Southeastern NY, Library Resources Council, offers ongoing professional development opportunities. These come in the form of in-person classes, workshops, lectures, and webinars. These classes help to enrich our members’ professional experience and can be used to fulfill some requirements needed to maintain public librarian certificates.
Are you looking for information about a past event? Click here for an archive of recent Southeastern events.
Are you looking for similar events? Click here for a calendar of all Empire State Library Network events.
Southeastern welcomes people of all abilities to programs. If ASL interpreter services, captioning or audio description are needed, contact Carolyn Bennett Glauda – carolyn@senylrc.org or leave a message in the notes field to request those services when you register. Please register as soon as you know you will be attending. Requesting accommodations as early as possible is critical. Requests made at least one week in advance will help to ensure availability.
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Inclusive Metadata Follow-Up Session
As a follow up to her Inclusive Metadata webinar on January 24, 2024, Sharon Mizota will facilitate an open discussion. Do you have questions about Inclusive Metadata related to your organization and collections? Are you interested in sharing experiences and learning from others? If yes, please join us for what is sure to be a lively and informative discussion. If you were unable to attend Sharon’s webinar in January, please watch the recording before attending. This session is for staff at New York institutions only and we are limiting the number of participants to 25. The discussion will not be recorded.
If you have a specific question for Sharon, please include it on your registration! She will review them in advance of the meeting and research them if time allows.
Banned Books Symposium
Proactive, Reactive, and Supportive
Saturday, May 4
8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Dutchess BOCES Conference Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
Cost: $25, includes lunch
This half-day conference will feature presentations in all capacities of banned and challenged books and programs. This Symposium is in partnership with Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, Ramapo Catskill Library System, Mid-Hudson Library System, Mount Saint Mary College, SUNY New Paltz and BOCES School Library Systems of Dutchess, Orange-Ulster, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster.
Keynote Speaker: Jeff Trexler
Jeff Trexler has served since 2020 as Interim Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting free expression and the legal rights of the comics community. He has extensive experience providing strategic advice to librarians, teachers, retailers, publishers, creators, legislators, and even law enforcement on responding to attempts to restrict access to graphic novels. An attorney himself, he is also the first CBLDF director since its founding in 1986 to provide direct legal representation in censorship cases, most notably the successful defense of Gender Queer against an unconstitutional attempt to prohibit the book’s sale or distribution in Virginia.
Breakout Sessions
Session 1:
- Programming Banned Books: Speaker Panels, Read-outs, and Positive Engagement (Academic) Susan Wood & Keith Pardini, Suffolk County Community College, Long Island
The presenter will provide an overview of the multiple events coordinated with a variety of college stakeholders, such as the LGBTQ+ Task Force and the College Seminar Service Learning Committee. This presentation will cover the planning process, structure, and outcomes of these events, as well as provide ideas for successfully planning events with stakeholders and avoiding common pitfalls associated with programming that addresses emotional and controversial topics in these politically-polarized times. - NYU Division of Libraries’ Days of Learning (DoL DoL) Program on Book Banning (Academic) Lauren Kehoe, New York University
This presentation will provide an overview of how the topic of book banning was organized as a DoL DoL including the LibGuide used to create a virtual community around this event and go into detail about the different activities (keynote speaker, banned book reading groups, local and national advocacy, and purchase banned books for our library) that were planned to engage with this topic synchronously and asynchronously across the Division of Libraries. Suggestions will also be made for adaptability at other libraries. - Censorship: Past and Present (General Audience) Mara Zonderman, Westhampton Free Library & Terry Lucas, Director, Shelter Island Public Library
Is the increase we’ve seen in censorship in the past few years just the latest turn of the historical wheel, or is it something qualitatively different from what we’ve seen before? Join Librarians Terry Lucas, former lawyer and bookseller, and Mara Zonderman, former lawyer and civil liberties lobbyist, as they bring their experience to bear on censorship past and present. - The Banned Books Trading Card Project (Public) Katie Karkheck & Caroline Siecke-Pape, Valley Cottage Library
Valley Cottage Library breaks down their 2023 Banned Books Week trading cards project from the community partnerships they formed down to the specifics of acting as an art jury. Learn how they accomplished this amazing project from creation to completion and everything they learned along the way.
Session 2:
- American Library Association (ALA) and Unite Against Book Bans (UABB): Perspectives on Messaging and Resources for Your Library (General Audience) Christopher Harris, Genesee Valley BOCES SLS and ALA Unite Against Book Bans Policy Corp
Dr. Christopher Harris, a Senior Policy Fellow with the American Library Association and Director of the Genesee Valley BOCES School Library System will facilitate a discussion on establishing a more library focused narrative around book banning using resources from the Unite Against Book Bans campaign. - ARE YOU READY FOR A CHALLENGE? How a library’s interactive immersion experience helped to train against the wave of book bans (Public) Eugenia Schatoff, Pearl River Public Library & Melissa Mounier, Summer 2023 Library School Intern
Learn about Pearl River Public Library’s Book Challenge Simulator. The Book Challenge Simulator was created to test the participants’ ability to persuade different members of the public in the name of protecting and advocating for educational freedom and to evaluate participants’ understanding of different facets of their communities and patron base. - Advocacy Matters: Protecting our LGBTQIA+ Picture Book Characters (Schools) Dorothy Luongo, Krieger Elementary School, Hudson Valley Writing Project
This session focuses on the unique position of picture books to deepen understanding of queer identities and how to meet New York State mandates for embracing diversity and providing Dignity for All Students. We will examine specific instances of censorship at the elementary level and peruse a selection of picture books and detail their role in combating a cycle of silence driven by fear and lack of knowledge. - Banned Books Go to College (Academic) Emily Doyle, Marist College, Elizabeth Clarke, Marist College, & Amanda Lowe, University at Albany, SUNY
This panel session with staff from Marist College James A. Cannavino Library and University Libraries at the University at Albany, SUNY promises a comprehensive exploration of two distinct journeys of engaging student communities in Banned Books Week initiatives and how each contributes to the broader conversation on the significance of intellectual freedom in libraries.
Exploring the SEAL Catalog Webinar
SEAL is Southeastern’s resource-sharing platform. SEAL connects libraries of all types in the Southeastern N.Y. region and allows them to easily share books, DVDs, and other resources. It is available at no cost to all libraries in the region. This webinar series will introduce you to how to use the service in your library and demonstrate best practices for finding and loaning materials.
Have you ever wondered how the SEAL catalog works? This upcoming webinar will provide a deep dive into the catalog, addressing everything you ever wanted to know (and more!).
Wednesday, May 22: 2pm-3pm
Facilitators: John Ansley, Marist and Margaret Stanne, Elting Library
Topic: Archival Policies
In this month’s meeting, we will talk about documents that help guide the operations of archives and special collections (deeds of gift, collection development, collection use and handling, etc.).
The Archives Special Interest Group meets to talk about the art and craft of working with archival materials. Individuals from libraries, archives, cultural heritage institutions, and other places with historic documents are welcome to join the conversation.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion SIG
Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Facilitators: Tracy Dunstan & Morgan Strand, Nyack Library
Topic for this meeting: EDI Support Resources for Library Workers. The Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion SIG meets to discuss anti-racism and actions that library workers can take in order to create a more just library environment for all.
Resource Sharing SIG
This month’s meeting topic: The Newburgh Tech Hub
Join us for the next Resource Sharing SIG, in-person at the Newburgh Free Library! The meeting will be held in the brand-new Tech Hub at NFL.
This SIG provides a friendly space for resource sharing professionals to meet, discuss workflows, and share resources. The Resource Sharing Special Interest Group (SIG) meets to discuss issues of Interlibrary Loan, delivery, union catalogs, and other related topics. The members of the group are a mix of full-time and part-time, degreed and non-degreed librarians, and come from all library types. Registration for this event is free and open to all.
Date: Thursday, June 20, 2024
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
online via Zoom
Topic: Storage and management of digital files. More details to follow
Leadership and Management Skills SIG
Date: Monday, June 24, 2024
Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm
Facilitator: Crystal Middleton, Poughkeepsie Public Library
Location: online via Zoom
This month’s topic is “From DEI to IDEA: where have we been and where are we going (in libraries).” This will be a continuation of the conversation we started during the March 2024 meeting. You can view the notes of that discussion here.
This group is for library workers of all library types who handle administrative tasks and are becoming leaders in the field. If you aspire to or are currently working as, a: director, assistant director, manager, program manager, trustee, or serve in a leadership role within a professional organization, this meeting is for you! Topics we will cover in this meeting may include:
- Supervising other staff, volunteers, and/or interns
- Introducing and running programs and services at the library
- Onboarding new employees
- Getting professional development for management skills
- Doing advocacy work on behalf of the library
- Creating and maintaining a budget
- Work/life balance in the light of growing work responsibilities
- Networking with other library workers who may become future colleagues
- Staying committed to social justice issues
- Working within union structures
- Influencing the culture of the library from within
- Deciding when and if to apply for different positions
The nature of the conversation will be based on the interests of the people who attend and may change from meeting to meeting. You can view the notes from previous meetings here.
RDM Virtual Workshop
Building Your Research Data Management Toolkit: Integrating RDM into Your Liaison Work
Tuesday, July 16 & Wednesday, July 17, 2024
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Presenters: Christina Chan-Park & Laura Palumbo for ACRL
Cost: $100 per seat
(only available to individuals in New York State. Registration is for individuals. Your fee includes materials for each person, and there is no group viewing option. There is a limit of 60 total participants, preference will go to liaison librarians.)
About the program:
Research data management has emerged as a need among academic researchers and liaisons are building skills in response. This two-day workshop will assist liaisons to identify their existing skills and mindsets that transfer to research data management services and then create a learning plan for the RDM specific knowledge needed to serve their subject disciplines. Tools, hints, and tricks will be shared that facilitate partnerships on campus with disciplinary faculty and with other RDM service providers.
Who should attend:
This workshop is intended for liaisons who are seeking to engage with research data management for the first time, or who have a very basic knowledge of research data management. This workshop is an introductory level experience. Attendees are not expected to have previous experience with research data management. The primary audience is subject liaison librarians, secondary audience include senior library administrators, middle management and department heads, and technical services librarians and staff. Other campus partners such as Office of Research, Sponsored Programs, Technology Transfer, IRB, or campus IT may be interested but would be a tertiary audience.
Learning Outcomes:
Workshop participants will be able to…
- Identify data within the research process and lifecycle in order to articulate the role of the libraries in the management of data to researchers.
- Learn how to develop expertise in the nuances of disciplinary requirements for data management in order to educate their faculty and students about data best practices for their discipline.
- Articulate specific existing skills that they already possess as librarians which transfer to data services in order to begin building a toolkit of research data management skills.
- Identify campus partners in research data management in order to create an environment of research data management support for their faculty.
- Articulate the parts of a data management plan in order to describe its role as a living document within a research project.
- Apply their relevant prior knowledge of their disciplines in order to create a research data management interview plan in order to facilitate faculty engagement
This program is produced by Empire State Library Network and SUNY Office of Library Information Services.