ILF Cohorts & Workshops

The 2026 Budget Workshop is scheduled for Friday, July 10 at Anderson Public Library. Registration is now full and closed. Please email [email protected] to join the Budget Workshop Waitlist.

Join the Budget Workshop Waitlist!

The 2026 Management Cohort Application is now open through Wednesday, July 15th. More information can be found below.

Click Here to Apply 

2026 Budget Workshop

Held at Anderson Public Library on Friday, July 10.

Registration is currently full and closed. Please email [email protected] to join the waitlist and be sure to include your full name and organization.

The 9th annual Budget Workshop will take place over the course of one day and will be eligible for LEUs. The workshop will be led by staff from the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) and members of the ILF budget tactical team (see roster below). Over 150 library professionals have experienced this program since its inception.
  • Price:9:30 AM – 4:00 PM (ET)Breakfast & lunch included
    • $55 per person for institutional members
    • $75 per person for non-institutional members
  • Registration deadline: limited space: when spots fill.

Prior to attending the Budget Workshop this year, we encourage registrants to watch this Budget Workshop video that showcases the changes with Indiana Gateway: Budget Workshop 2.

Management Cohort Series

In this eight-week live online program, participants will learn critical management principles such as emotional intelligence, team building, conflict resolution, change and project management, and forward thinking.  This cohort will focus on public library topics, however anyone interested in growing their management skills may apply. 

Applications open Monday, June 19th and must be received no later than Wednesday, July 15th, 2026.  Applications will be reviewed and participants selected by members of the ILF Management Division. The cohort will be limited to 25 participants. Join a select group of library professionals for this intensive training focused on leadership and management skills. Designed for aspiring directors and middle management, the cohort offers practical, real-world development.

Three-hour sessions are scheduled every two weeks, beginning Friday morning, August 28th to December 4th. Participants must be able to commit to attending no fewer than six sessions.

Cohorts will take place from 9:00am-12:00pm ET/8:00am-11:00am CT.

SCHEDULE

The 2026 Management Cohort Series consists of eight interactive Zoom sessions from August 28 – December 4, 2026. The sessions will take place every other Friday. Participants must commit to attending at least six of the sessions.

The sessions will cover these topics: 

Session 1 (August 28) – Introduction and Ground Rules, Management and Leadership Styles, Situational Management
Session 2 (September 11) – Communication, Emotional Intelligence
Session 3 (September 25) – Human Resources, Performance Evaluations, Respect for Diversity and Ethics
Session 4 (October 9) – Conflict Resolution
Session 5 (October 23) – Team Building, Collaboration and Partnerships
Session 6 (November 6) – Change Management, Project Management
Session 7 (November 20) – Problem Solving, Evidence-Based Decision Making
Session 8 (December 4) – Forward Thinking, Budget Creation and Presentation, Marketing and Advocacy

Cost: $175
LEUs: Up to 24 total

Testimonials

  • "This course will inspire you and strengthen your leadership skills."
  • "I learned so much—great for new and experienced managers."
  • "A valuable way to work through real-world challenges."

For questions, contact i[email protected]

Budget Tactical Team

Sandy Petrie has created a Director’s guide for budgets. Click here for the latest document.

Have questions? Contact a team member below:

The Budget Tactical Team knows you have questions about how property tax reform will affect your library's budget. Know that we are working on finding the answers so we can provide the help you need. The Budget Tactical Team is tuned into all of the upcoming training opportunities regarding the new legislation. We are especially eager to hear from the DLGF with the hopes that they can reinforce our understanding to date. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to any Budget Tactical Team member. If we know the answer, we'll be happy to provide it. If we don't, we'll try to figure it out together.