MLA/DLA Conference 2015

Author Name: Jennifer Spriggs
Library System: Allegany County Library Systems
Learning Event website: http://www.mdlib.org/content.asp?contentid=1

Top 3 things learned:

• The WWW Exercise: What Went Well
• Benefits of Being Happy at Work
• GED tests are now completely online.

How to implement:

• Start a conversation or meeting by asking, "What's gone well for you since the last time we talked?"
• Practice the WWW exercise daily for one week and see how it changes your perspective.
• Share with staff - in 200 studies on 275,000 people worldwide: happiness leads to success in nearly every area - work, health, friendship, sociability, creativity, and energy. 
• When people work with a positive mind-set, productivity, creativity, and engagement improves. 
• Dedicate a computer for GED testing at branches.

MLA/DLA2015 Conference

Author Name: Elizabeth Hulett
Library System: Western Maryland Regional Library

Top 3 things learned:

• There are several different ways styles of leadership and many of them overlap.
• Leaders establish the positive conditions of wellness, recognition, empowerment and significance.
• Risk taking is a part of leadership.

How to implement: 
Every time you try an new initiative you are taking a risk, but you should always be willing to try. I see WMRL's new Strategic Plan as an opportunity to take some risks with new initiatives.

Additional learning: 
Behind the Executive Door by Karol Wasylyshyn is a book that was recommended in one of the programs I attended which I plan to read.

MLA/DLA2015 Conference

Author Name: Susan Poper
Library System: Western Maryland Regional Library

Top 3 things learned:
1) Genealogy just might be fun...looking up a person's ancestors
2) The more Jill Craig and Mary Manix spoke about "the dead" I became more intrigued with the thought of looking up my own "dead people"
3) I didn't know there were so many free websites and books from other libraries that a person could find out so much information on one individual.

Additional learning: when I'm actually going to start this I know where to go for help...starting with Jill!

MLA/DLA15: Bring Out Your Dead

Author Name: Jill Craig
Library System: Western Maryland Regional Library
Learning Event website:
http://www.mdlib.org/files/docs/conference/MLAProgram.pdf

Top 3 things learned:
Resources for family histories -
1. Published histories add material not found in census data. The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy and Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records list sources. Many libraries like WCFL's Western Maryland Room and FCPL's Maryland Room collect only local family histories, but there are libraries that collect more broadly, like Mid Continent Library http://www.mymcpl.org/genealogy and Allen Public Library http://www.mymcpl.org/genealogy and might be willing to either answer a question based on the book or ILL a copy.

2. Heritage Quest includes PERSI (Periodical Research Index) as well as census. PERSI could be used to look for a family name in an article. 

3. Family Search also has published family histories. They scan small run family histories and have over 200,000 digitized family and local history publications - books.familysearch.org

How to implement: 
These resources could add to what I post on whilbr. I traditionally search ancestry.com for some information about a person I am referring to. Looking at published family histories could add to this info.

Additional learning: Family Search requires Internet Explorer. I had deleted it from my computer!