Category Archives: Professional Development Office (PDO)

Carnegie Corporation gifts $10,000 to Carnegie libraries for celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States

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Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1911, which funded the construction of 2,509 libraries in the United States. Out of those 2,509 libraries, 164 public libraries were constructed in Indiana. Now, the Carnegie Corporation of New York is honoring these libraries with $20 million in new funding! What does this mean for Carnegie libraries? The Carnegie Corporation of New York will give gifts of $10,000 that can be used however the library sees fit. The recipients can expect to receive the money in January of 2026. James Marsden, manager of special projects in the Office of the President at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, stated in an email, “The $10k gift is for each library or branch that is itself a Carnegie library, or descended from one. For example, in Indianapolis Andrew Carnegie funded three branch libraries which are still going, so IPL is receiving $30k.”Decorative logo.This is not a drill, this is legit! So far Mooresville Public Library, Jackson County Public Library and others have received their gift. “Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, who championed the free public library movement of the late 19th century, described libraries as ‘cradles of democracy’ that ‘strengthen the democratic idea, the equality of the citizen, and the royalty of man,’” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, in a press release. “We still believe this and are delighted to celebrate our connection to the libraries he founded.”

For any library interested in receiving this wonderful gift, please send your W-9 by Nov. 14, 2025. If they have any questions about your organization’s eligibility or charitable status, they’ll contact you at the address you provided or by phone. You can upload your W-9 and contact James by following the instructions below:

To process your gift, you can download a blank form here. You may submit the completed W-9 by online to a secure upload site, or via mail:

James Marsden, President’s Office
Carnegie Corporation of New York
437 Madison Avenue Floor 31
New York, NY 10022

The Carnegie Corporation of New York press release can be read here.

This post was submitted by Meg Adams, Central regional coordinator at the Indiana State Library.

Complimentary access to LinkedIn Learning available for Indiana library staff

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For over 10 years, the Indiana State Library has been providing complimentary access to Indiana library staff to LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com). This service provides Indiana library staff access to a library of instructional videos and courses covering software, creative and business skills.

Decorative logo. Taught by accomplished teachers and recognized industry experts, LinkedIn Learning is a high-quality resource for employees looking to develop skills in Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, project management, communication and a wide range of other topics.

Benefits of using LinkedIn Learning:

  • Professional development – library staff can keep current on technology and personal-professional development without any travel or expenses.
  • Certification – Staff receive certificates of completion that can be used to fulfill LEU/certification requirements. These certificates can also be shared on their LinkedIn accounts.
  • Library staff can track their individual training progress.
  • Learners can bookmark favorite videos or courses.
  • Learners can also create and share course playlists.
  • Staff can learn at their own pace – anytime, anywhere via the website or LinkedIn Mobile App.
  • New and updated courses are added continually.

As an Indiana State Library approved training provider, all courses offered at LinkedIn Learning.com that are at least 31 minutes long are approved for LEUs.
New and popular courses that may be of interest to Indiana library Staff:

  • “Work-Life Blend: The New Work-Life Balance.”
  • “How to Speak Smarter When Put on the Spot.”
  • “Practical Tips for New Manager Effectiveness.”
  • “Skills to Build Stronger Work Relationships.”
  • “Irreplaceable: The Art of Standing Out in the Age of AI.”

How to receive access?
Indiana library staff can receive complementary access to the entire LinkedIn Learning course library through the Indiana State Library’s subscription. Library staff must be currently employed or be working toward maintaining Indiana Library Certification to be eligible.

To request access, fill out the form on the bottom of the What is LinkedIn Learning page and submit. Once Indiana State Library staff have verified your eligibility and assigned your license, you will receive an email from LinkedIn Learning with an activation link to set up your account.

The State Library has a limited number of user accounts available. For this reason, learners are encouraged to log in regularly and complete trainings in order to maintain their accounts. Accounts with no activation, login or learning activity will be subject to deactivation.

For more information, feel free to contact your regional coordinator if you need further assistance.

This post was written by Jen Clifton, Professional Development Office supervisor.

 

International Games Month is approaching

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International Games Month, the month-long celebration of games in libraries run by the American Library Association’s Games and Gaming Round Table, is fast approaching. Below is a rundown of the sponsors who have signed up so far for the November event. For more details about these companies and designers – and what they are donating this year – please visit the International Games Month sponsorship page.

  • TTRPGkids
  • Hatchling Games
  • Cards Against Humanity
  • The Science Ambassador Scholarship
  • Almost Bedtime Theater
  • Rowan, Rook & Decard
  • Roll for Combat
  • Three Sails Studios
  • R. Rook Studio
  • Exeunt Press
  • Ten Acre Games
  • Mythworks
  • Junk Food Games
  • Restoration Games
  • Indie Press Revolution
  • Dinoberry Press
  • Monarc Writer
  • Clawhammer Games
  • Johnson Ofair
  • Brackish Draught
  • Central Michigan University Press
  • Less Than Three Games

Decorative International Games Month logo.Companies donating physical copies of their games will want to register before Sept. 30. For those giving away digital copies or discount codes for their stores, they have until Nov. 1 to register. The sooner that companies register, the better their odds of getting drawn for rewards! This is an epic year for IGM, so sign up today.

To help hype up the approach of IGM, I am also planning several webinars over the next four months. These webinars are all co-sponsored by GameRT and are eligible for LEU’s for Indiana library staff.

“What’s Up Wednesday – More Than Alt Text: Game Design for Accessibility“

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.

From braille editions to designing content for neurodiversity, we’ll discuss the current methods of creating and editing games to work toward a more inclusive game space. Join our experts for this participatory discussion of accessibility in game design, space design for patrons with disabilities and how libraries working with game designers is a win for all. This will be similar to the presentation that this panel gave at GenCon 2025 as part of the Game Design Academy.

Presenters: Chris Hooper, Steph Campbell, Katie Lear, George Bergstrom and Sarah Nurrenenbern.

“What’s Up Wednesday – How to Run a Tabletop Game Design Workshop at Your Library“

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m.

Do you want to turn your library into a game lab for a day? Join ENNIE-nominated game designer John Mulligan from Exeunt Press to learn how to run a tabletop game design workshop at your library. Explore how teaching game design fundamentals builds literacy, enhances your library’s programming, and strengthens connections within your community. We’ll cover how to define the workshop’s scope – board games, TTRPGs or both – and choose core topics like the different kinds of fun, game loops and theme vs. mechanism. Attendees will get tips on incorporating engaging, hands-on activities and promoting the class, so people show up ready to learn. We’ll also share resources to help you create your own program materials.

Exeunt Press is an independent tabletop game design studio creating innovative games that blend storytelling with structured mechanisms. Explore a dark forest, sell cursed items to unsuspecting customers or become a stale muffin. Weird and wonderful games await.

Presenter: John Mulligan

Finally, those interested in receiving gaming news can sign up for Skeleton Code Machine, an ENNIE Award-nominated weekly publication that explores tabletop game mechanisms in board games and roleplaying games. Spark your creativity and think differently about how games work. Join thousands of other readers and get game design inspiration delivered to your inbox each week.

This post was written by George Bergstrom, Southern regional coordinator, Professional Development Office, Indiana State Library.

My journey with therapy dogs

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I have been involved in library therapy dog programs since 2007, when I became the head of the Children’s Department at the Crown Point Community Library. CPCL had an ongoing program called Read to the Dogs, and they partnered with a therapy dog group in Lake County called “Power Paws for Kids.” Certified and trained dogs would come to the library and children would pick out a book and “read to a dog.” Dogs are excellent listeners and provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for kids to practice their reading skills. Children don’t feel pressure to read to a dog because the dog won’t judge them if they mispronounce a word or skip a page. From a large Bernese Mountain Dog to a small Chihuahua in a wheelchair, there was a dog for everyone. Most of the children would read but some just wanted to pet the therapy dogs. Others would come to each Read to the Dogs program because they had their favorite dog and wanted to visit them and give them a treat. I watched the group for a few years, and eventually thought my Yorkshire Terrier Gigi could do it.

I remember a person came to the library when the Read to the Dogs program was happening and said, “Cool, so I can bring my dog to the library and get it read to?” We had to explain, “No, the dogs needed to be trained and certified and the dogs were part of the therapy dog group.” There is a lot of training involved before a canine is ready to be in a therapy dog program. Gigi was the first dog that I trained. We went to puppy class, and we needed to retake it because I flunked. These classes are more about training the person. You need to be consistent with the commands you give your dog, and you need to have a lot of patience. It also takes time, and you need to put the time in when training your dog. I did not realize that at the time I was working with Gigi.

To get into the therapy dog group, one needs to pass the Canine Good Citizenship test. There are 10 skills needed, and the test completion needs to be signed off by an American Kennel Club-approved Canine Good Citizenship evaluator:

  • Accepting a friendly stranger.
  • Sitting politely for petting.
  • Appearance and grooming.
  • Walking on a loose leash.
  • Walking through a crowd.
  • Sit and down on cue/stay in place.
  • Coming when called.
  • Reaction to another dog.
  • Reaction to distractions.
  • Supervised separation.

I received extra help from a member of the dog training club. They worked with me one on one on the skills we were weak on. It wasn’t an easy process, as Gigi had trouble not pulling on her leash and she would pop up and not stay in place for the required three minutes. Gigi finally earned her Canine Good Citizenship title and membership in Power Paws for Kids in August 2013 and we were involved visiting many libraries, until we moved back to Grant County in 2014.

Grant County has a different therapy dog group called Love on a Leash. In Indiana, there are six chapters. The Heartland Chapter covers Grant and Miami Counties. Other areas in the state are Terre Haute, Columbus, Hamilton County, Indianapolis and Kokomo. I needed to go through the Love on a Leash evaluation process and discovered that the local Mississinewa Valley Obedience Training Club had an evaluator. Gigi and I took a few classes to brush up our skills. The Love on a Leash evaluation is very similar to the Canine Good Citizenship test but includes a few extra factors about your dog’s demeanor. Factors such as does your dog exhibit apparent aggression, or do they keep their composure if someone approaches in an erratic manner. We passed the Love on a Leash evaluation. Love on a Leash has an extra step that the Lake County group did not have. We needed to do 10 supervised visits with a Love on a Leash evaluator. These need to be completed within a year after you pass the Love on a Leash evaluation. After that, your completed paperwork is turned into the national Love on a Leash group as well as a membership fee.

Gigi and I would go to the Marion Public Library for their Read to the Dogs programs and to Indiana Wesleyan University before their finals at Christmas Break. I had a very heartwarming interaction with a college student at their “Dogs and Donuts” event. A student came up to me and I asked her if she wanted to hold Gigi. She nodded “yes” and she hugged Gigi close to her as tears streamed down her face. She said this was her first time away from home and she missed her dog. It’s hard to keep your composure in situations like those.

Sadly, Gigi passed away in 2021 and I really missed going to Love on a Leash events. Our other Yorkie, Ozzy, did not have the right demeanor to be a therapy dog. He is set in his ways and does not like others not “living in his pack.” I was now on the lookout for another dog who could possibly be a therapy dog. In April of 2023, my stepdaughter happened to see a puppy who was up for adoption. A 10-week-old Morkie – a Maltese/Yorkshire terrier mix – needed a home. I was out of town for my job when I saw a picture of the puppy and I immediately called about him. When I met him, I had a feeling that he might make a great therapy dog. He is so friendly, and he has such a happy look almost like he is smiling. We got him on the spot later that evening and changed his name to Rocky.

I knew that I wanted to get Rocky into training classes as soon as I could. Rocky needed to go through the proper vaccination schedule before he could take the Mississinewa Valley Obedience Training Club classes, which are seven weeks long. We started with the puppy class. We worked on walking on a leash and healing and sitting as well as the commands: leave it, stay and come. The next level is the basic level, where we learn more commands: sit stay, down stay, weave between other dogs, recall, stand and turns. After passing the basic class, we could become members of Mississinewa Valley Obedience Training Club. This lets you get the first pick on other classes that are given, and you get a discount. This got us prepared to take the Canine Good Citizenship class.

We passed the Canine Good Citizenship test and the Love on a Leash evaluation on the same night. This meant that we could start with the next task of doing the 10 supervised visits. I was able to get all 10 visits completed by going to a couple of libraries in Grant County, Taylor University and a retirement facility. The final step is to fill out the Love on a Leash paperwork. For each visit, the evaluators sign a form and comment on how you and your dog did. For example, “Do you have your dog under control?,” “Are you talking with the program participants?,” “Is your dog well-groomed and clean?,” and “How does your dog react to the other dogs?” One comment I got from an evaluator was “Rocky did well with the little girl with the beads in her hair.” I did not think about it when it happened, but Rocky did not flinch or try to bite at the beads. Those beads might be a trigger for other dogs to either be afraid of or to try to play with them.

Dogs in the therapy group need to be on their best behavior and be under control. They must show no aggression with people or other dogs and they must be fine with sudden movements or sounds. Rocky has been to the Lowe’s home improvement store many times and he has a fan club there. We take him for car rides. He has spent a lot of time with my young nieces and nephews. It is apparent that he loves adults and children. I’ve also tried to get him used to other sounds – like taking the trash can from the curb to our house. This helps him get used to sounds he might hear at a nursing home with wheelchairs.

Having a therapy dog is amazing on so many levels. With the school-age children, they get to practice their reading skills, and they get to learn about different dogs and how to treat them. College students need to de-stress during finals, or they need some comfort when they are far from home and missing their family and pets. At a nursing home, the residents may not have family close by and they really miss their pets. It took me a couple of years to get Rocky officially in the Love on a Leash group. It is such a joy to share Rocky with others and it is worth all the time, effort and training that is involved.

This post was written by Northeast regional coordinator Paula Newcom of the Indiana State Library Professional Development Office.

Links
https://www.powerpawsforkids.org/
https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/
https://www.loveonaleash.org/

Tea Time with Librarians episode guide

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It isn’t a secret that I love libraries! My love of libraries began early on. I can’t remember that first visit because I was really young, but I remember being proud that I already  had a library card when my kindergarten class took a field trip to the library. I wish I could boast that being a librarian was what I always wanted to be, but that isn’t the case. It wasn’t until I was in college and starting my sophomore year that I realized I could turn my love of libraries into a career!

Fast forward to 2025, and I’ve been living my librarian dreams for over twenty years! Prior to coming to work at the Indiana State Library, I worked in various positions in two different library systems in Lake County. Now, as the Northwest regional coordinator for the Indiana State Library, I have the privilege of visiting the public libraries in the Northwest region. I have to tell you that public libraries all over Indiana are doing incredible things!

Libraries and library staff are the champions in their communities. Libraries are not just buildings that house books. Libraries are so much more! It was from my work in public libraries and my library visits that Tea Time with Librarians was born. I wanted a way for libraries to be able to brag, boast and shout to the world what they are doing. Tea Time with Librarians is an interview program that debuted in November 2024. The purpose of the program is to talk about all the amazing things that Indiana libraries and library staff are doing for their communities.

The Tea Time interviews are typically under 30 minutes, therefore not eligible for LEU’s. If you’re interested in being a guest on Tea Time, please send an email to me. You don’t have to be a librarian to participate.

Tea Time with Librarians episode guide
Episode one of Tea Time with Librarians features Kara Cleveland, Professional Development Office supervisor at the Indiana State Library. She talks about what the professional development office does, what State Library services she would like Indiana libraries to know more about and current projects she is working on. At the time of the interview, she was reading “Our Kind of Game” by Johanna Copeland. This episode was published to YouTube on Nov. 12, 2024. You can watch episode one here:

Episode Two of Tea Time with Librarians features Jennifer Clifton, Library Development Office supervisor at the Indiana State Library. She talks about what the Library Development Office does, discusses her “why” for working in libraries and what motivates her most in her position. At the time of the interview, she was reading “Best of Europe” by Rick Steves. This episode was published to YouTube on Dec. 10, 2024. You can watch episode two here:

Episode three of Tea Time with Librarians features Courtney Brown, Evergreen Indiana coordinator at the Indiana State Library. She discusses what she found to be surprising about her position, projects that she is excited about and the most rewarding part of her job. At the time of the interview, she was reading “Tell Me What You Did” by Carter Wilson. This episode was published to YouTube on Jan. 14. You can watch episode three here:

Episode four of Tea Time with Librarians features Jane Feyl, with Andrew Laverghetta, from the Eckhart Public Library. Feyl is a genealogy librarian at their Willennar Genealogy Center and Laverghetta is their tech guru. Feyl tells us about their Facebook shows, “Cemeteries of DeKalb” and “Memories of DeKalb.” Feyl and Laverghetta also discuss how other libraries can start similar shows. At the time of the interview, Feyl was reading “Dewey” by Vicki Myron, Laverghetta was reading the “Magic Tree House” books by Mary Pope Osborne with his child and I was listening to “Onyx Storm” by Rebecca Yarros and reading “The Beyond” by Agnes Stone. This episode was published to YouTube on Feb. 11. You can watch episode four here:

Episode five of Tea Time with Librarians features Judy Gray, supervisor of Talking Book and Braille Library at the Indiana State Library. She talks about all the wonderful services that Talking Book and Braille Library provides, what service she would like for Indiana libraries to know more about and what motivates her in her position. At the time of the interview, she was reading “Cartographers” by Peng Shepherd. I was listening to “The Woman in the Garden” by Jill Johnson. This episode was published to YouTube on March 11. You can watch episode five here:

Episode six of Tea Time with Librarians features Dr. Michella Marino, deputy director of the Indiana Historical Bureau, a division of the Indiana State Library. She gives a history of the Indiana Historical Bureau and discusses their many services. She sheds light on a service that she would like for Indiana residents to know more about and discusses what her biggest wish is for the Indiana Historical Bureau. At the time of the interview, she was reading “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut and had just finished “First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston. This episode will be published to YouTube on April 8.

New episodes are published to YouTube on the second Tuesday of the month. I hope you’ll be watching!

This post was submitted by Lacey Klemm, Northwest regional coordinator at the Indiana State Library.

Borrow interactive kits from the Indiana State Library

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The Indiana State Library’s kit booking program has recently received a facelift. Librarians and teachers in Indiana can now book kits from the new online system powered by SpringShare.

While easy to use, two videos have been created to teach users how to interact with the new system. The quick version covers all the basics including navigating the system, booking different kinds of kits and learning how to use the availability grid. The longer version covers all that in more detail and includes booking limitations and deeper explanations. Additionally, an instructional webinar was offered on March 25. Click here to view the video.

The new system allows users to book kits from the Indiana Young Readers Center including Storytime kits, Lego & Duplo kits, Book Club kits and our new Indiana Escape Experience kits. The Indiana Young Readers Center kits can be booked out a year and a half in advance to accommodate future planning.

There are also a variety of kits available from the Professional Development Office, including NASA kits, Breakout Box kits and Tech kits. Kits from the Professional Development Office can be booked out a year in advance.

Both teachers and librarians in Indiana are welcome to use this system, however it is essential that teachers work closely with their public libraries to book their kit as all kits are delivered through the Indiana State Library’s InfoExpress courier service for Indiana libraries.

Questions? Suzanne Walker in the Indiana Young Readers Center can answer any questions you might have about the Indiana Young Readers Center kits. You can reach Suzanne via email. Kara Cleveland in the Professional Development Office is the contact for the Professional Development Office kits. Kara can be reached via email.

The new system is easy to use. Book your first kit today!

This post was submitted by Suzanne Walker and Kara Cleveland of the Indiana State Library. 

Summer reading 2025: Color Our World!

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During the summer of 2025, many public libraries across Indiana will explore all aspects of the arts through the summer reading theme “Color Our World.” This national theme, selected by the Collaborative Summer Library Program, will encourage library patrons to celebrate summer through painting, drawing, music, textile arts, theater, writing, storytelling, photography and more! If you work at a library, I’ve compiled some helpful resources to assist you with planning.

Webinar: In January of 2025, I offered a webinar that highlights the 2025 “Color Our World” program and shares a variety of resources that should help you with program planning. You can view the webinar here.

Resource website: The resources shared during the above webinar can be found on Indiana State Library’s website.

Program ideas: Library staff are always seeking new and exciting ways to offer programming for their community members, so I collected program ideas from library staff who attend my in-person summer reading workshops (these workshops take place around the state in December and January ever year) and posted them under “Summer Program Ideas for Current Year” on the State Library’s website. You can also view program ideas from past years here. Of course, you can use most of these ideas year-round!  I recommend bookmarking them in your browser for quick access.

Collaborative Summer Library Program website and manual: The CSLP Online Manual is a treasure trove of summer planning resources and program ideas, so don’t forget to browse through it! To access the manual, go to www.cslpreads.org, then to “Manual Downloads,” and select “2025 Color Our World.” You’ll be prompted to enter the manual code, and once you do, you’ll have access to the artwork and manual! The online manual code was sent to directors via email in October of 2024, but Indiana public library staff may also request the code through this form through May 30, 2025.

Collaborative Summer Library Program Summer Symposium: The CSLP Summer Symposium is a national, virtual and free mini-conference that takes place in December. This year’s symposium featured a keynote from Mychal Threets and sessions on marketing summer, process art and sustainability. The recordings from the fourth annual symposium are available to watch and are eligible for one LEU per one hour session. View them here.

Summer 2025 should be a colorful celebration of the arts in our communities. I wish you all “happy planning!”

This blog post was submitted by Beth Yates, children’s consultant at the Indiana State Library.

Upcoming What’s Up Wednesday trainings to focus on AI

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With the rise of artificial intelligence in our society, library staff may have concerns and questions surrounding AI and the best practices to apply when it comes to using AI. Did you know that the Professional Development Office at the Indiana State Library has four upcoming What’s Up Wednesday webinars that will focus on AI and how to incorporate AI in public libraries? Continuing education is an important part of a professional librarian’s success, and it is equally important that they are provided training and knowledge that will provide them tools for their success. Lacey Klemm, Northwest regional coordinator, and Meg Adams, Central regional coordinator, have partnered with professionals to deliver AI training to public libraries.

Below, you will find dates and information for the upcoming What’s Up Wednesday AI trainings and a link to a recently-completed AI webinar that took place on Jan. 29. Some of these webinars are still finalizing details, but stay tuned to the Indiana State Library’s LibCal events calendar to view the updated information as it becomes available.

July 30
“What’s Up Wednesday – Debunking and Understanding the Fears of AI”
This webinar will help debunk the fears surrounding AI, while providing how we currently use AI in our daily lives.

Stay tuned for more information and a registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Aug. 27
“What’s Up Wednesday – How to incorporate AI for Professional and Library Use”
Our presenter, Dr. Treg Hopkins, will teach librarians and staff how they can incorporate AI in their jobs and within their library.

Stay tuned for more information and a registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Sept. 10
“What’s Up Wednesday” – Dr. Treg Hopkins program
This program will share information on what types of AI could be beneficial for libraries to use, to serve and to provide for their communities.

Stay tuned for title and a registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Oct. 8
“What’s Up Wednesday – Creating Library Programming with AI”
This program will demonstrate how libraries can use AI capabilities to create library programming.

Stay tuned for more information and registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Additionally, on Jan. 29, the Indiana State Library presented “What’s Up Wednesday – Artificial Intelligence in Libraries.” Presenters Michael Acsbok and Nicaris Daniels-Porter discussed advances in artificial intelligence and how the coming decade could bring transformations comparable to those witnessed over the past century.

Click here to view the Indiana State Library’s LEU policies, including how to document LEUs for live and archived virtual conference sessions or webinars.

This post was submitted by Meg Adams, Central regional coordinator at the Indiana State Library.

Save the date! What’s Up Wednesday schedule for 2025

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Save the Date!

The Indiana State Library’s Professional Development Office is excited to tell you about the upcoming What’s Up Wednesday webinar schedule for 2025. We are still finalizing details for some of the webinars but we wanted to share what we do have.

Jan. 8, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Empowering Libraries to Support Caregivers: Essential Resources and Strategies”

Caregivers often face overwhelming physical, emotional and mental challenges while balancing caregiving with their own well-being. In this session, librarians will learn how to support caregivers by connecting them with trusted health resources from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, and other key organizations. Participants will explore effective strategies for making libraries welcoming, resource-rich spaces for caregivers and gain practical tools to help prevent caregiver burnout within the community. Join us to strengthen your library’s role as a supportive hub for caregivers, fostering resilience and connection.

Presented by Bobbi Newman, Region 6, NNLM.

Jan. 29, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Artificial Intelligence in Libraries”

Stay tuned for description and registration link!

Presented by Mike Acsbok.

Feb. 12, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – ‘Sorry, I Don’t Speak Librarian’: Finding Your Voice and Writing for Your Audience”

Stay tuned for description, presenter info and registration link!

Feb. 26, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – School Care Team”

Shane Presley and Rebekah Enzler will be doing a presentation on their organization, School Care Team. With years of experience in education, the School Care Team works alongside schools and community partners to nurture cultures of care.

Stay tuned for the registration link!

Presented by Shane Presley and Rebekah Enzler.

March 12, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – ILF and Advocacy”

Stay tuned for description and registration link!

Presented by Vanessa Martin and Julie Wendorf.

March 26, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday: 2025 State of the Child with Indiana Youth Institute”

To improve the lives of all Indiana children, Indiana Youth Institute provides access to reliable data and resources to empower, educate, and equip those who impact youth. Join us for a dive into the recently released 2025 Indiana KIDS COUNT® Data Book during this State of the Child presentation! Learn and engage with the best and most recent information on child well-being, to inform leaders, policymakers, youth workers and advocates, like you, with go-to sources for critical data to create positive change for youth in your community.

Stay tuned for the registration link!

Presented by the Indiana Youth Institute Data Team.

April 9, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Indiana Collection at the Indiana State Library”

The Indiana Collection at the Indiana State Library offers a wealth of published material about our great state. Among the most widely used are local daily newspapers, maps, local histories and state agency documents, including historical laws. Our collection includes historical runs of many titles, essential for researching the past and preparing for the future.

In this webinar, you’ll be introduced to fascinating items within the collection, receive tips for exploring the resources, discover where to find online materials and learn how you can help us grow this unique collection.

Stay tuned for the registration link!

Presented by Monique Howell, Indiana Division supervisor, Indiana State Library.

April 30, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Start Your Community’s Journey to Information Literacy”

In 2024, the Institute of Museum and Library Services launched a new website to resources to teach about the different types of literacy there are including information literacy, digital literacy, financial literacy, health literacy and science literacy. The website includes programming resources to help develop skills in using and understanding information in a quickly changing world. In addition, the website includes training resources specifically for professionals, funding opportunities to promote information literacy, ready-made lesson plans, evaluation tools and more.

Presented by Kara Cleveland, Professional Development Office supervisor, Indiana State Library.

May 14, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Small Adjustments for Big Change”

Hear about the programs that have influenced one library’s community, including diversifying collections, creating spaces for different age groups, implementing food security programs, getting outside of library walls, implementing 24-hour book pickup and offering take-home crafts, all on a small budget in a small building. We’ll look at how some of the programs were planned and work together as a team to share successful programs and identify other ways to make big changes with small adjustments.

Presented by Brenda Hornsby Heindl, director and librarian, Liberty Public Library in Liberty, North Carolina.

May 28, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Video Game Collections in Libraries, Pt. 3”

Stay tuned for the description and registration link!

Presented by Chris Baker, Jenna Gilles and Jamie Hein.

June 11, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Invisible Faces”

The presenter will provide the information on human trafficking and its forms, the risks, the language, unacknowledged victims, identification and myths.

Stay tuned for the registration link!

Presented by Bridgette Spann-Edwards.

June 25, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – A Trauma Informed Care for Grieving Families”

Objectives of this webinar are to learn how grief affects children at different developmental stages; the Do’s and Don’ts of trauma informed responses; and how to best support grieving youth and families.

Presented by Lindsy Diener-Locke, LSW – Ryan’s Place in Goshen, Indiana.

July 9, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday – Presenting the Autism Center”

Learn about the Autism Center at the new Fort Benjamin Branch of the Indianapolis Public Library.

Stay tuned for the registration link!

Presented by Shelby Peak, Indianapolis Public Library.

July 30, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday”

This webinar will help debunk the fears surrounding AI, while providing how we currently use AI in our daily lives.

Stay tuned for presentation title and registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Aug. 13, 2025″
What’s Up Wednesday – Adult Programming Made Easy, Part 2″

Need more adult programming ideas? I’ve got you! I have gathered 12 more programming ideas, complete with instructions, for your library to use. These programs are adaptable to any budget.

Stay tuned for the registration link!

Presented by Lacey Klemm, Northwest regional coordinator at the Indiana State Library.

Aug. 27, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday”

Our presenter will teach librarians and staff how they can incorporate AI in their jobs, and within their library.

Stay tuned for presentation title and registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Sept. 10, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday”

Share information on what types of AI could be beneficial for libraries to use, to serve and to provide for their communities.

Stay tuned for presentation title and registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Sept. 24, 2025
Stay tuned for the title, description and registration link!

Oct. 8, 2025
“What’s Up Wednesday”

Demonstrate how libraries can use AI capabilities to create library programming.

Stay tuned for presentation title and registration link!

Presented by Dr. Treg Hopkins, national director of administration and leadership of Connectable Education.

Each webinar is eligible for one LEU for Indiana library staff. Check the Indiana State Library’s events calendar for all of the latest training info, including the details about the remaining webinars when they become available!

This blog post was submitted by Kara Cleveland, Professional Development Office supervisor at the Indiana State Library.

Library gaming resources, an award and the Platinum Play Hall of Fame

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As a regional coordinator with the Professional Development Office here at the Indiana State Library, I love making library visits in the fall. With the leaves beginning to change, and the weather turning colder, I like to use the drive time to reflect on all of the things that I can enjoy in the fall and winter months, like reading a good book – borrowed from my local library – while drinking a warm beverage and the start of basketball season. However, some of my favorites, of course, are games. One of the best months for games in libraries is fast approaching, International Games Month, which is celebrated every year in November.

I have been asked recently by many libraries how they might go about starting a game collection if they don’t currently have games. Just like any other library resource, to answer questions like this you need to consider many things about your community and library to best answer them. Is the library or the community most interested in a circulating collection? Is the library hoping to use games for programming and community building? Some of the resources I have suggested to libraries in the past can be found here. Unfortunately, there is no established “first purchase list” for games as a library collection, partially because games as a type of library collection are still relatively new, and because the answers to the above questions can play an outsized role in developing the collection.

To begin developing lists to help libraries, the Games and Gaming Round Table of the American Library Association formed a new committee a few years ago and began developing an award. This year during IGM, the Awards Committee of ALA’s GameRT will be announcing the first class of inductees – the Platy’s – into the Platinum Play Hall of Fame. The Hall was first announced this past January with a list of classic games that work well in library settings. Each year we plan to add newer games to this Hall with the focus remaining on games well suited for libraries. At the end of November, the nomination window will open for next year’s Platy’s. Once the nomination window opens, I will be announcing it on the Indiana Games Roundtable Listserv. If you are not currently a member of that listserv it is a growing community of Indiana library employees who use, collect and work with games of all types in their libraries and we would love to have you join that conversation. Details about joining this – or any Indiana library – Listserv can be found here.

This post was written by George Bergstrom, Southwest regional coordinator, Professional Development Office, Indiana State Library.