2025 Regional Conference Schedule

Fort Wayne - May 7th

9:00 am - 9:45 am
Registration

9:45 am - 10:50 am
Keynote: From Stress to Strength - A Pathway to Resilience

Presenter: Andie Hines-Lagemann
Description: This one-hour keynote workshop is designed to empower Library staff with research-based tools from emotional intelligence and positive psychology. Through interactive exercises, attendees will practice reframing and cultivating a growth mindset. The workshop will bolster self-awareness, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility - skills that can be applied to enhance job satisfaction, engagement, and service quality. Attendees will also discover the power of positive social support in building collective resilience within their teams. Library staff will come away with a toolkit of strategies to not only cope with stress but to thrive in their roles, ultimately creating a more positive and resilient environment for individuals, teams, and patrons.

11:00 am - 11:50 am
Breakout Block 1

Presenter(s): Beth Boatright, Kerstin Glaess, John O'Rourke
Description: Tour the Allen County Public Library's brand new Studio at the Main Library, an upgraded maker space with specialty equipment including a podcast booth, laser engraving, and state of the art 3D printing technology. You'll have the opportunity to try our virtual reality headsets, play with 3D pens, and explore our hands-on activity kits and programs. Learn about funding, local partnerships, and how your library can be part of the STEM ecosystem in your own community.

Presenter(s): Andie Hines-Lagemann
Description: Enjoy Andie's keynote session? She'll be digging deeper into the content in this breakout session with hands-on activities.

Presenter(s): Katy Southern & Michaela Golden
Description: Your collection contains great items but Circulation declines. Collections are overloaded, moribund – the product of decades of hoarding. Don’t allow yourself and your library to be buried alive under the weight of worn books. Create a Plan.
In this session we will discuss the following: 1) How to assess the Hoard; 2) How to create and prioritize weeding goals for large scale projects; 3) How to involve all staff in the process; 4) Weeding, Shifting, and Sleight of Hand; and 5) Communication, Communication, Communication.

Presenter(s): Traci Ward
Description: Being a manager can be very rewarding, but it does come with a lot of challenges. Many managers follow the guidelines of “servant leadership,” whereby they put the needs of their staff before their own. From my experience, this commitment can sometimes backfire for the manager. This session will focus briefly on the idea of servant leadership while providing guidance, based on learned experiences, on how to be that servant leader without burning yourself out. I have been a library manager for over 5 years, managing teams as small as six employees to as large as eighteen employees. The guidance I will share is based on my experience, and some literature, about dealing with different staff needs and personalities while preserving your own positive mental health.

11:50 am - 12:50 pm
Lunch

12:50 pm - 1:00 pm
Group Photo

1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Breakout Block 2

Presenter: Kyle Hickman, Julie Wendorf, Vanessa Martin & Bee Gray-Chemey
Description: Are you interested in learning more about Indiana FREADOM to Read and what it seeks to accomplish? Want to learn ways to get more involved? Come be a part of the discussion about how IN FREADOM is transforming book access in the state of Indiana.

Playful Opportunities (Peabody PL)
- Presenter(s): Kelsey Fickinger & Kathy Harrison
- Description: Let's explore fun ways to make our spaces engaging, interactive, and thought provoking! Play is crucial for early literacy development, but how do we get our community to engage with these carefully curated activities and spaces? You will leave this session newly inspired with fresh ideas for scavenger hunts, StoryWalks, self-directed programming, and designing safe spaces for our smallest patrons.
Transforming Library Spaces: Design for Today and the Future
- Presenter(s): Kim Bolan
- Description: Ready to transform your library into a welcoming and dynamic space? Join me to learn up-to-the-minute practical tips and proven strategies for creating functional, inspiring, and budget-friendly library environments. We’ll explore the latest trends and best practices in library space planning and design with real-world examples, from libraries big and small, demonstrating how to balance functionality and aesthetics.
Adult Literacy in Northeast Indiana

Presenter(s): Melinda Haines
Description: Empowering Adults Learners Through Motivation and Collaboration - Melinda will present information about adult education in the state, with a deeper dive into how it is offered in northeast Indiana, including services provided, best practices, the impact on adult learners, employers, and the community. Examples of community collaborations, including libraries, will be shared, along with a description of another program that helps reach K-3 graders improve their literacy skills.

2:00 pm - 2:50 pm
Breakout Block 3

Presenter(s): Shari Bowers-Dueker
Description: In this session, attendees will be given an overview of Indiana 211, what resources are available in our statewide database and how Indiana 211 can be used to assist people within their communities. We will also share the Community Engagement tools that can benefit them in their work.

Everyday Advocacy
- Presenter(s): Vanessa Martin, Julie Wendorf and Kyle Hickman
- Description: Join the Advocacy Committee to discuss the current state of affairs in Indiana re: advocacy efforts and learn how you can get more involved to be an advocate for libraries and the work we do.
Marketing Mix for Libraries
- Presenter(s): Aja Michael-Keller & Chris Ford
- Description: Libraries have the best stories - and it's time we tell the world! In this session, experienced marketers will break down why it’s more important than ever for libraries to promote themselves—and how to do it well. We’ll talk about building and protecting your brand, crafting an effective marketing strategy, and using the right mix of tools to reach your audience. Whether you're part of a large team or a one-person powerhouse juggling it all, you'll walk away with practical tips, fresh ideas, and a better sense of how to tell your library’s story in a way that sticks.
Tour: Special Collections

Presenter(s): Curt Witcher
Description: Learn about the collections, services, and experiences of The Genealogy Center and The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research, two premier offerings of the Allen County Public Library’s Special Collections.

3:00 pm - 3:50 pm

Afternoon Keynote: State of the ILF
Presenter(s): Kyle Hickman and Julie Wendorf
Description: ILF President, Julie Wendorf, and Executive Director, Kyle Hickman, will be sharing a brief State of the ILF that highlights what's on tap for 2025 and how everyone can get involved with ILF's strategic plans to grow the profession and address some of ILF's biggest challenges.