Sunday, October 16, 2016

Now that our smartphones can search the web for us, how do info pros set themselves apart from anyone with access to Google? This full-day workshop looks at what is innovative, creative, and unexpected in advanced web research. Searchers Academy allows you to interact with a series of industry experts who share their ideas and expertise in the field of research on the web and in social media. There’s always something new to be learned from these leading-edge info pros. Participants should have basic experience with web searching, but even searchers with an extensive searching background will come away with a new attitude and new resources and tools for more effective and strategic searching. Get the latest tips and tricks from our super searchers! Academy topics include:

• Hacking Google: Learn about the new and little-known search features that enable you to out-Google anyone … even your clients! 
• Hacking the Deep Web: Today’s best techniques for identifying and searching the rich content within the deep web
• Hacking the Social Web: How to get the most value from social media—for research and professional development
• Hacking Your Deliverables: What you can do with your search results to make the information even more valuable
• Hacking Subject Searches: Specific tools and resources for searching in a variety of specialized topics

Libraries, like all public sector, academic, and not-for-profit organizations, need three types of measures: operational statistics, satisfaction indicators, and outcome measures. These performance measures are as much about operational effectiveness within the library as they are about demonstrating value to external shareholders. This hands-on, practical workshop allows you to develop meaningful outcomes to evaluate your library’s programs and initiatives, and align these with operational statistics to manage improvements, processes, staffing, customer engagement, and communication to board, city, or campus influencers.

Want to learn how to design and build responsive websites with a CSS-based framework? This hands-on workshop focuses on Bootstrap, with supplemental information on Foundation. Learn to control layout using a responsive grid system, apply the framework’s CSS to HTML elements, and incorporate select custom jQuery plug-ins. Participants should come with a basic understanding of HTML/CSS, a laptop, and an opinion (or two). Topics include selecting a framework, downloading the framework and incorporating it into an HTML document, designing page layouts utilizing a responsive grid system, adding basic page elements using CSS and customizing the CSS, creating navigational elements, incorporating jQuery plug-ins, and integration in third-party tools (i.e., LibGuides).

Involved in library technology for 30 years as a consultant, practitioner, and presenter, Breeding leads this half-day workshop for persons aspiring to launch or advance a career in library technology. In an interactive and discussion-oriented format, Breeding shares information and tips on strategies for professional development, career advancement, and how to deepen technical skills. The workshop is aimed at helping participants get to the next step in their career, whether it is through exploring options for new technologies or tools to master, seeking a leadership or administrative track in library technology, or becoming more involved in the broader profession. It’s definitely worth attending to learn from this longtime industry leader!

We’re all implementing new services, programs, and products. But how do we know we’ve completed something? How do we know—and show—that it’s successful? The growing number of project management positions in libraries indicates the importance of these answers in ensuring organizational and project success. This introductory workshop on implementing PM discusses these points: What it is, the vocabulary that is important to know, how PM principles can be introduced to an organization and sustained, and more. Our presenter has experience introducing PM to her library organizations and is ready to help you implement PM in your organization. Get lots of tips and techniques from our practitioner.

Based on research from Aspen Institute, this interactive half-day workshop focuses on the strategies and action steps identified by the Institute to help libraries align with community goals, provide access to content in all formats, cultivate leadership, and ensure long-term sustainability. Join our experienced and forward-thinking workshop leader who knows how to gain community support, build winning strategies and services, grow strong leadership, and more! Spark your future plans with insights from this workshop leader and fellow attendees.

This workshop discusses and illustrates how to use social media and social networking in libraries to engage your communities in telling the library stories, offering testimonials, and providing a platform for advocacy and influence to use for funding, community engagement, and promotion of the library. The focus is primarily on the telling of stories of impact and value as well as service/program promotion. It focuses on which stories engage users to share as well as making this method sustainable in smaller and medium sized libraries. Workshop leaders have been involved in creating and delivering social media campaigns internationally on a statewide, national and system level. More social media teams fail for want of a clear methodology for working together to achieve both brand communications and community-building goals. M’Lissa Story, a systems thinker and ecological economist, is a specialist in facilitating agile team collaboration best practices and aligning talents and objectives for media teams via the discipline of coherence. She shares how libraries must build agile teams to win big at social media—and do so sustainably. In this workshop you learn how to get started, how to use the data you create through your campaigns and how to use real-time dashboards; how to engage library members and the community in telling stories about the impact of library services and programs; the essences of going viral and storytelling that creates impact and engagement; how to scale your activities to community and state/provincial levels.

Join this interactive workshop and explore the concept of adding value; learn about library service as a business model and how to create a library service model for your environment; and understand ways to add value and how to create a value proposition map. Take home an action plan for adding value in your community.

Technology has changed the face of libraries, and is continuing to change how we work and how we deliver services to customers. This workshop introduces emerging technology trends and shows how those trends are reshaping library services. Examples are provided of how to incorporate these evolving trends into libraries. Attendees learn what trends to look for, find out the difference between a technology trend and a fad, and get ideas on how their library can respond to technology as it emerges.

At the current rate of change, we have to continually add new and improve existing products and services to support our customers in 21st-century needs. Projects are the means by which these innovations are effected, and meaningful, measurable change requires collaboration within any library. This advanced workshop is for project managers who want to get pointers and insights from other project managers. Get tips from our workshop leaders as well as your fellow attendees. Learn how a team responsible for the continued support of the standards, practices, and technology that define project management can last beyond the hype of new processes and guide project work toward strategic impact. Gather best practices from others and share your experiences!

Since identifying making as a core part of its mission more than 5 years ago, FFL is happy to share its experiences and strategies. If you are in the process of starting a maker’s club, applying for a making grant, developing a makerspace, building a STEM learning or entrepreneurship program, or exploring possibilities around making at your library, this workshop is a must-attend for you! Full of practical tips and tricks you leave this workshop with a road map for building a makerspace for your community.

We all know we should use good passwords, keep everything updated, and follow other basic precautions online. Understanding the reasons behind these rules is critical to help us convince ourselves and others that the extra work is indeed worth it. Who are the bad guys? What tools are they using? What are they after? Where are they working? How are they doing it? Why are we all targets? Experienced workshop leaders discuss how to stay safe at the library and at home. They share ways to keep precious data safe inside the library and out—securing your network, website, and PCs—and tools you can teach to patrons in computer classes. They tackle security myths, passwords, tracking, malware, and more. They share a range of tools and techniques, making this session ideal for any library staff.

How do you track what people are saying about your organization or community? Or the industries you are following? Or the new technology you are thinking about implementing? Whether it’s for you or your clients, learn about monitoring the web for mentions or conversations that are of interest, as well as the advantage of joining in. Stay current, up-to-date, and on the pulse of what’s important to you and/or your clients by using free or inexpensive tools and dashboards. Our experienced speaker shares secrets that all PR & communications firms use!

Need a stretch after a day of workshops or traveling on airplanes? Want to hear some of the lore of Cannery Row and see some of the sights? Join our native librarian as she leads a walking tour from the Marriott to Cannery Row before our Games & Gadgets evening networking event!

Join our gamers and gadget lovers for an evening of fun, playing, making, learning, and networking. See how you can transform your thinking, your programs, and your spaces with the latest games, gadgets, and STEAM ideas! Share with a poster about what your library is doing with creative making and makerspaces in your library. Led by Brian Pichman, Sue Considine, & Tod Colegrove, this event will start your conference experience with lots of learning and laughing! Take the opportunity to chat with library winners of the 2015 Knight News Challenge. Refreshments included.