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.