Staff Development

Explore the experience and impacts of remote professional development conversations undertaken by Greater Victoria Public Library librarians during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn how GVPL librarians used assigned learning topics and workshops to structure conversations that led to improved communication, connection, morale, and mental wellness. As well, find out how we’re applying these lessons to the post-pandemic future, using the improved communication, system-wide knowledge sharing, and sense of internal community to explore future-focused topics and expand librarians' professional skills.

CW: Discussions of Transphobia, Homophobia, Hate Speech, Suicide, Violence

As LBTQA+ identities become more widely acknowledged and accepted, it is critical that libraries ensure that their hiring processes are kept up to date and as inclusive as possible. This presentation is designed to assist potential hiring committees in developing best practices to ensure that these identities are not only respected, but that their presence does not negatively prejudice the committee against the potential recruit. It will primarily address transgender identities, but is broadly applicable to many others in the LBTQA+ community. By the conclusion of the presentation, you will have a versatile toolkit to ensure your library’s positions are truly open to all who apply.

Join Sybil Harrison in a facilitated discussion around her personal experience of seeking ways of limiting the intrusion of email and social media into her life. Inspired by writers Cal Newport (Digital Minimalism and Deep Work), and Jenny Odell (How to Do Nothing) she stepped back from social media in 2019, and started using a paper journal rather than Outlook for everything. And then the pandemic hit.
The session will provide space and time for participants to share their own stories about how to seek balance in a world where email and social media intrudes into all aspects of our lives.
Link to guide: https://camosun.libguides.com/VILSC21

Sensory Storytime is a program specifically designed for children with autism and other PDD.  Our community has asked for this kind of programming for quite a long time, but until now, we have not had the ability to offer it.  In this session, we will go through the process that led us to being able to offer a Sensory Storytime program at our library.  We will share the kinds of partners and professionals who guided us with their expertise and knowledge of autism and PDD.  We will also take participants through a Sensory Storytime to show what this program could look like in your library.  We offer tips of what worked and what didn’t and encourage participants to let us help them learn how to offer this program in their libraries.