Librarianship 101: MLC's Annual Learn-How-To-Library Workshop

Elisabeth Scott

Reference Librarian/Literacy Projects Coordinator

Let's get ready to liiiiiiibrary! The Mississippi Library Commission (MLC) will welcome a new group of library paraprofessionals to our annual Librarianship 101 tomorrow, and we can't wait to get started helping them become the best librarians they can be. After all, a great librarian gives great library service!

 

This intensive three-day workshop, which is made possible in part by funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), brings library staff from across Mississippi to the state capital here in Jackson to learn more about libraries. That may sound simple, but the nearly thirty students in attendance will receive an overview of everything library. This includes:

• A rundown of core library services, such as reference interviews and practices, collection development, programming, cataloging, weeding, and readers' advisory
• An overview of outreach, which encompasses community partnerships, social media, and library marketing
• Mississippi-specific subjects, like local library law and MAGNOLIA databases
  
• A synopsis of MLC services, like Talking Book Services and Technology Services, and a Petting Zoo featuring MLC's special collection kits

Attendees will also learn the results of their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) tests, a personality test that can be used to gain perspective on the ways people work together. Paired with the abundance of networking opportunities over the three-day period, this jam-packed workshop gifts participants with a life-long learning experience that will help them serve their home communities and meet their library needs. Even better, participants create and carry out a library project in their home libraries that gives back to their communities and helps Mississippians reach their full potential. 

Librarianship started back in 2004, and MLC staff are proud to say that we have helped train a generation of library paraprofessionals in our state. Many have gone on to pursue further education in the library field and moved up the library ladder into leadership roles. The annual Mississippi Library Association conference provides an opportunity for everyone to reconnect, a mini-Librarianship 101 reunion, if you will. This week will be the library experience of a lifetime for many of the people visiting Jackson in the upcoming days, so please wish them a good time and the best of luck!

A Teachable Moment

The Mississippi Library Commission recently held Librarianship 101, an extremely comprehensive workshop for library paraprofessionals. This is the fifteenth year that the program has provided in-depth training in library law and ethics, library programming for all ages, collection development, readers advisory, and much more for those who want to better serve their home libraries. Librarianship 101 participants go through a nomination process; class size is limited to fifteen individuals. Nominees are service-oriented librarians who want to enhance and improve their community through their work at the public library. This is one of many continuing education options offered by MLC.

MLC Library Services Director Tracy Carr leads a session at Librarianship 101.

I've always admired people who can command the attention of a room. Keynote speakers at large conferences have always amazed me with their confident body language and their ability to stroll from one side of the stage to the other. I have never possessed that gift. I avoided speech class in college at all costs... no sir, no way, was this girl getting up in front of a room full of folks to talk about anything.

Over the years I have had to take the mic on a few occasions with a great deal of anxiety and stress.  That old statement about picturing the crowd in their underwear never worked for me. When I started at MLC, I was so impressed by the level of ease my colleagues displayed when presenting to groups of librarians. They are always funny, informative, and provide great handouts. I have learned so much from watching these guys.

Welcome by Hulen Bivins, MLC Executive Director

A participant introduces herself to the rest of the Librarianship 101 group.

The first day of 101 began with a welcome from MLC Executive Director Hulen Bivins, followed by introductions of participants. I could tell these folks were excited to learn and were going to be extremely entertaining.

Ice-breaker fun!

The group participated in a fun ice-breaker that involved getting creative! The rest of the day was information-packed with topics covering library structure and social media. They departed on day one with their minds and notebooks full!

On day two, MLC Library Development Director Lacy Ellinwood covered the topic of library programming and I followed up with public relations. The participants were in five groups; each group created a program and had to write a press release appropriate to send to the media. I felt like a proud mama: they all did an outstanding job writing their first press release. We also talked about creating a library newsletter and social media. It was a great day for someone who is terrified of presenting!

I talked about creating a library newsletter.

On the final day, they learned about weeding, statistics, and MLC's Talking Book Services. They went home with a certificate and, hopefully, a better understanding of the overall workings of a library. Congratulations Librarianship 101 graduates of 2018! Get out there and serve your communities!

2018 Librarianship 101 graduates

Apply Now For Librarianship 101 2017

The Mississippi Library Commission is pleased to announce that applications for the 2017 Librarianship 101 Institute are now being accepted. The Librarianship 101 Institute is a three-day, in-residence workshop on September 18-20, 2017 designed to help public library staff members develop basic skills for professional fulfillment and career advancement. Participation in the Librarianship 101 Institute will be limited to fifteen (15) individuals who will be selected in a competitive application process. Nominees should be service-oriented individuals who want to enhance and improve their communities through their work in the public library.

Institute topics include:

• librarianship code of ethics
• programming
• collection development
• reference services
• children’s and young adult services
• diversity in the library
• social media
• readers’ advisory
• MLC services
• alternative funding methods 

You can find more information about the Institute here, an application, and a sample of the selection criteria used by the evaluator. (You do not need to fill out the selection criteria and send it along with the application; it is provided for informational purposes only.)

Nominations must be postmarked by July 6, 2017. If you have any questions about the Institute, don’t hesitate to contact Tracy Carr, Lacy Ellinwood, or Lucinda Ogden!