Soft Skills for School Librarians

DESCRIPTION

At its heart, the school library is about serving people. And in order to do this well, librarians rely on a foundation of soft skills. Often these skills, qualities used to successfully interact with others, are not explicitly taught, and, instead, we are expected to perfect them through our daily interactions. Sometimes this works just fine, but expert guidance and intentional practice will help you maximize your effectiveness. Enter this course! Learn to master effective teamwork, clear communication, cultural competency, conflict management, and more through the lessons and reflection activities presented by School Library Connection, your trusted source of professional development.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Learn how to foster effective teamwork in your library and school
• Learn key communication skills to strengthen your professional relationships
• Learn how to build your cultural competence to better serve your students
• Learn customer service tips that will help you help your stakeholders get the most out of the library's resources
• Learn writing techniques to ensure your messages effectively reach their intended readers
• Learn strategies to navigate workplace conflict—and minimize it in the future
• Learn time management concepts that will facilitate smoother, more productive days

COURSE OUTLINE

Each course lesson includes video content and at least one follow-up activity to help you apply and show evidence of your learning.

Introduction Video

Lesson 1: Teamwork

Activity: The Motown Method of Collaboration

Lesson 2: Communication Skills

Activity: Listening to the Voice of the Customer

Lesson 3: Developing Cultural Competence

Activity 1: Writing a Cultural Autobiography

Activity 2: Community Exploration

Activity 3: Culturally Responsive Leadership

Lesson 4: Customer Service

Activity: Customer Service Pledge

Lesson 5: Writing Skills

Activity 1: Model Writing

Activity 2: Recrafting the Message

Lesson 6: Managing Workplace Conflict

Activity: Practicing Conflict Management

Lesson 7: Time Management

Activity: Self-Assessment

Closing Video

Course Certification Quiz

CREDIT HOURS

Earn three professional development clock hours for completing this course's videos, activities, and quiz. Consult with your supervising organization about applying these to your professional development requirements.

EVIDENCE OF LEARNING

To show evidence of learning for this course, complete and share the following:

1. The Motown Method of Collaboration Reflection
2. Listening to the Voice of the Customer Results
3. Cultural Autobiography
4. Customer Service Pledge
5. Model Writing Reflection
6. Conflict Management Advice
7. Time Management Self-Assessment
8. Workshop Quiz Results / Certificate of Completion

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN TEAM

Rebecca J. Morris, MLIS, PhD, earned her master's degree and doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh and her undergraduate degree in elementary education at Pennsylvania State University. Rebecca teaches graduate courses in school librarianship and youth library services. Rebecca has published articles in journals including School Library Research, Knowledge Quest, School Libraries Worldwide, Teacher Librarian and the Journal of Research on Young Adults in Libraries. She is the author of School Libraries and Student Learning: A Guide for School Leaders (Harvard Education Publishing Group, 2015). Rebecca is a former elementary classroom teacher and middle school librarian.

Carl A. Harvey II, MLS, MS, is assistant professor of school librarianship at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Harvey received his master's degree from Indiana University and is the author of six books, most recently The 21st-Century Elementary School Library Program: Managing For Results, 2nd Edition. He is a past-president of the American Association of School Librarians, and his school has been the recipient of the National School Library Program of the Year. E-mail: charvey@schoollibraryconnection.com. Twitter: @caharvey2.

Casey Rawson, PhD, is a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned an MSLS in 2011 with a concentration in school library media and a PhD in 2016. She also holds an MAT in middle grades education from the University of Louisville and is a former sixth- and seventh-grade science teacher. Her research interests include teacher-librarian collaboration in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content areas, diversity and equity in youth services librarianship, and portrayals of scientists in children's literature. Her articles include "Are All Lists Created Equal? Diversity in Award-Winning and Bestselling Young Adult Fiction," which received the 2012 YALSA Writing Award; and "Rethinking the Texts We Use in Literacy Instruction with Adolescent African American Males," written with Sandra Hughes-Hassell, which received a 2013 Virginia Hamilton Essay Award Honor Citation.

Seth Taylor, MFA, has 20 years of experience in higher education as a teacher, administrator and professional development specialist. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Rhetoric, Composition and Research Methodology San Diego State University, Colorado State University, and the University of Redlands.

Jane Cullina, MSEd, is a professional development specialist for School Library Connection. A former children's librarian and humanities teacher, Jane earned her master's degree from the Bank Street College of Education in New York City and has taught in Boston, New York, Maine, California, and South Africa.

ABOUT LIBRARIES UNLIMITED

School Library Connection is a publication of Libraries Unlimited, a publisher in the field of academic, public, school, and special libraries since 1964. Libraries Unlimited's mission—to cultivate and maintain a supportive community where librarians, archivists, and information specialists can learn about and discuss leading-edge trends and acquire new skills through every phase of their careers—is supported by over 2,000 publications. Since 2008, Libraries Unlimited has been an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, an award-winning publisher of digital and print products in the realms of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development. With both a long-standing reputation for authoritative and trustworthy materials and a current prominence in delivering cutting-edge content in diverse and innovative forms, ABC-CLIO continues to be driven by pursuit of its core mission: to serve as source, catalyst, and support of lifelong learning.

CONTACT INFORMATION

To make inquiries about this workshop, please email WebinarSLC@abc-clio.com.