Filling a Notebook with Ideas at PLA 2026

I’m so grateful to have been selected to receive a scholarship to attend PLA this year. This was my first national conference, and it was incredible to meet and learn from public librarians from all around the country. It was especially meaningful to attend the conference in my home state of Minnesota and to feel like a sort of host for out-of-state visitors.

I started the conference with an empty notebook, and by Friday afternoon I had filled it not only with free stickers from the exhibition hall, but also with pages of ideas and inspiration.

The first session that made me think, “I need to bring this back to my library!” was Beyond Drag Queen Storytime, presented by Jayne Walters from Anne Arundel County Public Library. Walters discussed the importance of celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride year-round, not only during June. She shared a list of holidays and observances throughout the year that librarians can use to highlight queer stories, history, and experiences through displays and programming.

One of my favorite unexpected parts of being in this profession has been making librarian friends. I’ve been lucky to work with Rose Oyamot, Children’s Specialist at Saint Paul Public Library, through the Minnesota Library Association and other library activities. That’s why I was excited to attend her PLA session, How to Play ‘Ukulele for Library Programs (No Experience Required). Rose taught attendees three simple chords that can be used to play along with many storytime songs, while also sharing the history of the ukulele, pronounced “oo-koo-le-le,” and its Hawaiian origins. She even brought extra instruments so participants could practice during the session. It was incredibly fun, and learning ukulele for storytime has officially become one of my goals for this year.

One of the most inspiring sessions I attended was Gateway to Reading: Boosting Literacy with Resource Kits and Workshops, presented by Laura Polak, Kristen Sorth, and Nicole Clawson of St. Louis County Library, along with Meredith Murray from Booksource. The presenters discussed a collaborative initiative called Gateway to Reading, which combines decodable books with literacy resources and workshops for families. During the workshops, families could play literacy games and learn how to use the kits effectively at home.

This session especially resonated with me because I recently purchased a set of decodable books for my library and have been planning to expand that collection. In addition to supporting early literacy in general, a dyslexia expert who evaluated our library emphasized how valuable decodable books can be for readers with dyslexia of all ages. The idea of creating literacy kits feels like a natural next step for our library, and I’m excited to continue exploring the possibility.

There was so much more that happened at PLA that I wish I could fit into one post, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend. I’m already applying what I learned in Minneapolis and continuing to build connections with the people I met there. Thank you to PLA for making this experience possible!