| I had the pleasure of attending the 2026 Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL) conference in Montgomery, Alabama from September 16 – September 19. This is my favorite conference of the year because it is all about rural and small libraries (as the title suggests) and our particular challenges and triumphs. Every library represented there has a service area of no more than 25,000, so the ideas and solutions are all scalable and easy to implement in a library of our size.
Over the days of the conference, I attended a number of helpful sessions. Whenever I attend conferences, I always look for sessions on low-budget programming. ARSL didn’t disappoint; it never does. I attended two sessions on programming and took away some great ideas that I can try at my library. One of the ideas is for a chalk art competition, and another idea is for a worm composting bin. I also attended two sessions on leadership and the workplace. One of those sessions focused on making the library the friendliest possible place for those who walk in the door, and the other session’s aim was to provide the best culture for those who work at the library. I attended a session on crafting with whatever is leftover in your craft closet, which provided a new way to look at supplies. Finally, I went to a presentation about one library’s massive Library of Things and gained a couple of new ideas for our own Library of Things. Best of all, I got to connect with some of my colleagues from across the country who I only see at this conference once a year. I also talked to some new people and made new connections, which is always valuable. I can’t wait to implement some of these ideas, and I can’t wait for the next ARSL conference. |
