Imagine LIVE book clubs where people are constantly sharing their love of literacy! In this session, I will present multiple forms of engaging platforms and activities that utilize literary devices that will engage others in our love of literature. Imagine a book or piece of literature coming to life through the creation of collaborative, engaging, and eye catching products where we can share our love of literacy with others! Through this session, you will walk away with many new ideas and projects that you can apply back in your area with ALL readers!
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Learn how to expand your library's impact in your community with an innovative and multi-faceted approach to outreach and account registration that starts close to home. Staff from Cumberland County Public Library will describe their award-winning program CC READS. Hear how we began by ensuring all library employees were cardholders, then moved to the county-employee level by getting ourselves invited to employee orientations and working with other county departments to streamline card registrations. Finally, discover how we leveraged these new relationships and organized outreach opportunities that benefit county residents. We’ll explain how libraries in any setting can adapt our low- and no-cost tactics to reach further into their communities, build a bigger cardholder base and turn those new users into library advocates.

This will be a presentation of creating a seed library/group and then taking it further and using the seed group as well as local businesses and schools to create a learning garden and possible community garden.

These days, it can be tempting to give up on the idea of building a positive workplace environment. The Internet is oversaturated with discourse about everything from burnout to anecdotes of horrendous behavior from managers: topics which deserve to be addressed, but which are often presented with little practical suggestion for improvement that does not involve large-scale systemic change. Those in workplace leadership positions may wonder, is it even possible to create meaningful workplace improvements on the level of an individual workplace itself? Speaker Cameron Hollister believes it is not only possible but necessary. Through sharing a combination of research and lived experience, Cameron will demonstrate how everyday tools such as language and communication can drastically change a workplace for the better.
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Other academic libraries have done it. It was time for Wiggins Memorial Library to give it a try; merging the Research Assistance and Circulation Desks into one Library Services Desk. Our primary rationale was twofold: 1) make it easier for patrons to know where to get help and 2) increase productivity for both librarians and paraprofessionals by carving out time for projects untethered to the desk. Session attendees will learn how we implemented the merge: via literature surveys and interdepartmental meetings, carefully planning desk coverage shifts, ordering new signage, and re-training our awesome student workforce. Results of this pilot are promising: patrons haven’t blinked, and the presenters will discuss organizational and communication tools used to boost interdepartmental cooperation and respect.
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Join Professor Bailey as he shares how valuing differences in others is essential to attain workplace effectiveness. This session will help participants understand the power of synergy, realize the benefits of creative cooperation, and identify behaviors in themselves and others that promote trust and teamwork. At the conclusion of the session, participants will walk away with tools enabling them to work together and achieve more in their libraries.
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A link between creative, effective employees and playfulness has been established, but our jobs are often pretty stressful. I will share some low-cost/no-cost ideas that we have implemented in our library that keep the party going!

Can a more agile approach motivate your library’s teams and improve your projects and outcomes? Attendees will be introduced to the differences between agile and traditional project management approaches, and learn popular agile strategies for managing teams and projects. From "failing fast" and "defining done" to increased transparency, agile strategies can help us support more collaborative and effective teams.
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In the session, Professor Bailey shares the unique childhood moments when he connected with characters that reflected his personal narrative. Seeing himself mirrored in books had a powerful impact on him as a child and later fueled his passion for sharing diverse books to educators, parents, and caregivers. Participants will leave with renewed appreciation for inclusive reading and how diverse books enrich the lives of readers.
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One of the main things that COVID has shown us is that we must plan for the unexpected, especially when it comes to providing coverage when another instruction or research librarian is out of the office. Unfortunately, not all liaisons utilize the same databases/tools when teaching information literacy nor incorporate the same strategies with regards to active learning. As a result, how can librarians create cross training opportunities to reduce last minute preparation and stress involved in covering for a colleague? You can have the PowerPoint slides, obtain access to the database/tool, and still feel lost. This session will discuss how to go about identifying differences and developing a plan to cross train a group.
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What is a Learning Circle? It is a free facilitated study group for people who want to learn with others. No expert is required. Discover how this learning experience and open educational resources can help learners (for public programs or staff training) reach their goals. For this session, Beth Sheffield, Greensboro Learning Circles coordinator, will share some of the resources and do a modified version of a session of the Greensboro Public Library's New Habits Learning Circle. Learn to make bad habits harder. Observe how small changes in your environment can make a big difference.

Libraries purchasing materials on-demand has been around since the creation of libraries, but this principle is increasingly important as materials budgets are stretched and libraries need to demonstrate a greater return on investment to materials purchases and licenses. Systematizing purchase-on-demand services takes teamwork across the library to design, implement, run, evaluate, and improve. The returns of such services for books, articles, and streaming can be higher use at a lower cost and higher patron satisfaction.
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