2025  Conference Program Schedule

MAKING DUE: NAVIGATING CHALLENGES WITH INGENUITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS

Preliminary Program 2025

Wednesday, October 22

Morning Half-Day Preconferences (9am to Noon)

Strategic Planning for Libraries: Creating a Vision for Sustainable Success with Sarah Jones

@ Marriot Pyramid North (Las Cruces Rm) 5151 San Francisco Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

Join us for an engaging and practical preconference session focused on strategic planning tailored specifically for libraries of all sizes. Whether you are beginning a new planning cycle, revisiting your current plan, or looking to reinvigorate your library's direction, this session will equip you with the tools and insights needed to create a meaningful, actionable, and community-driven strategic plan.

Respectful Representation: Acquiring and Displaying Native American Art and Artifacts in Your Library with Cassandra Osterloh

@ Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104

Bring stories, not just objects, into your library. This session explores how to thoughtfully acquire and display Native American art and artifacts through respectful collaboration, honoring culture, and curating with care. Learn to turn exhibits into bridges between communities, history, and healing.

Copy Cataloging Demystified: Learn the Basics of MARC and Catalog with Confidence with Joseph Angelo,

Sarah Edwards Obenauf, Bradley Carrington

@ Albuquerque Museum 2000 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104

Become a better cataloger! You interact with MARC records on a daily basis, but did you ever wonder what all those field numbers mean? Participants will learn the most common MARC fields and how to apply this understanding in their daily copy cataloging workflows.

Tips and Tricks to Negotiating Library Contracts with John Sandstrom

@ Cherry Hills Public Library 6901 Barstow St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111

Historically librarians have not had much training in the business side of the libraries where they work. In Tips and Tricks to Negotiating Library Contracts Dr. Sandstrom introduces various types of library contracts and what to expect when working on them with vendors and procurement offices.

Afternoon Half-Day Preconferences (1pm to 4pm)

Intentional Leadership: Identifying and Making the Most of your Leadership Styles with Jason E. Shoup

@ Marriot Pyramid North (Las Cruces Rm) 5151 San Francisco Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

This will help you identify your natural Leadership style and guide you how to use it intentionally within your workplace.

In Search of Stella Dixon: Albuquerque's City Librarian in the 1920s and 1930s with Joe Sabatini

@ Albuquerque Museum 2000 Mountain Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104

In celebration of the Centennial of Albuquerque's Special Collections/Old Main Library, there is an illustrated presentation about the struggles of Librarian Stella Dixon in the 1920's and 30's, a tour of the Museum's exhibit and presentation of a video on the building history.

Reimagining School Libraries: A Tour and Hands-On Workshop with Francine Binnert and Natasha Carty

@ Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School 7801 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

Join the New Mexico School Librarians SIG for a dynamic half-day session featuring a school library tour and interactive workshop focused on innovation, inclusive practices, flexible spaces, and student success. Connect, collaborate, and get inspired to transform your library for today’s diverse learners.

Don't Panic! Prepare! with Deirdre Caparoso, Rachel Altobelli, and Kayla Platoff

@ Cherry Hills Public Library 6901 Barstow St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111

We are in a time where uncertainty seems to be the only constant. What can your library do to prepare for the What Ifs? This pre- conference session by the Intellectual Freedom Committee will talk about some of the ways to prepare for challenges that may come.

Thursday, October 23

Kickoff! 9AM – 10AM

Session 1, 10:30AM - 11:20AM

What the Flood Abby Smith, New Mexico Museum of Art Santa Fe - Kokopelli

Navigating Open Access Challenges with Resourceful Approaches -Robyn Gleasner, UNM Health Sciences Library with Jennifer Jordan and John Sandstrom - Las Cruces

Law 4 Librarians 2.0 - Francine Binnert, Cottonwood Classical Prep, with Natasha Carty - Corondado

Soundproof Booths, Telehealth, and Library Communities - Deirdre Caparoso, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, with Bo Ford, Melanie Ratliff, Tammi Moe, Lillian Chavez, and Angela Watkins - Cozumel

Creating a "Library Store" During KSRP at a Rural Library: A Journey of Innovation Without a Template on Year 3 - Lori Moyer, Fort Sumner Public Library - Tampico

More Than a Chore: Why Library Plans and Policies are Important and How to Write Them - Ada Negraru, New Mexico State Library, with Carmelita Aragon, Kelly McCabe, Patricia Moore and Cassandra Osterloh - Taos

Session 2, 11:30AM – Noon (Lightning Talks)

Wait, Is There an Exam? Librarianship Certification in New Mexico - Ada Negraru, New Mexico State Library - Santa Fe

Archival Compositions: An Exercise in Collaboration - Katie Gray, New Mexico Highlands University - Santa Fe

What’s a New Student Club Advisor To Do? Shoehorning library experiences into student club advising - Brita Sauer, NMSU Library -  Las Cruces

Unlocking Social Services: Navigating FindHelp.org - Dana Abbey, Network of the Nat’l Library of Medicine - Las Cruces

TSB is TCB: Helping You “Make Due” with What You Didn't Know You Had -Sarah Edwards Obenauf, New Mexico State Library - Coronadao

Quick "Due" Something!: Creating a Student-Centered Space on a Timeline - Sarah Quimby, Institute of American Indian Arts with Shoshana Vegh-Gaynor - Coronado

Building Outreach on a Budget: 3D Printing as an Effective Tool for Custom, Economical Outreach - Nathan Camp, New Mexico State University - Cozumel

50 Years of Creativity in Capacity - Berdina Nieto, New Mexico State Library Books by Mail, with Guillermo Martinez - Cozumel

Dream, Design, Deliver: How OFPL’s MakerSpace Sparks Economic Opportunity - Tammi Moe, Gallup Public Library - Tampico

Adult Literacy: Story times are for everyone - Sarah Jones, Carlsbad Public Library - Taos

Libraries are for Every Body: Serving Library Patrons with Disabilities - Emily Roberts, UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, with Melissa Bishop - Taos

Noon - 1:00PM

Archives and Archivists Special Interest Group - Marbella

Session 3, 1PM - 1:50PM

Chats & Conversation: Public Library Directors Meeting with NMSL Library Development Bureau - Carmelita Aragon, NMLS Library Development - Santa Fe

Making Due: A Collection Space Planning Project - Robyn Gleasner, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Library, with Abbie Olivas and Kaylee Nauer - Las Cruces

NMLF, Your Library, and National Library Week: Let's Collaborate! - Sharon Amastae, New Mexico Library Foundation, with Gilda Baeza Ortego - Coronado

Beyond Inclusion: Building Library Collections That Center Native Voices - Cassandra Osterloh, New Mexico State Library - Cozumel

Session 4, 2PM - 2:50PM

Making Due: Marketing without Money - Melanie Ratliff, Fort Sumner Library - Santa Fe

Making it Doable: New Mexico’s Children’s Choice Book Award Programming - Barbara Gabaldon, LOE Book Award Committee, with Natasha Carty - Coronado

Doing More with Less through Collaborations with Non-profits - Cindy "Renee" Provencio, Bayard Public Library - Cozumel

Craft Time and Book Recycling -  Susanne Caro, New Mexico State Library - Tampico

Session 5, 3:20PM - 4:10PM

How to Dump Dewey: Developing Your Own System of Classification - Emily Roberts, UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center, with Melissa Bishop - Santa Fe

Getting to Know Your Community & Ideas for Your Board and Staff! - Angela Watkins, Aztec Public Library Director - Las Cruces

Programming the Renaissance in a Small Town Library: When Funding Exceeds Staff - Joseph McKenzie, Martha Liebert Public Library, Town of Bernalillo, with Maria Monclova de Padilla - Coronado

From Our Stories to Yours: Reflecting on Change in Libraries Valerie Nye, Santa Fe Community College, with Laura Smith - Cozumel

Government Information Trivia Susanne Caro, New Mexico State Library - Tampico

Session 6, 4:20PM - 5:10PM

How Scholastic Can Help You "Make Do" - Ellery Seymour, Scholastic - Santa Fe

Additional Vendor Programs - TBD

Friday, October 24

8AM – 8:50AM: Advocacy for School Libraries Special Interest Group - Marbella

Keynote, 9AM - 10:30AM Kokopelli

Amanda Kordeliski, 2025-2026 President of AASL

Amanda Kordeliski is the current President for the American Association of School Librarians and has held a variety of leadership positions within the ALA and AASL. She is a member of ALA PolicyCorps, Unite Against Book Bans Cadre, and the PolicyCorps Advisory Board where she advocates for libraries at the state and national levels. Kordeliski has also served as a Director-at-Large on the AASL Board of Directors, for YALSA on the 2023 Michael L Printz Award committee, and Best Fiction for Young Adults (2020-2022). Amanda was named at 2025 Library Journal Mover and Shaker for her school library advocacy work and was the recipient of the 2023 Oklahoma Library

Association Distinguished Service Award for her advocacy. She is also a recipient of the Oklahoma School Librarians Technology in Education Award, the Oklahoma Polly Clarke School Librarian of the Year Award and the Oklahoma Educators Association Kate Frank Award for Human and Civil Rights.

Session 7, 11AM - 11:50AM

Online Resources from the New Mexico State Library for Libraries, Students and Educators - Jennifer McGill, NMLS, with Katerine Miles - Santa Fe

Using Zines to Promote Literacy, Creativity, and Community Engagement - Nicole Kirby, NMHU, with Kelly Lucero - Las Cruces

School Library Toolkit - Rachel Patton, Bosque School, with Karin Trujillo and Natasha Carty - Coronado

Whiteboard Magic: Creating Community At Your Library - Angie Manfredi, Los Alamos Public Schools - Cozumel

Library Makerspaces: “Building” on Literacy - Christy Snell, Albuquerque Public Schools, with Elizabeth Rafi - Tampico

Summer Reading: Looking Back to Look Ahead - Kelly McCabe, New Mexico State Library - Taos

Author Luncheon, Noon – 1PM

Featuring Cynthia Sylvester author of The Half White Album, published by UNM Press, and Rebecca Kunz, Illustrator for Chooch Helped, the 2025 winner of the Caldecott Medal - Kokopelli

Session 8, 1:05PM - 1:55PM

Building Love of Reading and Community with NM Battle of the Books Clubs - Helen Stein, Albuquerque Public Schools Santa Fe

Guiding the AI Journey: State Trends and Library-Led Solutions - Francine Binnert, Cottonwood Classical Prep, with Trey Smith - Las Cruces

Access and Agency: Welcoming the Disabled Community in Public Libraries - Susan Metallo, Author - Coronado

Phenomenal Cosmic Escape Room, Itty Bitty Budge - Ivy Stover, International District Library - Cozumel

"Voices from the Field: AASL President and School Librarians on the Future, Challenges, and Real Talk" - Natasha Carty, Albuquerque Public Schools, with Amanda Kordeliski, Rachel Altobelli, et al. -Tampico

Session 9, 2PM - 2:50PM (Mixed Regular Sessions & Extended Lightning Talks)

Helping Young People Navigate Challenges by Reading Middle Grade (25 min.) - Caroline Starr Rose, Author Santa Fe

Create your own school-based Battle of the Books Program (25 min.) - Tanya Dillon, Albuquerque Public Schools - Santa Fe

Read and Roam: Building Family Literacy One Step at a Time (25 min.) - Terri Gaussoin, Albuquerque Public Schools - Las Cruces

Fueling Minds With Less: Creative Library Engagement That Lasts (25 min.) -  Camilla Hoehne, Albuquerque Public Schools - Las Cruces

Developing Curious Kids Research Skills in the K-5 School Library (25 min.) - Catherine Adams, Rio Rancho Public Schools, with Karen Skousen -Coronado

The Art of the Display: Adding Interactivity, Metrics, and Pizzazz to Your Displays (25 min.) - Michael Mongeau, San Juan College - Coronado

Middle Grade Magic: The Best in New Books (50 min.) - Angie Manfredi, Los Alamos Public Schools - Cozumel

Student Library Assistants in the Elementary School Library (50 min.) - Erin Manzanares, Los Alamos Public Schools -  Tampico

Creating a Community through Fandom and Partnerships (50 min.) - Regina Bouley Sweeten, Golden Library, Eastern New Mexico University, with Melissa Mackey - Taos