We’re celebrating another year of learning, collaboration, and innovation with public library staff at the heart of everything we do. Throughout the year, we focused on our mission to provide free and practical professional development, foster vibrant peer learning, and support libraries in addressing today’s challenges. Whether you’re exploring our new offerings or revisiting community favorites, we hope these resources energize and inspire your work in 2025. 

A Friends of the Library group can provide great assistance to libraries—often in the form of fundraising, advocacy, or reaching underserved groups. These resources can help you as you think about starting a Friends group, revitalizing one, or boosting their effectiveness. 

A go-to spot for resources and training to support Friends groups is ALA’s United for Libraries. Several state libraries and associations have training videos and resources available online. While much of this content is generalizable, specific state regulations and resources should be consulted. 

At the Charles County Public Library (CCPL) in Maryland, staff started looking at the opioid crisis through a lens of understanding and empathy to serve their community. Karen Wilson, the Peer Outreach Coordinator at CCPL, shared that learning about opioid use disorder, its history, and current trends opened her eyes to the pains of addiction, and a hurting community. This exploration expanded her horizons and added passion and drive to the development of her library’s opioid response.

As one of the beta testers for WebJunction’s Opioid Crisis Support Kit for Public Libraries, Wilson shared the following when asked what she... Read more

There's no time like the new year for learning! Whether you've got a list of resolutions, or tackling a new project, you're sure to benefit by attending some of the webinars on this month's list. Or perhaps there are topics you'd like your trustees or volunteers to explore. Be sure to share these free learning opportunities with your staff and friends, and encourage them to take on some new skills and understanding in 2025. The list, provided by the Maine State Library, includes over 40 webinars and an online conference, covering 14 different topic areas.

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