Southern Library Support Staff Conference 2026

In an age when the very foundation of library service undergoes swift and unrelenting change, a solemn obligation to bind patrons to knowledge through profound and inventive means stands even more imperative.  This session presents a practical, relationship-centered approach to strengthening library engagement while responding to rapid changes reshaping library services at a R1/Top 100 research institution to support faculty and students in their research endeavors. This is done through the forging of powerful and creative library instruction and leveraging multiple software platforms with the end goal of creating that genuine human connection.  


Rather than relying solely on traditional one-shot library instruction sessions, the presenters will focus on sustained engagement: showing up in student spaces, attending organization meetings, collaborating on events, and using those relationships to design more relevant and effective instruction experiences and memorable moments for the patron. Along with the direct human engagement, the presenters will focus on technology’s measured yet informative role to extending the library’s outreach beyond the classroom. The use of LibGuides to create impactful subject guides with curated information and library resources, leveraging software platforms like LibCal through Springshare to create a in real-time-research consultation booking platform, where students and faculty can book specific time slots with a librarian, and redesigning the library’s web presence so information is easily accessible in the chaotic world wide web.  


Together, these approaches highlight relationship-building, student-centered teaching, and purposeful use of technology—elements that, when combined, spark innovation and deepen human connection. The session will feature real-world examples and candid reflections on both successes and challenges. Attendees will leave with adaptable ideas they can bring back to their own libraries to foster student success through personal engagement and effective use of technology. 

Whose Catalog?: Homosaurus as a Pathway to LGBTQ+ Belonging - Jude Romines (PowerPoint uploaded, link below speakers)
Since 2021, Emory University Libraries (EUL) has been adding Homosaurus, a linked data vocabulary of LGBTQ+ terms, to bibliographic records in the catalog. The goal of this project is to increase the discoverability of LGBTQ+ resources, which are often under-described due to various factors, including representational gaps in Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and the challenge of retroactively enhancing older records. While correcting outdated and harmful language and increasing access have been at the forefront of EUL's Homosaurus project, positive feedback from faculty, staff, and students has demonstrated another benefit: fostering a sense of belonging and affirmation in catalog users. This presentation will explore Homosaurus as a cataloging tool at EUL, share lessons learned from our outreach efforts, and discuss how this work creates pathways for education while nurturing the library community's sense of representation and ownership in catalog systems.

It takes a village: Collaborating with a family resource center to improve access to consumer health information - Kayce Gill (PowerPoint uploaded, link below speakers)
The Family Resource Center (FRC) staff at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center faced significant challenges impacting their ability to provide health information to patients and their families. Some of the challenges included inadequate staff access to Alma, missing items, catalog records with incomplete and/or wrong metadata, and a paper-based checkout process. To address these issues, the Eskind Biomedical Library staff collaborated with the FRC staff to implement a multi-faceted plan: establish Alma accounts and staff training, conduct a systematic print inventory using Alma's print inventory tool, reconcile discrepancies between physical holdings and Alma records, and withdraw obsolete materials. Eskind staff also created shelf categories to make browsing easier for patrons and developed an Alma Analytics dashboard with key data to assist the FRC staff with loan statistics. Future projects include developing a plan for lost items as well as finding a way to combine print books and ebooks into one catalog. 

Meeting Students Where They Are: Promoting Electronic Resources at University of Florida's Annual Fall Fest - Sheri L. Edwards
Each Fall semester, the University of Florida (UF) Libraries engages in a self-created outreach program known as "Fall Fest."  The program is designed to draw students of all levels to information booths that promote various services and resources the UF Libraries offer.  Fall Fests in 2024 and 2025 revealed a gap in the promotion of electronic resources specifically, resulting in the electronic resources unit (ERU) creating various pocket-sized cards to denote databases of electronic resources geared toward for various majors.  This lightning round describes the processes and work that went into the ERU making connections with students outside our typical behind-the-scenes work of setting up and troubleshooting access to electronic resources.  This lightning round also discusses learning objectives for our audience and recommended electronic resources-based outreach for future Fall Fests.

How can we expand access in our collections to patrons who need our materials but are unable to get that access? Whether that lack of access is through lack of adequate copies or simply lack of knowledge that the materials exist. By using WKU Libraries BIOL 131 A&P Bones Study Sessions program as an example, we will explain how to best assess your collection and see if there is need that is not being met and how to create a program to address that.

In the demanding environment of Access Services, we can often “lose the forest for the trees” by letting daily operational demands overshadow core principles that ensure departmental success. This session explores a strategic approach to leadership that fosters a productive and healthy work environment by mentoring and supporting library staff to model departmental expectations and core principles for student employees at an academic library. This methodology emphasizes the importance of adapting leadership styles to the unique needs of individual team members while maintaining a consistent standard of accountability at all levels. 


Using three real-world examples, this presentation will illustrate how a healthy work environment is maintained through intentional collaboration, self-reflection, and compassionate conflict resolution. The presentation will also examine how the performance, morale, and retention of student employees serves as a direct reflection of the culture and collaborative spirit established by library leadership and staff. 

The presentation will be divided into three parts: an introduction, a description of the three real-world examples from the speaker's library and how they serve a thriving work environment, and a guided self-reflection for attendees to apply some of the methods discussed to meet needs and challenges at their home institutions.