Webinars and teleconferences

Webinars for library staff

Our webinars are designed to meet the training needs of public library services at all levels.  Whether you are new to learning about CELA and accessible library services, or wish to enhance your current knowledge, you can choose to attend individual webinars, or follow one of our learning paths. You may also find a full list of our webinar recordings to watch at any time.

To register for a training session, select the link with the webinar date and time and complete the registration form. (You will need to adjust the times for your region - all times given on the website are in Eastern Time).

Choose the learning path that fits into your schedule:

Woman using a laptop

General learning path

This learning path provides frontline staff with the basics of CELA services including eligibility requirements, registering patrons with print disabilities, ordering books and offering CELA to your patrons.  This path consists of two webinars:

Total time: 2 hours

Supporting videos:

Comprehensive learning path

This learning path provides a comprehensive learning framework for staff who coordinate CELA and your library’s accessible services.  Library staff will gain a full understanding of eligibility requirements, registration, how to access books through ILL or DAISY CDs in a deposit collection, accessible formats and reading technologies and community outreach. This path consists of four webinars:

Total time: 4 hours

Supporting videos: 

Webinar certificates: Webinar completion certificates available for participants on request by emailing members@celalibrary.ca

You will need a computer with a broadband internet connection and speakers: System requirements

If you experience problems connecting to the webinar, please contact CELA Member Services at members@celalibrary.ca. 

Expanded Delivery Options Project, what’s that? A webinar for Libraries about new accessible reading devices

This webinar will provide public library staff with an overview of CELA’s Expanded Delivery Options Project, funded by a generous grant from Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Attendees will become familiar with the project, the accessible reading devices CELA is piloting, and how they can assist patrons who want to know more about the project. The devices CELA is piloting include a low cost audiobook player, a DAISY player with digital storage device, and smart speakers. 

Tues, Jan 25 1:00-2:00pm EST

Frontline staff webinar

This webinar will provide an introduction to CELA services for staff and volunteers who need to understand the basics about how they can support patrons with print disabilities.  

Audience: Any staff or volunteers who interact with patrons 

Learning goals:  

  • What are the three types of print disabilities and eligibility criteria for getting access to CELA and Bookshare resources 
  • What are alternate formats (audio, etext, braille) and the various options for your patrons who want to read CELA materials 
  • How to find training opportunities, order free promotional materials and search the CELA catalogue through a guided tour of the site

Length: 60 minutes

Thurs, Jan 13 1:30-2:30pm EST

Tues, Mar 15 3:00-4:00pm EDT

Mon, May 16 1:00-2:00pm EDT

CELA and EasyReader–Get Started using CELA’s Accessible Reading Collection and Dolphin’s FREE Talking Book App for People with Print Disabilities

Dolphin and CELA (Centre for Equitable Library Access) are excited to offer you a FREE training opportunity that will show you how to seamlessly search and read CELA books on your iOS, Android and Fire devices. You will learn who qualifies to be a CELA Patron, how to get Dolphin’s free App EasyReader, and how to fully customize your reading experience. We’ll even provide a “cheat-sheet”, copies of session slides and a recording of the webinar to refer to and to share with friends or colleagues afterward. Get reading today with CELA and EasyReader!

To register for the webinar choose the link below:

Tues, Mar 8 1:00-2:00pm EST

Orientation webinar

This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of CELA services for library staff who work in, or are responsible for, accessible services.  

Audience:  Staff who act as the primary CELA contact at your library, as well as other public library staff with an interest in the full services CELA provides to patrons through their public library.  

Learning goals: 

  • What is CELA and why accessible library services are important 
  • What flexible options are available for libraries: direct registration of patrons with print disabilities; interlibrary loans to libraries, deposit collections of DAISY CDs 
  • What alternate format materials are available: books and magazines in audio, e-text and braille
  • How library staff can connect patrons with CELA 
  • What support is available from CELA 

Length: 60 minutes 

Thurs, Feb 10 1:00-2:00pm EST

Tues, April 12 1:00-2:00pm EDT

Educator Access Program webinar

This webinar will introduce library staff and educators to the CELA Educator Access program. This program is offered through public libraries and gives teachers and other educators access to CELA’s collection to support their students with print disabilities at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels.   

Audience: Public library staff and educators. Educators can include teachers, teacher librarians, educational assistants, and special education teachers – anyone who supports students with print disabilities in a formal educational setting. 

Learning goals:  

  • How to register with the Educator Access program
  • What alternate formats and reading technologies are available for students at all levels in the CELA collection
  • What is Bookshare and how can educators get access 
  • How to find, access and read our books, magazines and newspapers in audio, e-text and braille

Length: 60 minutes

Thurs, Feb 3 3:00-4:00pm EST

Tues, April 26 12:00-1:00pm EDT

CELA and accessible reading technologies, devices and apps

This webinar will introduce participants to key accessible reading technologies used by library patrons with print disabilities including screen magnification, text to speech, braille displays, literacy support software, and accessible reading apps for mobile devices. Through watching video demonstrations of these different technologies, you will understand why these options are important because one size does not fit all, and choice of technology can help empower readers.

Audience: Public library staff.

Learning goals:  

•    Definition of accessible reading technologies and who uses them
•    Key features of main accessible reading technologies, both mainstream and specialized, and how they are used
•    How accessible reading technologies relate to specific formats
•    Where to find further information

Length: 60 minutes

Tues, Mar 22 2:00-3:00pm EST