ULA Annual Conference 2026

A how-to session for ULA Annual Conference attendees. Learn to navigate the exhibits, decipher the conference program, how ULA really works, and ways to get involved. Ask questions and hear from active ULA members about staying connected and engaged in the ULA organization and how to make the most of your professional development.

We will present an overview of copyright litigation that has affected libraries. The session will provide a hands-on look at specific cases and how they have affected and changed library work over time. A lawyer from the BYU Copyright Office will comment on each case and librarians will discuss the impact of these cases on library policy. This will help alleviate librarian's fear of copyright and legislation and provide guiding principles for the future. This is a Copyright Education Roundtable hosted session.

This session explores how establishing clear expectations and engaging the community have enabled the Weber County Library to reframe its approach to security—from enforcement-focused practices to strategies grounded in communication and voluntary compliance. Participants will examine how communication and de-escalation techniques build trust and foster a community-centered environment, creating safer and more inclusive spaces without always relying on traditional disciplinary measures. The session will also share practical approaches to de-escalation, boundary-setting, and collaborative problem-solving.

Empower teens to be the youth voices of the library through a Teen Advisory Board (TAB). Mentor teens to actively participate in decision-making by proposing, voting on, and helping implement library programs, while also promoting events to their peers and schools—ensuring teen services reflect real community needs.

This session will explore how TABs provide meaningful leadership opportunities through community partnerships, communication skill-building, mental health–focused workshops, and the development of job and interview skills.

Attendees will leave with practical strategies to start or strengthen a Teen Advisory Board, build impactful community partnerships, and empower teens as confident leaders prepared for both the library and the workforce.

Attendees can join us for a roundtable session in the same room immediately after the presentation.