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Category: School Libraries

Nominations now open for the 2025 MLA Awards!

Posted in Library Technicians, Public Libraries, Scholarships & Awards, School Libraries, Special Libraries, and Trustees

The Manitoba Library Association presents awards every two years at the Manitoba Libraries Conference. For more information and links to the nomination form – please visit our Awards page.

We are now accepting award nominations for the following awards.
The deadline for the 2025 awards is April 1, 2025.

Human Rights Book Award

This award sponsored by the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers is in support and recognition of the hard work  of Manitoba libraries to uphold library values of intellectual freedom while also reflecting their community’s need for inclusive and diverse library spaces.

This individual or library will have demonstrated strong resolve in upholding human rights, inclusivity and equity in library access for their library or in the library community at a local, regional, provincial or national level. The Award will recognize ongoing work or an outstanding accomplishment at a point in time.

Library Service Award

This award recognizes library workers, supporters or volunteers who have made a significant contribution to the operation and development of libraries and library services in the province of Manitoba.  Examples of potential nominees include:

  • Professional library workers in Manitoba who have shown exemplary service over a long period or who have shown a contribution within a shorter period.
  • Volunteers who have shown a significant contribution to the operation or development of library services in Manitoba, perhaps as a trustee, fund-raiser, or volunteer worker.
  • Individuals in Manitoba who have shown exceptional promise of leadership in the early years of their career through the contributions they have made to their library or to the profession.

Library Technician of the Year Award

This award recognizes a Library Technician in Manitoba who has demonstrated outstanding professional achievement or leadership in their library or in the library community at a local, regional, provincial or national level. A nominee must be a graduate of a recognized Library Technician program.

Library Trustee of Distinction Award

The Trustee of Distinction Award recognizes outstanding participation in the advancement of public library trusteeship in Manitoba. Consideration is given to trustees who have demonstrated leadership, innovation, promotion of public libraries in their community and fostered education and development of Trustees.

Nominate a library worker or library today!

MLC 2025 – Registration Open! Keynotes Announced!

Posted in Academic Libraries, Board, Conference, Library Technicians, Membership, Professional Development, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Special Libraries, and Trustees

Manitoba Libraries Conference 2025 has opened registration for librarians, library workers, library board members and trustees, authors, publishers, business professionals, educators and students – anyone who is passionate about books, libraries, and eager to learn and shape the future of this incredible profession and service.

It’s our first in-person conference in years and we are excited to reconnect, revisit, and reinspire. We can’t wait to see you!

Early bird registration is now open!

  • Are you an institutional member? Your institution will need to register for you in bulk. For bulk registration by institutions or for invoicing please contact us.
  • Are you interested in attending but have barriers?
    Check out information about our Conference Bursary. You can apply for a bursary here: here.

Keynotes have been announced!

  • We are thrilled to have award-winning writer, editor and professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Manitoba, Niigaan Sinclair as our opening keynote on Tuesday, May 6 at 1:00 pm
  • Fresh from being named Canada’s Parliamentary Poet Laureate, Chimwemwe Undi will join us at our Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, May 7 at 12:00 pm
  • And how lucky are we? We will be entertained by Anne-Marie Williott and Ian Cherry as our wandering minstrels during our Wine & Cheese event in our Exhibitor Hall on Tuesday, May 6 at 4:30 pm

Stay tuned for more updates about the programming, special events, and our popular Exhibit Hall!
Our conference website is updated regularly: conference.mla.mb.ca/

Manitoba Libraries Conference – Call for Program Proposals!

Posted in Academic Libraries, Conference, Library Technicians, Membership, Professional Development, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Special Libraries, and Trustees

What Have You Been Up To? Let’s Reconnect! 

The Manitoba  Libraries Conference will take place May 6-7, 2025 at the RBC Convention Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

We are inviting a Call For Proposals until December 20, 2024

We are excited for our first in-person conference in 6 years and we want to invite you to join us as we reconnect, revisit, and reinspire

We are all responding to rapid technological changes (Hello AI), and social challenges. This is our opportunity to share our experiences, thoughts, knowledge, and (sometimes hard-earned) wisdom with colleagues.

Please consider putting forward a proposal using this Google Form. 

We have many colleagues in a variety of professional settings throughout our province and they’d love to see you and hear from you. We encourage you to submit session proposals in the public, academic and special library stream. We need everyone represented.

In challenging times, we are better together.

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Proposals can include: Lightning Talks (7-8 minutes); Presentations, Panels and Workshops; (20, 50 or 110 minutes)

Still can’t decide? A little unsure about what (and how) to present? 

Here are some tips from the BCLA: 

Conference Presentation: Better Practices

(Note the PDF slides in the first video are super helpful.

Submit your proposal today! 

Questions? Please reach out to Kirsten Wurmann, MLA Program Coordinator: kirsten.w@mla.mb.ca 

Artificial Intelligence in the Library: a roadmap to understanding and implementation

Posted in Academic Libraries, Professional Development, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Special Libraries, and Trustees

Please join us September 9 from 9:30-11:00am as we host public library administrator, technology consultant, and author Nick Tanzi, for a virtual talk about artificial intelligence and its implications for libraries.
We’re told the age of A.I. is upon us, but what does that mean for our libraries? This webinar will help demystify artificial intelligence and explain how it will change the library landscape. Attendees will be offered specific actions they can take to proactively adapt services, policy, and programming that address this new technological environment.

Nick has authored Making the Most of Digital Collections Through Training and Outreach (2016) and Best Technologies for Public Libraries: Policies, Programs, and Services (2020). He is also a past column editor for Public Library Magazine’s “The Wired Library”, and has been published in Computers in Libraries, Library Journal, American Libraries, and Marketing Library Services. His work also includes professional development workshops, keynote presentations, and talks in the U.S. and abroad, for a variety of library organizations. Nick is the assistant director of the South Huntington Public Library in New York, and has worked in public libraries for 25 years. The focus of Nick’s work is the intersection of libraries and technology, and his speaking approach is one that is light and conversational, and avoids unnecessary jargon.

This webinar is free for MLA members,  who will also have access to the recording and a PDF of slides following the presentation.

The event is $40.00 for non-members.
To become a MLA member, use this linkTo attend as a non-member, donate 40$ via MLA’s  PayPal account (left hand menu on our website – direct donation to: “A.I. Event”).

The instructions for attending the webinar will be sent out to confirmed registrants the week of September 2.

We’re excited to bring you this thought provoking and timely event!

Register here for the event: https://buff.ly/3zmLay5