FREE Webinars in December

December brings a strong slate of great Web-delivered programming. The following Webinars are presented by several different organizations or institutions: click on the link to get further information on the content, to register, and to double-check the time. If you’re participating in the Nebraska Librarian Certification program, please be sure to let Linda Jensen know that you attended the Webinar. And remember the Nebraska Library Commission’s own weekly NCompass Live programs. Running a Virtual Meeting (OPAL) December 2, 11 – Noon (CT) As the cost of gas rises and travel time eats into our workdays, and as new technology opens new possibilities for meeting at a distance, librarians are learning how to lead and facilitate meetings that are not face-to-face. Have these new meeting technologies gotten ahead of the human factors? What still works? What needs to be reinvented? What’s best avoided? Carolyn Caywood and Nicole McGee will present and facilitate the discussion. Library Computer Networking Q&A (WebJunction Webinar) December 2, 2 – 3 p.m. (CT) WebJunction and TechSoup for Libraries are teaming up to bring you a panel of library technology experts to field your questions in a “Car Talk” fashion that’s sure to be informative and fun! The expert panel includes: Robert Williams, Technology Consultant at the South Texas Library System; Chris Jowaisas Library Systems Grants Administrator of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Monica M. Schultz, IT Director at the Peninsula Library System; And moderated by TechSoup’s Stephanie Gerding Staff Day Success! Tips for Planning, Delivering, and Evaluating All-Staff Events (Infopeople Webinar) December 3, 2 – 3 p.m. (CT) Join presenter Mary Ross – who has planned and implemented numerous all-staff events, as well as library-related conferences, workshops and training-as she shares tips, tricks and strategies for success. You’ll be able to tackle the challenges in planning and delivering an all-staff event, resulting in a day that is valuable to and celebrates the value of all employees. Connecting Kids with Great Websites (OPAL) December 8, 7 – 8 p.m. (CT) Learn how to find, evaluate and use Web sites for kids! This presentation features the chairs of the ALSC Great Web Sites for Kids Committee who evaluate 100s of sites every year to find fun and educational tools for children and families. They’ll show you what the committee does to come up with their widely used “Great Web Sites for Kids” list and how you can incorporate these resources into your library programming. From Libraries to Lifebraries (SirsiDynix Institute) December 9, 12 – 1p.m. (CT) As libraries continue to evolve to meet customers’ needs in a rapidly changing culture, the concern over the future of print and the “book” remains core to their existence. However, in looking at current trends, there is evidence to suggest otherwise. The future of libraries may not be dependent on the creation or evolution of new service delivery models based upon the book, it may actually reside in something more “deeply local.” Join Helene Blowers in a lively conversation about “new life” opportunities for libraries. As old formats and service models decline, there’s a new phoenix rising from the shadows. The National Library of Medicine Gateway (National Library of Medicine) To join the webinar, go to: http://webmeeting.nih.gov/mcr on the day of the program. December 9, Noon – 1p.m. (CT) The National Library of Medicine Gateway. The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, MidContinental Region is presenting a new series of online classes. Once a month in 2009, liaisons will present information and exercises on various databases from the National Library of Medicine in an hour-long web conference. All classes are free and no registration is required. You will simply need 1) a computer with Internet access and 2) a phone (the system will call you – free of charge). Integrated Library Systems: Open Source and Customization (WebJunction Webinar) December 10, Noon 1:30p.m. (CT) Please join us on December 10th for a discussion of Integrated Library Systems (ILSs) and the trend toward customizability through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) with library systems expert Marshall Breeding and representatives from leading vendors in the field. We’ll discuss new features and capabilities available in the most modern library software, and what it really means for these tools to be “customizable.” This event will coincide with the publication of Marshall Breeding’s December 2009 issue of Library Technology Reports and is presented in collaboration with ALA TechSource. Writing a Library Behavior Code (Infopeople Webinar) December 10, 2 – 3 p.m. (CT) This webinar will benefit participants by helping them draft legally enforceable behavior codes. It offers guidance on reasonable behavior rules, distinguished from restrictions on user’s free speech rights. What type of notice must the library give its users about its behavior policies? When is an appeals process required, and what should it entail? The webinar also looks at the emerging issue of library user behavior at library spaces online in chat, text, blog comments as well as third party spaces like library myspace and flickr pages. FiLBeRt Roundtable Discussion: The Future of Libraries, Books, and Reading (OPAL) December 16, 1 – 2 p.m. (CT) The shared futures of libraries, books, and reading seem very hazy at present. Join us for a monthly, lively, informal discussion of new developments, challenges, and opportunities. It’ll be a roundtable, so everyone is welcome to chime in. If it’s a FiLBeRt discussion, it’s going to be nutty! Thanks to Jamie Marcus, Wyoming State Library, for this great compilation.