Morning Keynote:

Communicating with Stakeholders for Results
Jay Turner

If you work in a library, chances are you are responsible for multiple projects and programs. In this pithy yet powerful keynote, Jay Turner draws from his experience as a CE Director, Senior Consultant, and Senior Training Manager to share tips, tricks, and best practices for working with your stakeholders. Learn how to develop effective communication strategies, manage expectations, and drive project/program success with your various stakeholders. Discover how to convey your message persuasively, respond to feedback proactively, and leverage mutual understanding to deliver outstanding results. Whether you’re new in your role or have managed projects and programs for the majority of your career, this session will equip you with practical tools and insights to foster impactful stakeholder communication.

Noon Keynote:

Get Ready, Stay Ready: Supporting Proactive Community Advocacy for Library Professionals
Lucy Santos Green & Jackie Biger

Join us as we discuss ways to proactively advocate for inclusive libraries in partnership with community organizations. Explore the Get Ready Stay Ready toolkit, a collection of resources that intentionally focus on educating trustees, friends of the library groups, foundation members, community members, and caregivers on the power of inclusive library collections and programming. Then learn how to apply the resources shared to organize effective social media campaigns and organizational responses to material and programming challenges.

Evening Keynote:

The Management Role of the Trustee
Lisa England

Like most public sector appointed boards in Iowa, library trustees step up to call for a variety of reasons, including to give back to their community, to support the local library, and to fill an open position, among many other reasons. One reason that is seldom considered is to become a manager, yet that is major responsibility that comes with being a library trustee. Unless you have experience in human resources or management in your own career, you are like most library board members, unsure what your role and authority is in certain circumstances. This session will provide an overview of the management responsibilities a library trustee along with information and best practices to become empowered to address these responsibilities. 

As Heard On Iowa Public Radio 😊 

Janeé Jackson-Doering, State Library Youth Services Consultant, recently appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa and shared some of her favorite books for kids of all ages. Today brings you Part2.

If you’re putting together a December book order for your library or if you’re looking for gifts for the kids in your life, start by reading through Janeé’s picks for this season then head to your favorite bookstore 😊  Last week, the list included picture books and early readers, this week the list features Janeé’s favorites for middle grades and teens.

Middle Grades 6th-8th

A First Time for Everything (graphic novel)  Written/Illustrated by Dan Santat. This book won the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. In middle school, Dan is a good kid, but he’s bullied. He doesn’t understand why his parents allowed him to go on a three-week class trip overseas in Europe, but this trip changes his life as Dan discovers himself and discovers his first love. This heartwarming, funny graphic memoir features a QR code in the book where kids can listen to Dan’s music mixtape on Spotify. Worth the read! 

Duel (graphic novel)  Written by Jessixa Bagley; Illustrated by Aaron Bagley.  En guarde! Fencers Lucy and Gigi are bi-racial sisters who don’t get along, especially after their father’s death. When popular sister Gigi humiliates Lucy on the first day of middle school, Lucy challenges Gigi to a fencing duel – which becomes the talk of the school. Duel captures sibling rivalry and explores siblings’ grief, love, and forgiveness. Each chapter opens with a fencing tip/technique, too.  

Teen Novels

Warrior Girl Unearthed.  Written by Angeline Boulley. Readers travel back to Sugar Island, where Perry Firekeeper-Birch notices that there are missing Indigenous women in her hometown. When her family is involved in a high-profile murder investigation, and grave robbers are profiting off the Anishinaabe tribe, Perry takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and reclaim her people's inheritance. A thrilling, thought-provoking, and suspenseful novel.

Unordinary Vol. 1 (graphic novel / Manga) Written/Illustrated by Uru-Chan. This is an action-packed Manga series: John just transferred to a new high school where all the students have superpowers. He’s trying to be an ordinary teen, but he too has powers and his secret past could bring down the school’s social order. A well-paced superhero Manga story infused with Sci-Fi and Fantasy elements.

Their Vicious Games.  Written by Joelle Wellington. Adina just graduated Edgewater Academy, a highly-respected school, and she’s been blacklisted from Yale after getting into a fight. She’s chosen by the Remington Family to participate in the Finish, a high-stakes competition whose prize of wealth and power can open any door. Adina wants to win so she can get into Yale’s good graces. However, she finds out that she's playing for her life. Twists and turns galore in this suspenseful thriller.