Hello, We're looking forward to two upcoming webinars with Dr. Vanessa Hills from Western Michigan University in August. Dr. Hills will present two webinars for Michigan library staff meant to support libraries in building successful teams and improving workplace culture even as they face continuous change and transformation. These webinars will also be recorded and made available in the Library of Michigan's Niche Academy. We hope you can join us! Group and Team Dynamics - Thursday, August 6, 1:00 -2:30 pm EST<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/event.jsp?event=11754&> Behind every effective library is a team that knows how to work together. This 90-minute webinar explores the often-invisible forces that shape how library teams function: group norms, power dynamics, covert processes, psychological safety, and the developmental stages that every group moves through. Drawing on applied group dynamics theory and psychodynamic perspectives, this session helps library professionals understand what's really happening in their teams and what to do about it. This 90-minute webinar explores the often-invisible forces that shape how library teams function: group norms, power dynamics, covert processes, psychological safety, and the developmental stages that every group moves through. Change Management for Leaders - Thursday, August 27, 1:00 - 2:30 pm EST<https://libraryofmichigan.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/libraryofmichigan/event.jsp?event=11759&> Libraries today operate in an environment of continuous transformation. Shifting community needs, evolving technologies, funding pressures, and changing workforce dynamics demand that library leaders navigate change with strategic clarity and human sensitivity. This 90-minute webinar equips participants with a research-grounded framework for understanding, planning, and leading organizational change. Instructor Bio: Vanessa Hills, PhD is a faculty member at Western Michigan University teaching courses in Organizational Change Leadership within the Department of Educational Leadership, Research and Technology. Dr. Hills received her MA in Communication and PhD in Organizational Change Leadership from Western Michigan University. Her research focuses on how psychosocial dynamics shape organizational life, organizational change, groups, and leadership. She is a Co-Editor of the Research in Management Consulting book series published by Emerald and has published in leading journals, including the Journal of Organizational Change Management, Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, and the Journal of Managerial Issues. Dr. Hills is also a practicing change consultant and a board member of the Midwest Academy of Management and the Management Consulting Division of the Academy of Management. These webinars are made possible 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. 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 [Michigan's Top 10 Strategic Education Plan] [Michigan.gov/Vote logo Description automatically generated]<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/> Get personalized voter information on early voting and other topics at Michigan.gov/Vote<https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/>.
