This year as never before, we are all being called upon to reset our assumptions on search techniques and approaches. From Google's frequent algorithm changes that affect our search results to new sources of both open source and fee-based information, as well as new expectations from clients and patrons, information professionals need to re-examine all their search practices. Info pros have a unique skill set that gives us the ability to own the search space. But equally important is the ability to challenge our assumptions about search and hone our search skills.

This practical, full-day workshop provides the latest tips, tricks, and techniques for unlocking the "black box" of search. Our search experts reveal what you need to know today to perform better and more effective searches, analyze search results to surface value, teach others good search practice, and remain on top of search innovations. There's always something new to be learned from these leading-edge info pros. Whether you're a novice or expert searcher, you come away with a new understanding of innovations in search, new resources to share with colleagues, and more search tools for your professional toolkit.

Our experts cover these topics:

In this half-day workshop, technology expert Marshall Breeding moderates a discussion of key technology problems and challenges facing libraries today. He begins with a look at the key areas to be included in a technology plan. He incorporates recent information about the issues and developments of the technologies, products, and services that are relevant to the building of a technology plan as well as the topics of interest to workshop participants. This workshop focuses on the real-world technology plans and issues, so come prepared with the topics and issues of interest in your organization. What are your library and community challenges in today’s uncertain world? Bring them to this informed facilitated discussion, get tips and techniques for planning, and take away some new ideas!

Most libraries invest more than 60% of their budgets in staffing costs. People are a library’s most important resource, and the managers, team leaders, and department heads have the essential role of developing these resources to their full potential. This is why on-the-job coaching is such a critical skill for all those who are accountable for employees. Coaching brings out the best in individuals, with positive impacts for all those involved, including the coach and the entire organization. Join us to practice the basics of coaching—from the power of listening, questions, challenging, and supporting through to the game-changer of accountability. Quoting an HBR study: “Asking questions is a uniquely powerful tool for unlocking value in organizations: It spurs learning and the exchange of ideas, it fuels innovation and performance improvement, it builds rapport and trust among team members.” This interactive half-day workshop is packed with actionable, thought-provoking techniques and experiences designed to help you, your colleagues, and your library grow.

Do you have space issues in your library? Or challenges due to the recent pandemic? This workshop focuses on designing spaces for changing technologies and flexibility. How do we step up our digital transformation in uncertain times and keep our members safe? How do we incorporate new gadgets, apps, and technologies to engage our communities in new and exciting ways? Get some insights and ideas from our experienced librarians for planning successful future library experiences for your users.

3D scanning may be riding on the coattails of 3D design and printing technologies, but it has had a long history of useful applications. For example, the Innovation Lab, a community-driven solution space located in the Seminole Community Library at St. Petersburg College, has been working on some 3D scanning projects such as digitizing real dinosaur bones and other objects to be shared as holograms to help augment traditional learning opportunities, helping a local glass museum import 3D scanned objects into virtual and augmented reality spaces, and others. See what exciting things can be done with 3D scanning, holograms, virtual reality, and more!

Protecting privacy and security while leveraging technology to accomplish positive change is becoming a serious challenge for individuals, communities, and businesses. This workshop, led by expert leaders and practitioners, covers personal and organizational privacy as well as top security issues for libraries and their communities. If you don’t have a security plan in place, are unsure of where to even start with making sure your library is secure, or you have an existing plan in place but want to cross your T’s and dot your I’s, then come to this interactive workshop.

Technology has changed the face of libraries and is continuing to change how we work and how we deliver services to customers. In fact, the past year has pushed us, or, in some cases, made us scramble, to discover and experiment with new technologies and tools, to train our staff and community, and to look for new ways of doing our core activities. 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 ID what trends to look for, find out the difference between a technology trend and a fad, learn how to adapt what others are doing into your community, and get ideas on how their library can respond to technology as it emerges

This workshop focuses on new types of programs and ser­vices libraries are providing for their communities—makerspaces, innovation labs, and an assortment of studios that give users the tools to be creative and gain experience with emerging technologies. Filled with tips and techniques, our experienced speakers give you all you need to get started and to move into an innovative, customer-centric learning space based on STEM education, which also thrives around solving problems while being curious and inventive. Come explore new community engagement possibilities providing learning experiences for jobs of the future and the latest bleeding-edge technologies. Learn how they all work together to create engaging experiences in your library and beyond its walls as our world becomes increasingly digital. Full of practical insights and techniques from experienced and knowledgeable innovators, this workshop provides a road map for building or taking your exciting new program to the next level. It discusses the challenges (e.g., dealing with technology issues and funding shortages) while presenting real-world examples to help inspire you to explore the amazing opportunities these types of initiatives offer.

In this workshop, you learn the basics to start your analytics journey. Using a free analytics platform, we’ll have hands on exercises exploring the fundamentals of analytics in information organizations and how to properly prepare and clean data for analysis. Once we’re familiar with the basics, we delve into the world of visualization to demonstrate findings and discoveries to make more effective cases for our advocacy efforts. Finally, we dabble in some machine learning techniques as a means for obtaining deeper understanding into patterns and trends that lie within the data we collect. Participants will need to provide their own laptop and engage in a bit of prework to prepare their machine for the workshop.