Welcome to ACRL/NY

Written by Dr. Kanu Nagra, Chair of the ACRL/NY Professional Development Committee 

The Professional Development Committee of ACRL/NY convened its April 10, 2026 program, “Save the Library, Save the World,” organized and moderated by Dr. Kanu A. Nagra, Chair of the committee. The event brought together academic, public, special, and government librarians at a moment when the role of libraries is being tested in unprecedented ways.

The speaker, Emily Drabinski—Chair of the Queens College School of Information Studies at City University of New York and past president of the American Library Association—drew on her nationwide advocacy tour to deliver a powerful message: libraries are not just under pressure; they are at a crossroads.

Today’s challenges extend far beyond funding. Libraries face a convergence of existential threats-organized censorship efforts, sustained disinvestment, political scrutiny of collections, and the rapid, often uncritical adoption of new technologies that risk undermining professional expertise. Together, these forces threaten to erode libraries as trusted, independent pillars of knowledge.

Drabinski emphasized that defending intellectual freedom while maintaining community trust has become increasingly complex in a polarized climate. Yet the solution is not retreat—it is stronger, clearer advocacy. Libraries must be recognized as indispensable public infrastructure—foundational institutions that sustain education, empower workforce development, and strengthen democratic engagement.

Equally urgent is the need to reshape how the public understands libraries and their role in society. Far too often, they are viewed through an outdated lens--as quiet, unchanging places defined primarily by collections. In reality, libraries are vibrant, evolving institutions at the heart of their communities. They are dynamic hubs of learning where people of all ages build knowledge and skills, reliable centers of community life that foster connection and support, and engines of equity that broaden access to opportunity. Recognizing this fuller, more accurate picture is essential to ensuring their continued strength and relevance.

As the discussion made clear, the future of libraries is inseparable from the future of an informed, inclusive society. To save libraries is not simply to preserve institutions—it is to safeguard the foundation of the world we aspire to build.

 

 

Save the Date and Call for Proposals 

LACUNY Institute 2026: Vulnerability at Work and Beyond: How are We Managing? 

Thurs May 21, 2026 | 8:30 am - 4:30pm

held in-person (with a virtual option) by CCNY Libraries

https://lacuny2026.commons.gc.cuny.edu 

Proposal Deadline: April 17, 2026

Notification of Acceptance: April 21, 2026

Submit a proposal: 

https://form.jotform.com/250496752502155

The LACUNY Institute invites scholars, librarians, educators, information professionals, and library workers to submit proposals for the upcoming LACUNY Institute 2026, taking place in person on Thurs May 21, 2026 at City College of New York, CUNY. This year’s LACUNY Institute will explore personal and professional vulnerability in the library profession. We welcome case studies, theoretical explorations, panel discussions, poster presentations, and creative proposals. 

We seek innovative and thought-provoking contributions that propose solutions to problems, and delve into topics such as:

• Uncertainties our profession is facing in this turbulent political landscape
• The feeling of “walking on egg shells” during the tenure track process
• When your article was rejected for publication
• The personal things we share when we interact with students and faculty. 
• More broadly,  democracy and citizen engagement is being threatened
• The disappearance or alteration of resources, such as public data and historical materials
• The vulnerability involved in building communities with students, co-workers, and peers

**Submission Guidelines:**

Proposals should include:

- A 250-300 word abstract outlining the proposed presentation.

- A brief biography, as well as institutional affiliation and contact information for all applicants.

- The type of presentation being proposed. 

Presentation types accepted: individual presentations, panels, workshops, or interactive sessions.

We encourage submissions from information professionals representing a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. The LACUNY Institute is committed to providing a platform for meaningful discussions on issues central to the professional and academic growth of librarianship and information work.

As a presenter at the LACUNY Institute, you are especially encouraged to submit your written proceedings for publication in the Fall 2026 issue of Urban Library Journal.  You will receive an automated email confirmation upon submission of your proposal.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact the LACUNY Institute 2026 Chair, Mark Aaron Polger at markaaron.polger87@login.cuny.edu 

Kind regards, 

LACUNY Institute 2026 Planning Committee

https://lacuny2026.commons.gc.cuny.edu 

lacuny-institute@lacuny.org 

2026-2027 Call for Mentor Participation in CJCLS Mentoring Program

 

Hello Community College Librarians and Administrators, 

 

Do you consider yourself an experienced community college librarian or administrator? Would you like to share your knowledge and insight about the profession with a colleague working at a community college or a current MLIS/MSLS graduate student interested in community college librarianship?

 

The CJCLS Mentoring Program Committee is now accepting mentor applications for the 2026-2027 (October 2026 - June 2027) Mentoring Program. 

Mentors are not required to be CJCLS members, and the minimum requirement for participating in the program includes:

 

• Current employment at a community college library as a librarian or administrator with a minimum of 4 years of library experience. 
• If you no longer work at a community college library and want to serve as a mentor, the Committee is asking that you have a minimum of 7-10 years of community college experience. 

 

Applications will be accepted from February 16 to March 16, 2026. Be sure to have an updated copy of your CV or resume ready to upload before you begin your application. 

 

Each year, the CJCLS Mentoring Program Committee reflects on the program's success and identifies ways to improve it for future cohorts. Through feedback from mentors and mentees in past and present cohorts, the Committee will continue to offer mentor training to support the success of mentoring relationships. This year’s mentor cohort will receive guidance on the following:

 

• Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Mentorship
• Appreciative Inquiry Mentorship Framework
• • Including an Appreciative Inquiry SOAR Training scheduled for Apri 23,2026, with Dr. Kim Burns https://drkimburns.com/. For a more in-depth timeline, please see the ACRL/CJCLS Mentoring Program LibGuide. 

 

CJCLS Mentoring Program information Welcome - ACRL/CJCLS Mentoring Program Committee - LibGuides at ACRL 

 

Questions? Email co-chairs Sandy McCarthy (mccarthy@wccnet.edu) and Kathy Ladell (ladellkn@ucmail.uc.edu)

 

Call for Proposals: ENY/ACRL Annual Conference

On behalf of the ENY/ACRL Program Planning Committee I'm excited to let you know we're now accepting proposals for our annual conference!

The conference will be held on May 21, 2026 at the Capital District Library Council (CDLC) Headquarters in Latham, NY. This year's conference theme is "Tools and Techniques for Today: Shared Challenges, Practical Strategies."

Presentation formats are:

·      Poster Session

·      Lightning Round (5 minutes)

·      Breakout Session (35 minutes plus Q&A)

·      Short Session (15 minutes plus Q&A)

Visit this link to access Annual Conference Submission Form

The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, March 27, 2026.

You are invited to a free showing of the incisive documentary The Librarians, followed by a thought-provoking panel with Emily Drabinski of the QC School of Information Studies (and 2023-24 ALA president, and all around notable thinker in the library universe) and Jackson Gomes of Brooklyn Public Library and the Books Unbanned initiative. 

Thursday March 5

6:00-8:30 p.m. (come early for free pizza, before the show starts ~6:30!)

City College

Shepard Hall Rm. 291

If you can come, please RSVP!

The event is open to the public and co-sponsored by the Documentary Forum of CCNY,Third World Newsreel, and CCNY Libraries. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Haruko Yamauchi at HYamauchi@ccny.cuny.edu

Call for Proposals: SUNYLA 2026 Annual Conference

Currents of Change: Navigating Librarianship in a Rapidly Evolving World

Hosted by SUNY Brockport
Tuesday-Thursday, June 16-18, 2026

SUNYLA 2026 Submission Form

 

Deadline for presentation proposals: Friday, February 27, 2026

 

The Planning Committee for the State University of New York Librarians Association Annual Conference is accepting proposals for pre-conference workshops, panels, presentations, spotlights, and lightning talks. This is an in-person conference.

 

If proposing multiple sessions, submit a separate form for each one.

Please submit proposals here:  Call for Proposals

 

Presentation options:

Pre-conference workshop
Date: June 16, 2026
Length: 90 minutes
Workshops are active training sessions where participants have the opportunity for hands-on practice or time for critical thinking and application.

 

Presentation or panel
Dates: June 17-18, 2026
Length: 50 minutes

 

Spotlight
Dates: June 17-18, 2026
Length: 20 minutes
If you don’t think your topic needs a full 50 minutes but is longer than a lightning talk, then consider proposing a spotlight talk.

 

Lightning talk
Dates: June 17-18, 2026
Length: 10 minutes

 

Poster (Call for poster proposals will be sent in March)
Date: June 17, 2026

 

Thank you for your interest. You can expect to hear back from the committee 2-3 weeks after the submission deadline (Feb. 27). We hope to see you at SUNYLA 2026! 

Questions? Please contact Programming Subcommittee Co-Chairs Jocelyn Ireland and Mary Timmons.

*** Please excuse cross-posting ***

Call for Proposals - SUNYLA Midwinter Online Conference

Please submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/veXoJTdPaVqMVvpJ6

Technical Services in libraries has always faced a changing landscape, from classification schemes to MARC formats and the once “new worlds” of computing and automation. This moment feels momentous, from the much-heralded yet still formless “transformation” AI will bring, to new challenges and tools in the realm of accessibility. What feels like a precipice could be the starting point for new successes and new adventures – are we equipped with the tools and expertise we will need? 

 

In our own ways, each of us and our institutions have been surveying the road ahead and taking our first steps, or more, into these new worlds. Come share your ideas, your tools, and your experience with other technical services colleagues as we enter this new era together.

 

What innovative projects are you working on to meet the challenges of the future? Have you integrated AI into any of your technical services workflows?  How have you been remediating your digital environments in advance of the April Title II deadline? The SUNYLA Midwinter Online Conference planning committee is seeking proposals from presenters looking to share their creative solutions to meeting the challenges of the future in the realm of library technologies.

 

Some possible presentations could include:

 

Accessibility (Including Title II requirements)

AI tools

Primo NDE (Next Discovery Experience)

Project management

Collaborations 

Automation 

Working with APIs

Open source systems

 

And beyond! The possibilities (and challenges) are endless!

 

Come share your experiences with your supportive and non-judgmental library colleagues at the SUNYLA Midwinter Virtual Conference on Friday, February 6, 2026 (10:00 am - 3:30 pm EST).

 

Presentations should be 15-20 minutes in length, in a format that best suits your topic. All presentations will be recorded live and shared on the conference website after the event.

 

Technology requirements:  Computer, internet connection, microphone/speakers (headset recommended) or telephone, quiet space for presenting, webcam optional.

 

Accepting proposals until Friday, December 5, 2025.  You do not need to be a SUNYLA member in order to attend or present at this FREE conference.  Those who submit proposals should expect to hear back from us regarding their proposals by early January, if not sooner. 

Please submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/veXoJTdPaVqMVvpJ6 

 

Call for Applicants: ACRL/NY 2025 Symposium Scholarships

ACRL/NY is now accepting applications for scholarships to attend our 2025 Symposium

Extended deadline: Nov 16, 2025

Pleasure and Play: Finding Joy in LIS Work

The ACRL/NY 2025 Annual Symposium

“Pleasure activism asserts that we all need and deserve pleasure and that our social structures must reflect this. In this moment, we must prioritize the pleasure of those most impacted by oppression.

Pleasure activists seek to understand and learn from the politics and power dynamics inside of everything that makes us feel good.”
adrienne maree brown in Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good (2019)

“To be sure, players are thinkers; but they also are movers. This combination leads to acts of doing and making—not only of objects of many types but also of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Involvement in such activity produces more than intellectual discernment. It leads to excitement, fun, and, perhaps in its most sublime manifestations, joy.”
Henricks, T. S. (2020). Play Studies: A Brief History. American Journal of Play, 12(2), 114–155.

It seems like every day a new disaster begins as older ones fester. Through compounding environmental and social abandonment, structural racism and inequality, war and genocide, and disappearing higher education budgets, we are still asked to show up at work.

In light of everything that feels bad in the world, ACRL/NY’s 2025 symposium theme asks: what feels good in LIS? How do we find joy, or at least contentment, in our jobs? Let’s indulge together and learn from our library pleasures. Using Adrienne Maree Brown’s 2019 book Pleasure Activism and the practice of play as jumping off points, let's talk about how feeling good might make us more thoughtful, effective, values-driven, or justice-oriented LIS practitioners. We also welcome critiques of the idea of joy at work and the productive tensions between work under capitalism and finding joy in work.

Presented annually by the New York Metropolitan Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries, this year’s event will take place Friday, December 5, 2025, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM at Fordham University – Lincoln Center Campus

Scholarship awardees will receive:

• A waiver of registration fees for the ACRL/NY 2025 Annual Symposium
• A free 1-year membership to ACRL/NY (benefits include Mentoring Program, discussion group events, and professional development opportunities)
• A copy of the book, Pleasure ActivismThe Politics of Feeling Good by Adrienne Maree Brown  
• A $75 gift certificate for the Strand Book Store, to be redeemed online or in-person 

If you are interested, please note that ACRL/NY offers three scholarship programs.

Student Scholarship – For students currently enrolled in graduate degree programs in library/information science who are considering a career in academic librarianship (three awardees). To Apply: fill out this student scholarship form

Early Career Librarian Scholarship – For an academic librarian who has been practicing less than five years following receipt of a master’s degree in library/information science (one awardee). To Apply: fill out this early career librarian scholarship form

The Dr. Barbara Bonous-Smit Scholarship – For an academic librarian who has been in practice at least five years following receipt of a master’s degree in library/information science (one awardee). To Apply: fill out this Dr. Barbara Bonous-Smit scholarship form

Scholarship recipients are expected to produce a short article on their impressions of the Symposium for the ACRL/NY blog (guidelines to be provided).

Application submission deadline (extended): Sun, November 16, 2025 at Midnight

Scholarship recipients will be notified by Monday, November 23, 2025

Questions? Contact us at scholarships@acrlny.org

For further information about the symposium, check out our web site.

We look forward to your submission.

Call for Nominations: 2025 ACRL/NY Elections

Are you eager to seize a unique leadership and learning opportunity within a thriving community of academic and research librarians centered around the vibrant hub of New York City? If so, we invite you to consider volunteering for ACRL/NY!  

The Greater New York Metropolitan Area Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is actively seeking dedicated volunteers for appointment or nomination to fill specific positions for the upcoming year, 2026. Each of these roles comes with the distinction of being a member of our Executive Board. The selection process will be carried out through elections and appointments scheduled for November 2025, with the official commencement of roles slated for January 2026.

We are actively searching for passionate individuals who are interested in contributing to the following roles:

 Elected Positions

1. VP/President Elect

1. Recording Secretary

1. Treasurer Elect

1. Member at Large

1. Symposium Chair and/or Co-chair

1. Social Media Coordinator

Appointed Positions

For detailed information regarding these opportunities, we encourage you to delve into the position descriptions.   

Should any of these roles align with your aspirations and passions, we invite you to express your interest by filling out our volunteer form. The nomination period ends November 7, 2025 at 11:59 pm EST. 

We understand that you may possess unique talents and perspectives that don't neatly fit into the predefined roles we've outlined. If that's the case, we encourage you to reach out to us and share your interests. Opportunities within ACRL/NY may be more flexible and adaptable than you might initially imagine, and there are countless ways to engage with our community.

If you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to contact us at acrlnypresident@gmail.com. Your curiosity and enthusiasm are most welcome as we embark on this exciting journey of growth and collaboration.

Please join us for a panel presentation, Overcoming Obstacles, Celebrating Success 

Date: June 9, 2025

Time: 3-4 ET / 2-3 CT / 1-2 MT / 12-1 PT

Location: Zoom (link sent in advance of the session)

In the session, you’ll hear from a panel of librarians who will share their writing and publication expertise, oriented around the theme “Overcoming Obstacles, Celebrating Success.” This theme includes areas like time management, keeping organized, and publication and peer review. We’ll be joined by:

•  Danielle S. Apfelbaum, Scholarly Communication Librarian, Farmingdale State College
•  Ellie Dworak, Research Data Librarian, Boise State University
•  Amy Russo, Writing Center, San Jose State University
•  Alicia G. Vaandering, Head of Instruction, University of Rhode Island  

Please RSVP by Monday, June 2.

Space is limited, but if the session is full, we’ll have a waiting list.

We will send you an invitation and link to the session a few days before the event, but if you have any questions, please contact us at libwrtcoop@gmail.com.

We hope to see you there!

On behalf of the Library Writing Cooperative,

Amanda Izenstark, Holly Jackson, Anna Sandelli, Ann Agee

The Library Writing Cooperative

Helping library workers share their work since 2021!

For updates, follow us on Mastodon, Bluesky, or join our mailing list.