2026 Poster Session Schedule

Tuesday, October 6, 2026
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Increasing Reader Participation in Reading Challenges

Angela Brown, Adult Services Manager - Delaware County Libraries

Cheri Crow, Youth Services Manager - Delaware County LIbraries

Our goal for 2026 was to increase reader participation in reading challenges county wide by 10%.  Libraries were encouraged to help increase participation in various activities through the first 6 months of 2026.  So far, we have achieved 10% growth in reader participation in 50 % of the county libraries.

The Pennsylvania Newspaper Project: 40 Years of History and More to Preserve

Bethann Rea, Interim Co-Head of Preservation, Conservation and Digitization, Penn State University Libraries

This poster presentation is designed to provide attendees with an overview of the history of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Project, which started in the 1980s. Additionally, the presenter will highlight current projects, resources, and areas of growth for newspaper preservation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Serving Patrons in Corrections: the Role of Libraries for Incarcerated Individuals

Michele Haytko, Corrections Library, SCI-Phoenix

This poster will describe the importance of library services to the incarcerated, as well as some of the challenges faced.

What Retail Taught Me about Displays

Erica Sabinske, Reference Assistant, Tredyffrin Township Library

Spark interest in new ideas! Using displays, libraries can increase circulation, introduce patrons to new genres of books, and create an inclusive space. By mixing fiction, mystery, non-fiction and reference books, along with audio/visual resources, patrons can get a complete view of what your library has to offer.

Bag It, Tag It, Circulate It: Practical Prep for a Library of Things

Gretchen Ipock, Adult Services Librarian, Haverford Township Free Library, Havertown, PA 19083

A Library of Things is an engaging public library collection, but it takes thoughtful behind-the-scenes work to get one up and running. Beyond cataloging, you will need strategies for processing, organizing, and storing it to make circulation straightforward and smooth.

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Jennifer Koch, Director, North Wales Area Library

Erin Thompson, Asst. Director, North Wales Area Library

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Library Social Worker

Kristen Janci, Library Director, B.F. Jones Memorial Library/Aliquippa District Library Center

Michael Moore, Library Social Worker, B.F. Jones Memorial Library/Aliquippa District Library Center

Social workers in public libraries bring our mission to life by connecting individuals to vital resources, removing barriers, and supporting community well-being. This program is transforming our member libraries into trusted, responsive spaces where learning, stability, and opportunity intersect, strengthening the overall impact and relevance of library services.

Packaging Interlibrary Loan Shipments: Tips and Tricks

Melisa Gallo, InterLibrary Loan and Collections Assistant, The University of Scranton - Weinberg Memorial Library

Shipping books and other materials is an important and necessary aspect within the world of Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Choosing the appropriate shipping materials and packing the precious cargo efficiently and effectively can ensure that your shipments arrive at their next destination intact and with all pieces accounted for!

The Community Seed Connection: Growing a Community with Seeds

Nancy Niggel, Director - Chester Springs Library

Our seed library is called Community Seed Connection. This valuable resource provides unexpected opportunities and benefits. COVID tried to stop it on opening day, but it survived. Every year it manages to succeed no matter what obstacles are in its way. Offering seeds, bringing people together, teaching, and growing community.

Health Literacy as a Tool for Health Equity through the Community Library

Rana Sakr, MD, MPH(c)

Health literacy, crucial for making informed health decisions, is more predictive of health outcomes than income or employment. Libraries, as accessible community institutions, are well-suited to serve as health education centers. The “Live Better” initiative, a grassroots, library-centered program, was piloted from September 2021 to April 2025 at the Kennett Library. It collaborated with over 30 agencies to provide health education tools and services, targeting the Chester County Library System’s diverse population, including women, preschoolers, seniors, and underserved Latin American and immigrant groups at risk for low literacy. The mission was to offer free, trusted public health information on mental health, women’s health, and chronic disease prevention, tailored to local needs. The program involved cross-sector collaboration, led by a Director of Health Literacy, and included monthly educational talks, preventive programs, and educational displays. Success was reported at various levels, but challenges included mostly qualitative data, budget and staffing constraints, limited public transportation, and lack of formal health literacy integration in strategic planning. Phase 2 aims to expand the program to all 18 Chester County libraries, advocating for library-centered health literacy funding and formalizing library-based health training. Recommendations include recognizing libraries as health literate organizations and integrating public health professionals.

Examining the History of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania through a Technical Report Archive Lens

Sara Kern, Engineering Librarian, Pennsylvania State University

Eyal Ben-Yehuda, Physical Sciences Librarian, Pennsylvania State University

This poster introduces attendees to the Technical Reports Archive and Image Library (TRAIL) and highlights free resources relevant to the history of science and technology in Pennsylvania, including mining and nuclear energy. Participants will get ideas about how they might showcase TRAIL resources at their own libraries

Tuesday, October 6, 2026
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Reindeer and dogs and kiwis, oh my! Building the ultimate destress experience

Amanda Boyer, Student Success Librarian, Blough-Weis Library, Susquehanna University

Leaning on cross-campus collaboration, I have expanded the traditional finals destress event into an all-day extravaganza. It has something for everyone, maximizes budget usage, and establishes the library as a pillar for student wellness and success. Learn how to create an annual tradition, which most of your students will attend!

From Internship to Instructional Resource: Supporting Graduate Researchers through Choosing a Methodology

Nate Castimore, Higher Ed Policy & Student Affairs Graduate Student, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Amy Pajewski, Associate Professor & Student Success Librarian, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

A graduate intern and librarian mentor partnered to create a Research Methodologies LibGuide that helps graduate students understand common methodological approaches and align their research questions, methods, and ethical considerations. This poster highlights the guide, the mentoring process, and the value of student-centered learning object development.

Expanding the Board Game Collection: Play-Tests and Team Building

Emily Minakowski, Collections Assistant, Wolfgram Memorial Library/Widener University

Developing board game collections is a great way to help students and other patrons alike, to socialize and engage in leisure activities outside of schoolwork. As more games are purchased, play-testing them with the library staff and faculty not only helps the librarians have a better understanding of the collection, but it also promotes team building across various departments of the library. Many board games require teamwork and cooperation, which are great exercises in an institution where those qualities are vital to the success of not only the staff and faculty, but the students as well.

Picturing Health: One Librarian's Guide to Graphic Medicine

Jeff Wagner, Collection Development & Digital Resource Management Librarian, Harrell Health Sciences Library, Penn State University - College of Medicine

Graphic Medicine - the intersection and discourse of healthcare and comics is a somewhat new medium for understanding complex medical realities and narratives that should be on the shelves of all libraries. This poster will provide a historical understanding of the medium, as well as help librarians of all types in understanding the value of the medium and promote these materials in their library. Helpful resource lists and a starter bibliography will also be provided.

Librarian Deference to Disciplinary Faculty: How Librarian Teacher Identity and Group Membership Affect Deference

Kate Cummings, Research and Instruction Librarian, The University of Scranton

This study explores how librarian and teacher identities shape deference behavior toward disciplinary faculty. Strong teacher identity and group membership predict lower deference. But is deference good or bad? Findings highlight how identity and group membership influence collaboration dynamics between librarians and disciplinary faculty.

Game on in the Library: Engaging Campus Communities through Creative Contests

Mary Ellen G. Heckman, Dean of Library Services and Learning Resources, Reading Area Community College

Valerie Schaeffer, Public Services Reference Librarian, Reading Area Community College

We are a small Hispanic-serving community college in an urban location with many first-generation students. The library staff wanted to increase engagement, so they created games and contests to promote library resources, build community, reduce library anxiety, showcase student creativity, and strengthen the library’s presence on campus.

Moving the Makerspace: Expanding and Enhancing a Successful Library Service

Matthew Wayman, Head Librarian, Penn State Berks

Annamarie Given, Technology and Makerspace Coordinator, Penn State Berks

Penn State Berks' Thun Library Makerspace launched in August 2024 with 3D printers, button makers, and a Cricut machine. High demand led to a proposal in December 2025 for expansion. Approved this spring, the Makerspace is presently relocating to a larger space. This session covers the relocation process.

Gaming Pedagogy & Information Literacy

Mikhail Chin, Cataloging/Systems Librarian & Assistant Professor, Lincoln University

A brief presentation on my research and work with gaming pedagogy as an effective means of teaching, community building and bridging the engagement gap that is growing with the upcoming generation of students.

Understanding the Information Needs and Behaviors of Military Veterans and Service Members

Paul McMonigle, Engineering Instruction Librarian, The Pennsylvania State University

This IMLS-grant sponsored project is intended to learn more about how veterans and service members find and use information. This study’s findings will help librarians across the county better understand what these populations are looking for and the strategies that they are using to find that information.

Empowering Researchers Through Scholarly Communication, Education and Outreach

Robyn Reed, Biomedical Informatics and Emerging Technologies Librarian, Penn State College of Medicine

Nancy Adams, Scholarly Communication and Education Librarian, Penn State College of Medicine

This poster session will share academic librarian initiatives focused on easing researchers’ workloads to meet funding compliance mandates, as well as providing education on public and open access publishing.  It will be of interest to librarians who currently, or would like to, engage in scholarly communication work.

Information Literacy for Social Media and AI

Sheli Pratt-McHugh, Research & Instruction Librarian, University of Scranton Weinberg Memorial Library

This will be similar to my session from 2025 that discussed information literacy and TikTok videos and how I teach students to evaluate information they encounter in their real lives. I will now address how I have incorporated discussions on Artificial Intelligence to my instruction sessions. As it gets harder and harder to differentiate AI and deep fakes from reality, I will share strategies for evaluation, searching, and discussion that I do with students at the University as well as for a special event at my local public library.

Rohrbach Library's Stress Relief Activities

Sylvia Pham, Outreach Librarian, Rohrbach Library, Kutztown University

Each academic semester Rohrbach Library does 4-6 different activities to help students cope with end of semester stress. This poster presentation will describe each one and how we do it. Most of the activities can be modified to work in all types of libraries.