Fall Support Staff workshop - summary

Fall Support Staff Workshop Summary

October 24^th, 2008, was the 4^th annual Pioneer Library System Fall Support Staff Workshop. This is a unique workshop for the Pioneer Library System in the fact that it’s run by, and for, Support Staff only.

This workshop was started after I attended my first NYSLAA conference in Rochester. I was so impressed at how Support Staff could come together, learn information about their field of work and network with other Library Assistants.

This year we offered 3 different programs in our workshop. We started the day by having Melissa Correia, Librarian from the Geneva Public Library, speak to us about a data base called ‘NoveList’. NoveList is a reader’s advisory database. She taught everyone how to help their patrons to find what to read next. After a quick break, we had Chris Kovar, from a non-profit organization called ‘Whole Me, Inc’, speak to everyone about Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing patrons. I first heard Chris speak at the 2008 NYSLAA conference in Liverpool and liked her so much that I had her come and speak at our workshop. At the end of the morning, we raffled off 2 gifts baskets. One basket had 2 caramel apples, an MP3 player and a beautiful blanket. The second basket had a handmade scarf, MP3 player, leather bag, gift certificates for coffee and much, much more. Every item in each of the baskets was donated.

Our last workshop was about Blogging and was presented by Linsday Stratton, Trainer from the Pioneer Library System. This workshop was held during lunch. Attendees learned what is important in a blog and how simple it is to create a blog for their library.

This year, each attendee received a bag from Baker & Taylor, filled with different information about NYSLAA, NYLA, ALA, Rochester Regional Library Council – Library Assistants Group, Bookmarks from Gaylord ~ Highsmith ~ Associates and NYLA, pen & post it notes from Vernon Library Supplies, and magazines from Library Journal and Archival. After signing into the workshop, they received a packet of information containing the agenda, blogs and websites of local interests, a list of other workshops available in the Rochester area, list of donations received, and a website address for a survey to fill out from Survey Monkey. Each attendee also received chocolate and a pack of Post-it Notes with a handmade cover on it.

We also had several very special donations. ALA donated 3 ALA/NYLA joint memberships and NYSLAA donated 4 ‘new’ memberships. These memberships were given away as door prizes. Other door prizes were 5, $25 gift cards to a varity of different local locations.

Thank you to everyone who helped and a special
Thank you to everyone who attended!