April Events Digest
Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills, explore fresh ideas, or connect with colleagues across Ohio’s library community, OhioNet has something for you! Browse this month’s round-up of upcoming webinars, in-person workshops, and vendor demos designed to boost your skills and help you connect with fellow OhioNet members.
Have questions about an event or need assistance with registration? We’re happy to help! Email our team at [email protected].
Featured Events:
Join us for “Conversations Worth Having for Library Employees” in person on May 13
In Person Event on May 13, 2026, 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. | $150.00 (Member) / $200.00 (Non-Member)
Conversations shape our libraries, teams, and communities and influence our well-being, relationships, and future possibilities. Yet communication remains one of the top challenges for organizations, teams and relationships — especially when frustration or conflict arises.
This can show up in libraries as:
- Employee disengagement
- Dysfunctional teams, boards or committees
- Inability to give and receive feedback
- Negative attitudes, cliques, and gossip; a culture of “me”
If you’re dealing with any of these, Conversations Worth Having for Library Employees will give you the skills and tools to turn them around. You will learn and practice how to spark meaningful connections, ignite creativity, and empower library employees at all levels to make a difference.
Free Member Event “Fair Use Fact & Fiction” on April 23!
In this webinar we’ll take a look at the fair use statute, including carefully reviewing the four factors found of fair use:
- the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
- the nature of the copyrighted work
- the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
- the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
We’ll also discuss common myths and misconceptions about fair use! The webinar will include some scenario work and Q&A time.
Additional Upcoming Events:
Cataloging webinar on April 9, 2026, 2:30-4:30 p.m. | $15.00 (Member) / $45.00 (Non-Member)
MARC (Machine-Readable Cataloging) is the language most libraries use to encode the records for their collections. Building on the basic overview of MARC provided in our introductory webinar series, this session dives into the details of each of the major tag groups and highlights areas of importance for different material types.
Attendees of this event will have the opportunity to:
- Explore freely available MARC reference resources.
- Examine each of the MARC coding tag groups.
- Highlight areas most relevant for various material types.
- Discuss best practices and explore options for local variations.
Learn more and register here.
Foundations of Workplace Accommodations
Wellbeing webinar on April 14, 2026, 3:00-4:00 p.m. | Free! (Member) / $45.00 (Non-Member)
Today’s libraries must operate under a variety of employment regulations stemming from a multitude of laws governing the workplace. One such occurrence is when an employee requests an accommodation for an illness, injury, pregnancy or religious belief or pregnancy. If such requests are not handled properly by supervisors, an employer could face liability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”) , or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
This session will provide an overview of the accommodation process and discuss management’s responsibilities during the interactive process when faced with an employee’s request for a workplace accommodation. Further, the session will discuss the current legal landscape concerning accommodation requests for pregnancy and religious beliefs. Case law will be reviewed throughout. Learn more and register here.
Discover Infobase’s New Platform Features and Streaming Video Solutions to Support Your Library
Product Demo on April 16, 2026, 3:00-4:00 p.m. | Free!
Please join us for a fast-paced overview Infobase’s new all-in-one platform, as well as two streaming services built specifically for public libraries: Access Video On Demand and Just for Kids.
Access Video On Demand provides unlimited streaming to thousands of high-quality titles — including our new AI Collection — from trusted producers like HBO®, BBC, National Geographic, PBS, and more. Ideal for lifelong learners, classroom support, programming, and at-home access.
Just for Kids offers a safe, kid-friendly platform with educational videos, songs, and interactive content that supports early learning, literacy, and children’s programming. Learn more and register here.
Library Communications and Outreach Summit SOLD OUT – Waitlist available!
Member Event on April 22, 2026, 9:00 a.m.-3:10 p.m. | $150.00 (Member) / $200.00 (Non-Member)
We invite you to join us for a Library Communications and Outreach Summit on April 22, 2026, at the OhioNet Town Hall meeting space. This in-person event will explore the ways libraries can communicate their value, engage users, and build meaningful connections through outreach.
Attendees will hear from featured speaker Grayson Kelly, Digital Storyteller Specialist at Columbus Metropolitan Library – one of the most popular library social media brands in the country.
This event will feature a day of sessions including practitioner presentations, a vendor demonstration, and more. Learn more and join the waitlist here.
NewsBank Updates: Platform Features and New Collections
Product Demo on May 7, 2026, 3:00-4:00 p.m. | Free!
Please join us for an update from NewsBank on their platform and collections. New features/content includes:
- An overview of ResearchRocket, designed for digital learning in the K-8 space
- A new translation tool supporting over 30 languages in Access World News
- An additional decade of coverage (2000–2010), extending the timeline in America’s Historical Newspapers from 1690 to 2010
- New capsule collections in the Life in America Collection
Learn more and register here.
Looking for more? View a full listing of upcoming events and professional development opportunities on our Training page.
