Spring CE 2026 Sesion Descriptions

1.1) NARCAN Training with Connie Terry

Participants will receive an opioid overdose rescue kit, containing two 4mg doses of Narcan® and a certification card valid for two years. The training aims to teach participants general information regarding the opioid crisis in NYS and how to recognize and respond to an emergency opioid overdose. 

Connie Terry worked for 31 years as a public school teacher in Steuben County to launch her next chapter in 2019, when she was tasked with building the Opioid Committee—a new subcommittee of the Steuben Prevention Coalition—as its part-time Program Assistant.

The Steuben Prevention Coalition Opioid Committee is a local group dedicated to reducing opioid-related harm in Steuben County, NY, through education, harm reduction, and community outreach. The committee works to address the opioid crisis by promoting prevention, education, and access to life-saving resources. It partners with public health agencies, law enforcement, and community organizations to reduce overdose deaths and support recovery.

1.2) Rethinking Dewey in the Library with Barb Radigan & Larissa Wagner

Rethinking the Dewey Decimal System in libraries involves moving from rigid numerical classification to “genrefication,” or organizing books like a bookstore to improve browsability. Doing so can make collections, particularly non-fiction, more intuitive to browse by grouping titles by topic (e.g., sports, animals) rather than number. Benefits include increased circulation and easier navigation for users. Join Barb Radigan, Pulteney Free Library Director, and Larissa Wagner, STLS ILS Specialist, for this session. Barb will share how her library ditched Dewey altogether to move to a more patron friendly non-fiction collection. Larissa will share her experience reconsidering the classification of religious titles. By the end of this session, attendees will be able to decide whether moving away from Dewey is the right decision for their library.  

Barb has been Director of the Pulteney Free Library for over 32 years. She enjoys her time at the library and working with the community. She also enjoys challenges such as building a new library and ditching Dewey. 

1.3) Web Accessibility with Kendyl Litwiller-Sutherby

Join STLS Engagement Consultant, Kendyl, for an overview on the ways we can make our digital spaces more accessible to our communities, with a primary focus on library websites. We will cover the basics of Web Accessibility and delve into the details of what that work looks like. Attendees will walk away with practical knowledge on how to improve the accessibility of their library websites and boost their confidence towards starting their own web accessibility journeys.  

Kendyl Litwiller-Sutherby is the Engagement Consultant at Southern Tier Library System. With experience in public libraries since 2017, she has held roles including circulation clerk, program coordinator, and director, and recently earned her Advanced Certificate in Public Library Administration. Kendyl enjoys supporting library professionals and enhancing services for their communities. 

1.4) Retention with Intention: Forging Meaningful, Lifelong Connections with Donors with Nikki Ronan

Strong donor relationships don’t happen by accident—they’re built through consistent, meaningful connections. In this session, participants will learn how to design and implement a multi-step gratitude strategy that strengthens donor loyalty and improves retention. We’ll explore practical tools, creative approaches, and simple systems that can be implemented immediately, regardless of organizational size.

Nikki Ronan is a nonprofit consultant specializing in asset-based, trauma-informed strategic planning and fundraising. With over a decade of experience, she partners with organizations to build sustainable systems for growth, deepen community relationships, and strengthen leadership capacity. Nikki is known for her engaging, practical approach and her ability to translate big ideas into actionable strategies. 

2.1) Repair Cafe: Let’s Fix It Together with Pauline Emery & Jen Ferris

Join Jen and Pauline for an introduction to Repair Cafes. Learn how two different libraries organized the event, recruited volunteers, partnered with organizations and promoted their library repair cafes. Bring your questions and leave with a foundation to start your own. 

Jennifer Ferriss is the Assistant Director at the Saratoga Springs Public Library (NY) which was the second library to achieve Sustainable Libraries Certification from the Sustainable Libraries Initiative and currently serves on their Advisory Board.  The Saratoga Springs Public Library has been hosting Repair Cafes since 2018 as a result of serendipity and our Certification. 

Pauline Emery is the Director of the Southeast Steuben County Library. She received her M.L.S from the University at Buffalo and her B.A. in History from Elmira College and an Advanced Post-Grad. Certification in Public Library Administration from Long Island University.  Ms. Emery was the recipient of the 2015 NYLA Mary Bobinski Innovative Public Library Director Award, the 2024 Southern Tier Library System’s Library Lion Award and is a recipient of the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Award.  

2.2) Homestead at Your Library with Erica Moses 

Learn how to create a series of “Homesteading Programming” to empower rural communities with essential and practical skills such as gardening, canning, fermenting etc. This programming is cost-effective, easily scalable and relevant to both small and large communities. This session provides strategies for finding and utilizing local and regional assets to lead high-quality, hands-on workshops with minimal library staff time. Participants will leave with the knowledge of how to start this type of programming in their libraries as well as a list of resources, specific programming ideas, and a book list.

Erica Moses is the Director of the Belmont Literary and Historical Society Free Library in Allegany County, NY and the 2025 ARSL Solo Librarian of the Year. She develops creative, community-centered programs that blend hands-on learning with local needs, making the library a welcoming hub where patrons can explore practical skills, connection, and curiosity.

2.3) Let’s Talk Intelligence, Artificially with Melissa Desir-Spinelli

As AI changes the way people find and access information, public libraries are adapting to keep pace. Join fellow library workers for an open conversation with informational slides about how AI can strengthen our communities — share what’s working, ask questions, and explore how libraries are rising to meet this moment. 

A graduate of Queens College MLS program, I have a bachelor’s in accounting and finance and a public library administration certificate. Currently the Adult Fiction librarian at the Pittsford Community Library, I am an avid Harry Potter fan (shout out to my fellow Slytherins) and an even bigger BTS fan. When my nose is not stuck in a book, you can find me on the couch with my cat watching the latest hit series on Netflix. I’m overly ambitious, and I’m driven to keep libraries at the forefront of information literacy. 

2.4) Updates to NYS Minimum Standards with Brian Hildreth & Erika Jenns 

Join Brian and Erika for this session on recent updates to NYS Minimum Standards. 

Minimum Standards for Public Libraries in New York State are established by the Board of Regents in New York State (Education Law 254). Libraries must meet these Minimum Standards in order to be registered to receive public funds. 

Each library must have board-approved written policies governing its operation, which shall be reviewed and updated at least once every five years, or earlier if required by law. The recent update to Minimum Standards includes a set of policies that all public and association libraries must have in place.

Attendees will leave this session with a policy checklist, access to templates, and the tools needed to come into compliance with the updated minimum standards by the end of FY2026. 

3.1) Trauma-Informed Libraries: Relational Practice and Adaptive Policy for Library Spaces with Rebecca Rowley

This workshop will explore how trauma-informed practice can transform library environments into spaces of greater safety, dignity, and connection for both patrons and staff. Participants will learn practical, relationship-centered strategies drawn from Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and apply emergent strategy principles to everyday interactions and decision-making. Together, we’ll examine how small shifts in language, policy interpretation, and staff presence can meaningfully change the library experience towards building adaptable, humane systems that support regulation, access, and community care. 

Rebecca Rowley is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of New York, with a private practice based in Fillmore, NY, and has worked in individual and group clinical counseling settings for over a decade. She has been trained in Trust-Based Relational Intervention for families with kids from hard places, and has specialized trauma training in using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing and Internal Family Systems, all evidence-based trauma treatment modalities. She has been a trustee on the Wide Awake Club Library board for over 10 years as well as a board member of four other community organizations.  

3.2) School Collaborations with Jessica Westlake and Karin Thomas 

Montour Falls Memorial Library and Dutton S. Peterson Memorial Library have been working together since 2020 to establish a meaningful relationship with our school district. We will discuss past collaborations, how to connect with your district, barriers we’ve encountered, and future ideas. 

Learning Outcomes: Identify contacts to reach out to their school district, how to overcome barriers, and brainstorm future program and service collaborations. 

Jess Westlake has been with Montour Falls Memorial Library for eight years and has served as Director for nearly three. She serves on various Southern Tier Library System, community, and civic committees in addition to managing the Montour Falls Farmers Market. 

Karin Thomas has worked in public libraries for thirteen years and has served as Director at the Dutton S. Peterson Memorial Library in Odessa for the last six. Karin also serves on the GST BOCES School Library Services Committee as a public library representative. She engages with several community outreach services and events and enjoys leading program collaborations.

3.3) TBD

More info on this session coming soon!

3.4) Trustees Who Stay and Serve: Practical Strategies for Strong Library Boards with Tina Dalton and Faith Stewart

Strong library boards don’t happen by accident. Recruiting the right trustees, helping them understand their role, and keeping them engaged over time can be challenging for both directors and trustees. This session will provide practical, realistic ideas for building a board that works well together. We’ll talk about ways to recruit trustees who are interested and invested, how to provide clear and effective orientation and training, and how to keep trustees feeling engaged and valued in their service. We’ll also discuss practical ways to keep roles and responsibilities clear, including the distinction between the work of the director, staff, and trustees. The session will touch on common issues like unclear expectations, burnout, and disengagement, with a focus on what actually works in real library settings. Participants will leave with practical takeaways, examples, and tools they can use right away to strengthen board relationships and support effective library governance. 

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this session, participants will understand the onboarding process for new trustees; have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a trustee versus that of a director; and have ideas for recruiting and retaining new trustees.

Tina Dalton received her MLIS in 2010 and has been the Library Director of the Cuba Library since 2018. Faith Stewart is a retired school psychologist/administrator. She has served on several boards, including 20 years on the board of education of her local school district. She served as a Cuba Library trustee for eight years, including six years as president. 

4.1) Welcome and Welcoming at the Library with Erik House and Jessica Lash

Sometimes helping to orient people to your library can be difficult. However, having a specific welcoming process can really help your new (and even returning) patrons feel welcome and prepared to use your services, and the services across the Southern Tier Library System. In this workshop you’ll learn how the Southeast Steuben County Library uses their welcome packet to help set patrons up for success. 
1) How SSCL welcomes and inquires about if the patron might have a card anywhere else in the STLS. 
2) How to approach ID and address processing and how to utilize the Welcome Card. 
3) Standard pamphlets and orientation! 
4) Which other pamphlets SSCL provides if the patron seems interested in a) Libby (Read Across the Region), b) Writer’s Group, c) Books by Mail or Books by Wheel (if they mention having an older family member who’s homebound but loves/loved the library).

Erik W. House and Jessica Lash are the Circulation Supervisor and Circulation Lead Manager at the Southeast Steuben County Library. They’re committed to helping their patrons feel welcome and prepared to use their library’s services. Erik holds a Master’s degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Sofia University and has worked at various libraries in increasing roles since 2012. Jessica has worked at the Southeast Steuben County Library for twelve years and started out as a volunteer before that.

4.2) Celebrating America 250 with Library Local History & Special Collections

Join us for this panel on local history and special collections materials in libraries as we prepare to celebrate America 250 and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Presenters will highlight items from their collections that celebrate Southern Tier history, as well as information on grants to digitize materials, and resources available to share with community members interested in genealogy and regional history. Panel members include:  

• Denise Chilson, Director of the Hornell Public Library 
• Tina Dalton, Director of the Cuba Circulating Library 
• Chuck Henry, IT Coordinator at the Northern New York Library Network 
• Kate Jacus, Preservation Education Specialist at Documentary Heritage and Preservation Services for New York (DHPSNY) 
• Claire Lovell, Digital Services Librarian at the South Central Regional Library Council 
• Maggie Young, Genealogy & Reference Librarian at the Chemung County Library District 

4.3) Be a Human Firewall: A librarian’s guide to interrupting misinformation and protecting democracy with Miranda Stefano

4.4) TBD

More info on this session coming soon!