Big Talk From Small Libraries 2026
Full details coming soon!
The conference will be broadcast online on Friday, February 27, 2026 from 8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Central Time, via the GoTo Webinar online meeting service.
8:45-9:00am
Welcome to the Conference & Introductions
Christa Porter, Library Development Director, Nebraska Library Commission
Rural Libraries and Mental Health
Audra Shaneman, Director, Winthrop City Library, Winthrop, MN, Population served: 1,400
Through the Lens of Disability: Library Services Centered on Disability in an Abled World
Stephanie M. Smith, Library Operations Manager, Univ of New Mexico Center for Development & Disability Library, Albuquerque, NM, Population served: 3,300
Books Unbanned: The Freedom to Read
Emilia Jury, Youth Services Director, and Trina Erickson, Director, McIntosh Memorial Library, Viroqua, WI, Population served: 4,500
12:00-12:50pm – Lightning Round!
Enhancing Your Board’s Knowledge and Advocacy Power
Brittany Durgin, Director, Moultonborough Public Library, Moultonborough, NH, Population served: 5,000
Designing for Reality: Building a Space in Academic Libraries for Caregivers
Meghan Kowalski, Outreach and Reference Librarian, The University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC, FTE: 2,900
At the University of the District of Columbia, many students balance coursework with caregiving responsibilities. As an HBCU with a largely commuter and non-traditional population, we recognize how family obligations can limit access to effective study spaces. In response, the library created a family-friendly study area where students can work alongside their children. This lightning talk explores why we built the space, how it was designed, and lessons learned so far. Topics include furniture, cost, materials, policies, and student impact. The space supports academic success, reinforces institutional values of inclusion and care, and offers a replicable model for small libraries serving caregivers.
Denise Lawver, Library Director, Wahoo Public Library, Wahoo, NE, Population served: 4,800
Cassandra O’Connell, Teen/Reference Librarian, Crete Public Library District, Crete, IL, Population served: 8,400
Beyond the Stacks: Creative Campus & Community Partnerships for Student Success
Kylie Riordan, Information Literacy & Instruction Librarian, and Nichole Novak, Head of Reference and Instruction, Illinois Institute of Technology – Paul V. Galvin Library, Chicago, IL, FTE: 7,502
Building meaningful community partnerships is essential for academic libraries wanting to strengthen student support and foster broader student engagement. In this presentation, we will discuss three ways that we strengthen our students’ sense of community, through both external partnerships and internal initiatives.
We will share the impact of our new collaboration with the local public library, which brought a campus-wide library card drive directly to students; our efforts to better support neurodivergent students by expanding our collections and wellness tools; and how partnering with Career Services allows us to develop tailored workshops that teach students to leverage library databases, company research tools, and industry resources in preparation for the Career Fair.
These community-centered partnerships and initiatives help create a more connected and supportive environment for our students.
Hello, School! Your Friendly Public Library Here
Janene Hill, Library Director, Jensen Memorial Library, Minden, NE, Population served: 3,113
Small Library, Big STEAM Energy
Emily Zumbrun, Rural Entrepreneurship Librarian, West Virginia University Potomac State College, Keyser, WV, FTE: 885
Feeding the People
Marie Elena “Jett” Reed, Branch Manager, Indian Springs Library – Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, Indian Springs, NV, Population served: 1,000