Curtis Rogers Consulting, LLC

TBLC Communication Skills Webinar

Join me on November 30, 2022

I’m excited to work with the Tampa Bay Library Consortium to provide them with my Effective Communication Skills webinar on November 30, 2022, at 10:00 am.

By learning some simple skills and techniques, communicating and networking with colleagues in person or online doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. In this session, attendees will take a close look at various personality types and communication styles.

The more you know about personality types and communication styles can make almost any interaction a pleasant one. Online resources will be provided and there will be opportunities for Q&A and discussion.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Victoria Mclean Continuing Education Assistant 813-622-8252 x105 McleanV@tblc.org or visit https://tblc.org/events/communication-skills-for-library-staff.

comm-skills-flyer-tblc-nov-30-2022 Download

Banned Books Week and Continuing Education

How does your library educate staff about book banning?

According to an article by Susan L. Webb, “Book banning, a form of censorship, occurs when private individuals, government officials, or organizations remove books from libraries, school reading lists, or bookstore shelves because they object to their content, ideas, or themes. Those advocating a ban complain typically that the book in question contains graphic violence, expresses disrespect for parents and family, is sexually explicit, exalts evil, lacks literary merit, is unsuitable for a particular age group, or includes offensive language.”

Banned Books Week is right around the corner and it got me thinking, how do libraries handle the staff development side of this challenging topic? I always notice many libraries post images of their Banned Books Week displays, but I don’t really recall much being done to educate staff about all the nuances surrounding book challenges and library policies regarding it.

Many libraries and statewide library organizations do a great job of offering continuing education opportunities on a wide variety of topics; however, it seems to me that there are not many training sessions that are centered around book challenges and book banning – but maybe that’s changing.

Please let me know in the comments what kinds of training your library offers for staff about book banning and book challenges or what kinds of training you think your library should provide staff on this topic. Oh, and also feel free to share your banned books week display photos too!

2021-2022 Annual Update

It’s been a fun first year of retirement and consulting! What have I learned about establishing an LLC and providing library online training? A lot!

I retired on July 1, 2021, and started my consulting firm, Curtis Rogers Consulting, LLC, on July 2. I created my logo and website, got some business cards I designed using Canva, set up a Facebook page, and started posting more to LinkedIn. I later set up a Twitter account (which I’m still trying to get used to).

I found a wonderful support group of library consultants in the ALA CORE Library Consultant group that meets online every other month. I even served on a panel discussion to talk about what I do and what it’s like being a newbie.

I’ve learned about setting up a Quickbooks account, creating quotes, and sending invoices. It was no surprise that just about everyone I’ve worked with does things differently so my motto has become, “I’m easy to work with”. Whatever they need, I can figure it out. Then again, none of this is rocket surgery…

I finished up a six-year commitment as secretary of the Library Marketing and Communications Conference board and was invited to join the board of the Friends of South Carolina Libraries.

I’m very appreciative to the organizations that have hired me to work with them this past year and also to the ones with whom I have upcoming engagements this fall. Here is a summary of my past and upcoming presentations and webinars:

ALA CORE Interest Group Week
Library Consultants IG Panel presentation – July 2021

Georgia Public Library Services
Series of four webinars in 2022

New England Library Association
Presentation on library signage – October 2021

Friends of South Carolina Libraries
Conference presentation on marketing and
webinar on Friends group resources – March & July 2022

State Library of North Carolina
Series of three webinars in the fall of 2022

Northeast Florida Library Information Network
Series of five webinars – 2021-2022

Southeast Collaborative Conference
Presentation on library signage – March 2022

Tampa Bay Library Consortium
Presentation on communications – November 2022

WebJunction – presentation titled
Library Signage: Effective Crisis Communications on January 27, 2022

If your library or non-profit organization is interested in setting up a webinar on any of the sessions I provide or if you’re interested in me working up a specific session on something you need that’s not on my list, please feel free to send me an email at curtisrogersconsulting@gmail.com. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead in year number 2!

Friends Group Resources

If you’re a member of your Friends of the Library group, this is a session you won’t want to miss!

As a member of the Friends of SC Libraries board and also as a library training consultant, many times I see that a webinar can serve multiple purposes. It can serve as a tool to educate and can also serve as a tool to promote groups or resources. In the case of my upcoming webinar titled, Friends Group Resources You Don’t Want To Miss, I will show attendees how to access many available free resources in South Carolina and also at the national level, that can help them not only be better Friends but also reinvigorate and renew interest in their own groups.

Did you know that if you live in South Carolina and are 18 years old or older, you can get a free library card at the South Carolina State Library? There are a wealth of online resources and databases you can access with your state library card. Did you know there is a national group called United for Libraries that provides online resources to Friends as well as Trustees?

We will be reviewing how to access these websites and the many resources that are available to Friends groups. Get on track and rejuvenate your Friends of the Library group and register for this webinar today.

What: Friends Group Resources You Don’t Want To Miss webinar

Cost: FREE

When: July 20, 2022, at 2:00 PM

Register online at Eventbrite

Lack of Communication Can Lead to Low Morale

Is your library or non-profit suffering from low morale because of some communication issues? Sometimes, managers don’t communicate enough, and sometimes, staff members don’t communicate enough either. Failures in communication can be due to not understanding other types of personalities and how they perceive communication. Learning about your own personality type can also help you become a better communicator.

The more you know about your coworkers’ personality types, the more effectively you can communicate with one another. Effective communication can lead to higher morale and better project completion and outcomes.

I offer a great webinar on effective communication skills but I can also work with your team to assess personality types and help you to build more effective communication skills.

Visit my training and online learning page to learn more about the sessions I can offer and contact me today to schedule a webinar.

2022 FOSCL Conference a Success!

I had a great time presenting my session, Marketing & PR Skills for Friends at the recent annual Friends of South Carolina Libraries conference held online and in Mt. Pleasant, SC, at the Wando/Mt. Pleasant Branch Library of the Charleston County Public Library System. You can join FOSCL as an individual member or your Friends Group can join! Learn more at our membership information page.

In my presentation, I talk about how you don’t have to be a graphic designer, webmaster, or user experience designer to effectively promote and market your friends of the library group events, but it is a good idea to have a basic marketing plan and to know a few other basics before you get started promoting your next book sale or other membership events. I also reviewed many additional resources to get your Friends group pointed in the right direction.

From email marketing to social media, this presentation has a lot of points that will get your friends group thinking about creating a marketing plan if there already isn’t one. After my session, there were about 20 minutes of comments and questions! It was great hearing about different scenarios and best practices for promoting friends groups within the communities they serve.

If your friends of the library group is interested in having a 1-hour webinar on this topic, feel free to contact me to set it up! Email me at curtisrogersconsulting@gmail.com.

Screenshot courtesy Jonathan Haupt, Executive Director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center.

Marketing and PR Skills for Friends Groups

Join me on Saturday, March 26, 2022, for the Annual Friends of South Carolina Libraries (FOSCL) Conference (online or in Mt. Pleasant, SC). Registration is $25 for onsite and $15 for online.

I will be giving a presentation all about marketing and PR silks for Friends groups. You don’t have to be a graphic designer, webmaster, or user experience designer to effectively promote and market your friends of the library group events, but it is a good idea to have a basic marketing plan and to know a few basics before you get started promoting your next book sale or other membership event.

Visit the FOSCL event registration page to see a full agenda and sign up today!

Library Learning and Collaboration

Register today for the FREE online SE Collaborative Conference – March 15-17, 2022

I am happy to announce I will be presenting a session titled, Library Signage: The good, the bad, and the ugly, at the third annual SECC online regional conference. My session helps library staff members think critically about their current and future library signage. In this session, I show many examples of library signage and attendees discuss what makes a good sign great and what to consider changing about library signage.

The 2022 Southeast Collaborative Online Conference is a collective effort by the Georgia Public Library Service, State Library of North Carolina, South Carolina State Library, Tennessee State Library & Archives, and the Library of Virginia to offer innovative and useful online learning experiences for library staff at all levels through a convenient online conference.

This year’s conference will utilize the Whova event app to provide more convenient access to sessions and resources for attendees. Webinar recordings and presentation slides for the 2020 and 2021 conferences are available on the About page.

Special thanks to IMLS! This conference is made possible in part by a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the State Library of North Carolina and South Carolina State Library. #SEcollaborativeconference

Are you reviewing your library’s signage on a regular basis?

On January 27, 2022, I conducted a free webinar for WebJunction titled, Library Signage: Effective Crisis Communications. The most important takeaway is that I wanted attendees to THINK CRITICALLY about each and every sign in their library. Part of this process is to conduct a signage audit.

A great resource on how to do this can be found in Mark Aaron Polger’s recent book, Library Signage and Wayfinding Design.

Learn more about library signage by visiting the WebJunction page for my webinar and please make sure to review your library’s signage on a regular basis.

Want to make sure your library’s signage hasn’t hit a dead end?

Join me for Library Signage: Effective Crisis Communications at 3:00 pm on January 27, 2022 for a WebJunction webinar and learn about how to get your library’s signage back in shape for the new year!

Good signage in the library helps to create clarity and build awareness, while bad signage can lead to frustration and confusion. Has your library had to implement COVID-related signage? Has there been a review of other temporary and permanent signage? This session will look at recommended types of library signs and address aspects of library signage within crisis communications. We will also address how to conduct a signage audit, the importance of library branding and using templates, and internal communications as they relate to signage. Online resources will be shared and there will be opportunities for Q&A and discussion.

I’m looking forward to talking about library signage with you soon!