Southeastern NY, Library Resources Council, offers ongoing professional development opportunities. These come in the form of in-person classes, workshops, lectures, and webinars. These classes help to enrich our members’ professional experience and can be used to fulfill some requirements needed to maintain public librarian certificates.
Are you looking for information about a past event? Click here for an archive of recent Southeastern events.
Are you looking for similar events? Click here for a calendar of all Empire State Library Network events.
Southeastern welcomes people of all abilities to programs. If ASL interpreter services, captioning or audio description are needed, contact Carolyn Bennett Glauda – carolyn@senylrc.org or leave a message in the notes field to request those services when you register. Please register as soon as you know you will be attending. Requesting accommodations as early as possible is critical. Requests made at least one week in advance will help to ensure availability.
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Registration is now open!
Date: Friday, April 10, 2026*
Time: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Cost: $20 for all attendees (includes snacks and lunch)
Livestream registration is free.
*inclement weather date: Friday, April 17, 2026
SENYCon is an annual conference to highlight the unique talents and skills that library professionals in the Southeastern region hold. This event is made possible because of the dedication and participation of our members.
Please see our LibGuide for a full program of events, as well as the archives of previous years.
This year’s program at a glance – note that times are subject to change:
9:15 am – 9:35 am: Second Chance High School Update, Richard Morbeth, Finkelstein Memorial Library, Laura Wolven, Finkelstein Memorial Library
9:35 am – 9:55 am: “What do you think about AI?”: Artificial Intelligence, Info Lit Instruction, and the Community College, Rich Kovarovic, Dutchess Community College
9:55 am – 10:15 am: Disco Fever: How to plan and execute a big event at your library, Amanda Primiano, Mike Maggin, Sara Mallory, Monroe Free Library
10:15 am – 10:25 am BREAK
10:25 am – 10:40 am: Using Popsicle Sticks to Encourage and Gather Real-Time Student Feedback, Sharon Skopp, SUNY Orange Community College
10:40 am – 10:55 am: Using Your Zine Library to Engage Your Community, Isaac Murphy, Kevin O’Leary, Elting Memorial Library
10:55 am – 11:10 am: Course Reserves, a Change of Course: Insights & Issues, Emma Zwickel, SUNY New Paltz
11:10 am – 11:30 am: All Things Bookmobiley, Beth Vredenburgh, Kristin Charles-Scaringi, Joe Lenehan, Danielle Smith, Poughkeepsie Public Library District
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Lunch & PPLD Bookmobile tours
12:30 pm – 12:50 pm: For Future Reference: Running a Paid High School Internship, Megan Stover, Carida Ridoré, Katie Karkheck, Valley Cottage Library
12:50 pm – 1:00 pm: Solving a Digital Preservation Mystery: Using AI as a Troubleshooting Partner, Palash Bosgang, Bard College
1:00 pm – 1:15 pm: Circle Time Goes Emo, Brian Sullivan, Newburgh Free Library
1:15 pm – 1:25 pm: BREAK
1:25 pm – 1:45 pm: Vibe Coding: Using AI to Jazz Up your LibGuides, Erin Tolman, USMA Library
1:45 pm – 2:05 pm: Processing Collapse: Public Art about Extinction for Libraries, Ripley Butterfield and Michael Asbill, Processing Collapse
Digital Accessibility for Everyone: An Overview of Accessibility Tools
April 16 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
REGISTER HERE
Learn how to make your library’s digital resources accessible and user-friendly for all audiences! Join Shawn Lemieux, Associate Librarian/Director of the Talking Book and Braille Library, in this third webinar of ESLN’s ADA Title II Compliance for Libraries series and learn about commonly utilized accessibility tools. This webinar will include an overview on both digital tools and handheld tools, from low cost options to high end devices.
For the majority of the session, we’ll explore digital tools that are accessible for a broad range of library types, including:
– Native accessibility features in Microsoft
– NVDA
– Fusion
– Smartphone accessibility features, such as iPhone and Android
– Screen readers and screen enlargers
Presenter: Shawn Lemieux, Director of the New York State Library’s Talking Book and Braille Library, has worked for libraries that serve people who have visual, physical or reading disabilities for 25 years. She enjoys providing reference assistance to patrons and connecting them with reading materials they’ll find entertaining and resourceful. She also works with libraries to incorporate accessibility software on their public computers. She’s a valuable resource for libraries and advocates for universal access.
Free to Southeastern & ESLN Members. This event will be held on Zoom Webinar; registration is required. This event will be recorded, but you must register to receive the recording.
All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for 1 hour of CE credit.
Live transcription will be available. We are committed to offering inclusive, diverse, and equitable services to all of our members. To request specific accommodations, please contact ESLN at least five business days ahead of this program.
RRLC Registration & Program Attendance Policies
This event is sponsored by the Empire State Library Network.
If you have any questions, please contact Tina at cbroomfield@rrlc.org.
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Time: 1pm-2pm
Facilitators: John Ansley, Director, Archives & Special Collections, Marist University
Topic: Balancing researcher needs with limited staff time.
The Archives Special Interest Group meets to talk about the art and craft of working with archival materials. Individuals from libraries, archives, cultural heritage institutions, and other places with historic documents are welcome to join the conversation.
Reference Special Interest Group
Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Facilitator: Maggie Leung, Dominican University
Location: Online via Zoom
The Reference Special Interest Group is open to library workers who provide reference services or want to learn more about it. The group is not limited by library type and comprises academic, special, public, school, and hospital library staff. You do not need to be a degree-holding librarian to attend. The facilitator will bring an agenda, and attendees are welcome to share their thoughts, ideas, experiences, and questions.
This month’s topic is: Working with neurodiverse patrons & colleagues
We will also follow up on the conversation from the January SIG:
https://libguides.senylrc.org/SIGs/20260113Reference
Leadership and Management Skills SIG
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Facilitator: Laura Wolven, Finkelstein Memorial Library
Location: Southeastern NY Library Resources Council
Topic: Leadership and Trauma Recovery
In a new iteration of this group, we will talk about working in post-traumatic situations. Whether a traumatic situation was experienced by the collected staff or individually, on the job, or after hours, we can learn ways to adapt our management style to lead. At a time of turmoil and threats to libraries, leadership can feel lonelier than ever. This meeting is an opportunity to share collective experiences and brainstorm about solutions.
This group is for library workers of all library types who handle administrative tasks and are becoming leaders in the field. If you aspire to or are currently working as, a: director, assistant director, manager, program manager, trustee, or serve in a leadership role within a professional organization, this meeting is for you! Topics we will cover in this meeting may include:
- Supervising other staff, volunteers, and/or interns
- Introducing and running programs and services at the library
- Onboarding new employees
- Getting professional development for management skills
- Doing advocacy work on behalf of the library
- Creating and maintaining a budget
- Work/life balance in the light of growing work responsibilities
- Networking with other library workers who may become future colleagues
- Staying committed to social justice issues
- Working within union structures
- Influencing the culture of the library from within
- Deciding when and if to apply for different positions
The nature of the conversation will be based on the interests of the people who attend and may change from meeting to meeting. You can view the notes from previous meetings here.
Date: Wednesday, May 6
Time: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Online Via Zoom
Trainer: Jen Palmentiero, Southeastern NY Library Resources Council
Registration for this event is open exclusively to Southeastern members. Not sure if you are a member? Please contact Jen to confirm.
Love Your Data: An interactive co-working instructional series to help organizations practice digital preservation and sustainability!
Do you have digital photos, videos, or files stored on your computer, hard drive, or in the cloud? Let’s talk about how to care for valuable digital assets in this instructional co-working series, where we will explore and explain step-by-step tools and good practices to help you organize, care for, and preserve your digital files for the long term.
Session 1: Know your Data
Let’s work together to identify our digital landscape: file types, sizes, and storage locations. This is the first step in preserving our data and will form the foundation for next steps!
Book Repair Workshop
NOTE: As of 3/19/2026: This event is filled to capacity with a deep wait list. We are no longer accepting registrations.
If you registered and cannot attend, please email carolyn@senylrc.org today to cancel your slot so we can give it to the next person.
We will try to hold a similar workshop again in the future.
Save Your Collection—Don’t Replace, Repair! Basic Book Repair for Libraries with Marianne Hanley
Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Location: Southeastern NY Library Resources Council
Note: Space for this workshop is limited to direct and affiliate members. We can accept only one registration per organization. This event is now sold out, and we are collecting names for a wait list. We encourage you to register for the wait list if you think you can attend.
Stop throwing money away on replacements! Binding quality varies wildly, and with constant circulation, even your best books take a beating. The good news? Most damage is completely fixable—and you’ll learn how in this hands-on workshop.
Transform damaged books into circulation-ready materials while saving your budget for new acquisitions where it really counts.
In This Dynamic Workshop, You’ll Master:
✓ Essential repair tools and supplies every library needs
✓ Quick fixes for the most common types of book damage
✓ Professional techniques to reinforce hinges and prevent cover separation
✓ The art of tipping in loose pages so they stay put
✓ Complete spine replacement from start to finish
✓ Proven cleaning methods that tackle even the toughest stains
Why Attend? With repeated checkouts and daily handling, your popular titles are probably falling apart faster than your budget can replace them. These practical skills will help you keep beloved books in circulation, extend the life of your entire collection, and demonstrate excellent stewardship of library resources.
Walk away with confidence, techniques you can use immediately, and the satisfaction of giving your books a second life! Perfect for circulation staff, technical services teams, and anyone passionate about collection care.
Presenter Bio:
Marianne Hanley is the Preservation Librarian for Syracuse University Libraries, where she leads comprehensive preservation efforts that protect and extend the life of invaluable research collections. In her role, she defines preservation needs, establishes strategic goals, implements targeted programs, and manages budget allocations to ensure the long-term care of library materials.
As Principal Investigator for the NYS Conservation/Preservation Grant Program, Marianne administers annual state funding dedicated to promoting proper care and accessibility of research materials across New York. Through this program, she champions the adoption of best practices, guidelines, and technical standards in conservation and preservation work.
Marianne co-manages Syracuse University Libraries’ disaster response plan for collections and co-coordinates recovery efforts when emergencies strike—ensuring that irreplaceable materials are protected even in the most challenging circumstances.
A passionate educator, Marianne finds great fulfillment in teaching workshops on book repair and disaster preparedness, sharing her expertise with library professionals eager to strengthen their own preservation skills.
Education:
Master of Library and Information Science, Syracuse University
Bachelor of Arts, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
2026 Annual Meeting
Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
Time: 9:30 am – 1:00 pm
Location: The Cornell Boathouse at Marist University
Cost: In-person registration: $35 (Free livestream also available)
Topic: Storytelling for effective, emotive, and connected communication
The meeting program includes a membership meeting, an update on yearly activities, a catered breakfast, and a keynote delivered by Ana Stern of The Moth. The event will conclude with a presentation from Ann Sandri of Marist University.
This keynote from The Moth will outline the main framework of Moth-style storytelling. This engaging and interactive experience will allow attendees to see themselves as advocates for their libraries and introduce practical storytelling principles to support more effective, emotive and connected communication to constituents, stakeholders, and more.
Ann Sandri will present on the research conducted for the Marist University Archives collection and on a book co-written by Elizabeth Clarke, The Poughkeepsie Regatta 1891-1950. The book chronicles the establishment of the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, its Regatta, and its connection to the local community. An annual tradition held on the Hudson River where major university crews vied for supremacy, including the University of Washington’s “Boys in the Boat.” Crowds of spectators numbered in the thousands with over a 100,000 attending at its height in the1930s. Local businesses and organizations were involved in preparing for the event and treated Regatta Day as if it were a national holiday. The presentation will feature images of the races, crews, spectators, local establishments that served as crew quarters, and more. The importance of their research and subsequent book was that it is the first of it’s kind to take an in-depth look at the history of this sporting event’s over 50-year tenure on the Hudson River.
Ana Stern Bio:
Ana is born and raised New Yorker and has lived in 4 of 5 boroughs! She has a bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a Masters in Public Administration from New York University. For almost 20 years she has worked with programs within the US and internationally that advocate for and with young people. She strongly believes that their voices, opinions, and stories need to be amplified for the world. The current chapter of Ana’s story features reading with one of her three purring cats on her lap, watching the Knicks, and hanging out with her fiancé and two-year-old daughter.