Conference Sessions

Presenters: Lisa Granholm, Tara Kunesh, Catrina Davis 

Libraries move forward by creating connections, fostering collaboration, and promoting communication. Catalogers, though a crucial part of any library hierarchy, often face isolation due to their specialized, behind-the-scenes roles. This presentation will explore how catalogers can come out of their collective corners and work together through NACO and SACO programs. It will include an overview of NACO and SACO as well as some routes to involvement. Access strategies as well as collaborative training ideas will be discussed. The presentation will also demonstrate how NACO and SACO work can support inclusivity as we strive towards a more equitable future.

Presenters: Chassity Burns and Tami Melacon 

Through the years libraries have changed and will continue to enhance throughout time. Programming in academic libraries provides students with a new discovery of information they possibly weren’t aware of and new interest. For most campuses, the library is considered to be “The Hub.” Through programming often times new connections and opportunities are made for students. Now in libraries with new and innovated spaces such as MakerSpaces, virtual reality, and podcast studios allow students the ability to create personable projects. Many libraries are becoming “One-stop shops” where high trafficked departments are now housed within such as Freshman Academy- First Year Experience and tutorial assistance to name a few. What does this have to do with programming? 

Presenter: Machelle Keen 

Workshop to look at where you are in your journey. Are you an employee, a manager, a leader, or all of the above? How can you develop leadership skills no matter what your position to strengthen your team and help develop better relationships all around. We will look at the process and do some activities as leaders/teams to help enhance and build a stronger connection with everyone on our teams. 

Presenters: Lara Canner, Nicole Stephens, Bokeuim Yeom 

Our presentation introduces Pendergrass Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine Library’s success stories, efforts to enhance connections with communities, and how we strategized to implement our Libraries’ vision and goals.

Presentation objectivesl:

• Introduce Pendergrass Libraries’ vision and focus 
• Share our successes, lessons, and learned experiences
• Communication tools
• Independent projects, ex. Connecting Student Library Assistants (SLAs) with opportunities for professional development, such as creating inclusive displays
• Collaborative effort – ex. bringing departments from other colleges to Pendergrass Library: ART Exhibition: Seed Library & ARTA214 as well as Fun Friday visit: FUTURE postsecondary Education Program
• Discuss challenges and solutions  

Chuck Knight 

Getting to know a new technology can sometimes feel exciting and sometimes feel scary. Since ChatGPT’s release in November 2022, there has been a lot of buzz around AI. Also, a lot of Gen AI chatbots like ChatGPT have emerged. Whether you have embraced it or avoided it, Gen AI is likely here to stay. So, let’s pull up a chair, sit down, and stay a spell. During the session, we’ll practice some fun ways to get acquainted with Gen AI through a series of “coffee dates” with the AI pal(s) of your choice (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, etc.).

Presenters: Brenna Ausby, Adam Phillips 

Our committee's goal is to foster cross-departmental programming, events, and opportunities for staff to help enhance our wellbeing at work. In our presentation, we will touch on the unique dimensions of wellness that we identified as important in Access Services. This will include the roadblocks and challenges to engaging in wellness culture that we faced and our ideas for overcoming them. We would like to spark collaborative conversations with library folk who are engaged in similar work or have other ideas. We all have more resources at our disposal than we might think - let’s build our futures together! 

Presenters: Ben Darling, Robbi De Peri, John Paul Martinez 

Learn the principles of data visualization regardless of which tool you might use. Gain an inside look at Tableau and Power BI’s capabilities to decide which is the right tool for you. Learn about different ways Tableau and Power BI are used as well as distinguishing the pros and cons of each tool. We will guide you through creating your own accounts and installing the software. Practice making data visualizations using your new accounts. We will provide sample problem sets to help you get started, including relevant sample data. Please bring your own laptop (PC required for Power BI). 

Presenter: Krystal White

Inventory projects may be important for collection management, but they often get overlooked, postponed, or given a scan-it-and-forget treatment. With a little collaboration inventory can be transformed into a powerful tool to identify and correct a wide variety of problems in the collection and dramatically improve accuracy and retrieval. This presentation provides an overview of current inventory practices at the University of Memphis McWherter Library: the who, the how, the why, and the positive impact inventory can have on the print collection.

Presenters: Chassity Burns and Tami Melacon 

Through the years libraries have changed and will continue to enhance throughout time. Programming in academic libraries provides students with a new discovery of information they possibly weren’t aware of and new interest. For most campuses, the library is considered to be “The Hub.” Through programming often times new connections and opportunities are made for students. Now in libraries with new and innovated spaces such as MakerSpaces, virtual reality, and podcast studios allow students the ability to create personable projects. Many libraries are becoming “One-stop shops” where high trafficked departments are now housed within such as Freshman Academy- First Year Experience and tutorial assistance to name a few. What does this have to do with programming? 
 
One word collaboration!  
 
In our presentation, my colleague I will discuss connecting the dots with students regarding library programming. We will provide ideas and strategies on interactive programming (i.e., Escape Room, Health Fair, Majors Fest and Mic Check) vs stationary programming (i.e., create your own poem- providing material for the students, Thankful tree, Wild About Finals and “For the love of the Library”- What do you love about the library). We will cover statistical data, marketing techniques, and departments of collaboration. We will allow an opportunity for attendees to share their very own library programs. Academic libraries can have a wide range of programs that support learning, creativity, and research. Learning doesn’t only happen in the classroom, but in the library as well! Any program that brings students into the library space demonstrates the value of the library as a supportive place. Libraries are Beyond Books!! 

Presenter: Giselle Hengst 

Founded in 1968, the Vanderbilt Television News Archive houses the most complete collection of national television news broadcasts in the U.S. Recent innovations in artificial intelligence are posed to make the collection even more accessible for academic research through tools such as speech-to-text transcription, optical character recognition, and sentiment analysis powered by natural language processing models. During this session, the archive’s Community Engagement Coordinator will discuss the VTNA’s history, challenges, and how its outreach strategy has evolved over time to meet the needs of our patrons. 

Presenter: Christina Riedel 

Libraries are no strangers to navigating the potent winds of change, and they continue to stand strong as trusted institutions. We are champions of freedom investing in our patrons to reach new heights, helping to change their stars and embrace learning vibes for life! Collaborations, partnerships, volunteer opportunities and outreach programs pave the way for higher usage, increased community advocacy and the many positive ripple effects from those activities can change the course of your library. I hope to encourage staff to stir up new ways to build relationships, connect within their communities and develop strategic goals that support that endeavor. 

Presenters: Cathy Wilson and Christopher Brown 

First Aid to help until the emergency assistance can get to you.
Hands-on training https://www.stopthebleed.org/ 

Presenters: Steve Runge, Sarah Rebecca Gaglio, Jonathan Rowe

In February 2017 O’Neill Library at Boston College quietly rolled out a new initiative: a 2x3 foot dry-erase board called The Answer Wall, with a nearby sticky note dispenser for patrons to ask anonymous questions. As of February 2025, The Wall has responded to over 6200 post-its, asking everything from the silly (Is a hotdog a sandwich?) to the sublime (How can I become a better person?). Find out how a team composed of a broad cross-section of library staff engages with students as a library wall.