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. Our webinars are recorded and you may 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. 

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, Feb 16 2:00-3:00pm EST

Wed, April 19 2:00-3:00pm EDT

Mon, June 19 3:00-4:00pm EDT

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 

Mon, Mar 13 3:00-4:00pm EST

Thurs, May 18 2:00-3:00pm 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

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

Thurs, June 15 3:30-4:30pm 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, Feb 21 1:00-2:00pm EST

CELA and accessible library services for kids and teens!

This hour-long webinar will provide library staff with the information and tools you’ll need to support inclusive library services for kids and teens. Not sure where to begin? We’ll cover how accessibility touches every aspect of library services including kids and teens programming, why accessibility matters and how you can make use of CELA’s audio, braille and e-text books to support the reading needs of kids and teens with print disabilities in your community. The goal of this webinar is to increase awareness about the vital role libraries play in literacy development through providing books in multiple formats, as well as learning key accessibility accommodations to create inclusive programming.

Library staff will learn about:

  • Why access to books in audio, e-text and braille formats is vital to building literacy skills for those with print disabilities 
  • CELA’s collection for kids and teens, including access to materials in various languages and reading levels
  • Accessible book formats and the devices that play them 
  • Eligibility and how to register patrons for CELA 
  • Accessibility best practices for library programming 

Thur., March 23, 3pm EST