Registration Open! 2022 WAAL Conference to Feature State Poet Laureate
Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Creative Change Agent, Wisconsin and Milwaukee Poet Laureate will help kick off “Open Minds, Open Doors” the 2022 Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians (WAAL) Conference at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield April 20 - 22.
Other conference highlights include sessions on social media strategies, applying marketing principles to your library, cultivating a culturally diverse library, lightning talks, poster sessions and opportunities to network with your peers.
Registration is now open! Visit the conference webpage to learn more and register.
Mark Your Calendar! 2022 WAPL Conference
Please mark your calendars for the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) Annual Conference on May 11-13, 2022 at The Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.
The goal of the 2022 WAPL conference is to empower attendees to explore the INFINITE POSSIBILITIES for their libraries, communities, and beyond!
Stay tuned for future conference announcements via email; by following #WAPL2022, the WAPL 2022 Annual Conference Event, and the Wisconsin Library Association on Facebook; and by visiting the WAPL Annual Conference website.
Submit Your Program Proposal for WLA 2022! (Proposals Due April 25)
This year’s annual WLA conference will kick off Wednesday, November 1 at the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa with Keynote Speaker Jason Reynolds. Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose award-winning book Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks was a National Book Award Finalist, Carnegie Medal winner, and named one of the best books of 2019 by NPR, School Library Journal, and many more. He's currently serving as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. For more information on this Speaker, please visit www.simonspeakers.com.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Rising to the Challenge'' and we would like you to share your stories of how you’ve overcome obstacles, collaborated with your communities and how you’ve not just survived but thrived despite the challenges of the past few years and how you’re preparing for future challenges. We’d also like to continue the important conversations around diversity and inclusivity, staffing, fundraising, advocacy and cultivating connections. We’d like you to consider the big picture but also encourage you to share your practical and effective strategies and inspiring projects from your corner of the library world.
Proposals for presentations, panels, and workshops are welcome. Sessions will run 45 minutes in length (with a limited number of 90 minutes sessions available) and with a maximum of four presenters.
Help shape this year’s conference by submitting your proposal via this link by Monday, April 25, 2022.
Intellectual Freedom SIG Monthly Meeting
March 28, 11:00 a.m.
At this month’s meeting we will explore ways to support Intellectual Freedom at the 2022 WLA Annual Conference (Nov 1-4, 2022 in Lake Geneva). With a theme of “Rising to the Challenge,” the annual conference gives an opportunity to support staff from around the state with in-depth workshops on a variety of topics. Help us craft an Intellectual Freedom track for this year’s conference! SIG meeting attendees will have the option to join one of five breakout rooms to brainstorm possible conference workshops: Policy Development, Staff Training & Support, Trustee Relations, Media Relations / Shaping the Narrative, and “None of those but I have a cool idea!”
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://zoom.us/j/92607836678?pwd=djZ1UzFtRTNRdTAzb1R1K3VFZDNYdz09
Mark Your Calendar! Upcoming Intellectual Freedom SIG/YSS Webinar
The Intellectual Freedom SIG and Youth Services Section are collaborating on a webinar for WLA members. More details to come. Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, April 5 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Virtual Presentations with the Outreach Services Roundtable
All WLA members are invited to attend these upcoming presentations hosted by the Outreach Services Roundtable. Register to attend the presentations and/or to receive a link to the recordings.
Community Reads
Thursday, March 31, 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Register here.
Planning a community read event for your town or campus might sound like an overwhelming project that requires a grant, community buy-in, and more staff than you have. Join us to learn how public and academic libraries of various sizes have planned and funded community read events and how you can adapt their ideas to work for your library.
Contact Jennie Fidler at [email protected] with questions.
Let’s Share: Bite-Sized Outreach
Wednesday, May 18, 11:00 a.m. - noon
Register here.
Not all outreach needs to be big! Learn about and discuss how different libraries have provided outreach services that are low cost and easy to execute. Share your own ideas in this short form by May 2. Examples include: complimenting book displays with relevant community resources, setting up a booth at community events, providing summer reading logs to existing outreach patrons, etc.
Contact Kelly Davis at [email protected] with questions.
AWSL Virtual Town Hall Meeting
April 19, 11:30 a.m.
The next Association of Wisconsin Special Librarians (AWSL) Town Hall meeting will take place April 19 at 11:30 a.m. All WLA members are encouraged to attend and learn more about the AWSL community and their new Town Hall sessions!
Steve Rice, Museum and Archives Manager at the Door County Historical Museum, will talk about the Museum, his collaboration with the Door County Library System and the resulting oral history project. (Steve is our March Member of the Month!)
To join, https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/96012237156?pwd=Y3VrUitDdHFNR3dFN0syTWdDMlZEdz09.
AWSL is looking for a 2022 Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect. If you are interested, please contact AWSL Chair Anne Moser via email at [email protected]
A New Face at WLA
Welcome Cindy Foley! A warm WLA welcome to Cindy Foley, our new event planner. Cindy will assist be assisting with our 2022 conferences and assist with securing locations for WLA and WAAL 2023. She can be reached at [email protected].
Be a Member, Get a Member Campaign 2022!
Refer a new member to join the Wisconsin Library Association and both you and the new member will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a cash prize ($250 each). Learn more.
Thanks for helping to grow WLA in 2022!
National Library Week Interview
Mark Your Calendar! WLA President Nyama Reed will be a guest on AARP's weekly "Thursdays with AARP" livestream show on their Facebook page and YouTube Channel, Thursday, April 7 at noon. This interview will take place during National Library Week and will focus on the strong relationship between libraries and seniors.
Leadership Opportunities Available
The following leadership positions are available. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
SSCS Vice Chair
SSCS Director-at-Large (Academic)
WLTF Vice-Chair
WLTF Board Liaison
WAAL Board Liaison
AWSL Vice-Chair
Newsletters & Blogs
- Association of Wisconsin Special Librarians (AWSL): Read the latest AWSL newsletter here.
- Wisconsin Small Libraries (WISL): Read the latest WISL Newsletter here.
- Youth Services Section: Check out these recent posts from the YSS blog.
