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Upcoming Webinars
Building Psychologically Safe Work Environments: Enhancing Well-being and Collaboration in Libraries
Instructors: Tamara Nelson, Kawanna Bright, Shannon Jones, and Kelsa Bartley
Approved for 1 contact hour
*Date and time: May 27th 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 pm EST
Format: Online
Psychological safety is the belief that one can express ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fear of negative consequences. The aim of this session is to provide participants with foundational knowledge and practical strategies for fostering psychologically safe work environments in libraries using case studies and interactive activities. Participants will gain an evidence-based understanding of psychological safety and its impact on staff well-being, innovation, and team effectiveness, while also developing applied skills in identifying barriers, using effective communication techniques, and navigating leadership and team dynamics. This session is open and applicable to those working in any type of library.
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
- Define psychological safety and explain its importance in the workplace, particularly in libraries, while identifying barriers to psychological safety and developing strategies to overcome them.
- Practice communication techniques that encourage open dialogue and mutual respect among team members.
- Explore the role of leadership, mentorship, and team dynamics in fostering an inclusive, supportive culture and develop an action plan to create a psychologically safe environment tailored to their organization's needs.
Tamara Nelson is the Director of Library Engagement & User Experience at the Medical University of South Carolina. With a proven record of fostering innovation and collaboration, Tamara leads efforts to enhance user-focused services and engagement strategies within academic and health sciences libraries. Passionate about building inclusive and supportive environments, she is dedicated to advancing equity, access, and innovation in library services. A recognized leader in the field, Tamara frequently speaks on topics such as psychological safety, mentorship, and the critical contributions of underrepresented voices in librarianship.
Dr. Kawanna M. Bright (she/her) is Associate Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University. Her current research focuses on assessment in libraries; equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in libraries; the application of research methodology to the study of library and information science; and the liaison librarianship role in academic libraries. Dr. Bright teaches courses on research methods, academic libraries, outreach and community engagement, administration and management, and services to diverse populations. She endeavors to provide students with real-world, practical experiences and the confidence needed for successful postgraduate careers.
Dr. Shannon D. Jones (she/her) is the Director of Libraries and Chair, Academic Affairs Faculty for the Medical University of South Carolina Libraries. She is also Director of Region 2 of the Network of the National Library of Medicine. A long-time Medical Library Association volunteer, Shannon has served in many roles, including as the 2022-2023 MLA President. During her term as MLA President, Shannon launched the Be Well MLA initiative to motivate members to focus on their wellness and well-being. In 2018, Shannon co-founded the MLA Reads Virtual Book Discussion Club to provide a forum for participants to learn, discuss, and reflect on the implications of various DEI topics in their work as information professionals and in their personal lives. Shannon is the co-editor of Diversity and Inclusion in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success and Cultural Humility in Libraries: A Call to Action and Strategies for Success. Her educational background includes an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Charleston Southern University, an M.Ed. in Adult Learning with a concentration in Human Resources Development from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master of Library Science from North Carolina Central University.
Kelsa Bartley is the Assistant Director and Head of Research and Education at the Health Sciences Library at Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries. Kelsa's career in libraries is rooted in advancing belonging and equity initiatives within the library community, and creating inclusive environments that serve all staff, students and faculty. She is a dedicated advocate for library instruction in the medical education curriculum, focused on enhancing research support, and creating educational initiatives that aid the academic success of students and faculty. Kelsa has experience in library marketing and outreach, utilizing social media and other tools to increase engagement and promote library services. She is also passionate about promoting wellness and wellbeing within libraries, championing initiatives that nurture both the intellectual and emotional health of library staff and users. Kelsa is active in the Medical Library Association (MLA), completing service as Chair of MLA’s Community Building and Belonging Committee in 2025, and is currently a member of the Be Well MLA Committee. She co-founded the MLA Reads Virtual Book Discussion Club to provide a space for information professionals to learn, discuss, and reflect on the implications of various DEI topics in their work and personal lives.
Cost (Canadian Dollars)
| Member | Individual Librarian | $45 |
| Library Technician | $35 |
| Retired/Unemployed | $30 |
| Student | $20 |
| Non-Member |
| $75 |
*Members of the Medical Library Association (MLA) are eligible for the CHLA member rate. MLA members should contact treasurer@chla-absc.ca to receive the MLA member discount code. Please include a screenshot of your receipt or other confirmation of your current membership in MLA.
Cancellation Policy
Cancelled registrations will be reimbursed in full minus a $5 administration fee until May 25, 2026. No cancellations are permitted after that date. To cancel your registration, email treasurer@chla-absc.ca
Register Now!
Past Webinars
Designing Instructional Strategies for Teaching AI Use in Library Instruction
Instructors: Erica Nekolaichuk and Kaitlin Fuller
Approved for 2 contact hours
*Date and time: November 25th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm EST
Format: Online
Information professionals are often tasked with teaching others how to find information, both in academic and clinical settings. This role, while having always been important, is crucial now, as generative AI is rapidly changing how information is accessed, interpreted, and shared, and misinformation abounds. This workshop, designed for any information professionals involved in teaching, will help participants create activities that develop their learners' awareness and critical thinking regarding the use of generative AI. It will focus on instructional design and lesson planning, structured around three key pillars: situational factors, learning outcomes, and active learning.
This workshop is for people who want to think deeply and collaboratively about their instructional practices related to teaching AI literacy. The facilitators will lead participants through a variety of activities and will draw on the collective experiences of participants as well as the instructors’ own experience teaching AI search engines. This workshop will not use breakout groups. Instead, participants will engage in discussions through open text polls, create learning objectives and activities on Google Slides, share feedback collectively, and will provide participants with dedicated time to explore and reflect on how to incorporate AI literacy into their teaching.
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
Apply a backwards design process to develop a group instructional session on topics related to AI literacy
Discuss challenges and opportunities related to teaching AI literacy in group settings
Identify situational factors at your library and institution, and consider how these impact your instructional design
Create learning objectives for an instructional session on topics related to AI literacy
Design workshop activities to assist participants' achievement of learning objectives
Erica Nekolaichuk is an instructional librarian with the Gerstein Science Information Centre at the University of Toronto. She has a Masters in the history of medicine from McGill and completed library school at Western University in 2012. She is a sessional lecturer in the Faculty of Information where she developed and occasionally teaches a course called Evidence-Based Healthcare for Librarians. Her current research interests are in testing the performance of academic AI search engines.
Kaitlin Fuller, MLIS, is a Scholarly Communications and Health Sciences Librarian at St. Francis Xavier University (StFX). Before joining StFX, she worked as a liaison librarian to the MD Program at the University of Toronto. Kaitlin has also taught as a co-instructor of the Health Sciences Literature & Information Resources course at Dalhousie University, as faculty in the Library and Information Technology program at Nova Scotia Community College, and as a sessional lecturer at the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include librarian teaching practices, search strategies for knowledge synthesis, and the evaluation of academic AI search engines.
5 Key Steps to Creating Validated Search Filters
Instructor: Lynda Ayiku
Level: Introductory
Approved for 1 contact hour
*
Have you ever wondered how to build your own validated search filter? Whether you're an experienced searcher or new to knowledge synthesis, this session will guide you through the essential steps to create high-quality, validated search filters using a “Gold Standard” set of references.
Note that if you are registering for this session after October 20th, 2025, the Q&A session has already taken place, but there is a recording available within the course.
Format:
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
Distinguish between validated and non-validated search filters, and why this matters
Describe techniques to identify and generate a ‘Gold Standard’ set of references for a topic
Identify strategies to develop a search filter using a ‘development set’ (Gold Standard subset)
Describe how to validate a search filter using a ‘validation set’ (Gold Standard subset)
Describe how the recall/sensitivity retrieval performance measure is used to evaluate search filter effectiveness
Outline how the precision, specificity, and Number Needed to Read (NNR) retrieval performance measures are used to evaluate search filter efficiency
Lynda Ayiku is a Senior Information Specialist at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom. Her role involves conducting systematic literature searches for national evidence-based products such as guidelines and conducting scoping searches for health technology assessment guidance, and guidance/advice on digital medical devices. Lynda's research interest in developing validated search filters has led to the development of filters for geographic regions (the UK and OECD countries) and digital health interventions (apps and artificial intelligence).
The Continuing Education section of the Governance Manual has more information on:
- CHLA/ABSC Continuing Education Course Development and Delivery Policy
- Guidelines for Accreditation of CHLA/ABSC Continuing Education Courses
- Journal Club Requirements for CHLA/ABSC CE accreditation
The Workshop Planning Manual is also available.
FORMS
Continuing Education Courses
This Roster lists CHLA/ABSC accredited courses that chapter and conference organizers can draw from during Continuing Education Workshop planning. The roster will be updated as new courses are developed and accredited. If you have attended or have given a workshop, course or information session that you think your colleagues would benefit from, please let us know by sending an e-mail to the CE Coordinator and put CE Roster in the subject field.
Conference CE Workshops (Accredited for 3 years)
Learning Canadian Legal Literature in the Health Care Context
Instructor: Dr. David H. Michels
Level: Introductory
Approved for 2 contact hours
Accreditation: May 24, 2023 to May 23, 2026
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
- Recognize different types of legal literature reflected in these case studies
- Use the appropriate tools to explore the issues in these case studies
- Feel more confident in navigating legal materials to explore similar issues in health and workplace law and practice.
Supporting the Development and Content Management of Policy Documents in Healthcare Organizations: Roles for Library Professionals
Instructor: Michelle Helliwell
Level: Introductory
Approved for 3 contact hours
Accreditation: June 2, 2023 to June 1, 2026
By the end of this course participants will be able to:
- Understand the function of different policy documents
- Understand the key factors that make a successful policy development team
- Identify key knowledge, skills and behaviors Library Professionals with varying responsibilities have to offer their organizations to support both policy development and content management
- Understand the document control and content management considerations of policy documents that could be supported by Library Professionals with varying responsibilities
* As per the 2015 Bilateral Agreement between CHLA/ABSC and MLA, CHLA/ABSC may grant CHLA/ABSC credit (CEU) according to criteria established by CHLA/ABSC for MLA-based courses taught in Canada. MLA will recognize CHLA/ABSC CE approved courses as being equivalent to MLA CE credits. CHLA/ABSC members taking an MLA course in Canada may receive MLA credit. CHLA/ABSC may use MLA owned continuing education syllabi supplemented by appropriate Canadian content for teaching in a Canadian context as the basis for its own continuing education programs.
