Grow your skills. Advance your career. Better serve your community.
The Oklahoma Department of Libraries offers a range of professional development opportunities designed to support public library staff at every stage—from new hires to seasoned professionals. Whether you are pursuing certification, fulfilling your contact hours, or expanding your professional capabilities, we offer training and support that enrich your work and strengthen the services you provide.
Upcoming Learning Opportunities
EBSCO Webinars
Calling all library staff—check out these quick and easy trainings from EBSCO! Whether you're new to the databases or just looking for a refresher, take this chance to get to know Explora and EBSCOhost. Please register in advance.
Empower Student Research with Explora
March 4, 1 p.m.
Take a tour of Explora, EBSCO's mobile-friendly interface designed to support student research and classroom instruction. Learn about different search options and explore useful functions from text-to-speech to the citation tool.
Meet the New EBSCOhost
March 18, 1 p.m.
Learn how to get the most from EBSCOhost databases such as Academic Search Premier, Business Source Elite, MEDLINE, and MasterFILE Complete. Explore the latest feature releases, improvements in accessibility, and more.
EBSCO Experience Manager (EEM) & EBSCOadmin Overview for Administrators
April 1, 1 p.m.
Learn how to get the most from EBSCOhost databases such as Academic Search Premier, Business Source Elite, MEDLINE, and MasterFILE Complete. Explore the latest feature releases, improvements in accessibility, and more.
Training Spotlight
Preparing for Tomorrow: The Benefits of Future Thinking in Libraries (Indiana State Library)
February 25, 9-10 a.m.
Find out the many ways that thinking strategically about the future can support library organizations, staff, customers, and local communities.
Niche Academy Spotlight
Watch these brief, on-demand trainings to gather new ideas for adult programs, coding, and crafting tools.
Public Library Certification
A free, semester-based training program that supports staff working toward initial library certification. Courses include:
How to Think Like a Librarian
Reference & Readers' Advisory
Computers & Electronic Resources
Interpersonal Skills
Library Legislation
Programming & Outreach
Collection Development
Library Administration
Course Materials
Downloadable class resources including PowerPoints, handouts, worksheets, pre-class assignments, and supplemental readings. Great for classroom use or self-paced study.
Track Your Progress
Use our dashboards to track certification and contact hours:
Online Learning Opportunities
Access on-demand training, certification programs, and webinars through platforms like:
Niche Academy (includes Online Certification classes and Ryan Dowd’s Homeless De-escalation Training)
WebJunction
Public Library Association
Booklist, Infopeople, EdWeb, and more
Have Questions?
We’re here to support your professional development.
Contact us at: ODL.education@libraries.ok.gov
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