Connections, Ideas, and a Little Hope: Reflections from PLA 2026
I had the distinct honor of attending PLA 2026 in Minneapolis thanks to a PLA scholarship. As an eastern North Dakota native, Minneapolis is a familiar destination, but spending several days surrounded by thousands of energized library professionals made the city feel vibrant and new, despite the wind, cold, snow, and more wind.
The connections, reunions, and conversations I experienced throughout the conference reminded me why gatherings like PLA matter. Alongside reconnecting with colleagues and making new professional connections, I left with fresh ideas, practical tools, and renewed optimism about the future of libraries.
Several sessions stood out to me, both because of their content and because of the presenters who brought those ideas to life.
One of the first sessions I attended was “Becoming One Library: How to Build Better Internal Communications,” presented by Mary Kapusta of Calgary Public Library. Kapusta was engaging, funny, honest, and refreshingly candid about both the successes and challenges of implementing a completely redesigned internal communications strategy across 23 library branches.
What impressed me most was how scalable the ideas felt. Calgary Public Library serves nearly 1,000 employees, while my library employs roughly 30 staff members, yet many of the concepts felt immediately applicable. Kapusta also provided attendees with a beautifully designed worksheet that helped identify communication strengths and opportunities within our own organizations. I left the session with practical ideas and a renewed appreciation for intentional communication practices.
Two additional sessions brought me back to a state that once played a significant role in my life: Oklahoma.
In another chapter, I attended Oklahoma City University to pursue a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching with the goal of teaching musical theatre at the collegiate level. Then COVID happened, plans changed, and I found my way into libraries, where I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
The first Oklahoma-based session I attended was “Unleash Your Genius: Building Inclusive and Impactful Employee Development,” presented by Kelly Sitzman, Alisa Green, and Lisa Wells of Pioneer Library System. The presenters introduced attendees to the Six Types of Working Genius framework and demonstrated how they used it to strengthen employee development and organizational culture.
While I was intrigued by the tool itself and plan to explore the assessment and accompanying book further, what resonated most was the presenters’ emphasis on organizational buy-in. They shared practical examples of how they introduced the framework, built support, and integrated it into employee development initiatives. Once again, the examples came from a large library system, but the strategies felt adaptable regardless of organizational size. Their presentation materials were excellent, and I have already begun discussing the concept with my own team.
The final session that left a lasting impression was “Advocacy Strategies for Getting Things Done,” presented by Amanda Kordeliski, Tim Miller, Gail Oehler, and Lisa Wells.
As the incoming President of the North Dakota Library Association, I attended with particular interest. North Dakota’s next legislative session will likely bring renewed challenges around censorship legislation, making advocacy an increasingly important responsibility for library leaders throughout the state.
The panel offered practical advice for building relationships with legislators, communicating effectively with decision-makers, and finding common ground. One of my favorite takeaways came from Tim Miller, who suggested reframing conversations away from individual titles and toward broader principles:
“I’m not here to defend titles. I’m here to defend your right to read them and anything else you may want to see in your library.”
That perspective, along with many other stories and strategies shared during the session, left me feeling more prepared and, perhaps more importantly, more hopeful about the work ahead.
Beyond the sessions themselves, PLA 2026 provided opportunities to reconnect with friends and colleagues from leadership programs, including the ARSL 2024-2025 Leadership Institute and the 2025 MPLA Leadership Institute. Conferences often serve as incubators for new ideas, but they also remind us that we are part of a larger professional community.
Whether through inspiring sessions, conversations with vendors, unexpected reunions, or even live music in the exhibit hall, PLA 2026 offered countless reminders of the creativity, resilience, and passion that define our profession.
I am deeply grateful to the PLA scholarship program for making this experience possible, and I am alread
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