Check out the Professional Development Calendar for more information and to register for the following FREE online professional development opportunities.
NOTE: until we can get the calendars synced, the calendar will show Maine State Library (MSL). MSL is the host for the national professional development calendar.
READ THIS NEXT! Starting in 2025, in addition to the calendar of professional development webinars, Read This Next! highlights one recent reading (print book, eBook or journal article published within the last five years) focusing on the librarianship profession. See this month’s reading selection in the “At Your Leisure” section following the online professional development calendar.
ONLINE CONFERENCE
Thursday, April 17 (9 am- 6 pm) Library Journal Day of Dialog Spring 2025 (Library Journal)
Join us April 17 for our Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Spanning a variety of genres, this day-long program will offer an in-depth look at the biggest forthcoming books for summer/fall 2025. You’ll hear directly from top authors as they discuss their new titles, inspiration, process, and more. And don’t forget the virtual exhibit hall! Visit the booths to download free resources and chat with representatives. For more information and to register, visit: https://www.libraryjournal.com/event/library-journal-day-of-dialog-spring-2025
PROGRAMS BY TOPIC
ACCESSIBILITY
Apr 2: Navigating the Evolving Accessibility Landscape (ProQuest) https://about.proquest.com/en/events/events/
Apr 10: Increasing Privacy Online: Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence in the Digital Age (TechSoup) https://events.techsoup.org/techsoup-events-and-webinars/
Apr 15: Designing Inclusive and Impactful Nonprofit Websites (TechSoup) https://events.techsoup.org/techsoup-events-and-webinars/
ADVOCACY
Apr 22: Communicating Our Non-Partisan Mission (Libraries4de) https://libraries4de.org/resources/upcoming-events/
ASSESMENT/PLANNING
Apr 8: Strategic Planning Insights: Effective Approaches and Common Trends (Fast Forward Libraries) https://fastforwardlibraries.com/
Apr 15: How to Supercharge Your Grant Research (CharityHowTo) https://www.charityhowto.com/nonprofit-live-webinars
Apr 17: Break Through the Barriers Between Finance and Development (Blackbaud) https://www.blackbaud.com/events/webinars
Apr 17: Library Data 101 (Texas State Library) https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ldn/cec/upcoming-webinars
Apr 30: Strategy, Planning, and Outcomes: Bridging your strategy work with ground level impacts (Propel Nonprofits) https://propelnonprofits.org/trainings/
BOARDS
Apr 1: Focus on the Future: The Art of Selling Your Board and Funders on Capacity Building (Firespring) https://firespring.com/webinars/
Apr 10: How to Conduct Board Recruitment in 3 Easy Steps (CharityHowTo) https://www.charityhowto.com/nonprofit-live-webinars
Apr 24: How to Get Your Board to Fundraise (Productive Fundraising) https://productivefundraising.com/event/
CAREERS
Apr 3: Prove Your Value: Five Simple Steps to Advance Your Career (Training Magazine Network) http://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/calendar
Apr 23: Spirituality in the Library Workplace: Bringing Your Whole Self to Work (Colorado State Library) https://www.librarieslearn.org/csl-in-session
Apr 28: How to Be Productive Without Burning Out (GovLoop) https://www.govloop.com/training/
Apr 29: Share Knowledge, Ideas, Learning, and Library Solutions! (Nebraska Library Commission) https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL
CHILDREN & TEENS
Apr 24: Imagining Our Future: The Essential Role of Climate Fiction and Nonfiction in Shaping Middle Grade Minds (Booklist) https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=63
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Apr 9: Info2Go! Visual Literacy in Graphic Novels and Comics (Idaho Commission for Libraries) https://libraries.idaho.gov/continuing-education/info2go/
29: Graphic Empathy: Using Graphic Novels to Elevate Excluded Voices and Connect Communities (Infopeople) https://infopeople.org/training/view/webinar
COMMUNICATION
Apr 22: Unlock the Power of Adobe Express for Your Library with Martha Bongiorno (Follett) https://www.follettcommunity.com/s/webinars
Apr 28: Marketing for a Mission (Nonprofit Learning Lab) https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/webinars
DEVELOPMENT/MANAGING CHANGE
Apr 10: Determined to Change: Five Leadership Essentials for People-Centered Change in a Fast-Paced World (ASERL) https://www.aserl.org/events/month/2025-04/
DIGITAL RESOURCES
Apr 16: Unlocking Economic Opportunities: A Comprehensive Overview of U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Programs (US CENSUS) https://www.census.gov/data/academy/webinars/upcoming.html
Apr 24: Mastering Economic Data Searches on data.census.gov (US Census) https://www.census.gov/data/academy/webinars/upcoming.html
FUNDRAISING
Apr 3: Shuffling Your Donor Engagement Strategy for Nonprofit Success (CharityVillage) https://charityvillage.com/learning-centre/webinars/
Apr 3: Spreading the Risk: When One Basket of Eggs is Not Enough (Bloomerang) https://bloomerang.co/webinars-events/
Apr 16: Donor Retention | The Most Important Metric That Fundraisers Love to Ignore (Nonprofit Hub) https://nonprofithub.org/webinars-events/
LEGAL
Apr 25: DPLA Book Talk: Jacqueline Woodson on Banned Books (DPLA) https://pro.dp.la/events/workshops
MANAGEMENT
Apr 2: Coaching and Managing: The Intersection of Leadership (Blackbaud) https://www.blackbaud.com/events/webinars
Apr 2: Loneliness and Social Isolation: Tackling the Social Disconnection Epidemic (Colorado State Library) https://www.librarieslearn.org/csl-in-session
Apr 3: Managing the 15 Most Challenging Employees (ProQuest) https://about.proquest.com/en/events/events/
Apr 7: Discover CultureRoad – The Future of Workplace Learning & Community Engagement (ASERL) https://www.aserl.org/events/month/2025-04/
Apr 9: Creating Escape Rooms for Learning Using an Action-First Learning Approach (Training Magazine Network) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars
Apr 29: Where Have All the Future Leaders Gone? (Training Industry) https://trainingindustry.com/webinar/
OUTREACH & PARTNERS
Apr 29: Cultivating Relational Connections that Lead to Co-Laboring (Nonprofit Learning Lab) https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/webinars
Apr 30: Start Your Community’s Journey to Information Literacy (Indiana State Library) https://continuinged.isl.in.gov/find-training/online-training-series/
PROGRAMMING
Apr 4: Fleshing Out Your Summer Reading Plans (Nebraska Library Commission) https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL
Apr 10: How to Engage Older Adult Patrons through Creative Aging this Summer and Beyond (Colorado State Library) https://www.librarieslearn.org/csl-in-session
Apr 22: An Introduction to the National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries (Public Library Association, ALA) https://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars
READERS’ ADVISORY
Apr 8: Summer Reading & Series Nonfiction (Booklist) https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=63
Apr 15: Library Love for LibraryReads (Booklist) https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=63
Apr 17: Memorable Manga (Booklist) https://www.booklistonline.com/GeneralInfo.aspx?id=63
REFERENCE
Apr 9: The First Amendment and Libraries (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars
Apr 16: Andragogy: Understanding Adult Learners (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars
Apr 23: Disciplinary Differences: Generative AI in the Research and Publication Process (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars
SCHOOL LIBRARIES
Apr 1: The Secondary Literacy Crisis: Why Reading Scores Are Falling—and How to Fix It (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/
Apr 15: Building Community and Positivity Through Library Design (Demco) https://ideas.demco.com/webinars/
Apr 22: Transform Your District’s Strategic Plan into Action: From the Boardroom to the Classroom (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/
TECHNOLOGY
Apr 1: Bridging Social and Academic Language for Newcomer and Emergent Multilingual Students Through Tech (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/
Apr 8: Taking the Terror Out of Technology for Your Staff (TechSoup) https://events.techsoup.org/techsoup-events-and-webinars/
Apr 23: Zero to Chatbot in 30 Minutes: Build Your First AI Learning Assistant in Half an Hour (Training Magazine Network) http://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/calendar
Apr 30: Pretty Sweet Tech: Computers in Libraries 2025 Highlights & Trends (Nebraska Library Commission) https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL
VOLUNTEERS
Apr 7: Membership Monday: Volunteer for PLA (Public Library Association, ALA) https://www.ala.org/pla/education/onlinelearning/webinars
Apr 14: Am I Making the Right Decision? The Role of Ethics in Volunteer Engagement (Nonprofit Learning Lab) https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/webinars
Apr 15: Key Volunteer Stats & Trends from 2024 and Proven Strategies (Firespring) https://firespring.com/webinars/
AT YOUR LEISURE
Pre-recorded webinars to view at your convenience
Fighting Back When Cuts Are Threatened (EveryLibrary Institute)
This webinar is designed to give you insights on what you can do to get started quickly on a campaign to safeguard your own position or budget, or to get organized across a district when cuts are threatened. Learn about the right way to engage parents and other stakeholders in the face of crisis, and get oriented to how SaveSchoolLibrarians.org can be put to work in support. If there is a threat to your position or budget, or to other school libraries or librarians across your district, know how to mobilize people to help you fight back. Visit: https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/fightingback
Library Customer Service and Adult Programs for People Living with Dementia (WebJunction)
This webinar will offer a comprehensive overview of Alzheimer’s dementia and practical advice on meeting the needs of both those with dementia and their caregivers. With more than 55 million people worldwide living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and many more serving as their caregivers, it’s essential for library staff to learn how to support these community members. This webinar will offer a comprehensive overview of Alzheimer’s dementia and practical advice on meeting the needs of both those with dementia and their caregivers. We’ll cover best practices, guidelines, and actionable ideas for creating dementia-friendly services, including compassionate customer service, specialized reference resources, and engaging programming. By focusing on lifelong learning, mental stimulation, and social connections, libraries can make a meaningful difference for those experiencing cognitive decline and their caregivers. Visit: https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction/library-people-living-with-dementia.html
Library Service for All: Current Trends in Library Programs and Services for Autistic Children and Teens (Infopeople)
In this webinar we will discuss what autism is through the lens of neurodiversity, and how characteristics of autism may manifest in the library environment. We will focus on education and acceptance for librarians and library staff, so that our autistic patrons and autism families feel welcomed into a supportive environment. We will also discuss ways libraries across the United States are implementing best practices to better serve members of this community. Additionally, we will share some shifts in school library practices in order to respond to the needs of our autistic students and provide some examples and outcomes from Project Enable involvement. Visit: https://vimeo.com/722994278
READ THIS NEXT!
In addition to the calendar of professional development webinars, Read This Next! highlights one recent reading (print book, eBook or journal article published within the last five years) focusing on the librarianship profession.
The recommended reading for April is The 12 steps to a community-led library, by Audrey Barbakoff and Noah Lenstra (Chicago: ALA Editions, 2024).
This book is a great fit for the National Library Week 2025: Drawn to the Library! theme. In a society that expects libraries to constantly prove their relevance, the book proposes community-led planning as a way to “shift the discourse around library relevance.” Departing from the traditional model of the library as the center of community, the authors see instead the community as “the heart of the library,” while the library’s role is to build capacity for community-led work. This is achieved through a three-phase, twelve-step Community-Led Capacity Building (CoLaB) Model, which the book describes in great detail using clear strategy building items accompanied by case studies, tables and charts. Focusing on process over product and growing relationships and partnerships rather than one-time deliverables, The CoLaB model can inform libraries in conducting their community needs assessments and developing community-oriented services.
This title is part of NMSL’s Library and Information Science collection. Check out other recent acquisitions in that collection: 2025 – New in Library and Information Science – LibGuides at New Mexico State Library
Happy Reading!