Wednesday

9:00 - 9:45 AM

Storytime with Let's Learn Kentucky - Room 136A

Emily Cornett

Discover how to bring kindergarten readiness to life through engaging, family-centered storytimes. In this session, participants will explore a ready-to-use collection of four themed storytimes—Count Together, Move Together, Play Together, and Read Together—designed to support early learning and strengthen connections between libraries and families. Grounded in Let’s Learn Kentucky, KET’s statewide kindergarten readiness initiative, these storytimes reflect a whole-child approach to early development. Let’s Learn Kentucky provides trusted, research-based resources that help families build the foundational skills children need for success in school and beyond, including early literacy, math, physical development, and social-emotional learning. 

Attendees will learn how each storytime intentionally weaves together books, songs, movement, and play with simple caregiver messaging and take-home resources. Participants will also gain strategies for using Raising Readers in Kentucky materials from LetsLearnKY.org to extend learning beyond the library—empowering families to practice key skills at home through everyday routines like counting, talking, reading, and playing together. Whether you are new to storytime planning or looking to deepen your impact, this session will provide practical tools and inspiration to help you create meaningful learning experiences that last far beyond the library walls.

Library Experience Day: A Partnership for K-12 and Academic Libraries - Room 201

Melissa Dennis

This presentation gives an overview of an ongoing community-engaged partnership called Library Experience Day (LED). For 3 years, librarians at a university library have worked with librarians at local high schools to design a day of learning for a small group of selected high school students. This presentation outlines the benefits for high school librarians and their students, as well as the benefits for university librarians and their students. Discussions will examine the costs, planning, and ongoing communication involved to design this day of learning.

Invisible Infrastructure, Visible Impact: Making the Case for IT Investment in Public Libraries - Room 15

Adam Branscum

Library IT work is largely invisible. When it is done well, nobody notices. Patrons connect, staff communicate, devices work, and the building hums along. When it is underfunded or neglected, everyone notices, and the library's ability to serve its community takes the hit. Over the past several years, the IT department at North Little Rock Public Library System has made a series of targeted investments across our branches that improved service delivery, reduced costs, and strengthened our ability to protect the people who use our libraries. We upgraded network infrastructure to expand reliable access for patrons using library Wi-Fi for job searching, coursework, and everyday needs. 

We implemented a VoIP phone system that cut communication costs across branches while improving how staff stay connected. We improved device availability so patrons have consistent access to the technology the library promises to provide. We deployed new monitoring and management tools that give our small team visibility across the entire system without requiring a large staff. And we built out security practices that protect patron data without requiring an enterprise budget. None of these projects were flashy. Most of them went unnoticed by everyone except the people who needed them to work. This presentation tells that story with real numbers and honest context, and gives library IT staff and administrators a practical approach for documenting similar work at their own institutions so it gets the recognition and funding it deserves.

10:00 - 10:45 AM

Talking About the First Amendment to Your Community - Room 136A

Cassandra Mae Taylor

How can you bring the First Amendment (1A) into conversation when under fire and when out and about? 1A supports your work, gives voice to your community, and educates all ages. Conversations bring communities together to understand each other and solve problems. Attendees will explore ways to mention how 1A impacts daily life and develop conversational tools that support this subtle advocacy. Attendees will leave with NEW FTRF resources. 

Add'l info Many library staff are intimidated by the current political situation from discussing the First Amendment (1A), but libraries are essential to this constitutional right. Librarians will find their jobs are made easier when they understand 1A themselves, and can talk about it comfortably. Librarians have a responsibility to discuss how 1A impacts their patrons every day. This increased understanding and facility when speaking will support the broader community to use their own voices in support of everyone’s 1A rights.

The Joy of Text: Sharing Successes and Scholarship by Writing for a Professional Library Journal - Room 136B

John Barnett, Melissa England

Whether it’s a scholarly research study, a this-is-how-we-do-it practitioner article, a book review, a news item, or a thought piece, there are many approaches you can take to share your story by writing for a professional library journal. But where do you start? Two editors, one from a state library journal, one from a regional library journal, offer guidance on submitting a manuscript for consideration by a professional library journal. The editors also explain the editing and publishing processes and detail how they got involved in editing a library journal. 

Through this session, aspiring authors can learn how to increase their chances for successfully publishing in a professional journal. Authors will be able to match manuscripts with appropriate journals and pitch their own story ideas to the editors. Attendees will also gain insights from the editors on the use of generative AI in writing and editing.

For the Love of a Book: The Past and Present of American Literacy and the Public Library - 201

Matthew Goldberg

At a time of increased funding difficulties, the downward trend of circulation statistics, and overt attacks on the profession, this session will examine the core responsibility of a library - connecting patrons to books for their research, enjoyment, or escapism. This presentation will detail the history of reading in American culture, the roots of libraries as a public good, and the relationship of books to creating a critically engagement population. The history of literacy in the United States, the growth of public libraries across the country, and their impact on reading trends will be examined to place a single checkout in its wider context. 

Though the profession faces challenges, there are few more joyful moments in a librarian's day than connecting a patron to a book they are excited to read. This presentation will tell that story in the specific and aggregate to recenter our profession's mission on the most humble of our processes as a reminder of our role and stake in the community.

From Throw Away to Teaching Tool: Using Ephemera in an Education Living Learning Community - Room 15

Sara McCaslin

Assessment is critical in creating and maintaining effective information literacy instruction for all students. Kuh and Gonyea (2015) recommended a necessary collaborative relationship between classroom faculty, student affairs, and library faculty to promote “educationally purposeful activities” (p. 373). Establishing strategic partnerships between academic libraries and campus partners can lead to more student involvement both inside and outside of the classroom. Libraries are positioned to provide the necessary collaborations needed to increase institutional involvement that leads to student success and retention. 

This research sought to measure the impact of primary source material information literacy instruction on first-year Living Learning Community (LLC) Education students at Western Kentucky University. Students enrolled in the fall 2025 EDU 250 – Discover Teaching course visited the library to learn about ephemera and how these unique materials can be incorporated into their future classrooms and curriculum. Students were introduced to the overall concept of ephemera and explored many examples of this type of primary source. Featured items included post cards, vinegar valentines, advertising materials, calling cards, posters, and invitations. After the class, students completed a short survey to reflect on the impact of this learning experience. This presentation will explore these survey results and offer insight into the importance of welcoming undergraduate students into the archives. Kuh, G. and Gonyea, R. (2015). The role of the academic library in promoting student engagement and learning. College and Research Libraries, 76(3), 359-385.

Rooted in Belonging: Transforming Faculty Librarian Onboarding into a Culture of Mentorship and Community - Room 14

Sebastian Themelis, Andrew Adler, Hannah Mooney, Susann deVries, Nancy Richey

Description: Onboarding new academic librarians is often treated as a short-term orientation, but for tenure-track library faculty, it also marks the beginning of a new professional identity. New librarians must learn job duties, faculty expectations, institutional culture, and the practical work of developing a research agenda. After recognizing gaps in our previous onboarding practices, our library used the arrival of two early-career tenure-track librarians in fall 2025 as an opportunity to create and refine a more intentional model. Library administrators developed a structured onboarding plan tailored to each librarian’s position.

 The plan included a detailed four-week schedule, short-, mid-, and long-term expectations, meetings with campus stakeholders, time to review institutional and departmental policies, and opportunities to identify priorities for the first weeks, months, and year. Each new librarian also completed a reflective memo to summarize learning, set goals, and name areas where additional support was needed. The program also paired each new librarian with a senior faculty mentor whose experience aligned with the mentee’s role. These mentoring relationships were designed to be confidential, non-evaluative, and mutually beneficial, offering mentees trusted guidance while helping mentors remain engaged with the changing work of academic librarianship. This panel will bring together new librarians, mentors, and administrators to discuss the design, implementation, and impact of this onboarding model. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for building sustainable onboarding programs that foster confidence, belonging, professional relationships, and long-term success for tenure-track library faculty.

11:00 - 11:45 AM

Celebrating Young Authors at Your Library: Strategies, Examples, and Planning Steps for Uplifting Young Voices in Your Community - Room 136A

Kim Howard

Help encourage young writers by celebrating their work at your library. This interactive session provides easy planning steps and plenty of fresh ideas and examples for ways to nurture, showcase, and celebrate young authors. Through access to great books and programs, tools needed to hone their craft, and a platform to share their work, young authors’ voices can be amplified. 

At a time when we need to hear from all voices, especially marginalized voices most profoundly, you can provide a safe space and platform for the youth in your community. As the wider community is invited to browse young authors’ work and celebrate alongside them, the entire community is enriched. You’ll leave this session equipped and excited to host your own young authors. Join an author, educator, and Young Author Night alum to learn how to leave a lasting impact on kids in your community with a unique opportunity they'll never forget.

Library Leadership Perspectives on Reimagining the Academic Library - Room 136B

John Barnett, Anna Ayoung-Stoute, Breanne Kirsch

Featured are perspectives from three library leaders on reimagining the academic library to meet contemporary student learning needs. This program explores practical approaches to aligning the library services to strategic university initiatives, including supporting student retention and success, designing spaces to foster student learning and belonging, and advancing campus-wide AI literacy. The presenters share their successes and challenges in conveying the library's vital role to administrators and students alike. They address how they engaged their library colleagues to understand and participate in these initiatives.

Meeting a Need: Developing a Resume Workshop for the Clinical Medical Assistant Career Pathway - Room 201

Ruth Slagle Galey

A partnership that began 5 years ago simply from getting know a brand-new professor and offering embedding support to her programs has evolved into a collaboration. In the fall of 2020, I started embedding into the A.A.S. Health Science Degree/Certificates. Offering reference, instruction and general library support to these programs. Each fall, spring, and summer I embed in the online sections of 4-5 courses with usually 10-12 sections. The first workshop was born in Spring 2024, the professor and I have been tweaking the workshops ever since. That one three-hour long workshop has transformed into 3 separate sessions focusing within the Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) courses over CMA 1, CMA 2, and Clinical.

At this point, the faculty member and I have changed it to the point where students get their resume reviewed by myself based on a grading rubric that has been created as a collaboration. From there they made the appropriate corrections and bring to it to “Mock It Till You Rock” Interviews, which have been designed as the last part of professionalism before the student graduates. This relationship has been one that has been both rewarding and a major learning curve. As I knew very little about the health science fields before coming to my position. This presentation will talk about the journey that is continuously evolving out of a relationship I formed in the fall of 2020. Currently I am working on an article about this, of which I hope to publish within the next year.

Developing Collection Strategies in Lean Budget Years: How Libraries Address Shared Challenges - Room 15

Camille McCutcheon, Peggy Kain

Over fifteen years have passed since the U.S. economy took a significant downturn causing libraries to rethink and retrench library resources. To date, few, if any, libraries have ever completely recovered from this financial crisis and continue to struggle with ongoing challenges to library budgets. Libraries must be prepared for possible budget reductions. Unfortunately, budget challenges can result in widespread impact, affecting more than just the collection. Possible results may include such related challenges as reductions in staffing and hours of operation. Required equipment maintenance or technology upgrades may also feel the brunt of budget cuts. 

Librarians from two institutions will share their strategies for addressing reductions in library budgets, demonstrating how they have (barely) survived and continue to readjust their collection strategies to meet users’ needs. The presenters will discuss how various types of libraries can effectively spread the word about cuts to resources and services to ensure support from their stakeholders. This presentation will foster a lively discussion among the attendees that will include best practices and practical tips to address the impact of budget reductions. Despite these challenges facing libraries today, come explore how we can continue to provide relevant resources and necessary services to support our communities.

Government Documents in the Time of the Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968) - Room 14

Tim Dodge

A historical overview of some of the major federal government documents produced during and about the Civil Rights Era (1954-1968). This includes U.S. Supreme Court decisions, federal legislation, presidential papers, and more.

Time: 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

Awards Lunch

Time: 1:00 - 1:45 PM

Finding Joy with the 2027 KBA Nominees - Room 136A

Jennifer Dolan

Join me for an overview of the 2027 Kentucky Bluegrass Award (KBA) nominees. I'll highlight the books selected for each grade level, share brief book talks, and discuss ideas for promoting the nominees and engaging students in the KBA program at your library.

Beyond the Performance Review: Rethinking Staff Development - Room 136B

Lacy Wolfe

Description: Public libraries are navigating constant change, from evolving community expectations and emerging technologies to staffing challenges and new approaches to workplace culture. Despite all these changes, many libraries still use the same annual performance reviews that feel outdated and disconnected from daily work and staff growth. In this session, we’ll talk about how libraries can leave behind the old evaluation model and create a more practical, human approach to staff development through regular check-ins, ongoing feedback, and collaborative goal-setting. Based on real-world library leadership experience, this talk will explore practical ways to create a culture of feedback. You’ll hear how regular check-ins and development conversations can make communication easier, strengthen relationships, clarify expectations, and help everyone feel more connected to the library’s mission. 

The session will also address common challenges library leaders face when implementing new evaluation and communication practices, including manager discomfort, time constraints, and staff anxiety around feedback. Participants will leave with adaptable ideas, sample frameworks, and actionable tools that can be implemented in libraries of varying sizes and staffing structures. Whether your library is rethinking annual reviews entirely or simply looking to improve communication and staff support, this session offers practical approaches to developing a healthier workplace culture and stronger library teams.

Fostering a Culture of Staff Led Innovation and Leadership - Room 201

Leah Banks, Julie George, Kenndra Martin, Sierra Herald, Justin Stewart

Library staff are the unseen foundation of our institutions. Beyond operational responsibilities, they are the employees most connected to our patrons. They are essential contributors to the library experience, gaining valuable insight into patron needs and challenges through daily interactions. However, staff in paraprofessional or entry-level roles are often overlooked as innovators and leaders. Though many hold advanced degrees, their ideas and perspectives are not always encouraged or supported. At EKU Libraries, we intentionally foster a culture where every employee’s voice matters and innovation grows through experimentation, collaboration, and trust. By supporting employees in developing new skills, pursuing leadership opportunities, and implementing their ideas, we have strengthened services and deepened patron relationships across our library system. 

This presentation highlights staff-led initiatives developed with support from the leadership team. The Propagation Library serves to naturally drive student foot traffic and engagement. The reading toolkit was created to help students rediscover the enjoyment of reading outside of assigned coursework. Finally, the Good Noodle Board initiative is an internal program that celebrates our student employees who go above and beyond in their work. These initiatives demonstrate how investing in staff creativity and professional growth at every level can enhance library services and foster innovation at every level of an organization.

The Final Frontier: Space Limitations and Their Impact on Library Collections and Services - Room 15

Camille McCutcheon, Peggy Kain

Libraries are constantly assessing and evaluating the use of space so they can better serve the needs of their communities. Space considerations in libraries can take various forms and can include those beyond the repurposing of internal library space or reconfiguration of existing collection space. Oftentimes, significant space modifications are decided by those outside the library and may occur without the input from library staff or users. Such practices may lead to frustration for everyone. Consequently, libraries must deal with the fall-out from these space reductions. For example, how will the housing of necessary physical collections be addressed? With a smaller footprint for physical collections, decisions must be made concerning retaining, withdrawing, or relocating materials to off-site storage. 

Reduced spaces in libraries may have an impact on necessary services to their communities. The lack of space also may affect the visibility of libraries, the perceptions of users, and the need for adequate funding. The presenters will discuss how various types of libraries are managing their space constraints and responding to reactions from their user communities, while continuing to meet the needs of their constituents. The presentation will feature best practices and practical tips to address library space limitations. Join us in a discussion about how libraries are successfully navigating space challenges while maintaining high quality service to their patrons.

Time: 2:00 - 2:45 PM

Creating a Joyful Library from Within: Building a Culture of Care at EKU Libraries - 136A

Julie George, Ashley Cole, Leah Banks

A joyful library begins with the people who work there. Inspired by Kevin McClure’s The Caring University, this session explores how EKU Libraries has intentionally fostered a workplace culture grounded in care, connection, communication, and collaboration. At EKU Libraries, care is reflected both in meaningful community-building efforts and in the everyday practices that help employees feel informed, included, appreciated, and supported. Presenters will share examples of celebrations, recognition initiatives, shared meals, campus engagement activities, and staff-led opportunities that foster joy and connection within the workplace. 

The session will also explore how communication, preparation, flexibility, and collaborative practices contribute to an environment where employees feel informed, valued, and empowered to contribute. From transparent meeting practices and collaborative decision-making to peer recognition efforts and staff-led community-building activities, this session highlights practical, sustainable approaches that libraries of any size can adapt to strengthen workplace culture and employee well-being. Attendees will leave with ideas for fostering workplace environments that restore energy, renew connection, and support a shared sense of purpose within the library.

How Library Supporters Can More Effectively Engage their State Legislators - 136B

Tim Dodge

This session will present the basis of the legislative process and lessons learned from seasoned library advocates. Lead the do's and don'ts of engaging with state legislators, as well as making the best use of the limited time available with them.

Seven Surveys that help you make the case for funding - Room 201

John Chrastka

Data-driven advocacy is the key to telling your library's story with impactful insights. This presentation will explore the benefits of using data to support your public, academic, and school library's advocacy efforts and how to communicate your message effectively. Join EveryLibrary's John Chrastka to explore the "Seven Surveys that help you make the case for funding."

Time: 2:50 - 3:30 PM

KLA Business Meeting, Conference Wrap-Up, & Vendor Bingo Membership Give-Away! - Ballroom 218 A/B