DataFest was held in person on September 27th, 2018 at the Nashville Public Library Conference Center. DataFest was a day-long vendor fair and conference held each year for Tenn-Share member library staff. It was FREE for staff, and a nominal fee for vendors. Tenn-Share’s 2018 Fall Conference, Reach Up Reach Out, was held on September 28th also at Nashville Public Library Conference Center.

DataFest 2018 Details

The 2018 event schedule can be viewed here. Session descriptions can be viewed here.

Fall Conference 2018 Details

Libraries across Tennessee exist in a time defined by change. We are all experiencing the excitement and fears of building new collections including board games, digital streaming services, maker/tinker spaces, mobile apps (on every platform and software ecosystem), and technology lending of ever-broadening scope. All libraries are working to ensure they can meet user needs and show — while our spaces change — that libraries will continue to serve.

Let’s come together and share how our libraries market new collections, services, and technologies. The conference will be held at the Nashville, Public Library Conference Center, 615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219.

Be bold, take risks, and innovate! Let’s show our users who we are and what we can be. Reach up and reach out!

Presentation Title:  2020 Census: Why It Matters and Answering Questions about Community Data
Name:  Frank Lester
Description:  Especially as we get closer to 2020, patrons will have questions about the decennial census, including why it matters and whether it’s required (it is, by federal law). This interactive workshop will introduce and explore a few tools to help you answer basic patron questions about census data and demographics, including showing how to draw up a profile for your zip code or neighborhood.
Presentation Title:  Accessible Collections in the Digital Age: How the TN Library for Accessible Books and Media is transitioning to a circulation model that equalizes access
Name:  Maria Sochor
Description:  While eBooks and downloadable audio books are transforming access for patrons, there are populations who might not have the available resources to benefit from these changes. Like most public libraries, the TN Library for Accessible Books and Media (formerly the TN Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) has offered downloadable books for years. But what about patrons who don?t have Internet access, or those who don?t have the phone/tablet or digital literacy needed to use downloadable books? Emerging book duplication technology and copyright law pertaining to individuals with a print disability have opened new opportunities to meet patrons where they are by working around obstacles together. Learn about the ways that we?re leveraging these resources to ensure that all may read.Presentation Title:  Makerspace making a difference in the curriculum
Name:  Bonnie Allen
Description:  Walker Library introduced its Makerspace in 2016. This new service is key component to the library’s strategy to broaden its offerings in instruction to increase experiential learning. The service introduced equipment of TODAY, relevant to student preparation for future career choice. The service influenced (or at least enabled) changes in assignments in a variety of disciplines. The library offered comprehensive training for students and faculty in equipment to support the service. The presentation is a snapshot of that influence and the current plans for the future.Presentation Title:  Reach New Readers: Creating an Exceptional Digital Collection
Name:  Nate Wheaton, OverDrive, and Noel Rutherford, Nashville Public Library
Description:  Join us as Nashville Public Library shares best practices on growing a digital collection that maximizes patron participation and increases circulation. Learn how Nashville’s strong partnership with OverDrive’s expert staff is a cornerstone to Join us as Nashville Public Library shares best practices on growing a digital collection that maximizes patron participation and increases circulation. Learn how Nashville’s strong partnership with OverDrive is a cornerstone to their success and how you can apply Nashville’s wins to your own library. If you want ideas on how to curate and promote your digital library in this fast-paced digital age, you won’t want to miss this session!

Presentation Title:  Reach Out and Rise Up In Your Community-Promoting Your Library Services and Collections
Name:  Hilary Fox, Gale, and Andrea Zielke, TEL
Description:  Reach Out and Reach up in your community with your library’s digital resources! Tennessee libraries having the insights, programming, and collections needed to expand their role in the communities they serve. By impacting education at every life stage and driving economic growth, together we can empower change. Join us and discover easy, low and no cost strategies for promoting resources, forging community partnerships and increasing awareness about your library.

Presentation Title:  Ride for Reading
Name:  Sally Robertson
Description:  Ride for Reading is an organization that is reaching out and reaching up to many low income children in neighborhoods and schools by delivering children’s books to them by bicycle.  Promoting both exercise of the mind and the body.  The first time I participated in a Ride for Reading delivery was an unforgettable experience.  To ride up on a bicycle and be cheered by a whole school of elementary school children is an amazing feeling.  To see the smiles and excitement of the children when they pick out their book that they get to keep is an amazing experience that every librarian should love.  It all about making a difference in the lives of children, and helping them become lifelong readers.

Presentation Title:  So what does Tenn-Share do, anyway?
Name:  Tenn-Share Board members
Description:  Tenn-Share’s history and scope are still a mystery to many Tennessee library staff. This session will demystify and enlighten attendees with what Tenn-Share has been, is currently, and could be.

Academic Library Presentations

Presentation Title:  Be inclusive – do the WAVE!
Name:  Livy Simpson
Description:  Using guides created with LibGuides, a Springshare product, this session will introduce attendees to a few simple techniques to help their library’s guides meet accessibility standards. Participants will learn how to use the free WAVE browser plug-in to check accessibility issues with structural elements (headings, lists, tables) and identify contrast issues. The WAVE tool provides alternate views of a guide that allows creator to see their guide from a different perspective. This session will enable libraries to have better guides for their users and not inadvertently exclude someone.

Presentation Title:  Contemplating new collection directions at an academic health science center library.
Name:  Paul Gahn
Description:  A survey of nursing faculty at an academic health sciences center library is being conducted to gauge current library resource use, behavior and attitudes. However, researchers specifically hope to measure future collection needs and interest, specifically electronic textbooks through library subscriptions, funding methods for those e-books and open access publishing fees. Survey distribution is imminent and results will be brand new by TennShare. Researchers will also share lessons learn from survey creation and distribution. Disclosure : This research presentation has been accepted as a stopwatch session at Charleston Conference (Nov. 2018) ‘springing for Student Textbooks? Exploring New Directions for Library Collections? and as a poster at Southern Chapter of Medical Library Association (Oct. 2018) ?Wading at warp speed into textbooks and open access fees.?

Presentation Title:  Mining Patron Data
Name:  Bryan Jones
Description:  Our patrons are our most valuable asset. Should we sell their information?

Presentation Title:  A Space for Change
Name:  Angel Sloss
Description:  Employees from the Brown-Daniel Library at Tennessee State University will discuss how recent renovations projects, services, and staff are transforming the way users interact within the space and what that means for our students and our future. Topics that will be covered are: -Makerspace Facility -Government Documents on the Move -Embedded Librarianship and Beyond! -Second Floor Renovation Project -Outreach Projects – Future Implications/Impact

Public Library Presentations

Presentation Title:  Breaking Out with Breakout EDU
Name:  Brigid Day
Description:  Libraries are constantly trying new things. One popular trend that is exciting for families, educational for students, and just plain fun are Escape Rooms. Breakout EDU makes hosting an Escape Room easy. Come see a demo of how to set up a Breakout EDU room. Teamwork, logic, creative thinking – all wrapped up in a neat little package.Presentation Title:  Full STEAM ahead
Name:  Elizabeth Kozlowski
Description:  We are adding STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) backpacks to our library collection. These backpacks contain items that related and will further educated children on a subject in one of these areas. We will allow these backpacks to go home with the patrons. This is a new collection, but we will briefly talk about what is in the packs, how we cataloged them, checkout regulations, and the success of the item so far.Presentation Title:  Leadership Programs offered by the Tennessee State Library and Archives
Name:  Lauri Thompson
Description:  The Tennessee State Library and Archives offers two unique leadership programs: The Public Library Leadership Academy (PLLA) is a three-day biennial workshop open to rising public library leaders. The Public Library Management Institute (PLMI) is a three-year cohort of approximately twenty-five individuals who carry the title of library directors, but do not have a master’s degree in library science. Candidates for either event are invited to join us for a discussion regarding recruitment and participation.Presentation Title:  Libraries as Passport Acceptance Agencies
Name:  Diane Moore
Description:  The U.S. Department of State is actively recruiting libraries to be Acceptance Agencies. We are masters at protecting PII, we love to organize and are great at Customer Service. The money isn’t bad, either. I will discuss the pros and cons and how to get started. I serve as a liason with the Dept. of State to recruit libraries. I am the Passport Facilities Manager here, and was Passport Acceptance Agent of the Year in 2016.

Presentation Title:  LINC/2-1-1 Memphis Public Libraries Merging Human Services and Library Services in the process of fufilling the need to know.
Name:  Jerry Bobbitt
Description:  LINC/2-1-1 serves as a gateway not just for library services but as a connection hub for social services and government information. LINC/2-1-1 is part of the Memphis Public Libraries and acts as a communication hub for the 18 locations . We are Information and Referral Specialists who strive to bridge the gap for access to resources as simple as the latest bestseller or as complex as the latest disaster response news. LINC/2-1-1 serves a ten county region, but 2-1-1 is part of a nationwide network of resources. Serving with over 25 years of reference assistance and more than 10 years in the 2-1-1 network, we fit perfectly in the library system fulfilling our mission of ‘satisfying the customers need to know.? We are meeting the needs of our diverse customer base with innovative strategies and new technologies. We are trained to be sensitive and professional on all calls. LINC/2-1-1 in the Memphis area combines reference assistance and social service information needs, whether your agency is looking to broaden a social service network or whether you are simply looking to build awareness of programs in your area. LINC/2-1-1’s history, practices in the Memphis Public Library, and the technology of 2-1-1s across the country are something all libraries ?need to know.?

Presentation Title:  Putt-Putt Promotion: how lending putters and golf balls helps us promote our library
Name:  Kathryn Hiney
Description:  We all know libraries are more than books. Our rural library has used putters and balls to provide a fun and free form of entertainment. By lending this low effort and low cost equipment we’ve been able to achieve effective outreach with minimal cost and less staff hours. It’s a conversation starter, highly visible, and takes the library out into the community we’re serving.I’d love the opportunity to talk about the ways in which we’ve leveraged this to benefit our library and how libraries in a similar position could do the same.

Presentation Title:  Reading List Redone
Name:  Erica deBin
Description:  Due to out of date summer reading lists, public libraries are not always able to meet the demand for hard-to-get and out of print books that may be needed for students? required reading. In an effort to provide higher quality service for students and their families, public libraries can develop a partnership with school systems to create an up to date reading list. Providing a current and diverse reading list for students ensures that libraries can acquire the appropriate number of copies necessary to diminish extensive wait-lists for students needing a specific book. A list that includes high interest titles and a wide variety of genres and reading levels gets students excited about reading during the summer with the ultimate goal of preventing the ‘summer slide’? The Chattanooga Public Library has successfully implemented the creation of such a list in partnership with Hamilton County Department of Education. I will describe our process of creating the committee, writing the by-laws, selecting, purchasing, and distributing the final lists.

Presentation Title:  The Transformation of an historic library in Downtown, Memphis.
Name:  Shamichael Hallman
Description:  The Historic Cossitt Branch Library located in downtown Memphis was established in 1893. Not only does Cossitt represent the birth of the Memphis Public Libraries system, it is also the first southern library to be desegregated. In recent years, staff has faced the challenge of trying to merge programming that meets the needs of the diverse customer bases served, including a large homeless population, empty-nesters, affluent couples, and young professionals living and working downtown.

Fall Conference focuses on resource-sharing opportunities for all types of libraries. The conference schedule begins with a keynote speaker and distribution of volunteer awards. The remainder of the day is filled with sessions and discussions inspired by the theme; meaningful, targeted content about resource sharing; and continuing conversations among Tennessee’s library leaders. There are presentations for LIBRARY STAFF in EVERY LIBRARY TYPE!