Even if we love doing library programming, it's easy to get burnt out. In this presentation, we'll discuss burn out, tips for recovering from burn out, easy programs to do when you're burnt out, and programming resources for when you think you can't possibly come up with another program idea.
Memory Cafés are welcoming, inclusive programs designed for individuals living with dementia and their care partners--offering connection, creativity, and joy in a supportive environment. This session will explore how libraries can become leaders in building dementia-friendly communities through these simple yet powerful programs.
In this session, you'll learn what a Memory Café is, why it matters, and how it aligns with the core values of public libraries. We will cover practical steps to get started, from program design and outreach to developing partnerships with local aging and memory care organizations.
We'll discuss our own experiences launch a Memory Café, sharing lessons learned, challenges faced, and what has worked best in our community. Whether you're just exploring the idea or are ready to start your own Memory Café, you'll leave with takeaways and inspiration to make your library a place of connection for every mind.
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.
Over the past few years, the County Library has grown its services for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) through a number of coordinated programs including quarterly activity kits and in person programs held throughout the valley. Join us to find out about the work we've done serving this underserved population and how you can start this kind of programming in your community.
Libraries have always been more than books. As we move into the future it will be more important than ever that we embrace being a library of things, including modern makerspace equipment including 3D printing, Laser Cutters, Electronics Projects, Woodworking Tools, Sewing, AV equipment, and Others. Since 2018 the Libraries in Southern Utah have provided tools and training to their patrons in their makerspaces across the 8 libraries in the Southern Utah Library system. This session will describe the process of supporting maker tools and equipment across multiple libraries and how to teach patrons to run the equipment themselves.
The Smithfield Public Library has been partnering with our city Arts Council since April 2024, when six (or seven) strangers met in a small conference room at City Hall. Our partnership has now resulted in two seasons of a summer concert series and an immersive Christmas Storybook Festival, as well as several other fun events, a bunch of new friendships, and a ton of high fives!
Learn how a handful of willing residents have built a thriving network of community volunteers who are interested in improving the quality of life in their city, with their once-neglected public library at the center. We’ll discuss how to organize public events on a shoestring budget using free online tools and how to cultivate new relationships with a wide range of arts communities. Our successes (and failures) will inspire you to walk out of the library and tap into the energy and expertise of your town as you create fun and exciting cultural events for your community.
Hello! I'm a director of a small-town library in Cache Valley, and I work with a staff of ten amazing people! Four of us are at ULA this year! In a previous life, I worked for the Utah State Library as a bookmobile librarian for 16 years. I loved it very much but I love being a director... Read More →
Wednesday May 20, 2026 1:15pm - 2:05pm MDT Soldier Creek
Explore how the Pleasant Grove Library has created successful programs to meet the community's changing needs. Using three case studies we will discuss how we discovered the gap in our programming, what need the program is filling, and how it was developed and adjusted.
Social Innovation in Libraries explores how libraries harness their role as civic connectors to creatively and inclusively address community challenges. By collaborating with local organizations, entrepreneurs, and residents, libraries serve as laboratories for testing new approaches to digital equity, literacy, workforce development, and community wellbeing.
Today’s libraries are redefining innovation—not through collections alone, but through people-centered practices that foster connection, experimentation, and belonging. As welcoming “third places,” libraries offer opportunities for socializing, learning, and creativity, where librarians act as guides and facilitators of change.
This session will highlight key types of social innovation in libraries, including participation, outreach, partnership, learning, and creative making. Participants will explore foundational principles of social innovation, strategies for communicating (“selling”) the concept within their organizations, and share their own innovative practices. Together, we will celebrate the library’s evolving role as a social innovator and consider implications for future library leadership.
