Polished & Prepared Part 4

AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:

• Recognize ADHD-related strengths and challenges in workplace situations without reducing people to stereotypes
• Use practical strategies for organization, time management, and focus that feel sustainable in real library work
• Communicate more clearly about needs, expectations, and support in ways that reduce confusion and overwhelm
• Advocate for yourself or support colleagues more effectively while honoring boundaries and capacity
• Build workflows and habits that make work more manageable instead of relying on willpower alone
• Reframe divergent thinking as a workplace strength and identify where it can be an advantage
• Respond to common workplace challenges with more clarity, self-awareness, and realistic expectations

You’ll leave with concrete strategies to reduce overwhelm, improve follow-through, and create work systems that are actually built to last.

If you are someone who:

• Has ADHD and wants workplace strategies that feel useful instead of generic
• Has ever thought “I know I can do this work, I just need a better way to do it”
• Wants more realistic systems for focus, organization, communication, and follow-through
• Is trying to support a neurodivergent colleague or understand ADHD in a more practical, respectful way
• Wants to work in a way that makes better use of strengths while creating support for the hard parts

This course was built for you.

This course is especially helpful for:

• Library staff with ADHD who want more sustainable ways to work
• Supervisors and coworkers who want to better understand and support neurodivergent colleagues
• Staff who struggle with focus, organization, shifting priorities, or workplace overwhelm
• Anyone interested in building more inclusive, realistic approaches to workplace success
• Library workers at all types of libraries who want practical tools instead of vague advice about productivity

If you’re tired of trying to force yourself into systems that clearly weren’t made for you, you’ll see yourself in this course.

Session 1 | 2:00–2:50 pm ET

Understanding ADHD and the Power of Divergent Thinking

How can divergent thinking become a workplace advantage? What unique strengths do people with ADHD bring to problem-solving, creativity, and innovation? This session will explore ADHD through the lens of divergent thinking and reframe difference as an asset. Learn how ADHD minds approach work, where they thrive, and what gets in the way. Leave with concrete tools for communicating with clarity, empathy, and realistic expectations.

Break | 2:50–3:00 pm ET

Session 2 | 3:00–4:00 pm ET

Supporting Neurodivergent Colleagues (and Yourself!): ADHD and Workplace Success

What does ADHD really look like at work, and how can you support yourself and your colleagues? How can neurodivergent employees advocate for their needs while honoring their boundaries and capacity? This session will build a practical understanding of ADHD and neurodivergence in the workplace. Learn how ADHD impacts work, what meaningful support can look like, and strategies for self-advocacy and sustainable success. Leave with practical, realistic strategies to harness focus, manage challenges, and design workflows that make ADHD work for you and your library with confidence, clarity, and measurable, sustainable impact.

Kate Thompson, MLIS

Owner, Kate Thompson Consulting, LLC

Kate Thompson is an advocate for neurodiversity and a seasoned speaker and coach who empowers workplaces to better support neurodivergent individuals by embracing their strengths and navigating challenges. As a member of the Iowa Olmstead Consumer Task Force, she supported the full inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life. Through the Iowa Family Leadership Training Institute, she advocated for policy change at the state and local level. Kate has assisted libraries in launching Accessibility Teams and surveying users to create more inclusive services and environments.

Kate has taught courses and delivered presentations on neurodiversity to a wide range of audiences, including the Public Library Association and the University of Wisconsin Information School’s continuing education department. She was a contributor to the ALA Editions book Library Programming for Autistic Children and Teens and has written for the blogs of American Libraries and the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom.

Through her firsthand experiences as a parent and her professional work with autistic individuals, Kate has gained deep insight into the strengths and challenges faced by neurodivergent employees. Living with ADHD has further shaped her understanding of cognitive diversity and the importance of embracing different ways of thinking. In her consulting work, Kate helps organizations unlock the full potential of neurodivergent employees by designing inclusive recruitment, onboarding, and workplace practices that foster belonging.

ALL THE DETAILS

A lot of workplace advice assumes everyone processes information, manages time, and stays organized in basically the same way. That’s part of why so many strategies fall apart in real life. This session takes a more useful approach by centering ADHD and neurodivergent experiences in the workplace, especially in the fast-moving, interruption-heavy environment of library work.

You’ll explore ADHD through the lens of divergent thinking, with attention to the strengths neurodivergent employees bring to problem-solving, creativity, innovation, and communication. The course also looks honestly at the parts that can make work harder, including focus, organization, shifting priorities, self-advocacy, and overwhelm, without treating those challenges like personal failures.

This is a practical session built around strategies you can actually use. You’ll learn how to design workflows that fit the way you work, communicate with more clarity, support yourself or your colleagues more effectively, and build systems that make success more sustainable over time. Whether you’re here for yourself, your team, or both, the goal is the same: fewer myths, better tools, and a more realistic path to thriving at work.

SESSIONS AND PRICING

This is a live online session. If you can’t attend in real time, you will receive access to the recording.

GROUP OPTIONS

Training a team? Choose the setup that matches how you want to plan and pay:

Group course enrollment: Enroll 3+ staff in this course and save.

Bulk course credits: Prepay once, get the highest per-seat discount on every course, and assign seats later.

Unlimited annual licensing: System-wide access for a year with no per-course approvals.

Request Discounted Group Pricing

Questions? Email groupsales@libraryjournal.com.

COURSE FORMAT

This is a live, 2-hour online session. You can attend live or watch the recording afterward.

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

Plan for approximately 2 hours for the live session, plus optional time for reflection and applying what you learn.

COURSE ACCESS

You will have access to the session recording for six months after the live event.

CREDIT & CERTIFICATE

You will receive professional development credit hours and a certificate of completion from Library Journal.

This course can be taken on its own or as part of the Polished & Prepared: Core Professional Skills for Library Staff certification. Complete all four courses in the series to earn the full certification.

ACCESSIBILITY

All sessions include auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration and we will make our best efforts to support your needs.

SUPPORT

For technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com.