9/14 Speakers

Andria L. Amaral has spent over 20 years planning and developing public library programs, collections, and services for students in grades 6-12. She has provided professional development workshops and moderated panels at library and education conferences such as PLA and NCTE, has been a guest lecturer to MLIS students at the University of South Carolina and YA literature students at the College of Charleston, and serves on the board of the YALLFest young adult literature festival. She lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and pack of rescue dogs.

Sessions:

• Promoting Inclusion & Empathy with Passive Programming

Jeanie Austin earned their PhD in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Their research interests and activities include the provision of library services to people in juvenile detentions, jails, and prisons. They primarily examine the complex political and social systems that surround this work.

Sessions:

• Building & Maintaining Library Services to People Who Are Incarcerated: Lessons from the Field

Christy Billings has worked in libraries 10+ years, and is currently working in the Information Services and Adult Learning Department at Russell Library in Middletown, CT.She is the Junior Director for the New England Library Association. In Middletown she is a  program coordinator of a weekly Career Group and leads a variety of book discussion groups including, Racial Justice Book Group, Grant funded Yiddish Literature in translation book group, Books and Brews, and Book Yak on a Kayak. She is also one of two leaders for The Russell Library Veterans Writing Group.Christy loves to hear people say, "I didn't know libraries do that," as a response to some of the programs and services that libraries offer.

Sessions:

• Choose Your Own Adventure: Lead A Racial Justice Book Discussion

Lila works for the St Petersburg (FL) Library System where I am acquisitions coordinator for seven libraries. St Petersburg is a midsized city with a diverse population and a large arts community. She has worked in circulation and reference and has done programming for children, teens, and adults. For a brief time, she even assisted with facilities. In addition to her MLIS, she holds a MA in Religious Studies with a focus on the Holocaust. She believes in the magic of book displays and in helping every patron find their next great read.

Sessions:

• Promoting Inclusion & Empathy with Passive Programming

Julie Edwards is an instructional designer with Niche Academy and a librarian with 16 years' experience in public and academic libraries. She chaired the committee that drafted and administered the first diversity plan at the  Mansfield Library at the University of Montana, and has written and researched on developing diversity plans in academic and public libraries.Julie taught at the University of Botswana Department of Library and Information Studies as part of a Fulbright Fellowship from 2017-2019. She has authored/edited two books, written numerous articles and book chapters, and presented locally, nationally, and internationally. She received her MSLIS from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and holds an MA in English Literature.

Sessions:

• Drafting a Diversity Plan for your Library

Veronica Golden is the Cataloger at Hartness Library, chair of the Marketing and Outreach Committee, co-host of the monthly book club and weekly yarn circle, and past facilitator of the Intercollegiate Racial Justice Group. A fervent believer in social justice and anti-racism, she participates in DEI Committees and initiatives across both institutions. She is an active member of the Vermont State Employees Association union and volunteers at her local public library. She also believes in the healing powers of yarn crafting and doughnuts.

Sessions:

• #LibStaffSolidarity: Novel Tactics for Centering the Library in Cross-Institutional DEI Work

Mary Hubbard, the assistant director of the Peterborough NH Library, sponsored the first "Talking About Race" program that we did three years ago. Since then the library has been extensively involved in a variety of racial justice initiatives and she recently made a presentation to the NHLA about this work.

Sessions:

• Talking About Race: Staying Curious, Moving Forward, and Being Part of the Solution

Amanda Izenstark (pronouns: she/her) is Professor, Reference and Instructional Design Librarian at the University Libraries, University of Rhode Island in Kingston, Rhode Island. She received her MLIS from URI in 2001, and is currently a member of the ACRL Instruction Section (ACRL IS) Research & Scholarship Committee and NELA's Academic Library Section. Previously, she served as ACRL New England Member-at-Large, chair of the ACRL IS Teaching Methods committee, and co-chair of the ACRL IS Instructional Technologies Committee.

Sessions:

• Research, Writing, and Publication: What Do You Want to Know?

Holly Jackson (pronouns: she/her) is an Assistant Professor/Student Success Librarian at Mansfield University in Mansfield, PA. She earned an MLIS from the University of Kentucky and a BA and MA in English Literature from Wright State University. Before joining Mansfield University, she worked as a librarian at Tulane University, Wright State University, and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. She also teaches first year seminar and honors courses and has experience teaching English composition courses and working in archives.

Sessions:

• Research, Writing, and Publication: What Do You Want to Know?

Bonnie Lord is a Reference Librarian and manages the electronic resources at Hartness Library's Vermont Tech Williston Campus.  She was a member of the Intercollegiate Racial Justice Group and is a member of Vermont Tech's DEI Committee. She works with several other committees on campus to address equity and community.  She also helps run the Yarn & Craft Circle, among other library programs. 

Sessions:

• #LibStaffSolidarity: Novel Tactics for Centering the Library in Cross-Institutional DEI Work

Erin O'Neall is the teen services librarian for the Worcester Public Library though she originally grew up in Wyoming. She studied English and Anthropology at Westminster college in Salt Lake City, UT and received her masters from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in Library Information Sciences. Working with teenagers has always been her goal and she was lucky enough to find a job with WPL that allowed her to work almost exclusively with ages 12-17 as she believes teenagers in that age range are often forgotten or ignored by community services.

Sessions:

• Out of the Box Art-ivism

Kymberlee Powe has been working in libraries for thirteen years and specializes in youth services. Kym is currently the Children and YA Consultant with the Connecticut State Library. In her time with Connecticut State Library she has been a part of a national IMLS grant initiative known as T3: Transforming Teen Services, she is currently the facilitator for a state wide early literacy pilot initiative, and has ben elected to be the incoming chair for the Connecticut Library Association's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion section. Kym was recently awarded the inaugural Judy Burroughs award by the Connecticut Crossroad Project, an award given to people whose skills and talents have a positive effect on the greater Connecticut community.

Sessions:

• From Diversity to Inclusion: How to audit your collection & why

Steven Prochet is a Reference Librarian and Archivist at the Hartness Library's Vermont Tech Randolph Center Campus. He was also a member of the Intercollegiate Racial Justice Group and currently serves as the co-host of Hartness Library's All College Book Club and is a member of Vermont Tech's DEI Committee.

Sessions:

• #LibStaffSolidarity: Novel Tactics for Centering the Library in Cross-Institutional DEI Work

Linds Roberts (pronouns: they/them) is an Assistant Professor at University of Colorado Boulder and subject liaison to the School of Education and Department of Ethnic Studies. Linds earned an MLIS from University of Denver and a BA in French and Humanities from CU Boulder. Before joining the University Libraries, they worked as Reference and Outreach Librarian at Arapahoe Community College. They have also taught English as a second language and spent five years at a community bookstore.

Sessions:

• Research, Writing, and Publication: What Do You Want to Know?