If you plan to attend the Trustee Day Breakfast and/or Luncheon, you MUST register for either of the Trustee Day options. See the 2024 Annual Conference Registration Instructions page for full details. 
Thursday, October 10
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Trustee Day Breakfast
This breakfast is included in the registration price for trustees. This is the start to a day designed to support library trustee education by providing programming and networking opportunities. The Trustee Breakfast is hosted by the Library Trustee Forum and is made possible by the generous support of Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, LTD.
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Fostering Compassionate and Empathetic Library Policies for a Better Work Culture
Please join us for an enlightening discussion on implementing compassion and empathy in the workplace. Our aim is to inspire trustees to cultivate a culture of empathy, understanding, and inclusivity in their decision-making processes while shaping library policies. We will share success stories and discuss how embracing compassion can enhance work culture, foster staff retention, and improve morale within the library profession. By prioritizing the needs of our staff and considering their perspectives, we can create a more positive work environment that promotes growth and success.
Speakers: Alvin Stockdale, Jacob Brown, Jennifer Hovanec, Katie Allan, Kim Scott, Rene Leyva, and Tom Stagg
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Coffee Break in the Exhibits Hall
Visit our library partners with free coffee and a chance to win prizes by participating in Passport to Prizes. Each exhibitor that is participating has invested $100 in the ILA Diversity Scholarship Fund.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Being Prepared Leads to Effective and Efficient (& Shorter!) Board Meetings
Board meetings don't have to be long and tedious! Well, not as long and tedious as yours tend to be. Jim Deiters and Alex Todd of Deiters & Todd Library Consulting will share best practices on how to make your meetings more interesting, more productive, more shorter, and more concerned with positive results than grammatical errors. You'll learn useful hacks to streamline the monthly administrative work that trustees must muddle through, the value of pre-meeting preparation, and how to effectively participate in group discussions (spoiler alert: it involves active listening as well as reflective speaking).
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speakers: Jim Deiters, Deiters & Todd Library Consulting; Alex Todd, Deiters & Todd Library Consulting
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Trustee's Important Role in Financial Oversight of the Library
One of the main responsibilities of a Library Trustee is the oversight of finances. You have an important role to play in ensuring that the Library has proper internal controls to achieve its objectives, but you may not know where to start. What fiscal policies and procedures should the library have to ensure financial integrity? What questions should you be asking to ensure the Library is meeting its responsibilities and protecting its assets? This discussion will probe the scope of Trustee responsibilities, focus attention on the most pressing financial matters for which Trustees have oversight, and provide you ways to constructively engage with the Library Director about the Library's operations.
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speakers: Andy Mace, James Rachlin, Kathy Parker, kathyparker consulting
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Trustee Day Luncheon
This luncheon is included in the registration price for trustees. This is a great break to meet fellow trustees and share what you've learned. Library Trustee Forum President, Jennifer Lucas will provide an update on the activities of the forum.
The Trustee Luncheon is made possible by the generous support of Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) and the iLEAD Trustee Learning Portal.
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
DiversiTEA Closing Keynote
TBD
Speakers: Imani Barbarin
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Everything Old Is New Again: Real Talk About Public Library Building Renovations
One of the main responsibilities of a public library trustee in Illinois is to be a steward of their library's physical building, and that means making critical decisions about its upkeep over time. Not only do Library buildings need renovation due to wear and tear, but also, Boards need to respond to changes in how the Library is used over time. Regular assessment of the Library's spaces in relation to the current community's needs is crucial to ensuring that the Library functions efficiently and effectively. And, while it is always the new building projects that steal the spotlight, in reality, it is more likely that a Trustee will be called upon to work on a building renovation project during their time serving. In fact, the most recent ILA Reporter's annual report on new building projects for 2023 spotlighted more renovations than new construction. Join a panel of Directors and their Trustees as they discuss their recent renovation projects, from a wide range of budgets and all utilizing different architects and construction firms, sharing the details of the entire process from the earliest days identifying that they need to renovate all the way through to the ribbon cutting. This will be an honest discussion about what they went through, with time left for questions from the audience.
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speakers: Becky Spratford, Emily Porter; Jennifer Hovanec; Joanna Kluever; Michelle Krooswyk
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Standing Room Only: How to Effectively Approach Crowds at Public Meetings
This session will focus the proper way to address large crowds, or even smaller crowds, at public meetings of the Library Board. We will discuss effective public participation policies and how to implement them, how to manage persistent or abusive public comments, and how to properly regain control of a meeting that is interrupted by a lively crowd.
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speakers: Carmen Forte, Jr., Klein Thorpe & Jenkins, LTD; Mallory Milluzzi, Klein Thorpe & Jenkins, LTD; Anne Skrodzki, Jr., Klein Thorpe & Jenkins, LTD; Kaylee Hartman, Jr., Klein Thorpe & Jenkins, LTD
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
How to iLEAD
iLEAD – leadership, empowerment, accessibility, and development for public library trustees. With continued funding from the Illinois Secretary of State's office, the Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) has added new topics, features, and functionality. iLEAD provides IPL trustees with the knowledge, requirements, and resources they need to meet their community's needs effectively. During this session, the speaker will address the importance of this project, assist session attendees with registration, and walk through the portal to review the newly added learning content and demonstrate how to navigate the modules to maximize learning benefits and earn trustee badges.
Speaker: Leanne Furby, Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS)
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Core - Culture - Strategy: A Holistic Approach to Strategic Planning
Having a strong strategic plan alone doesn’t guarantee success! To evolve into a high-performing, strategically-focused library, you must also consider core operations and workplace culture. By using a holistic approach, you will ensure sustained transformation vs. checking things off your short-term TO DO list. This session will give an overview of a new way to design a strategic planning process that considers the three key elements to maximize community impact - core operations, strategic priorities, and workplace culture - and how to operationalize your plan to level up every aspect of your library.
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speaker: Amanda Standerfer, Fast Forward Libraries
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