Conference Speakers SLSS 2026

Tennessee Library Association
Executive Director

Opening Keynote Speaker

Cathy McCord Farley is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University, where she earned a BS in Secondary Education and an MA in Library Science. She has served as Director of the White County Public Library in Sparta, Tennessee, for 28 years, and for the past seven years has also served as Executive Director of the Tennessee Library Association. In her spare time, Cathy is doing her best to survive her daughter Drew’s senior year of high school while maintaining what remains of her sanity.

Association for Southeastern Research Libraries
Professional Development

Georgia Institute of Technology Library
Public Services Associate I

As a Public Services Associate I, I utilize the Alma library management system in order to manage patrons’ fines, holds, and loans and assist library patrons through phone calls, desk interactions, and online chats to ensure they have a positive and informative library experience. I also serve as the Marketing Lead for our Popular Reading Collection, in which I manage the creation of 5-6 book displays a year, showcasing books chosen from the library's catalog that match that month's theme.

Lightning Talk: Outreach

Rubenstein Library/Duke University
Access Services Section Head, Research Services

I oversee the public services offered by the Rubenstein Library - the reading room, stacks and circulation management, reproduction services and permissions requests. I currently serve as the Co-Chair of the Mentorship Committee and Co-Coordinator of the RL West intern program.

Session: Support Your Intern,Develop Your Future Colleague

Vanderbilt University
Librarian for Creative & Instructional Technologies

Audrey is an early career librarian at Vanderbilt University libraries on the Teaching & Learning team, providing holistic pedagogical support across her institution. She specializes in educational technology and multimodal assignment design, with a passion for introducing new modes of learning to students and supporting creative scholarship.

Session: Lighting Talk: Student Engagement

University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Public Services and Engagement Librarian

Responsible for public services including reference, circulation, and research assistance, planning student engagement and outreach events/initiatives, assisting Student Success Librarians with classroom instruction, and participating in various professional development and scholarship activities.

Session: Lightning Talk: Outreach

The University of Florida
Library assistant

Session: Lightning Talk: Outreach

University of Southern California
Archival Inter

As an Archival Intern at the Wilson Dental Library at the University of Southern California, I collaborate closely with the Head Librarian to process, describe, and organize historical photographs and documents related to the USC Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. Drawing on my academic background in Archives and Records Administration and my current MLIS training, I apply principles of archival description, metadata creation, and ethical stewardship to ensure these materials are accurately represented and made accessible through a publicly available collection in the Archives at USC. I am especially passionate about using archival practice to preserve and surface marginalized histories and voices, and this role allows me to engage critically with how description and organization shape collective memory. Through this project, I am cultivating practical skills in processing, descriptive standards, and access-focused archival workflows, strengthening my commitment to equitable, inclusive preservation work that connects communities with histories that might otherwise remain unseen.

Session: Lightning Talks: AI
Algorithms, Influence, and the Library’s New Role in the Age of AI

Florida Atlantic University
Broward Services Librarian / Research & Instruction Librarian

Parrish Bush is a librarian, educator, and writer whose work centers on student engagement, information literacy, research support, and inclusive program development. He currently serves in a Research & Instruction role at Florida Atlantic University, where he supports undergraduate and graduate research, designs course-integrated instruction and builds partnerships with faculty across disciplines. He has worked across K–12 and higher education in academic library and instructional roles, designing instruction, leading outreach initiatives, and supporting diverse learning communities. He holds an MLIS from the University of Southern Mississippi (2025), an MFA in Poetry from Warren Wilson College (2023), and a BA in Journalism from Georgia State University. His honors include the 2025 Larry Levis Post-Graduate Award and a 2024 A Public Space Writing Fellowship, with work appearing in POETRY, Callaloo, Electric Literature, and other venues.

Session: Forging Lasting Connections at a R1/Top University Through Human Interaction and Embracing Technology

Vanderbilt University
Coordinator for Public Services, Eskind Biomedical Library

n my role, I coordinate the circulation and other activities that take place at the EBL Information Desk. This role includes the hiring, training, scheduling and management of Student Assistants to work at the desk. With an educational background in training and human resource management, this role is well-suited for me. I enjoy my job tremendously and the students keep me "forever young"!

Session: Lightning Talk: Student Engagement

Philadelphia PA

I am an AI Engineer, with a strong interdisciplinary focus on ethical AI, natural language processing, and low-resource language technologies. My work explores how AI can be responsibly applied to education, cultural preservation, and social good. I am currently developing AI application tools that support Indigenous and underrepresented languages, with an emphasis on youth engagement, conversational learning, and data sovereignty. My academic and project experience involves technical development, linguistics, and community-centered innovation.

The University of Southern Mississippi
School of Library and Information Science

Dr. Creel earned her Ph.D. in information science from the University of North Texas and specialist and master’s degrees from Florida State University. As an associate professor, she has taught online synchronous and asynchronous courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels pertaining to youth services, literature, and reference and public libraries. Dr. Creel currently serves as the director of the School of Library and Information Science at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Session: Leveling Up Your Libraries' Defenders

Vanderbilt University
Director, Vanderbilt Television News Archive
Nashville, Tennessee

Jim Duran is the Director of the Vanderbilt Television News Archive. He has about 20 years of experience building digital collections and preserving audiovisual materials. Duran has master's degrees in library and information science and history, emphasizing in library administration, born-digital preservation and Western U.S. history.

Session: Lightening Talk: AI

University of Florida
Electronic Resources Librarian

I am an Electronic Resources Librarian at the University of Florida.  I manage a team of the electronic resources specialists and one metadata specialist.  While the vast majority of my team's work is behind-the-scenes, I believe it's important for us to remain aware and mindful of how our patrons perceive the value of electronic resources so they can maximize the use of those resources.

Session: Lightening Talk: Technical Services

University of Florida Libraries
Public Services Coordinator

CJ Ellward is the Public Services Coordinator for Marston Science Library at the University of Florida Libraries. She leads virtual reference services for UF Libraries at large reaching approximately 10,000 patrons annually, coordinates student engagement activities at the busiest branch on campus, and oversees building operations at a location that sees over 2.5 million visitors per year. CJ has worked in academic libraries for 8 years in a user and public services capacity and has given two presentations at the Florida Library Association annual conference.

Session: Thinking Outside the Chat Box: Building Chatbots for Any Topic with Springshare

Western Kentucky University
Interlibrary Loan Specialist

Oversee Interlibrary Loan department at Western Kentucky University Libraries.

Session: Lightning Talk: AI

Vanderbilt University
Health Sciences Librarian for Collections

Kayce holds a Master of Science in Information Science from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville and is a distinguished member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals. She is the Health Sciences Librarian for Collections for the Annette and Irwin Eskind Family Biomedical Library and Learning Center. Kayce has previously worked as a serials and electronic resources librarian, library services coordinator, and pharmacy and health sciences librarian. Her areas of expertise include managing electronic resources, teaching information literacy skills, and supporting review projects.

Session: Lightning Talk: Technical Services

Session: Troubleshooting AI Requests for Interlibrary Loan

Duke University
Technical Services Archivist

University of Houston
Music Library Manager

My Name is Michelle Joseph. I work at the University of Houston, Music library. I have an appreciation for music, particularly loving musical performances. At the Music library, I oversee the daily operations, including student workers supervision, collection maintenance, circulation, reserves, and reference services. This role also involves coordinating user services for faculty and students. As a Music library manager, I feel elated to be bridging music and administration.

Session: Rising to the Occasion: Personal Narratives of Transformative Practice

Vanderbilt University
Manager of Logistics and Access Services

Library Support Staff for Vanderbilt Libraries for 36 years; currently working at the Central Library as the Manager of Logistics and Access Services. Advocate for advancing knowledge base for support staff and librarians as a cohesive group of library professionals. Creator/organizer for the annual SLSS conference. My work passions are life long learning and bridging the gap between librarians and support staff for the betterment of our services. My personal passions are my 4 grandbabies (Malarie-18yo; Gavin-6yo, Maleia-4yo, and Amara-4yo), reading and crafting. I love making new friends and developing a network.

Session: Let's Talk About Books

Cleveland Bradley County Public Library
Youth Services Supervisor

As the Youth Services Supervisor for the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library, I aim to cultivate  new pathways to the world of reading and egalitarian education. With a passion for the arts and community outreach, I love building unconventional, creative initiatives that spark community interest and involvement in library culture.

Session: Meaningful Connections Inspired through an Unforgettable Library Art Exhibition

University Of Houston
Senior Library Specialist

The Senior Library Specialist positions involve describing, classifying and processing library resources. It also involves supporting patrons and maintaining the ALMA integrated library system.

Session: Rising to the Occasion: Personal Narratives of Transformative Practice

Georgia Institute of Technology
Public Services Lead

Joslin Lee-Nuhfer is a Public Services Lead at the Georgia Tech Library, bringing over 20 years of experience in academic and public libraries. Known for her dedication to student engagement, Joslin has spent the majority of her career in Public Services, driven by a passion for directly supporting students in their academic journeys. Her path to librarianship began with a love for reading—encouraged by her mother to turn that passion into a profession. She received her undergraduate degree from Kansas City Art Institute and her MLIS from Wayne State University in Detroit. Joslin love being a part of the Georgia Tech community and continues to work on innovative and student-centered library services. Outside of work, Joslin is a lifelong bicycle commuter and an active cycling advocate in Atlanta. She also enjoys live music, camping, and reading a good book on her porch.

Session: Meeting Student Needs In a 24 Hour Lbrary

Georgia Institute of Technology
Executive Assistant to the Dean of Libraries

Diann Lindsay, Executive Assistant to the Dean of Libraries, joined the Georgia Tech Library in 2023 as a member of the Public Services team, where she played a key role in managing the Study Room Reservation system and overseeing the LibChat and LibAnswers customer service platforms. Her background includes experience in marketing, development, and library access services. She received Bachelor of Science degrees in Sport Communication and Marketing and Media Arts and Science from Indiana University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Digital and Social Media Communication at the University of West Georgia. She is the first point of contact for the Dean’s office. Diann, and her husband Eldon, are avid travelers and enjoy attending concerts and live sporting events.

Session: Meeting Student Needs In a 24 Hour Library

The University of Southern Mississippi
School of Library and Information Science

Assistant Teaching Professor
SLIS, Hattiesburg

Dr. Sarah Mangrum earned her Ed.D. in higher education administration and her MLIS from the University of Southern Mississippi. As as assistant teaching professor in the School of Library and Information Science she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses pertaining to children and youth services, academic libraries, and library science research methods. Dr. Mangrum also serves as the graduate coordinator for the MLIS program at the University of Southern Mississippi. She enjoys meeting potential students and talking about how USM can help them achieve their career goals!

Session: Leveling Up Your Libraries' Defenders

University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Public Services and Engagement Librarian

Responsible for public services including reference, circulation, and research assistance, planning student engagement and outreach events/initiatives, assisting Student Success Librarians with classroom instruction, and participating in various professional development and scholarship activities.

Session: Lightning Talk: Outreach

Florida Atlantic University
Government Documents Coordinator/ Research & Instruction Librarian

Duke University
Director, Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture Curator, Gender and Sexuality History Collections

Vanderbilt University
Health Science Informationist

I work as one of the Health Sciences Informationists at Eskind Biomedical Library at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. I hold an MLIS degree from University College Dublin and previously worked as an education and instruction librarian. With nearly two and a half years of experience in upper education health sciences informatics, my areas of expertise include instructional pedagogy, consumer health, and citation management software like Zotero.

Session: From Life to Desk: Transferable Skills from Unlikely Places

Western Kentucky University
Library Assistant (Evening)

I am one of the four library assistants that works in the evening and supervises our student workers. I primarily assist in stacks management and course reserves. I also handle patron count data collect by our staff and security student building patrol rounds. I am also the Co-Lead on the Bones Night Taskforce.

Finding New Ways to Connect Patrons with the collection: WKU Libraries A&P Bones Study Sessions

Vanderbilt University, Heard Libraries
LPO & Online Engagement Librarian

M is the liaison librarian for the Leadership, Policy, and Organizations (LPO) department in Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. There, they provide instructional and reference support for master’s and doctoral students in the LPO program. They also support distance education students in the Leadership & Learning in Organizations (LLO) program at Peabody. Additionally, M runs the Instagram account for Peabody Library.

Session: Lightning Talk: Student Engagement

Emory University
Resource Description Specialist

Jude Romines (they/them) is a cataloger at Emory University. Before their current position, they held roles ranging from circulation and teen programming at Nashville Public Library to student archive work at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Recently, they were a co-author on Invisible Histories' Southern Trans Collection Guide, and they continue to work as a volunteer with Georgia State University's Transgender Oral History Project.

Session: Lightning Talks: Technical Services

Western Kentucky University
Access Services Manager

I work at Western Kentucky University Libraries as the Access Services Manager, overseeing the evening and weekend staff and operations.

Session: Safety and Security Procedures Explained at Westen Kentucky University Libraries

Univ. of the Cumberlands
Tech Services and Assessment Librarian

Dr. Whitney Taylor, Ph.D., is an accomplished leader in both academia and library services. With a Ph.D. in Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands. Her research focuses on leadership applications of industrial psychology in the workplace, emotional intelligence, and job crafting.

*Cancelled*
Session: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence to Foster Community Within and Beyond the Library

University of Florida
Daytime Operations Manager at Marston Science Library

Marston Science Library is the busiest library on UF's main campus, welcoming over 2 million visitors annually.  As part of my role at Marston, I supervise close to 20 part-time student employees and 1 full-time employee. I'm often found at our busy public service desk assisting patrons and performing training with new colleagues.  I'm someone who is often contacted to handle or provide guidance in unusual situations.  In addition, I have experience working in public libraries also.

Session: From Life to Desk: Transferrable Skills from Unlikely Places

MD Anderson Library, University of Houston
Library Supervisor

I currently work as a library supervisor at the University of Houston, and I am working on my MLIS with UNT. I have a previous history of music, having gained my Bachelor's degree in Voice and Music Theory at Loyola University, New Orleans and my Master's degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston. Although I currently work in libraries, I still perform when able around the Houston area, participating in operas, musicals, and oratorios!

Session: From Life to Desk: Transferable Skills from Unlikely Places

University of Florida Marston Science Library
Overnight Access Library Assistant

My role involves making sure the library is welcoming and accessible at all hours of the night, working odd hours to make sure all patrons have access to student engagement opportunities.

Session: Lightning Talk: Outreach