Greetings!

If you missed the 2025 NEFLIN Annual Meeting, you missed a great time!! We appreciate everyone who helped make this event a success, and we look forward to an exciting year ahead.

We want to extend a special thanks to our three Board members who have completed their three-year terms: Joe Saloom (Flagler County Public Library), Sarah Paige (Eastern Florida State College), and Nancy Garmer (Florida Tech - not pictured). These leaders have dedicated many hours behind the scenes, helping NEFLIN run smoothly and meet the needs of the membership. Thank you, Joe, Sarah, and Nancy!

See more pictures of the day here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCvc8B

Jenny Eason

jenny@neflin.org

Member Services Coordinator

We are excited to introduce a new service that will benefit every NEFLIN member:

Microlearning for Libraries.

These interactive, self-paced tutorials will arrive in your inbox every Tuesday, guiding you through timely topics such as personal growth, time management, communication strategies, team building, and practical technology skills.

How does it work? Every Tuesday, you'll receive an email that will link you to a new Microlearning topic in NEFLIN's Niche Academy platform. Just follow the link and enjoy!

If you don't have an account to NEFLIN's Niche Academy platform, you can quickly set one up here: https://my.nicheacademy.com/neflin-staff

Ready to start learning? This service officially launched on Tuesday, October 14th, so be sure to check your email inbox for the first edition of Microlearning for Libraries. Email training@neflin.org with any questions you have.

Through the Jim Morris Scholarship Fund, NEFLIN members are eligible to apply for financial support for conferences, training, and other professional development opportunities, whether in-person or virtual.

We are now accepting applications for opportunities happening anytime in 2026! The deadline to apply is December 31, 2025.

This fund is supported in part by the Jim Morris Silent Auction held each year at the Annual Meeting.

Thanks to everyone who donated and bid on baskets at our Annual Meeting on September 19th, we were able to raise $1,250! These funds will go directly back to the NEFLIN membership in the form of JMCEF Scholarships.

Wednesday, October 22

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

@Alachua County Library District - Headquarters Library

Looking for an entertainer for your summer reading program, or for a special performance any time of year? NEFLIN has partnered with the Alachua County Library District to provide a forum for performers, entertainers, and educational speakers to demonstrate their talents to library staff serving all ages of the public looking for quality programming.

At this year's Annual Meeting, we were proud to present four NEFLIN Awards to deserving members.

The first presentation was the Innovation Award, presented to Volusia County Public Library for their Acuity Business Pass program.

Congratulations, Volusia County!

Congratulations also go to our 2025 Library Champion Award winner, Michael Macnamara!

Mr. Macnamara is the District 2 St. Johns County Public Library System Library Advisory Board member, and his dedication is helping library services in his region thrive.

Thank you, Mr. Macnamara!

The winner of this year's Distinguished Career Award is Judith Russell, former Dean of Libraries at the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries.

Dean Russell truly exemplifies the term "Distinguished Career." She is already enjoying her retirement in Washington, DC, and was not able to attend the Annual Meeting, but we send our congratulations and well wishes to her!

Our final NEFLIN Award winner is our Member of the Year, Josiah Cook!

Josiah is the Youth Services Specialist at Suwannee River Regional Library System in Live Oak, and he has also completed the Management Training Institute and served as NEFLIN's Teen Services Interest Group Facilitator.

We appreciate all Josiah has contributed to his library, his community, and to NEFLIN.

It's not too early to start thinking about the deserving NEFLIN member you would like to nominate for a 2026 NEFLIN Award! Watch your NEFLIN email in the Spring for information about the nomination process.

Congratulations to the 2025 Golden Apple Award winner, Suwannee River Regional Library System!

This highly coveted award is given to the NEFLIN Member Library that has made the best use of Continuing Education opportunities in the past year, including face-to-face workshops, webinars, On-demand training, equipment loan, lending library, interest groups, and special projects such as the MTI.

Congratulations, Suwannee River! We are thankful for the many ways you participate in NEFlIN.

Accepting on behalf of the library is new NEFLIN Board Member, Amy Osborne.

Sarah Lux earned a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Central Florida and a master’s degree in public relations from Full Sail University. Sarah has practiced Public Relations for over 12 years, specifically focusing on community education, government affairs, and crisis communications. She is a PIO for Florida’s Region 5 All-Hazards Incident Management Team and has deployed to aid communications in other communities ten times, including four times through the State of Florida. She earned her Master PIO certification in 2024, a federal training program that has accepted and certified fewer than 175 PIOs nationwide. Lux prides herself on her ability to clearly explain complex governmental matters to citizens in her community.​

Please help us welcome four new members of the NEFLIN Board!

We appreciate A.J., Brittnee, Melissa, and Amy for their willingness to serve in this important role.

A.J. Delgado

Daytona State College

Brittnee Fisher

St. Johns River State College

Melissa McNicol

Clay County Public Library

Amy Osborne

Suwannee River Regional Library System

Follow us on Social Media!

For FY2025-26, the state budget for NEFLIN's programs is $500,000. 100% of this program is supported by state funds.