TNLA 2025 Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to the 2025 Tennessee Library Association Conference #tnla25! We’re glad you’re here. Build your schedule below, and be sure to check the More Info page for additional conference details.

9:00am EDT

De-escalation in the Workplace

Tuesday April 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

As observations of escalated behaviors have increased, employees who interact with the public need fresh tools for realistic expectations, healthy boundaries, and authentic connection. In this highly interactive workshop, we look at the crucial role of purpose, keys to prevent power struggles, and what to do when you need to exit an interaction.
This workshop focuses on escalation prevention, and mental health for employees and the public they serve. This workshop does not address conflict that includes physical violence, but rather the cumulative weight of engaging with increased anger, outbursts, and anxiety.
**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**

Speakers

Karin Peabody

Dynamic Teaming

Tuesday April 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Pre-conference Ticketed Event

9:00am EDT

Talk About Worldbuilding: Teens and TTRPG Mapmaking

Tuesday April 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

By delving into the worldbuilding side of TTRPG play, we as librarians are able to help our teens explore the basics of SEL, math, storytelling, team-building, leadership development, and natural consequences. From the actual physical process of making maps to the interactions amongst players during gameplay, fantasy worldbuilding presents golden opportunities to share “real world” hands-on life skills in papermaking and geography, as well as maintaining a budget and inventory in play. With TTRPG worldbuilding, we are able to build well-rounded party members and better people, while giving teens a chance to explore, create, and develop worlds of their own.
**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**

Speakers

Kip Polmanteer

Teen Librarian, Johnson City Public Library

Kip Polmanteer is the Teen Librarian for Johnson City Public Library.

Shannon Bismark

Teen Services Librarian, Cleveland / Bradley County Public Library

I have worked in libraries for the last 19 years - the last 6 have been here at Cleveland Bradley County Public Library. I am a cat-mom, and my husband and I are avid gamers and crafters.

Tuesday April 8, 2025 9:00am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Pre-conference Ticketed Event

1:30pm EDT

Lessons from Retail: How to Analyze Space to Increase Circulation

Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:30pm - 4:30pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

How can the practices of retail stores help libraries? This session shows basic analytic techniques that allow libraries to organize space more effectively, merchandise better and eliminate dead zones. Join New York University professor and author of "Library Space Planning: A PLA Guide" (ALA, 2019) for a fascinating exploration of retail practices with examples from libraries from Tennessee to Alaska.
**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**

Speakers

David Vinjamuri

New York University

Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Pre-conference Ticketed Event

1:30pm EDT

The Great Equalizer: Generative AI Tools for Public Library Staff

Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:30pm - 4:30pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

Let's dive into specific ways generative AI tools can help create engaging content, design program materials, simplify administrative tasks and even personalize some patron experiences - no technical expertise required. Forget the 'why' and 'how' of AI; this presentation is all about 'what' you can accomplish with these tools in your library today.
**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**

Speakers

Jason Sullivan

Sponsors

Public Libraries Roundtable

Tuesday April 8, 2025 1:30pm - 4:30pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Pre-conference Ticketed Event

4:45pm EDT

TNLA Board Meeting

Tuesday April 8, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

Speakers

Cathy Farley

Executive Director, Tennessee Library Association

By day, I am the Director of the White County Public Library in Sparta, Tennessee. Our staff of 14 serves a population of just over 27,000 community members.At night and on weekends, I am the Executive Director of the Tennessee Library Association. I collect your dues and pay our... Read More →

Tuesday April 8, 2025 4:45pm - 5:45pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Meeting

8:30am EDT

Back to the Basics: Law (Foundations) for Libraries

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 11

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.

Speakers

Erika Long

Member Presenter, Not Yo Mama's Librarian

Meet Erika Long, the certified school librarian with a passion for all things books and a knack for making library magic happen! As a school library consultant and presenter, she's not just a bookworm - she's a leader in the world of libraries. Erika has rocked various leadership... Read More →

Xan Lasko

Member Presenter

Xan is a recently retired high school librarian and library advocate. She also taught fourth and sixth grade in the elementary realm. Currently, she is chair of TASL’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, the co-chair of the Tennessee Library Ecosystem Coalition (TLEC), a member of the... Read More →

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

8:30am EDT

Beyond Funding: Outreach Approaches for Grant Funded Projects

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 2

Grants provide vital support to libraries and archives engaged in archival description and digitization work, and granting and re-granting agencies require publicity and outreach for these projects. Unique collections and contexts present different opportunities and challenges to sharing these projects and generating engagement with patrons, fellow professionals, and other interested communities. Panelists from the Knox County Public Library and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will discuss recent and ongoing externally funded projects and offer a range of perspectives on planning and conducting impactful outreach.

Moderators

Carolyn Runyon

Assistant Head of Collections and Director of Special Collections, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Carolyn administers digital repositories powered by ArchivesSpace, CONTENTdm, and Digital Commons, and coordinates implementation of new technologies, including leading testing for Archivematica and developing integrated workflows between systems.

Speakers

Molly Copeland (she/her)

Manuscripts Archivist, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Sara Kaparos

John Morton

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

8:30am EDT

Bridging the Divide: Information & Digital Literacy Partnerships to Reach Underserved Communities in TN

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 10

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries has worked in partnership with UT Extension to create new avenues of building information and digital literacy skills in communities throughout the state that have historically (and presently) had limited access to broadband. This presentation will talk about how the partnership works, how it expands opportunities for community members to access information and digital literacy trainings beyond the walls of their libraries, and how a train-the-trainer model can relieve the burden on already strained libraries in meeting the needs of their communities.

Speakers

Maggie Albro

Agriculture & Natural Resources Librarian; Interim Assistant Head - Health, Wellness, & Professional Programs Unit, Knoxville

Hi, I'm Maggie! I'm the Agriculture & Natural Resources Librarian, Interim Assistant Head of the Health, Wellness, and Professional Programs Unit, and an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. I work with students, faculty, and staff in UTK's Herbert College... Read More →

Charles Barthel

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

8:30am EDT

How Can a Book and a Shot Save a Life

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 17

We have come up with a way to help patrons who are struggling with a domestic problem and wanting to get help or away and don't know how. The Angel shot popular in bars for domestic abuse or online dating gone wrong put into book form for patrons in our libraries. This Presentation explains how to implement and who to partner with to serve our Community.

Speakers

Elizabeth Harland

Assistant Director, Brownsville, TN

By day, I am the assistant Director of Elma Ross Public Library. I am also troop leader of Girl Scout troop 40083. I am also a dog Mom of three wonderful dogs, Keigen , Kara, and Casper. And a loving wife to my awesome husband. By night I am a karaoke singing, anime watching, book... Read More →

Katherine Horn

Brownsville, TN

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 17

Program Session

8:30am EDT

No Longer Bound: Details of the Massive Periodical Deselection Project at East Tennessee

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 16

To make room for new innovative and technology-driven student spaces at the Charles C. Sherrod Library, faculty and staff decided to weed the bound periodical collection that is housed on the second floor of the building, store the remaining items in compact shelving, and renovate the now empty space by removing static and electronic compact shelving, replacing carpet, and updating paint. The space was converted for implementation of the Innovation Commons, a digital media and maker hub. Faculty and staff at Sherrod Library utilized GreenGlass for this project and elicited feedback from faculty inside and outside of the library regarding titles that were under consideration for deselection. This presentation will walk attendees through the process of deselecting 45,000+ periodicals and presenters will share their thoughts on GreenGlass and the effectiveness of this tool for a project of this size. Presenters will also provide an update on how this project has progressed since it was initiated in the spring of 2023.

Speakers

Katherine Libby

Sherrod Library, East Tennessee State University

Blair Jones

Associate Dean, Johnson City

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

8:30am EDT

We hear you! Helping Children Find Their Voice Through Library Programming

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 9

Designing children's programming with intentionality; honor the voices of young library users by modeling active listening while planning activities that allow children to question, explore, and participate in their own learning.

Speakers

Cindy Wilkey

Library Director, Audrey Pack Memorial Library

Library Director

Wednesday April 9, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

9:30am EDT

DIFFERENTIATED LEADERSHIP: Leading in an Anxious Workplace

Wednesday April 9, 2025 9:30am - 11:00am EDT

Meeting Rooms 4, 5, 6

Anxiety at work is at an all-time high. How do we lead ourselves well in this current workplace landscape? This workshop is built on concepts from Edwin Friedman’s groundbreaking work in, A Failure of Nerve. We focus on a practice of self-leadership that is uniquely impactful in reducing anxiety in ourselves and in the workplace. Differentiated Leadership orients towards strength, remains reliably connected even in conflict, rejects blame, and leads with a non-anxious presence.
This workshop will focus on three key areas that make Differentiated Leaders stand out: Knowing Your Voice, Understanding Emotional Triangles, and Moving Forward.

Speakers

Karin Peabody

Dynamic Teaming

Wednesday April 9, 2025 9:30am - 11:00am EDT
Meeting Rooms 4, 5, 6

General Session

11:00am EDT

Free Time in Exhibits

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT

Ballrooms E, F, & G

The Exhibit Hall, located in Banquet Rooms E, F, and G, hosts space for this year’s exhibitors. A map and list of exhibitors is available online or at the registration desk.

The Exhibits Grand Opening will be held on Wednesday, April 9 immediately following the Opening General Session.

Exhibit Hours:

Wednesday, April 9, 11:00am – 4:30pm, Free Time 11:00 – 11:45am
Thursday, April 10, 9:00am – 2:00pm, Free Time 10:00 – 11:00am

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Ballrooms E, F, & G

Exhibits

11:00am EDT

Silent Auction

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 5:00pm EDT

Ballrooms E, F, & G

The Silent Auction will be open from 11am on Wednesday through 11am on Thursday, during normal Exhibit Hall hours! Come check out the cool stuff your TNLA colleagues have donated and raise some money for the Gleaves Scholarship!

Speakers

Michael Hale

Assistant Director, White County Public Library

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Ballrooms E, F, & G

11:00am EDT

Exhibits Open

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 5:00pm EDT

Ballrooms E, F, & G

Wednesday, April 9, 11:00am – 4:30pm, Free Time 11:00 – 11:45am
Thursday, April 10, 9:00am – 2:00pm, Free Time 10:00 – 11:00am

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:00am - 5:00pm EDT
Ballrooms E, F, & G

Exhibits

11:45am EDT

Intellectual Freedom Luncheon

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:45am - 1:00pm EDT

Ballroom H

**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**

Speakers

Kent Oliver

American Library Association - PPA

The American Library Association (ALA) has tapped Kent Oliver as senior policy fellow for the Public Policy and Advocacy office to strengthen the association’s involvement in policy discussions related to First Amendment freedoms and intellectual property.Kent Oliver mentors, coordinates... Read More →

Wednesday April 9, 2025 11:45am - 1:00pm EDT
Ballroom H

Luncheon Ticketed Event

1:10pm EDT

Academic Roundtable Business Meeting

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

Business meeting of the Academic Roundtable

Speakers

Kelly Tilton

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Meeting

1:10pm EDT

"We're Not Boring, I Swear!": Strategies for Showing Off Your Local History and Special Collections

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

From exhibits featuring 20th century cameras, genealogy research tea parties, and telling spooky local history stories on YouTube, the Chattanooga Public Library's Local History & Genealogy department has been doing it all to share their resources with their patrons. In this panel, Meagan Grim of the Chattanooga Public Library will be discussing how the Local History & Genealogy department has been able to show off their collections through exhibits, programming, and social media.

Speakers

Meagan Grim (she/they)

Library Services Specialist, Chattanooga Public Library (Local History & Genealogy)

I'm a makerspace librarian and designer working in the Chattanooga Public Library's Local History & Genealogy department!I love talking about weird and spooky local history so don't be afraid to ask me for some fun Chattanooga lore :)

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

1:10pm EDT

Advancing Consumer Health in Rural Public Libraries: A Strategic Partnership Between a Medical Library and a Regional Public Library

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

Join us to explore a collaborative partnership between the University of Tennessee’s Preston Medical Library, which secured funding from the Network of National Libraries of Medicine Region 2, and the Clinch River Regional Library. This funding enabled public library staff to receive training on consumer health resources and provided curated sets of consumer health books for public libraries. Academic and regional library staff will describe the project and its funding sources, discuss the advantages and challenges of collaboration between public and academic libraries, and share best practices and potential improvements for future efforts.

Speakers

Martha Earl

Director and Professor, University of Tennessee Preston Medical Library

Martha Earl, Director and Professor, received her MSLS from UT and has over 30 years of experience as a medical librarian. She has worked at the UT Preston Medical Library since 1997 and previously helped people to find the answers at UTK, University of Memphis, Meharry Medical College... Read More →

David Petersen

Associate Professor, Senior Research & Learning Services Librarian and Assessment Coordinator, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine

David Petersen is Associate Professor, Senior Research & Learning Services Librarian and Assessment Coordinator at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine/University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, TN. Before this, he served as Health Sciences Librarian at... Read More →

Matthew Jordan

Director, Clinch River Regional Library

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

1:10pm EDT

Building Stronger Communities: Effective Fundraising and Partnership Strategies for Small Communities

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

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.

Speakers

Daphanie Gragg

Youth Services Librarian & Event Coordinator, Coffee County Manchester Public Library

Coffee County Manchester Public Library, Board Member for Imagination Library, and awarded the Manchester Chamber of Commerce Spotlight Member of the Year.

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

1:10pm EDT

Check Your Alignment: Getting Back to Basics with Student Employment

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

Training student employees to work in our libraries is a time-intensive process that must be repeated often, especially at 2-year institutions like Pellissippi State Community College. In this session, we will provide an overview of how we refined our student employment program to streamline training and create a partnership of librarian supervisors. We recently went back to basics by aligning student employee training to fit the needs of our four campus libraries and multiple departments, while also aligning to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) competencies as required by our Human Resources Department’s student evaluation forms.

Speakers

Zoe Bastone

Reference Coordinator & Instruction Librarian, Assistant Professor, Pellissippi State Community College

HI, I'm Zoe! I am the Reference Coordinator and Instruction Librarian at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, Tennessee. In my role, I coordinate reference services, supervise part-time staff and student employees, provide information literacy instruction, and develop... Read More →

Susan Martel

Circulation Librarian, Pellissippi State Community College

I work at Pellissippi State Community College. I previously worked at St. Johns River State College in St. Augustine, Florida. I lived in Okinawa, Japan, for 8 years, but I lived most of my life in California and consider myself to be a Californian.

Allison Scripa

Reference Librarian, Knoxville

Talk to me about: birds, crafts, and historical fiction

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

1:10pm EDT

Fun with PLIX: a public library partnership with MIT

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

Miria Webb is a 24-25 ambassador for MIT’s Public Library Innovation Exchange, also known as PLIX. PLIX co-designs creative STEAM activities with public library professionals and MIT researchers and offers professional development to facilitate creative learning to support STEM confidence. Miria is one of fourteen ambassadors across the country and, along with her cohort, has received training on best practices for implementing STEAM programming and is in the middle of facilitating a series of STEAM programs at her library using the information she’s learned in those trainings and on the PLIX forums. During this session, participants will learn about the ambassador program, learn about the PLIX programs and forums, learn about some of PLIX’s facilitation methods, and get hands-on experience with some of the program’s projects.

Speakers

Miria Webb

Director, Clinton Public Library

Wednesday April 9, 2025 1:10pm - 2:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

2:10pm EDT

Boundary Setting: Preventing Burnout in the Library Profession

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

Alex Sharp (Tennessee Wesleyan University), Jessica McClure (University of Memphis), and Cassandra Taylor (Smyrna Public Library) will be showcasing data about public librarians' burnout during the book ban crisis. This data was accumulated by the Intellectual Freedom Committee and will be presented and discussed in an interactive panel with attendees. They will be discussing how to set healthy boundaries in many aspects of the library profession with patrons, students, and colleagues, including book bans, budget cuts, and managerial responsibilities.

Speakers

Jessica McClure

Virtual Instruction Librarian, The University of Memphis, University of Memphis

Cassandra Taylor

Branch Manager, Smyrna Public Library

I’m Cassandra and I love libraries! I earned a Master of Library Science from Middle Tennessee State University in 2019 and am currently enrolled in the University of Tennessee- Knoxville’s Master of Information Science program and will graduate in 2026. I have been with the Rutherford... Read More →

Alex Sharp

Director of Library and Information Services, Tennessee Wesleyan University

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

2:10pm EDT

Breaking into Libraries: Expectations vs. Realities

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

Join us for a panel discussion featuring library professionals at different stages of their careers: an early-career librarian, a part-time paraprofessional, a mid-career leader, and an interim dean. Together, we’ll explore the realities of "breaking in" to the library field, sharing personal stories rooted in part-time library work. Panelists will reflect on their journeys, discussing their initial expectations, real-world experiences, and the challenges of career anxiety, job security, and professional growth. This is an opportunity for an honest conversation about how to get started, navigate uncertainty, and strategies to build a fulfilling career in libraries. Bring your questions and insights as we explore the paths that led us here!

Moderators

Anthony Prince

Interim Dean; Cataloging and Metadata Librarian, ChattState

Speakers

Hannah Boyer

Kimberly Brownfield

Andrea Kincaid

Lead Public Services Librarian, Chattanooga State Community College

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

2:10pm EDT

Cataloging Fundamentals: Principles and Practices

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

Aligning with TNLA’s back to the basics theme, this session will review the practices (including resource description, subject analysis, classification, authority control, and MARC formatting), the guiding principles, and the ethics of cataloging, with some time dedicated to sharing helpful, online, and free resources for doing this work. We won't be diving into what we might call the cataloger’s lineage or how we got to the systems and standards we’re using today (but please know that it is a long and interesting history), nor will we be going field-by-field through a MARC record, agonizing over indicators. Rather, in this session we'll be talking about the fundamentals of cataloging and why it, itself, is fundamental to library work.

Speakers

Tiffany Day

Metadata & Catalog Librarian, University Libraries, University of Memphis

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Program Session

2:10pm EDT

Hustle and Know: Hip Hop Programing, DIY, and Leaning Into Your Network

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

This presentation explains the development of two hip hop programs in the Memphis Public Library system: the Hip Hop Community Takeover and the Hip Hop Gen X: Class Reunion. These programs featured internationally recognized artists like Al Kapone, DJ Spanish Fly, Tommy Wright III, among others at small branch libraries. They were the result of coordinated efforts between colleges and universities, journalists, non-profits, clergy, and layperson experts brought together by a single librarian. We will examine how any librarian can lean into their network using lessons learned from the DIY (Do It Yourself) community to produce epic programming across The Music State.

Speakers

Skyler Gambert

Librarian, Memphis

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

2:10pm EDT

Measuring What Matters: a Back-to-basics Approach to Library Assessment

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

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.

Speakers

Jenny Harris

Associate Director of Library Services, APSU

Erik Nordberg

Library Dean, University of Tennessee at Martin

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

2:10pm EDT

Resume and Interviewing Tips

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

Recruiters from Unum, one of Chattanooga's largest employers, will share tips on making your resume stand out from the crowd and ace your interview. We will also discuss Unum's job skills partnership with the Chattanooga Public Library.

Speakers

Richard Groves

Chattanooga Public Library

Madisen Kirkland

Sr. Early Career Talent Acquisition Consultant, Unum

Wednesday April 9, 2025 2:10pm - 3:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

3:10pm EDT

Better with Friends: Navigating Common Challenges to Strengthen Your Friends Group

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

Libraries are better with supportive, functional Friends. From healing fractured relationships to convincing groups to fund projects to drafting MOUs, this session provides practical advice to address common pitfalls and pain points and to build a productive and peaceful Friends of the Library group.

Speakers

Kathy Dooley-Smith

President, Friends of Tennessee Libraries

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

3:10pm EDT

Honest, Direct, and Kind: The Library Manager’s Guide to Tough Conversations

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

"Though many librarians do not have a formal education in managerial practices, most know that effective communication is at the heart of successful library management; and yet, many leaders struggle with difficult conversations. Whether addressing performance issues, navigating workplace conflict, or setting boundaries with patrons, managers often avoid or delay tough discussions out of fear of damaging relationships or causing discomfort. However, avoiding these conversations can lead to inconsistent practices, lower morale, and decreased team effectiveness.
This session will provide library managers with practical strategies for approaching difficult conversations with honesty, clarity, and compassion. Attendees will learn how to prepare for and structure these discussions, set clear expectations, and navigate emotional responses—both their own and those of others. We will explore real-world scenarios and communication frameworks that promote accountability while maintaining a respectful and supportive workplace culture.
By the end of this session, participants will feel more confident in addressing challenging situations head-on, fostering an environment of trust, respect, and professional growth within their libraries."

Speakers

Sharon Edwards

Dean of Libraries, Motlow State Community College

Dean of Libraries at Motlow State Community College. Former President of TLA, and member of ALA's Policy Corps, Cohort II.

Kelly Tilton

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Program Session

3:10pm EDT

Inventory: It's more than scanning!

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

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

Speakers

Tiffany Day

Metadata & Catalog Librarian, University Libraries, University of Memphis

Krystal White

Library Assistant III, Acquisitions & Collection Development, University of Memphis

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

3:10pm EDT

Librarianship and Social Work: Complimentary, Not Competing, Professions for Society’s Benefit?

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

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?

Speakers

Frank Lambert

Middle Tennessee State University

Graduate Education in Librarianship

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

3:10pm EDT

The Basics That Bend: Getting Back to Core Principles in Library Outreach

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

In an era of constant change, effective outreach programs are grounded in purposeful principles. This session explores how ACRL's newly adopted outreach competencies build on fundamental elements of successful academic library outreach: intentionality, assessment, and strategic relationship-building. Drawing on research from conceptual frameworks to practical applications, learn how understanding these core elements creates adaptable and sustainable programs. Perfect for both new and experienced outreach librarians, attendees will discover how mastering outreach fundamentals enables programs to demonstrate value while evolving to meet changing needs. Join us to explore getting "back to basics" while building for the future.

Speakers

Nancy Gibson

Professor & Interim Coordinator of Access Services, Library

April Parker

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

3:10pm EDT

Words Matter: Exploring the Discourse of Book Bans in TN

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

Book censorship has been a polarizing issue in Tennessee. From the chilling effect of inflammatory rhetoric to claims that children are being sexualized by pornography, words uttered in these moments have been divisive, and state laws now restrict what people can read. Our research explores discourse both for and against book censorship in Tennessee to understand how and why narratives about book censorship were developed and reproduced, and how language in use influenced, changed, or reinforced public thinking about books and libraries in Tennessee.

Speakers

Shawn Hinkel

Janet Isbell

Professor, Tennesee Technological University

Wednesday April 9, 2025 3:10pm - 4:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

4:10pm EDT

Don't Drop Kirby: How to Build a Teen Advisory Board from Nothing

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

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.

Speakers

Will Sutton

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

4:10pm EDT

Getting Fit with the Library: How to Incorporate Fitness into Programming for Libraries of Every Size

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

Fitness programs are a great way to add some diversity to your calendar while also attracting fresh faces to your library. But the process of starting or implementing them can be daunting. We will explore different kinds of programs for a wide range of interest groups, as well as ways to implement and fund these programs for maximum impact. Be forewarned: we may do some moving ourselves!

Speakers

Christina Sawyers

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Program Session

4:10pm EDT

Growing Library Gardens

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

Are you ready to start a library garden, or would you like to learn more about it? Join this session to discover our garden programs at the Chattanooga Public Library. Learn how you can create a garden, the benefits of having one, and get ideas for programs. You'll also explore how to grow your garden program through partnerships and find resources to help you launch your gardening initiative.

Speakers

Brooke Marsh

I am the Head of the South Chattanooga Branch of the Chattanooga Public Library. Kelsi is the Head of the Avondale Branch.

Kelsi Gately

Sponsors

Chattanooga Public Library

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

4:10pm EDT

Promoting School-Readiness Skills Through Storytime

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

Storytime can serve as one of the most profound learning experiences for children, allowing them to naturally comprehend their surroundings through story and play. By utilizing developmental milestones and the Tennessee Early Learning Developmental Standards (TNELDS), the Audrey Pack Memorial Library has successfully crafted a storytime program that facilitates a smooth transition for young learners into pre-K and kindergarten classrooms.

Speakers

Cindy Wilkey

Library Director, Audrey Pack Memorial Library

Library Director

Angela Knox

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

4:10pm EDT

The Lazy Librarian's Guide to Building a Culture of Reading: The Easiest Things You Can Do to Encourage Book Love for Children

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

You want to encourage your students or patrons to love reading--you really, really do. The thing is, you only have so many hours in a day, and responsibilities can be overwhelming at times. We'll talk through some of the easiest ways to increase students' interest in your library and in reading, and there will be time to share and learn from each other as to what programs have been implemented successfully in their libraries.

For a links and resources used in this session, please visit LazyLibrarian25

Speakers

Hannah Webster

Librarian, Woodland Park Elementary

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

4:10pm EDT

The Librarian in the Mirror: Reflective Practice for Professional Growth

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

While librarians may ask ourselves if we are doing a good job, we often don’t reflect effectively on our actions or decisions we make as librarians. In this session, we will discuss the importance of reflection and participate in a guided activity using Gibbs Reflective Cycle to help us examine our professional choices; think critically about beliefs concerning patrons, programming, or instruction; and consider ways to emphasize or modify what we do in our libraries. While this session includes practicing reflection, no one is expected to share personal experiences; group discussions will focus on reflection in general.

Link to presentation: https://create.piktochart.com/output/67611660-tnla-reflective-practices

Speakers

Julie Lewis

Emerging Technologies/Reference Librarian, Walters State Community College

I most enjoy designing instruction and curriculum for information literacy and integrating technology when it's helpful. I spend most of my time teaching research skills to classes and doing one-on-one research consultations.

Wednesday April 9, 2025 4:10pm - 5:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

5:00pm EDT

UTK SIS Alumni Reception

Wednesday April 9, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

We are excited to invite you to a TNLA Alumni Reception, which will take place during the TNLA conference in Chattanooga April 8-10. This is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and celebrate our shared achievements.
Please indicate your interest in attending the reception by filling out the form below. We will follow up with more details about the event as we get closer to the date.

Reception Interest Form

Wednesday April 9, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm EDT

Social Event

7:00pm EDT

All-Conference Reception

Wednesday April 9, 2025 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT

AT&T Field

**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**
This year's All Conference Reception will take place at a Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game!

Know before you go! AT&T Field is a cashless stadium and does have a clear bag policy. Details are available on the TNLA website.

Your All-Conference Reception ticket includes a lower box ticket and access to the party deck. The party deck will include an all-you-can-eat picnic with hot dogs (GF), hamburgers (GF), pasta salad, coleslaw (GF), baked beans, home fried chips, and dessert! Soft drinks and water are also included, and beer and wine will be available. Vegetarian options are available upon request, so let us know if you need that!

Gates open at 6pm, and the game will start at 7:15pm. Food service will be available from 6:15 - 7:30pm. The free Downtown Chattanooga shuttle will get you there and back and runs approximately every 10 minutes until 11pm. There is a short walk from the Convention Center to the shuttle stop at the library and from the Shuttle Park to the stadium.

Wednesday April 9, 2025 7:00pm - 9:00pm EDT
AT&T Field 201 Power Alley, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA

Social Event Ticketed Event

8:30am EDT

TNLA DEI Committee Business Meeting

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 17

Business meeting of the TNLA DEI Committee

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 17

Meeting

8:30am EDT

Forgot Your Why: Shedding the Superhero Cape and Gaslighting Phrases

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 16

With dwindling budgets and rising anti-library sentiment, it is difficult to remain positive. We're all working harder because we believe in what we do, but burnout is also rising. We're asked to do more with less, and when we complain or raise our concerns, we're often told canned phrases, especially, "Remember your why." My presentation is both a love letter to our professions and a calling out of toxic behaviors and gaslighted thinking. We deserve to be treated as humans, not superheroes. So lets take off our capes and talk about what we need.

Speakers

Caroline Mickey

TASL

Caroline Mickey has been an elementary school librarian for nine years. She has been on a personal mission to expand her horizons and learn about her privileges so that she can acknowledge and work to help others recognize theirs. Caroline was recently quoted in a Washington Post... Read More →

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

8:30am EDT

Interlibrary Loan: Basics and Etiquette

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 2

I will be presenting on the inner workings of ILL and how to do just the most basic things in the systems for ILL and Expak. How to "be kind, rewind" as it pertains to the books you send and return to other libraries and how to work with Firefly. This should be light and fun presentation with hopefully some audience participation. I will hand out all resources available to me.

Speakers

Lily Woodside

Teen Service Librarian, Sparta

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

8:30am EDT

So What's a Library Doing in a Prison?

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 11

Working in a prison library is more than just about books. Prison librarians uphold inmates' rights in access to court and provide a place for inmates to work on their legal cases. In this session, we learn how prison libraries prepare rehabilitating inmates for re-entry into society.

Speakers

Willetta Grady

Trousdale Turner Correctional Center

Wiletta Grady

Librarian, Trousdale Turner Correctional Center

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

8:30am EDT

Streamlining and Empowerment: A 7-Year Retrospective of How We Made Tech Services Better at ChattState

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 9

During this presentation, hear a lively conversation from the Tech Services team about the importance of streamlining, empowerment, and teamwork in creating a fun, proactive, and dynamic environment that stands in stark contrast to the traditional reputation of Tech Services departments. We will discuss seven years of collaboration and transformational changes ranging from incremental to fundamental while reviewing successes and failures. Engage with us in a candid discussion on a variety of topics from mundane Tech Services tasks to fun team building. Hear how team-oriented leadership empowers everyone to "get stuff done” while also making time for bling, capes, cookies, and regular outings.

Speakers

Betsy Fronk

Collection Development Librarian, Chattanooga State Community College

People can talk to me about: collection development, usability, web design, children and young adult literature, music, college basketball, Michigan

Cassie Novak

Libary Assistant, Chattstate

Marie Cullis

Library Associate, ChattState

Anthony Prince

Interim Dean; Cataloging and Metadata Librarian, ChattState

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

8:30am EDT

Taking Control of Your Story: Telling your story to the most important person (you!)

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT

Meeting Room 10

As library professionals, we often focus on the stories of others while overlooking our own. This program will help you rethink the stories you tell yourself, giving you the tools to reshape them in ways that support your success and well-being. Participants will enjoy a presentation, a self-storytelling activity, and the chance to share their newly reframed stories with peers.

Speakers

William O'Hearn

Thursday April 10, 2025 8:30am - 9:20am EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

9:00am EDT

Silent Auction

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am EDT

Ballrooms E, F, & G

Speakers

Michael Hale

Assistant Director, White County Public Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:00am - 11:00am EDT
Ballrooms E, F, & G

9:00am EDT

Exhibits Open

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:00am - 2:00pm EDT

Ballrooms E, F, & G

Wednesday, April 9, 11:00am – 4:30pm, Free Time 11:00 – 11:45am
Thursday, April 10, 9:00am – 2:00pm, Free Time 10:00 – 11:00am

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Ballrooms E, F, & G

Exhibits

9:30am EDT

Technical Services Roundtable Business Meeting

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT

Meeting Room 17

Business meeting of the TNLA Technical Services Roundtable

Speakers

Tiffany Day

Metadata & Catalog Librarian, University Libraries, University of Memphis

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Meeting Room 17

Meeting

9:30am EDT

Fostering Autistic Inclusion in Middle Tennessee Libraries

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT

Meeting Room 10

AutismTN and four Middle Tennessee public libraries partnered to enhance Autistic inclusion by establishing sensory-friendly spaces, providing sensory kits, and updating collections with books and resources created by Autistic people with lived experience. This initiative, funded by the KFC Foundation, made the partnering libraries more welcoming, accessible, and neuro-affirming for Autistic patrons (children and adults) and neurodiverse families, as well as expanded community understanding of neurodiversity. Our presentation will cover an introduction to neurodiversity and neuro-affirming frameworks, insights from project implementation, and recommendations for inclusive programming, as well as the impact of sensory-friendly adjustments in libraries across Wilson, Putnam, and Williamson counties.

Moderators

Carolyn Runyon

Assistant Head of Collections and Director of Special Collections, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Speakers

Alesia Burnley

Wilson County Library

Casey Davis

Adult Program Director, AutismTN

Casey Davis (she/they) is an Autistic advocate, archivist, educator, and memory worker. As the Adult Program Director at Autism Tennessee, Casey develops programs for the Autistic community in Middle Tennessee. They manage grants to enhance Autistic inclusion in public libraries and... Read More →

Jessica Jeffers

Director of Libraries, Williamson County Public Library

Kathryn Wisinger

Putnam County Library

Amy Correia

Communications Director, Autism Tennessee

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

9:30am EDT

Information Literacy in the Time of AI

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT

Meeting Room 11

Many libraries have pioneered the use of AI in their work, but few presentations have approached how library patrons perceive AI generated information. This session will go over the basics of how Large Language Models work, how to spot an AI generated book (they exist!) in the wild, and how to educate others on judging the accuracy of the information provided by AI.

Speakers

Emory LaPrade

Cataloging and Metadata Librarian, Johnson City Public Library

Jack of many trades -- passionate about metadata and cataloging, but also cats and fiber arts.

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

9:30am EDT

Mushroom for All: Creating an Open-Access Guide to Campus Mushroom Hunting as an Academic Librarian

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT

Meeting Room 9

In the summer of 2024, I combined my work as an academic librarian, my commitment to open-access publishing, and my amateur mushroom hunting antics by creating Fungi of Lambuth: A Field Guide on our Digital Commons at the University of Memphis Lambuth. This guide features photographs of mushrooms I found entirely on our campus, along with information to help students, faculty, and staff learn about my finds and begin their own mushroom hunts. In this session, I'll share why I wanted to create this resource, what the process was like, and how you can use open-access publishing to create your own campus nature guides and get your colleagues and students out exploring nature!

Speakers

Kelly Maust

Campus Librarian, University of Memphis Lambuth

I'm the Campus Librarian at the University of Memphis Lambuth and I'll be presenting at this conference about how I turned my passion for mushroom hunting into a series of open-access resources and ideas for library programming. I am interested in all areas of academic librarianship... Read More →

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

9:30am EDT

The ONEAL Project: negotiation education for library workers

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT

Meeting Room 16

Come and learn about a new open educational resource and community to support library workers as they develop their negotiation knowledge and skills. Designed to help all library workers learn negotiation best practices and strategies for both their personal and professional lives, this OER includes lectures, readings, assessments, and hand-on assignments. In addition to learning about this resource, attendees will learn about the community being created to provide support for library professionals responsible for negotiations and about key issues and trends uncovered during an interview research study. While the content developed around licensing is geared toward an academic audience, the negotiation strategy and planning techniques in the OER are widely applicable across all types of libraries and library workers.

Speakers

Courtney F

Asset Management Librarian, Belmont University

As the Asset Management Librarian and subject liaison to the College of Education, I manage the library's physical and electronic collections (from purchasing to deselection) and work closely with the College of Education faculty to ensure that the library's services and collection... Read More →

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

9:30am EDT

The ‘Little’ Hatch Act: Balancing Library Advocacy and Not Getting Fired

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT

Meeting Room 2

"Library professionals have long been advocates for intellectual freedom, equitable access to information, and policies that help support their patrons and communities. For Tennessee librarians and library workers who are employed by the state or by institutions receiving state funding, the Little Hatch Act imposes legal boundaries on political activities. Understanding these boundaries is vital to ensuring that library workers’ advocacy efforts remain both effective and compliant with applicable legislation.
In this session, presenters will provide a basic overview of the Little Hatch Act and other relevant laws and regulations that put restrictions on Tennessee library workers’ political expressions, including what activities are or are not allowed and in what contexts. Attendees will gain insight into how these laws impact activities on social media, in political campaigns, and for engaging in legislative advocacy. We will cover real-world scenarios to illustrate some of the subtler points of the regulations and highlight the fine line between professional advocacy and prohibited political activity, with the goal of helping library professionals navigate these distinctions with confidence.
Whether you are a library director, a staff member, or a library school student, we invite you to join us for the presentation with your concerns or questions, and we will endeavor to equip you with the knowledge to advocate for libraries and library patrons–without jeopardizing your position."

Speakers

Kelly Tilton

Sharon Edwards

Dean of Libraries, Motlow State Community College

Dean of Libraries at Motlow State Community College. Former President of TLA, and member of ALA's Policy Corps, Cohort II.

William Quinn

Chief Information Security Officer, Motlow State Community College

An information security officer, father of two boys, and a dedicated gamer. Highly experienced in everything information technology, but not afraid to learn more. Closely associated and affiliated with the libraries at Motlow State, and a friend of the libraries everywhere.

Thursday April 10, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

10:20am EDT

Free Time in Exhibits

Thursday April 10, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am EDT

Ballrooms E, F, & G

Wednesday, April 9, 11:00am – 4:30pm, Free Time 11:00 – 11:45am
Thursday, April 10, 9:00am – 2:00pm, Free Time 10:00 – 11:00am

Thursday April 10, 2025 10:20am - 11:10am EDT
Ballrooms E, F, & G

Exhibits

11:10am EDT

Children's & YA Roundtable Business Meeting

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

Business meeting of the Children's & YA Roundtable

Speakers

Lily Woodside

Teen Service Librarian, Sparta

Lyn Hunter

Youth Services Supervisor, Chattanooga Public Library

Children’s and YA books & programs, public & school library collaboration, serving the whole person/whole child, intellectual freedom, and library advocacy

Sponsors

Children's and Young Adult Roundtable

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Meeting

11:10am EDT

ADHD and the Library Profession

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

The library is full of organized, efficient professionals. What happens when your brain is wired differently than most of them? How does it affect our relationship with our coworkers and the way we accomplish tasks? This presentation is for everyone working in libraries who has ADHD or knows someone who does. It discusses the reality of what ADHD actually is--versus the persistent myths about it--and covers ways forward to make our workplaces the best they can be for all involved. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how their ADHD coworkers' chaos can sometimes be a superpower that might bring new ideas to the table for everyone!

Speakers

Courtney Lewis

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

11:10am EDT

Back to Basics: Rebuilding Student Engagement and Outreach Post-COVID

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

In the aftermath of COVID-19, libraries faced the challenge of reengaging students and rebuilding disrupted outreach efforts. At East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library, librarians recognized the need to rebuild, innovate, and restructure our approach to student outreach. This presentation will explore how ETSU reference and instruction librarians revamped existing strategies to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment for students by redesigning our student orientation process, by developing several casual student-centered clubs, and by opening a new reference desk for drop-in research help. This presentation will provide insights and practical takeaways for libraries looking to revitalize their student outreach programs in a post-pandemic landscape.

Speakers

Lydia Gwyn

Instruction Librarian, Sherrod Library, East Tennessee State University

Writer & Instruction librarianDirector of the Library Ambassador Program at Sherrod Library

Jonathan Wilson

Online/Distance Education Librarian, East Tennessee State University

I am a native from East Tennessee. A first generation and transfer student, graduated ETSU with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Received my Master’s in Information Sciences (MLIS) degree from the University of Tennessee. Prior to being the Distance/Online Education Librarian... Read More →

Sponsors

East Tennessee State University

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

11:10am EDT

Beyond Books: Exploring the Possibilities of Non-Traditional Collections

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

Lending power tools, outdoor gear, rock instruments, and makerspace equipment? Of course we do that! Join the Chattanooga Public Library for this presentation on how to launch a beyond books collection that works for your library system and your community. During this presentation, we will highlight our experiences of creating, sustaining, and expanding our own unique collections. The story of the Beyond Books collections at the Chattanooga Public Library can help inspire your library to find natural partnerships to expand access to community assets and to create a new non-traditional collection of your own!

Speakers

Richard Groves

Chattanooga Public Library

Crissy Varnell

Chattanooga Public Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

11:10am EDT

Nurturing Your Community Through Library Agriculture

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

Norris Community Library and Rocky Top Public Library discuss the planning and implementation of their seed library and community garden. Get tips and tricks on how to find community partners, manage the budgeting and deal with any unexpected issues along the way.

Speakers

Kimberlee Byrge

Director, Norris Community Library

Kelly Harris

Director, Rocky Top Public Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

11:10am EDT

Putting Some "Fun" in the Fundamentals of Locating Government Publications

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

Ready for a refresh on government publications that will help your users? Join us to learn how to locate the latest information on careers, publications of the three branches of government, rules by departments/agencies, and practical Federal services and resources (in English and Spanish). Bring a device for some engaging hands-on activities that will allow you to explore these resources.

Speakers

Perveen Rustomfram

Head of Government Publications, The University of Memphis

Perveen Rustomfram is the Head of Government Publications at the University Libraries, University of Memphis.

Bess Robinson

Head of Research and Instructional Services, University Libraries, University of Memphis

Bess Robinson is the Head of Research and Instructional Services at the University Libraries, University of Memphis.

Thursday April 10, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

12:00pm EDT

Trustee /Friends of the Library Luncheon

Thursday April 10, 2025 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT

Ballroom H

Alison Goldstein Lebovitz is an Emmy-nominated television host, professional speaker, nonprofit executive, author, and podcaster who believes we each have the power and responsibility to make this world a better place. Since 2008, she has served as the host of The A List with Alison Lebovitz, a half-hour original series produced by WTCI-PBS, where she interviews a diverse array of popular and prominent personalities from around the globe. As a motivational speaker she combines her penchant for humor with her passion for storytelling to deliver inspiring messages about faith, philanthropy and the power of community, and has been honored to serve as a TedX speaker, coach and emcee. She is the author of Am I There Yet? a collection of her candid essays and life-inspired stories, and in her spare time she hosts a weekly podcast with her sister called Sis & Tell.
**Separate registration required. Please register at the TNLA website.**

Speakers

Alison Lebovitz

Host, The A-List with Alison Lebovitz

Sponsors

Friends of Tennessee Libraries

Thursday April 10, 2025 12:00pm - 1:15pm EDT
Ballroom H

Luncheon Ticketed Event

1:30pm EDT

Public Library Roundtable Business Meeting

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

Business meeting of the Public Library Roundtable

Speakers

Dinah Harris

Jackson-Madison County Library

Sponsors

Public Library Roundtable

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Meeting

1:30pm EDT

Constructed and Contextual: Exploring Concepts of Authority through the Creation of Student Zines

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

What happens when students take authority into their own hands—literally? This session blends critical pedagogy, alternative media, and the ACRL Framework to explore how zines can transform discussions about bias, authority, and representation. Featuring examples from psychology and literature classes, we’ll examine how creating zines empower students to challenge traditional notions of expertise and amplify diverse voices. Participants will leave not only with new strategies for the classroom but also with their very own mini zine, created during the session. Let’s reimagine who gets to be “in the room” and why their stories matter.

Speakers

Amanda Roper

Librarian, Chattanooga

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

1:30pm EDT

Pushing Back Against Censorship in TN Libraries: One Group's Experience

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

Learn who last year’s TNLA Intellectual Freedom Award winner RCLA is, what they do, and how they can help you! Libraries have unfortunately turned political, with attempts to impose censorship here in Tennessee. We’ll dive into what the laws actually say, what the specific language used means, and how to resist censorship in your libraries.

Speakers

Frank Lambert

Middle Tennessee State University

Graduate Education in Librarianship

Keri Lambert

Jessica Robertson

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

1:30pm EDT

Read a Good Book Lately

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

Join this fun group of friends as they share what they are reading lately. You will learn absolutely nothing, but will have a full list for your TBR pile!

Speakers

Jamie Osborn

Reference Services Manager, Knox County Public Library

I have worked for over twenty years for the Knox County Public Library System, in a variety of roles. I am currently the Manager of our Reference Services Department. ❤

Cathy Farley

Executive Director, Tennessee Library Association

Jennifer Cowan-Henderson

Michael Hale

Assistant Director, White County Public Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session

1:30pm EDT

Read and Ride: A Pilot Partnership Between Chattanooga Public Library and the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

After almost four years of trying to figure out how the Chattanooga Public Library could help bring free rides to children in our community, Read & Ride was born! Read & Ride, the pilot partnership between CPL and CARTA, ran from June 1-July 31 in conjunction with the Summer Learning Program at CPL with the express intention of facilitating free bus rides for children 6-18. It has been so successful that CARTA is publicly speaking about the possibility of year-round free rides for minors. There are very few of the 19 urban and municipal transit systems (or the 9 rural public transportation systems) that currently provide free rides to children 18 and under, so opportunities to increase access to transportation for their young patrons are out there! Session attendees will hopefully learn from CPL’s failures and successes to leave with at least one strategy with which to approach a collaborative project with their own transit system.

Speakers

Lyn Hunter

Youth Services Supervisor, Chattanooga Public Library

Children’s and YA books & programs, public & school library collaboration, serving the whole person/whole child, intellectual freedom, and library advocacy

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

1:30pm EDT

They are called Comics for a Reason: Humorous Graphic Novels for Children and Tweens

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

Join Scot Smith as he explores humorous graphic novels and non-fiction for younger readers. He will discuss why humor is important in books for children and tweens and highlight some recently published Comics for kids. Scot will also share important resources about Comics and graphic novels and discuss ways to make the Comics collection more accessible for children.

Speakers

Scot Smith

Member Presenter, School of Information Sciences

Scot Smith worked as a school librarian for almost 27 years before he changed careers and joined the faculty at UT's School of Information Sciences. Scot served in various capacities for the Volunteer State Book Award for many years and has read for numerous committees and juries... Read More →

Thursday April 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

2:30pm EDT

Beyond Books: How Libraries Can Offer Even More Basic Skills to Our Youngest Children

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 10

As children’s librarians, we are trained in early literacy best practices. However, we know that it takes many more skills to prepare the whole child for kindergarten and beyond. While storytimes with books, flannels, and fingerplays are wonderful tools for developing early literacy skills, we can add so much more to our early childhood programming. Learn how the Chattanooga Public Library is exploring additional ways to introduce basic skills into programs. From early motor skills and potty training to STEAM and kitchen skills, it’s never too early to start the journey towards kindergarten.

Speakers

Erica deBin

Library Services Specialist - Children's, Chattanooga Public Library

I received my MLIS from University of North Carolina at Greensboro and have worked for the Chattanooga Public Library for 10 years doing children's programs. Before that, I used my degree in American Sign Language while working as a sign language interpreter for Deaf students. I love... Read More →

Shelley Headrick

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 10

Program Session

2:30pm EDT

Encouraging the Anxious: Free and Low Cost Events to Lift Spirits in the Academic Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 16

Like many other college campuses, Lipscomb University saw an increase in mental health and social problems as students returned to campus after the Covid-19 shutdown. Because of that, our library put a new emphasis on student events to encourage students and make them feel at home in the library. In the past two years, as federal Covid funding has ended, we have also faced budget cuts making it more difficult to fund these events. These dual problems have forced us to be more creative in our programming. We faced the question: How do we make the library an inviting and encouraging place for students without spending money? This presentation summarizes our attempts to leverage our current resources to provide some levity in the library. We found that seeing students smile raises our spirits too. We hope that our experience will inspire you to create some fun in your own library even when times are tough.

Speakers

Jan Cohu

Lipscomb University

Michaela Rutledge

Nashville

Jules LeFort-Cleary

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 16

Program Session

2:30pm EDT

Generative AI Sandbox: Hands-On Learning for Beginners

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 11

"Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way we work, learn, and create—and libraries are no exception. But what exactly is generative AI, and how can library professionals explore its potential in a practical, hands-on way? This interactive session is designed for beginners who want to experiment with AI tools in a safe and supportive environment.
Attendees will get a guided introduction to ChatGPT and some other generative AI tools, with a focus on ethical considerations and practical applications for libraries. Through live demonstrations and hands-on exercises, participants will explore how AI can support tasks such as basic administrative tasks, reader advisory, programming ideas, and staff efficiency.
By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a foundational understanding of generative AI, ideas for integrating it into their library work, and the confidence to continue experimenting. No prior AI experience is required—just curiosity and a willingness to explore!"

Speakers

William Quinn

Chief Information Security Officer, Motlow State Community College

Kelly Tilton

Sharon Edwards

Dean of Libraries, Motlow State Community College

Dean of Libraries at Motlow State Community College. Former President of TLA, and member of ALA's Policy Corps, Cohort II.

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 11

Program Session

2:30pm EDT

Haunted History: Teaching Teens About Primary Sources

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 9

Learn about a teen program used in a public library to explore primary sources. Help teens explore local history and investigate a murder from days gone by. Have your teens ever wanted to solve crimes? Do they have what it takes to be a librarian or an archivist? Learn how to put their deductive skills to the test in this spooky historical investigation.

Speakers

Dottie Higgs

Teen Librarian, John P. Holt Brentwood Library

Brittany Mountford

Bunch Library at Belmont University

Okland Scott

Reference Librarian, Special Collections, John P. Holt Brentwood Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 9

Program Session

2:30pm EDT

Library Storytelling: From Data to Narrative

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 17

Discover the benefits of library storytelling! This session explores diverse storytelling methods at the Chatt State Kolwyck Library. We'll also discuss data storytelling, a blend of marketing and data, and how libraries can effectively communicate their resources and staff expertise. Learn how we showcase the Kolwyck Library and its staff through compelling stories.

Speakers

Dwight Hunter

Librarian, Chattanooga State Community College

Marketing & Assessment Librarian.Trained in non-profit & volunteer management.Personal website: http://orangejayhawk.com

Andrea Kincaid

Lead Public Services Librarian, Chattanooga State Community College

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 17

Program Session

2:30pm EDT

The Basics of Becoming a Good Leader in Your Workspace. How and Why?

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT

Meeting Room 2

I would like to share about the basics of being a good leader in your workspace. By answering the questions, What makes a good leader?, Why do you want to be a good leader?, How do you lead people that you don't have a connection with?, and How do you lead an inherited staff? During the discussion we will talk about the challenges that we have faced as leaders and how we have used setbacks to help us grow as leaders.

Speakers

Rebeckah Coleman

E.G. Fisher Public Library

Thursday April 10, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Meeting Room 2

Program Session