In-Person: Fall Training will be convened in-person at 10 locations.

Virtual: Virtual sessions will be convened on October 21st.

Below you will find information about the training sessions.

To register for an in-person session, please see the REGISTER NOW link at the bottom of this page.

Not able to attend in-person? We got you covered!

Click here to register for a virtual session! (Virtual sessions will be presented on October 21)

General Schedule

Registration and a provided continental breakfast will begin at 8:30am. The sessions will begin promptly at 9:00 am and end no later than 3:15 pm, with a break from 11:45am-1:00pm for lunch on your own. We will email a reminder and directions to you one week before the scheduled session.

Act 48 and Continuing Education Information

Attendees may be eligible to receive Act 48 credit hours or CE credits for attending a session. Act 48 credit request forms and CE certificates will be handed out at the end of each training session that is Act 48/CE eligible.

Handouts

Due to cost, please note that extra handouts will not be printed and made available at the training location. If you desire printed copies, please download the handouts and print them in advance.

Bring a Laptop, iPad, or other Internet-Enabled Device

Please bring your own internet-enabled device to the training in order to fully participate. Wi-fi will be available at all locations and power outlets for recharging devices will be available during breaks.

Training will occur on the following dates and locations:

• October 1st: Intermediate Unit 1 (Coal Center) [Google Map]
• October 2nd: Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit 27 (Monaca) [Google Map]
• October 3rd: Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit 5 (Edinboro) [Google Map]
• October 10th: Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15 (Enola) [Google Map]
• October 21st: BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 (Williamsport) [Google Map]
• October 22nd: Penn State DuBois (DuBois) [Google Map]
• October 23rd: Appalachia Intermediate Unit 8 (Altoona) [Google Map]
• October 29th: Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 (Schnecksville) [Google Map]
• October 30th: Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 (Lancaster) [Google Map]
• October 31st: Crowne Plaza Philadelphia (King of Prussia) [Google Map]

AGENDA

8:30am – 9:00am – REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST (PROVIDED)

9:00am – 9:30am – BREAKOUT SESSION 1: CHOOSE ONE

POWER Library 101: Welcome to the Family!

Let’s start at the very beginning.
It’s a very good place to start.

POWER Library is the virtual library for the Commonwealth. Chock full of information, it’s a very deep pool that can be overwhelming to navigate. Bring your POWER Library questions and join us for an orientation into the world of POWER Library including content, connectivity, and support.

Note: This is a very basic overview of the program designed for new to newish POWER Library participants. Veteran participants should plan to attend the “What’s New with POWER Library” session.

What’s New with POWER Library

Join us for a review of what is new and upcoming in POWER Library.   Beginning with an exploration of new initiatives and ending with your POWER Library questions- with lots of exciting news in between- it is sure to be a POWERful start to the day!

Note: This session will not be reviewing POWER Library basics.   For those new to POWER Library or their library position, please consider attending the “POWER Library 101” session.

9:30am – 10:30am – BREAKOUT SESSION 2: CHOOSE ONE

Pop Culture in POWER Library! 

During this session we will explore pop culture topics through the medium of POWER Library resources.  We’ll be looking at individual topics across different e-resources to see the variety of materials available in each, before going in-depth inside some of POWER Library’s best pop culture resources: Ebony Magazine, Gale News, National Geographic and Time Magazine.

Note: This session is suitable for all library staff.

Inspiring Young Researchers

Journey along as we help answer reference questions from young researchers in grades PreK-5th using three different e-resources in POWER Library – Britannica Elementary, Gale in Context Elementary, and TrueFLIX.  We will work together to find the answers by reviewing searching strategies, viewing options, sharing tools, educator resources, and more.

Note: This session is geared towards children’s services library staff, elementary and middle school library staff, and those interested in serving young library users.

10:30am – 10:45am – MORNING BREAK

10:45am – 11:45am – BREAKOUT SESSION 3: CHOOSE ONE

Access Pennsylvania: Connecting the Dots

Connect the dots. Lala la la.
What’s it supposed to be, Magic Screen?

The last few years have brought monster changes to information access and Interlibrary Loan is no exception. Just say the magic words – Meka Leka Hi Meka Hiney Ho – and all will be revealed. Join us as we explore the “why” of the shifts in the Access PA framework, the recent (and ongoing) changes to the shipping model, the addition of ztargets, and NCIP implementation as we connect the dots to coalesce the big picture.

Note: This session is suitable for all library staff and will offer opportunities for questions about functionality and workflows, but it is NOT a SHAREit training course.

Teaching and Learning through the Past: NEW Primary Sources!

Primary sources give students and general researchers a unique insight into the past and can be a powerful learning tool helping us relate in a personal way while promoting a deeper understanding of history as a series of human events. Take a journey through history with us as we uncover the new primary source materials in POWER Library.

Note: This session is suitable for all library staff with an emphasis on teaching primary sources and general history research.

11:45am – 1:00pm – LUNCH BREAK – ON YOUR OWN

1:00pm – 2:00pm – BREAKOUT SESSION 4: CHOOSE ONE

The Ref Desk Recommends

Join us as we explore real reference questions asked through the statewide Chat with a Librarian service and match them up with POWER Library E-Resources.  We’ll be diving inside five of POWER Library’s most referred-to resources:  Auto Repair Source, BookFLIX, Gale High School, MyHeritage, and U.S. News & World Report, looking at just some of the features and tools available across the POWER Library family of e-resources.

Note: This session is suitable for all library staff.

Middle School Madness

This is madness!

Madness? This is Middle School!

Middle School Librarians are the unsung heroes, navigating their charges through a labyrinth of learning and social intricacies while simultaneously attempting to teach them how to effectively access and assess information. Definitely not a role for the faint of heart! Join us as we take a deep dive into the POWER Library resources designed to help tackle the task at hand including Gale in Context Middle School and SIRS Discoverer. Coverage includes some differential instruction tools that are applicable to advanced intermediate student work as well as remediated high school assignments.

Note: This session is geared towards middle and high school library staff, and children’s services public library staff.

2:00pm – 2:15pm – AFTERNOON BREAK: GRAB A SNACK AND YOUR POWER LIBRARY MATERIALS

2:15pm – 3:15pm – BREAKOUT SESSION 5: CHOOSE ONE

Taking it to the Streets!  POWER Library Beyond the Library Walls

During this session, we will discover POWERful resources that you can use in your library’s outreach efforts to the community. Whether it is meeting diverse language needs, showcasing specialized resources to local groups, or assisting with improving literacy skills – POWER Library can help!

Note: This session is geared towards all library staff with an emphasis on community outreach.

In Case You Missed It…POWER Library Training E-Resource Round-Up!

Did you miss out on a session today? Want more information on a new e-resource? Join us as we review the featured databases and resources presented during POWER Library’s 2024 Fall Training.  We’ll be exploring the different audience-levels and some of the major content-types for each of the resources, before diving into some practical examples for using the resources.

Note: This session is suitable for all library staff.