Wow, the staff development opportunities just keep coming this Spring, and now Library Journal is offering their Lead the Change conference on March 20th, at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in San Jose. For more information, go to http://lj.libraryjournal.com/events/lead-the-change/.
The Eureka! Leadership Institute is a great, six-day intensive program for building new leaders for our libraries. The application process is rigorous, but worth every minute, and Eurekans who come out of the program go on to do interesting and exciting new projects in their libraries. Encourage your staff to apply, or maybe even apply yourself. For more information, and to download the application materials, go to http://eurekaleadership.org/.
Besides, the Institute will be held at the beautiful Dolce Hayes Mansion, right here in the South Bay.
Dolce Hayes Mansion
Posted in Communities of Practice, Education, News, Trainings
Tagged eureka, sharing, staff development
What Do I Do Now? Handling Challenging Situations with Mentally Ill and Homeless Library Users
The 2012 Spring Workshop of the Pacific Library Partnership Staff Development Committee
Tuesday, April 24, 9:00 am – 12 noon (sign-in 8:30 – 9:00)
Castro Valley Library (Alameda County)
$15 registration fee
This workshop is appropriate for all levels of library staff.
What’s the best way to deal with unpleasant, scary or bizarre behavior from library users who may be mentally ill? How should you respond to library users who complain about other users who are minding their own business and complying with library rules but appear to be homeless? Most of us who work in public libraries have had to deal with these situations. This workshop will provide you with some tools that will help you handle them well.
The presenters, Leah Esguerra, Kathleen Lee, and Karen Strauss, all work in San Francisco Public Library’s innovative program to address issues with mentally ill and homeless library users at SFPL’s Main Library. They provide training for SFPL staff on how to handle these challenging situations. Leah Esguerra is SFPL’s full-time psychiatric social worker. Kathleen Lee, who was formerly homeless herself, works as a Health and Safety Associate in the program. Karen Strauss is SFPL’s Deputy Chief of Main.
In January 2010, the San Francisco Chronicle and Library Journal reported on Leah’s work at SFPL. Both Karen and Leah were also highlighted in an Associated Press article about the homeless and public libraries
The workshop will held in the meeting room of the Castro Valley Library, a branch of the Alameda County library system. On-site parking is available, and the library is close to the Castro Valley BART station.
For more details and to register, go to http://host7.evanced.info/pls/lib/eventsignup.asp?ID=458.