MLA 2024 Conference

Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, there has been an explosion of energy and activity around what it means to our work. Like many other library staff, Minitex staff are following developments and started an internal community of interest to discuss ideas, ethics, standards, and to explore applications of tools in our current work. Minitex staff have access to ChatGPT Enterprise and will demonstrate how we used this technology to explore custom GPTs (AI chatbots). We will introduce you to AI chatbots in the library and talk about ethical concerns, practical applications, and data input and output. Presenters will also share examples of other custom GPTs we find valuable. We aim to inspire attendees to play with this new technology, share what they learn, and find creative applications to their everyday work. We are inviting audience participation, so bring your questions, ideas, and examples of what libraries are doing with AI.

In a few years, public libraries’ websites must be compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Is your library’s website ready? Learn about common accessibility barriers, accessible content creation, and resources to check for WCAG compliance.

One Book, One Community programs aren’t just for the state level or large library systems - they can be successful in small communities too! Hastings Reads has successfully planned an all-ages community reading program for the past 18 years. Unique in that we offer not one but three books to encompass all ages in our community, programming lasts the entire month of February with upwards of 15 events for all ages. With a picture book, middle grade, and YA/Adult book selected around a common theme, there is something for everyone. A variety of community partners join together to plan, promote, and host events to encourage the love of reading across the community. Come hear about our planning process, funding sources, and how we leverage community partnerships to make our program a success.

“We’re a small library; we can’t plan for every disaster. Besides, a flood will never happen to our library; it’s not even near a river.” On one of the coldest weekends of the year, a sprinkler head burst in our library breakroom and flooded the entire library. Overnight our world was turned upside-down. And, unfortunately, we did not have a flood disaster plan.

In this presentation, we will detail our response to the flood, discuss what went well and what did not at each stage of recovery, and highlight how we ultimately turned a disaster into opportunity. We will share our experience and the lessons learned along the way in each aspect of the process, including coordinating with multiple insurance companies, providing services when operating out of a limited space, maintaining clear communications with the public, fostering patron engagement with the library through social media, and using this opportunity to re-envision the library space and furniture needs. Attendees will leave with clear strategies on how to plan for disaster before it happens, how to cope when it does, and how to turn your worst experience into something positive.

This presentation is geared towards library directors, staff members, and anyone interested in how one small library thrived after a disaster.