PCI Webinars for July 2025
Join us for these free learning opportunities made possible through LSTA funding
Storytime Success: Crafting Engaging Sessions from Start to Finish
Wednesday, July 2nd from 2:00 - 3:00 pm EST
Learn to craft the winning formula for captivating storytimes! Explore the essentials of book selection, rhymes, music, movement, visual aids, and smooth transitions. This session will delve into best practices for tailoring storytime content to different age groups—babies, toddlers, and preschoolers—using developmentally appropriate materials.
Discover innovative ways to incorporate creative activities, engaging props, and go-to resources to keep your storytimes fresh. Plus, learn strategies for managing diverse crowd dynamics and adjusting on the fly to ensure an engaging and interactive experience for all. Ideal for both beginners and seasoned storytellers looking to refresh their approach.
What attendees will learn:
Best practices for selecting books for read-alouds for storytime
How to choose rhymes, movement songs, and activities that are engaging and age-appropriate for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers
Tips for managing crowd dynamics and adapting storytime to the needs of different audiences
Techniques for creating smooth transitions that keep young participants engaged from start to finish
The Power of Partnerships: Planning a Successful Community Meet & Greet at Your Library
Wednesday, July 9th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm EST
This training equips library staff with the skills to plan, execute, and follow up on a community meet and greet with local organizations and stakeholders. The session will cover event planning, effective partner engagement, hosting strategies, and sustaining relationships to enhance community collaboration.
Participants will also learn how to create a welcoming and productive networking space that fosters meaningful partnerships, promotes library resources, and encourages collaborative programming.
Elevating Your Game as a Professional
Wednesday, July 16th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm EST
Use the information from this interactive session to stand out from everyone else as a top-level professional. Learn about the four A's that will help you develop your professional image as a competent and trusted resource within your organization or in any setting.
As a result of this program, attendees will learn how to:
Hone their communication skills and understand how and when to communicate effectively
Maximize their professional presence in person and virtually
Leverage emotional intelligence to build a positive and professional image
Bring their A-game to work as a knowledgeable and esteemed top-level professional
This session will teach you how to use your skills and professional image to maximize the potential you possess and position yourself as a valued employee within your organization.
Trauma-Informed Libraries -- What are they, why do they matter, and how do we become one?
Wednesday, July 23rd from 2:00 – 3:00pm EST
Trauma-Informed Libraries has become a buzz word in the field and seemingly everywhere, but what exactly does it mean? In this webinar, we will take deep dive into providing easy to digest explanations of what it means to be trauma-informed, why does it matter, and simple, actionable steps that professionals working in libraries can take to implement at their libraries from small scale to large scale.
Trauma and traumatic events impact approximately 90% of adults in the United States. And according to the large-scale study conducted in the late 1990s by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, traumatic events that occur in childhood otherwise known as Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impacted 64% of the study participants and that those traumatic events in childhood later impacted health outcomes for adults.
Trauma is ubiquitous, so what do we do about it? Join Bea Forkan and find out.
As a result of this program, attendees will:
Understand key definitions as it pertains to both trauma and trauma-informed practices.
Understand the importance of cultivating a trauma-informed philosophy at your organization and as part of your work style.
Learn how to implement strategies at your organization.
Trauma-Informed Care or Services for Teens in the Library
Wednesday, July 30th from 2:00 - 3:00 pm ET
Register: Libraries are uniquely positioned to play a support role to teens who have experienced trauma. Libraries can be a familiar, welcoming environment that can encourage autonomy and healing.
This webinar will go through the basics of trauma-informed care and provide specific examples of programs and practices for librarians to make a safe and calm atmosphere for teens.
As a result of this program, attendees will learn:
Basics of trauma-informed care
Communication practices
Basic mindfulness techniques that can be added to library programs
Ideas for library programs with a trauma-informed care lens
Library collection and display suggestions
Ideas for partnerships to create a trauma-informed library
This program is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-253645-OLS-23).
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