TNLA 2025 Conference

Dive into essential legal knowledge for today’s school librarians. This session unpacks Public Chapter 782, copyright basics, and the First Amendment’s impact on library spaces, providing insights into balancing access with legal responsibilities. Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of the law as it applies to libraries, empowering them to create informed, inclusive, and legally compliant environments.

Daphanie Gragg, Youth Services Librarian & Event Coordinator, would like to lead a session on effective fundraising and partnership strategies for small communities. The session will focus on leveraging local networks, grassroots efforts, and creative solutions to build lasting social impact. Attendees will learn how to identify and approach potential partners, raise funds without relying on traditional methods, and activate community resources. The session will address common challenges faced by smaller communities and provide practical tools for building capacity and strengthening relationships. My 15 years of experience in fundraising and community organizing make me uniquely qualified to lead this session. I am not opposed to partnering with others along this topic as well.

In this interactive session, two academic librarians will explore fundamental aspects of library assessment, guiding participants to measure and enhance their library services, regardless of library type. Aligning with the theme "Back to Basics," the session will cover essential assessment areas—such as collection analysis, user experience, and instructional impact—through collaborative activities and practical examples. Participants will engage in group discussions and hands-on planning, gaining valuable insights and tools for balancing quantitative and qualitative data. With actionable takeaways and renewed confidence, attendees will leave ready to apply meaningful, straightforward assessment techniques that communicate library value across diverse settings.

This presentation reports findings of a survey distributed to public libraries across most of the SE United States to explore perceptions of administrative library professionals (e.g., Directors, Branch Managers, etc.) primarily, along with other librarians who might respond on behalf of the administrators, regarding the phenomenon of public libraries hiring social workers to become part of library staffing. How do the administrators and librarians in these settings feel about the increasing presence of social workers in public libraries? To what extent do these professionals believe that this is a benefit to their respective communities? To what extent do these same persons think that having social workers as professional colleagues in their respective public libraries will affect their libraries’ operations?

Interested in incorporating more teen voices into your library’s offerings, but unsure where to begin? Do you dream of teen programming conceived and executed by teens, for teens? Teen Advisory Boards provide an opportunity for teens in your community to be empowered, build out-of-school friendships, and gain leadership experience, while your library gains authentic youth perspective and engagement. Participants will come away with practical strategies and best practices for facilitators interested in building a Teen Advisory Board from the ground up.