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Panhandle Academic Libraries Conference
April 4, 2025 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm CDT
Leading the Way: Innovating and Inspiring in Academic Libraries
Visit our conference LibGuide!
Join us for the annual Panhandle Academic Libraries Conference at Pensacola State College. It’s a free conference, specifically for academic library staff!
Keynote
Staying Grounded in a Wired World with Nancy S. Kirkpatrick, Dean of University Libraries at Florida International University: In an age where digital tools dominate and connections are often just a click away, how do we stay truly grounded? This talk explores the art of meaningful communication inspired by Conversations Worth Having, the enduring value of analog practices in a hyper-digital world, and practical strategies to maintain personal well-being. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on fostering deeper connections, navigating the complexities of digital networks with balance, and finding resilience amidst rapid change. With a touch of humor and inspiration, this session invites you to rediscover the power of presence, both online and off.
We appreciate our conference sponsors, EBSCO, Gale Cengage, and Wolters Kluwer.
Breakout Sessions
Countdown to Compliance: Navigating the New ADA Web and Mobile Accessibility Rules in Academic Libraries: Join esteemed library professionals Amber Arroyo and Rebel Cummings-Sauls as they delve into the new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulation concerning web and mobile accessibility. Their presentation will provide insight to how the regulation will impact all institutions, including departments like the academic library, along with tips to ensuring that institutions remain compliant while enhancing the user experience for all patrons. Together, they will explore the legal implications, share best practices, and provide actionable strategies for library professionals to implement these changes effectively. This session is essential for anyone involved in library management, web services, digital services, and accessibility initiatives, or those aiming to create an inclusive environment for all library users.
Dopamine Design in Pedagogy with Sarah Addison — Many students struggle to thoroughly consume all of the information necessary for their success. Large blocks of text are just one roadblock to students accustomed to taking in huge amounts of information in just seconds on social media platforms. An instructor or librarian can significantly increase student engagement with digital information by utilizing the basic tenets of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, ADHD font studies, and elements of the theory of dopamine dressing. Join Sarah and hear about the impetus behind her ongoing research project and see real life examples of dopamine-driven digital information delivery in information literacy courses and libguides.
I Won’t Take Much of Your Time: Leveraging the Attention Economy in How and What You Teach with Thomas Jonte — It’s a major victory when you finally book time with a faculty member to present to their class or get a student to set up a research appointment. The hard part is over. But inevitably, there are students and even faculty who seem distracted or “miss the point” in what you are trying to teach. Every teacher has felt this discouragement at some point and has asked “was it worth it?” In less than the time allotted to the session, we’ll explore strategies for what we cover during library instruction and how to truly get the attention of students with the tools we already have and create.
Adventures in Transcribing Handwritten Documents with Chris Levesque — During Library Week 2025, the UWF University Libraries will host a participatory transcription event of letters and ship’s logs that are part of its Digital Archives. While the National Archives’ Citizen Archivist model is well-established, this project will use the From the Page platform supplemented with Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) to engage students, faculty, and the larger UWF community. Providing transcripts of historical documents written in cursive is an example of universal design that allows their use by broader audiences who either cannot read cursive or who use screen readers. The use of collaborative transcription platforms reduces the time it takes staff to create transcripts by crowdsourcing transcription. This talk will discuss selection of materials, logistics, training, recruiting volunteers, and implementation of the project.
Library Rebellion: Disrupting the Norm to Engage Students with Sarah Schreck — Flip the script and change preconceived notions of what a library is to enhance student outreach while cultivating relationships to entice continued engagement. Discover innovative strategies to transform your academic library into a dynamic, student-centric hub. Explore disruptive tactics to break the mold, capture the imagination and participation of contemporary college students. Let’s ignite a library revolution!
AI-Generated Works and Copyright: What Academic Librarians Need to Know with Regina Burgess — Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney are exploding in popularity—but do their outputs really belong to anyone? Under U.S. law, only humans can be authors, which means AI-generated works raise challenging questions about copyright, fair use, and institutional policy. In this session, you’ll get the latest scoop on the legal status of AI-assisted creations—straight from recent court rulings and official Copyright Office guidance. You’ll leave with practical tips for navigating these uncharted waters, as well as strategies to safeguard your library—and its patrons—amid rapid AI innovation. Please note this session is informational only and is not intended as legal advice. Resources
This conference is free and includes a continental breakfast (from 9 AM to 9:50 AM CT) and a buffet lunch.
Pre-Conference Tour
You are also welcome to join us on this special pre-conference tour the afternoon before the conference — take advantage of this rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the National Naval Aviation Museum from 2 to 4 PM.
To most people, the National Naval Aviation Museum on board Naval Air Station Pensacola is a collection of some of the most historic aircraft in the world. While that is certainly true, another important element of the 114-year history of Naval Aviation resides behind the scenes. Museum Curator Dina Linn will reveal some of the unique treasures that have been donated to the museum since its founding in 1963, and the specialized research that goes into finding the true story about them. Borrowing from actor Kevin Bacon, Museum Archivist Jared Galloway will present “Six Degrees of Naval Aviation,” using archival document and photographs to link figures in popular culture to naval service. There will also be time available for attendees to browse the collection themselves.
PALC Committee:
- Melissa Davis, Pensacola State College, Co-Chair
- Maria Goodspeed, Pensacola State College, Co-Chair
- Sarah Addison, Pensacola State College
- Jules Bailey, Florida State University
- Regina Burgess, Panhandle Library Access Network
- Melissa Gonzalez, University of West Florida
- Michael Lane, Pensacola State College
- Shamara McCray, Florida State University
- Eden Nitcher, Pensacola State College
- Dominique O’Shea, Pensacola State College
- Sarah Schreck, Florida State University
- Jennifer Trawick, Pensacola State College
Registration
Pensacola State College
Edward M. Chadbourne Library
1000 College Blvd Building 20, Pensacola, Florida 32504
(850) 484-1000
Directions via Google Maps
Pensacola State College Campus Map
We appreciate our sponsors!
Please note: If you use assistive technology and the format of any material present within this training site interferes with your ability to access information, please email [email protected]. In your correspondence, please indicate the nature of your accessibility issue, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the online course title, and your contact information.
This project has been funded under the provisions of the Library Cooperative Grant program, which is administered by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.