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Best of Core Forum: How to Create a Patron-Centered Administration (ALA Webinar) Online
The Massachusetts Library System is pleased to announce that we have contracted with ALA to provide our members with access to their live webinars. These webinars are free to MLS members who register through our calendar. Please do not register directly with ALA. Members who register directly with ALA are responsible for paying their registration fee.
Please help us keep MLS sponsored training free for all members. If you are unable to attend the live webinar, please cancel your registration. A cancellation link can be found in your confirmation email, or you may contact Sarah Donnelly at sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org to cancel.
Description
Do you want to take your library’s customer service to the next level? If so, this session is for you. We’ll share a step-by-step overview of how libraries have overhauled their customer service philosophy and elevated the patron experience from questioning and conflict to collaboration and coming to a consensus to find solutions. We’ll dig into how we created staff-driven library service success via innovation and leadership to pursue customer service excellence. In addition to sharing our own experiences, we’ll share our best tips for gaining buy-in from trustees, staff, patrons, and even those “responsibility warriors”!
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the webinar, attendees will: -
- Develop a customer service philosophy.
- Identify issues preventing a library from becoming patron centered.
- Culture-changing questions to ask.
- Steps for planning and implementation.
- Learning a Three-step approach to shifting the organization to a patron-centered outcome.
Who Should Attend
Leaders and staff who want to create a more inclusive, patron-focused environment that also supports library staff.
Presenters
Amy Resh’s leadership experiences range from relationship building to innovative and compassionate library service. In her current role, cultivating connections within her community and the System is integral to her work. One of her greatest strengths is connecting people and information in new ways. Her vision is for the sustained growth of library services that have the power to change the world.
Robbin Degeratu is the Assistant Director at the James V. Brown Library. Her professional experience has varied widely, including nonprofit administration, museum direction and curation, institutional planning, development and grant-writing, event coordination, K-12 and adult education, research services, marketing, and disaster planning. She has 10+ years of experience in creating and expanding community partnerships in the education, nonprofit, humanities, and cultural heritage sectors. She successfully utilizes team-based and servant-leadership models to promote excellence in customer service and to cultivate growth within her teams. Robbin is devoted to service in the profession and grounds all of her work in the core belief that libraries transform communities and empower individuals through access to information and support.
Accessibility Information
If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.
- Date:
- Tuesday, April 7, 2026
- Time:
- 2:00pm - 3:00pm
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Format:
- Webinar
- Online:
- This is an online event. Event URL will be sent via registration email.
- Categories:
- Vendor Webinar - ALA
