All Sessions

Learn how libraries are serving as safe and neutral places to promote engagement and civic discourse. Nancy Kranich, Chair of the American Library Association's Center for Civic Life Advisory Board presents an overview of civic engagement programs taking place in libraries today. Librarians from across the field will share specific examples of different types of successful civic engagement programming that can work for you.

In collaboration with ALA and 37 state humanities councils, NEH has supported development of a discussion program for libraries that probes the meanings of the American Civil War during its sesquicentennial. Following the popular “Let’s Talk About It” model, the program engages participants in discussion of related texts selected by Civil War historian Edward Ayers. Attend this session for how-to information on hosting the series, an overview of the discussion model, and details about funding opportunities for this and other programs about the Civil War.

Collaborative efforts sometimes thrive, but often fail--especially in difficult financial times or without grant funding. What are the attributes of successful collaborative efforts, and how can knowing these help others plan for long-term success and sustainability? An expert panel will highlight three collaborative initiatives focused on digital libraries and present the factors that have, or would have made them successful and sustainable.

The success of a rural library depends on effective strategic planning and sustained community partnerships. Come learn more about the facets of planning and partnerships including the basics of writing and implementing a strategic plan for a library of any size, how to ensure successful community outreach, and how to collaborate with city and county managers through strategic community partnerships. Understand the characteristics of a community centered library, how to assess needs and identify outreach target group, and learn tips on choosing a project and partners. Hear about national initiatives working to develop frameworks to help libraries develop their strategies with community partners. Use your strategic plan to help make big decisions, “sell” your goals to key partners, and be able to prove your success over time.

The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf is an NEH initiative, co-presented with ALA, that seeks to increase Americans’ understanding of the rich cultural heritage associated with Islamic civilizations around the world by providing public libraries with a new set of resources, vetted by scholars, that will introduce Muslim cultures to Americans and foster appreciation of the pluralism of cultural forms and traditions within the Muslim world. Attend this session to learn more about applying for the collection and developing related community programs.

Have you organized it, participated in it, but are tired of your cultural programming efforts? Join us to gain insight on how to bring your cultural programming efforts up a notch. Listen to experts who will speak about ways to foster dialogue and engage your patrons in more fruitful cultural exchanges that will benefit you, your library and the members of your community.

Libraries are essential for a well-informed citizenry and play a large role in a community’s successful participation in the information society. Discover how libraries and information professionals in Africa are connecting people to information, facilitating equitable access and addressing barriers to information. The presenters will discuss projects, services and research studies about provision of content in local languages; preservation of indigenous knowledge; information literacy programs; services to rural, displaced communities, women, children and youth.

Americans feel the country is lost amid a sea of changes. They want to get back to basics of compassion, simpler living, openness and humility and the common good and to kick-start a new trajectory for the country that begins with small, local actions. Richard Harwood will discuss these and other key findings from his new Main Street study and the potential for libraries to strengthen their role in communities and civic life. ALA is one of the first stops on Harwood's national tour.

This session will give ALA members from all types of libraries an opportunity to consider the implications of the Main Street study for our work as agents of democracy, ranging from building public dialogue skills and engaging a variety of communities at the local level to lobbying and galvanizing grass roots action at the national level.

Co-sponsored by the ALA Center for Civic Life, the ALA Committee on Legislation, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee and ALA Public and Cultural Programs Advisory Committee.

PRIME TIME FAMILY READING, the national award-winning humanities-based family literacy program continues to expand and evolve. Now, families with preschool age children will have the same opportunity to bond as a family around the act of reading and discussing humanities themes together as those with school age children have had for the past twenty years. Join our panel discussion and explore PRIME TIME Preschool, an early childhood development model, and other new PRIME TIME initiatives.

In this interactive program, both experienced participants and newbies will glean great new ideas about activities (starring favorite books, planning aspects of summer reading programs, and more) that keep Teen Advisory Board members excited about each new meeting. Tips on organizing a year’s worth of meetings and meaningfully increasing a TAB’s value to the library will also be addressed by several YA librarians, Karen Cruze from Northbrook Public Library, Northbrook IL, Mary Miller from Niles Public Library, Niles IL, and Katie LaMantia from Schaumburg Township District Library in Schuamburg IL (who was once a TAB member in Schuamburg herself!). All have long-standing, yet uniquely different, TAB boards, and will emphasize how to mold your board to fit what works in your community. You'll leave energized to try something new with your board, or to create one from scratch!

Come and listen to ALA librarians discuss their Sister Library partnerships and how these initiatives provide a mutual source of pride, opportunity, and inspiration between two institutions.

Treaty of Waitangi settlements are enabling iwi/hapu (tribal) entities to build repositories to house their own taonga (treasures) and mātauranga (knowledge) which can affect mainstream libraries throughout Aotearoa (New Zealand) , as iwi contemplate repatriation of their iwi/hapu taonga. Te Ropu Whakahau (Māori in Libraries and Information Management) has developed a one-day workshop, Mātauranga Māori in New Zealand Libraries.

This workshop provides a professional development opportunity for non-Māori librarians, on how to work with iwi/hapu through true partnership, by acknowledging the importance of Matauranga Māori values and practices. This applies to the resources contained within the collections in which they work, as well as the customers of whom they serve. This session showcases the structural framework of an indigenous model; allows participants to experience the content of the workshop; provides innovative ideas on workshop delivery (and the challenges of delivering in earthquake ravaged Christchurch, Kai Tahu, one of the richest iwi of Aotearoa); and includes participant attendance and feedback. This presentation serves as a model for information professionals who seek to be inclusive of indigenous culture and values within their organizations.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Library Alliance was created to promote collaboration of information professionals and excellence in library leadership and services. The Alliance was recently awarded a Mellon grant to document its history and accomplishments. This program will allow Alliance members to discuss this historical collaborative effort and showcase some of their success stories.