Every Book Its Reader: A Readers' Advisory Gathering
2026-09-18 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 SW 10th AVE, Topeka, KS, 66604, United States
Save the Date!

Topeka and Shawnee Public Library and Northeast Kansas Library System are pleased to announce we are offering a day long gathering focusing on readers’ advisory.

This gathering brings together library staff who are passionate about connecting adult readers with books. Through conversation, exploration, and shared experience, participants will deepen their readers’ advisory practice, discover new ideas and perspectives, and build relationships with others engaged in this work.

9:00 AM – Doors Open

9:30 AM – Welcome & Keynote with Lara Avery

10:00 AM – Readers’ Advisory First Session, Kansas City Library Staff

Break

11:10 AM – Browsing for You, TSCPL Staff

Noon – Box Lunch

1:00 PM – Table Talks – Small Group Genre Discussions

Break

2:00 PM – Panel Discussion

3:00 Pm Adjourn

Author and Kansas Book Festival Executive Director

There will be no cost to attend, lunch will be provided at no cost to attendees. There will be no recordings—this is an in-person event only. Registration will open on August 18th—check the KanLib-L and NEKLS-L listserves for updates. Questions? Contact Dan Alexander (dalexander@nekls.org).

2026 Directors Retreat
2026-09-24 09:00 - 15:00 | Flory Meeting Hall, Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper St, , KS 66046, Lawrence, Kansas, 66044, United States
Creating Spaces Where Communities Thrive

Join fellow library directors for a day of learning, conversation, and connection. Together we’ll explore how intentional design—through safety, stewardship, and shared experience—can help create library environments where staff, patrons, and communities thrive.

Public Library Directors, please join us for our 2026 retreat at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. We’ll be enjoying Barbwire Barbecue for lunch and we have two amazing presenters lined up (details below). This event is for public library directors or interim directors, and is in-person only—there will be no recordings. There will be no cost to attend. Please don’t miss the rare opportunity for public library leaders in Northeast Kansas to gather for learning, engagement, and fellowship. Questions? Contact Dan Alexander (dalexander@nekls.org).

Registration: https://forms.gle/e4DtzTe7vKAovChz9 (closes September 11th)

Schedule:

9:00 — Doors Open

9:30 — Welcome

10:00 — Tad Twidwell Part 1 – Policies & Procedures

10:50 — Break

11:05 — Tad Twidwell Part 2 – Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)

12:00 — Lunch

12:50 — FoKL

1:00 — Courtney Masterson: Native Lands Restoration Collaborative

1:50 — Break

2:00 — Facilitated Discussion

3:00 — Adjournment

Security Policies & Procedures, Presented by Tad TwidwellTogether, we’ll explore foundational security policy frameworks for public libraries, including incident reporting, emergency response, access control, visitor management, and staff training considerations.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Presented by Tad TwidwellWe’ll examine the core principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and their application in library environments, including sightlines, natural surveillance, territorial reinforcement, lighting, and reducing opportunities for concealment.

Tad Twidwell is a physical security expert, NICP instructor, and the creator of the specialized CPTED for Libraries curriculum. He brings a unique perspective to public safety, combining a decade in law enforcement with over 12 years in library leadership, including extensive security work for the Johnson County Library system.

As a certified Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) practitioner and Committee Chair for the US CPTED Association, Tad specializes in helping library directors balance robust safety infrastructure with the open, welcoming mission of public libraries. He helps leaders nationwide protect their facilities and staff through strategic design, natural surveillance, and proactive threat assessment.

Native Lands Restoration Collaborative Courtney will share the story of the Midco Parklet Project, an initiative that’s transforming a small vacant outdoor spaces into vibrant, native landscapes that support pollinators, learning, and community gathering. Using the project as a case study, she’ll explore how libraries can incorporate native species, cultivate community partnerships, pursue grant opportunities, and create outdoor spaces that reflect and serve their communities.

Courtney Masterson is an ecologist and educator passionate about helping people connect with native landscapes to inspire stewardship of the ecosystems that sustain our water, soil, communities, and wildlife.

She holds a master’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas and has taught ecology, biology, environmental science, and botany in colleges and community settings for more than a decade. Drawing on backgrounds in both science and photography, Courtney makes ecological concepts engaging and accessible for diverse audiences.

Older Adult Services - Panel Discussion
2026-11-12 14:00 - 15:00
Save the date for our upcoming webinar: Aging Well with the Library: Community-Centered Approaches to Older Adult Services with Amy DelPo, Denver Public Library and Rossanna McGinnis, Opelika Public Library.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify innovative programming ideas that support lifelong learning, wellness, and social connection for older adults (ideas that can be adapted for libraries of different sizes and communities).

• Describe current trends influencing older adult library services.

• Identify strategies for developing and sustaining partnerships that enhance services for older adults.
