CONFERENCES

A special mini-conference, '2024 The Supportive Library: Helping Patrons Experiencing Homelessness,' was held online on Thursday, June 20th, 2024. The mini-conference was focuswed on how to help strengthen homeless patrons, knowing that this requires being emotionally vulnerable ourselves, and how we find the emotional strength and courage to be open and authentic.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2024 AI and Libraries II: More Applications, Implications, and Possibilities,' was held online on Thursday, April 18th, 2024. The mini-conference was focuswed on how artificial intelligence has impacted library services, resources, and work so far, and how libraries responded to these evolving technologies to better support their communities.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2024 AI and Libraries: Applications, Implications, and Possibilities,' was held online on Thursday, March 21st, 2024. The mini-conference was focuswed on how artificial intelligence has impacted library services, resources, and work so far, and how libraries responded to these evolving technologies to better support their communities.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2023 EDI 2.0: Individual Responsibility for Creating Belonging and Connection in the Library Profession,' was held online on Thursday, November 9th, 2023. The mini-conference was focuswed on the evolution of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) efforts within the library profession, focusing on how libraries can help to create belongingness and meaningful connection and what individuals, specifically, can do to help make change.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2023 Banned Books and Censorship: Current Intellectual Freedom Issues in the Library,' was held online on Thursday, June 8th, 2023. The mini-conference was focuswed on the current trends in censorship and explore solutions for how to promote our principles in an era of increasing polarization and the dilemmas that arise at the intersection of intellectual freedom and social justice.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2023 Mental Health and Wellness: Library Workers Thriving in Uncertain Times,' was held online on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023. The mini-conference was focuswed on helping library workers thrive in our current uncertain and complex times.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2022 Libraries and Privacy: Critical Issues for Information Professionals,,' was held online on Thursday, October 13th, 2022. The mini-conference was focuswed on the many different kinds of privacy (and privacy problems) that information institutions and professionals face, with an emphasis on how these professionals can and should engage with the critical dimensions of privacy in their work.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2022 Urban Librarianship: Embracing Challenges and Opportunities through Innovation, Leadership, and Best Practices,' was held online on Thursday, July 14th, 2022. The mini-conference was focuswed on how rban libraries have a unique impact on the well-being of their communities and are essential agents to positively transform those communities and people as anchor institutions and community hubs, and as partners with local government, private sector, nonprofits, and other community-based organizations for collective impact.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, '2022 Virtual Reality and Learning: Leading the Way,' was held online on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022. The mini-conference was focuswed on examples of Virtual Reality impacting adult education, STEM learning, the acquisition of marketable skills, workforce development, and unique learning environments.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, "Libraries as Community Anchors," was held online on Thursday, October 21st, 2021. The mini-conference was focused on the increasingly important role libraries play: as second responders in large scale events via the development and deployment of collaborative connectivity projects; in developing strategies to bridge technological digital divides; and to promote digital access, equity, opportunity, and inclusion.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, "Reinventing Libraries for a Post-COVID World," was held online on Thursday, June 17th, 2021. The mini-conference was focused on the ways librarians have adapted and evolved their service offerings for a post COVID world.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, "Sustainability in Libraries," was held online October 14th, 2020. The mini-conference was focused on This mini-conference will center on the concept of "Sustainable Thinking" which aligns the core values of libraries with the "Triple Bottom Line" definition of sustainability--i.e. the intersection of environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic feasibility--to inspire investment and build support for your library in the future. 

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

A special mini-conference, "Small, Rural, and Independent Libraries," was held online June 17th, 2020. The mini-conference focused on innovation and innovative thinking in rural, independent, tribal, and other small libraries--as well as the many unique challenges that they face. 

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

A special mini-conference, "Libraries Stepping Up! Serving the Needs of Communities in Crisis," was held online March 26th, 2020. Four sessions explored responding personally and professionally to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on libraries and librarians.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our first Library 2.020 mini-conference, "Wholehearted Librarians," was held online March 10th, 2020. This mini-conference explored the human side of 21st-Century information work. Defined were: what soft skills are, how and when to use various soft skills, types of training that can improve soft skills, and how to share emotionally engaging stories.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our third Library 2.019 mini-conference, "Emerging Technology," was held online October 30th, 2019. This event explored what libraries are doing right now with cutting-edge technologies, what they’re planning next, and how you can implement these ideas in your own organization.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our second Library 2.019 mini-conference, "Open Data," was held online June 5th, 2019. This event explored how librarians are using open data, teaching others about it, and even creating it.

More information and session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our first Library 2.019 mini-conference, "Shaping the Future of Libraries with Instructional Design," was held online March 13th, 2019. This event brought together the community of librarians, instructional designers and other educators whose work happens at the intersection of instructional design, educational technology, learning, and libraries.

More information HERE with session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our third Library 2.018 mini-conference, "Social Crisis Management in a 21st Century World," was held online October 17th, 2018. This event was organized in partnership with Patty Wong, Director of Library Services at Santa Monica Public Library.

More information HERE with session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our second Library 2.018 mini-conference, "Blockchain Applied: Impact on the Information Profession," was held online June 7th. This event was organized in partnership with Drs. Sue Alman and Sandra Hirsh from the San Jose State University School of Information as part of their IMLS-funded investigation of the potential uses of blockchain technology for the information professions.

More information HERE with session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our first Library 2.018 mini-conference, "Design Thinking," was held online Thursday, March 8th. This event was organized in partnership with Steven J. Bell, who served as moderator for the opening panel and as the closing keynote speaker.

More information HERE with session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our third Library 2.017 mini-conference, "Makerspaces," was held online Wednesday, October 11th. It was organized in partnership with Heather Moorefield-Lang as moderator for the opening panel and as the closing keynote speaker. Invited panelists and presenters did a deep-dive look at these creative locations for tinkering, collaborating, problem solving, and creating in a library or educational space. 

More information HERE with session recordings HERE (you must be a member of this site [free] to access the recordings page).

 

Our second Library 2.017 mini-conference, "Digital Literacy & Fake News," was held online Thursday, June 1st, from 12:00 - 3:00pm US-Pacific Daylight Time. It was organized in partnership with futurist Bryan Alexander as moderator for the opening panel and as the closing keynote speaker. Invited panelists and presenters will look deeply at the foundational relationship of libraries and librarians to media, information, and digital literacy.

More information HERE with session recordings HERE.

 

Our first Library 2.017 mini-conference, "Expertise, Competencies and Careers," was held online (and for free) March 29th, from 12:00 - 3:00pm US-Pacific Daylight Time. It was organized in partnership with the American Library Association and featured ALA president Julie Todaro as moderator for the opening panel and as the closing keynote speaker. Invited panelists looked forward at the skills and knowledge needed to support successful libraries of the future, examining educational programs and employer expectations.

Library 2.016: LIBRARIES OF THE FUTURE was held on October 6th, 2016. As libraries shape their futures – and adapt to the future needs of their communities – what are the near- and long-term trends that point to our brightest opportunities? What can we learn from library innovators and innovators from other sectors and industries that will help us shape the future we want and that our communities aspire towards?

We explored some of the key trends that point toward specific futures for libraries, and engage in conversations with civic, social, and education innovators to learn more about what they think about the future, and how libraries can become an integral part of their future visions. Libraries and librarians are well-positioned to envision the future – at the intersection of information, education, technology, and community – and this dialogue will help bring our best thinking together with the exciting visions of our collaborators, allies, and partners. Sponsored with ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries.

More information HERE, with session recordings HERE.

 

Library 2.016: LIBRARY AS CLASSROOM was held on June 15th, 2016. In A New Culture of Learning, authors Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown write, “Where imaginations play, learning happens.” This could and should define our services for now and in the future. The library as creative classroom means we approach the learning opportunities we create with thought, user-directed planning, and insights from research. This classroom may include physical spaces for instruction and discovery as well as online, multi-scale platforms aimed at social learning and participation.

Libraries of all kinds serve as formal and informal creative classrooms, supporting learners by employing emerging strategies in learning and engagement. These include: play, collaborative exploration of ideas and technologies, and other innovations. There are notable examples of academic, public, and K-12 library spaces that have become creative classrooms. These feature community learning spaces to help learners achieve, game-focused initiatives that make the library a laboratory for exploration, creation zones with requisite digital and 3-D hardware for building things, and potentially endless opportunities to connect virtually with people worldwide.

The library as classroom requires inspired and insightful management that can do those things and more. The library as classroom also requires well-trained, user-focused staff who understand how people of all ages can learn socially. Art programs, DIY tinkering, locally sourced expert forums, and LOOCs (local open online courses) are all part of this ­curriculum.