Workshops By Rhea Joyce Rubin
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Positive & Proactive: Customer Service in Libraries introduces basic behaviors staff can use to ensure that patrons feel that the library is a welcoming place with staff who are responsive to their needs. Techniques of communicating with patrons, including upholding unpopular library policies and disagreeing diplomatically, are presented and practiced by participants. The full-day version allows workshop attendees to also learn the basics of defusing angry patrons. A related half-day workshop topic is Managing Staff in Customer Service.
Defusing the Angry Patron introduces the many causes and faces of anger as well as practical techniques in dealing with angry patrons (and others). Included are approaches for handling situations from simple frustration to confrontation and rule-breaking behavior. Skits and group exercises based on real library scenarios give participants a chance to practice new ways of defusing anger.
Managing Difficult Situations in the Library addresses everyday encounters (such as angry patrons) as well as less common patron behaviors which cross the lines between acceptable and unacceptable, legal and illegal. Participants are taught how to assess the seriousness of the patron behavior and how to respond depending on the level of danger in the situation. Group and individual exercises allow for discussion and practice.
Serving People with Disabilities combines awareness training about disabilities and how they affect library usage with customer service tips on communicating effectively and better serving patrons with disabilities. A related workshop is
Nothing About Me Without Me: Planning for Library Services for People with Disabilities which goes beyond awareness and service techniques to introduce a planning model based on including the disability community in the library's planning efforts. This workshop requires two to four days.
So What? Measuring the Impact of Library Services teaches the basic vocabulary and techniques of assessing programs in terms of their impacts on end users. Outcome measurement methods can be used in conjunction with standard output measurement style evaluation or on its own. It is a powerful tool to answer the question of "So what?" about our services and to demonstrate accountability.
Intergenerational Library Programs provokes discussion of the benefits to the library, to the participants, and to the community of intergenerational programs; introduces model library programs from around the country; and presents the "Golden Rules of Intergenerational Programs." The full-day version allows workshop attendees to discuss the needs in their own communities and to develop an action plan for an intergenerational program in their libraries.
Libraries and Older Adults is based on the premise that libraries need to evaluate and extend their services to older adults who now represent one in seven Americans. And that to provide relevant services, libraries must look at the many populations within the monolithic grouping of "older adult." These population segments are introduced and appropriate services for each are discussed. For the full-day or two-day versions, library participants are asked to bring a representative from a community organization or agency which serves older adults; the pairs then develop an action plan for working collaboratively back home.
Planning For Results presents the Public Library Association's brand-new planning process. I am one of six people designated by PLA to train this process. Designed for library directors and managers, the workshop introduces the six-step method and allows participants to practice using selected worksheets. This workshop requires at least one full day. Her latest book, Demonstrating Results: Using Outcome Measurement in Your Library published by ALA Editions in January 2006, is one of the Planning for Results series.
Project Management For Busy People is designed for the "accidental project manager" who, whether voluntarily or not, is responsible for a complex project. The three dimensions (time, money, and people) are discussed and tools (work breakdown structures, milestone charts, Gantt charts, etc.) are introduced.
So You Need A Consultant: How to Select the Right Consultant and Ensure a Productive Relationship covers everything from assessing whether the library really needs an outside consultant to writing the RFP, evaluating incoming proposals, interviewing prospective consultants, to making the final selection and writing a contract. Also included are a discussion of fees, working relationships, and evaluation of the consultant's work. The full-day version allows participants to analyze real documents (RFPs, proposals, and contracts) in light of the introductory discussion of each item.
Train the Trainer: How to Teach Colleagues and Other Adults introduces the principles of training as well as the nitty-gritty from flipcharts to reluctant learners. This topic requires a minimum of one full-day. Train the Trainer can also be done in conjunction with another workshop, such as "Planning for Results," so that participants learn techniques for teaching a specific subject.
Notes: Most workshops can be presented in half-day or full-day formats. All workshops are tailored to the specific needs of the library. Sample agendas and handouts are available. These topics are also available as shorter presentations.
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Last updated 1/06