Library Trustee Forum Spring Webinars

Library Trustee Forum Spring Webinars

March 8, April 12, May 10

The Trustee Forum is continuing its virtual spring webinars for 2025. Participants can attend one, two, or all three sessions. The recordings will be available to participants after each session.


STOP! 
Are you a director or admin registering your trusteesAre you registering a group? Or have you never registered for the LTF Spring Webinars before? If so, then take a moment to read through these registration instructions. If you have any trouble with registering, please email ila@ila.org.

REGISTER

The deadline to register is Tuesday, April 30.

Registration Fees

  All three webinars Individual webinars
ILA Institutional or Personal Member $40 $15
Non-Member $50 $20

Questions? Email ila@ila.org

Statement of Appropriate Conduct - All participants are expected to observe the rules and behaviors described in the Statement of Appropriate Conduct in all conference venues.

Cancellation Policy:

If registered for all 3 events, cancellation must be received in writing by Monday, February 26. If registered for only 1 or 2 events, cancellation must be made 5 business days prior to the start of the event you wish to cancel. Please e-mail your cancellation request to ila@ila.org. Cancellations received in time will get a refund and are subject to $15 processing fee. 
Please note that these events will be recorded and recordings will be shared only with those registered for the event.

Due to a rise in paid, duplicate registrations, these will now be considered a cancellation/refund request and therefore subject to a processing fee.

Bill me later and payment policy:
Payment is expected before attending the event. If payment needs to be made after an event, advance notice by emailing ila@ila.org is required. If notice is not given to ILA and no payment is received, registration will be rescinded and the privilege of utilizing the “Bill me later” option is forfeit for future events. All invoices must be paid before confirmed registration on future events. Failure to attend an event without canceling before the deadline does not eliminate the outstanding balance. Payment is still required.


Webinar Information

Sustainability: A Core Value of Libraries

Jennifer Ferriss of the Saratoga Springs Public Library (NY) will share how libraries can build stronger connections with their community, improve internal operations, and make environmentally conscious decisions and how trustees can support the work. Expect to come away with numerous ideas on how to get started and make this a part of your library mission, values and everyday operations.

Date: Saturday, March 8, 10:00 am - Noon
Speaker: Jennifer Ferriss
Moderator: Jennifer Lucas

 

Social Media Guidance for Library Trustees

Attorney Julie Tappendorf, equity partner at Ancel Glink, PC, will share best practices for preventing Open Meetings Act violations and explain how the First Amendment impacts trustee social media use, even on personal accounts. She will review recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings concerning government officials and social media, and offer guidelines on the dos and don'ts of moderating comments on social media platforms.

Date: Saturday, April 12, 10:00 am - Noon
Speaker: Julie Tappendorf, Ancel Glink, PC
Moderator: Tom Stagg

 

Belonging in Community: How Libraries and Library Trustees Build Belonging in Community

Library Trustees have responsibilities that go beyond finance, policies and compliance. Belonging is also central and may be the most important of the duties. Sean Gaillard’s blog post – “Belonging in the Library: A Hub of Connection and Inspiration”, he notes that the “Library (is) a space for Everyone to Feel Seen, Heard and Valued.” While Gaillard is pointing to school libraries – the same can be said for public libraries presence in the communities. Public libraries strive to be that place in a community that supports opportunities for learning, adventure, respite, peace, gathering and fun by offering both welcoming and, ultimately, belonging. Often hard to measure, belonging is vital for public libraries by serving as gathering spaces and places for communities across Illinois and beyond.

Library Board trustees play a valuable role in building and supporting belonging in many ways: reviewing and discussing mission and vision, working with the library director to ensure a welcoming place for all community residents through good customer service, fair and impartial policies, creating spaces and places to laugh, explore, learn and build connections. Trustees ensure that the public library is for the entire community and reflects community culture, history and stories. This session will highlight how belonging is an essential element in community – from a practical perspective and a
humanistic mindset. Library trustees – new and seasoned – will gain insights into the critical role of belonging is through representation, encouraging and supporting the library director with the hope and goal that all are welcome and belong.

Saturday, May 10,  10:00 am - Noon
Speakers: TBD
Moderator: Christine Westerlund

 

Speaker Bios

Jennifer Ferris, Saratoga Springs Public Library

Jennifer Ferriss is the Assistant Director at the Saratoga Springs Public Library (SSPL,) a library that holds the distinction of being the second library to achieve Sustainable Libraries Certification through the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI.) Jennifer was a co-creator of the Certification program, contributing to its development and leading the library staff of SSPL through the process in 2018. Currently, Jennifer serves on the Advisory Board of the SLI, where she provides guidance and supports libraries nationwide in their sustainability efforts.

 

Julie Tappendorf, Ancel Glink

Julie Tappendorf is an equity partner at Ancel Glink, PC in Chicago. She practices in the area of local government law, representing governments on a variety of legal issues, including social media, FOIA, Open Meetings Act, personnel matters, First Amendment, etc. She speaks frequently at local and national conferences on a variety of legal topics and trains government officials and employees on social media activities. She also reviews and prepares social media policies for government agencies.



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iREAD Summer Reading Programs

Since 1981, iREAD provides high quality, low-cost resources and products that enable local library staff to motivate children, young adults, and adults to read.

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