Crossroads
Here are links to the most recent year's issues of Crossroads, the e-newsletter from WebJunction. To find older issues, visit WorldCat.
May 17, 2023: Resources for Library Learners
At WebJunction our tagline is “The learning place for libraries,” and in this edition we’re highlighting a handful of learning opportunities and other resources to support the impactful work you’re doing in your communities. Read more...
May 3, 2023: Responding to Community Needs
Libraries are often called on to provide resources for a wide range of issues affecting our communities. But this work is too big to tackle alone. That’s why we’re so committed to collaboration and community-building. Read more...
April 19, 2023: Celebrating and Supporting Libraries
As National Library Week (April 23-29) approaches, we honor the important roles libraries play in our communities and recognize both the opportunities and challenges facing library staff. Through WebJunction’s programming, we’re honored to both celebrate the accomplishments in the field, and to offer resources to help you through tougher challenges. Read more...
April 5, 2023: Creative Ways to Connect with Your Community
This month, we invite you to read about how libraries are engaging with their communities in creative ways. Whether you prefer connecting with others while getting your hands a bit dirty, or using technology in trendy ways, we have stories from libraries all over that can inspire your engagement efforts. Read more...
March 15, 2023: Training and Development Resources for Everyone
Regardless of your role or phase in your career, we offer learning resources to help build the skills and knowledge to power strong libraries, at the heart of vibrant communities. Our courses and webinars are available anytime so you can learn when it best fits your schedule. Read more...
March 1, 2023: WebJunction Welcomes School Libraries!
WebJunction welcomes learners from all library types, and while many of our offerings relate to public libraries, we have been honored to work also with staff serving museums, archives, academic and special libraries. Read more...
February 15, 2023: WebJunction Loves Libraries
February is National Library Lovers Month in the U.S., and we want to join the celebration by showing some love to all of you, recognizing the dedication that goes towards turning libraries into the much-beloved places they are. Read more...
February 1, 2023: Connect and Collaborate
Connect and CollaborateWebJunction is committed to supporting library staff in their work, through opportunities for learning, collaboration, and research. In this issue of Crossroads, we’re highlighting new resources and opportunities for engagement, in collaboration with multiple key partners, including updates to our digital stewardship course series, the OCLC Global Council’s 2023 Area of Focus, and an upcoming online conference on connected learning. Read more...
January 18, 2023: Learning Together at WebJunction
What are your learning goals for this year? Have you considered exploring group learning as a strategy? Participating in a learning community provides a supportive and collaborative environment that can help increase motivation, as the group sets attainable goals together and connects their learning to practical applications. Read more...
January 4, 2023: Reflections and Resolutions
January rings in a time of year when reflections and resolutions are on many people’s minds. Here at WebJunction, we are reflecting on another successful year of learning and connection. We invite you to take a moment to reflect on your year, too, and all the ways that you have supported your community through your work. Our resolution is to continue supporting your efforts through opportunities for education and engagement in 2023. Read more...
December 21, 2022: A Year of Learning, Community, and Connection
As 2022 draws to a close and we reflect on the year’s accomplishments, we want to thank everyone who has engaged with this community of learners. We truly could not do this work without you, and we’re grateful for the time you have chosen to spend with us this year. Read more...
December 7, 2022: Resources for Community Support
As the year draws to a close, your inbox is likely filled with messages about giving—ads for the perfect holiday gifts, ideas for hosting an end-of-year gatherings, or calls to give money to your favorite organizations. Read more...
November 16, 2022: Opportunities for Collaboration and Contribution
In this edition of Crossroads, you’ll find two opportunities to collaborate and contribute: new updates to our project focused on helping libraries address the opioid epidemic, and an upcoming online event highlighting connected learning in small and rural library communities. Read more...
November 2, 2022: Creating Community Connections through Collections and Services
Happy November, and welcome to the calm before the holiday season chaos! As the holidays approach and schedules become busier, we invite you to find a quiet moment to explore these resources that can offer inspiration and support for the work you're doing. Read more...
October 19, 2022: Learning in Community
WebJunction supports library staff in their learning journeys by offering accessible, flexible learning opportunities. More than 400 on-demand courses and webinars are available to help build skills and knowledge in diverse topic areas. Although it has become easier than ever to access online education and development, sometimes the best opportunities for learning about our work and assessing community needs come directly from the community. Read more...
October 5, 2022: Helping Libraries Respond to Community Needs
The events of the past several years have stretched the resources of many who serve our communities, and libraries are no exception. Often called upon as first information responders, library staff have helped guide people to information and resources during some of the most stressful and vulnerable times of their lives. We hope you can take a moment to recognize how you have risen to meet these challenges with compassion, creativity, and tenacity. Read more...
September 21, 2022: Fall Into Learning
With students back in school and autumn just around the corner, there's no better time to pursue learning opportunities of your own. Courses and webinar recordings are always free through our Course Catalog, providing on-demand learning on topics relevant to library staff and volunteers. Topic highlights in this edition of Crossroads include civil legal reference, emerging technologies, and successful adult programming. Read more...
September 7, 2022: WebJunction Milestones, New Grants, Team Transitions
Collaboration and partnerships are key to WebJunction’s work to meet library staff learning needs. Through more than a dozen WebJunction projects, we have received grants from private and public funders, partnered with all types of libraries, and collaborated with a multitude of organizations. We're excited to announce that we will be supporting efforts in three new Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant projects. WebJunction will serve as advisory, dissemination, or design partners on one IMLS National Leadership Grant and two Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grants. Read more...
August 17, 2022: Core Skills for Lifelong Learning
Courses and webinar recordings are always free through our Course Catalog, providing on-demand learning on topics relevant to library staff and volunteers. Create a free account and you'll have access to nearly 400 self-paced learning opportunities to help you and your team meet your community's ever-changing needs. The featured webinar recordings highlight core communication skills that can help you better manage conflict, excel at customer service, and address implicit bias in the library workplace. With communication topics always in high demand, these selections were three of the most popular with WebJunction learners this past fiscal year. Read more...
August 3, 2022: Celebrating a Collaborator and New WebJunction Learning
Collaborations between colleagues and with other organizations and individuals can bring fresh perspectives and new thinking to ideas and projects. The WebJunction team often seeks out external subject matter experts when we create online courses for our learners. In recognition of the great work that she did on the civil legal services project, WebJunction staff nominated Deb for the American Association of Law Libraries’ Public Access to Government Information Award, and were so pleased that she was selected as this year’s winner. And we're excited to announce two new courses available in the WebJunction Course Catalog. Read more...
July 20, 2022: Collection Management Learning Opportunities
WebJunction facilitates learning on topics both new to library work as well as those perennial facets of librarianship that ebb and flow over the years. Managing library collections—whether acquiring new materials to meet changing community needs, weeding out old books to make room for the new, or facing a book challenge—is one of those perennial library topics that has been a recent focus. In this edition, you’ll find two popular webinar recordings that can help you and your team tackle the new twists and turns to collection management. Read more...
July 6, 2022: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention for Veterans
Libraries are well positioned to provide information and referral services to connect Veterans and members of military communities with Veterans Health Administration programs and initiatives that address risk and protective factors for suicidal behaviors. WebJunction is collaborating with the Veterans Health Administration and Legal Services Corporation to promote free and reliable services, information, and resources on suicide prevention. Read more...
June 15, 2022: The Power of Learning Together
WebJunction is deeply rooted in the power that comes through shared learning. By providing open access to learning opportunities, and connecting library staff from around the country (and even around the world!), we remain committed to finding ways to support the power of learning together. And in seeking to build more opportunities for group learning, while recognizing the value of having someone play the role of facilitator, we created a Facilitator Guide for Group Learning to introduce and support learning together. In addition to the general Facilitator Guide, there are two topic-specific guides for courses available in the WebJunction Course Catalog. Read more...
June 1, 2022: Partnerships Help Ensure Equitable Access to Information
Public libraries maintain a commitment to ensuring equitable access to information, for all in their community. Often this includes creating and sustaining partnerships with other organizations, also committed to improving access. This edition of Crossroads highlights examples of successful community partnerships and resources that can help libraries proactively prepare for book challenges, to assist patrons in overcoming the justice gap with reliable civil legal information, and to support job seekers through workforce development partnerships. Read more...
May 18, 2022: Focus on Mental Health Awareness
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a good time to recognize opportunities for learning more about your community's mental health experiences as well as those of your colleagues, and most importantly, how to prioritize your own needs. The three mental health-focused webinar recordings highlighted are freely available in the WebJunction Course Catalog, and are popular with library staff learners. Read more...
May 4, 2022: New Courses on Digital Stewardship Available
We have exciting news about new, on-demand training available in the WebJunction Course Catalog—the first two courses in the Digital Collections Stewardship course series are now available! These were developed for staff at small public libraries and tribal archives, libraries, museums on the importance of digital stewardship and community-centered curation of digital collections. Read more...
April 20, 2022: On-Demand and Upcoming Learning with WebJunction
Courses and webinar recordings are always free through our Course Catalog, providing on-demand learning on topics relevant to library staff and volunteers. Once you've signed up for a free account, you'll have access to nearly 400 self-paced learning opportunities to help you and your team meet your community's ever-changing needs. Read more...
April 6, 2022: Serving the Community Through the Library
This month, we encourage you to take a fresh look at how library staff support and respond to community needs. The first article was crowdsourced from WebJunction members who shared interesting (and sometimes funny) reference questions they have received from patrons over the years. Then explore two stories about libraries that engaged both partners and the community into the development of new programming. Read more...
March 16, 2022: Centering Community, at PLA and Beyond
The Public Library Association (PLA) is hosting its 2022 Conference in Portland, Oregon, March 23-25. If you’re attending, we invite you join an interactive session with the WebJunction team, exploring what you envision for your library moving forward. Using emergent thinking strategies and collaborative ideation, we’ll crowdsource ideas about what’s working and what needs to change as we adapt to our evolving library landscapes. Since traveling to conferences often isn’t an option, we have you covered with remote learning opportunities! Explore webinar recordings which help libraries put people at the center of planning and assessment efforts. Read more...
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