2011 RFS Conference Sessions

author of "Tampa," "The Tenth Horse," and "Perfect Murder." Stop by his website.

Betty Kay
author of "The Lincolns From A to Z" and "The Civil War From A to Z: Two Points of View"

Norman V. Kelly
a local historian and blogger from Peoria, Illinois; author of "Until You Are Dead"

Cindy Ladage
author of "Fairy Tales are Fragile" and "Love Forward." She is also a regular contributor to "Illinois Times."

Jade Lee
author of numerous romance novels including "Wicked Sedution" and "White Tigress"

Marcellus Leonard
author of "Shake the Thunder Down." Mr. Leonard is a professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Kirby and Cindy Pringle
authors of the Earl & Pearl Barker children's books, about loveable dogs who have a message to tell AND who love to wear clothes!

Sylvia Shults
author of "Price of Admission" and "Taming of the Werewolf." Visit her website here.

John Sloan
John Sloan, musician/singer/songwriter will entertain us with song and guitar. The "coffeehouse setting" is a candlelight/good coffee/sandwich listening experience. John has written many songs and produced several CDs, and is an outstanding, versatile entertainer who has hosted countless coffeehouses for the Galva Arts Council. Unwind and network with your peers as you enjoy food and music to wrap up a terrific pre-conference day. For more information about John, visit his blog here.

Step Up to Great Performance: Keeping Up, Reaching Forward, and Moving Through
Lauren Burnett, motivational speaker and life coach
Join us as Lauren opens the 15th annual conference with a motivational keynote. It takes more than one pair of shoes to reach forward to a great performance while keeping up and moving through the challenges and changes of being a front line library worker today. Try on Shoe Wisdoms as you join Lauren and be ready to Step up! Stand up! And Be Up! For a preview, see her blog Replenish: Recharge Spirit and Strategies for Success or stop by her website Center for Inner Quality.

Archives 101
Cindy Boehlke
This session focuses on everything you need to know about archiving and protecting your special collections.

Presenting a Professional Image
Liz Breedlove, Executive Director, Black Hawk East College Foundation
Are you putting your best foot forward on the job? How you dress and communicate affects how others perceive you and your job performance. Polish your image by learning how to dress for success, improve your verbal and non-verbal communication skills, properly utilize various forms of e-communication devices in the workplace, and put the customer first.

Harnessing the Power of Technology to Work (and Play) More Efficiently
Nanette Donohue, Champaign Public Library
Do you need to do online research for work or leisure, but have no idea where to begin? You can do this stress free! This workshop will give examples of productivity, personal, financial, and charitable websites to enhance your online research skills.

Thinking Outside the Case: Tips for Creating Eye-Catching Displays
Wayne Finley, Assistant Professor/Business Subject Specialist, NIU and Joanna Kluever, Library Director, Julia Hull District Library
With just a splash of color, attention to arrangement, and a spark of creativity, you can breathe new life into your collections and turn your displays into marketing tools for the library. In this session you'll be empowered to delete clip art, boldly defy 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper full of text, in exchange for eye-catching visuals, imaginitive topics, and simple tips to super-charge your displays.

Reading Warriors: A Boys Reading Program
Heidi Knuth, Youth Services Assistant at Deerfield Public Library
In 2007, the Deerfield Public Library received a grant to create programs and resources devoted to boys and reading. Attendance at grant programs tripled expected numbers, grant activities received national notice, and the grant was presented at the Illinois Library Association Conference. Community ties were made and strengthened, attitudes were challenged, and a fun time was had by all. The project director will outline all that went into the grant, how it unfolded, and the lasting results that can be seen in the library.

Survival Skills: Conflict Resolution
Dr. Madelyn J. Nelson, Circulation Supervisor, NIU Founders Library
This workshop focuses on identification and analysis of dangers in the workplace, reducing risk with planning, and using conflict resolution strategies in difficult interactions with your boss, staff, co-workers, and the public. This session also includes information on bullying in the workplace.

Positive Attitude in the Workplace
Dan Schneider, Marketing Specialist with Schneider Reflections
We spend a third of our lives in our workplaces, half of our waking lives. Why not make those hours the happiest they can be? Let's explore some key concepts in maintaining a positive attitude during the day. In this session, we will work on techniques that have benefitted many people. Get ready to have a lot of fun!

Elevator Talk: Sell Your Library
John Sloan
What if you were on an elevator with someone and they asked about what you do? How would you - very quickly - address these questions? What does your library do? Where is your library going? Why should anyone care? John will present an interactive session designed to assist participants in identifying the strengths and/or goals of each of their libraries, then work to develop mission statements and useable, succinct message themes.

Collection Development a la Carte
Mary Wilkes Towner, Adult Services Librarian, Urbana Free Library
Tired of waiting until it's your turn for shared review journals? Do you long to provide timely and tip-top titles to your patrons? Want some alternatives to the mainstream? Discover a range of free collection development tools from which you can pick and choose to enhance your workflow and your library's offerings. Librarians and publishers share much information on the Internet. Learn strategies to take advantage of these myriad resources.