Library Hospitality – More Than Just Customer Service

Is your library welcoming, comfortable and inviting? It's more than just providing resources, it's assuring a positive holistic experience to patrons. This daylong workshop explores different approaches for creating an environment that makes patrons feel welcome.

Tour the Ann Arbor District Library’s newly renovated Westgate Branch and hear designer Anna Owen talk about her design philosophy for libraries. Explore possible barriers to providing the best service to patrons and best tactics for creating a healthy organizational culture that values trust and exceptional customer service. In our afternoon sessions you’ll hear how University of Michigan Library is incorporating principles of service design, participatory design, and user experience into their spaces, and panelists will continue the discussion on creating a culture of hospitality to round out the day.

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Schedule

9:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:30 – 9:55 a.m.
Welcome & Library Tour
Facilitated by Josie Parker, Ann Arbor District Library and Anna Owen, Anna Owen Interiors

10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
Morning Session
Anna Owen, Anna Owen Interiors

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Trust and Giant Chickens
Why do so many people who work in public libraries forget that our job is to work with the public? How does our inability to trust not only our patrons, but our colleagues get in the way of being able to inspire, engage and transform? What is getting in our way of providing the best possible service to our patrons? Hear the story of one person’s quest to slay a Giant Chicken and to transform unhealthy groups into trusting teams. Leaders will learn the best tactics to begin the process of becoming a healthy organization that values trust and exceptional customer service.
Kevin King, Kalamazoo Public Library

12:00 – 12:45 p.m.
Lunch (provided)

12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Understanding and Designing Welcoming and Inclusive Spaces
In this presentation, Emily Puckett Rodgers will discuss her approach to her work as the Space Design and Assessment Librarian in the Library Environments department at the University of Michigan Library. As the head of a new department, Emily oversees the assessment of our physical library spaces (staff, public, and service areas). She also facilitates a design process when making changes to our spaces that incorporates principles of service design, participatory design, and user experience. As a result, we're making changes to our buildings that create more welcoming and inclusive spaces for our academic and public community of scholars.
Emily Puckett Rodgers, University of Michigan

1:45 – 3:00 p.m.                              
Creating a Culture of Hospitality (Panel)
Emily Puckett Rodgers, University of Michigan; Kevin King, Kalamazoo Public Library; Lori Coryell, Chelsea District Library; Eva Davis, Canton Public Library

3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Round Tables

Registration Rates

Early Bird rates expire Friday, April 12, 2019

Advanced Registration rates expire Friday, April 26, 2019

*subject to space limitations

Continental breakfast and lunch included with registration.

Location

Ann Arbor District Library
Westgate Branch (Located in Westgate Shopping Center)
West Side Room
2503 Jackson Ave
Ann Arbor, MI 48103

Parking

Complimentary parking is available in front of and behind the shopping center. To access the rear entrance of the library, drive around the Rite-Aid on the north side of the shopping center.

Cancellation Policy

MLA Workshops (full and half-day): Cancellations must be received in writing by e-mail no later than five (5) business days prior to the program in order to qualify for a refund. Within five (5) business days of the event, no refund will be issued. No-shows will be invoiced. A $35.00 processing fee will be applied to refunds for workshops.

MLA Initiated Cancellation: If a Michigan Library Association professional development workshop, conference, webinar, or other training session is cancelled due to low registration or inclement weather, participants will be notified and fees, if applicable, will be refunded.

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