Program Spotlight from the Professional Development Committee

  • Do you want to improve communication in the workplace?

  • Would you like to gain instruction skill and swap ideas with others that teach in a library setting?

  • Are you seeking to advance your career or would you like to obtain a FREE professional headshot?

If your answer to any of these questions is “YES!”, the Professional Development Committee has you covered!

One thing that I always appreciate about the Professional Development Committee is that their programs offer practical and instantly transferable skills for librarians and library workers regardless of job title or setting.  The Professional Development Committee understands that it can often be difficult to get out of your workplace to attend Conference and training events so we make sure to offer programs that will give attendees the content that they need.

One unique aspect of the Professional Development Committee is that we serve ALL NJLA members equally; we don’t have a unique population or title that we focus on and our program offerings this year clearly reflect those broad goals.

I contacted John Daquino, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair and Head of Reference at Union Public Library, to learn a little more about this year’s program selections and this is what he shared:

The field of librarianship is always evolving in order to continually meet the needs of our communities in an increasingly complex information landscape. As a result, staff must keep themselves well informed of best practices and recent trends. Professional development is one of the most valuable components of NJLA. The NJLA Professional Development Committee strives to provide opportunities for professional growth and networking throughout the year. For the upcoming NJLA Conference, the PD Committee organized the following talks: Library Instruction Palooza, Positive Assertive Communication, and Advance Employee Discipline Strategies for a Win-Win Work Environment. The PD Committee will also be inviting a photographer to the upcoming NJLA Conference, to provide professional headshots free of charge to Conference attendees, in addition to inviting mentors from the LibraryLinkNJ MentorNJ program to meet with attendees one-on-one for some on-the-spot career advice (dates and times TBA). Together, let’s ensure that our beloved institutions continue to transform lives every day and that we have the best trained staff!

We hope that you join us for one or more of our programs at this year’s NJLA Conference.

Here is our lineup:

Library Instruction Palooza, Pre-Conference Wednesday, May 30, 2-5 PM, Wildwood 14 & 15

Positive Assertive Communication, Thursday, May 31, 3:10-4:00 PM, Wildwood 23 & 24

Advanced Employee Discipline Strategies for a Win-Win Work Environment, Friday, June 1, 3:40-4:30 PM, Wildwood 6 & 7

Career Corner Thursday, May 31, 12:30 - 2:30 PM, Wildwood 25 & 26

Looking to get feedback on your resume? Interview tips? Or maybe some advice on how to advance in your career? Stop by the Career Corner where MentorNJ representatives will be onsite to meet with you one-on-one to answer all of your professional development questions. MentorNJ is supported by LibraryLinkNJ and the NJ State Library.

Portrait Booth Friday, June 1, 12:30 - 2:30 PM, Wildwood 25 & 26 

Take time out of your busy conference schedule to get a headshot taken by a professional photographer at the Portrait Booth! Whether used for your social media channels or your employer’s website, a professional headshot will help you put your best foot forward. Note, headshots are free of charge as-is and will be made available online following the conference; retouching can be provided at a fee determined by the photographer.

 

- Theresa Agostinelli, Reference & Instruction Librarian, Middlesex County College Library