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Professional Development Opportunities – January 2026

 

Check out the Professional Development Calendar for more information and to register for the following FREE online professional development opportunities.

NOTE: The calendar shows Maine State Library (MSL). MSL is the host for the national professional development calendar

NEW TO NICHE!  highlights the library continuing education trainings and tutorials newly added to the NMSL Professional Development Niche Academy Learning Platform. Find them after the At Your Leisure pre-recorded webinars section.

READ THIS NEXT! This section features one recent reading (print book, eBook or journal article published within the last five years) focusing on the librarianship profession. Scroll down after the New to Niche section to find this month’s reading selection.

 

 

PROGRAMS BY TOPIC

ACCESSIBILITY

Jan 13: Access and Usability Series: Talking Book Library (Montana State Library) https://mslservices.mt.gov/ASPeN/Events/

Jan 27: Enhancing Independence with the Meta Glasses (PACER Center) https://www.pacer.org/workshops/

Jan 27: Access and Usability Series: Universal Design vs ADA Requirements (Montana State Library) https://mslservices.mt.gov/ASPeN/Events/

ADVOCACY

Jan 7: Telling Your Library’s Story (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars

ASSESMENT/PLANNING

Jan 13: Write Better Proposals Using the “Grants Scorecard” (GrantStation) https://grantstation.com/product/online-education/view-all-2

Jan 14: Modern Grantseeking 101: Practical Steps to Find, Match & Manage Grants (Nonprofit Hub) https://nonprofithub.org/webinars-events/

Jan 21: Ask the Experts: Scaling and Growth (Nonprofit Hub) https://nonprofithub.org/webinars-events/

Jan 26: Annual Reports: Simplifying the Process for Maximum Donor Engagement (Productive Fundraising) https://productivefundraising.com/events/

Jan 28: Responsible Budgeting in Tumultuous Times (Indiana State Library) https://continuinged.isl.in.gov/find-training/online-training-series/

Jan 28: Unlock Funding for Girls’ STEM Programs: AI Tools to Transform Your Grant Finding and Proposal Writing Webinar (National Girls Collaborative Project) https://ngcproject.org/events-announcements

BOARDS

Jan 8: Build the Board You Need (Candid Learning) https://learning.candid.org/page/live-training

Jan 15: Get Your Board Fundraising (Candid Learning) https://learning.candid.org/page/live-training

Jan 22: Beyond the Dashboard: Why 73% of Data Initiatives Fail and How Leaders Build Culture That Lasts (Nonprofit Learning Lab) https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/webinars

CHILDREN & TEENS

Jan 13: Talking Teen Services: Seeing Our Unseen Caregiving Youth (LibrariesLearn/CSL) https://www.librarieslearn.org/csl-in-session

Jan 20: Talking Teen Services: How Could We Serve Caregiving Youth? (LibrariesLearn/CSL) https://www.librarieslearn.org/csl-in-session

Jan 28: Keiki Heroes: Health Activity Materials for Children (National Library of Medicine) https://www.nnlm.gov/training

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

Jan 8: Generative AI and Collection Development Policies: A Proactive Approach (WebJunction) https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction.html

DEVELOPMENT & MANAGING CHANGE

Jan 28: The Science of Change Readiness and Resilience (Training Magazine Network) https://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/calendar

Jan 29: Creating a Culture of Trust and Bridgebuilding: One Library’s Transformation Story (WebJunction) https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction.html

DIGITAL RESOURCES

Jan 12: Understanding Your Constituents’ Digital Experience (GovLoop) https://www.govloop.com/training/

Jan 29: Open Government: Using Fed Docs to Build and Enhance Open Education Resources https://www.fdlp.gov/events

FUNDRAISING

Jan 5: Empowering Fundraisers: A Practical Guide to Gain Confidence and Knowledge to Make the Ask (Firespring) https://firespring.com/resources/webinars/

Jan 20: The 7 Fundamentals of a Monthly Giving Program (CharityHowTo) https://www.charityhowto.com/nonprofit-live-webinars

Jan 21: The New Donor Playbook: Fuel Your Fundraising Funnel (Bloomerang) https://bloomerang.com/webinars-events/

Jan 26: How to Plan a High-Impact Golf Fundraiser for Your Nonprofit (Nonprofit Learning Lab) https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/webinars

LEGAL

Jan 22: Positive Law: Reenacting Federal Law for Statutory Clarity (FDLP) https://www.fdlp.gov/events

Jan 29: Info2Go! Copyright in the Age of Generative AI: Critical Updates for Librarians (Idaho Commission for Libraries) https://libraries.idaho.gov/continuing-education/info2go/

LIBRARY SPACES

Jan 14: Navigating New Building Projects (Nebraska Library Commission) https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL

Jan 14: Welcoming All: Inclusivity in Library Space (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars

MANAGEMENT

Jan 12: Adaptive Leadership: Creating Innovation From Chaos (Nonprofit Learning Lab) https://www.nonprofitlearninglab.org/webinars

Jan 21: Giving Effective Feedback (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars

Jan 28: Building AI-Ready Teams: Unlocking Your People’s Potential in Partnership With AI (Training Industry) https://trainingindustry.com/webinar/

Jan 28: Purpose, People and Partners: A Practical Framework for Nonprofit Leadership (Niche Academy) https://www.nicheacademy.com/upcoming-webinars

Jan 29: Teach Leaders 10 Ways to Short Circuit Workplace Bullying (Training Magazine Network) https://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/calendar

OUTREACH & PARTNERS

Jan 14: Working with Community Partners to Bring Adventure to the Library (Indiana State Library) https://continuinged.isl.in.gov/find-training/online-training-series/

PROGRAMMING

Jan 14: Health Programming at your Library (National Library of Medicine) https://www.nnlm.gov/training

Jan 14: Do NASA Science LIVE! Planning Webinar (SciStarter) https://scistarter.org/events

READERS’ ADVISORY

Jan 7: Best New Teen Reads of 2025 (Nebraska Library Commission) https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL

 REFERENCE

Jan 15: Literacy Awards Applicant Information Session (Library of Congress) https://www.loc.gov/events/

Jan 15: ClinicalTrials.gov for Librarians (National Library of Medicine) https://www.nnlm.gov/training

Jan 20: Acts of Science: Connected Info Session (SciStarter) https://scistarter.org/events

Jan 22: 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year Prerelease Webinar (US Census) https://www.census.gov/data/academy/webinars/upcoming.html

Jan 22: Manuscript Division Virtual Orientation and Workshop (Library of Congress) https://www.loc.gov/events/

SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Jan 5: AI in K-12 Education: Help, Hindrance, or Highway to the Future? (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/

Jan 12: Teaching Kids How to Repair Harms in a Connected World (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/

Jan 15: Teaching Copyright K-12: Ready to Go and It’s All Free! Updated with New Best Practices (Copyright & Creativity) https://copyrightandcreativity.org/online-training/

Jan 20: The New Instruction Librarian Live: Real Problems, Real Solutions (ASERL) https://www.aserl.org/events/month/2026-01/

Jan 21: Rethinking Intervention in the Elementary Grades for Long-Term Student Success (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/

Jan 21: Shine a Light on Innovative Practices – Focus on the Spark: Creating Interactive Lessons (LibrariesLearn/CSL) https://www.librarieslearn.org/csl-in-session

Jan 22: Helping Young Brains Build the Foundations to Flourish: Executive Function and School Readiness in the Early Years (Early Childhood Investigations) https://earlychildhoodwebinars.com/webinar

Jan 22: How to Maximize Family Engagement in Special Education (PACER Center) https://www.pacer.org/workshops/

Jan 23: What’s It Really Like? Join the 2026 Mock Newbery LIVE! (School Library Journal) https://slj.com/?subpage=Events

Jan 28: Finding Your Purpose for Progress Monitoring: Steps for Success (edWeb) https://home.edweb.net/webinars/

TECHNOLOGY

Jan 6: Make 2026 the Year You Get REALLY Good at AI (Training Magazine Network) https://www.trainingmagnetwork.com/calendar

Jan 13: Designing Inclusive and Impactful Nonprofit Websites (TechSoup) https://events.techsoup.org/events-at-techsoup/

Jan 20: AI Impact Hour for Nonprofits (TechSoup) https://events.techsoup.org/events-at-techsoup/

Jan 27: 2026 AI Trends That Will Transform Your Organization (TechSoup) https://events.techsoup.org/events-at-techsoup/

Jan 28: Pretty Sweet Tech (Nebraska Library Commission) https://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventlist.asp?Mode=ALL

 

AT YOUR LEISURE

 

Pre-recorded webinars to view at your convenience

A Conversation with Administrators (ALA eLearning)

Join superintendents and principals from across the country for an engaging and frank conversation on what administrators need and expect from their school librarians and school libraries and how administrators can empower a school librarian’s leadership role to impact all learners. The administrators participating in the general session have worked closely with AASL over the past two years as part of the AASL School Leader Collaborative, an OverDrive-sponsored initiative championing the school librarian’s integral role in teaching, learning, and school culture. They are eager to share their insights with school librarians and their fellow administrators during this conversation that will elevate and empower the voice of the school librarian. Visit: https://elearning.ala.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=619

Equipping Librarians with AI: New Tools to Enhance Workflows (Choice360/ACRL)

Implementing generative AI tools in your library doesn’t have to be daunting. In this webinar, Gary Price, editor of InfoDOCKET and ARL Day in Review, and Rachel Hendrick, Choice’s Editor and Publisher, present ways AI can augment library and scholarly workflows. This webinar is ideal for librarians and library staff who want to learn how to apply AI tools to their everyday work or assist patrons with their research processes. Visit: https://www.choice360.org/webinars/equipping-librarians-with-ai-new-tools-to-enhance-workflows/

 Translating Finance in the Nonprofit world: Telling the Right Financial Story to the Right Audience (Blackbaud)

Your numbers tell a story—but are you telling it in a way that resonates with your audience? Whether you’re speaking to your board, funders, program staff, or community stakeholders, how you present your financials can make the difference between confusion and clarity, hesitation and support. In this webinar, we’ll explore how to tailor your financial messaging to different audiences so you can build trust, inspire action, and get the resources you need. Perfect for nonprofit finance leaders, executive directors, and development professionals who want to communicate financials with confidence and impact. Visit: https://www.blackbaud.com/events/all-events/translating-finance-in-the-nonprofit-world-telling-the-right-financial-story-to-the-right-audience

NEW TO NICHE!

Hosted on Niche Academy, a learning, training, and development platform for public library staff and managers, the NMSL Professional Development Academy provides dozens of recorded trainings and tutorials focusing on a variety of topics such as basic librarianship skills, library management, community relations, accessibility, and many others. Each month, new recordings and tutorials are added to the NMSL Academy.

 

Tutorials added in December 2025

Note: While the Niche Academy trainings are available for free to New Mexico public library managers and staff through the New Mexico State Library subscription, an account is needed to access the content. Some of the tutorials require additional approval prior to watching. For more information, please contact Ada Negraru, Continuing Education Coordinator: ada.negraru@dca.nm.gov

 

READ THIS NEXT!

LaPierre, Suzanne S. “Media Literacy: What Now? WHILE EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES OFFER EXCITING POSSIBILITIES AND ATTRACT NEW USERS, TRADITIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES REMAIN CORNERSTONES OF MEDIA LITERACY.” Computers in Libraries, vol. 45, no. 9, Nov.-Dec. 2025, pp. 19+. Gale OneFile: Information Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A862205138/PPIS?u=nm_p_elportal&sid=bookmark-PPIS&xid=297e7801. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

This month’s reading suggestion is an article that talks about leveraging the role of public libraries in patrons’ interest and use of generative AI (gen AI). For example, public libraries can offer tools such as subscriptions to AI image generators along with workshops for AI skill building and educational programs focused on AI fact-checking and spotting AI scams or learning about cryptocurrency. In the age of increasing AI-based interactions, public libraries can stand out by offering personable and engaging services and programs, such as face-to-face reference assistance, in-person book clubs and story time, and many more. This article is part of the GALE ONEFILE Information Science collection, which is one of the El Portal GALE Resources available through the New Mexico State Library website: https://www.elportalnm.org/

For more library and information science titles, check out NMSL’s recently acquired library and information science collection titles: 2025 – New in Library and Information Science – LibGuides at New Mexico State Library. The New Mexico Reads portal also includes a selection of Library and Information Science works. Access those through the New Mexico State Library’s website or directly: https://nmreads.boundless.baker-taylor.com/ng/view/library

Happy Reading and Happy Learning in 2026!

 

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