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Schedule

Get ready for a dynamic lineup of sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities at the 2025 MLA|DLA Annual Conference! This year’s agenda is designed to equip you with innovative strategies, practical tools, and fresh perspectives to navigate the evolving landscape of libraries and information services.

Download Sched, our official conference mobile app, sponsored by Caroline County Public Library, to:

  • Build your personalized agenda.
  • Receive last-minute room or time changes.
  • Access session materials.

All Day: Lactation Room Available (M202)

8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

  • Registration Table Open

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

  • Room 201: Transforming Teen Services in Your Library ($60)
  • Room 203: Braver Angels - Debating Across Difference ($60)
  • Room 205: Prepared Libraries, Empowered Teams: Landing an All Hands on Deck Challenge-Ready Plan ($90)

11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

  • BCMLA Conference Cultural Tour (meet in conference center lobby) 

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Lunch Pick-Up

1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

  • Room 201: Who is ALICE? ($60)
  • Room 203: Intellectual Freedom in Crisis Times ($90)
  • Room 205: Marketing to Build Support ($60)

4:00 - 4:30 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Happy Hour

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Opening Keynote - Lady Brion

5:45 -7:45 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Free for All: The Public Library (Documentary Screening)

5:45 - 6:45 p.m.

  • Room 201: Ignite Session 1

7:00 - 9:00 p.m. 

  • Room 209: BCMLA Reception

All Day: Lactation Room Available (M202)

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • Registration Table Open
  • Vendor Hall Open (closes at 6:00 p.m.)
  • Silent Auction in Vendor Hall (closes at 6:00 p.m.)

8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

  • Room 206: Rip Tide Resilience: Swimming Parallel to Teen Users
  • Room 208: There Is Only One AASL
  • Room 209: Keeping it Current: Updating Your Library’s Legal Reference Guide
  • Room 215A: DLA Community Engagement Grant: Three Library Staff Members’ Experiences
  • Room 215B: Maryland's Intellectual Freedom Helpline
  • Room 217: Community First - Making The Library Accessible to Neurodivergent Families

8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

  • Room 201: How To Set Up Autism-Friendly Programming At The Library
  • Room 202: The Library is for Everyone: Engaging Adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
  • Room 203: We Keep Us Safe: Community as De-escalation in Library Settings
  • Room 205: Building a Culture of Leadership
  • Room 207: Beanstack Tips and Tricks
  • Room 210: All About the Caldecott Award

9:45 - 10:45 a.m.

  • Room 217: Riding the Waves of Library Collection Trends

9:45 - 11:45 a.m.

  • Room 206: Everybody Eats…Dig In to Library Resources for Ag Literacy
  • Room 208: Riding the K-pop Wave: creating engaging fandom programming at your library
  • Room 209: Leading While Black: guidance for the next generations
  • Room 215A: Setting Boundaries
  • Room 215B: A Deep Dive into Census Data: For Planning, Fundraising, and Advocacy

10:45 - 11:45 a.m.

  • Room 201: Privacy Programming in Your Library: Using Library Freedom Project Resources
  • Room 202: Setting Sail for Success: State-Level Collaboration Supporting Youth Services and Family Engagement
  • Room 203: Seas the Night: Creating Space for Teens with After Hours Programming
  • Room 204: Seas the Moment: Reducing Library Anxiety through Quick Connections in Academic Libraries
  • Room 205: Beachside Sips: Savor the Fun of Advocacy & Fundraising Events
  • Room 207: Life's a Beach When Your School Is In the Delaware Library Catalog
  • Room 210: Even Without Sight, There is Still Vision: Empowering Independence for the Visually Impaired

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

  • Room 217: Poster Sessions

12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Maryland Author Award Keynote & Luncheon: Roseanne A. Brown

1:30 - 2:00 p.m.

  • Vendor Hall: Visit the Vendors

2:00 - 2:15 p.m.

  • Vendor Hall: Refresh with Pets

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

  • Room 205: Uncovering Delaware’s Queer History: Turning Research into Engagement with Social Media
  • Room 206: Let's Talk About Core Values and Censorship
  • Room 207: Maryland Author Award Breakout
  • Room 210: The Ethics Edition
  • Room 215A: Addressing Privacy Issues in Youth and Tech Use
  • Room 215B: Maryland State Library Agency & Delaware Division of Libraries Update, 2025

2:15 - 4:15 p.m.

  • Room 201: Fostering an Inclusive Workplace for Staff with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
  • Room 202: Manga for Librarians, Parents, and Teacher
  • Room 203: Run Your Own Indie Game Festival
  • Room 204: Beachside Briefing: Demystifying Service Dog Access in Libraries
  • Room 208: Adult Programming Sandbox: Collective Ideation for Innovation and Creativity
  • Room 209: Advocacy in Action: Maryland & Federal Legislative Updates, Library Advocacy Skills, and Maryland's Legislative Process
  • Room 217: Book Buzz

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

  • Room 215A: Surfing Toward Thriving Libraries & Communities Through Advocacy at All Levels

3:45 - 4:45 p.m.

  • Room 205: How to Establish a Book Sanctuary in your Library and Community
  • Room 206: Sea-ing the Future: Innovation for Every Team
  • Room 207: From Baby Boss to Boss, Baby! Transitioning from Youth Services to Management
  • Room 210: Serving Our LGBTQIA+ Communities with Name Change Clinics
  • Room 215B: Libraries as transformational spaces: Creating comprehensive services for underserved populations in today’s political climate

4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

  • Room 201: Introduction to Weeding: Basic Practices for a Better Collection
  • Room 202: Queer Inclusion 201: Ideas to Action
  • Room 203: Battle of the Books After Hours
  • Room 204: Bridging the Divide: Enhancing Family Ties in Correctional Settings
  • Room 208: Literacy Sandcastle Building
  • Room 209: Diversifying Librarianship: Fellowships and Residencies are not Enough
  • Room 215A: Library Advocacy from Your Backyard to the World Stage: A Conversation with ALA Past President Julius Jefferson
  • Room 217: Feelings don’t care about your facts: ethically navigating library advocacy in an age of propaganda

5:30 - 6:00 p.m.

  • Outside Vendor Hall: Happy Hour Reception

6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Thursday Evening Keynote and Banquet: Kristen Arnett

7:30 - 8:00 p.m. 

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Meet & Greet and Book Signing with Kristen Arnett

8:00 - 10:00 p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Pub Quiz!

All Day: Lactation Room Available (M202)

7:30 - 9:00 a.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: MLA Annual Member Meeting and Breakfast
  • Room 217: DLA Annual Member Meeting and Breakfast

8:00 -10:45 a.m. 

  • Registration Table Open
  • Silent Auction 
  • Vendor Hall Open (ends at 11:00 a.m.) 

9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Closing Keynote: Temim Fruchter

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

  • Room 201: Banned Books Week at an Academic Library: Collaboration and Promoting Student Engagement
  • Room 202: Converging Oceans: Conversations in Global Resource Sharing
  • Room 203: Serving Homeschoolers in Public Libraries: A Panel Discussion
  • Room 205: Beyond the Drag Queen Story Time
  • Room 206: Run a Teen Dungeons & Dragons Club
  • Room 207: Library Student Employment as a High Impact Practice: Empowering Students to Succeed
  • Room 208: Literary Reparations: Fully Funded Library Science Scholarships for Black Students
  • Room 209: Ignite Session 2
  • Room 215A: Demystifying AI Instruction: A Byte-Sized Case Study
  • Room 215B: Beachcombing for History: Treasures of Maryland’s Past in Digital Maryland
  • Room 217: Beyond Books: Introducing DEI Programs in Library Spaces

12:00-2:00p.m.

  • Bayfront Ballroom: Lunch pick-up

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

  • Room 201: Let's Talk Stuff
  • Room 202: Bridging the Middle: How Tween Literature Can Spur Intergenerational Conversations for Healing and Change
  • Room 203: Charting the Course Together: Empowering Leaders through Collective Growth and Experience
  • Room 204: Challenging Traditional Pedagogy: OER
  • Room 205: User Experience From a Circulation Perspective
  • Room 206: Putting the “Special” in Special Collections
  • Room 207: Hollywood in the Stacks: A Film Club for Teens in the Library
  • Room 208: Seas the Fun: Beach Reads Hiding in Your Academic Library
  • Room 209: Easy (Climate) Listening: How to Start Worrying and Love Your Neighbors
  • Room 217: Check It Out! Marketing Your Collection with Better Booklists and Displays
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