Free learning resources for public libraries

OCLC’s WebJunction offers free, on-demand professional development and continuing education resources to build library staff's knowledge, skills, and confidence to deliver transformational services to their communities. Find out what’s new and coming soon.

Library Foundational Training—LiFT

Library Foundational Training (LiFT) is a series of on-demand courses designed to equip library staff with essential skills for success with practical and accessible training. Building on the legacy of the Alternative Basic Library Education (ABLE) courses, LiFT updates and enhances the content to reflect current best practices.

Developed in partnership with the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL), the courses focus on:

  • Public library fundamentals
  • The reference interview
  • The library catalog
  • Collection management
  • Community engagement

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Logo: LiFT Foundational Training

Digital collections stewardship training

In partnership with Washington State University’s Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation, WebJunction developed a series of on-demand courses on creating, managing, and sharing digital collections, designed for staff at small public libraries and tribal archives, libraries, and museums. The series includes a course on diversifying digital collections to fully represent the range of peoples, groups, and organizations in their communities.

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Illustration: Life cycle of digital stewardship

Bridgebuilding: Creating libraries where everyone belongs

Public libraries can become a place to build trust, reach new people, and create a sense of connection and belonging within a community. Bridgebuilding, where different types of people come together with respect and understanding, helps build trust and work toward shared goals. This approach can strengthen communities over time. 

IREX, the Urban Libraries Council, and OCLC's WebJunction collaborated to develop a resource hub empowering libraries to become community bridgbuilders. Take the new self-paced course, An Introduction to Bridgebuilding, to get started. 

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Illustration: Faces of many types of people

New course for facilitating learning groups

Peer learning groups are a great way to stay motivated and accountable in learning and applying new skills. To be successful, learning groups need a facilitator to bring the group together, provide structure, and coordinate discussions. This self-paced course, developed by WebJunction, supports anyone stepping into the role of a facilitator by providing an introduction to learning groups and walking them through how to organize and facilitate one.

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Illustration: Life cycle of digital stewardship

Updated and improved Supercharged Storytimes course

You already provide great storytimes. Supercharge your practice to make them even better! Supercharged Storytimes is a self-paced course on how to intentionally apply research-based practices to boost early literacy in young children attending library storytime. The course materials have been updated to increase accessibility and provide resources on inclusive collections.

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Four on-demand courses for support with crisis communications, burnout, and de-escalation

These courses respond to training needs and increased demands identified by the field, including pressures from a fast-changing environment, potential and experienced conflict, constraints to resources, and challenges in the workplace such as burnout. Each course includes perspectives and real-life approaches from people who have actively worked through similar challenges in their work. 

Explore the courses

Illustration: People using gears representing training needs

WebJunction Course Catalog

WebJunction online course

Our Course Catalog offers free, library-specific self-paced courses, webinar recordings, and other great learning materials. Certificates of completion are available to help library staff meet CE and LEU credit requirements. Create a free account and start learning today.

Upcoming webinars

Join us for free webinars that allow learners to meet and learn from library leaders and practitioners.

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Oct 13

13 October 2026

How to host a job fair at your library

Public libraries are uniquely positioned to support workforce development and connect job seekers with meaningful employment opportunities. This session will guide attendees through the process of planning, promoting, and executing a successful job fair at their library.

  • Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, North America [UTC -4]

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Nov 3

03 November 2026

Middle management strategies for success in public libraries

Learn from Brooklyn Public Library staff about their successful middle management strategies. Leave with tips for managing expectations when directives are unclear and techniques for being an effective bridge between executive goals and daily library operations.

  • Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, North America [UTC -5]

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Crossroads

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