2026 ILA Conference

The session presents strategies, techniques, and tips for maximizing public engagement with digital archives and provides examples of what that looks like in several Iowa public libraries.

Participants will learn to evaluate current and future digital initiatives with quantitative measures and by seeking qualitative outcomes. Participants will be inspired to re-imagine the role of digital history initiatives in their libraries and communities. 

Using the Grimes Public Library as a case study, we will explore what are the design opportunities to create a more inclusive and community-friendly library experience.

Attendees will discover what are some of the opportunities for inclusivity in today's libraries. Learn how thoughtful, community-focused, inclusive design can improve the library experience for all patrons. 

Learn how a consortium of public and academic libraries partnered with community organizations to build an annual program that promotes literacy, fosters community dialogue, and centers diverse voices through community partnerships.

Attendees will learn tools for organizing large events collaboratively. Attendees will learn how to leverage partnerships to achieve larger goals. Attendees will learn ways to avoid burnout through effective teamwork.

This session would look at different strategies for engaging and enriching literary arts programming in collaboration with community partners to increase audience engagement. 

 Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies for approaching community programming partnerships. I want to highlight the value of arts literacy and arts programming in establishing community and in celebrating the talents of that community by providing strategies for programming, public art initiatives, and strong community partnerships centered around the arts. I plan to provide programming strategies that are outside of the box, strategies aimed at hiding the vegetables, if you will, and that cast a broader net for people who may not otherwise gravitate towards such programming. 

This session explores how intentional policy design, revision processes, and training create consistent, equitable outcomes in everyday library operations.

Attendees will learn to: identify the differences between proactive, responsive, and reactionary policy approaches; describe key components of a sustainable policy development and revision process. Evaluate policies for flexibility, clarity, and consistency in real-world application. Apply strategies to strengthen policy alignment with organizational goals, risk management, and equitable access.

"If you feed them, they will come", join me in exploring different options for food programming for tweens & teens in the library, ask questions, and brainstorm with peers about more food programming ideas! This presentation will focus on food programming that has been presented at the Marion Public Library to the tweens & teens. Getting this age group into libraries can be notoriously difficult, but many libraries and librarians will agree that "if you feed them, they will come" is an apt way to get them into the library.