Communicate more effectively with the public and your staff by learning crucial media and public relations skills. 

Course Description 

Strong media and communication skills are essential for library leaders. This half-day online course will help you learn to effectively handle media inquiries, craft compelling narratives, and manage crisis situations with confidence. From honing messages for diverse audiences to fostering internal transparency, this course will provide you with practical strategies tailored for library environments. You’ll leave this course with the tools and confidence to navigate media landscapes adeptly, communicate your library's values and mission, and amplify its impact in the community. 

The live sessions run on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 from 12:00 to 4:00 pm ET (recorded for on demand viewing). Don’t miss this opportunity!

Who should take this course?

This course is geared toward library leaders, administrators, and experienced managers.

Course Features 

This will be a half-day online course and will include:

• Live sessions: Guest speaker presentations by leaders in their field. (All sessions are recorded for on demand access for six months after the course ends.) 

• Facilitated discussions: Audience participation in Q&A and discussion with guest speakers.

• Early access on-demand resources: Access to a series of past live session archives from Library Journal and School Library Journal courses to explore at your own pace. 

• Online Classroom: The virtual learning platform that holds all course content and is accessible for six months after the course ends. 

Expected time commitment

If you attend or watch the recordings of all live sessions, you'll spend approximately 4 hours on this course. You'll earn 4 hours of PD credit and a Library Journal certificate of completion. 

On-demand access

All live guest speaker sessions are recorded and available on-demand for six months following the initial broadcast as a part of your purchase.

Certificate of completion 

Complete the course and earn 4 professional development credit hours. We provide a certificate that is emailed to you. 

Accessibility

All guest speaker sessions feature auto captioning and are made available on demand after the initial broadcast. Please email libraryjournal@edmaker.co upon registration if you require any special accommodations and we will make our best efforts to facilitate them.

Support

For support with online courses, please contact libraryjournal@edmaker.co.

Group Rates

We offer discounts for groups of 3 or more. 

For larger groups of 15 or more, we offer the option to apply group rates across multiple courses to receive significant discounts. For more information, select “Bulk Course Credits Packages” in the form below. 

Request a group discount!

By registering for this event you confirm that you have read and agree to our Code of Conduct.

Half-Day Online Course | Tuesday, Nov. 11

Session 1 | 12:00-12:45 pm ET

Foundational Tips for Working with the Media 
How do you navigate working with the media as a library leader? When is it appropriate to engage and when should you step back? This session will discuss foundational insights and practical tips for library leaders to effectively interact with the media. You will gain practical strategies to confidently handle media inquiries and shape narratives for and about your library.

Session 2 |  12:45-1:30 pm ET

Positive Media Outreach: Understanding and Building Relationships with Local Media
How might you leverage the power of your local media to raise awareness about your library's initiatives and services? What are the most effective ways to reach out? And how can your library be a resource to increasingly time-strapped reporters? This session will explore ways to understand your local media landscape and start to build positive relationships with reporters.

Break | 1:30-1:45 pm ET

Session 3 | 1:45-2:30 pm ET

Media Interviews: Spokesperson Tips and Message Training 
How can you best prepare to give an interview on behalf of your library? This session will discuss easy and straightforward things you can do to prepare your messages and highlight your key talking points. We will also explore interview do's and don'ts that will help you be prepared for both the media and the general public.

Session 4 | 2:30-3:00 pm ET

Media Deliverables: Creating Media Kits and Policies 
What kinds of tangible materials should you create to make your media interactions more successful? This session will take a deep dive into how to create media kits that will help busy reporters cover your library more accurately and thoroughly. We’ll also discuss how media policies and procedures can help take the guesswork out of how media inquiries should be handled.

Break | 3:00-3:15 pm ET

Session 5 | 3:15-4:00 pm ET

Crisis Communications Do's and Don'ts 
How can leaders best communicate with audiences before, during, and after a crisis situation, and how can leaders support staff during these situations? How should leaders engage with the media and your community during and after an incident? This session will discuss practical best practices for internal and external crisis communications. 

Closing Remarks | 4:00-4:05 pm ET
 

Online Course Preview

A preview of how we build your library skills and bring inspiration to your projects with our online learning experience.

Course Features

Live session with Andrea Blackman and Tasneem Ansariyah Grace	Live Guest Speakers Sessions Guest speaker presentations by leaders in their field.  Audience participation in Q&A and discussion with guest speakers.

Recordings of guest speakers

Recordings Available On Demand Sessions are recorded for on demand access for six months after the course ends.

Asynchronous workshop

Online Classroom  The virtual learning platform that holds all course content and is accessible for six months after the course ends.  Live session recordings. Peer conversation via discussion forums.

Early Access On-Demand Resources

Early Access On-Demand Resources Bonus: Register early and get access to a series of past live session archives from Library Journal and School Library Journal courses to explore at your own pace.  Some courses include supporting resources in the online classroom.