Essentials of Library Science: A Crash Course for Library Staff with Regina Burgess
2026-02-01 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Chicago) | Florida
This self-paced course explores libraries as dynamic community centers and covers key areas, including intellectual freedom and access to information; understanding different library types and staff roles; using classification systems such as the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress; how technology reshapes library functions; and strategies for effective collection management and community programs. This course is perfect for enhancing your skills and understanding of modern librarianship.

You will need a Niche Academy account to access this course; if you don’t have a Niche Academy account, you can create one at my.nicheacademy.com/plan-staff. Due to licensing agreements, this course is available to PLAN-member library staff only. If your library is not a member of PLAN, please contact your multitype library cooperative for access to self-paced courses.

Artificial Intelligence Discussion Group
2026-02-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-03-11 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-01 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
Curious about artificial intelligence? Want to learn what others are trying, or get answers to your own questions?

Join us for our upcoming AI discussion group the first Wednesday of each month (except March and May, when we’ll meet the second Wednesday)!

Everyone is welcome, whether you’re brand‑new to AI or already experimenting with tools. Come ready to share your experiences or simply listen and ask questions. It’s a relaxed, peer‑to‑peer space to explore what’s possible.

Stoplights, Roundabouts, and Leadership: Navigating the Highways and Backroads of Organizational Life & Leadership
2026-02-04 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries, and the recording will be shared on the PLAN Niche Academy within a week of the live event.

Some leaders and teams spend their days waiting at stoplights: seeking permission, direction, or perfect clarity before moving forward. Others have learned to build roundabouts instead, creating systems of shared trust and understanding that keep work flowing smoothly.

In this engaging and practical session, we’ll explore the “transportation map” of leadership using metaphors like freeways, speedbumps, dirt roads, and roundabouts to examine how organizational structures shape momentum, creativity, and collaboration. Participants will leave with concrete strategies for tearing down unnecessary stoplights and designing “well-functioning roundabouts” that empower teams to navigate safely, efficiently, and with less stress.

Attendees will learn to:

Identify common “stoplights” that slow progress and decision-making in organizations

Explore the principles of trust and shared understanding that make roundabout-style leadership work

Discover practical tools for creating smoother workflows, clearer communication, and empowered teams

Reflect on personal leadership habits that either create congestion or enable healthy movement

About the Presenter: Sam Passey serves as the Associate Dean of Library Services at Colorado Mountain College, a dual-mission institution with 11 campuses that offers both associate and bachelor’s degrees. Previously, he spent 17 years as the director of Uintah County Library in Northeast Utah, where he oversaw the design and construction of a new library facility and mentored numerous staff members who have since become leaders in the library field. He has a Master’s degree in Library Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education. A recognized speaker, presenter, and writer, Sam specializes in library and museum management and leadership.

Introduction to News Literacy
2026-02-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
This one-hour session provides an overview of news literacy education that touches on all five of the News Literacy Project’s standards:

1. Distinguishing types of information

2. Understanding the importance of the First Amendment and a free press

3. Understanding ethical standards of journalism

4. Developing critical habits of mind

5. Seeking and sharing credible information

We’ll explore key concepts and skills needed to effectively and responsibly navigate the information environment, including verification skills for evaluating online claims. We will introduce the resources available for free from the News Literacy Project, as well as guidance for incorporating news literacy into library programming.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Alee Quick is the Director of Community Engagement for the News Literacy Project, where she creates and shares resources with families, libraries and community groups that want to teach kids and teens about news literacy outside of traditional classrooms. She also supports teachers and school administrators as they engage families and school communities around news literacy. She previously worked as a newspaper editor and nonprofit marketer, and she advises the independent student newspaper at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Alee has a bachelor’s degree from the Missouri School of Journalism.

Webinar: 2025 Readers' Advisory Year in Review
2026-02-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This workshop is exclusive to PLAN member libraries, and the recording will be posted to the PLAN Niche Academy within a week of the live event.

2025 has moved into our rearview, everyone is eager to jump into the fresh start of 2026, but hold up for just a bit longer! It is important, every year, to take a step back and look critically at the year that was before setting goals or service plans for the next year.

Join noted Readers’ Advisory expert, Becky Spratford as she walks you through the highlights [and lowlights] of 2025 in Adult Leisure Reading.

From the biggest trends, to the authors, titles, and genres that broke through, Becky will break it all down for you, wringing out the best of 2025 to take with us as we plan our service to adult readers for 2026.

Who will Benefit from this Program:

All staff that interacts with patrons, all circulation staff members and reader’s advisory staff

Becky Spratford ~ Biography

Becky Spratford [MLIS] is a Librarian in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All. She writes reviews for Booklist and a Horror review column for Library Journal. Becky was a 24 year locally elected Library Trustee and a former Board member for both the Reaching Across Illinois Library System and the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with Horror readers, Becky is the author of three text books for library workers, most recently, The Reader’s Advisory Guide to Horror, Third Edition [ALA Editions, 2021] and the recently released Why I Love Horror [Saga Press, 2025]. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, currently serving as the Association’s Secretary and Co-Chair of their Library Committee. You can follow Becky on Bluesky @raforall.bsky.social

Leave Your Stress @ Work! with Linda Bruno
2026-02-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Florida
Although our work often brings us great joy, it can also present a few challenges – differing personalities, friction, work overload, patron demands, negativity – you get the picture!

And when we take those challenges home with us in the form of stress, the cycle becomes a 24/7 rerun.

In this single 60-minute session, we’re going to help you understand what’s really causing the stress – and it’s not always what we think. We’ll also discuss some simple steps to help you leave your workday at work – particularly if it’s been stressful!

About the Presenter: Linda has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves!

That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

Don't eat the Red Frog (Because Words Can Harm You)
2026-02-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries, the recording will be posted to PLAN’s Niche Academy within a week following the live event.

If you have ever traveled to Central or South America, you may have come across or heard about the Red Poison Dart Frog. The poison dart frog’s brightly colored bodies serve as a warning to us and their predators of their toxicity.

Here in our country, we too are surrounded by poisonous Red Frogs, but they look different. Surprisingly they look a lot like you and me. You see, there are many people in our lives that are poisonous to us. They may be our family members, friends, colleagues, customers and people on social media.

Their poison affects our confidence, our belief in ourself and our mental and physical well-being. Their toxicity will harm us, if we let it.

In this interactive and informative program, you’ll discover:

5 Red Frogs that are likely in your life today (and what to do about them)

2 ways to conquer those and your future Red Frogs

The secret that everybody knows, but you don’t remember to use: You Have 3 Super Powers!

About the presenter: Andrew Sanderbeck is positive realist. He champions meliorism, the belief that we can contribute to positive change and improve the world and our community, through acts of love, creativity, compassion and kindness.

For more than 20 years he has presented at national, state and regional conferences, meetings and retreats worldwide.

He is the author of three inspirational books and his latest book, Don’t Eat the Red Frog will be published by this year.

Leading Transformative Change with Maurice Coleman
2026-02-19 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
Leading change in any organization is hard work. You have to balance the triumphs and restraints of institutional memory, the ever-evolving temperature of your staff, customer needs, local government, and industry trends, all while creating and planning for the future. This workshop/event will show participants how to lead positive change from the front, the side, and the back of the organization.

About the presenter: Maurice Coleman is a librarian, educator, keynote speaker, and podcast host. Maurice uses his decades of practical experience to help people and organizations empower themselves with better leadership, communication, and technology skills to create positive change. He was recently certified as a Dale Carnegie Trainer.

Characteristics of Credibility
2026-02-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
Addressing news coverage and current events – including claims library staff and patrons encounter online – can quickly become entangled in perceptions of partisanship. Cut through polarization by focusing on the characteristics of credible information and the standards and guidelines that are used in journalism.

This session provides a deep dive into journalism standards and ethics. These include aspects of verification — such as the practice of gathering and comparing information from multiple credible sources — and ideals such as fairness, transparency, independence and accountability. We’ll address how journalists work to avoid bias, as well as the importance of context and balance. Finally, we’ll demonstrate how you can apply an understanding of these standards to judge the credibility of news and other information.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Tracee Stanford is the Senior Manager of Professional Learning for the News Literacy Project, where she designs and facilitates engaging news literacy professional development sessions for educators nationwide, virtually and in person. Before joining NLP, she was a program manager at Free Spirit Media, where she led media educators in teaching essential journalism skills to youth in underserved Chicagoland communities. She also worked as a high school journalism teacher in Chicago Public Schools, contributing to curriculum development, instructional strategies, and strategic partnerships. Tracee also has a background in local news, producing morning news for WSFA 12 in Montgomery, Alabama, and working as a reporter and producer for Alabama Public Television. She began her career as a statehouse reporter covering politics in Springfield, Illinois. Tracee holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois, Springfield.

Picture Book Powerhouse: Top Titles of 2025
2026-02-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries. The recording will be posted to PLAN’s Niche Academy within a week following the live event.

Looking for inspiration for your next storytime, library, or display? Join us for an energetic tour of the best picture books published in 2025. From laugh-out-loud adventures to creative works of art, this presentation features stories that spark joy, prompt reflection, and celebrate one another’s experiences.

Whether for classrooms, storytimes, or family reading, you’ll leave ready to refresh your programs and collections with new gems that showcase the beauty of illustration and embody the heart of storytelling.

Participants will:

Build a “go-to” list of the year’s top read-alouds and visual standouts.

Gather ideas for using these titles in programming, curriculum, collection development, reader’s advisory, and family engagement.

Learn simple ways to evaluate picture books.

Discover new authors and illustrators who reflect our world.

About the presenter: Katie Clausen holds an MLIS from Dominican University and an MA in Children’s Literature from Simmons College. She has held positions across multiple public library systems, both large to small, in various leadership roles. Katie has presented widely on children’s literature, storytelling, and fairy-tale studies, with her writing featured in Children & Libraries and Marvels & Tales. She is a current PhD candidate in Information Studies at Dominican University.

Weeding Popular Materials Collections
2026-03-04 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
When it comes to books, we all like to buy! However, selecting materials is only half of the collection development process. Book hoarding does not create a useful collection. Weeding, or deselecting materials, must receive equal and continuous attention as selection to have a truly patron-driven collection that serves its community.

As increasing demands tax libraries’ limited resources, every item in a physical collection must justify its shelf space; while every item, both physical and digital, vies for patrons’ time and attention. We’ll discuss practical advice for weeding popular materials collections for youth and adults across formats. Along the way, I’ll debunk some popular weeding excuses.

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

articulate to internal and external stakeholders that weeding is equally as important as selection to collection development

implement logical, rigorous weeding doctrines within popular materials collections

weed to create space for new collections, highlight materials, and increase circulation with confidence

promote patron driven collection policies and revitalize collections

Who will benefit from this program:

All staff that interacts with the collection and the public

Staff who select for the collection

Staff who maintain the collection

About the presenter: Karen Toonen is the Collection Services Manager at Naperville Public Library, the second-highest circulating public library in Illinois. Throughout her time as a Readers Advisory Assistant, an Adult Services Librarian, and in Technical Services, Karen has remained focused on collections. She has presented extensively on weeding and other collection development aspects at the regional, state, and national level. Her service on the Adult Reading Round Table’s Steering Committee has not only allowed her to learn about weeding from colleagues across northern Illinois, but also informed her philosophy that weeding and readers advisory go hand in hand.

Evaluating News Media Bias: A Nuanced Approach to a Vital Topic
2026-03-10 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
People frequently perceive and allege bias in news coverage, but what does this really mean? What makes a piece of news biased, and who decides? What role do our own biases play in our perceptions of bias? This session explores this vital, controversial and complex topic in ways that empower librarians, educators, students and library patrons to meaningfully evaluate the fairness and impartiality of news coverage. In the session, we will:

• Reflect on the ideal of avoiding bias as a standard of quality journalism.

• Analyze actual examples of news and other information and reflect on the nuanced, highly subjective nature of perceived bias in news.

• Learn an approach for evaluating potential bias in news by recognizing different types of potential bias and the forms they can take in coverage.

• Explore the limitations of popular media bias charts and rating systems.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Alee Quick is the Director of Community Engagement for the News Literacy Project, where she creates and shares resources with families, libraries and community groups that want to teach kids and teens about news literacy outside of traditional classrooms. She also supports teachers and school administrators as they engage families and school communities around news literacy. She previously worked as a newspaper editor and nonprofit marketer, and she advises the independent student newspaper at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Alee has a bachelor’s degree from the Missouri School of Journalism.

Managing the Afterschool Crowd at Your Library
2026-03-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
*If you registered for this webinar prior to March 9, 2026 you will need to re-register as the links have changed!

The hours of 3-5pm, Monday-Friday can be a busy time for libraries. This is when libraries may get an influx of young people, and an increase in behavior incidents. But this is also a time of great potential impact, where libraries can be a safe place and reach out to teens.

In this webinar you’ll hear from a former Teen Services Librarian whose library typically had 100-150 teens most days after school. She will share her and her colleagues’ experiences on how to manage these chaotic (and fun!) hours.

In this webinar you’ll learn:

Teen developmental stages and how that can affect behavior

Tips on setting policies and guidelines

Setting and enforcing behavior expectations that make the library a place for everyone

Suggestions on partners and programs after school

Communication techniques to deescalate behaviors

About the presenter: Carrie Rogers-Whitehead is the founder and CEO of Digital Respons-Ability, a mission-based company that educates tens of thousands of students, parents, and teachers through in-person and online courses across the country. She has written two books for librarians about adolescents: Teen Fandom and Geek Programming: a Practical Guide for Librarians, and the ALA-award winning Serving Teens and Adults and the Autism Spectrum: a Guide for Libraries and continues to work with teens.

Free Tools for (Professional & Personal) Success with Maurice Coleman
2026-03-12 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
Free digital resources are overlooked as digital divide “bridges” that can relieve professional and personal pain points. These powerful and diverse products can stretch library and customer dollars while providing similar functions to many popular and expensive programs. Get to know many (60+) useful and free tools, programs, and websites you can use to be thrifty and productive. We will discover and discuss resources and explore the true cost of “free” on the net.

About the presenter: Maurice Coleman is a librarian, educator, keynote speaker, and podcast host. Maurice uses his decades of practical experience to help people and organizations empower themselves with better leadership, communication, and technology skills to create positive change. He was recently certified as a Dale Carnegie Trainer.

Q&A With Ryan Dowd
2026-03-12 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
Free for PLAN member library staff

Download flyer here

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World with Linda Bruno
2026-03-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Florida
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get drawn into the world of the negative? Or maybe I should say, “how easy it is to get drawn into what sometimes seems a totally negative world”!

And have you ever noticed that we often tend to share our negativity with others – our co-workers, patrons, friends, and family – and sometimes total strangers?? They often “catch” our negativity, make it their very own, and proceed to share it with even more people!

What we sometimes forget is that holding on to negativity or focusing on the positive is a choice, not something over which we have absolutely no control.

In this 60-minute webinar, we’re going to look briefly at what tends to bring out our negativity, how long we hang on to negative thoughts, and how we generally react to those feelings.

Then we’ll talk about choices – how do we raise awareness of the choices we’re making regarding our own feelings? How do we ensure that those choices are going to be to our benefit? How do we use this skill to impact our lives?

How, in other words, do we choose to stay positive when negativity seems to be the norm?

About the Presenter: Linda has been developing and conducting training workshops for libraries for more than fifteen years. Her favorite thing to do is to help people become their best selves!

That’s why she offers workshops on topics ranging from Leadership Skills to Emotional Intelligence – and lots of areas in between.

Handout

Best Romances of 2025
2026-03-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
*If you registered for this webinar prior to March 9, 2026 you will need to re-register as the links have changed!

In 2025, publishers gave us thousands of ways to fall in love. But which romance novels made our hearts really sing? Join us for our “Best Romances of 2025” webinar, where we’ll talk about our favorite love stories that came out last year.

We’ll cover titles at all heat levels as we discuss contemporary, historical, romantasy, and more. From award winners to sleeper hits, we won’t let your dream read pass you by!

Who will benefit from this program:

Staff that interacts with patrons

All circulation staff members

Reader’s advisory staff

About the presenter: Emilia Mudd has been a librarian for thirteen years with Calvert Library in Maryland, and has been reading romance for a lot longer than that! She has an MLIS in Library Science from San Jose State University and is a published romance author. In her spare time, she is an avid reader of many genres and enjoys gardening and drinking too much coffee.

Algorithms and Generative AI: Pitfalls and Possibilities for Students
2026-03-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Florida
Young people spend a lot of time on social media, but do they know why certain content appears on their feeds? Algorithms are powerful but often invisible forces shaping our online experiences — but whose interests are they designed to promote?

This presentation will help you dive into the world of algorithms and generative artificial intelligence so you can teach students and public library patrons to consider the civic and social impact of these technologies. You’ll gain an understanding of how search and social media algorithms work; explore the opportunities and pitfalls of large language model chatbots, such as ChatGPT; and learn about the evolution of AI image generators, such as DALL-E. We’ll also take a look at where these technologies are heading, including the rapid development of AI video, and discuss their implications for civic discourse, research and library best practices.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Tracee Stanford is the Senior Manager of Professional Learning for the News Literacy Project, where she designs and facilitates engaging news literacy professional development sessions for educators nationwide, virtually and in person. Before joining NLP, she was a program manager at Free Spirit Media, where she led media educators in teaching essential journalism skills to youth in underserved Chicagoland communities. She also worked as a high school journalism teacher in Chicago Public Schools, contributing to curriculum development, instructional strategies, and strategic partnerships. Tracee also has a background in local news, producing morning news for WSFA 12 in Montgomery, Alabama, and working as a reporter and producer for Alabama Public Television. She began her career as a statehouse reporter covering politics in Springfield, Illinois. Tracee holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois, Springfield.

Library Signage: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
2026-03-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
*If you registered for this webinar prior to March 9, 2026 you will need to re-register as the links have changed!

Customer service and library signage go hand in hand. How do patrons see your library’s signage and does it address appropriate customer needs?

This session will look critically at many types of library signs and review the positive and negative aspects of library signage. We will also address how to conduct a signage audit and the importance of library branding. This session also addresses customer service issues as they relate to signage. Online resources will be provided and there will be opportunities for Q&A and discussion.

As a result of this program, attendees will:

Understand the importance of effective library signage.

Identify common reasons why library signage might be misinterpreted or confusing.

Explore the key components of conducting a library signage audit.

Develop skills to rethink and rejuvenate library signs.

About the presenter: Dr. Curtis Rogers is a library consultant who has worked in the library and information science field for over 35 years. He has worked at the Union (SC) Carnegie Library, and the Charleston County (SC) Public Library, and retired as the Communications Director of the South Carolina State Library. He has also taught courses at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, a Master of Library and Information Science, and a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of South Carolina. He is a recipient of the 2015 F. William Summers Outstanding Alumni Award from the USC School of Library and Information Science.

Next Level Interviewing Skills
2026-04-01 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

Looking to get promoted or to take that next step in your professional life?

Take your interviewing skills to the next level in this interactive session designed to help you confidently showcase your gifts and talents as you take your career to the next level.

As a result of this program, attendees will learn:

Steps to take to prepare BEFORE the interview,

How to engage DURING the interview from the moment they step onsite or online until their final exit,

Recovery strategies for those ‘not so perfect moments’ during the interview, and

How to make a positive impression AFTER the interview.

This session will teach you how to not only showcase your gifts and your talents but also view the interview as an opportunity to determine if the employer is the right place for you to grow and to develop.

About the presenter: Clenise Platt is a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is a gifted leader, communicator, strategic thinker, and creative who partners with senior leaders, executives, and teams to develop, plan, and execute dynamic and innovative programs, initiatives, and presentations. Her areas of concentration include leadership and board development, employee engagement, talent development, customer service, and culture cultivation. Clenise has authored several books and articles focused on personal, professional, spiritual, financial, community, youth, and leadership development. She has been published in multiple publications including the Virginia Libraries Journal. She is the host of the Platinum Passport Podcast available on podcast platforms across the web and at www.theplattinumgroup.com

Book Displays for Every Library Worker
2026-04-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

Any library worker can be a hero and use book displays or online book lists to market their library’s collection, revealing the hidden gems on their shelves and introducing patrons to materials they may have missed. In addition, book displays, both in the library and online, can tie your programs, partnerships, and library services into your collection.

Join Passive Readers’ Advisory expert Lila Denning for an hour of all the ways that you can promote your library’s collection with better book displays. Book displays are a fun, creative marketing technique that any library can use. Learn how to create book displays that will draw readers in and help them to find those titles that don’t get enough attention.

Attendees will learn how to:

Understand what are the features of a great book display and how to craft them with a focus on marketing your collection.

Discover ways to use book displays to promote services, and ongoing and special programs and events, while also bringing attention to titles that have been overlooked.

Identify opportunities to fit in book displays all over your building, even in smaller libraries with limited space.

About the presenter: Lila Denning is a librarian in Florida specializing in Passive Readers Advisory for patrons of all ages. She is the Acquisitions Coordinator for the St. Petersburg Library System and has worked in circulation, reference, and youth services. She serves as the volunteer coordinator for the Horror Writers of America. You can find her on Twitter @Vantine and on BlueSky @ Vantine.bsky.social. On her blog, http://bookdisplays.blogspot.com, she talks about ideas for book displays and other forms of Passive Readers Advisory and how to best use it to serve your patrons.

2026 Panhandle Academic Libraries Conference
2026-04-10 09:00 - 15:00 | Pensacola State College, 1000 College Blvd Bldg 20, Pensacola, FL, 32504, United States
The eighth annual Panhandle Academic Libraries Conference is scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (CST) at Pensacola State College in Pensacola, Florida. View the conference LibGuide for more information.

Keynote Speaker: Captain Chandra Newman (read her bio)

Breakout Sessions:

Shonda Knight, Executive Director of Community and Media Relations, Leon County Sheriffs Office, Author of My Omnilocks

Dr. Erin Shaw, University of Central Arkansas, Bridging the Gap between Secondary Media Centers and Academic Libraries

Pamela Monroe, Library Director, Leroy Collins Leon County Public Library, Second Floor Library Renovation Plan

Dr. Chris Levesque, The University of West Florida, Transcribathon Results

Regina Burgess, Executive Director, PLAN, America’s 250th Anniversary Resources

Sarah Snider, Librarian, Gulf Coast State College, Using Gamification to Enhance Your Library Sessions

Michelle Finley, Head of Circulation and Operational Support, The University of West Florida, Loaning Technology in Your Library: A Student-Centered Approach to Policy

Jules Bailey, Health Sciences Librarian, Florida State University, and Kyung Kim, Program Director for Social Sciences, Florida State University, Campus and Community Outreach: Tabling at a Health Fair

Kirsten Bedford, Social Sciences Library Associate, Florida State University, and Kyung Kim, Program Director for Social Sciences, Florida State University, Promoting AI Literacy Through Library Collections: A Case Study of Print and Digital Book Displays

We’re also having a pre-conference event at Historic Pensacola Village on April 9th!

Register for the Pre-Conference Here!

Biography of Keynote Speaker, Captain Chandra Newman

Captain Chandra Newman is a native of Inverness, Florida. She enlisted in the Navy May 2001 and commissioned from Officer Candidate School in November 2002 after completing a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Troy State University in Education, summa cum laude. She earned her wings of gold August 2004. Newman graduated from the Naval War College earning her Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies focusing on Eurasia and has completed the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Executive Education program.

Newman’s assignments started with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26 including 2005 Pakistan Earthquake Relief operations in Kashmir and detachments onboard USS Bataan (LHD-5), USS Kearsarge (LHD-3), USS Iwo Jima, (LHD-7) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). She served as an Aviation Safety Officer and Standardization Officer at HSC-2 and provided Presidential support to Camp David. Newman was the Assistant Navigator of the Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) earning Officer of the Deck and Command Duty Officer Underway qualifications. She served as the Operations Officer Department Head at HSC-25 in Yigo, Guam. Her tour included Detachment Officer in Charge for Operation Damayan and Talisman Saber as well as joint operations with U.S. Army 3-2 General Support Aviation Battalion in the Republic of Korea. In her joint tour, she was the Executive Officer of U.S. European Command C4 Directorate and Joint Cyber Center.Newman commanded HSC-5 Nightdippers of CVW-7, deploying around the world with Carrier Strike Group 12 and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) earning the 2019 Battle “E” supporting Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Sentinel.

More recently, Newman was a Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow with Raytheon Intelligence & Space in Arlington, Virginia integrating with the Vice President of Maritime Dominance and the Vice President of Strategy, Campaigns, and Analysis. Newman most recently served as Naval Aviation’s Leadership, Education, Growth, Advocacy, Culture and Youth Outreach (LEGACY) Director at CNAF Headquarters.Newman assumed command of Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Nov. 15, 2024.

Her personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (three awards), as well as additional unit and personal awards.

More Than Alt-Text: Practical Accessibility for Library Workers
2026-04-15 11:30 - 12:30 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

This session introduces practical, achievable steps library staff can take to improve the accessibility of their library’s digital content. Moving beyond the basics, participants will learn how to create accessible documents and PDFs, use clear structure and plain language, improve readability, make social media posts more inclusive, and recognize common barriers on library websites and online forms.

The session also covers how to collaborate effectively with IT staff and vendors to support broader accessibility efforts. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies they can apply immediately to better serve all patrons.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Recognize common accessibility barriers in library websites, documents, forms, and social media content.

Apply practical techniques to create accessible documents and PDFs using clear structure and plain language.

Improve readability and usability of digital content through formatting and design choices.

Incorporate inclusive practices into social media and online communications.

Use effective questions and documentation strategies when collaborating with IT staff and vendors about accessibility.

About the presenter: Lindsay O’Neill designs accessible, inclusive learning experiences for adult professional audiences, with a focus on higher education and libraries. Through her consulting practice, she helps institutions create compliant, engaging online learning that blends strong pedagogy with practical implementation. Her expertise spans accessibility compliance, inclusive course design, online teaching strategy, and eLearning development.

Developing Your Personal Archive
2026-04-15 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

Personal archiving involves capturing and protecting your “living history” to ensure that your experiences remain available for the duration of life- and for the benefit of future generations. Whether your history is contained in overflowing physical boxes, or a sprawling digital footprint, archival principles provide a roadmap to transform these materials from a stuff to be filed pile into your organized legacy.

This webinar will teach you how to get started putting together your personal archive, allowing you to manage your memories methodically.

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

Determine which items have enduring informational, evidentiary, or intrinsic significance to their personal narrative

Organize their collection

Identify appropriate preservation guidelines for non-digital media

Begin to outline a digital storage strategy, including social media

About the presenter: Mitchell Friedman, EdD, APR, develops people. Known as an enthusiastic, energetic, and insightful educator and consultant, he relishes opportunities to help others to develop their skills and abilities on the path to achieving their full potential. Dr. Friedman teaches leadership, management communication, organizational behavior, and public relations at universities located throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Friedman also helps a range of organizations to develop the communications and leadership skills of their employees.

Quick Wins for a Better Website with Laura Solomon
2026-04-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Florida
Don’t have full control over your library’s website? That doesn’t mean you can’t make it better.

In this webinar, you’ll discover simple, high-impact tweaks that improve usability and give your patrons a smoother online experience. From refining your writing and navigation to adjusting graphics, you’ll learn how even small changes can make a meaningful difference.

Walk away with practical strategies you can implement right away – no major overhaul required.

Key Takeaways:

Learn how to make your website more user-friendly with small, strategic changes

Discover quick fixes for writing, navigation, and graphics that improve usability

Understand how to address patron needs even without full site control

Gain confidence in making incremental improvements that add up over time

About the presenter: Laura Solomon, CPACC, MCIW, MLS, is the Library Services Manager at the Ohio Public Information Network and a W3C-certified front-end web developer. With nearly three decades of experience in web development and design, Laura has honed her expertise in both public libraries and as an independent consultant, specializing in Drupal development and in website accessibility.

Recognized as a 2010 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, she has authored books on social media and content marketing tailored for libraries, as well as about library website design. She has dedicated many course hours to learning how to make websites accessible, ensuring that digital spaces are inclusive for all users.

Laura is a frequently-requested speaker for public library organizations, sharing her passion for bringing the fun of technology to audiences and equipping libraries with the tools to better serve their virtual customers.

Interactive Tools for Teaching and Presenting - 2 parts
2026-04-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Florida
Part 1: April 16 from 10 AM to 11:30 AM CTPart 2: April 23 from 10 AM to 11:30 AM CT

How do we truly engage our audience when presenting ideas, welcoming new users, or teaching? There are plenty of freely available tools which allow more interaction, which can be used either instead of or alongside traditional presentation tools like PowerPoint. The great thing is they work equally well in online environments like Zoom or Teams, or in person when presenting face-to-face.

We’ll explore a range of tools including Menti – a surprisingly versatile quizzing tool in which you can create slides and entire presentations; Google Slides – the Google equivalent to PowerPoint with one crucial interactive Q&A feature added; and Padlet – an interactive board that allows your audience to collaborate with you and each other.

By the end of the training participants will have learned about a variety of interactive tools, tried them all out, and be able to make an informed choice as to when to use them in their presentations, lectures, workshops, or orientation sessions.

About the presenter: Ned Potter is the Faculty Engagement Manager: Community & UX at the University of York, and a Trainer for various organizations including the Bodleian Libraries and the British Library. He has run library workshops across four continents, and his presentations have been viewed over 2.5 million times online. His book The Library Marketing Toolkit was published by Facet in 2012. Ned can be found online at ned-potter.com and on Bluesky at @nedpotter.bsky.social.

Domestic Violence: A Conversation with Dr. Carolyn West
2026-04-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida

Help! I Have Too Much Empathy! How to Manage Staff When You Feel Too Much
2026-04-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Florida
This webinar is exclusive to PLAN member libraries.

There are a lot of trainings on how to develop more empathy, but what do you do when you have too much empathy? Are you someone who can walk into a room and feel what everyone is feeling?

Do you have difficulty maintaining boundaries with staff because they feel comfortable sharing so much with you? Are difficult conversations difficult because you can feel the emotions from the other person? This ability makes it difficult to manage and lead other people.

In this session we’ll learn what it means to be an empath, how that ability can make us strong and effective leaders, and some tools, tips, and tricks to setting boundaries, taking care of yourself, and being the best leader to help your staff succeed.

About the presenter: Connie Sureck has been in libraries for the past 18 years in Virginia and Ohio and has served in various leadership and management roles for about 15 years. Connie has presented at multiple conferences and conventions for both the Ohio Library Council and the Northeast Ohio Regional Library System and has been involved in OLC action councils and program committees. She was part of the succession plan for chairing the convention, serving as Program Committee Chair in 2016 and then Convention Chair in 2017. She’s been with the Medina County District Library since 2009, taking a short break for a couple of years to manage a branch at the Stark County District Library, and then came back and is currently the branch manager at the Brunswick Library.
