The 2026 NEFLIN Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, September 24th, from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm, at UNF’s Adam W. Herbert University Center.  

The day’s agenda will include:

• Keynote Presentation from Scott Tilley
• Annual Reports from the NEFLIN Staff
• Presentation of the 2026 NEFLIN Awards
• Announcement of NEFLIN’s upcoming projects
• Breakout Sessions from your fellow NEFLIN members
• Silent Auction benefiting the Jim Morris Scholarship Fund
• and more content for library staff throughout the day!

Cost to attend:  $45.00 (includes a catered lunch)

First-Time Attendees: Register by August 6th to receive your NEFLIN shoes!

Please note: If this will be your first time attending an in-person Annual Meeting, you are eligible to receive a pair of NEFLIN shoes! However, you must register by Thursday, August 6th, to get your shoes. If you register after this date, even if it is your first in-person meeting, you will not be eligible to receive shoes. These shoes are special-ordered just for you and cannot be exchanged for another size. Converse typically run about half a size large and have a long, narrow fit. If you're unsure of your size, we recommend trying on a pair in-store.

Registration for all attendees will close on Friday, September 10th, unless the event reaches capacity before that date.

We are currently accepting proposals for breakout session presentations at the 2026 NEFLIN Annual Meeting.

We are looking for a broad range of sessions that highlight programs, services, and resources that would be of interest to other NEFLIN members. All concurrent sessions are 30 minutes in length.

The deadline for submitting this proposal is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 30th.

If your proposal is chosen, you will be notified by Friday, July 17th. We will send acceptance and regret notifications via email.

The 2026 NEFLIN Annual Meeting will be held at UNF's Adam W. Herbert Conference Center on Thursday, September 24th.

Contact office@neflin.org with questions.

We invite you or your library to donate a basket to be auctioned off at this year's Annual Meeting.

All proceeds benefit the Jim Morris Continuing Education Fund, which provides scholarships for NEFLIN members to attend conferences and other professional development opportunities.

To Contribute a Basket:

1. Choose a theme and begin to assemble your basket.
2. SUBMIT the Online Form by Friday, September 4th.
3. Bring your completed basket to the NEFLIN Annual Meeting on September 24th.

To Make a Donation:

Don't have time to donate a basket and would like to make a tax-deductible donation? Click here.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the May VTC! The winner of the May Prize Pack is Megan Selvaggio from Clay County Public Library. Congratulations, Megan!

The June Challenge is now LIVE!!!!!



Find out more about the

Virtual Training Challenge at http://www.neflin.org/vtc,

or get started NOW with the

June Challenge:

About this month's training: If you’re looking for a low- or no- cost option to increase collection visibility in your library, think Dynamic Shelving! Join Kelsey Bogan as she discusses a myriad of techniques you can try immediately on your shelves to increase patron accessibility and engagement.    



Please note: All virtual trainings are accessed through NEFLIN's Niche Academy platform. If you don't have an account, set one up using your library email address at https://my.nicheacademy.com/neflin-staff.

Questions?

Visit http://www.neflin.org/vtc, call us at the NEFLIN Office (904-278-5620), or email training@neflin.org.  

We are excited to welcome Amanda Sweet to the NEFLIN region for two technology trainings, both taking place on Friday, July 17th, at NEFLIN HQ. Register for one or both!

Building Makerspaces with Low-Cost and Virtual Options

Friday, July 17th

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

@NEFLIN Headquarters

Are you short on space but still want a makerspace? Running low on funds but still have high demand for techy goodness? Sweet shares tricks of the trade to build a virtual makerspace geared toward all sorts of libraries. Visitors access resources through a curated resource hub on your website, or can build your own custom courses. Uncover a treasure trove of helpful websites (including virtual robots!), explore tools to improve training/support resources, and track usage statistics for community engagement. There will be options for a wide range of budgets, including no budget at all!

Community Tech Skills: Planning AI & Digital Literacy Training

Friday, July 17th

1:00 - 4:00 pm

@NEFLIN Headquarters

As AI, automation, and new digital tools transform everyday life, communities increasingly turn to libraries for guidance, confidence, and hands-on skill building. This workshop explores practical ways to plan, structure, and deliver technology training programs using resources from Tech Ready Nation. It focuses on areas such as AI basics, digital safety, device skills, and job-readiness tools. This session illustrates how to assess local needs for a broad range of target audiences, design effective library services, build the right partnerships, and support patrons with varied skill levels.

Amanda Sweet is the Technology Innovation Librarian for the Nebraska Library Commission where she helps libraries leverage technology to drive positive innovation and change within their communities. In a rapidly changing world, she helps communities explore Industry 4.0 technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality, then apply this newfound knowledge to solve pressing community problems like affordable housing or aging with dignity. She develops resources to help libraries and community partners support entrepreneurs, technologists, students, and change-makers in pursuit of strong communities, and is a frequent conference speaker on related topics. Sweet has a BA in English from Carleton College, a Masters in Library Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and received the Excellence in Leadership Award through the State of Nebraska in 2022.

Library Insights is now accepting submissions year-round! We encourage you to share innovative ideas, best practices, and library-related research with your colleagues by submitting an article for publication.

Our Spring Issue is in its final editing phase, and we look forward to sharing it with you very soon. In the meantime, consider submitting your work to our Fall Issue, which will be published in October. Submissions for this issue are due by July 31st. Find out more at https://neflin.org/library-insights/.

Join us for our next

Adult Services Interest Group meeting 

on Tuesday, June 23rd, at 10:00 am!

Storytelling can build connections with your community, create long-lasting relationships, and effect change now and long into the future. Staff from the Marion County Public Library will teach you how they incorporate storytelling into every level of service and programming they offer and how you can start your storied journey today!

We hope you'll join us in this discussion!

Congratulations to our Executive Director, Brad Ward, for receiving the 2026 Jean Key Gates Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of South Florida’s School of Information! 

Since 1997, Brad has led NEFLIN and played a significant role in supporting libraries throughout Northeast Florida. We are thankful for the strong organization he has built!

This project is funded under the provisions of the Library Cooperative Grant program awarded to the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN). Florida’s LCG program is administered by the Florida Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services.