2026 MLA|DLA Annual Conference

Learn about Maryland’s new Resource Sharing Software: Share It by Autographics. See a demo of the new resource sharing system that will replace the Relais software later in the year. Join the MILO team to discuss how Resource Sharing in Maryland will look in the future and how we can contribute to making interlibrary loan as accessible as possible for both customers and staff.

Budget shortfalls and staff departures sometimes necessitate a change in services in libraries. At our organization, voluntary resignation, early retirement options, and a hiring freeze left the library with a significant and unexpected staffing shortage in mid-May. Learn how our library evaluated, designed, communicated, and implemented a new user service model in three months in preparation for the Fall 2025 semester. Using evidence-based decision making and a participatory process, we were able to get staff buy in and successfully pivot on a short timeline. Learn how we used strategic thinking to make informed decisions about how to do less with less.

The Black Living History Museum showcases the accomplishments of notable national and local Black Americans across the arts, sciences, politics, entertainment, and sports. Make history come to life through dynamic first-person biographical presentations that illuminate overlooked contributions, foster understanding, and inspire audiences (Wicomico Public Library’s latest event drew an audience of over 200). Discover how you can engage patrons, community members, and co-workers through collaboration in this low-cost, high-impact program that honors Black trailblazers and draws connections between historical achievements and contemporary experiences.

Join BCMLA for a panel discussion moderated by Melanie Townsend Diggs, PG County Library System, that explores how libraries can continue to provide inclusive and responsive services to all demographics during challenging times. Panelists will share strategies for navigating budget constraints, adapting services, and maintaining equitable access while meeting the evolving needs of their communities. This discussion will offer practical insights and real-world examples to support library staff facing financial, operational, or service-related challenges.

Libraries give patrons a sense of safety, refuge, and peace that is difficult to find in many communities. Nowhere is this more true than in psychiatric hospitals, where libraries can be a beacon of stability in the mental turmoil that comes with psychiatric hospitalization.

Tyson & Joe will share stories from their institutional shelves to guide participants through strategies for making their physical spaces more welcoming and highlight opportunities to make personal growth more accessible to patrons. The result is a more inclusive community for all patrons regardless of neurotype or mental health status.

Public library staff are on the front lines of serving patrons experiencing homelessness, yet many feel underprepared to respond with confidence, empathy, and equity. This session provides a practical framework grounded in ALA policy, trauma-informed service, and advocacy strategies to support unhoused patrons while maintaining professional boundaries. Participants will explore barriers faced by unhoused community members, practice tools for reducing conflict and stigma, and discover resources to strengthen both individual service and institutional culture. Attendees will leave equipped to serve unhoused patrons with greater skill, compassion, and effectiveness - inside the library and beyond its walls.