2025 Continuing Education

This course introduces the basics of interpersonal relations, communication, and teamwork. Emphasis is on providing excellence in customer service and effective communication in real life library situations. The course will consist of 9 weekly webinars with homework assignments, readings, a team project, and a final exam on week 10. All activities will be online. This meets the requirements for LSSCP certification and is a core course.

Trainer: Michele Jones and Brittany Whitfield, Library Development

Maximum class size: 15

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

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.

Participants will learn about a variety of sources for business reference. The information covered will include finding business plans, career guidance, and business statistics.

Trainer: Addyson Smith, Reference Department

Cost: $15.00 per participant

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Curious about your helping your patrons discover their roots? Join us for an informative and practical webinar designed to help your patrons learn more about their family history using online tools. Whether they're just getting started or looking to expand their research, this session will introduce a focused range of free and internet resources that can help your patrons trace their ancestry and understanding the layout of different genealogy websites.

Trainer: Samuel Ayers, Louisiana Collection

Cost: $15.00 per participant

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

Trainer: Katelin Lebleu, Library Development

Cost: $15.00

Date/Times: Wednesday, September 24, 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 

Ready to take your patron’s family history research to the next level? This follow-up webinar is designed for those who have attended our introductory session or already have some experience with online genealogy tools. We’ll dive deeper into advanced strategies for finding hard-to-locate records, interpreting historical documents, and continuing wayfinding around often complex websites and databases.

Trainer: Samuel Ayers, Louisiana Collection

Cost: $15.00 per participant

Date/Time: Thursday, September 25, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

The “Copyright” tightrope can be scary. How do you know if you are putting the library in jeopardy for breaking copyright? Could the library be heading for a fall? Learn how to evaluate the types of information the library is being asked to copy. Does it fall within copyright, fair use, or the public domain? What resources are available, and what tools are at your disposal to help keep your library safely balanced on the “copyright tightrope?” In this session, participants will learn the answers to these questions and more.

Trainer: Brittany Whitfield, Library Development

Cost: $15.00

Date/Times: Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am

This free webinar will explain the services that the State Library provides to blind and physically-handicapped users. Tune in if you think your patrons might benefit from TBBL. All TBBL materials are mailed directly to the homes of qualified users at no cost. Come to the webinar to find out the services provided and how to tell people to sign up.

Trainer: David Rainey, TBBL

Cost: Free of charge

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

This is a day-long conference for administrators to explore solutions to problems in Louisiana's public library management. Conference will feature guest speakers and a roundtable to discuss emergent issues and changes in the library landscape.

Maximum class size: 100

Cost: $75.00 per participant (breakfast/lunch provided)

Date/Time: Friday, October 10, 2025, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location:

East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Main Library

7711 Goodwood Blvd

Baton Rouge, LA 70806

This question can quickly strike fear in the heart of the most intrepid reference staff member: “Can you recommend a good book?” Readers’ advisory is the service where a library staff member suggests titles to a reader directly or indirectly. By the end of this session, you should be able to identify sources for different literature genres and find “read-a-likes.”

Trainer: Brittany Russell, Reference Department

Cost: $15.00

Dates/Times: Tuesday, October 15, 2025, 9:00 - 10:30 am