Many libraries wade into trend scanning occasionally – for strategic planning or to help inform a new program, service, or target audience. But a regular program of trend scanning can prove a manageable and beneficial practice across the organization. Borrowing from futures and foresight practices, library staff can adapt a "scan, clip, and review" process to identify new pieces of information. With simple set-up strategies and a clear sense of what to look for, scanning provides a quick path to analyze and socialize new ideas and anticipate changes in our communities.

Thinking about the future is not about prediction. It is about seeing the changes and trends in our world – across society, technology, education, economics, politics, and the environment – and finding opportunities for learning and actions that can help us move forward. This overview will share a bit about future thinking before diving into some recent (and continuing) trends and their possible implications for libraries.

Plain language must be organized, clear, and concise for all audiences. Libraries can implement plain language to ensure communications are understood the first time the message is seen or heard. Investigate the guidelines for using plain language in library communications and initiate strategies to improve existing language in library documents.

While Graphic Novels have gained popularity among readers and have become increasingly common in library collections, producing accurate cataloging records for them presents distinct challenges. This session aims to address these challenges by focusing on the most important MARC fields for Graphic Novels cataloging and providing useful resources to assist catalogers.

An exciting aspect of librarianship is embracing technology and creating innovative services. With increasing demands on staff time and changes in the workplace, letting go of legacy services can play a vital role in the allocation of resources toward new projects. This session examines the role of planned abandonment - a strategy for organizational change intended to normalize the sunsetting of existing services to make room for new projects, programs, and services.

Creative Commons licenses offer an easy and effective way to identify images, music, and other content for use and reuse. This overview of Creative Commons will explain the copyright implications of CC-licensed materials and how they differ from public domain and fair use. Get ready to find Creative Commons-licensed materials, promote their usage, and even help license work under the Commons.

Artificial intelligence (AI) machines think, learn, and perform tasks in a way that resembles human intelligence. ChatGPT, OpenAI, MusicLM – AI is everywhere right now. How are libraries supporting services using AI applications and how will users bring AI into their library experiences? Examine scenarios for AI in the library environment.

Libraries are now circulating items beyond just books and movies. From cake pans to kayaks, circulating non-traditional items meets patrons’ needs in new and interesting ways. At the same time, these items can be particularly challenging to properly catalog. With this one-hour Know & Go, overcome familiar obstacles related to cataloging non-traditional objects and learn practical solutions to common problems.

Successful library meetings begin with reflection and intention. Beyond well-crafted agendas, libraries can utilize diversity and inclusion activities to strengthen empathy, communication, and expectations within library organizations. Applying these continuously to library meetings can open dialogue and empower greater voices. Discover ten diversity and inclusion activities to use in library meetings.