Training is a key component of CELA’s services. And some of CELA’s core training programs for libraries are getting a refresh this fall.
“We’ve always had training for libraries on the basics of offering CELA services. But as technology changes and our services evolve, we’ve found there is new information to share, and libraries have a real interest in a broad variety of topics and training approaches” says Rachel Breau, CELA’s Manager of Member services. “We want our member libraries to always feel prepared to support their users with print disabilities.”
Faline Bobier, CELA’s Training and Outreach Coordinator, facilitates much of the training offered by CELA. Whether it is presenting the CELA Orientation Webinar, hosting a Q and A session or collaborating with some of our partners to offer a session on technology, Faline is often the friendly face and voice behind the screen.
“We work hard to make sure our sessions work well for our member libraries. When we started planning on some major updates, one of our goals was to ensure the webinars address what libraries want and need to know” says Faline. “Libraries are usually the first place people turn when looking for accessible reading materials. Their role in serving this community is such an important one.”
The team began by reviewing feedback received from participants during previous webinars and then worked through each of the presentations from start to finish to make sure new information is included and presented in ways that make it easy to follow.
“We’ve updated our core Orientation webinar, as well as the one for Educator Access” says Rachel. “There’s a lot to learn about accessibility and we know that it can feel overwhelming at first. In our Orientation Webinar for example, we’ve done our best to give people the big picture about why accessibility matters along with the right amount of basic information so that they can help patrons who need accessible reading materials.”
For example, in addition to an overview of who can use CELA and what our collection offers, the Orientation webinar now walks library participants through a few different scenarios libraries encounter when registering new CELA users, or when assisting users to find the right format of books to work with the technology they are using.
We are excited to see how these updated webinars are received, and we are looking forward to any feedback our participants have to offer. We also have some other exciting webinars and training programs this fall. To sign up for a webinar visit our webinars page or subscribe to our Open Book for Libraries newsletter and you will also receive a monthly training update.
