Learn more about this opportunity and how to register, today!

Highlighted Content on WebJunction

• Call to Action: Public Libraries and the Opioid Crisis: We're excited to announce a new report from OCLC and the Public Library Association (PLA). Call to Action: Public Libraries and the Opioid Crisis, offers tested strategies to consider as libraries determine local responses to the nationwide public health emergency. Also see the information below about an upcoming webinar on this topic.
• A Race to Save the Planet: Public Libraries Lead Climate Change Efforts. How is your library supporting the community in addressing questions about climate change? Do you think there is more you could do? The staff at the Mill Valley Public Library in California knew that they could do more and set out to engage the community on this critical issue. The library recently launched a yearlong series called Borrowed Time, to encourage the community to respond to the pressing issue of climate change, and they’re encouraging other libraries to join them in their efforts.

WebJunction Webinars for You

The following upcoming webinars are open for registration. If you can’t attend a live session, all WebJunction webinars are recorded and available for free in the Course Catalog.

Cultivating Protective Factors for Safe Libraries and Resilient Communities

Thursday, March 5, 2020 ◆ 3:00 pm Eastern / 12:00 pm Pacific ◆ 60 minutes
Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/protective-factors-safe-libraries.html

Every day, public libraries open their doors to people facing ongoing life challenges, such as poverty, mental health symptoms, substance abuse, or domestic violence. The library may be the only protective place they can turn to, the only place that can counter the debilitating negative factors that govern their lives. Join this webinar to explore the ways the library functions as a "protective factor" and to understand how the library, staff, and patrons exist within a community-wide context of safety. With consideration for how poverty, race, or other often stigmatized challenges impact the patron experience, learn practical and applicable ways to assess your library’s relationship with patrons, local law enforcement, social workers, and other organizations. Hear how the Sacramento Public Library learned through crisis to address staff and community trauma and to build resilience through more compassionate and inclusive policies and practices.

Presented by: Eric Lashley, Library Director, and Patrick Lloyd, LMSW, Community Resources Coordinator, Georgetown Public Library (TX); and Rivkah Sass, Library Director and CEO, Sacramento Public Library (CA)

Call to Action: Public Libraries and the Opioid Crisis

Tuesday, March 31, 2020 ◆ 3:00 pm Eastern / 12:00 pm Pacific ◆ 60 minutes

Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/call-to-action-public-libraries-and-the-opioid-crisis.html

Public libraries are respected local institutions that connect community members to credible information and services. As community anchor institutions, libraries are leveraging their assets in response to the opioid crisis that has gripped the country. After 16 months of research, OCLC, and the Public Library Association have released a call to action on how libraries can address the opioid crisis in their communities. The call to action was created in response to library staff requests and has been informed by case study research and cross-sector discussions with library staff, as well as those with national and local community partner organizations. Two themes from the research and discussions stand out: there are many options for addressing this crisis and it is vital to do something. Panelists will share resources, including ideas for organizations to partner with, additional perspectives to consider, and strategies for getting started.

Presented by: Kevin King, Head, Community Engagement, Kalamazoo Public Library; Patty McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, Faces and Voices of Recovery; Larra Clark, Deputy Director, Public Library Association; and Kendra Morgan, Senior Program Manager, WebJunction

Social Work Students and Public Library Partnerships
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 ◆ 3:00 pm Eastern / 12:00 pm Pacific ◆ 60 minutes
Registration: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/social-work-students-library-partnerships.html

Librarianship and social work have many shared values, including meeting the expanding and evolving needs of individuals and the community. Nearly 80 public libraries in the U.S. have collaborated with social work programs or schools of social work, to provide valuable learning opportunities for social work interns, and to connect community members with crucial services which exist beyond standard library offerings. Libraries or social work educators looking for ways to initiate collaborations with social work interns should join this webinar to understand the benefits, and a few challenges, to partnering with an institution or individual. Explore the types of intern assignments at the library that align with key social work competencies, from needs assessment to 1:1 patron referrals, and from staff training to outreach programs. And finally, discover how these internships can work for libraries of all types and sizes, including those in small and rural communities.

Presented by: Sarah C. Johnson, MLIS, LMSW, Assistant Professor, Reference & Instruction Librarian Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY), and creator of Social Work Students & Public Libraries website

This project is made possible by the Library of Michigan Foundation and 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.