CSL at ARSL 2020

Like most things, the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) is going virtual this year on September 28 through October 2. The 2020 ARSL Conference will be held online using the award-winning event app Whova! Forming new connections is one of the best parts of an ARSL conference, and Whova makes it easy to network, collaborate, and socialize. Visit the 2020 ARSL Conference site for full event details.

This year, Colorado State Library staff members are presenting multiple sessions throughout the conference, ranging in topics from unconscious bias, to playing well with others. See the schedule below for details.

Colorado State Library Sessions

Wednesday, September 30 | 9:15–10:15 MT
Playing Well with Others – At Work – Christine Kreger, Sharon Morris and Kieran Hixon
Do you work with other people, collaborate with others, or have patrons? Do group tasks seem like torture? Time to add some play into work! Research shows when humans at any age engage in play, they learn and grow into healthy, happy, well-functioning individuals. Indeed, embedding playful work techniques into your day can lead to greater creativity, productivity, and resilience in you and your library. Join us for this interactive and fun session, as we delve into the research on play, identify your play style, and explore ways to add more play into your work.

 

Thursday, October 1 | 9:15–10:15 MT
Unconscious Bias in Hiring Practices – Beth Crist and Jean Heilig
Are unconscious biases impacting your hiring process? These biases can cause us to make decisions in favor of one person or group to the detriment of others. In this session, learn how to recognize and eliminate bias in your library’s hiring process. We’ll look at the potential for bias to appear in job descriptions, recruitment, screening candidates, interviewing, and making an offer, and how to work to overcome these biases.

Thursday, October 1 | 11:15–12:15 MT
How Rude! The Price of Incivility in the Workplace – Christine Kreger and Jean Heilig
We all want to come to work and be treated with kindness and respect. However, studies have found that 98% of us have experienced slights, insensitivities, and rude behavior in our workplace. The effects of incivility can lead to a loss in staff creativity, deterioration in team spirit, and may result in patrons turning away from the library. Come learn tactics staff can use to minimize the effects of rudeness on performance and well-being and strategies managers can use to keep their own behavior in check and to foster civility in others.