Northeast Ohio Regional Library System

Customer Service Academy
Date/Time
1/19/2023
All webinars start at 10:00 am and in-person starts at 9:30 am except for May 10
Competency
Communication and Customer Service
Event Description
Customer service is one of the most frequently requested training topics as it impacts dramatically on a library's ability to serve its community. This is true in a public library, academic library, special or school library and across all levels of staff. In fact, no one in a library is exempt from providing excellent customer service. To that end, NEO-RLS has constructed an Academy which we hope will inspire you to enhance your customer service skills whether you are new to the library scene or an experienced professional. The 2023 Academy includes our popular, pre-COVID, Day for Public Service to be held in four locations as well as three additional webinars.

Below are a list of the sessions.  To register click on the location where you would like to attend the in-person event. This will register you for that location and all of the webinars.

Webinar 1
Becoming Good Library Ambassadors

Thursday, January 19, 2023 at 10 am-11 am from your desktop
Are you promoting your library the best you can, both inside and outside the library walls?  Learn ways that you can better represent your library in your community.
 
Learning Objectives:
  • Empowering you and your whole staff to become good ambassadors
  • Preparing for successful contacts within your community
  • Enhancing your community's perception of your library
Presenter:

Susan Ungham, former children's associate and retired branch manager with experience in rural, suburban, and urban public libraries; current part-time instructor in Cuyahoga Community College's Encore program for older adults.




Webinar 2
Responding to Uncomfortable Situations in the Library Setting
Wednesday, March 1, 2023 at 10 am -11 am from your desktop

Many times we are caught off-guard by inappropriate comments and aren’t prepared to respond in the moment. In this session, we provide simple responses for common scenarios, that prepare you to curtail the behavior and make it clear that what is happening is not ok. Learning Objectives:
  • Participants will learn how to identify different types of harassment.
  • Participants will become empowered to speak up when faced with an uncomfortable situation.
  • Participants will leave with several statements they can use in future conversations.
Presenters:

Emily Correa is the Deputy Director for the Campbell County Public Library System. She was a member of the 45th Class of Leadership Lynchburg in 2021, and was named one of Lynchburg Business Magazine's Top 20 Under 40 in 2022. Emily currently serves on the editorial board of Virginia Libraries journal. Previously she was involved in leadership with the Virginia Library Association, the Mid-Atlantic Library Alliance, The Power of WE Lynchburg, and the County of Campbell.


Dana Bomba is a Branch Manager with the Chesterfield County Public Library, near Richmond, Virginia and the 2022 Virginia Library Association’s Librarian of the Year. Her primary focuses are strategic initiatives, community outreach opportunities, and staff development. As an experienced manager, Dana is committed to team building and coaching her employees to excellence. As a frontline manager, she is driven to create connections with her community and takes pride in providing personalized service to every customer. Previously she served on the Executive Board of the Central Virginia Young Professionals and the Conference Committee for the Virginia Library Association.




Webinar 3
Passive-Aggressive Behavior: Sources and Solutions for Library Workspaces
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 10 am-11 am from your desktop

Passive-aggressive behavior can be maddening. It catches us off guard, causes confusion, resentment, and low morale. What causes it and how can you help prevent it? This webinar will bring together research from multiple fields on how to handle passive-aggressive behavior, with particular tips for librarians. It will also explore the causes of passive-aggressive behavior, the benefits of anger, gender biases around anger, and more.

Learning Objectives:
  • How passive-aggressive behavior can be an adaptive trait and encouraged through systems at work, home or in broader society 
  • Signs and examples of passive-aggressive behavior 
  • Tips and techniques on how to reframe the behavior and deal with it appropriately whether it is coming from colleagues, patrons, or superiors 
  • What boundaries are and how they affect our behavior 
  • Role play examples to more effectively communicate
Presenter:

Carrie Rogers-Whitehead worked in libraries for nearly a decade and now consults and trains librarians. She regularly researches and writes for librarians, educators and parents. Carrie has published 5 books, with two coming out in 2022 including a new book co-authored with two school librarians with ABC-CLIO: Advocating Digital Citizenship: Resources for Library and Classroom. In 2021 she received an Outstanding Reference Title award from the Reference & User Services Association of ALA. Carrie is the founder of Digital Respons-Ability, a mission-based company that has educated tens of thousands of students, parents and educators in digital citizenship. Her company’s curriculum and work can be found in multiple states and countries. Carrie is a sought after trainer, former TEDx speaker, adjunct instructor and loves to teach others.

In-person Day for Public Service -9:30 am - 4:00 pm except the Medina location is 10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Morning:  How To Pivot, Thrive, and Bounce-Up™ During Change

Change barreled headfirst into every organization in 2020 and hasn't stopped yet. You've managed disruptions, understaffed days, and unsettling economic events that impact your patrons. No one can escape transitional times. Don't dread it. Instead, take every "change" that comes your way and "Flip-It" into positive communication and action.
This highly interactive program includes momentum-building activities with beach balls, bubbles, and an inflatable punching bag. It's one unique half-day session filled with engagement, fun, and inspirational stories. Mj shares her three core POWER strategies so that you can Bounce-Up higher and stronger. You'll get practical tactics and trademarked techniques to develop your Bounce-Up Mindset and thrive.

Learning Objectives:
  • Eliminate the "bounce-back mentality" that prevents you from taking empowered actions during change.
  • Understand the immediate reactions to challenges and how to flip the script from Change Evaders to Change Makers during transitional times.
  • Shift current challenges into proactive solutions based on an action plan created and customized by you for you.

Presenter:
Mj Callaway delivers outcome-focused programs that include humor, real-life stories, and strategic self-mastery tools you can implement immediately. As a two-time cancer warrior and domestic abuse survivor, Mj shares that every setback is an opportunity to create your Bounce-Up™.
She's the creator of The Bounce-Up™ Principle, a Certified Virtual Presenter, Certified Change Management Specialist, and a Leadership Liaison for the National Speakers Association. In addition, Mj has earned a Holistic Resilience Certificate from Point Park University and four Gold Awards from the Parenting Media Association.
She blends her management, sales, speaking, and journalism experiences to create interactive and impactful workshops. With more than 2,000 consumer magazine features under her pen name, she's interviewed everyone from youth entrepreneurs to CEOs, non-profit founders, and professional athletes. 

Afternoon: Yes… And Customer Service
Based on the Improve Group Second City work, there has been a movement of answering our patrons with Yes… and in place of just saying no.  We work in an industry where the book is checked out, the policies are written pretty clearly, and sometimes we cannot meet our patrons’ requests. Because of this, we can face upset or angry patrons.  This is a training that can help us with what we can do instead of what we are not able to do.  At the end of this, you will have a new mindset that you can use to create more positive patron interactions when we don’t have the answers they want.

Presenter: 
Molly Meyers LaBadie has worked in libraries for over 20 years in multiple roles and systems.  She has come to learn in this time to expect the unexpected.  Molly has presented on multiple topics, and lately, she has been presenting on Empathy in Customer Service, Empathy in Leadership, Creativity in Libraries, and Bedbugs.  With a background in training, she has worked to develop training for libraries that deal with the issues and realities that staff face in 2022. Molly is currently the Deputy Director at the Delaware County Public Library, where she has been for the last five years.


Please select the location where you would like to attend the in-person event from the list below. This will register you for that location and all of the webinars. Lunch is included for the in-person event.

Tuesday, May 9, 2023-Mentor Public Library-9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday, May 10, 2023-Medina County District Library-10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wednesday, October 18, 2023-Avon Lake Public Library-9:30 am-4:00 pm
Thursday, October 19, 2023-Canfield Library-9:30 am - 4:00 pm



 
Contact Person
Details
Who Should Attend:  Anyone interested in participating in the Customer Service Academy
Competency:  Communication and Customer Service

Non-Member Cost:      $280
NEO-RLS Bronze Member Cost:  $192
NEO-RLS Silver Member Cost:   $80
NEO-RLS Gold Member Cost:    FREE
NEO-RLS Individual Member Cost:  $140


There is an additional $20 surcharge for facility use and amenities.
We encourage you to register a minimum of three (3) days in advance for this event in order to ensure that we can accommodate your full participation in terms of seating, hand-outs, food, etc.

This event is supported by the State Library of Ohio with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

It’s never too late to save your library money. NEO-RLS Memberships are pro-rated! Call us today to join.


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