BCLA supports the ongoing acquisition of skills and knowledge for personal and professional development and for career advancement. This page features recordings of past BCLA events and workshops, as well as training and tutorials related to our toolkits and annual Conference, all of which are available through our Vimeo account.
Please note that the recordings of our Conference Virtual Reboot series, which requires a for-fee registration, are password-protected. Contact Professional Development Coordinator, Natalie Porter for more information regarding access to those recordings.
AI Exploration Series
The AI Exploration Series began in 2024 and has been made possible with the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.
A Pessimist’s Guide to ‘AI’: Hype, Bias, Environmental Harms and What to Do About Them (March 2025) with Dr. Anne Pasek.
Custom AI Models and LibraryRobot.org (January 2025) with Reed Hepler.
AI: Why is it writing my term paper when it should be doing my laundry? (December 2024) with R. David Lankes:
AI and ChatGPT Top Tips for Daily Life & Library Work (November 2024) with Cari Lynn Gawletz.
Empowering Libraries: Exploring the AI Frontier (October 2024) with Dr. Brandy McNeil.
Best Practises for Hosting AI Workshops at the Public Library (October 2024) with Issam Laradji.
Annual Year-End Keynote Speaker Series
Our annual Year-End Keynote Speaker Series features a presenter who has come recommended as someone who will inspire and challenge library workers as they prepare for a new year.
2024: Artificial Intelligence: why is it writing my term paper when it should be doing my laundry? with R. David Lankes.
2023: Communities of Care: accessible libraries through trauma-informed frameworks and radical empathy with Karina Hagelin.
Anti-Racism Training
Indigenous Allyship and Anti-Racism (April 4, 2024) with Len Pierre, a Coast Salish educator from Katzie First Nation
BCLA Toolkits
Accessible Job Interviews in the Library Workplace Toolkit
This toolkit was created by Celia Hagey, as part of her MLIS degree. The presentation in February 2025 provided an overview of best practises for libraries seeking to hire autistic and neurodivergent employees.
Equity Diversity Inclusion Strategies in Recruitment Toolkit
This toolkit was built by the contributions of Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour (IBPOC) and project leader, Jessica Whu Lee. The presentation in March 2024 provided an overview for anyone involved or interested in recruitment in libraries, seeking to get introduced or refreshed on the EDI Toolkit.
BC BookBlast! Series (2023-2024)
In collaboration with Read Local BC and the Association of BC Book Publishers these events featured the latest BC books.
New Fall Books (Oct. 2024): Book list and Recording
Kids’ Summer Books (June 2024): Book list and Recording
Community in BC (May 2024): Book list and Recording
Freedom to Read Week / Black History Month (February 2024): Book list and Recording
Conference Preparation
Public Library Privacy Guidelines 2023
In 2023, the Northwest Library Federation recorded a 3-part webinar series based on The Privacy Guidelines for BC Public Libraries with SFU Privacy Lawyer, Ericka Brimacombe.
Webinar One: For all library staff, covering personal liability, collection / use / disclosure / consent of information, and briefly touches on Privacy Impact Assessments, complaints and breaches.
Webinar Two: Intended for Library Directors and Privacy Officers with close attention to FOI, complaints, breaches, and Privacy Management Program.
:Webinar Three: Q&A session including insightful questions, templates, and examples of Records Retention Schedules, etc.
Recommended resource: OIPC – Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner for BC offering a free suite of PrivacyRight Webinars and host a free, annual session on “Data Privacy Day” on January 30th, as well as customized webinars and training. A helpful video called “The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA): Essentials for your organization” (Feb. 21, 2024) is freely available. Note: this is the organization where you would report a privacy breach.