Effective communications are vital for the success of libraries. Since most libraries have limited staff and financial capacity for communications efforts, it is critical to deploy these resources as strategically as possible. The concepts and skills covered in this course will help libraries approach communications in a way that builds commitment to their organization’s mission, strategic initiatives and outreach activities.

Whether a conference, awards gala, or fundraising dinner, event planning can be a monumental task. However, setting goals and planning well in advance are keys to pulling off a successful event. Uncover the roles and mindset of the event planner and the planning process, everything from event management to budgeting, evaluation, and how to be prepared for when things go wrong.

Does your library have a social media policy that explains how your library uses social media, provide parameters for staff use of social media at work, and how to respond to positive and negative comments from the public? Take the first step toward a stronger, safer online presence, with this course, you will learn how to mitigate your library's social media with the development of a robust social media policy that can align social media practices with your library's mission.

Whether it is creating flyers, posters, social media graphics, or even designing the library's website, graphic design skills are essential for librarians to effectively communicate their message. Learn graphic design's fundamental principles and elements, including color theory, typography, and layout. Explore how to use Canva to produce professional-looking print and electronic designs.

Infographics effectively and efficiently convey data and information and are increasingly used in library instruction, advocacy, and marketing and communications. With an understanding of what makes infographics effective and how libraries and other fields are currently using them, attendees will explore some of the easy-to-use resources to create their own.