Back In Circulation 2026

Back In Circulation 2026

9:00am CDT

Welcome + Keynote - Room 325/326

Monday October 5, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Bobbi L. Newman, MLIS, MA (she/her) is a consultant who helps organizations create healthier, more equitable workplaces using evidence-based strategies. She is also a professor who teaches future librarians and leaders, integrating research, practice, and compassion to shape healthier workplaces across the profession. Bobbi is the founder of ThriveLib, a virtual conference dedicated to...
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Speakers

Bobbi L. Newman

Bobbi is an Associate Professor of Practice, where she teaches future librarians in courses such as Public Libraries, Community Engagement, and Management, Teams & Leadership. She is the founder of the ThriveLib Conference, an international virtual event focused on building healthier... Read More →

Monday October 5, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Keynote

10:15am CDT

Groundwork for a successful Seed Library Collection - Room 313

Monday October 5, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

The Council Bluffs Public Library has been circulating seeds since March of 2022. Attendees of this program will learn from our trial and error over the last few years, and how the Circulation team has developed a process in which the seed library is now a thriving resource for other aspects of library service & education. Several areas that we will touch on that have made this collection a...
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Speakers

Bailey Adams

Circulation Manager, Council Bluffs Public Library

Caroline Simons

Library Assistant, Council Bluffs Public Library

Monday October 5, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

10:15am CDT

Situational Awareness and De-Escalation for Frontline Staff - Room 325/326

Monday October 5, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

You have all heard of situational awareness. But, how much do you really know about it? How good are your observation skills? What about your ability to de-escalate? No one’s skills are perfect, but we can all work together to improve them! This fun and highly-interactive seminar will challenge the audience to gauge their own situational awareness, observation, and de-escalation skills. Everyone...
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Speakers

Dustin Smaby

Dustin Smaby is a circulation manager of a medium-sized public library in Chicagoland. Past roles included adult reference, teen programming and interlibrary loan. He is passionate about board games and video games, and loves severe weather. He has been known to chase a storm or two... Read More →

Monday October 5, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Customer Service

10:15am CDT

Keeping People in Circulation: Inclusive Supervision in Access Services - Room 309

Monday October 5, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Access Services work happens on the front line of the library—where buildings stay open late, service demands shift constantly, and staff carry significant emotional and operational labor. In these environments, effective management is not just about policies, coverage, or workflows. It is about people. This interactive session explores how inclusive supervision can serve as a powerful...
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Speakers

Mary Carmen Nyce

Monday October 5, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

11:30am CDT

Better Living Through Wiki: Collaborative Strategies for Creating and Maintaining Internal Documentation - Room 313

Monday October 5, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

As information professionals, our work often necessitates engaging with large bodies of knowledge. Without proper documentation, however, such knowledge can easily become lost due to staffing and organizational changes. This prompts a question: how do you build a system that encourages proper documentation of procedures, responds to the needs of stakeholders, and is capable of surviving...
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Speakers

Michelle Fisher

Access Services Specialist, UW-Madison Libraries

Kestrel Gregorich-Trevor

Kestrel Gregorich-Trevor is an Access Services Specialist at the UW Madison Libraries. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison iSchool in 2024 with a Master's in Library and Information Science. She has worked in four different libraries across the UW Madison system... Read More →

Monday October 5, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

11:30am CDT

From Information to Edu-tainment: Strategies for Increasing Social Media Presence - Room 325/326

Monday October 5, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

In a time where social media is used more by libraries as an advertising tool, it’s imperative that we use these platforms to get the word out about events, services, and items available for checkout. Over the past year, the Michigan Tech Library has been exploring how to make more relatable and engaging posts so that both students and community members are more informed about what is available...
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Speakers

Shane Niland

Michigan Technological University

My name is Shane Niland and I am based in Hancock, Michigan. I currently work for the Graduate School Department at Michigan Technological University, but I had previously worked as the Social Media Administrator for the MTU Library. I have a Bachelor's of Music in Classical Trumpet... Read More →

Monday October 5, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Customer Service

11:30am CDT

From Circulation to Curation: Bringing Student Circulation Workers Into the Exhibit Frame

Monday October 5, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

The Bryn Mawr College Libraries created an exhibits program to spotlight materials in its collections and to support the campus’s intellectual and creative life. Monthly book and media displays highlight topics shaped by academic inquiry, cultural contexts, and campus interests. While displays were previously curated primarily by librarians, the program was redesigned to integrate the...
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Speakers

Sharin LeFevre, MA, MS, MSLS

Library Associate, Bryn Mawr College

Monday October 5, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

2:00pm CDT

Community-Driven Classification and Application to Access Services Principles - Room 325/326

Monday October 5, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Gather to hear about the collaborative development of a unique classification system designed specifically for the Tribal Libraries, Archives, and Museums (TLAM) collection at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s CDIS Commons Library. The project centers Indigenous knowledge systems, emphasizing the relationships and community that the collection represents. The TLAM Program Director, Cassy...
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Speakers

Anastasia Hanson

Cassy Leeport

Monday October 5, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

2:00pm CDT

Redesigning Access Services with Service Design: Turning Discovery into Direction

Monday October 5, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Access services teams are under increasing pressure to adapt—while navigating staffing constraints, evolving student behavior, and legacy service structures. Often redesign efforts begin with solutions rather than shared understanding.This session shares a phased service design assessment underway at a mid-sized academic library. The work began by establishing psychological safety and shared...
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Speakers

Debra Sampson

Sonoma State Library

Monday October 5, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Customer Service

2:00pm CDT

Leading Together: Collaborative Change Management in User and Delivery Services - Room 309

Monday October 5, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

This session examines how change management was put into practice in a regional university academic library’s User and Delivery Services (UDS) department through the perspective of an interim associate dean working closely with the UDS department head. As libraries respond to evolving user expectations, staffing constraints, and shifting service models, successful change requires both strategic...
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Speakers

Jen Mayer

Interim Associate Dean of Libraries, University of Northern Colorado

Monday October 5, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

3:15pm CDT

Circulation Services: Streamlining Workflows with RFID, Mobile Tools, and SharePoint - Room 325/326

Monday October 5, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Implementing the right technology can make circulation services more efficient by reducing workload, improving workflows, and minimizing reliance on paper reports. This session will highlight how St. Charles Public Library has integrated new tools to streamline processes and support circulation staff in their daily tasks. Key Topics:-MobileStaff App for Modern Registration & Holds...
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Speakers

Jasmina Lapo

Circulation Services Manager, St. Charles Public Library

Patty Lakoma

Monday October 5, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

3:15pm CDT

Here to Help: A Customer Service Philosophy - Room 313

Monday October 5, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

Being “Here to Help” is what public libraries do, so creating an overall customer service philosophy and training program is important. Learn how the Johnson County Public Library created a meaningful customer service training program that helps staff understand the role of a public library and our shared purpose, while reviewing basic expectations and how a positive, proactive and empathetic...
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Speakers

Heather Petro

Circulation Manager, Johnson County Public Library

Hi! My name is Heather Petro and I'm a Circulation Manager for the Johnson County Public Library in Indiana. I've worked for JCPL for 10 years and I'm very passionate about providing library staff with the tools and resources they need to help our patrons and themselves.

Monday October 5, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Customer Service

3:15pm CDT

Access Services - Unit Building, Current Progress, and the Future - Room 309

Monday October 5, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT

In February of 2025, at the UW-Madison Libraries new Access Services Unit formed after several years of discussion, information gathering, and planning. Fall 2025 was our stress test. New hires, new staffing model, new communication methods and more. Join us as we explore the challenges and successes of this extensive planning. As our fondly named ‘NewNewSchedule-April’ professional staff...
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Speakers

Ellen Jacks

Grants Information Librarian, UW-Madison Libraries

Anastasia Hanson

Monday October 5, 2026 3:15pm - 4:15pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

9:00am CDT

Who C.A.R.E.S.? Teaching and Assessing Excellent Customer Service in the Public Library - Room 313

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Join us to learn about the C.A.R.E.S. framework of customer service, how it can be taught to up-skill staff, and how these skills can be assessed by a supervisor. C.A.R.E.S. stands for communication, accountability, response, empathy, and solution - the key ingredients in patron satisfaction. Learning Objectives: 1. understand the C.A.R.E.S. framework. 2. develop ideas on how to teach the...
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Speakers

Elizabeth Bush

Co-developed the MCL Customer Service training in the C.A.R.E.S. framework with Andy (speaker no. 1 above), oversee a team of professional librarians and other staff and assess customer service skill., Mesa County Libraries

Andy Hamilton

I currently train and assess customer service for 20 employees at the Mesa County Libraries. Elizabeth (speaker 2) and I present training to all new staff in the C.A.R.E.S. framework of customer service., Mesa County Libraries

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Customer Service

9:00am CDT

Involving Staff in Patron Transaction Data Analysis: The Reference Analytics and Special Projects Team

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Many user services units collect patron transaction data, but how often are frontline library staff involved in the processes of meaning- and decision-making using this data? This session will detail one approach to integrating user services staff into the process of data analysis through the format of an in-unit working group. The working group undertakes a variety of qualitative analytical...
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Speakers

Caroline Meyers

User Services Librarian and Reference Coordinator, Kennesaw State University Libraries

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

9:00am CDT

Training Library Student Employees: Always Evolving - Room 325/326

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

The Student Employee Supervisors at Wartburg’s Vogel Library are always experimenting with new training methods. Our two teams of student employees are often the first contact patrons have when they seek library services, so it is important that we train our teams to be self-disciplined thinkers who will approach patron interactions with the highest level of quality, integrity and equity. In...
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Speakers

Meredith Borchardt

Student Employment & Circ. Supervisor, Wartburg College

In my current position I wear several hats, including supervising library student workers, overseeing circulation, and scheduling library classrooms and meeting rooms. Working in a library setting is fairly new to me, after working nearly 20 years for an environmental non-profi... Read More →

Renée Barney

Information Literacy and Technology Librarian, Vogel Library, Wartburg College

Tuesday October 6, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

10:15am CDT

Adventure is Out There! Experiments in Mobile Check Out With Our Library of Things Adventure Kits - Room 325/326

Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Meet me in the library at midnight- I’ll bring the Ghost Hunting Kit! At Michigan Technological University, the JR Van Pelt and Opie library has been experimenting with packing items from its Library of Things into adventure kits and hosting field trips. We found students loved the idea of our Library of Things, but some of the more fun items were often underutilized and overlooked in favor of...
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Speakers

Nathan Bezotte

Michigan Technological University

Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

10:15am CDT

Accident Forgiveness: one step closer to fine free - Room 313

Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Regardless of a person's socioeconomic standing, everyone is entitled to use their local library. Charging patrons for an item that was accidentally damaged while checked out to them deters them from using the library. This can be for many reasons, whether it be that they are unable to afford it or for the shame they feel for damaging an item. This feels contradictory to what we believe a library...
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Speakers

Denise Towne

Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Customer Service

10:15am CDT

Supervising Student Leaders: expectations for the advanced student worker role in academic libraries - Room 309

Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Student employees are the backbone of the academic library, particularly for access and circulation departments. Many of our student employees go on to enjoy careers in library and information services. Managers in circulation and access services develop early-career information professionals by promoting student employees to advanced roles, assigning advanced tasks and providing advanced training...
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Speakers

Marcus Knoke

Tuesday October 6, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision

11:30am CDT

Cold Case Files: Inventory Investigations - Room 325/326

Tuesday October 6, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

A misshelved book. LIS migration with no record cleanup. Incorrect call number labels. These are stacks crimes that Tisch Library has faced for years. No inventory of the stacks has ever been completed at Tisch, but one department is determined to close the case file and resolve these mysteries. Using modern API integrations with Alma, our forensic investigators (student workers) systematically...
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Speakers

Sarah Towne

Tuesday October 6, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

11:30am CDT

Seeing the forest through the weeds: a combined approach to weeding and inventory - Room 309

Tuesday October 6, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Our presentation details a novel approach to inventory through our ILS' weeding workflows. The workflow functions as a figurative 'lens' through which our holdings are assessed for item and bibliographic-level cataloguing errors or inconsistencies; the proliferation of these for some 16 years prior being a major pain point in the transition to a new ILS. As opposed to typical "snapshot" models of...
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Speakers

Kristen Tait

Head of Access Services, Baldwin Public Library, Michigan

Cameron Crawford

Assistant Department Head - Circ Services, Baldwin Public Library

Tuesday October 6, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Collections

11:30am CDT

Developing a System Wide Circulation Conference - Room 313

Tuesday October 6, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT

Get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at how one library system transformed a simple Strategic Plan idea into a vibrant, systemwide circulation staff conference; an event that not only built practical skills but sparked new confidence, collaboration, and professional growth across every level of circulation work.   An action team dug into systemwide survey responses to pinpoint the...
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Speakers

Jeff Binschus

Library Circulation Supervisor, Santa Clara County Library

Tammy Kearin

Joseph Stearns

Tuesday October 6, 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm CDT
Pyle Center 702 Langdon St, Madison, WI 53706

Training/Supervision