CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities: Full Schedule

8:45am MDT

Building Community Through Collaborative Screenprinting

Wednesday September 9, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am MDT

This presentation will explore how screen printing has been used as an accessible, creative tool to connect people, amplify voices, and strengthen community relationships at PCCLD. Screen printing works as a shared, hands-on experience that supports collaboration, conversation, and participation across different groups.
We will share examples of how screen printing has been integrated into library outreach with schools and nonprofits, as well as tailored programming for specific library user groups such as book clubs, movement and wellness classes, and makers. We will also discuss how screen printing supports broader community engagement through holiday celebrations, local events, and cultural sharing—resulting in tangible items like patches, tote bags, and shirts that reflect collective identity and pride. This will include a brief overview of how reusable screens can be created using easily accessed, low-cost materials, demonstrating how this type of programming will be achievable even for libraries with limited budgets.
There will be a collaborative idea portion where attendees will brainstorm new ways to use screen printing and identify new groups to reach. The presentation will conclude with hands-on screen printing of patches. Attendees will leave with practical examples, inspiration for using upcycled materials, collaborative design to foster inclusive, meaningful connections, and screen print patches that can be used to assist in getting buy in. Collaborative screen printing will continue to be a flexible and impactful way for our library to build community—one print at a time.

Speakers

Cynthia Nicola

Screenprinting personally and for library for over 5 years, Pueblo City-County Library District - Frank I. Lamb branch

Wednesday September 9, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Deep Dive

10:45am MDT

Library Escape Rooms for All Ages

Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

I will walk attendees through running an escape room program through the library including topics on the benefits (and drawbacks), puzzle creation, supplies to stock your escape room kit, elements to increase immersion, and how to design puzzle elements for different age groups.

Some hands-on examples of DIY puzzle pieces would be available.

Speakers

David Sharp

I have run regular escape room programs for over five years. We currently host three a year, including a Junior Escape Room for younger participants., High Plains Library District

Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Breakout Session

1:45pm MDT

Who C.A.R.E.S.? Teaching and Assessing Excellent Customer Service in the Public Library

Wednesday September 9, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Join us to learn about the C.A.R.E.S. framework of customer service, how it can be taught to up-skill staff, and how these skills can be assessed by a supervisor. C.A.R.E.S. stands for communication, accountability, response, empathy, and solution - the key ingredients in patron satisfaction.

Speakers

Elizabeth Bush

Co-developed the MCL Customer Service training in the C.A.R.E.S. framework with Andy (speaker no. 1 above), oversee a team of professional librarians and other staff and assess customer service skill., Mesa County Libraries

Andy Hamilton

I currently train and assess customer service for 20 employees at the Mesa County Libraries. Elizabeth (speaker 2) and I present training to all new staff in the C.A.R.E.S. framework of customer service., Mesa County Libraries

Wednesday September 9, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Breakout Session

3:00pm MDT

You’re Not Always Your Best—Now What?

Wednesday September 9, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

We all have two versions of ourselves that show up I our work and lives: one where we're at our best, and the one that shows up when we’re stressed, overwhelmed, or triggered.

In this interactive session, participants explore what shapes how they show up in the moments that matter most. Through reflection and real-life scenarios, we’ll unpack the internal and external factors that influence our reactions, build awareness of personal triggers, and examine the ripple effect our presence has on the people around us.

Rather than focusing on “fixing” behavior, this experience invites participants to take ownership of what they bring into each interaction. Together, we’ll explore how to move from automatic reaction to intentional response—especially in the hard moments.

This session is designed for anyone ready to deepen their self-awareness, strengthen their emotional intelligence, and recognize that personal growth is professional growth. Because how we show up doesn’t just impact us—it shapes the environment for everyone around us.

Speakers

Amy Brady

Certified Coach and Facilitator. Certified in many emotional intelligence modalities. 25+ years working with youth and youth organizations., The Flourish Lab

Wednesday September 9, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Breakout Session

10:45am MDT

Trustee Track: A Survey of Colorado Laws Affecting Libraries and What's New for 2026

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Our libraries are governed by many laws and touched by many principles. They are subject to change by the culture, politics, legislatures, rulemaking, and court interpretations. This presentation will survey major topics that affect our libraries, including:

Efforts to use the First Amendment as a sword instead of a shield;
New Colorado laws and court cases impacting libraries;
Colorado Open Records Act (“CORA”) compliance under time constraints;
Taxation and finance changes that affect the bottom line, and much more!

Speakers

Kim J. Seter, Esq.

Attorneys specializing in the representation of libraries for a combined 55 years, Seter, Vander Wall & Mielke, P.C.

Elizabeth "Beth" Dauer, Esq.

Attorneys specializing in the representation of libraries for a combined 55 years, Seter, Vander Wall & Mielke, P.C.

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Trustee Track

2:00pm MDT

Trustee Track: How to Build and Grow a Great Fundraising Foundation

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

A strong board does more than govern well. It also helps advance fundraising in visible and meaningful ways. Kitty L. deKieffer and Chris Barge will focus on the board’s role in fundraising success, from setting expectations and building a culture of philanthropy to opening doors, strengthening donor relationships, and supporting major gifts. Participants will leave with practical ideas for how board members and staff can work together to raise more money and build lasting support for their library.

Speakers

Kitty L. deKieffer

Boulder Library Foundation

Chris Barge

CEO, Boulder Library Foundation

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Trustee Track

4:00pm MDT

Trustee Track: On the Path to the Ballot: Preparing Your Community for a Successful Library Funding Measure

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Library ballot measures rarely succeed when they are introduced as a last-minute measure. The real work happens years before Election Day. Long before a question is filed with the clerk of elections, libraries must build trust, engage partners, test community attitudes, and communicate transparently about their plans.
This session explores the strategic path libraries can follow in the five years leading up to a ballot measure, including how to understand voter attitudes, identify community partners, build coalitions, and develop values-based messaging that resonates with both library users and non-users. Drawing on research about voter perceptions of libraries and real-world election experience, the session outlines practical steps for engaging stakeholders, surfacing potential opposition early, and coordinating with Friends groups and foundations while remaining compliant with legal and ethical requirements.
Participants will leave with a clear framework for engaged planning, community consultation, and informational communication campaigns that position their library for a successful ballot measure when the time comes. This program is designed for library directors, trustees, Friends groups, and library leaders who may someday consider a bond or tax measure and want to begin building the community relationships and strategic groundwork necessary for success.

Speakers

John Chrastka

Executive Director, EveryLibrary

I am the executive director of EveryLibrary, the national political action committee for libraries. I am open to chat about ballot measures, local political issues, and ways to improve relationships with local elected officials and stakeholders. All of our work is pro-bono and for... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Trustee Track

8:45am MDT

The Standards Advantage: A Framework for Strategic Planning and Library Success

Friday September 11, 2026 8:45am - 9:45am MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Step 1: Read Colorado Public Library Standards.
Step 2: ???.
Step 3: Library growth and success!
If your library’s director, leaders, and trustees are wondering about “Step 2”, learn how the Clearview Library District is using the Colorado Public Library Standards to drive library assessment, identify improvement opportunities, and shape our Operational and Strategic Plans. We’ve built a framework that we’d like to share and we've learned a lot along the way. This candid conversation will feature our successes, along with lessons learned, and we invite anyone with a passion for library leadership, growth, and development to join us.

Speakers

Jeromey Balderrama

Trustee, Clearview Library District

🥁Drummer, 👧🏼👧🏼Dad, 👨‍💻Tech Geek, 📸 Photographer Wannabe, 🏈🔸🔹Broncos Nut, 📚 Library Lover

Erica Rose

Library Director, Clearview Library District

I currently serve as the Library Director for the Clearview Library District. Before landing at Clearview, I was able to scratch the library itch in a variety of settings including higher ed, outreach, customer service, programming, youth services, and even a touch of law librarianship... Read More →

Friday September 11, 2026 8:45am - 9:45am MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Breakout Session

10:00am MDT

Pragmatic and Resilient Approaches to Planning for Libraries

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Planning for the future of your public library often feels hard and overwhelming. Engaging outside help can feel outside of your budget but how do you approach developing a new strategic or other kinds of plans for your library without getting overwhelmed? This presentation will pull from the speaker's 30 years of planning experience, the last 12 of which were fully focused on public library planning to help you understand the most important aspects of planning development. It will cover how you can successfully manage such a project, provide a toolbox of assessment and analysis activities to gain further insight into your organization, provide key tips for engaging your resilient community throughout the process, and will offer a Strategic Plan framework that has worked well for hundreds of libraries across the country. The session will also cover questions of when you might want some help from outside your organization to support certain aspects of your process. If that help is needed, advice is provided as to how you can approach getting the right help for your organization and setting the service expectations for that assistance.

Speakers

Rob Cullin

Rob brings over 20 years of experience working with libraries nationwide and internationally. As co-founder of ReThinking Libraries (RTL) and a former leader at Kimberly Bolan & Associates (KBA), he has supported thousands of libraries and visited more than 1,000 facilities. His work focuses on strategic planning, facility planning, and community engagement. Rob’s expertise includes library space programming and design, demographic and usage data analysis, technology planning, and organizational assessment, helping libraries translate community insights into practical, data-informed decisions., ReThinking Libraries

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Breakout Session

1:15pm MDT

Beyond D&D: The Wide World of Roleplaying Games in Libraries

Friday September 11, 2026 1:15pm - 2:45pm MDT

Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

At this point, you know about Dungeons & Dragons. But what else is out there?

We’ll discuss the diverse range of roleplaying games (RPGs) currently being published and strategies for connecting library patrons to their next favorite game, whether it’s at a library program or with their own playgroup. Similar to traditional reader’s advisory, we’ll discuss factors like genre, tone, familiarity-level and more, as well as challenges to connecting people with games they might love.

This panel presentation will include perspectives on purchasing, reader’s advisory interactions, and programming, for libraries serving varied communities. You’ll walk out with a deeper appreciation for how RPGs in libraries can help grow resiliency and belonging for patrons, and a wider view of what’s available – and you’ll roll a few dice along the way.

Speakers

Becky Van Den Berg

Hosting RPG library programs, Pine River Library District (Bayfield branch)

Matthew Galloway

Purchasing RPG-related materials for library collection, Anythink Libraries (Collection Development department)

Jakob Seelig

Branch Manager, Anythink Libraries (Adams County)

I use he/him pronouns.

Some of my favorite things that happen in library spaces are: the eyes of new patrons widening as it dawns on them what a library is – children and parents discovering an unexpected book together – patrons helping other patrons.

Recent favorite authors include Ann Leckie, Tamsyn Muir, Naomi Novik, and still Terry Pratchett GNU... Read More →

Patrick Austin

Teen Guide, Anythink Libraries (Huron St branch)

I have been running role playing games as a teen guide at Anythink for the past three years. When I'm not gaming, I am writing and collecting zines, tinkering with retro games and cameras, and conducting Unwise Microwave Experiments

Izzie Olsen

RPG Reader’s Advisory with library patrons, Anythink Libraries (Wright Farms branch)

Friday September 11, 2026 1:15pm - 2:45pm MDT
Digital Defender Breakout Room 5

Deep Dive

CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities

Success you have shared X tickets.

CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities

8:45am MDT

Cynthia Nicola

10:45am MDT

David Sharp

1:45pm MDT

Elizabeth Bush

Andy Hamilton

3:00pm MDT

Amy Brady

10:45am MDT

Kim J. Seter, Esq.

Elizabeth "Beth" Dauer, Esq.

2:00pm MDT

Kitty L. deKieffer

Chris Barge

4:00pm MDT

John Chrastka

8:45am MDT

Jeromey Balderrama

Erica Rose

10:00am MDT

Rob Cullin

1:15pm MDT

Becky Van Den Berg

Matthew Galloway

Jakob Seelig

Patrick Austin

Izzie Olsen

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