Hop on the PLA Bus
A few spots have opened up on the bus going from IFLS to the Public Library Association Conference on April 2. The bus is free of charge and is stopping in Menomonie, Baldwin, and Hudson on the way to and from the Minneapolis Convention Center. An Exhibit Hall pass costs $55, and includes access to more than 100 vendors, with lots of interesting exhibits and freebies. The Exhibit Hall also boasts a How-To Stage (short presentations from librarians) and a Book Buzz stage (presentations about upcoming books by publishers). To register for the bus please fill out this form. First come, first serve, we have 2-3 spots open.
Public Library Association Exhibits Guide
Heading to the Public Library Association Conference? Whether you are attending the whole conference or you are just taking in the exhibits, you might be looking for some help navigating the vast Exhibit Hall. IFLS created a 1-page PLA Exhibits Tip Sheet for folks who are looking for help with what to bring, how to plan, where to eat, and more. After looking at the sheet, you might want to go! They accept on-site registration (cost is the same, $55). And there are few spots left on the bus!
Dinosaurs 101 for Librarians
Friday, March 27 at 12:30 PM This webinar will introduce the core concepts and techniques used by the American Museum of Natural History in teaching paleontology to young learners. Raoul Seroy, Children and Family Learning Educator at the Museum, will guide participants through foundational concepts to connect with young learners and get them excited about paleontology. This live session, hosted by AMNH and part of a new professional development webinar series for Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP) members, will feature a presentation by Raoul followed by an interactive Q&A session with participants. Registration is now open.
Make the most of your TeachingBooks access with tips and tricks
Explore resources that can be easily included in patron interactions and programs, increase staff awareness of time-saving tools, and bring reading to life in your community. Even if you can’t attend the live webinar, you can still register here to receive a recording of this session.
Great Lakes BioBlitz
It begins on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2026, and runs for 4 weeks, ending on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Celebrate Earth Day with the Center for Great Lakes Literacy’s/Sea Grant 7th Annual Great Lakes BioBlitz! This event is a great opportunity to engage people of all ages in community science, collect data to support biodiversity research and conservation, and learn more about the organisms in the Great Lakes Basin.
What is the Great Lakes BioBlitz? A free event that focuses on finding and identifying as many wild, living things as possible in the Canadian provinces and the U.S. states that have coastline on the Great Lakes during a specified period of time.
How do I participate? The beauty of this project is that you decide your level of participation! Take an afternoon to explore and document some plants or wildlife in an area, or pick a location to return to weekly, or set a goal to find something new every day–there are many ways to participate.
- Visit iNaturalist or download the app onto your phone and create an account.
- Become a member of the 2026 Great Lakes BioBlitz project
- Get outside, get out your cameras, and start making and posting observations!
Additional action: As you are able, verify other participants’ Great Lakes BioBlitz Project postings to make them “research grade.”
Want to learn more? Visit the Great Lakes BioBlitz Educator Google Site or the Sea Grant WiSG Webpage for webinars, programming ideas and more.
Want to help us market this event to others? Here are resources to help you assist us in getting the word.