[OPLINLIST] The next Ryan Dowd webinar is a panel discussion on how to maintain staff morale

Tue May 6 13:49:28 EDT 2025

Ryan Dowd’s next webinar is this Thursday.

When: May 8, 2025, 2 p.m. ET 

Topics Covered: “Beyond the Pizza Party”: A panel Discussion on How to Maintain Staff Morale

Join us for a panel discussion with a library director and two nonprofit executive directors on what leaders can do to maintain staff morale during challenging times.

  *   How to communicate during crises without causing panic, from navigating politics, layoffs, funding cuts, etc.

  *   Why recognition and connection matter more than pizza for staff morale (and how to do that)

  *   The importance of being authentic and transparent as a leader (and what that looks like)

About the guests:
Brittany Larson has experience working in leadership roles for both academic and public libraries. Brittany currently works as the Muskego Public Library Director in southeastern Wisconsin, supervising a staff of 20 team members, managing a 40,000 sq foot building, and an operating budget of $1.5 million dollars.

Rick Guzman is the Executive Director of The Neighbor Project, a housing and community development organization. In 2020, The Neighbor Project co-launched Illinois’ first-ever “Financial Empowerment Center” with the City of Aurora—and in 2024 was one of just 20 organizations in Illinois to receive a $2 million innovation-award as part of Mackenzie Scott’s foundation’s first-ever open call for applications. Guzman has worked on housing & community development issues in the Illinois Governor’s Office and as Deputy Chief of Staff to two previous Mayors of Aurora.

Lynda Schueler has devoted her 30-year career to leading the formation of solution-focused programming intended to mitigate and end homelessness for those in the suburban Cook County, Illinois. Serving as CEO of Housing Forward, Lynda’s leadership has enabled the agency’s growth from a $450,000 a-year emergency shelter provider to a $22M agency offering services that prevent, respond to, and stabilize through supportive housing, over 2,500 men, women and families who are experiencing a housing crisis each year.

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4316469293825/WN_qa7TYIk7RneTXXY-KNTfog#/registration  

Access to Librarian's Guide to Homelessness for public and academic library staff in Ohio is paid for with federal LSTA funds provided by the IMLS Grants to States program.<https://library.ohio.gov/libraries/state-lib-ohio-federal-imls-funding>

A former director of a Chicago homeless shelter, Ryan Dowd is the author of The Librarians Guide to Homelessness: An Empathy-Driven Approach to Solving Problems, Preventing Conflict, and Serving Everyone.  He travels all over the United States speaking to libraries about how to best help homeless patrons using empathy and respect.  He also provides training to police departments, nonprofits and other organizations on how to compassionately manage problematic behavior from troubled individuals.    

To access The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness<https://library.ohio.gov/libraries/training-and-development/librarians-guide-to-homelessness> core training on Niche Academy, go to the State Library of Ohio’s Training and Professional Development page<https://library.ohio.gov/libraries/training-and-development> and click the homelessness training link.  Once in Niche Academy, you will be prompted to login or create an account. Certificates will be issued within Niche Academy after the completion of the core training or webinar.     

If you have trouble accessing the training or upcoming webinar, email Erin Kelsey, Library Consultant at the State Library of Ohio at: ekelsey at library.ohio.gov<mailto:ekelsey at library.ohio.gov>.      
The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness<https://library.ohio.gov/libraries/training-and-development/librarians-guide-to-homelessness> core training purchased by the State Library in 2019 and has been renewed through August 2025. The online training, authored by Ryan Dowd, is available for all Ohio public and academic library staff.  The four-part training is an empathy-driven approach that provides best practices for library staff on how to understand the homeless population and serve them better. There are also practical tips on how to deal with and de-escalate common situations and issues, and make staff feel empowered and safe.  Archived webinars are available as separate modules in Niche Academy.     

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4316469293825/WN_qa7TYIk7RneTXXY-KNTfog#/registration  

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Marsha McDevitt-Stredney
Director, Marketing & Communications
State Library of Ohio
274 E. 1st Avenue
Columbus, OH 43201
Tel: 614.644.6875
marshams at library.ohio.gov<mailto:marshams at library.ohio.gov>
library.ohio.gov<https://library.ohio.gov/>

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