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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Reference Special Interest Group
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Facilitator: Maggie Leung, Dominican University
Location: Online via Zoom
The Reference Special Interest Group is open to library workers who provide reference services or want to learn more about it. The group is not limited by library type and comprises academic, special, public, school, and hospital library staff. You do not need to be a degree-holding librarian to attend. The facilitator will bring an agenda, and attendees are welcome to share their thoughts, ideas, experiences, and questions.
This month’s topic is: Translating Reference Questions into Library Programs & Services
We will also follow up on the conversation from the August SIG: https://libguides.senylrc.org/SIGs/20250429Reference
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Facilitator: TBD
This group meets regularly to discuss digital preservation projects, challenges, and successes. All are welcome to join. The topic for this meeting will be announced soon.
Leadership and Management Skills SIG
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026*
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Facilitator: Laura Wolven, Finkelstein Memorial Library
Location: Southeastern NY Library Resources Council
Topic: Leadership and Trauma Recovery
*Inclement weather date: February 5, 2026
In a new iteration of this group, we will talk about working in post-traumatic situations. Whether a traumatic situation was experienced by the collected staff or individually, on the job, or after hours, we can learn ways to adapt our management style to lead. At a time of turmoil and threats to libraries, leadership can feel lonelier than ever. This meeting is an opportunity to share collective experiences and brainstorm about solutions.
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.