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CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities
Venue: Tome Raider Breakout Room 1 clear filter
Wednesday, September 9
 

8:45am MDT

Censorship and Sensibility: Intellectual Freedom Then, Now, and Beyond
Wednesday September 9, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am MDT
What is intellectual freedom, and why does it matter in today’s libraries? Join CAL Intellectual Freedom Committee Co-Chairs, Ally and Michaela, to explore the history of book challenges, what makes a book “banned,” and the impact these issues have on our communities. This session introduces key milestones and movements that have shaped intellectual freedom, while also addressing current issues and emerging challenges.


Participants will engage with peers through guided activities and discussions that explore real-world scenarios, encouraging reflection and collaboration. Content will be tailored to the unique intellectual freedom concerns faced by public, school, and academic libraries, providing a practical and relevant foundation for understanding and responding to these challenges.


Speakers
avatar for Michaela Wilson

Michaela Wilson

CAL's IFC Co-Chair, Pine River Library

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Ally Rodriguez-Marshall

CAL's IFC Co-Chair, High Plains Library District - LINC Library Innovation Center

Wednesday September 9, 2026 8:45am - 10:15am MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

10:45am MDT

Turning Outward: Using the Harwood Approach to produce greater relevance, significance, and impact
Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Being "turned outward" is a mindset that uses community voices as a reference point to create meaningful change. Using this framework and tools developed by the Harwood Institute has led to intentional choices and actions that have strengthened connections and sparked actions to build civic culture. This session will share how this approach has been used in several public library settings and give participants a chance to practice one of the basic tools to gather community aspirations.
Speakers
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Currie Meyer

Library Branch Manager, attended multiple Harwood Institute Labs and used tools over past 8 years, Poudre River Public Library District

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Diane Lapierre

Executive Director of Library and 20+ years doing community engagement work, Poudre River Public Library District

Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

1:45pm MDT

Power of the People: Seeking and leveraging long-term staff insights for organizational effectiveness
Wednesday September 9, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Through years of service, staff turnover, technological impacts, leadership changes, economic shifts, and other notable events, long term staff accumulate insights and ideas that can benefit organizations. Learn about ways to identify an insightful group of staff, create surveys, organize focus groups, and synthesize and present relevant information to key stakeholders. Garfield County Public Library District used these strategies to collect information and integrate long term staff insights for strategic planning, during a leadership change, and to increase the library trustees' understanding of how to support staff longevity.
Speakers
avatar for Kim Owens

Kim Owens

Head of Human Resources. Focused on staff retention and growth. Headed up this project, including identifying staff to solicit feedback, developing and deploying surveys and focus groups, and presenting the information to key stakeholders., Garfield County Public Libraries District

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Abraham Korah

Hands on experience in completing this project, including identifying staff to solicit feedback, developing and deploying surveys and focus groups, and presenting the information to key stakeholders., Garfield County Public Libraries District

Wednesday September 9, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

3:00pm MDT

Three Kinds of Conversations: Preparing Effective Legislative Advocacy for Libraries
Wednesday September 9, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm MDT
Library leaders are increasingly called on to speak with legislators about funding, policy, and the future of library services. But not every conversation with an elected official should be approached in the same way. This session introduces a practical framework for legislative advocacy built around three types of conversations: Affirmative, where advocates persuade someone who is likely persuadable; Corrective, where advocates address misunderstandings or opposition; and Confirmational, where advocates strengthen or deepen the support of an existing ally.
Participants will explore how elected officials tend to orient their decisions around the people they represent, the place they represent, or the platform they ran on, and how advocates can tailor testimony, meetings, and messaging accordingly. The session will offer a strategic lens for preparing testimony, planning legislative meetings, and communicating effectively about library initiatives.
Speakers
avatar for John Chrastka

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 →
Wednesday September 9, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1
 
Thursday, September 10
 

10:45am MDT

From Data to Dialogue: Understanding Burnout, Coping, and Support in Library Settings
Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
More than 800 library workers from across the country responded to a survey exploring the relationship between burnout and mental health practices. Follow up interviews with 50 library employees created a more robust and nuanced understanding of how library workers are faring in today’s complicated world. This presentation will share results from both the survey and interviews, exploring how work-place, patron, and personal burnout rates are influenced by personal coping strategies, including the value of employer-provided counseling (EAP), individual therapy, or other activities focused on stress reduction. This interactive session will also provide attendees with the opportunity for discussion and strategizing about how to address burnout vulnerabilities, such as compassion fatigue, secondary (or primary) trauma, and organizational friction, as well as interventions to reduce the impact of burnout when it happens.
Speakers
avatar for Annie Epperson

Annie Epperson

Academic librarian with more than 20 years of experience working in academia. Active researcher in assessment, belongingness, and space utilization., University of Northern Colorado

avatar for Jayne Blodgett

Jayne Blodgett

Academic librarian for more than 18 years with nearly 10 years as an administrator. Soon to graduate (Aug. 2026) from UNC with an MA in clinical mental health counseling., University of Northern Colorado

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Kristin Kang

University of Northern Colorado
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Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

2:00pm MDT

Moving the goal posts or raising the bar? Deciding on the best objectives in Children’s Services
Thursday September 10, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Create proficient readers by third grade or nurture lifelong readers? Focus on high door counts or measure the effectiveness of programs? Buy decodable books recommended by schools or those craved by kids? Take books and programs out to the underserved families in the community or keep the community coming to the library building?  Are these and other topics false dichotomies or the current reality of hard choices and balancing acts when working in children’s services in public libraries? Since Every Child Ready to Read (2000), children’s librarians have recognized the importance of using valid research to support programming and collection development decisions that will convince directors and best serve the families in their communities. But who has time to round up high-quality relevant research? We do! Join us for a lively and informative discussion of the compelling research behind these and other issues and gather points for making your case. 
Speakers
avatar for Jim Erekson

Jim Erekson

Jim Erekson has been teaching language and literacy at the college level since 1989. His Ph.D. in learning and development (Michigan State, 2000) focused on language and literacy development. He has a wide K-12 background in both elementary and secondary schools, including research, teaching, and consultation. His professional work and publications focus on helping readers who don’t have a clear path forward, and interpreting children’s literature. He is currently Professor of Reading at University of Northern Colorado., Literacy Program, School of Teacher Education, University of Northern Colorado

avatar for Lu Benke

Lu Benke

Lu Benke brings to her consultations, presentations, and research articles experiences from over 35 years as a children’s librarian (most recently at Poudre Libraries) as well as the best of recent research from her Master’s in Reading and PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. She is passionate about identifying and strengthening the connections between what libraries do and what research indicates creates lifelong readers. She currently consults through Linking Libraries and Literacy and presents and writes locally and nationally on topics such as current trends in the teaching of reading, the role of motivation in literacy, creative outreach, and the history of children’s librarianship. In addition, Lu is active on three Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) groups—Legislative Committee, Intellectual Freedom, and Children and Teen Services., Linking Libraries and Literacy

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

4:00pm MDT

Strategic Planning Reimagined - AI and Gamification in Public Libraries
Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Public libraries are rethinking strategic planning—and this session offers a blueprint for doing so with innovation, equity, and engagement. Learn how one library district replaced traditional consulting with AI-assisted tools to analyze trends, community input, and internal metrics. Discover how gamification was used to anonymize data and foster objective, inclusive planning during a full-day retreat with staff and stakeholders. Participants were assigned fictionalized branches based on real libraries, allowing them to assess community needs and generate strategic objectives without bias. This approach democratized planning, elevated diverse perspectives, and aligned decisions with data rather than emotion. Attendees will leave with replicable strategies for integrating AI into planning workflows, designing engaging retreats, and using anonymized data to reduce bias. A panel of library leaders will share insights, lessons learned, and future possibilities for AI in public library strategy.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Nelson

Amy Nelson

I have over 20 years of experience in public libraries and have been in leadership for over a decade. As the Associate Director, I led the strategic planning project our library conducted last year with our Executive Director of Library Foundation and Strategic Initiatives and we plan to present this session together. We both work extensively with data and community engagement, as well as planning and administration for our library district. We are both on the task force for AI implementation at PCCLD we and have completed extensive professional development in AI to support responsible AI governance and application in in public libraries., Pueblo City-County Library District

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1
 
Friday, September 11
 

8:45am MDT

Local Children’s Authors: A Vibrant Resource for your School and Public Library Communities
Friday September 11, 2026 8:45am - 9:45am MDT
In this session participants will learn about the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). There are many ways our chapter can help Colorado librarians connect their patrons with books for young people by local authors and illustrators. Our Rocky Mountain Chapter (RMC) maintains an up-to-date list of authors and illustrators who enjoy giving presentations at both school and public libraries. In our session, librarians will also learn about new books by local authors that often feature characters drawn from our resilient and diverse Colorado communities. Finally, librarians can find out about upcoming author events of interest to their young patrons and writing conferences that can encourage their own personal creativity.
Speakers
avatar for Susan Wroble

Susan Wroble

Led and volunteered for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI (the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators), Rocky Mountain Chapter Society of Children's Book Writers or Illustrators

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Polly Holyoke

Volunteer and conference presenter for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI

Friday September 11, 2026 8:45am - 9:45am MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

10:00am MDT

Storytelling for Libraries
Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
In September 2025, Library Research Service began planning a new blog series: Colorful Colorado Libraries: Stories from our Centennial State. The past year has been full of library visits, fascinating conversations, story-crafting, and many lessons learned. This session will cover the process of telling different stories from all types of libraries big and small across Colorado. It will draw from both Kate McDowell’s book Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries: Crafting Ethical Narratives for Advocacy and Impact and the hands-on experience gained from months of collecting data and transforming it into stories. Not only is sharing library stories inspiring, informative, and fun, but it can be a critical way for us to communicate our purpose and the positive impacts that library services have on patrons.
Speakers
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Sara Wicen

Over four years of experience working at Library Research Service (LRS), a degree in English and a professional writing certificate, and a year of planning and executing the Colorful Colorado Libraries blog series. This session will share lessons from this lived experience., Colorado State Library

Friday September 11, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1

1:15pm MDT

What We Talk About When We Talk About AI
Friday September 11, 2026 1:15pm - 2:45pm MDT
AI is obviously a hot topic in libraries (and everywhere), but one thing I struggled with in my programming was figuring out where to begin with my patrons. It's one thing to know about AI and another to know how to navigate educating people about it, especially when one's own feelings about it can be complex. This is essentially a presentation about a programming series I've planned (and already begun) that includes both general information sessions (Intro to AI), topical sessions (Internet Privacy in the age of AI), and more fun/social sessions (Is it AI Game Show- about identifying AI in different forms). 
I talk about how I weighed my own feelings about AI with my patron's information needs, how I covered difficult and often political questions, what patrons have been most interested in, etc. 
Speakers
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Savannah Winchell

Experience studying and working with AI, as well as teaching it to patrons, Aurora Public Library

Friday September 11, 2026 1:15pm - 2:45pm MDT
Tome Raider Breakout Room 1
 
CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities
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