2026 Regional Conference Schedule

Virtual - May 29, 2026

9:30 - 9:45am - Arrival & Networking

• Stop by the Zoom room a few minutes early to meet & greet the other Virtual Regional Conference attendees.

9:45 - 10:50am - Opening Keynote

• Title: Keep Your Cool, Know Your Purpose, Trust Your Team: Navigating Politics and Culture Wars While Remaining Committed to Library Service for All
• Presenter: Edra Waterman, Director of the Anderson Public Library

•  We’re Solving the Wrong Thing: A3 Problem Solving
• Presenter(s): Daniel Lichty
• Ever spent three meetings fixing a problem… only to realize it wasn’t the real issue?
  A3 problem-solving is a clear, disciplined framework that forces teams to slow down, articulate the real problem, and align on measurable next steps. In this energetic session, we’ll walk through how A3 works, why most teams skip the hardest part, and ways to get started.
• Connecting Hoosiers to Help: An Introduction to Indiana 211
• Presenter(s): Jill Shamon
• Indiana 211 is a free, confidential service that connects Hoosiers to thousands of local health and human service resources quickly and easily. This session will highlight Indiana 211’s mission to improve quality of life through skilled Navigators, strong community partnerships, and innovative technology. Attendees will learn what to expect when calling 211, explore available statewide resources, understand how to join or update the database, and discover how Indiana 211’s community engagement tools can support their work.
• From the Stacks to the Statehouse
• Presenter(s): Julie Wendorf & Vanessa Martin
• Advocacy extends beyond the library walls, reaching from the library stacks to the Statehouse. This session offers a concise overview of Indiana’s legislative structure and process, highlighting where and how library voices can make an impact. Learn how the Indiana Library Federation advances advocacy for public, school, and academic libraries through a multifaceted approach that includes grassroots engagement, partnerships, and direct legislative outreach. The session will also include a brief review of the most recent legislative session and ILF’s response, providing key insights and takeaways for future advocacy efforts. Walk away with a clearer understanding of the process and your role in ensuring libraries remain strong and supported across Indiana.
• AI in Libraries: Practical Use for Smarter Service
• Presenter(s): Joel Eckert
• This session explores how artificial intelligence is becoming a practical, everyday tool in modern libraries. Framing AI as a natural evolution of familiar technologies, it highlights real-world uses like summarization, translation, content creation, and simple tool-building. Through examples and live demos, attendees will see how AI enhances—not replaces—library expertise, helping professionals work more efficiently and better serve their communities.

11:50am - 1:00pm - Lunch

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

• From Stories to Strategy: Ensuring Financial Stability Amidst Uncertainty
• Presenter(s): Lynn Hobbs & Edra Waterman
• With changing legislation breeding uncertainty, planning for the future is becoming increasingly difficult. Your library’s financial and political strategies are more important now than ever, and one strategy does not fit all. How will you approach the next three years to ensure your library remains financially healthy and well-supported? This session will address the stories your numbers, libraries, and communities are telling to help you develop the most effective strategy for a stable future.

• Front Page Strategies: Making Headlines with Library Media Relations
• Presenter(s): Aja Michael-Keller
• In an age where information spreads rapidly and public perception can make or break an organization, libraries must be prepared to effectively leverage media relations to cultivate positive sentiment and navigate potential crises. Our library's leadership will share how their new approach to engaging with the media has led to consistent, positive media coverage resulting in millions of media impressions and hundreds of thousands of dollars in earned value. The session delves into the intricate world of library media relations, focusing on key strategies tailored specifically for libraries. Join this session to learn how you can leverage media relations to build trust, transparency, and goodwill with your community, ultimately strengthening their position as vital resource. Participants will discover tried and true methods to garner media attention, how to craft compelling narratives, and how to give a great media interview! The session will focus on fostering positive sentiment and cultivating strong relationships with media outlets through strategic communication initiatives and exceptional storytelling. Participants will also learn how to anticipate and respond to potential crises swiftly and effectively. Whether you're a seasoned library leader or new to the field, we all need to be ready to represent our libraries with the media. This presentation offers actionable strategies, hands-on activities, and proven best practices for media relations success.
• Dungeons and Dragons Programming for All Ages (When You Have Little Experience and an Even Smaller Budget)
• Presenter(s): Cat Roberts
• Tabletop Roleplaying games are experiencing a renaissance thanks to media representation through Critical Role, Stranger Things, and Baldur's Gate 3. How do you get your library on the Dungeons & Dragons adventure when you have little or no experience with the game? This session will give you tips on where to start and resources to seek out in order to join the party with one of the world's most popular tabletop role playing games.
• Session #4 - TBD 
• Presenter(s): TBD
• More details to come! 

• Turn Your Library Work into a Publication: An Introduction to Crossroads
• Presenter(s): Mark Dehmlow
• Crossroads: The Journal of Indiana Libraries is a new peer-reviewed, open access journal published by the Indiana Library Federation. This session introduces the journal’s purpose, submission process, and types of articles, while helping practitioners turn everyday library work into publishable contributions. We will also address common concerns about writing and peer review to help attendees get started.
• When Is It Time to Talk to a Lawyer?
• Presenter(s): John Goth
• This session will identify key issues, buzzwords, and scenarios that a Library might encounter that merit a phone call to the Library's legal counsel to navigate effectively. In other words, this presentation educates Library Management on when it needs to call an attorney.
• DIY Strategic Planning (or Strategic Planning Without a Consulting Budget)
• Presenter(s): Beka Lemons
• This session will lead library managers and administrators through a simple strategic planning process that anyone can use to formulate a useful and informed strategic plan. All libraries are required to have some form of long range plan but many are not able to afford consultants to help them. This session will lay out a roadmap for strategic planning and include a toolkit for strategic planning tasks. 
• Staying focused in this "Age of Distraction"
• Presenter(s): Lacey Klemm
• The "Age of Distraction" refers to the contemporary era of information overload, where constant digital connectivity (social media, notifications, and, short-form content) severely erodes our ability to focus, reduces productivity, and causes cognitive fatigue. 1. How do we stay focused in this age of cell phones, smart "everything", and social media? 2. How do we keep "multitasking" from going off the rails? 3. How do we give excellent customer service when distractions are coming from all around us? In this highly interactive session, with hands on activities, we will learn how to navigate the distractions so that we stay focused, productive, and engaged.

• Presenter(s): Kyle Hickman & Austin Stroud, Julie Wendorf
• The President, Past President, and Executive Director will discuss past, current, and future business of ILF, ensuring all participants walk away with information on how to get more involved, advocate for libraries, and engage their networks/communities.