Information Update - Fall 2003

NPLN/PaLA Spring Workshop

The Continuing Education Committee of the Northeast Pennsylvania Library Network and the Northeast Chapter of the Pennsylvania Library Association looked to local leadership and expertise for their annual spring continuing education workshop, "There's No Place Like Home," "Best Practices of Area Libraries." The conference was held at the Nazareth Student Center, Marywood University, on May 29th and provided a variety of sessions from which attendees could select.
 
An informative and provocative roundtable discussion began the workshop sessions. The roundtable participants included library directors from participating Northeast Pennsylvania Library Network libraries. Topics ranging from patron and community perception to assessment of library service and adapting to change were discussed.
 
The conference schedule continued with choices of breakout sessions running concurrently. Topics included:
  • "Managing a Circulating Digital Collection"
  • " Virtual Reference: Using the Library of Congress's QuestionPoint"
  • " Marketing Young Adult Services"
  • " Developing an Instruction Program Using WebCT"
  • " Partnership with Local Agencies"
    " Developing and Maintaining Special Collections."
 
Luncheon speakers Olga Conneen, President of the Pennsylvania Library Association and Director of Paul Harriett Mack Library at Northampton Community College, and Dr. Elisabeth Fordon, Continuing Education Advisor at the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, addressed the proposed funding cuts for library aid at the state level. They stressed the importance of "voice" in marketing the services that libraries and librarians provide. This workshop had more of a conference feel than just a continuing education opportunity, with a choice of sessions and ample time between events for networking with colleagues and pursing information tables and displays provided by NPLN participating libraries. "There's No Place Like Home" featured the of best area libraries and illustrated that "if you ever need to look for your heart's desire you don't have to look any further than your own backyard..."
Clara Hudson
Pride, Passion, Promise: Experience Our Jesuit Tradition