Events

This session is part of the Microsoft 365 for SEFLIN Libraries Series, an 8-week professional development program for SEFLIN librarians, educators, and library staff. Designed to enhance productivity and service delivery, each 60-minute session combines direct instruction with hands-on practice.

Week 8: Word for Intermediates

• Focus: Building complex documents and streamlining repetitive tasks.
• Styles and Themes: Using styles and generating a Table of Contents.
• Structural Layout: Using Section Breaks.
• Mail Merge: Creating personalized outreach communications.
• Collaboration: Track Changes and Comments.
• Practice (15 mins): Apply heading styles and insert an automatic Table of Contents.

About the Microsoft 365 for SEFLIN Libraries Series

The Microsoft 365 for SEFLIN Libraries Series is an 8-week professional development program designed specifically for library staff looking to build confidence and efficiency with the Microsoft applications they use every day. Each 60-minute session combines practical instruction with hands-on activities focused on real-world library workflows.

Whether you're creating presentations, managing email, analyzing data, or producing professional documents, you'll leave each session with skills you can immediately apply in your work.

Skills Developed Across the Series:

• Creating effective presentations with PowerPoint
• Managing email and calendars in Outlook
• Creating Slides: Choosing between blank presentations and templates or themes to establish a professional look.
• Organizing and analyzing data in Excel
• Creating polished documents in Word
• Improving workplace productivity and collaboration

You are welcome to register for one, several, or all eight sessions—each workshop stands on its own, and no prior attendance is required.

Presenter:

Jonathan Gordon is an educator, author, instructional designer, and professional development trainer specializing in digital design, creative technology, artificial intelligence, and workforce readiness. With a career spanning classroom teaching, curriculum development, and international training, he has helped thousands of students and educators develop practical skills in Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office, web design, digital marketing, and emerging technologies.

As the author of Learn Adobe InDesign CC, Jonathan has long been recognized for his expertise in design and publishing workflows. He has taught courses in graphic design, web development, business applications, communication skills, and digital literacy, while creating certification-aligned curriculum and project-based learning experiences.

Jonathan has delivered workshops and training sessions throughout the United States and internationally, helping educators integrate technology in meaningful ways while preparing students for college, careers, and industry certifications.

A self-described "font snob" and lifelong learner, Jonathan is passionate about making complex technology accessible, engaging, and relevant through hands-on learning and real-world applications.

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Hosted by SEFLIN

The April 2027 digital accessibility deadline is approaching quickly. If you are feeling overwhelmed by compliance requirements, you aren't alone. The secret to meeting accessibility standards without burning out your staff is shifting from a mindset of panic to one of sustainable progress. Web accessibility isn't a one-and-done project; it is an ongoing process built on small, manageable habits.

Designed specifically for public libraries and smaller academic institutions operating with limited staff and resources, this session breaks down daunting standards into clear, bite-sized action plans. You will learn how to audit your current digital footprint, establish realistic workflows, and secure early "quick wins" that make an immediate impact for your patrons.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the core principles of accessibility in The POUR Framework (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust) in plain, practical terms:
• Shift your organizational mindset to focus on incremental improvements that prevent compliance panic.
• Discover strategies to build team-wide buy-in and share the responsibility across departments.
• Learn how to audit your website’s content and build workflows that keep future content accessible.
• Get introduced to free and low-cost tools to simplify testing and streamline your everyday tasks.

Presenter:

Craig Hayward is the Digital Accessibility Consultant at UNC Chapel Hill. He brings more than 25 years of experience working in libraries and previously served as the technology librarian at the Library of North Carolina's Accessible Books and Services.

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Hosted by NC LIVE

Libraries collect meaningful data every day, but data alone rarely inspires action. This webinar explores how to combine quantitative evidence with authentic community stories to communicate your library's impact, advocate for resources, build partnerships, and engage stakeholders. Drawing from real-world examples from libraries and community initiatives across North Carolina, participants will learn a practical framework for identifying compelling stories, incorporating publicly available and local data, and tailoring messages to different audiences - from funders and policymakers to community members and staff. Whether you're writing a grant, presenting to a board, or sharing your library's successes, you'll leave with strategies for creating stories that are both evidence-based and memorable.

Presenter:

Erin Huggins is the Associate Director of Program Evaluation and Education Research (PEER) at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University and recently completed her Ph.D. in Education Research and Policy Analysis. Her work focuses on participatory research, implementation science, and mixed-methods evaluation to strengthen digital inclusion, early childhood learning, educator development, and community resilience. Dr. Huggins partners with state agencies, public media, schools, libraries, and community organizations to translate research into action, with a particular emphasis on using storytelling as a tool to elevate community voices, inform policy, and drive meaningful systems change. She has presented nationally on storytelling, digital opportunity, and community-engaged research, helping organizations use authentic narratives to complement data and inspire action.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the essential elements of an effective, data-informed story that communicates library impact.
• Locate and incorporate meaningful data sources, including library metrics, community data, and publicly available datasets, to strengthen storytelling.
• Develop audience-specific messages that resonate with funders, policymakers, community partners, library boards, staff, and patrons.
• Apply a practical storytelling framework to create a compelling story that highlights a program, service, or community partnership from their own library.
• Recognize opportunities to use storytelling to strengthen advocacy, strategic planning, community engagement, and partnership development.

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Hosted by NC LIVE