The Saskatchewan Libraries Conference is an annual event that provides the premier professional development opportunity for anyone working in library and information services in Saskatchewan.

Mark your calendars! The 2025 Saskatchewan Libraries Conference will take place May 8-9, 2025 at the TCU Place in Saskatoon, SK.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Grow with Your Library” which acknowledges the many ways libraries encourage a “growth mindset” by promoting personal development as learners, leaders, and community builders.

The SLA Conference Program Committee invites presenter submissions in the below broad areas:

• Highlighting the role libraries play in providing equitable access to programs and services;
• Fostering opportunity for users to exchange ideas;
• Building relationships and connections in communities;
• Supporting information literacy in the classroom and community;
• Encouraging lifelong learning in our communities and workplaces.

Download the 2025 Conference Schedule

Early bird Registration opens February 1! Please visit this page to register online.

2025 Conference Live Schedule

THURSDAY, MAY 8

7:30 – 8:30AM

Breakfast

8:15 – 8:45AM

Exhibitor Lightning Rounds – Gallery B

9:00 – 10:30AM

Conference Opening & Keynote Speaker – Gallery B

10:30 – 11:00AM

Nutrition Break

11:00 – 11:50AM

• Braving Your Boundaries: A Framework for Self Protection; Ashley Breland – Gallery A
• “Growing into Controversy: The Failure and Salvation of Intellectual Freedom in Post-Neutrality Libraries”; Yuri Forbes-Petrovich – Gallery B
• Art Starts at the Library: Bringing Professional Arts Programming to Rural Communities; Morgan Kelly & Amber Andersen – Gallery C

12:00 – 12:20AM

• The Path to Civic Engagement: How Libraries Can Help to Create Active Citizens; Sharmila Biswas-Mistry – Gallery A
• Disable is a Verb: Using the Social Model of Disability to Improve Library Service; John (Jock) Buckmaster – Gallery B
• Trauma-Informed Workplace Practices; Alanna Carlson – Gallery C

12:30 – 1:30PM

Lunch

1:30 – 2:20PM

• Artificial Intelligence in Libraries: Game-Changer or Gimmick? Ann Liang – Gallery A
• Safe and Welcoming at Regina Public Library; Taylor Soderberg, Amber Christensen, Brian Klenk, Janna Ferris and Rachael Kaseke – Gallery B
• Public Libraries: Valuable Partners in Growing Age-Friendly Communities in Saskatchewan; Wendy Thienes – Gallery C

2:30 – 2:50PM

• Graphic Novel Collections Crash Course! Jessica Dinan – Gallery A
• Adapt or Die: Revitalization of the Saskatchewan Electronic Resources Partnership; Regan Gunningham – Gallery B
• Forgotten Patrons: Building Library Services for Saskatchewan Incarcerated Population; Marika Hunter and Alan Kilpatrick – Gallery C

3:00 – 4:00PM

Exhibitor Social & Nutrition Break – Gallery D

4:00 – 7:30PM

Supper Break

7:30 – 8:30PM

Mary Donaldson Lecture – Gallery C

8:30 – 9:30PM

Mary Donaldson Reception – Gallery C

FRIDAY, MAY 9

7:15 – 8:15AM

Breakfast

8:15 – 9:15AM

SLA Annual General Meeting – Gallery B

9:30 – 10:20AM

• “Teach a man to fish: Using proverb to explore “Information Privilege”; Lydia Moss – Gallery A
• Treasure Mapping Open Education Resources (OER) for Schools, Public and Specialty Libraries; Donna Thiessen and Darryl Isbister – Gallery B
• Developing Community Partnerships in a Public Library; Jenny Ryan, Garnet Woloschuk, Makenzie Murdock and Meg Schmieder – Gallery C

10:30 – 11:00AM

Nutrition Break

11:00 – 11:50AM

• Communal Liberation: Building Diverse Libraries and Strong Communities; Ariana Giroux – Gallery A
• Building Bridges: Libraries, Literacy, and Lifelong Learning through Community Partnerships; Rachel Sutherland and Jo Ann Murphy – Gallery B
• Beyond the Books: A Cultural Journey Through Mexico City’s Libraries; Chasity Berast, Becky Szeman and Jaydan Harrison – Gallery C

12:00 – 12:20AM

• Saskatchewan Premium Legal Resources Pilot Launched! Alan Kilpatrick and Ken Fox – Gallery A
• Cree Language Kits Introduction; Samara Jackson and Wendy Sinclair – Gallery B
• Branching Out: How Free Trees Helped Grow a Partnership and Patron Engagement; Morgan Kelly and Mariam Salvador – Gallery C

12:30 – 1:30PM

SLA Awards Lunch

1:40 – 2:30PM

• Governance Training – Advocacy in SK environment – Gallery A
• Quest Accepted: what libraries can learn from online gaming; Julie Airie – Gallery B

1:40 – 2:00PM

Role of Public Libraries in Supporting Breastfeeding Practices of Mothers: A Call to Action; Shela Hirani – Gallery C

2:10 – 2:30PM

Small library, big vision: positioning your library for future growth and added capacity; Lisa Worobec – Gallery C

2:40 – 3:00PM

• Governance Training – Working through conflicts of interests on the library board – Gallery A
• Libraries at the Heart of Community Safety and Well-Being; Christie McCulloch – Gallery B
• Glitter, Grit, and Community: Inclusive Drag and Wrestling History Events with the Neil Richards Collection; Lindsay Stokalko and Ann Liang – Gallery C

3:10 – 3:30PM

• Governance Training – Library Director/Chief Executive Officer recruitment, retention, succession as key role for trustees – Gallery A
• Ikhtilaf Book Club: Using Literature to Foster Social Justice and Build Community Connections; Mohammad Hanzla, Nakita Funk, Jacoby Hatch, and Radiance Hatch – Gallery B
• Growing the Academic Library Through Informal Learning Opportunities to Enhance the Student Experience; Christena McKillop and Kathleen James – Gallery C

Thank you to our 2024 sponsors and exhibitors! We value and appreciate your contributions and hope to see you again for the 2025 conference.

The 2024 Saskatchewan Libraries Conference took place May 2-3, 2024 at the DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Centre in Regina, SK.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2024 conference! The event was a huge success, with more than 160 delegates registered and more than 20 exhibitors attending. Delegates were able to take in a wide variety of sessions, ranging from modern collection development to how to make their library more accessible to how to reach different people groups with their library services. You can view the 2024 conference program here.