In cooperation with the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s Office of Equity and Fair Practice (OEFP) and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Council, please join us for training sessions, activities, and camaraderie with guest speakers from in and out of Maryland, and library workers from throughout the state.

This year’s theme is centered around “Convergence: Technology, Equity, and the Future.”

Registration Forms:

Registration is closed.

Questions? 

Please email slrcprogramsandtraining@prattlibrary.org.

As always, all SLRC conferences are free of charge for library staff.

View Brochure

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Schedule

Day One — Virtual – Monday, October 27th, 2025

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM: Generative AI in the Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities

Welcome: Paul Chasen, State Library Resource Center Training and Reference Services Coordinator, Enoch Pratt Free Library

Heather Willever-Farr, Ph.D., MA (she/her), Program Director, MSLIS, Assistant Teaching Professor, College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University

The presentation will explore the use of hands-on AI activities in library and information science courses to teach students how to critically assess content generated by AI tools. It will also examine the flip side of generative AI in the classroom: the challenges instructors face in developing course assignments and assessments that are "AI-proof."

11:00 AM - 12:15 PM: The New Title II Digital Accessibility Regulations: Steps You Can Take To Work Toward Timely Compliance

Emily Singer Lucio, ADA/504 Coordinator, University of Maryland

The Department of Justice issued its final rule revising the regulation implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) to establish specific requirements, including the adoption of specific technical standards, for making accessible the services, programs, and activities offered by state and local government entities to the public through the web and mobile applications (“apps”). We are just one year away from the compliance deadline for the new rule on the accessibility of web content and mobile apps for all public entities, set for April 25, 2026. This presentation will cover the basics of what is covered and suggestions for how best to prepare.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Demystifying AI: Navigating the Laws and Policies Shaping Our Digital Future

Welcome: Liz Sundermann-Zinger, Chief of the Central Library & State Library Resource Center, Enoch Pratt Free Library

Keynote Speaker: Brandie Nonnecke, Ph.D., Senior Director of Policy, Americans for Responsible Innovation; Nonnecke & Company, LLC

Artificial Intelligence is transforming how we access, share, and safeguard information, presenting both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. In this keynote, Brandie Nonnecke will break down the fundamentals of AI, dispel common misconceptions, and explore the rapidly evolving legal and policy landscape surrounding this transformative technology. Attendees will gain insights into key regulations, ethical considerations, and best practices that libraries can adopt to navigate AI responsibly. From privacy protections to algorithmic transparency, this session will equip information professionals with the knowledge to advocate for fair and informed AI policies that align with the mission of libraries to empower communities through equitable access to information.

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Day Two — Tuesday, October 28th, 2025

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Welcome & Keynote: How to Robot-Proof Your Kids

Welcome: Liz Sundermann-Zinger, Chief of the Central Library & State Library Resource Center

Keynote: Vivienne Ming, Ph.D., Chief Scientist & Founder, The Human Trust

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM: 1a: What to Know Before You Dip Your Toe into AI

Maurice Coleman, Coleman & Associates

This workshop will introduce you to A(rtificial) I(ntelligence), some good things and some challenges. We will also explore places that value privacy and/or data security so librarians can feel ok when dipping their toes into the AI lagoon. This presentation owes a cap tip to Elizabeth Jones and Sara Stephenson.

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM: 1b: Ethics, Policy, AI, and Intellectual Freedom: What Does It All Means for Libraries?

Allison Jennings-Roche, Associate Director of Digital Initiatives & Collections, Robert L. Bogomolny Library, University of Baltimore

AI has become “inevitable” in libraries and broader society. Librarians are being told that we must adopt these technologies or risk being out of step with current technology and innovation.  In this session, Allison will dissect how these new tools are a part of a widespread societal shift towards anti-intellectualism, censorship, and cultural erasure that serve only to devalue libraries, patron rights, and privacy. For librarians, widespread uncritical adoption of “AI” is an example of our field’s historical reticence to value our own expertise and to stake positions on public policy. Attendees will learn about the context of these larger systems, how “AI” has come to pervade our tools and systems without our explicit consent, and practically how library workers can make better informed and more ethical decisions for our workplaces, patrons, and collections. 

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED: 1c: Introduction to Hardware Hacking (Attendee Limit: 20)

Barnard Smit, Best & Next Department Manager, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

JP Santana, Media Director Producer, Best & Next Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

In this interactive workshop, participants will disassemble old children’s toys and be guided step by step through the process of rewiring them and connecting them to an Arduino microcontroller. Together, we’ll explore how to reprogram the toys so they can act in surprising new ways. The workshop will also include a short lecture introducing the basics of hardware hacking and offering a window into the creative coding and DIY community.

10:05 AM - 11:05 AM: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED: 1d: Tour of SLRC (Attendee Limit: 20)

Join SLRC staff for this express tour of SLRC. View building highlights, and find out how SLRC can support your work with programs, training and materials. 

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM: 2a: Panel Discussion: The Future of Extended Reality in Life and Work, and How It Relates to Diverse and Disabled Communities

Rebecca Rosenberg, Founder, ReBokeh Vision Technologies

Jason Michael Perry, Founder and Chief AI Officer, PerryLabs

Will Gee, Co-Founder, Balti Virtual

Moderator: Joel Benge, Principal Nerd That Talks Good, MessageSpecs Consulting

Artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and smart wearables are redefining how people see, learn, and interact with the world. This panel brings together three innovators shaping that transformation.  This conversation explores how accessibility, ethics, and innovation intersect—and how libraries and public institutions can play a pivotal role in making the future of immersive intelligence equitable, experiential, and accessible to all.

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM: 2b: Compassionate Cultural Preservation: When To Let History Die

Shane Moran, College Archivist, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

This presentation will focus on the limitations of cultural preservation in ethically documenting the lives of people in historically marginalized communities. As organizations increasingly focus on documenting the lives and histories of people in historically marginalized communities, the desire to preserve has occasionally transformed into a sense of entitlement to those histories. Recognizing that not everyone wants their lives preserved in an archive or museum is an important step towards truly ethical practices. Together, we will build a toolkit for collaboration between traditional public heritage organizations and our local communities. This toolkit emphasizes fostering relationships that sustainably and ethically encourage cultural preservation while recognizing that individuals and groups have autonomy in deciding how - or if - their histories are kept.

11:15 AM - 12:30 PM: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED: 2c: Tour of SLRC (Attendee Limit: 20)

12:30 PM - 1:45 PM: Lunch

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: 3a: People Powered Preservation: Community Archives in Maryland

Corey Lewis, Assistant State Archivist, Maryland State Archives

Michael Johnson, Chief, Collection and Access Services Division (CASD), Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Megan Kean, Digitization Librarian, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Discover how the Maryland State Archives and Digital Maryland are partnering with local communities to preserve and share their unique histories. This session will highlight collaborative efforts to safeguard community archives, enhance access through digitization, and empower Marylanders to tell their own stories. Learn how public institutions and community members are working together to ensure that Maryland’s diverse heritage is accessible for generations to come.

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED: 3b: Audio Programs From a Shoestring Budget to a Sound Studio (Attendee Limit: 20)

Zoë Di Giorgio, Teen Center Manager, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Lydell Hills, AV Studio Engineer, Teen Center, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Aspiring young artists want to be as creative as possible. It is our job working in libraries to get them started and on the right path to success. In this session, learn from staff who manage and operate our Teen Center’s Creation Station about free and low-cost audio tools, meet the young artists where they are in the creativity process, and obtain just enough of an overview about what young artists need to know about copyright.

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED: 3c: Tour of the Annex (Attendee Limit: 20)

In this session, participants will receive an informative guided tour of the unique departments included in the Annex: the Maryland Department, the African American Department, and the Special Collections Department. Expert librarians will provide an overview of the African American and Maryland Departments, followed by a Q&A session. The tour will conclude with a Special Collections Department “Petting Zoo,” where participants can get up close and personal with some of the most popular items in our collection.

1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: 3d: Introduction to SLRC

Genive Purchase, Deputy Chief, SLRC, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Join a SLRC leader for this overview of SLRC’s different services and roles. In addition to learning about all of our behind-the-scenes work, you’ll find out how SLRC can support your work with programs, training and materials.

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM: 4a: From Principles to Practice: Integrating Ethics and Equity in AI

Jamell Dacon, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Computer Science, Morgan State University

This presentation explores the practical integration of ethical and equity-centered principles in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. It will examine common gaps between stated AI ethics frameworks and real-world implementation, offering strategies for bridging these divides. Attendees will gain insights into actionable approaches for building AI systems that are not only responsible but also inclusive and just.

2:45 PM - 4:15 PM: Equity by Design: Digital Accessibility Requirements Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

Brittni Ballard, Learning Technologies and COE Liaison Librarian, Cook Library, Towson University

Katherine Klosek, Director of Information Policy and Federal Relations, Association of Research Libraries (ARL)

The convergence of federal accessibility mandates and libraries’ equity missions creates both urgency and opportunity. Revised ADA rules published in April 2024 require all state and local governmental entities—including 85% of libraries nationwide—to make websites, mobile apps, and online documents accessible by April 2026 or 2027. These regulations impact every aspect of digital library services, from websites and databases to online programming and discovery tools. In this interactive workshop, policy and accessibility experts move beyond compliance to embrace accessibility as equity in action. We’ll explore practical strategies for prioritizing digital accessibility improvements, focusing on high-impact changes that enhance user experience for everyone. Participants will examine real-world accessibility barriers through the lens of user impact, practice document remediation techniques, and discover auditing tools that fit library budgets and staffing. Just like everyone will experience disability, accessibility is a collective responsibility. We'll highlight the power of connection, encouraging participants to build relationships across library types, roles, and lived experiences with disability. Together, we can meet these new requirements while ensuring that digital spaces are as welcoming and inclusive as our physical ones.

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM: 4c: Digital Edge: Meeting Patrons Where They Are

Witt Salley, Ed.D., Adult and Teen Services Librarian, Montgomery County Public Libraries

Digital Edge is a high-touch, equity-centered program–service hybrid that meets patrons where they are. The model combines monthly workshops with one-to-one coaching that continues in the format each patron chooses: in-person sessions, live online sessions, or asynchronous document feedback. This session will describe how assistive digital tools, including AI, can be used as supportive, staff-reviewed aids to personalize guidance and expand access while preserving patron voice and privacy. Participants will see examples of guardrails—explicit consent, no-PII workflows, accessibility accommodations, bias checks, and staff review—and consider how these principles can be adapted across libraries of varying size, staffing, and resources. Attendees will leave with practical examples of intake language, coaching prompts, and lightweight evaluation measures that they can share with colleagues and adapt to their own institutional contexts.

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM: MAXIMUM CAPACITY REACHED: 4d: Teen Center Workshop and Tour (Attendee Limit: 20)

Barnard Smit, Best & Next Department Manager, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Donaven Bunting, Creation Station Coordinator, Teen Center, Enoch Pratt Free Library/SLRC

Learn more about how makerspaces for teens and adults can be developed for your library’s audiences.  Leave with a creation in your hands.

3:45 PM - 5:00 PM: Social Activity

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