2025 Continuing Education

This course will focus on supervision and management themes, including personnel employment laws, staff development planning, policies and procedures, short and long-range planning, managing interpersonal relationships, staff evaluation, basic marketing concepts, budgeting, and team building. There will be assignments and opportunities for interaction. This is part of the ALA-APA Library Support Staff Certification Program, but participants need not be enrolled in the LSSC program to attend.

Trainer: Michele Jones, Library Development, and Giovanni Tairov, Deputy State Librarian

Maximum class size: 15

Cost: $200.00 per participant for Louisiana public library staff | $300.00 for others 

Connect with fellow library staff at this informal roundtable focused on children’s services. Held every other month, this is a space to share ideas, ask questions, and talk through challenges related to programs, outreach, collections, and more. Whether you're new to the field or have years of experience, all are welcome to join the conversation.

Trainer: Katelin LeBleu, Library Development

Cost: Free of charge

Session A: Thursday, September 11, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Session B: Thursday, November 20, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am.

This course introduces the basics of library technology. General technology concepts will be explained in relation to their use and applicability to the library field. The course will consist of 10 weekly webinars with homework assignments, readings, a project, and a final exam. This fulfills a required competency for the LSSC program, although anyone can take the course. All activities will be online. It is required that the student have basic computer skills including the ability to use email, search the Web, save a file, open a file, attach a file, use MS Word, and search a library catalog.

Trainer: Riley Bordelon, Information Technology and Brittany Whitfield, Library Development

Maximum class size: 15

Cost: $200.00 per participant for Louisiana public library staff | $300.00 for others 

Join fellow library staff for an informal roundtable focused on teen services. Held every other month, this is a chance to share ideas, ask questions, and discuss topics like programs, outreach, collections, and more. Whether you're just getting started or have years of experience, all are welcome to be part of the conversation.

Trainer: Katelin Lebleu, Library Development

Cost: Free of charge

Dates/Times:

Session A: Thursday, October 16, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Session B: Thursday, December 18, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am 

Join us for an introduction to iREAD, the summer reading program selected for Louisiana libraries! iREAD team members will share who they are, highlight the upcoming year's theme, and walk through how to access and download the summer reading manual. 

Trainer: iRead team and Katelin LeBleu, Library Development

Cost: Free of charge

Dates/Times: Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 10:00 - 11:30am

This webinar will review a variety of medical reference sources. It will cover finding information about medication/drugs, diseases, public health, medical testing, and more.

Trainer: Errin Levingston, Reference Department

Cost: $15.00

Dates/Times: Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Build a youth collection that works for your community! This webinar will focus on selecting books for youth collections including criteria to consider, resources for selection, and confident decision making. Whether you are new to selection or want to refresh your knowledge, this webinar offers practical guidance for selecting youth materials.

Trainer: Katelin Lebleu, Library Development

Cost: $15.00

Dates/Times: Thursday, November 6, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Maintain a youth collection that works for your community! This will focus on approaches to weeding including the value of collection maintenance, development of weeding strategies, and tips for handling challenges. Whether you are new to collection maintenance or want to refresh your knowledge, this webinar offers practical guidance for weeding your youth collection. 

Trainer: Addyson Smith, Reference Department

Cost: $15.00

Dates/Times: Thursday, November 13, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Join the exhibition’s curator to explore fascinating milestones along the State Library of Louisiana's century-long journey. Angela Cinquemano will share historical events featured on the exhibit panels, such as the introduction of the demonstration method, the humble beginnings of the bookmobile, and the quest to find a permanent home for the State Library. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how your library can apply as an exhibition host in 2026.

Trainer: Angela Cinquemano, Louisiana Collection

Cost: Free of charge

Date/Times: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

This course will help equip library professionals with skills and strategies needed to successfully manage media communications and build strong public relations. Participants will learn basic techniques for crafting compelling messages, newsletters and press releases, as well as effective approaches for engaging with the press, managing social media, and promoting library services.

Trainer: Kevin Calbert, Communications Director

Cost: $15.00

Dates/Times: Tuesday, December 2, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

What makes a library? The definition states that a library is an organized collection of printed or other library materials, or a combination thereof. We all know that the truth is far more nuanced than that. Over time libraries have evolved from a center for knowledge to so much more. Tune in for a special webinar and learn a few facts about how public libraries came to be.

Trainer: Michele Jones, Library Development

Cost: Free of charge

Dates/Times: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Is your library prepared to handle a disaster? Whether facing minor incidents or significant weather events, there are proactive measures you can take now to enhance your emergency preparedness. Join trained cultural heritage responder Angela Cinquemano as she guides you through essential considerations for staff safety, salvage priorities, disaster plans, response teams, vendor selection, supply lists, and kit building, plus the top three things library staff should avoid when responding to a disaster.

Trainer: Angela Cinquemano, Louisiana Collection

Cost: $15.00

Date/Times: Wednesday, December 10, 2025; 9:00 - 10:30 am