2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

What the Heck is Resilience: From Tornadoes to Tampons
Emily Witthuhn & Gracie Harris, Warren County Public Library
Theater

Public libraries have always been agents of community resilience, from literacy and information access, to free classes and programs, to third spaces where community members can exist safely. Communities increasingly rely upon public libraries for support amidst natural disasters, rising costs of living, and shifting landscapes. In response to these needs, our library’s resilience initiatives have grown over the last two years to include a disaster preparedness coalition, a shuttle service, an online resource hub, warming and cooling center operations, a Community Care collection, and a whole lot of community connections. Join us as we talk strategic partnerships, project enhancements, mission creep, successes and failures, and creative responses to disasters big and small. 

Doing Science in the Stacks
Kelsey Drifmeyer, Boone County Public Library
Hotel Conference Room

Are you a children's librarian that wants to offer high-quality STEM programming to your children patrons, but worry higher-level science concepts are too dangerous, too expensive, or too technical? Let me help! With a background in biology and years of public library and programming experience, I've been offering successful low-cost, mixed-age science programming to my community. This session will be hands-on, engaging participants in activities I've offered at our monthly elementary-age science program. We'll warm up with phase-change tag, get creative with magic ink, and feel like real scientists with hands on tool practice, like using a micro-pipette and a Brix refractometer. We will discuss safety considerations, budgets, and how to scale explanations up and down for audiences.

Attendees will leave with a toolkit of science topic ideas, example program outlines, supply lists and budgets, and my recommendations for how to find partners in science outreach across the state. You bring your enthusiasm for science, successful STEM stories from your library, and any burning science questions!

All levels of science knowledge and programming experience are welcome.

Reimagining Library Operations: A Practical Look at HCPL's Organizational Structure
Shannon Sandefur, Glennese Patterson, Hannah Edwards, and Emily Hurt, Henderson County Public Library
Ballroom A-B

In 2025, the Henderson County Public Library undertook a significant organizational restructure to improve communication, strengthen workflows, and ensure our staffing model aligned with the library’s long-term goals. This session provides a candid, behind-the-scenes look at why the restructure was necessary, how decisions were made, and what the results have looked like so far.

Attendees will hear directly from the Executive Director, two managers, and a front-line employee—each offering a different perspective on the process and its impact. We will discuss the challenges that led us to this point, including structural inefficiencies, supervisory gaps, and responsibilities that had outgrown the library’s previous model. The decision to reorganize was informed through discussion among the Board and leadership team, as well as consultation with an outside library director who provided industry insight and guidance.

This session will walk participants through the full restructuring process: identifying problems, exploring models used by peer libraries, drafting and refining organizational charts, and developing updated roles and responsibilities. We will share practical strategies used to communicate changes, set expectations, and maintain forward momentum while navigating a complex and emotional shift.

Importantly, this presentation does not shy away from the difficult parts. Despite our efforts to minimize disruption, the transition was challenging. Staff experienced uncertainty, disappointment, and frustration as duties shifted, reporting lines changed, and long-familiar structures were replaced. Presenters will speak openly about what was hard, what we might handle differently in the future, and how we supported staff through the adjustment period.

Attendees will also hear about early outcomes and observations: clearer pathways for supervision, improved alignment of responsibilities, and emerging opportunities for stronger cross-department collaboration. We will be honest about what is working well, what still requires refinement, and what we are continuing to monitor.

This session is designed for library leaders considering or preparing for organizational change. Participants will leave with realistic insights, practical tools, and a better understanding of how to approach restructuring in a way that is intentional, transparent, and grounded in service to both staff and community.

The Value of Kentucky's Public Libraries: Using ROI to Explain Your Library's Impact
Dr. Brian Real, University of Kentucky
Ballroom C-D

This presentation will provide an overview of the study The Value of Kentucky's Public Libraries: A Return-on-Investment Study. The project was completed by faculty at the University of Kentucky's School of Information Science and Blueprint Kentucky, the latter of which is an agricultural economic research center. The goal of the study was to translate public library circulation and services into dollar amounts. Throughout this presentation, the lead author of the study, Dr. Brian Real, will explain how to use the data for advocacy purposes. This will include a review of the county-level dashboard, which provides an individualized ROI for each of Kentucky's 120 public library systems.

Okay, what follows isn't for the program - I am breaking away from formal writing for a few moments to add some notes for reviewers. I know that I presented on this at the last conference, but the KDLA folks have asked that I submit for this coming conference, since we are now wrapping up the project and I will be able to share completed results and tools. A lot of what we have is really cool, including some infographics and a visually-appealing report that will be useful for libraries. I also take the advocacy angle seriously, and my writing on the report and my planned presentation reflect that.

Finally, I want to share and walk through the county-level dashboard at the conference. We are going to change a few things about it and some numbers need updated, so this is a draft that is not for dissemination. However, you can preview it here:

https://blueprintkentucky.mgcafe.uky.edu/ky_libraries_impact

Note that you can select the county from the dropdown in the upper-right corner and export to PDF and such in the lower right corner.

Skills Building and More for your Communities with Learning Express
Enid Wohlstein, Kentucky Virtual Library
Ballroom E

Come to a LearningExpress lookabout with KYVL.  LearningExpress contains resources for core subject review for high school, college and adults; exam prep for the SAT, ACT and AP exams as well as graduate school, licensing exam prep for trades, teaching, nursing, EMS, and other careers, as well as cover letter and resume prep.  We’ll take a dive into the resources available that you can share with your communities to build up their skills and knowledge as well as help them along in their career or college going.