1:30 p.m. - 2:20 p.m.
It Begins with You: Intentional Leadership on Every Level
Lindsey Westerfield, Russell County Public Library
Theater
Leadership shows up in everyday choices, interactions, and moments of initiative, and it occurs on every level. But are you leading with intention?
This session invites library workers at all career stages to rethink leadership as a practice, not a position. Through reflection, real-world examples, and practical frameworks, participants will explore how personal values, communication habits, and decision-making styles shape teams, services, and communities. We’ll examine how intentional leadership can strengthen trust, improve collaboration, and support resilience during times of change—without requiring formal authority.
Attendees will learn strategies for leading “from where you are,” including setting clear personal leadership goals, navigating difficult conversations with confidence, and aligning daily actions with the mission of your library. The session also addresses common challenges in library environments such as burnout, change fatigue, and cross-departmental tension, offering tools to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively.
Come to recharge and leave with a renewed sense of action.
Why Your Library Should be an Early Childhood Library
Holly Daugherty, McCreary County Public Library
Hotel Conference Room
The Early Childhood Library Program is designed to support the developmental, educational, and social needs of children from birth to age eight. This program creates a welcoming, engaging, and literacy-rich environment where young children and their families can learn, play, and grow together.
The purpose of the Early Childhood Library is to lay the foundation for lifelong learning by promoting early literacy, curiosity, and a love for books and storytelling. By providing age-appropriate materials, programs, and services, the library becomes a key partner in early childhood education and family engagement.
Survive Your Environment
Scott O'Brien, APB Consulting Solutions & Kelly Zumwalt, Pendleton County Public Library
Ballroom A-B
The Survive Your Environment training empowers groups and/or individuals with the abilities to assess their immediate environment for safety/security solutions during an emergency incident. Skill sets taught to the participant include:
• Using the R.A.H.L.F. model (Run, Assess, Hide, Lock Doors, and Fight) for determining an immediate safety plan.
• Viewing a room and other locations for defensive measures against an attack.
• Working as a team and helping others during a crisis.
• Moving and transitioning to safety.
• Communicating active threats, medical assistance, and personnel locations to law enforcement.
Completion of this course will enable staff members to accurately assess the area for protecting themselves and others, fortifying their position and creating pathways to a safe location.
Library Ambassadors: Sharing the Library's Value in Everyday Interactions
Dena Ratliff Warren, Alicia McGrath, and Nikole Gieske, Kentucky Department for Libraries & Archives; Kalani Groves, Trimble County Public Library; Glennese Patterson, Henderson County Public Library
Ballroom C-D
Public libraries are most successful when every employee, from the front desk to the director’s office, understands the essential role they play in representing the library. This session highlights how staff at every level can confidently speak about their library’s value, community impact, and essential services during daily interactions with patrons and visitors. Drawing on principles from KDLA’s Lead From Where You Are initiative, this session will demonstrate simple ways to build confidence, strengthen communication skills that will empower you to share your library’s story. Participants will explore real-world conversation scenarios, learn how to highlight key services naturally, and discover how small, everyday interactions can influence community perception and support.
Libraries as Rural Resource Hubs
Dr. Margaret McGladery, Univeristy of Kentucky; Dr. Brian Real, University of Kentucky; Justin Brasher, McCracken County Public Library; Lea Wentworth, McCracken County Public Library; and Kristen Theile, University of Kentucky
Ballroom E
Rural communities often face limited services and barriers to accessing support. Libraries can respond by serving as trusted hubs for connection, information, and care. In this session, two rural library systems and a university partner share strategies and lead a hands-on activity to map cross-sector partners and position libraries as community resource hubs