SELS Training Extravaganza to be May 8 in Seward! (Cancelled due to COVID-19)

The 2020 SELS Training Extravaganza will be held on May 8 at Seward Memorial Library from 9:30 – 3:00. We are excited to announce Dean Jacobs will be our keynote speaker and will speak on the topic 7 Wonders – 7 Lessons: Reasons to Have Hope in the World. We live in a world that is filled with negative news and conversations that rob the oxygen of our curiosity to be engaged in the world. Exploring 58 countries taught Dean some valuable lessons, including that the world is far more kind, generous, and beautiful than what it is given credit. Dean says that making the world a better place begins with ourselves and the story we wish to create to do so.

This Keynote is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Nebraska Library Commission.

The cost of the Extravaganza is only $25 and a catered meal is included. Register by April 30 at http://bit.ly/Extrav2020

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Free Workshop on Information Security and Collection Development

On August 16, Southeast Library System and UNO’s Undergraduate Library Science Programs will be sponsoring a special workshop at Seward Memorial Library. Attendance will be worth 4 CE and will include a free lunch.

Two topics will be covered:

10 am – 12 pm Information Security

This two hour workshop will include information on the following:

  • Privacy and Security
  • Safe Practices for Public Computers
  • Ways to Protect Both Personal and Institutional Information

12 pm – 1 pm Lunch and Information about UNO’s Library Science Programs

1 pm – 3 pm Collection Development Tips and Tricks

Finding the best works for your library doesn’t have to involve expensive subscriptions to book review journals.  This presentation will focus on strategies to hunt and find quality works without breaking the bank or monopolizing your time.

To register for this free workshop, go to https://goo.gl/forms/kQbheFb9jFV4Fj8n2

School Librarians in the Digital Age

Southeast Library System and the Nebraska School Librarians Association will again be sponsoring “School Librarians in the Digital Age” on
June 8th, from 8:45 to 12:00. The workshopwill cover three separate and current topics. The location will be Conference Room C, Lincoln Public Schools District Office, 5905 O Street, Lincoln, NE 68510. To register, visit http://bit.ly/2018SchoolLib

For information about each session, Continue reading

Registration Open for 2018 SELS Training Extravaganza!

We have an exciting event planned for you on May 11th at Seward Memorial Library! Our keynote speaker is Joyce Neujahr, Director of Patron Services at UNO’s Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library. She will address the topic Feedback: Everybody needs it, Nobody wants it. The registration fee of $25 remains the same again this year (no inflation there!) and includes a catered meal. You may register at http://bit.ly/Extra2018

Details about the day’s workshops: Continue reading

Pay it Forward: Looking at Succession Planning

A SELS Workshop with Bonnie McKewon at Ashland Public Library

March 22, 10-3

Like any other organization, libraries need to plan for staffing transitions. Pay It Forward suggests practical approaches that help pave the way for new personnel.  Attendees will discuss succession planning questions. What are the library’s annual routines? Budget prep…policy review…job evaluations…where are those documents found?  What vendors does the library use for print purchases? For digital subscriptions? Is there an instruction manual for the ILS system…for the public computers?

Answering these questions helps light the path for incoming staff.  Staffing changes can be expected or surprising—workshop participants are sure to have “new hire” stories to share.  Plus, library boards should work on their own brand of succession planning—Pay It Forward talks about that, too!

Register at

http://bit.ly/Pay4ward1

This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Nebraska Library Commission.

“Libraries Rock:” Summer Reading Workshop

Libraries Rock
Get started thinking about and planning your 2018 Summer Reading Program at this year’s SELS Summer Reading Workshop on December 1st! Join us at the Walt Branch Library in Lincoln and enjoy the company of your peers. Below is an outline of the day as it is currently planned:

10:00 – 10:50 Summer Reading Book Reviews: Sally Snyder
11:00—11:50 Engaging Teens: Rachelle McPhillips
12:00-1:30 Lunch and Networking
1:30 – 2:30 Dave Marsh, “Music from Around the World”
2:30-2:45 Break
2:45-3:00 Musical Events and the HN process
3:00-3:30 Activities and Craft Ideas

This workshop is FREE. Lunch is on your own at nearby eateries.

Register at http://bit.ly/LibrariesRock

This program is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Nebraska Library Commission.

Customer Service: How and When to Break the Rules

jump_over_the_fence_1280x1024Who gets which kind of service at your front counter? What if the rules interfere with great customer service? What if a new situation comes up that is not covered by The Book? And what if a new rule is causing havoc with customer relations, and you are the one who has to save the day: What is the right way to break the rules?

On December 2, well-known library consultant Pat Wagner will join us at the Eisley Branch Library of Lincoln City Libraries to address the topic of customer service. This is a four hour interactive workshop worth 4 CEs. The workshop starts with the issue of consistency in service standards regarding policies. Continue reading

Registration Open for Summer Reading Workshop

DumptruckWhile it may not be quite the season to already be thinking about Summer Reading 2017, it soon will be. Plan on attending the SELS Summer Reading Workshop “Build a Better World” on November 4. There is no cost to this workshop and lunch is included. You may register at http://bit.ly/SummerReadingNov4 until October 29.

Following is the day’s program: Continue reading