Recharging in Challenging Times
Recharging in Challenging Times: An ALA Virtual Event is your opportunity to pause, connect, and find renewed energy for the work ahead. Join us live on Zoom Events for two inspiring keynotes and nine dynamic sessions designed to strengthen your skills and restore your sense of purpose. With three focused content tracks—Strengthening Leadership, Sustaining Wellbeing, and Preserving Intellectual Freedom—you’ll gain practical insights, fresh ideas, and supportive community to help you thrive in challenging times.
On-demand access available through May 10, 2026.
Tues., Feb. 10, 2026 | 10:00am-4:00pm CST
$129 – ALA MEMBER | $179 – NON-MEMBER
ALA STUDENT MEMBERS ATTEND FREE!
Email your Purchase Order registration request to registration@ala.org.
Opening Keynote: Emely Rumble
10:00am–10:55am CST
When the World Feels Heavy, Reach for a Story: Bibliotherapy for Radical Tenderness and Collective Resilience
In this restorative keynote, therapist and author Emely Rumble invites participants to explore how the healing power of story can sustain both patrons and the people who serve them. Attendees will learn simple bibliotherapy tools to bring steadiness, connection, and hope into their daily work while honoring their own inner lives. Learn more >
All the Feels: Leading with Emotional Intelligence
with AnnaLee Dragon | Despite historic precedent and the negative connotations of feelings in a workplace setting, being a leader does not have to mean checking all of your emotions at the door. Learn more >
From Principles to Practice: Building Censorship Resistant Library Policies
with Cathi Fuhrman and Erin Jones | Policies are more than paperwork; they are the everyday expression of a library’s values. In a time of increasing book challenges and scrutiny of library programs, strong policies can mean the difference between panic and preparedness. Learn more >
Managing Stress, Building Strength: Supporting Staff Wellbeing in Challenging Times
with Amanda Darby, Shannan Hicks, Madeline Jarvis, Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, and Bobbi L. Newman | In a time when library workers are navigating rising workloads, community tensions, and shrinking resources, caring for our own well-being is essential to sustaining our service mission. Learn more >
Quietly Empowered: Leading as You are With Intention, Consistency, and Focused Presence
with Jennifer Blair | The ideals of leadership often lead the introverted to believe the leadership they bring falls short of expectations. Quiet leaders need to embrace their gifts and be empowered to lead with grace. Learn more >
Seeking Support in the Midst of a Challenge
with Becky Calzada, Leila Green Little, Ashley Hope Pérez, and Eric Stroshane | Libraries have been involuntarily embroiled in a culture war for more than five years, and it is inflicting trauma on communities, library workers, and authors. Learn more >
Sticks and Stones: Coping with the Abusive Language of Library Critics
with Darcy Lipp-Acord | In this session, we will examine rhetoric that has been used by book banners and other library critics to accuse and discredit library workers. Learn more >
Strategies for Promoting Civility and Managing Conflict in the Library Workplace
with Jo Henry and Richard Moniz | This presentation will explore the growing challenges for leaders in managing incivility, poor communication, and conflict in library environments. Learn more >
Academic Freedom for Library Workers: Why it Matters and How to Defend it
with Danya Leebaw | This session will introduce core principles of academic freedom, with particular attention to how these matter for library workers and illustrated with real-life scenarios. Learn more >
When to Tap-In and Tap-Out: Nurturing Resilience and Renewing Bonds in Library Teams
with Taina Evans, Lameane Isaac, and Sharon Palmer | This groundbreaking approach aims to enhance library staff's productivity, foster team dynamics, and promote resilience. Learn more >
Full Schedule
10:00 am – 10:55 am CST: Opening Remarks & Keynote
11:00 am – 11:45 am CST: Concurrent Sessions
11:50 am – 12:20 pm CST: Facilitated Conversations
12:20 pm – 12:45 pm CST: Break
12:45 pm – 1:30 pm CST: Concurrent Sessions
1:35 pm – 2:05 PM CST: Facilitated Conversations
2:05 pm – 2:15 pm CST: Break
2:15 pm – 3:00 PM CST: Concurrent Sessions
3:05 pm – 4:00 PM CST: Closing Remarks & Keynote
Stay tuned for announcements about our keynote speakers and facilitated conversations.
Thank You to our Sponsors:
Strengthening Leadership Sponsor
Preserving Intellectual Freedom Sponsor
Sustaining Wellbeing Sponsor
