Hello Michigan Library Staff! As summer winds down, we’re virtually “high-fiving” you for a job well done! As you look ahead to what’s next, we hope this curated list of continuing education opportunities from LM and beyond is helpful to you whether you are planning staff training or training for yourself. Please reach out anytime if you have feedback to share or if you’d like to chat about library training and development. And if you haven’t already, we’d love for you to take a few minutes to share your thoughts and preferences about continuing education for public library staff in our current survey.

 

From Library of Michigan

 

Managing Your Library’s Afterschool Crowd – September 26 at 2-3 pm

The hours of 3-5pm Monday-Friday can be a busy time for libraries. This is where libraries may get an influx of young people, and an increase in behavior incidents. But this is also a time of great potential impact, where libraries can be a safe place and reach out to teens. In this webinar you'll hear from a former teen services librarian whose library typically had 100-150 teens most days after school. She and colleagues learned from their partners and experience how to manage these chaotic (and fun!) hours. Instructor Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, is a former teen services librarian and the Founder and CEO of Digital Respons-Ability. Register here.

 

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

 

MeL Database Training:

 

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: Inclusive and Impactful: Reinventing Your Meeting Culture

 

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

 

Learn more about the Sustainable Libraries Initiative – September 8, 2025, 2 - 3 pm

Offering exclusive tools, resources and methodologies that help library leaders be more authentic and focused in their decision making; resource use; service and program design; and partnerships to align with the triple bottom line of sustainability: environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic feasibility. Register here. Previously recorded webinars are available here.

 

Data Storytelling 101 with Dr. Kate McDowell – Book out in September!

If you haven’t already checked out the Data Storytelling Toolkit for Libraries, make some time to do so. This research-backed toolkit is perfect for anyone wanting to craft a more compelling story to any audience. Whether you’re sharing information with your board, staff, patrons, or community leaders, using data and storytelling effectively will help you communicate your library’s impact and justify future investment. Based on 30 years of library work and national consulting, Dr. McDowell’s September 2025 book Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries, is designed to help all library workers craft ethical, evidence-based narratives for advocacy and impact.

 

250 by 2026 Wiki Scholars Courses – Apply by September 22

Did you know that every month 500 million readers visit Wikipedia? The information readers find on Wikipedia helps form people’s understandings of their communities, their societies, and the world. Wikipedia is a particularly significant resource for younger generations, educators, and members of the public with a casual interest in history. Information on Wikipedia also plays an outsized role in shaping the answers generated by search engines and AI. This makes the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of the historical content on Wikipedia vitally important.

With the 250th anniversary of the United States fast approaching, more readers than ever will be searching Wikipedia for information about American history. In preparation for this major milestone, Wiki Education, in partnership with AASLH, is offering 250 by 2026 Wikipedia Courses. This free course will teach best practices in contributing evidence-based, comprehensive information to Wikipedia to promote a deeper understanding of American history in all of its depth and complexity, starting millennia before 1776 and continuing on to the present. It’s also a chance to shine a light on your community’s local history.

Sign up for the free, eight-week online course to learn how to bring your organization’s expertise to this global platform. There are multiple course sessions and the deadline for registration is September 22.

 

Happy learning!

 

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

 

Nourishing Michigan’s Future during the summer! 

Find a Summer Food Service Program site nearest you and encourage Michigan’s children to Meet Up and Eat Up! Michigan.gov/MeetUpEatUp.

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Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote.