There is a great list of free webinars to dive into this April. Whether you're looking to enhance your technology know-how, explore new approaches to community engagement, or expand your leadership skills, there's something here to support your growth. The list, provided by the Maine State Library, includes over 50 webinars and an online conference, covering 20 different topic areas.

As part of our ongoing work on AI, we launched a poll in February’s Crossroads newsletter asking how AI is showing up in your library work. These poll results will inform our upcoming AI content and programming. Let’s dig into what you shared and what we learned!

The two AI topics that are most interesting to respondents are “tools and applications in my work” and “benefits, risks, and ethics.” The poll also asked how often your work involves using AI, and the most popular answer was “rarely” chosen by 27% of respondents. By contrast, the least popular answer was “daily” chosen... Read more

Go to the library and eat a book! The Edible Book is an international event that began in Santa Monica, California in 1999, where people use food to create representations of books, either a specific title or a generic “book.’ Events are usually held at the beginning of April to honor French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), who was born on April 1. Public libraries have hosted Edible Book events in towns as far-flung as Bowdoinham, Maine; Northampton, Massachusetts; Groton, Connecticut; Coconut Grove, Florida; Kirkland, Ohio; and Kearney, Nebraska. 

Judges come up with creative award categories, and after the award presentations,... Read more

Healthy Places by Design is a nonprofit consulting organization dedicated to advancing community-led action and implementing proven, place-based strategies to improve health and wellbeing for all. By focusing on the built environment and social factors that influence community health, they help create spaces and opportunities for people to connect, thrive, and lead healthier lives. Libraries and other community organizations can participate in their Socially Connected Communities Network and utilize their valuable resources and guidance to foster social connection, address social isolation, and implement sustainable community wellbeing strategies. See below for details on those opportunities, including an upcoming webinar on Cultivating... Read more