Annual Conference Home  |  Registration & Rates  |  Venue Information  |  Schedule  |  Featured Speakers  |  Breakout Sessions  |  Special Events  |  Exhibitors  |  Land Acknowledgement  |  Call for Proposals  |  Sponsor and Partner Opportunities  |  MLA Annual Conference History 

MLA 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE BREAKOUT SESSIONS

*Schedule is subject to change

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

2:00 – 3:00 PM  |  3:30 – 4:30 PM  |  4:45 - 5:30 PM

Thursday, October 30, 2025

10:45 – 11:45 AM  |  1:30 – 2:30 PM  |  4:15 – 5:15 PM

Friday, October 31, 2025

9:00 – 10:00 AM  |  10:15 – 11:15 AM

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM

Building Community-Based Summers: Rethinking Your “Why”

What is your library trying to achieve with summer programs and services - and who decides that? The Building Community-Based Summers project explores your true "why" of summer and how to move from traditions to align your summer activities with community needs. Through conversation and reflection, we'll reimagine summer services to guarantee they are designed with marginalized voices, shifting from a focus on legacy programs to impactful, community-driven services.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to articulate what they are trying to achieve through summer programs & services.
• Began to envision how to center community voices in the design and implementation of summer programs and services.
• Be able to reflect on current summer programs and services using the four Building Community-Based Summers Equity Principles key to building community based summers.

Speaker

Mentorship Matters: Cultivating Talent, Inspiring Success

This session will cover the basics of setting up a staff mentorship program, including structure, matching, and evaluation. We will discuss how mentorship influences career growth, confidence, inclusion, and staff retention. Attendees will be inspired to create and foster an environment of growth, connection, and collaboration through mentorship.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to create a mentorship program that is sustainable and scalable for their own institution.
• Be able to identify the key benefits to a mentorship program such as career growth, confidence, inclusion, and staff retention.
• Be able to recognize common barriers, such as mismatched pairings and lack of engagement, and explore mitigation strategies.

Speakers

Decimate Dewey! Shifting to a More Inclusive Classification System

It's time to ditch Dewey! In this session, participants will learn about how the Ferndale Library got rid of the Dewey Decimal System in their youth collections and replaced it with their own Ferndale-Metis system. Discover the Whys and Hows of replacing your current nonfiction organizational schedule with one that reflects your community and its needs, and improves browsability for patrons.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand the steps and logistics of replacing the Dewey Decimal System.
• Know what Ferndale-Metis is.
• Feel confident creating their own Metis schedule.

Speaker

ALA's Advocacy Policy with Our World Turned Upside Down

The panel will explore ALA's and the Public Policy and Advocacy Office's focus on creating and defending policy positions and library funding as libraries and librarians find themselves in a new political dynamic since January 2025. This includes everything from First and Fourteenth Amendment challenges to IMLS to Library of Congress to E-Rate and more. Key advocacy components and trends will be investigated helping librarians make a pro-library impact at the local, state and national levels.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand, or be aware of, ALA's position on national library issues. This includes specific actions taken by ALA/PPA to support libraries and librarians in their daily work. Answers to questions about why particular tactics and approaches are taken will be discussed. These issues are wide ranging and include funding, technology issues. the Library of Congress and intellectual freedom.
• Learn specific tips to assist them in advocacy efforts to support their library. These tools can be applied by librarians in their hometowns and within the state. They are effective at the local, state and national level. An example of this is building collaborations and expanding inclusive advocacy.
• Become more aware of the complexities related to First Amendment issues as they pertain to legislative actions at the local, state and national levels. Attacks on library materials are now closely tied to funding and other political initiatives that seek to undermine libraries from many angles.

Speakers

The Community Closet: How to Expand the Social Safety Net at Your Library

Develop additional resources for your community that focus on filling in the gaps specific to your needs. Community Closets provide free access to personal hygiene products and other living necessities that unhoused individuals and those in other unstable circumstances can benefit from. This session will detail how to create a community closet, where to get resources and funding, and how to advertise this service in a thoughtful way.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Have gained an understanding of the purpose of community closets and how to implement one at their library.
• Learn why community partnerships are key to this type of project and how to foster these relationships for continuing benefits.
• Discover marketing approaches that take into consideration the sensitive nature of this service.

Speaker

Shifting from Employee Engagement to Well-Being To Improve Employee Productivity

Employee wellbeing is more than just a perk. It's a critical driver of engagement, productivity, and organizational success. In this session, we will clarify the distinctions between employee engagement, employee wellness, and employee wellbeing, providing a clear understanding of their unique roles in the workplace. Participants will learn how to develop a practical implementation plan to make employee wellbeing a core component of their engagement strategy.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand the distinctions between employee engagement, employee wellness, and employee wellbeing, and how they contribute to organizational success.
• Explore the five essential elements that shape a comprehensive employee wellbeing strategy.
• Discover five impactful strategies to foster a healthier, more engaged workforce.
• Develop a step-by-step approach to embedding employee wellbeing as a core driver of engagement and performance.

Speaker

Back to top

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 3:30 - 4:30 PM

Hosting Student and Parent/Caregiver Conversations About Digital Wellness

What does digital citizenship education look like in your community? Classic digital rules of thumb (like limiting screen time or "be kind online" messages) are no longer sufficient. We designed workshops for middle schoolers and their parents that shifted the focus from dos and don'ts to the active construction of a healthy, rewarding online life. We'll share how we created a friendly, warm environment for conversation and share how you might do the same at your library.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn about what digital wellness is and why public libraries are ideally suited to convene multigenerational conversations about it in their communities.
• Become aware of U-M's model for successful conversations between tweens and their parents/caregivers.
• Gain strategies for replicating U-M's model in public libraries.

Speakers

Lessons Learned from the Michigan Yearbook Collection Project

Yearbooks capture Michigan's academic, social, and cultural history across generations. They also provide a rich resource for tracing family histories, local communities, and Michigan's evolution over time. Learn about the Library of Michigan's Michigan Yearbook Project, collection development strategies, and discover various ways to use yearbooks in programs to engage your community.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand the historical and cultural value of yearbooks.
• Gain strategies for building and managing a yearbook collection using the Library of Michigan's yearbook project as a model.
• Explore creative programming ideas that engage communities using yearbooks.

Speakers

Designing for Belonging: A Spectrum of User Needs

Libraries are catalysts for community and belonging, making inclusive design essential. But what does that look like in practice? In this session, interior designers from C2AE and Reed Walker Design Collective share how they partnered with Bloomfield Township Public Library to apply inclusive design strategies, highlighting real-world solutions that create welcoming, accessible, and equitable spaces for all.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Identify modern-day design elements and spatial strategies that promote inclusiveness, accessibility, and a sense of belonging in library environments.
• Analyze how specific design choices, such as layout, furniture, sensory considerations, and signage, affect user experience across diverse populations.
• Apply practical steps to create more inclusive library spaces, using flexible, user-centered design strategies that respond to evolving community needs.

Speakers

Embrace the Mess: Programming for Babies & Toddlers

Bring on the mess! Join us for a fun session with program ideas for our youngest audience (and their families!). This session will discuss programming ideas, budgets, and tips and tricks for those looking to bring a little art with a whole lot of cute babies & toddlers to their library.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Gain new and exciting program ideas to host for your youngest patrons and their families.
• Learn to embrace the process over the product.
• Learn through our experience the success and failures of baby and toddler programming.

Speakers

Why You Need a DEI Statement Like ASAP

During an era where terms like DEI, woke, CRT, and Social Justice are vilified, now feels like a bad time to focus on making a statement committing the practices of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Actually, the opposite is true. Now more than ever, libraries and cooperatives have an obligation to showcase how they intend to be inclusive. Learn from the TLN's EDI Committee on how they crafted an EDI Statement for the cooperative to showcase their commitment to including those underrepresented.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn the importance of defining what DEI is and why your library needs a DEI Statement.
• Understand what should go into the process of creating a Statement.
• Ask questions to the committee to help strategize and problem solve push back.

Speakers

Connecting Canton: Shifting From Passive to Proactive

By shifting its perspective from passive to proactive in sharing relevant and timely local information, the Canton Public Library has increased engagement and created a sense of community belonging. This shift, completed by changing the library’s focus on its website and e-mail content, has filled a gap left by the decline of local newspapers and the increased need for community connectivity.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand the impact of the loss of local news on communities.
• Understand that sharing relevant and timely information with patrons may prompt the need to shift from passive to proactive engagement.
• Apply the model of engaging their community by targeted newsletters and other e-mail content as a possibility for more intentional communication.

Speakers

Back to top

Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 4:45 - 5:30 PM

Building Community with Art: Murals In and On Public Libraries

KDL Regional Manager, Penni Zurgable, and full-time muralist and illustrator, Rhiannan Sibbald have partnered to bring exciting community art to two libraries in Kent County. Penni will talk about working with the community to get input and buy in from the very beginning. She will also talk about working with municipalities, writing policy for public murals, and also finding funding for your project. Rhiannan will talk about the magic, and how she connects her art to communities.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to find a qualified muralist to add lasting art to their library.
• Be able to aid their municipality in establishing policy around public murals.
• Be able to secure funding for a mural in or on their building.
• Be able to connect their community to the process of adding art to the library.

Speakers

To Boldly Go: Building and Leading Inclusive Teams

The best teams are made up of stellar individuals working together toward a common purpose. Using the crew of the Starship Enterprise as an example, we'll explore how boldly empowering your team to use their unique strengths can make a library staff that is better than the sum of its parts and how managers can lead these teams with authenticity.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Examine how to embrace the individuality of each member of a team while working toward common goals.
• Explore how to become a more authentic leader without getting too personal with their team.
• Discover strategies to help empower teams to embrace their strengths.

Speaker

Simple Skills to Create Conversations Worth Having

This session introduces skills that foster appreciative and possibility-oriented conversations and self-talk. The skills of tuning in, asking generative questions, and framing conversations enable us to understand other peoples' perspectives and develop kinder self-talk. Change begins when we ask questions. Generative questions seek to make the invisible visible, create shared understanding, generate new knowledge, and expand possibilities.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn a process for reflecting on conversations by developing two skills: tuning in and asking generative questions.
• Through tuning in, attendees will identify their body and mind state during past conversations and learn how to shift from a stressed state focused on protection to a relaxed state focused on connection.
• Attendees will learn how to ask generative questions that foster curiosity and possibilities and shift interpersonal dynamics.
• Through a conversation do-over exercise, attendees will learn a reflective process for neutralizing past conversations.

Speaker

A Vinyl Collection at Your Library: A Sound Idea

According to the data collector Music Watch, 1 in 14 Americans purchases vinyl records. Major retailers have added LPs to their product offerings in recent years. Every April, independent record stores celebrate National Record Store Day with significant social media coverage resulting in huge lines of enthusiasts. Now, libraries are starting (or bringing back!) vinyl records. Learn what it takes to start a vinyl collection from two libraries that have already taken the plunge.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Know the factors driving the vinyl resurgence.
• Be able to list equipment, costs, vendors, review sources, maintenance, and cataloging techniques associated with LP collections.
• Have learned best practices and mistakes to avoid.

Speakers

The Dewey Decimal of Design: Graphic Design Principles for Libraries

Great design makes great connections! This session will cover the basics of graphic design for library promotions, social media, and communications. Learn key design principles, dos and don'ts, accessibility best practices, and simple ways to elevate your visuals. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, you'll leave with practical tips to make your library's marketing more eye-catching and effective! This is for library staff who create materials for their library.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn the core design principles: layout, typography, color theory and visual hierarchy.
• Identify common design mistakes and best practices to ensure clear, professional, and engaging materials people understand.
• Apply accessibility guidelines to create inclusive graphics that are readable and usable for all patrons.

Speaker

Exploring Swaps: Sustainable Library Programming for Any Community

Swaps are a flexible, cost-effective way to impact your community through library programming. Whether it's exchanging clothing, seeds, art supplies, or baby-care items, a swap can reduce waste, provide greater access to items not in library circulation, and build stronger ties within your community. Learn practical ways to design and adapt swap programs for libraries of any size, with tips for engaging diverse audiences and maximizing your community impact.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Define swap programming and analyze its potential to promote sustainability, equity, and community engagement within the library setting.
• Evaluate and select methods for implementing swaps that align with the unique needs and demographics of the community while staying within scope of library budget, staffing, and space constraints.
• Advocate for the development of swap programming by connecting its benefits to their library's mission statement, goals, and service values.

Speaker

Back to top

Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 10:45 - 11:45 AM

Enhance Your Library Storytimes with Music and Movement

Do you think of music and movement as things that would be nice, but are too hard to include in storytimes? Or maybe it seems like it would be fun, but doesn't really align to your purpose of preparing children for literacy...

Well, let's shift that perspective!

We're going to learn how to easily add music and movement to your storytimes in a variety of ways, and learn why they are extremely effective tools to support both literacy and fun.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand why music and movement can be such powerful tools to support literacy.
• Have a variety of ideas for how to use music and movement in an age-appropriate way.
• Be able to tailor these techniques to fit their comfort level with music and movement.

Speaker

Remember to Include Memory Cafes in Your Library Programming!

In this session attendees will hear about how the Belleville Area District Library started, runs, and funds its monthly Memory Cafe for people with memory difficulties and their caregivers. Attendees will run through an abbreviated Memory Cafe as part of the presentation. They will leave with handouts, a blueprint, and the confidence and excitement to start their own Memory Cafe.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand the value to the community of hosting Memory Cafes in the library.
• Be able to find and evaluate resources for appropriate Memory Cafe activities.
• Be able to put together an agenda for a Memory Cafe.

Speaker

Free Delivery and Pickup for Everyone (Without Killing Your Budget)

Any Canton resident can now get free Home Delivery and Pickup service from the Canton Public Library. Unlike traditional homebound or senior delivery, no long-term sign-up or physical limitation requirements exist, and patrons choose the service item by item. Launched in December 2024, we successfully handled over 700 service requests in the first three months. Learn how and why we designed the service, who's using it, and how to design your own without breaking the bank.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Discover how implementing delivery and pickup impacted CPL circulation, and what communities it serves.
• Understand key design considerations for launching a delivery and pickup service.
• Apply the budget and staffing model to draft your own version for your library.

Speakers

Open Doors: Immigration Education Where Patrons Least Expect It

Local libraries are the cornerstone of education, access, and community connection. By partnering with local professionals, libraries can offer essential support services, including immigration education. What began with ESL conversation groups has expanded to include vital information about the immigrant experience and U.S. immigration processes. This program is a critical resource for our diverse community. Learn how you can bring this service to your library.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Know how essential immigration education and support are to your community, regardless of its economic or demographic makeup.
• Know how to propose the program to your library administration and have ways to connect with local professionals to bring this service to their library.
• Be able to evaluate the optimal formats to provide the service for their specific communities.

Speakers

Know Your Audience: Using Market Research to Strengthen Library Communications

This session will help libraries refine their messaging by understanding their communities through market research and audience segmentation. It will provide practical, approachable strategies for tailoring communications, promoting services, and increasing engagement with the library.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn about market research tools and how to use data to refine library communication and outreach strategies.
• Gain the skills to identify and understand different community groups to target specific audiences.
• Learn to balance broad appeal with consistent branding while crafting impactful, inclusive messaging across various communication channels.

Speaker

Welcome Aboard! Reframing Orientation into Effective Onboarding

We all know that a new employee will need training, but how do we frame the first days and weeks to feel enjoyable AND effective, improve staff retention, and reinforce workplace culture? How do we go from mandatory checklists to engaging immersion? Learn how MCLS shifted their kaleidoscope and created the onboarding process they wanted and needed! This interactive session will share tips & tools they curated along the way, and will allow you to consider what might work in your own workplace.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Better understand how and why quality, intentional onboarding can benefit their library.
• Have learned from a real-life story some best practices and tools to start shifting their organization's perspective on welcoming new employees.
• Have identified some ways they'd like to improve their own organization's Onboarding Process and will have started planning first steps.

Speaker

Back to top

Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 1:30 - 2:30 PM

Libraries as Lifelong Connectors: Intergenerational Programming in Action

Geographic mobility, a steadily aging population, and an ever-increasing reliance on technology are factors that have contributed to a lack of connection between generations. This disconnect has contributed to an epidemic of loneliness and a lack of understanding between youth and seniors. In this session, attendees will learn how to leverage existing partnerships to create engaging intergenerational programming that will help bridge the generation gap.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn about two different intergenerational programs, and how to hold such programs at their own library.
• Be more knowledgeable in reasons why intergeneration programming is important to offer in their communities.
• Learn of at least two unique community organizations to partner with for intergenerational programming.

Speakers

Centering Teens in the Fight Against Censorship

Books Unbanned has leveraged its three years of experience working with teens on the topic of intellectual freedom to develop a free downloadable toolkit that will be available to any library looking to build out teen civic engagement programming. The kit includes activities, lessons, and tools for engaging youth in the fight against censorship. In this session, attendees will get a copy of the toolkit and learn how to implement it in libraries, regardless of size, location, or budget.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Discuss the repercussions of censorship on materials for teens and young adults.
• Utilize toolkit activities to suit the needs of their teens and communities.
• Advocate for the need to activate teens as community advocates and peer leaders.

Speaker

Accessibility in the Library

Join us for an engaging presentation that explores how libraries can be inclusive, welcoming spaces for everyone. We'll explore the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and discuss key accessibility requirements that impact libraries. Learn practical tips on disability etiquette and discover resources and tools available to support accessibility in your library. This session will equip you with knowledge and strategies to ensure equitable access and build a truly inclusive community hub.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Know what makes libraries accessible.
• Understand what makes a good disability ally.
• Share valuable resources for patrons with disabilities in their areas.

Speaker

The History of DPL's African American Booklist

Get ready to turn the page on something truly legendary! For over half a century, the Detroit Public Library has been putting together its celebrated African American Booklist, a handpicked collection of must-reads by, about, and for African Americans. It all started as a powerful way to honor Black History Week, and it's grown into a beloved tradition that bibliophiles across Detroit (and way beyond) eagerly await each year.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to evaluate existing library programs or collections through a diversity lens, using the African American Booklist (AABL) as a model for inclusive resource development.

Speakers

Changing Perspectives in Onboarding

Do you remember your first day at a new job? Was it exciting, terrifying, or a little of both? Learn how Jackson District Library onboards new team members - without overwhelming them. Creating a successful onboarding process can set up new hires for long-term success and help team members adjust more quickly. Using employee feedback and an onboarding program led by frontline staff, JDL has taken some of the scaries out of starting a new job.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Illustrate how training led by frontline staff creates a sense of belonging, trust, and empowerment.
• Develop a plan for how to use employee feedback to create or update their onboarding process.
• Plan actionable steps to create their own onboarding process.

Speakers

Connections in Corrections: Serving Incarcerated Individuals & Their Families

Learn how the Capital Area District Libraries made inroads with their county jail to serve incarcerated individuals and their families, impacting well-being and generational illiteracy. Talk about other ways that you and your library may consider "Connections in Corrections."

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn about at least two ways that their libraries may serve jails and incarcerated individuals within their service are.
• Learn about practical considerations, costs and challenges in building impactful library services to jail populations.
• Learn at least two practical considerations in selecting materials at jails.

Speakers

Back to top

Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 4:15 - 5:15 PM

Creating a Welcoming Environment for Disabled Youth

In this session tips and tricks will be provided to create a welcome atmosphere via programs and services for disabled youth and their caregivers.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Learn appropriate language to use to identify the disabled population.
• Be given the tools to recreate programming specifically geared at the very young disabled population and their caregivers.
• Be introduced to resources that they can take back and utilize with the disabled youth population in their communities.

Speaker

From Dewey to Dirt: Growing a Library Discovery Garden

Imagine a library where stories grow alongside strawberries- A Discovery Garden can turn an outdoor space into a vibrant learning hub. This workshop will show you how to create gardens of any size that host hands-on gardening programs for all ages, fun cooking activities for kids, and provides fresh produce for patrons. It's about making the most of your space to cultivate curiosity, nutrition, and community- all from the ground up.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand how to create and maintain a Discovery Garden to engage library users through hands-on learning and exploration.
• Gain practical ideas for implementing gardening and cooking programs tailored to children, teens, and adults.
• Explore effective ways to foster community engagement and promote lifelong learning through interactive, garden-based programs and experiences.

Speakers

The Manager's Toolbox: A Guide for Planning, Decision-Making & Building Culture

This session teaches you to use and apply proven tools for planning, budgeting, decision-making and fostering community at work. Discover strategies and learn to create processes that drive accountability while gaining insights into using data to assess organizational needs. Finally, explore culture-building techniques that result in better communication and more trust with staff. Walk away with an actionable toolbox you can use to strengthen your leadership and support your team's growth.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Develop data-informed processes that empower staff while aligning with organizational goals.
• Understand how to measure employee engagement and build culture through open communication and shared accountability.
• Understand the importance of planning and project management to enhance resource allocation and improve operational efficiency while boosting staff confidence.

Speakers

Digital Preservation for All: Community Webs in Michigan

In 2025, the Internet Archive's Community Webs program partnered with the Library of Michigan to undertake its first statewide cohort to provide tools, support, training, mentorship, and professional development to public libraries engaged in preserving and providing access to local history. In this panel three libraries participating in the cohort will discuss their experiences, current web, community, and digital archiving projects, and next steps for preserving their community's history.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand the importance of web archiving, community archiving, and digital preservation in their roles as librarians.
• Learn about practical application of toolkits, workflows, and applications available to Michigan libraries through Community Webs and other resources to preserve their local history.
• Meet members of a community of practice dedicated to digitally preserving local history and learn how to be a part of it, too.

Speakers

Serve the People: Food and the Public Library

The Gloria Coles Flint Public Library has developed a partnership with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to include regular food services at the library, beginning with restarting Meet Up & Eat Up during summer reading. We have expanded to serve afterschool meals year-round and now have a user-choice food pantry which is open to the public three times per week. We will discuss our process and provide guidance for libraries who would like to implement something similar.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Understand on a qualitative and quantitative basis the impact that the addition of the food program has had in the Flint Community.
• Have resources and contact information for a food bank in their region who could be a partner, as well as the tools to better understand food insecurity in their area.
• Think more critically about the barriers to library use and literacy, and ways in which the library can intervene through community partnership.

Speakers

What If Libraries Led the AI Movement? AI &a Its Impacts on the Library Profession

AI is transforming how people search, learn, and engage with information. This session invites library staff not tech experts approach AI with curiosity, integrity, and mission-driven values. We'll explore AI's ethical and environmental impacts, its role in digital inclusion, and why treating it as a tool, not a source of authority‚ is key. Participants will leave with practical ideas to lead their communities through this shift with clarity and purpose.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to explain why it is essential for libraries to engage with AI now and imperfectly rather than waiting for expertise, regulation, and simplicity.
• Be able to identify key ethical considerations for library use of AI and have talking points and considerations for how to confidently navigate such concerns.
• Be able to describe initial steps for shaping an AI strategy that aligns with their library's mission and community needs.

Speakers

Back to top

Friday, October 31, 2025 | 9:00 - 10:00 AM

From Niche To Norm: Integrating Diverse Narratives into Youth Programming

This session explores how libraries can center diverse, marginalized voices in their youth programming, particularly those of disabled and queer youth. Attendees will go away with concrete, inclusive program ideas and tools to reframe inclusion as foundational elements of program design rather than an optional feature.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Identify barriers to inclusion in traditional youth programs.
• Apply strategies for embedding diverse narratives into ongoing programs.
• Access and adapt inclusive program templates to serve disabled and queer youth.

Speakers

Become Your Own Expert: DIY Adult Programming

Overwhelmed by adult programming and think you need an expert for every event? Never fear! Gain the confidence to create self-led, engaging, budget-friendly adult programs using the creativity, initiative, and research skills you already possess as an information professional! Walk through brainstorming, planning, and executing a program and leave with concrete examples of tested, successful programs about a variety of topics that adults will love.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Recognize how core library skills can build confidence in planning and facilitating self-led adult programs.
• Adapt concrete, low-cost program ideas across a variety of topics, including cooking, crafting, wellness, games, and more.
• Determine when it's appropriate to bring in an outside expert versus leading a program themselves.

Speakesr

The AI Kaleidoscope in 2025: A Conversation Among Public Librarians

What should public libraries be doing and knowing about generative AI in 2025? Join in the conversation to share your questions, concerns, and library-related practices with generative AI. The session will kick off with a 10-minute overview on the state of generative AI today, then break into a variety of attendee-led conversations about the impact genAI is having on local libraries and patrons.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to identify current issues and events related to generative AI in society.
• Gain and contribute insight about how public libraries are using generative AI to improve library practices.
• Gain and contribute insight about how public libraries are addressing generative AI with patrons.

Speaker

Stuck in the Middle With You: Middle Management in Libraries

Middle management can leave you feeling caught in-between two worlds, often without peers to help support you in your organization. Join the CADL Lansing Branches Public Service Heads to hear about their experiences and lessons learned as middle managers, then share your successes and get help with your challenges as they open the floor for discussion.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Have learned concrete techniques for fostering connection with direct reports.
• Learn techniques to manage positive relationships with upper management and direct supervisors.
• Have developed a network of other middle managers in Michigan libraries.

Speakers

Pornography, Funding, Free Speech and Broadband: 2025 Library Law Landscape

What do current U.S. Supreme Court cases involving the FCC and school religious rights? How could proposed federal legislation and a 5th circuit court case change how library policies are drafted? An interactive, lively presentation involving multi-media and discussion to review significant Federal and State legal trends and actions that have implications for public libraries.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Discover trending legal issues that could affect public library operations.
• Discover sources for tracking ongoing legislation and litigation at the federal and state level.
• Discover how case opinions, executive orders, regulations and legislation affect libraries at the local level.

Speaker

The Patchwork Quilt of Reparative Description: Short History and Modern Projects

Modernizing gallery, library, archives and special library (GLAMS) records to include accurate tribal names, replacing derogatory terminology, identifying married women as individuals, giving equal respect (and space) in your classification system to all religions and classes of people, all falls under the umbrella of reparative cataloging in description! Learning about the visionary librarians of the past, current projects, resources, and tips for starting a project today!

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to identify a variety of topics and subsequent projects that fall under the umbrella term of Reparative Description, which will include projects for all types of libraries, galleries and archives. They will be able to distinguish Library of Congress updated subject headings projects for the purpose of modernization (using cookbooks instead of cookery) from projects that are intended to bring dignity to people and equitable access to materials that are marginalized in current classification systems, like non-Christian holidays being classed separately in the Dewey Decimal Classification system or the outdated subject term of 'slave' instead of using 'enslaved person'. Beyond being able to merely identify Reparative Description projects, participants will be able to discuss the underlying logic and reasoning for such changes and how those changes create more accurate descriptions and dignity and equity for marginalized Americans and non-Western people.
• Be able to communicate how Reparative Description and Conscientious Cataloging embodies the ethical standards of libraries, how to implement such changes independent of the Library of Congress by using local subject headings, authority records and controlled vocabularies..
• Have a foundation knowledge of Reparative Description and be able to evaluate their own collections to identify both small and large projects that would benefit their patrons and communities. Participants will have access to a number of curated resources, including free webinars and video recordings, LibGuides and other professional resources that will aid further exploration of the topic, guidance for specific projects such as including a woman's full name in leiu of the outdated husband based and examples of how to tackle larger projects that require community input and relocation of items due to reclassification.

Speaker

Back to top

Friday, October 31, 2025 | 10:15 - 11:15 AM

Play Live at Storytime! Why You Should & How You Can!

Live music has powerful benefits for early childhood development and you don't need to be a musician to bring it to your library. This session explores the science behind the benefits of live music on the brain, shares accessible ways to start playing (even with no experience), and offers simple songs and tools to help you build confidence and connect with your storytime audience.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Gain knowledge about how music, performed live, affects the brains of young learners. At the end of the session.
• Be equipped with new songs and ideas to bring back to their storytimes. At the end of the session.
• Be emboldened with a new sense of confidence in their ability to engage their storytime patrons through playing live music.

Speaker

Escape Rooms that Engage: Transforming Experiences Through Interactive Play

Explore how escape rooms can shift perspectives on learning, engagement, and storytelling in libraries! Drawing on seasoned experiences, this session offers creative strategies for designing interactive, in-person and digital escape rooms that challenge participants to think differently, work together, and see familiar spaces in new ways. Whether you're new to escape room design or experienced in hosting them, leave with fresh ideas to implement and enhance escape rooms at your library!

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to design a basic framework for an escape room tailored to their library's audience and goals.
• Be able to apply escape room techniques to shift patrons' perspectives on library spaces and services.
• Be able to identify the benefits of using escape rooms to enhance engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Speaker

Making Libraries Accessible for the Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Community

Libraries should be inclusive, but the Deaf/HoH community faces major communication barriers. Michael will share his experiences and challenges, offering actionable solutions libraries can implement in policies, practices, and staff training. By the end of the presentation, you'll be able to identify one change to make your library more inclusive for people with hearing disabilities.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Recognize barriers and be able to identify common communication challenges faced by deaf/HoH patrons in libraries.
• Learn about effective communication techniques, assistive technologies, and staff training strategies.
• Take action for inclusivity: Develop at least one immediate change to improve accessibility at their library.

Speaker

Librarian: Profession, Trade or Vocation?

Join us for a lively fireside chat as two experienced librarians, Cathy Russ, Director of the West Bloomfield Township Public Library, and David Conklin, Director of the Genesee District Library, engage in a spirited debate over whether the Master of Library and Information Science degree should continue to be a requirement for many traditional librarian roles.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to consider whether the MLIS degree is necessary for every traditional librarian position.
• Be inspired to give back to the profession/library field by mentoring others.
• Think critically about the traditional role of librarians and determine whether that job description can be broadened to include those without the MLIS degree.

Panelists

Moderator

The Browse Method: Alternative Nonfiction Classification

A group of patrons of the Alpena County Library expressed concern that children might accidentally encounter non-fiction materials addressing sensitive topics and asked the library to relocate these books to the adult area or behind the library desk. After months of research into ways to meet the needs of the patrons while not sacrificing intellectual freedom, the administration began implementing the Browse method- a classification system with clearly marked information on the spine labels.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Be able to evaluate the need for an alternative classification model for their collection.
• Promote the system to their staff and/or board members.
• Begin to implement the system.

Speakers

Click into Focus: Create Meaningful Library & Community Partnerships

Since 2019 Kent District Library and Feeding America West Michigan have provided 100,000 meals to students as part of a partnership designed to meet the needs of our shared community members. Representatives from both organizations will be present to share the impact of their partnership and steps other Libraries can take to replicate the program's success in their own unique communities.

Outcomes

At the end of the session participants will:

• Know more about Feeding America of West Michigan and how to find community partners in their area.
• Have steps they can follow to help their Library System identify Community Interest/Need.
• Have a framework to use to build a meaningful Library Community Organization partnership(s).

Speakers

Back to top