For the third year, we are happy to have brought these trainings taught by Mary King and Sarah Ross, principal partners of We Can Work It Out, LLC, 
to staff of Michigan libraries. Mary and Sarah specialize in facilitating large group discussions and decision-making processes. Their facilitator training curricula draws upon 25 years of shared experience working with groups in public, private, and nonprofit sectors, and is grounded in a hands-on, practice-centered approach. Together, they bring a vibrant, dynamic approach to group decision-making processes with a relentless focus on finding agreement.
Skills taught and practiced can be used in a variety of settings including staff and work meetings, strategic planning sessions, one-on-one interactions with library patrons, library sponsored community conversations, and focus groups. They included learning theory, as well as practice of skills and peer feedback. Because they were funded by the Library of Michigan, these trainings were only open to staff of Michigan libraries, but were open to and encouraged for those of all levels and roles.
This year's trainings were updated and had different names from previous years in order to more fully express what was covered and who should attend. The content was similar to the "Facilitation Training: Basic" and "Facilitation Trainings: Advanced (Coming to Agreement and Handling Conflict)" that were offered around the state the two years before.
This year's training sessions were:
The Facilitator’s Toolbox - Part 1: Make your meetings effective, efficient, and fun!
The Facilitator’s Toolbox - Part 2: Practical skills for responding to conflict and coming to agreement.
These sessions included some modeling of and information on hosting meetings virtually - a skill that will be all the more important for staff of libraries in our current and post-pandemic reality!
The trainings were held on back-to-back dates, but stood alone for registration.
Due to the pandemic, this year's sessions were held virtually over Zoom.
Part I:
September 21, 2020
September 28, 2020
October 16, 2020
Part II:
September 22, 2020
September 29, 2020
October 19, 2020
All sessions were 9:30am - 4pm, with an hour break for lunch. Because the Library of Michigan wants to support Michigan library staff in growing their skills toward the goal of stronger community engagement, registration was subsidized and was just $40 per person, including all materials.
This project is made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Additional support is provided by the Library of Michigan.
