If you plan to attend the Trustee Day Breakfast and/or Luncheon, you MUST register for either of the Trustee Day options. See the 2025 Annual Conference Registration Instructions page for full details. 
Thursday, October 16
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.
A Mock Board Meeting - Learn the Basics While Having Fun!
Board meetings need to be done right. And they don't have to be long. (Really, there is nothing in the statute or your by-laws that mandates 2+hour board meetings!) But regardless of how long they are, Board meetings are boring. (That's why they're called 'board' meetings right?). Alex Todd and Jim Deiters will conduct a mock board meeting that will help ensure your meetings are done right and are as efficient (and therefore brief) as possible. And while they can't make your board meetings fun, they do ensure you will enjoy this one! The mock board meeting will cover common issues such as consent agendas, public comment, the Freedom of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act.
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speakers: Alex Todd, Jim Deiters, Christyn Rayford, Jamie Paicely, Jenny Cutshall, Mary Adamowski, Roberta Richter, and Sarah Cottonaro
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Be the BEST Trustee You Can Be
This session is for the newbie and seasoned trustees in IL. Topics covered will include: Public Library Board of Trustees Ethics Statement History of the Illinois Public Libraries Statutes Related to Public Library Board Meetings Open Meetings (5 ILCS 120) Closed Meetings (5 ILCS 120) Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140) Statement of Economic Interest (5 ILCS 420) Anti Sexual Harassment Training (Public Act 101-0221) Best Practices for Effective Board Meetings Parliamentary Procedure Board Structure and Roles Library Director Role vs. Library Trustee Role Finance Basics Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Illinois Anti-Book Banning Legislation (PA 103-0100) Privacy and Confidentiality (Statutes 75 ILCS 70) Policies and Procedures Utilizing the iLEAD Trustee Learning Portal
Speaker: Leanne Furby
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.
Serving Our Public: Illinois Public Library Standards 5.0
This program is for all public library staff and board trustees. Participants in this program will be introduced to the new 5.0 edition of the Serving Our Public: Illinois Library Standards. The 5.0 edition includes 4 new topics, Advocacy and Community Engagement; Finance and Budget; Human Resources; and Information Services. Also, included are action plan guides, for each topic, that can be used as a tool to track progress for each standard. ILA’s strategic goal of diversity, equity, and inclusion were considered during the creation of this 5.0 edition. Participants, who attend this program, will be able to discover ways to incorporate Serving Our Public in their library vision and strategic planning, discover ways to track library progress towards each standard and how to incorporate the topic of library standards in board and staff discussions.
Speakers: Betsy Adamowski, Kathy Parker, Veronica De Fazio, Jennifer Cottrill, Jim Deiters
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Book Bans and Intellectual Freedom for Trustees
Be prepared for book challenges at your library. We'll provide essential information on relevant laws, how librarians select and organize materials, the procedures for residents to challenge materials, and firsthand experiences from trustees.
Speakers: Elizabeth Lynch, Erin Monforti, Sheri Doniger, Becky Keane
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, Tom Stagg 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
Roy Kinsey is a Chicago-based rapper, librarian, and the founder of Rapbrary, an innovative platform dedicated to preserving hip-hop as a literary art form while advocating for literacy, banned books, and marginalized voices in literature. As both an artist and an educator, Roy seamlessly weaves storytelling, identity, and cultural preservation into his work, making him a powerful voice at the intersection of hip-hop and literature.
Speakers: Roy Kinsey
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
You Truly Belong At Our Library: How Embedding Belonging in Your Planning and Policies Creates A Better Library Experience for Staff and Patrons
As one of our country’s most egalitarian civic organizations, the public library welcomes and serves all. Trustees, directors, and staff know this, but in our current political climate, it is easy to get lost in animosity and lose sight of the fundamental tenets that drew us all to the library in the first place. Chief among those tenets is belonging. But it is not too late to restore our priorities. Hear examples of trustees and directors who intentionally centered belonging in their strategic planning and policies and then watched it flow down to their staff, fostering an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to excel. Those staff then in turn create services which center genuine care for people. The result is an organization that thrives by fulfilling its mission to better the lives of everyone in their respective communities.
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speakers: Becky Spratford, Jennifer Hovanec, Joe Filapek, Sam Daly, Sandra Hill
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Keeping it Legal on Social Media
Use of social media by libraries and their officials and employees continues to grow, and library officials and employees need to know the legal implications of that use. The U.S. Supreme Court and other courts have issued a number of recent decisions providing guidance on comment moderation, blocking and banning, and other social media activities that implicate the First Amendment. In this session, Julie will discuss these recent cases and provide best practices for moderating comments and administering library social media accounts. She will also provide tips for avoiding copyright violations and discuss new and emerging legal issues with use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Presented by the Library Trustee Forum
Speaker: Julie Tappendorf
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Advocacy Tips & Tricks from Legislators
The Illinois Library Association's Advocacy Committee wants to provide some insights about how to communicate with local legislators -- and who better to provide those insights than lawmakers themselves. Join Advocacy Committee members as they host a panel discussion with a few of our legislators. Hear what these lawmakers have to say about best practices and their recommendations for delivering your message. After the moderator-led discussion, there will be plenty of time for questions from the audience.
Speakers: John Fischer, Cyndi Robinson, Amanda McKay, Sara Murray
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