9:00 am - 5:00 pm
The OWL Project in Alaska
Shane Southwick, Sue Sherif and Matthew Shiffler
Many of you have already been on the receiving end of some of the benefits of the Alaska OWL project. In this session we will update all participating libraries on the current status of the project and where each library fits into the project schedule.

We will provide a some basic computer troubleshooting training as well as having the University of Alaska Videoconferencing Services provide some additional training about the videoconferencing equipment the project is installing in many libraries throughout the state

There will also be a question and answer period to give anybody with questions about the OWL project an opportunity to ask.

9:00 - 10:30 am
EBSCOhost 101: Search for Relevant Articles Fast with EBSCOhost
Lisa Dennis
Join us for this session and learn how EBSCOhost can quickly get users to the articles and resources they need for that all important research paper. We'll navigate the basic search page and discuss search strategies and limiters that can help users find relevant articles. We'll discuss ways to answer those reference questions about publication searching and discuss the folder functionality. Finally, we'll tour the EBSCO Support site to find additional training and marketing resources to help you every step of the way!

9:00 am -12:30 pm
Open the Door: Steps for Convening Civic Dialogues in Your Library
Kara Dillard, Bill Hall and June Pinnell-Stephens
All of our communities are facing divisive, if not corrosive, issues; the library offers the natural - perhaps the only - space to talk about these problems in a civil discussion. At a time when some communities are closing branches and cutting hours, convening dialogues in the library offers an opportunity to remind everyone that we're more than just shelves of books. Successful dialogues depend on a wide range of activities, from framing the complex issues covered in the discussion to unlocking the door. While those involved with outreach services and programming may want to pursue training in facilitating discussions and developing topics, all staff members, plus trustees and friends, can benefit from learning the basic steps of convening a civic dialogue.

10:45 - 12:15 am
EBSCOhost 201:Beyond Basic Searching: Getting the Most from EBSCOhost
Lisa Dennis
In this session, we will discuss advanced search strategies, such as the use of field codes, subject heading and other database specific features of the EBSCOhost interface. Learn more about personal folders, search and journal alerts and how they can help users save time. We'll also point out new features recently implemented and talk about enhancements in the works. Finally, we'll review the EBSCO Support site and discuss support, training and marketing resources available to you 24/7. This workshop will assume basic knowledge of the EBSCOhost interface.

12 noon - 1:30 pm
Buffet Lunch (pre-paid meal ticket required)

1:30 - 5:00 pm
Winning your Next Budget Battle: Building a Position of Strength for Your Library
Merris Sumrall
Are you facing a tough budget battle with your mayor or looking ahead at a daunting funding measure that must be approved by voters in a few years? Whether you need to persuade voters, politicians or community leaders about the importance of your library, simple tools and techniques can convey your library's value and set you up for success well in advance. Even small libraries can create communications plans that are doable and effective. Getting started early, before you are in the thick of a campaign or budget battle, can really make or break your success. Merris will show an array of innovative, and tried and true, tools and techniques that have helped Multnomah County Library succeed in Portland, Oregon. Group discussions will focus on communications and advocacy strategies that can be used in the most challenging of environments. Whether your budget is large or small, you will leave the workshop with ideas that can be scaled to your community, your budget and staff resources.

1:30 - 5:00 pm
Top 25 Websites and E-Books and Web 2.0 in Action - BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology)
Ericka Drain, Ann Morgester, Nichole Roohi and Robin Turk
Join us for a ride through the AASL 2011 Top 25 web sites and books and what's happening with e-books in libraries, and our best Web 2.0 tools. The panel will provide both quick reviews, and in depth applications for website design, collaboration, and student projects.

1:30 - 5:00 pm
What Do I Count? Collecting Qualitative Statistics for Reference Assessment
Bella Karr Gerlich and panel
Libraries have been tracking reference transactions for a very long time. Recently, this practice has received renewed attention as numbers of transactions decline. Librarians are now questioning how reference can be more efficiently tracked, and how the statistics gathered can provide more meaningful assessment.

The Academic Roundtable has assembled a panel of librarians to discuss assessment activities in their libraries. Featured panelist is UAF Library Dean, Bella Gerlich, who has written extensively on the READ Scale for collecting qualitative statistics on reference services. Additional panelists will be librarians from the UA campuses and two large public libraries. Please join us for this practical pre-conference. All who engage in reference activities are welcome to attend.

5:30 - 7:00 pm
Opening Reception Honoring Exhibitors

7:00 - 9:00 pm
New Members Conference Orientation and Conference Coach & Rookie Social
New Members Roundtable
Are you a new AkLA member? Is this your first (or nearly your first) AkLA conference? The New Members Roundtable invites all "coaches" and "rookies" -- that is, experienced AkLA conference-goers and newer attendees -- to join us for a conference orientation and social event. If you are a new member, you will have the chance to learn about AkLA and how to successfully navigate the conference; please be sure to mark your registration with "I would like a conference coach." If you are a "seasoned" conference-goer, please mark your registration with "I am willing to be a conference coach", and then come meet our newest members and share any tips that will help them get the most out of their conference experience!

7:15 - 8:15 am
College Credit for Conference Attendance Orientation
Trina Carter
Earn one Continuing Education college credit for attending the 2012 AkLA Conference! The one-credit college course, LS A590, "Issues and Trends in Librarianship: AkLA Conference 2012 / Alaska's Libraries: Heart of the Community," will be offered through the University of Alaska Anchorage. LS A590 satisfies the Alaska Department of Education requirements for recency credits for certification renewal. Coursework requires students to document and summarize AkLA Conference sessions attended, as well as write a 3-5 page paper. Sign up and pay for the course when you register for the conference. Look for more information on the AkLA Conference website, or contact LS A590 instructor Trina Carter, MLS, Associate Professor and Reference/Instruction Librarian, UAA/APU Consortium Library at trina@uaa.alaska.edu or 907-786-1846.

8:30 am
Conference Opening
Guest: Luke Hopkins, Mayor, Fairbanks-North Star Borough

8:30 - 10:00 am
Keynote Program: The Anythink Libraries
Pam Sandlian-Smith
For over fifty years, Adams County was home to the worst-funding library district in Colorado. After voters approved a funding increase for the district in 2006, the board and leadership recognized that they had a unique opportunity to rebuild the library system from the ground up and create a new brand that was relevant, represented the future and would help inspire innovation. The turnaround of this library system has exceeded all goals, and Anythink now represents a library focused on ideas while promoting positive library perceptions and experiences.

10:30 - 11:30 am
Deciding If and What Open Source is Right for You
Peter Murray, LYRASIS
Is open source software right for my library? Do we have the skills and support to run open source? Would it be cheaper or more expensive for me to use open source? What open source software package fits my requirements? With the financial support of the Mellon Foundation, LYRASIS supports a suite of self-guided assessments along with a registry of software that libraries can use to find information about open source software service providers, events, and usage by peers. With these tools, libraries can find answers to their questions about open source software. Attendees will see demonstrations of the registry features and learn how these features can answer a library's questions about what software is available. Attendees will also learn about the different self-guided assessments and how they can be applied to a library's unique environment.

10:30 - 11:30 am
Patents - Help Your Users Locate Information
Judie Triplehorn
Come to this session to learn how you can assist your patrons in their quest for information on patents. This session will cover the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office website as well as the services of the Alaska Patent and Trademark Depository Library at the Keith B. Mather Library in Fairbanks. Clues for patent searching, brochures, books and websites will be included. Every community needs this information for their entrepreneurs to help start new local industries. Your library can play a role in bringing new business ideas to your community.

10:30 - 11:30 am
What is an ANLAMS? What Does it Mean for Alaska Libraries, Museums, and Archives?
Sue Sherif and panel
The Alaska Native Libraries, Archives, and Museums Summit was held in April 2011 at the University of Alaska Anchorage Consortium Library. An IMLS-funded grant project, it brought together staff and experts from the libraries, archives, and museums fields, as well specialists in oral history and language revitalization for the first time in Alaska. A collaboration among a number of agencies, its work is not done. Come hear how it has progressed in building a strategic plan for training in our fields.

10:30 - 11:30 am
President's Program:Building Library Clout in a Tough Climate
Merris Sumrall
In today's climate, libraries are being forced to cut hours, reduce staff and eliminate important community services. The long-term funding picture is challenging as library levies, referenda and bond measures fail now more than ever before. Whether you are facing a tough election or a difficult budget battle in the coming years, learn simple ways to strengthen your library's position with politicians and influential community leaders. Merris will show a range of pieces and talk about how they made a difference for Multnomah County Library. From communications tools that catch the attention of broad audiences to strategies that persuade politicians, she will describe a variety of ways to demonstrate your library's value and rally community support in this difficult environment.

10:30 - 11:30 am
Video Conferencing Best Practices
Matthew Shiffler and Donna Rohwer
What do you know really about interactive videoconferencing?When should your microphone be muted? Is it every appropriate to eat or drink at a video conference? How should you ask a question? These are all questions you've probably never asked yourself, but they are just as important as shaking someone's hand when you meet them. Even what you wear to a video conference is important. This session will teach you all the basics of how to facilitate an effective videoconferencing session.

10:30 am - 12 noon
Search Like a Pro 2012
Nancy Warren
Search engines are constantly changing. Your favorite search engines are adding innovative features and developing new content collections. Even as professionals, we can learn to use search engines more effectively and efficiently. Understanding how these search engines work and learning advanced search techniques can help you take full advantage of their capabilities, so you can reach the information you need more quickly. This session will cover: recent changes to the major search engines, search syntax currently supported and advanced search techniques, how search engines affects users' research skills and what we can do to help users, and a discussion of the new search engines to watch.

10:30 am - 12 noon
SLED Advisory Group
Suzan Hahn and Lisa Smith
Annual face-to-face meeting for SLED Advisory Group members.

11:45 am - 12:45 pm
PNLA Q & A
Sara Saxton
Organized in 1909, the Pacific Northwest Library Association is the oldest library association in the region and serves as a fantastic resource for librarians in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, and Washington. Stop by and learn a little more about the association, touch base with fellow PNLA members, and discover opportunities to get involved when the PNLA conference comes to Anchorage this summer.

11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Cataloging Roundtable
Caroline Hassler, Chair
Annual meeting of the Roundtable to discuss group activities, training needs and opportunities, and all things cataloging. The purpose of the Roundtable is support quality cataloging in Alaska, provide input into AkLA programs for cataloging education, encourage comaraderie and information exchange among catalogers, and to promote knowledge and awareness of the importance of cataloging as a foundation of librarianship.

11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Intellectual Freedom Committee Meeting
June Pinnell-Stephens
Share problems, discuss solutions, and propose programs.

11:45 am - 12:45 pm
President's Program: Marketing That Makes a Difference
Merris Sumrall
We live in a world that is blanketed by marketing messages, including appeals for time, money, and mindshare. For many public libraries, the need to grow awareness and loyalty, and be heard over the din of advertising and marketing messages, is intensifying as annual operating budgets are cut. Libraries have been successful in this tough climate at building the kind of awareness that has increased circulation. But support for libraries has not grown at the same pace. Learn strategies for communicating about the library's important work and value. Merris will show concrete examples of marketing and program-related pieces that have helped to make community support for Multnomah County Library strong.

1:00 - 2:00 pm
State of the State Luncheon (pre-paid meal ticket required)

2:00 - 3:30 pm
AkLA General Membership Meeting and Awards

4:00 - 5:00 pm
Choose Your Own Database - BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology)
Robin Turk
School librarians can have hands-on time reviewing a number of online databases and then vote to help choose the next Statewide database for schools. The new selection(s) will be part of the statewide Digital Pipeline, and available for all Alaskans. Stop by and have your vote counted! Bring your own laptop. (Public librarians may be interested because you provide services to home school patrons!)

4:00 - 5:00 pm
Mango Languages: Simple as Un, Tree, Drei
Freya Anderson
Show your library users how they can learn to count, and converse, in French (1. un), Dutch (2. tree), German (3. drei), or any of about thirty other languages, plus English as a second language. Or, use the system to add a language yourself. Join us to learn more about our newest statewide resource, including how to sign up for an account, how to use the system, and how to troubleshoot some common issues.

4:00 - 5:30 pm
Everyone is Creative
Pam Sandlian Smith
Creative people are original, curious, open-minded, risk-takers, connectors, and productive. Explore creating experiences that support creativity in your staff and your community through a hands-on workshop. Puzzle it, play it, roll it, fall for it, create it, delight in it. Interact, be a kid-- play! That's what experience zones are all about. They provide moments of discovery and surprise and create lifelong memories for our library customers.

4:00 - 5:30 pm
Beyond Focus Groups 101
Colleen Cook
This training session will explore the reasons to choose focus groups as a data gathering device in consideration of various research questions. Practical training advice in conducting focus groups will be provided. A simulated focus group will be conducted for a brainstorming exploratory research question.

4:00 - 5:30 pm
Summer Reading Program 2012
Sue Sherif and panel
DREAM BIG--READ is the theme of the 2012 statewide summer reading program. Come join other youth services librarians to explore how to tailor the theme to your community. Special Alaska-style activities will be featured, and we'll look at how to incorporate the themes for teens and adults in a summer program for your library whether it is big or small.

4:00 - 5:30 pm
ListenAlaska Partners Meeting
Nina Malyshev
Annual face-to-face meeting of the ListenAlaska partner libraries to discuss policy and operational issues.

4:00 - 5:30 pm
Let NoveList Find Your Next Book to Read
Lisa Dennis and Georgine Olson
Join the Adult Readers Roundtable to hear about NoveList as a Readers Advisory tool - both for staff and library users. As part of your effort to provide the best reading recommendation experience possible for your patrons, NoveList has taken the work out of searching for your next great read by finding it for you! You'll find recommendations for popular titles right on the homepage, giving users suggestions for books they will enjoy while waiting on their turn with a bestseller. And, if they have a favorite title, author, or series in mind, NoveList can help there, too! This informative session to show you how to tap into all the resources NoveList provides so join us and learn how to tackle those tough questions your patrons throw at you!

5:30 - 7:00 pm
Pasta Bar Dinner (pre-paid meal ticket required)
Carol Diebel, Director of the UA Museum of the North will give a welcome and brief talk.

7:30 - 9:30 pm
Dessert Reception at the University of Alaska Museum of the North (pre-paid registration required)

University of Alaska Museum of the North
Exhibit highlights include a 2,000-year spectrum of Alaska art, from ancient ivory carvings to contemporary paintings and sculpture, in the Rose Berry Alaska Art Gallery; the state's largest public display of gold and Blue Babe, a 36,000-year-old mummified steppe bison, in the Gallery of Alaska; and an ever-changing sound and light installation in The Place Where You Go to Listen.

Museum Store
Find the perfect gift at the UA Museum of the North Store offering quality Alaska Native art and a huge selection of Made In Alaska crafts.

7:15 - 7:45am
AkASL Travel Grantees Meeting
Robin Turk

7:15 - 8:15 am
Academic Roundtable Business Meeting
Daria Carle and Jane Fuerstenau, Co-Chairs
Discussion of items related to Academic Roundtable business.

7:15 - 8:15 am
Special Libraries Roundtable Meeting
Teressa Williams, Chair
Annual meeting of the Special Libraries Roundtable.

8:00 - 9:30 am
AkASL Executive Board Meeting
Robin Turk, President
Members of AkASL Executive Board will conduct the annual conference Face-to-Face board meeting.

8:30 - 9:30 am
National Broadband Policy: What it Means for Your Library
Bob Bocher
Bob Bocher, a fellow in ALA's Office for Information Technology Policy where he consults primarily on broadband issues, the federal e-rate program and related issues like net neutrality, will provide an overview of the nation's first National Broadband Plan. It set a goal that community anchor institutions --including libraries, schools, higher education-- have affordable access to at least 1Gbps connectivity. But 42 percent of public libraries have less than 2Mbps connections and even with the Alaska OWL Project most libraries will have only 1.5 Mbps. Bocher will explore the broadband landscape and how a number of organizations are working together to address the broadband needs of libraries, schools and higher education. How will this plan affect your library? Attend this session to hear about the issues.

8:30 - 9:30 am
Civic Engagement Roundtable Meeting
June Pinnell-Stephens
Help this new round table develop a plan for our libraries to participate in the growing movement of civic engagement - where citizens come together to discuss the issues they face, and libraries, building on their roles as centers of their communities, provide the venue. We hope to work with our partners at the Alaska Center for Public Life to provide training for librarians who want to learn more about convening, facilitating and framing these discussions.

8:30 - 9:30 am
Statewide Databases Coordinating Committee
Steve Rollins, Chair
Annual Meeting of the Statewide Databases Coordinating Committee. Agenda includes review of the budget and usage statistics for the Digital Pipeline Program.

8:30 - 9:30 am
Library Marketing Toolkit 101
Patience Frederiksen
In this age of anytime anywhere information, how does a brick and mortar library lure people past the doors? How can we make busy patrons thirsty for the programs and services we provide? This session will cover marketing methods for library staff who need help making the library a go-to location for their users.

8:30 - 9:30 am
The Choice is Yours: Bringing the Young Reader's Choice Award to Life in Your Library
Sara Saxton
Did you know that the Pacific Northwest is home to the oldest Young Reader's Choice Award in the nation? Did you know that your young readers are eligible to vote? Come get acquainted, or re-acquainted, with the Pacific Northwest Library Association and the Young Reader's Choice Award (YRCA). Pick up tips and tricks for promoting the books, voting for the winners, and using YRCA to create lasting connections with young people in your community.

8:30 - 9:30 am
How to Set Up an Oral History Program at Your Library
Robyn Russell
Like libraries, oral histories are the very heart of communities, the shared memories that bind people together. In this session, we will talk about considerations in setting up a local oral history program. Topics covered: what oral history is, why libraries make the best archives, pros and cons of going it alone vs. partnering with a larger organization, how to collect oral histories, group vs. individual interviews, equipment considerations, setting up a small sound studio, and creating different products from oral histories.

10:00 - 11:00 am
The Most Useful Comparison to Make is Your Library Against Itself Over Time
Colleen Cook
This presentation will explore the power of using LibQual+ trend data as a management device. LibQual+ data has been used by many libraries internationally over the past decade to make management decisions. Trend data will be used to show how change can be tracked over time for targeted strategic priorities.

10:00 - 11:30 am
Talk Tables
Aja Razumny and State Library Coordinators
Informal, free-flowing discussions simultaneously at 6-10 tables invite questions and exchange of ideas on different topics, such as Building Projects, School library issues, ERate Technology Plans, Summer Reading Programs, OWL, ListenAlaska, MLIS programs, Library Boards, etc.

10:00 - 11:30 am
AkASL General Membership Meeting
Robin Turk, President
Join the Alaska Association of School Librarians General Membership meeting to welcome new officers and board members, discover our 2012 School Library Award winners, and be a part of what's to come for the new year! Your involvement will point AkASL in the direction needed to support school librarians in Alaska reach their best potential. See you there!

10:00 - 11:30 am
Internet Privacy: What Do I Know About You?
Nancy Warren
In my current position, I often research people who are opposing parties or are possible candidates for executive positions of a business client. Even though bound by legal and ethical constraints, I can often produce a substantial profile of a person based on information available online. While some of the resources I use are subscription resources, many of the resources are freely available online to anyone. This session will cover: what personal information is available online and how to find it, how much of that information is free and available to anyone, what types of information require using paid or subscription resources, and what information isn't available.

10:00 - 11:30 am
Secrets of the Stressed Out Brain
Heather Higgins
This presentation will explore new research on the brain and how that research has dramatically improved our understanding of stress and how it impacts our thinking and behavior.

10:00 - 11:30 am
The Ted Stevens Papers Project: A Study in Documenting Contemporary Government and Politics
Mary Anne Hamblen and Elsie Eckman
The Ted Stevens Papers Collection documenting 40 years in the Senate reveals much about the legislative process, the relationship Stevens had with constitutents, and the behind the scenes workings of a United States senator's office. The first half of the session offers a collection overview, progress reports and discoveries. A collection of the scale and scope of the Stevens Papers presents uniquie challenges, from protecting the privacy of constitutent casework, preserving materials in multiformats, and managing thousands of photographs. The second half of the session discusses the many components that must come together for a successful project outcome.

10:00 - 11:30 am
ListenAlaska: Highlights and Best Practices
Nina Malyshev, Coordinator
Come and discover ListenAlaska's latest system features, applications and services along with new collection and user trends with our OverDrive representative and trainer. Session is intended for ListenAlaska partner libraries.

10:00 - 11:30 am
Steampunk: A Rapid Romp Thru the Genre
Georgine Olson
Literary worlds of Steampunk seem to be exploding. Varied and vivid visions of worlds that grew out of popular images of Victorian inventiveness ("science") and the Victorian willingness to believe that legendary creatures (vampires, werewolves) co-exist with humans are everywhere! What started out as Science Fiction has clanked or floated into Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, and... Steampunk shows up in "regular" fiction and graphic novels. It has been embraced by readers of all ages and interests. Join me for a quick introduction to the genre's history, to what's popular today, and to what libraries might expect in the future. Parasols and/or spats are optional.

12 noon - 1:30 pm
Authors to AlaskaLuncheon (pre-paid meal ticket required)
Featured Speaker: Sneed Collard
"Bucking Out - Exploring New Frontiers in Children's Literature"
Sneed B. Collard III, winner of the 2006 Washington Post-- Children's Book Guild Award for Nonfiction, shares an entertaining journey through his life and adventures as an author. He gives the inside scoop on some of his most popular books and describes the changing face of children's publishing. He will highlight new titles from his new publishing venture, Bucking Horse Books, and discuss other exciting trends in children's publishing.

1:30 - 2:30 pm
Author Signings

2:30 - 3:30 pm
Net Neutrality
Bob Bocher
Librarians have heard about the concept of Net Neutrality in Internet service, but most of us don't really understand it. As a profession dedicated to the open exchange of information, maintaining an "open" (i.e., neutral) Internet is essential. Bocher is a leading consultant in this area and serves as a Fellow of the American Library Association's Office for Information Technology Policy.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
Battle of the Books Title Selection Workshop
Erika Drain and Shelly Logsdon
Work with the Battle of the Books grade level chairs and librarians from around the state to select the final titles to make it on the 2012-2013 Battle of the Books Title List.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
Alaska Native Language Archives
Gary Holton and panel of users and staff of Alaska Native Language Archives
This panel discussion will highlight the teaching and resource materials available from the Alaska Native Language Archives. The discussion will include the history and mission of the Alaska Native Language Center, as well as issues of access, collection development, and importance of the materials held by the center.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
Succession Planning: Cultivating Tomorrow's Leaders Today
Nina Malyshev
Many libraries are not doing enough to identify and cultivate a new generation of library leaders to replace those who are retiring. Succession planning even in its simplest form offers libraries a way of anticipating and actively responding to the loss of library management expertise and talent. In this session, participants will discover how to analyze leadership and management staffing needs and identify options for developing high potential employees, customize a succession planning and management process for your library, and evaluate various leadership development methods such as training, developmental assignments, mentoring and coaching.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
Puppet Power!
Miriam Dunbar and Nicole Eiseman
Puppets are great attention-grabbers for young children and students with disabilities. They can be used in many ways: to introduce a book, dramatize a story, motivate students to think about characters, and even teach library etiquette. Come share your puppet in the library techniques, and learn new ideas for using these wonderful tools.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
What do You Want to Know About E-Books? Come and Ask
Ann Morgester, Jodee Kuden and panel
Ever wonder how to start or once you have started, what do you do next about e-books? Come to this session and learn from other colleagues. This panel will have librarians from each type of library (public, academic and school) who manage and use e-books in their libraries. They will give an overview of their e-book situation. This may cover sources (vendor or publisher) for e-books, costs, access, packages or select titles, management, lease or own, and other relevant details. After the short presentations by the panel members, we will open the floor for discussion and Q&A about e-books.This program will go beyond Listen Alaska resources.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
Alaska in Motion
Angela Schmidt and Dirk Tordoff
Dirk Tordoff and Angela Schmidt of the Alaska Film Archives at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will present archival film and video clips showcasing the wide variety of motion picture materials and resources available within the film archives. They will share information about searching the database and gaining access to clips for viewing, study, or use in various projects. Since 1993, the Alaska Film Archives has housed the largest collection of archival films in and about Alaska, with particular strength for the pre-statehood era. The collection combines hundreds of individual donations made to UAF with items collected earlier by the Alaska State Library. The Alaska Film Archives, a unit of the Alaska and Polar Regions Department, is located in the Rasmuson Library at UAF.

2:30 - 4:00 pm
Jack's Brain, Jill's Brain
Heather Higgins
Did you ever know deep down that your girls and your boys learned differently? Frustrated with political correctness and wanting to teach each group in the most effective way possible? This workshop introduces participants to the rapidly emerging research on how the brains of females and males are developmentally, structurally and functionally different. Based on these differences, participants will learn academic approaches customized to the distinctly different learning styles of girls and boys. In addition, this session will acquaint participants with the practical application of gender research to behavioral and emotional interventions with a focus on helping both sexes avoid high risk activities such as drug use, alcohol abuse and sexual activity. In addition, participants will receive tools to help children and adolescents overcome adversity, depression, anxiety and stress. Taking this seminar will also equip you to effectively utilize new scientific research on happiness and how to nurture the childhood roots of adult happiness in the children and youth you serve.

4:30 - 5:30 pm
Alaska Library Network General Membership Meeting
Nina Malyshev
Come and hear the about the current activities and future projects of your Alaska Library Network. Members and non-members are cordially invited!

4:30 - 5:30 pm
The Mystery Thriller: Understanding and Writing Our Favorite Genre
Sneed Collard
Mysteries help young people satisfy one of their most basic instincts: curiosity. However, leading a young reader along at a heart-palpitating pace-- while not spilling the beans-- requires a delicate touch and good understanding of craft. Learn what makes a mystery a mystery, and get started choosing-- or writing --suspenseful, satisfying thrillers that will delight readers of all ages.

4:30 - 6:00 pm
The Future Ready Imperative
Cindy Romaine and Ken Wheaton
Cindy Romaine will outline how we can become more Future Ready in order to give ourselves and our organizations a competitive edge by adopting an attitude of being adaptable, flexible, and confident in utilizing the skills of the information and knowledge professional. Being ready for the future enables us to be more connected, relevant and valuable.

4:30 - 6:00 pm
Alaska Native Issues Roundtable Annual Meeting
James Simard, Chair
The floor will be open for discussion on topics of interest to roundtable members. Efforts toward language revitalization will be discussed. All are welcome.

4:30 - 6:00 pm
Library Lightning Talks
Karen Jensen, Coordinator
Library Potluck! Come hear your colleagues expound on their favorite library-related subjects, from handling difficult patrons to intellectual freedom, from youth services to Swedish literature. We guarantee it will be fast-paced and exciting, featuring diverse topics, each presented in under 7 minutes. No one will be bored during this session of the latest and greatest info from Alaskan librarians!

4:30 - 6:00 pm
Manage Your Library, Not Your Technology: OCLC Web Scale Management Services
Cynthia Busse, OCLC
Come find out more about how OCLC Web Scale Management Services are offering member libraries one unified solution to help streamline routine tasks -- like acquisitions and circulation. By moving these functions to the Web, libraries are able to share infrastructure costs and resources, as well as collaborate in ways that free them from the restrictions of local hardware and software.

4:30 - 6:00 pm
Alaska's Digital Archives, Inside and Out
Paul Adasiak
Whether you use Alaska's Digital Archives only for yourself, help patrons find its materials, or have to teach ADA to your fellow library professionals, we'll cover everything you need to know -- from beginners' skills (keyword searching, viewing images or film clips, and understanding item records) to tools for the advanced user (truncation and proximity searching, leveraging controlled vocabulary, and navigating "compound objects"). The software that manages ADA has been upgraded recently, so this will be a good chance to learn about our new features.

4:30 - 6:00 pm
Conducting Marketing Research That is User Centered and User Sensitive
Julie Niederhauser and Shari Kitchin
Tight budgets and increased calls for accountability require librarians to evaluate and ensure library services and resources successfully match users' needs and expectations. This session will introduce participants to Brian Mathew's user sensitive marketing approach, which starts with and ends with the user. Hands-on activities will help participants define their library users, and their users' need states. Participants will be introduced to the concept of building a library product inventory and assembly product lines. The last part of the session will introduce participants to various marketing research and include hands-on focus group activities.

6:30 - 8:30 pm
Conference Dinner (pre-paid meal ticket required)
Featured Speaker: Ishmael Hope
Ishmael Hope is a storyteller from Juneau, Alaska who shares stories from his Inupiaq and Tlingit heritages. He also is a writer, actor, and an enthusiastic learner and educator of Alaska Native art and culture. The 2011-2012 Alaska Spirit of Reading program features the comic "Strong Man". Writer Ishmael Hope and illustrator Dimi Macheras have combined their talents to create this unique presentation of a traditional Alaska Native story. A contemporary plotline is interwoven with the ancient narrative, chronicling a young man's high school struggles and triumphs in comic book form. Strong Man promotes traditional cultural values as a foundation for youth achievement.

7:00-8:00 am
Alaska Library Network Board of Directors Meeting
Nina Malyshev
Annual face-to-face meeting for the Board of Directors of the Alaska Library Network.

8:00 - 9:30 am
Conference Breakfast with Program (pre-paid meal ticket required)
Featured Speaker: Jason Shiga. Illustrator and Cartoonist
"The Role of Comics in Reading and Education"
Jason Shiga might best be known for his most recently published books, Fleep, Bookhunter, Meanwhile and Empire State, most of which are narratively straightforward graphic novels, but the vast majority of his work are self-published comics.

9:45 - 10:45 am
Web Scale Discovery Services: The Promise, The Hype, and The Reality
Mike Robinson
In Summer 2011 the UAA/APU Consortium Library implemented Summon, a discovery service from Serial Solutions with the goal of providing a single, easy-to-use interface to search the majority of the library's e-resources and local collections. This session will cover what discovery services are,why we selected Summon, the work involved in implementation, and how it has been received by users and library staff.

9:45 - 10:45 am
Empowering Voices: Communities Speak Out for Libraries
Molly Raphael, President of the American Library Association
Join American Library Association President Molly Raphael to learn about ALA's new advocacy initiative, Empowering Voices: Communities Speak Out for Libraries. Learn how to build on current advocacy efforts and focus on empowering community members from all types of libraries to raise their voices in support of libraries. You will emerge from this session with an understanding of: the power of story, when library users tell about the transformational power of libraries; strategies for listening to and engaging your community; and ideas for empowering a strong network of advocates.

9:45 - 11:15 am
Insights on Becoming Future Ready
Cindy Romaine
Over the course of 2011, SLA crowdsourced how library and information professionals are preparing for the future, that is how we are becoming more adaptable, flexible, and resilient in the new knowledge economy. In this presentation, you'll learn about solutions, strategies, attitudes and tactics to help you become Future Ready.

9:45 - 11:15 am
Collection Development Roundtable
Karen Jensen
Come help reinvigorate the Collection Development Roundtable. This meeting will take another look at the purpose of this Roundtable, establish membership, vote for officers, and determine a meeting schedule. Information about AkLA roundtables. Come be the future of this roundtable!

9:45 - 11:15 am
Appily Ever After: Picture Book Apps
Ann Dixon
What's up with children's book apps? Take a tour of developments in iPad and smart phone storytelling for children. Consider such questions as: When does an e-book become an app? When does a story app become a movie or a game? What makes an app "just right"? Will apps be the medium -- or simply another medium -- of the future? Finally, help invent a new word for whatever it is we are doing when we (read, interact with, enjoy, explore) an app!

9:45 - 11:15 am
Meeting Mental Health Reference Needs in Alaska
Julie Niederhauser and Sigrid Brudie
Rural Alaskan librarians are uniquely suited to benefit from mental health literacy training as they preside over the sole source of freely available information in many communities. Rural librarians hold a public and influential position in the community that may be used in numerous ways to support and advocate community improvement. Rural libraries have already proven useful in the dissemination of consumer health information. The first part of this session will introduce participants to the concept of mental health literacy; and why it is an important determinant of help-seeking behavior. The second part of the session will introduce participants to the best mental health electronic resources freely available, and to many useful Alaska mental health resources.

9:45 - 11:15 am
How to Make an Interactive Book Program for Small Groups
Jason Shiga
Learn the fundamentals of comics and interactive storytelling with award-winning cartoonist Jason Shiga. Jason Shiga ahas been making interactive comics for over a decade, including Meanwhile..., Knock Knock and The Last Supper. Interactive comics provide unique challenges and opportunities available in no other medium. Jason will give a brief talk about some of the designs he's made over his career and afterwards guide attendees through the process of making an interactive comic from start to finish. You will need to bring a pair of scissors to this session.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
E-rate Applications for OWL Bandwidth Libraries
Valerie Oliver
If your library is receiving bandwidth support under the OWL project, you are applying for Universal Service/E-rate Funds to help pay for the cost of your Internet. This session will discuss the E-rate application timeline and answer questions you have about your responsibility in the E-rate process. You will be able to answer questions and meet the Alaska State Library E-rate staff. If you have uncertainty about this part of the OWL Project, then this is the session for you!

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Authors to Alaska Roundtable
Charlotte Glover, Chair

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
E-book Legalese
Jodee Kuden
This session will cover the general information about license agreements, definitions common for e-books, and other areas like Interlibrary Loan, digital rights management, and whatever else might change between now and then. There will be time for questions during the session.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
IT Interest Group Discussion
Walker Wheeler
The purpose of this session is to facilitate an open free form discussion for large and small libraries about public work station management. The topics will include, but are not limited to: time management software, workstation integrity software (preventing permanent changes), deployment, and usage policies. All those who work with public workstations used by patrons are encouraged to attend and share their experiences and methods. If you don't work with public stations, but are interested in the topic, you, too, are encouraged to come learn what is being done at different libraries.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Alaska Internet Circle of Safety
Jacque E. Peterson
Training program for public and school library staff members to give them the tools to teach parents about the benefits and risks of Internet use by their children.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Public Library Roundtable Annual Meeting
Joyce McCombs, Chair
All public librarians are invited to come and share their local library news and get updates from around the State. It's a great time to re-connect with your colleauges around the state, share ideas and look to the future.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
New Members Roundtable Meeting
Coral Sheldon-Hess
AkLA's New Members Roundtable (NMRT) invites all new librarians, new Alaskans, and new AkLA members to our first ever Annual Conference meeting. We will hold our first officer election and make plans for the upcoming year, as well as beginning to plan for the Roundtable's future direction. Membership in NMRT is open to anyone who has been a member of AkLA for fewer than seven years.

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Early Learning, Imagination Library, & Best Beginnings
Barbara Brown
More than 14,000 Alaska children are now receiving a free book in the mail, thanks to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and Best Beginnings. And brand new this month: Alaska baby board books produced with an accompanying early learning DVD. Find out how your library can help launch an Imagination Library or support one that exists, as well as how you can acquire these free baby board books. Best Beginnings early childhood partnerships are in ten communities, and Early Learning Activity Guides have been published in English, Spanish, and Yup'ik. (Free copies available for adding to your collections.) Best Beginnings also promotes library storytimes on its Web site (www.BestBeginningsAlaska.org) as well as activities for Imagination Library titles. How else can we mutually support early childhood learning?

12:45 - 2:15 pm
EndNote Luncheon:(pre-paid meal ticket required)
Featured Speaker: Molly Raphael, President of the American Library Association "Libraries: Essential for Learning, Essential for Life"
Libraries of all types must change rapidly in order to survive. As a result of the current economic conditions, we are witnessing even greater threats to our futures than we have ever experienced before. How can we position our libraries not just to survive but to thrive as we serve our diverse communities? What difficult choices will we have to make in the next few years to ensure that our value remains high for those we serve? Where and how can we find opportunities to move our libraries to a place where they are seen as both essential for learning and for life in the communities we serve?

2:30 - 3:15 pm
AkLA E-Council Meeting
Linda Wynne, President of the Alaska Library Association

2:30 - 4:30 pm
Governor's Advisory Council on Libraries Meeting
Patience Frederiksen
At this business meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council on Libraries, members will continue their work on revising the Library Services and Technology Act Alaska State Plan 2012 - 2017.