Webinar: Libraries as an Economic Engine in South Central Kansas

Investment in libraries is an economic conversation... SCKLS invites you to join the discussion! Dr. Bekah Selby-Leach, director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research (CEDBR), will lead an upcoming webinar on reframing library funding as an economic development conversation. Learn how libraries strengthen workforce development, support local business ecosystems, and enhance the quality of life that attracts and retains talent in our communities.

Drawing on current utilization and population data, Dr. Selby-Leach will provide practical strategies for communicating your library’s measurable economic impact to legislators, municipal leaders, and other funding partners. Library leaders and trustees, join us to discover strategies and evidence to support sustainable investment in public libraries.

In this webinar, you will:

• Explore how libraries serve the economy through workforce development, business ecosystem support, and supporting a talent-retaining quality of life
• Access data on library markets, including demographics, home locations, and socioeconomic status
• Obtain recommendations for next steps to sustain the economic contribution and make the economic case for legislators 

Guest presenter Bekah Selby-Leach is the Director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at the Barton School of Business, Wichita State University. A passionate and community-minded entrepreneur, she believes in the power of data-driven decision-making to foster meaningful change. Dr. Selby-Leach holds a Ph.D. in Economics with a specialization in applied econometrics and is dedicated to driving sustainable economic growth in Kansas. Through strategic leadership, innovative research, and collaborative partnerships, she strives to empower businesses and communities with actionable insights.

If you are interested in library leadership, check out these recorded trainings at your convenience...

• Stronger Together: Building Effective Library Boards and Leadership Teams | RECORDING | Watch now
• Effective Library Advocacy in a Polarized World | RECORDING | Watch now
• HR Skills for Library Leaders: Tools to Hire, Onboard, and Empower Your Staff | RECORDING | Watch now
   

EVENT NOTES

Registration Details | Not sure you can make it to a live webinar? Register anyway, and we’ll send you a link to the recorded version when it is available. Registration is limited. Deadline for registration is five days prior to the event. Webinar access information will be emailed to registrants prior to the event.

Recording | When you participate in a SCKLS webinar, a photographic, video or audio recording may occur. If you want your image or voice removed from the webinar recording, you must notify in writing SCKLS Training Specialist Katherine Hughes at least 24 hours in advance of the webinar. Absence of written notification grants SCKLS all rights to the webinar recording for educational purposes.