Friday, September 19, 2025
Lead & Learn: An NC LIVE Workshop For Strong Teams and Smart Service
Location: Chapel Hill Public Library
Register Here >>
Join us at Chapel Hill Public Library on Friday, September 19th for a dynamic, hands-on workshop designed to support both leadership development and resource expertise in libraries. Registrants will choose one track when completing the registration form. As always, registration is free and includes breakfast and lunch.
Throughout the workshop, you’ll explore practical strategies to lead with confidence, navigate change, and strengthen your library’s impact. Whether you're guiding a team, supporting community learning, or building resource expertise, this is your chance to collaborate with peers across member libraries, exchange ideas, and return to your library energized and empowered to lead.
Choose Your Workshop Track
This workshop features two distinct tracks running simultaneously throughout the day. To ensure a focused and hands-on experience, participants will choose one track to attend when completing the registration form. Please note that you can only attend one track, so take a moment to consider which focus best aligns with your role, interests, and library goals.
- Leading Through Change:
Focused on conflict resolution, coaching through uncertainty, and engaging staff during transitions. Designed for supervisors, team leads, and aspiring leaders. - NC LIVE Resources in Focus:
Focused on new tools, updated interfaces, and practical ways to use NC LIVE in community programming. Led by NC LIVE staff and vendors.
Schedule
| Time | Instruction Track |
|---|---|
| 9:30 - 10am | Check-In (Whole Group) Participants arrive, check-in, and enjoy coffee while networking with fellow attendees. |
| 10 - 10:45am | Introduction to NC LIVE (Whole Group) Overview of NC LIVE's goals and mission, governance and structure, services, and impact. |
| 10:50 - 12:10pm | Session 1: Coaching in the Library: Adopting a Coach Approach to Empower Library Employees and Yourself Are you a transactional or transformative leader? Can you be both? A coaching mindset can help you spend more time developing professional agency for library employees, enabling them to initiate and follow through on projects that require managing change. Empowering library employees gives them the confidence to follow through on projects and work assignments by identifying and breaking down barriers that prevent them from doing their best work. This workshop session will demonstrate the use of Michael Bungay Stanier’s seven coaching questions designed to engage employees, creating more organizational impact and will include discussions about when coaching is effective along with a list of resources to help you develop coaching skills and practices that fit your unique situation and leadership style.
Andrea G. Stanfield holds an MLIS from Florida State University and has over 20 years of experience in higher education, including 17 years of experience in academic libraries, and 7 years in library leadership. She has worked in public and private universities as well as in a technical college system. She is currently the Library & QEP Director at Queens University in Charlotte. Her interest in professional growth and development in libraries began with research related to training student library employees. She has participated in several leadership institutes focusing on libraries, higher education, and women’s leadership. To understand more about how organizational dynamics can impact professional and personal growth, she completed a graduate certificate in Organization Coaching at University of Georgia in 2024. As higher education, libraries, and the needs of students change, her research interests continue to explore the cultivation of professional and personal growth of library employees. |
| 12:10 - 1pm | Lunch (Whole Group) Participants enjoy a catered lunch and continue networking with peers. |
| 1 - 2:10pm | Session 2: A Gallup Workshop for Great Leadership This workshop session, "A Gallup Framework for Great Leadership," explores how libraries can foster employee engagement and leverage strengths-based management to enhance productivity and well-being. The session introduces the concepts of employee engagement and strengths-based management, using the Gallup Q12 survey and CliftonStrengths assessment as tools to illustrate these concepts. Participants will learn how to integrate strengths into performance reviews and coaching, shifting focus from weaknesses to accomplishments and potential. While Gallup tools are used, the information presented is transferable and applicable to libraries even if they do not currently use or invest in the Gallup Q12 or Gallup CliftonStrengths. This session also highlights practical applications at NC State University Libraries. Presenter: Laura Blessing, Director of Libraries Human Resources and Employee Engagement at North Carolina State University Libraries Laura Blessing is the Director of Libraries Human Resources and Employee Engagement at North Carolina State University Libraries. She has an MLIS from The University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Psychology from New Mexico State University. In addition to her librarian background, she is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources. Blessing’s research interests include employee engagement-related topics, and she has written and presented previously on organizational communication, compensation, employee well-being, and new employee onboarding. Most recently, she authored the chapter “Human Resources Librarianship” in the book Careers in Library and Information Services: First-Hand Accounts from Working Professionals” which was published earlier this year. |
| 2:10 - 2:20pm | Break |
| 2:20 - 3:30pm | Session 3: Navigating Conflict in the Library Workplace Conflict is inevitable in any workplace but how we respond to it can make all the difference. In this session, Tammy Baggett, Director of Wake County Public Libraries, will cover common sources of conflict in libraries and how library staff at all levels can respond in healthy, productive ways. We’ll explore tools for navigating difficult conversations, strategies for fostering open communication, and ways to turn conflict into an opportunity for professional and organizational growth. This session is ideal for both current and aspiring library leaders looking to strengthen their team dynamics and communication practices.
Tammy Baggett is the Director of Wake County Public Libraries and a seasoned leader with over 15 years of experience directing public library systems. She is widely recognized for her strengths in developing high-performing teams, navigating organizational change, and fostering inclusive, mission-driven leadership. Tammy is committed to mentoring emerging leaders and sharing practical strategies for coaching, goal setting, and cultivating a positive workplace culture. A passionate advocate for professional growth, she regularly speaks on leadership development in libraries and believes that strong leadership at every level is key to building responsive, resilient, and community-focused institutions. |
| 3:30 - 3:40pm | Wrap Up & Raffle (Whole Group) |
| Time | Resource Training Track |
|---|---|
| 9:30 - 10am | Check-In (Whole Group) Participants arrive, check-in, and enjoy coffee while networking with fellow attendees. |
| 10 - 10:45am | Introduction to NC LIVE (Whole Group) Overview of NC LIVE's goals and mission, governance and structure, services, and impact. |
| 10:50 - 11:30am | Session 1: Supporting Lifelong Learning With Transparent Language This session offers a practical introduction (or refresher!) to Transparent Language, NC LIVE’s powerful tool for multilingual learning. We’ll explore the platform’s learning dashboard, highlight interactive activities, and discuss how it supports both non-English speakers (with 30+ language pairings) and English learners, including access to intermediate/advanced content and the American Citizenship Test Prep Course.
Presenter: Lauren Gancarz, Director of Customer Success for Transparent Language |
| 11:30am - 12:10pm | Session 2: Discover, Download, and Engage: Using Ebook Central in Your Library Join Lori Hetrick from Clarivate for a hands-on session focused on getting the most out of Ebook Central. Designed for both public and academic library staff, this session will explore how to discover and use Ebook Central’s wide range of content - from nonfiction titles for hobbies and leisure reading to scholarly works that support student and faculty research. You’ll learn how to navigate the platform, search for titles, and integrate Ebook Central into your library’s programming and services. Lori will also introduce the new Ebook Central Reader App, which launched in June, and provides a more secure and user-friendly way to download and read ebooks across devices. Whether you're helping patrons explore new interests or supporting academic success, this session will equip you with tools and strategies to better connect your community with Ebook Central’s valuable resources. Presenters: Lori Hetrick, Customer Success Manager at Clarivate |
| 12:10 - 1pm | Lunch (Whole Group) Participants enjoy a catered lunch and continue networking with peers. |
| 1 - 2:10pm | Session 3: Reimagining Readers' Advisory: A Guided Tour of the New NoveList Interface Join Danielle Borasky, Vice President of NoveList, for an exclusive walkthrough of the newly redesigned NoveList interface! This webinar will showcase the updated design, improved navigation, and smarter search features that make readers’ advisory faster, easier, and more intuitive for both staff and patrons. Danielle will highlight key changes and demonstrate how the new layout supports common workflows like finding read-alikes, curating booklists, and discovering appeal factors. You’ll also get a sneak peek at upcoming enhancements and learn where to find support materials to help your team transition smoothly. Whether you're a longtime NoveList user or new to the platform, this session will equip you with the insights and confidence you need to get the most out of NoveList’s powerful readers’ advisory tools. Presenter: Danielle Borasky, Vice President of NoveList |
| 2:10 - 2:20pm | Break |
| 2:20 - 3:30pm | Session 4: Responding To Patron Scenarios with NC LIVE Resources In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to effectively use NC LIVE resources to respond to real-world patron scenarios. The resources selected for this session will be based on registrants' feedback, ensuring the content is relevant to your specific needs. Through discussion and practical exercises, you’ll leave with actionable strategies for navigating NC LIVE’s resources and applying them to everyday library scenarios. Whether you're dealing with a job seeker, a small business owner, or a student needing research support, this session will equip you with the skills to provide valuable, tailored assistance to your patrons.
|
| 3:30 - 3:40pm | Wrap Up & Raffle (Whole Group) |
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
NCLA along with the Leadership, Administration, and Management (LAMS) Section is pleased to partner with NC LIVE on regional workshops for library leaders.
“We are excited for the opportunity to see our mission of ‘Developing leaders, building skills, and creating networks’ come to life in this way.”- Brandy Hamilton, Chair, LAMS. North Carolina Library Association - Inform. Connect. Support.
Guest facilitators will share their knowledge on specific leadership competencies and guide you through common leadership challenges. Whether you are in a leadership position already, or aspire to be, consider registering for an upcoming Leadership Development workshop. Is there a local library leader that you'd like to suggest as a session facilitator? Send a message to help [at] nclive.org (help[at]nclive[dot]org).
Registration is free and includes breakfast and lunch.
TESTIMONIALS
"This was time well spent! There was a lot of information packed in to a short amount of time. I have paid for leadership workshops that were less useful than this free one!"
"The presenters were very relaxed and approachable which created the feeling of a shared learning experience rather than a simple lecture designed to disseminate facts."
"Meeting NC LIVE staff and librarians on the various advisory councils makes me feel more comfortable about reaching out with feedback concerning future resources."
"I felt that the meeting was very productive. The subject-based handout was particularly helpful."
"Having the regional meetings was a great idea. Travel budgets are limited so it was nice to be able to take a day trip for professional development, refresh and meet the new NC LIVE staff! Please keep offering these regional meetings!!"