YAWPS! (You Already Win at Public Speaking) Public Speaking Tips for Library Staff

YAWPS! (You Already Win at Public Speaking) Public Speaking Tips for Library Staff

You already possess the skills to be an effective public speaker! Presenting storytime trains you to read a room instantly and to think on your feet. Answering readers’ advisory questions shifts the focus away from yourself so you can effectively assist a patron. The pride you feel in your library’s services bubbles over, and you can’t resist sharing with confidence about them as you check out a patron. And organizational skills are woven into every library task - from shelving to cataloging to scheduling. Through discussion and hands-on exercises, this workshop will help you identify your existing skills and learn new ones to create a toolbox to help you be more confident when you need to speak publicly.

Yvette Couser has been the Director of the Merrimack Public Library since 2012 and has worked in public libraries since 2001. She holds a Master’s in Library Science degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts degree in Dramatic Writing from New York University. Yvette is the Past President of the GMILCS Library Consortium and has served on the NHLA Board in several roles; she is the NHLA Website Coordinator and a member of the Equity and Intellectual Freedom Committee. Yvette attributes her knowledge of and confidence in public speaking to years of working in theatre, children’s ministry, and in youth librarianship.