CARLI News September 24, 2025

CARLI Annual Meeting, 20th Anniversary Celebration, and Annual Directors Meeting 

Register now to attend the CARLI Annual Meeting and 20th Anniversary Celebration, to be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at the I Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign. The complete agenda is on the registration page. 

There will be a meeting of the CARLI Governing Directors preceding the annual meeting.

This year the annual meeting will also be a celebration of CARLI′s 20th Anniversary! We are pleased to announce that Scott Carlson, Senior Writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education, will be our keynote speaker for the event.

There are a few ways that you can be actively involved in our celebration! 

  1. Submit narrative memories to  with "CARLI Memories" as the subject line.
  2. Share photos from your library′s last 20 years! Save photos here with a descriptive file name. For each photo, please include a statement referencing the permission, source/license for CARLI to share the photo.
  3. Submit entries for the "Curious Things from Your Collection" contest. Bring to the October 21 meeting the most outlandish, weird, and/or strangest thing (or a picture of it) in your library′s collection(s) or submit your entry to with "Curious Collections." Limit 3 items per attendee.

We hope you will join us to celebrate! Registration for both meetings will close on October 13.

CARLI Counts Cohort 7 Announcement

CARLI Counts, the continuing education library leadership immersion program that prepares librarians to make effective use of research findings on the impact of academic libraries on student success, will pause for 2026. 

Although CARLI had previously announced a 2026 CARLI Counts cohort, staff will focus on the implementation of the Consortial Collaboration for Academic Library Leadership Success (CCALLS) project, now reinstated by IMLS, in 2026. The goal of CCALLS is the engagement of U.S. library consortia in a two-year participatory planning project for a national continuing education program to develop academic library workers’ assessment skills, taking the success of CARLI Counts, also started with an IMLS LB21 grant, to the national level.

ILDS Holiday Closure Dates Survey

The survey CARLI staff uses to collect your upcoming holiday closure information is now open. Please complete it no later than October 21 so there is ample time for us to share the information we gather with RAILS and IHLS. 

CY26 Selection Period

CARLI E-Resources staff will be opening Consortia Manager for libraries to make their calendar year selections around October 6 and plan to close on November 14.

Open Education Network & CARLI Community Meetup at ILA

The Open Education Network and CARLI are pleased to host a Community Meetup at the 2025 Illinois Library Association Conference in Rosemont! 

Please join us on October 15, 3:00-4:00 p.m., Room 27, for an opportunity to expand your professional community and connect with others interested in open education. 

Light refreshments will be provided. 

Ask an Archivist!

Do you have questions related to archival practices and archives administration? Questions related to appraisal, arrangement, processing, outreach, and advocacy for physical and digital archives are welcome. Join the CARLI Archives Committee for Ask an Archivist virtual office hours on October 27, 10:00–11:00 a.m. Committee members will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice, and share resources to help you with your archives.

Don′t have a specific question? You′re still welcome to join the session and hear what other CARLI members want to know. 

This session is open to all CARLI members. To encourage open discussion, we will not be recording.

Please register to attend. 

Two Opportunities to Ask a Preservation Expert

Do you have questions about the best way to store and preserve your institution′s collections? Join the CARLI Preservation Committee for Ask a Preservation Expert virtual office hours on November 12 and/or May 1, 1:00–2:00 p.m. Committee members will be on hand to answer questions, offer advice, and share resources to help you plan for the long-term preservation and access of your materials. The Preservation Committee includes members who specialize in archives and special collections, conservation, collections care, disaster planning, and more. 

Don′t have a specific question? You′re still welcome to join the session and hear what other CARLI members want to know. 

Register for each session you wish to attend.

November 12, 2025: 1:00-2:00 p.m. 
May 1, 2026: 1:00-2:00 p.m. 

Save the Date: A CARLI Community Conversation on Student Employee Supervision

Please save the date for an informal virtual discussion about student employee supervision on November 18, 1:00–2:30 p.m., sponsored by the CARLI Public Services Committee. Bring your snacks and any documentation/resources that you might want to share. Let's come together and share our ideas! More information, including how to register. is coming soon.

ELUNA Learns Registration Open

Since 2024 ELUNA Learns has been free for I-Share members via CARLI's consortial membership. More information on the current sessions is available on the ELUNA Learns 2025 website.

To Register select "Register Now" on any event you are interested in and fill out the form. The first two fields should be filled out as follows:

  1. Membership Type: My Institution is a member
  2. Member Institution Name: CARLI 
    (Consortium of Academic and Research Librari  (The truncated name for CARLI is correct and how it appears in the ELUNA Membership Database).

You will receive a confirmation email for each session. If you register for a session that has already happened you will have access to the recording.

Session topics include acquisitions, analytics, emerging technologies, discovery and more!

CARLI OER Workshops

CARLI is once again offering workshops designed to help librarians and faculty with the creation of Open Educational Resources. While the workshops are part of a series for the awardees of the Illinois Secretary of State/ Illinois State Library OER Grants they are open to all CARLI members with an interest in OER creation. Recordings of these workshops are available. The workshops are part of a series of workshops designed for the support of Open Education Resources in the State of Illinois and funded by the Support of the Creation of Open Education Resources grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education.

Please register for each course in advance by selecting the date you would like to attend from the list of workshops below.

Getting Started with LibreTexts: Conductor and the Libraries
October 14, 11:00 a.m. 
November 5, 3:00 p.m. 

Learn how to set up your account and to navigate the site, locate materials, and set up projects.

Using LibreTexts to Remix, Adapt, and Create OER

October 24, 1:00 p.m.
November 13, 2:00 p.m.

Please join the CARLI staff as we demonstrate some of the uses of LibreTexts Conductor for project planning and management. This workshop will also go over getting you started on remixing, adapting, or creating your OER project.

Using LibreStudio to Create H5P Assignments
December 10, 11:00 a.m.

Are you interested in adding dynamic assignments to your Open Educational Resources? Want to learn how to add H5P learning tools to your materials? Then this is the course for you. You should also request access to LibreStudio on the LibreTexts site prior to the class so we can get you started creating new learning tools.

Supporting Members Affordable Course Initiatives

The CARLI OER Committee is pleased to announce that funding is available to help support CARLI member participation in two certificate programs:

  • OEN Certificate in Open Education Librarianship Program
  • OEN Certificate in Open Pedagogy

There will be an information session on October 8, 9:00–10:00 a.m. with past participants of these programs available to answer any questions. Please register for this session.  

CARLI Registration Support for OEN's Certificate in Open Education Librarianship Program

Interested in a deeper dive on Open Education or need support in implementing an OER program at your institution from experts? In support of CARLI member libraries' OER efforts, the CARLI Open Educational Resources Committee is pleased to announce that continued funding is available for up to five CARLI member librarians to attend the Open Education Network's Certificate in Open Education Librarianship Program

The certificate program includes online content, mentor-led cohort meetings, and program development support. A culminating final project helps participants put what they have learned into action. Librarians who successfully complete the eight-month program will receive a Certificate in Open Education Librarianship from the Open Education Network.

Acceptance by the OEN is required but does not guarantee CARLI support. The deadline to apply for this program is October 31, 2025, 11:59 p.m. For detailed information about how to receive CARLI support for this program, visit CARLI's program web page.

For questions about available scholarships or other questions about the OEN Certificate in Open Education Librarianship, please see OEN's Frequently Asked Questions.

CARLI Registration Support for OEN's Certificate in Open Pedagogy

The Certificate in Open Pedagogy is a professional development program that will create actionable pathways for faculty and librarians to implement open education for the transformation of learning. 

Applicants should be a two person team consisting of a librarian and teaching faculty member who will complete a nine-week, asynchronous course in the spring of 2026 about the range of open educational practices with modules on the hallmarks of open education, copyright and Creative Commons licensing, the hallmarks of open pedagogy, the benefits and limitations of OEP, accessibility, and student empowerment and agency. Together, the faculty and faculty partner pairs will create an Action Plan, to be implemented the following spring, that seeks to transform learning through the power of open education. 

CARLI will support one two-member team consisting of a librarian and faculty member from a CARLI member. Acceptance by the OEN is required but does not guarantee CARLI support. The deadline to apply to this program is October 31, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

For detailed information about how to receive CARLI support for this program, visit CARLI's program web page

For questions about available scholarships or other questions about the OEN Certificate in Open Pedagogy, please see OEN's Frequently Asked Questions.  

Professional Development Alliance Events

The following programs from the Professional Development Alliance are currently on the calendar. Programs are offered on a wide variety of subjects. Check out everything the alliance is making available to our libraries!

  • September 25: Creating Public Digitization Spaces
  • September 25: ADA Title II Toolkit for Libraries Series: Accessible Presentation Slides (New Day & Time) 
  • September 25: Librarian Launchpad: A Practical Guide for New Academic Librarians
  • September 30: The Hidden Curriculum: Digital Organization as a Literacy Skill
  • September 30: ADA Title II Toolkit for Libraries Series: Website Accessibility
  • September 30: LibraryLink NJ Virtual Conference: Connection
  • October 1: Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries
  • October 7: Beyond the Desk: Empowering Student Employees' Voices in Library Decision-Making
  • October 9: Libraries and AI: Combating Misinformation through Information Literacy
  • October 14: Faculty Recognition and the Sustainability of OERs: The Key to Success?
  • October 21: Library Fundraising: Short and Long-Term Strategies for Significant Philanthropic Library Support!
  • October 23: Copyright Literacy and Creative Commons: What It Is and Why It Matters for You and Your Community
  • October 28: Students Supporting Students: Facilitating a Peer Mentoring Program at the Library
  • October 28: Spine-Chilling Suggestions for Spooky Season: Horror Readers′ Advisory for Libraries 
  • October 28: Consistent, Accessible, Engaging: A Strategic Approach to Library Content Across Platforms
  • October 29: BLC Digital Lending Summit
  • October 30: Virtual Connections: Librarians on Social Media for Professional Growth
  • November 3: Education Justice Project's Reentry Guides
  • November 4: Everyday Superheroes: Collaboration, Support, and Purpose in Small to Mid-Size Libraries
  • November 5: Collaborating with Stakeholders to Support Underserved Communities with Reparative Collections: Benefits, Challenges, and Emerging Best Practices
  • November 6: Motherhood in Academic Libraries: Sharing Lived Experiences from our Feminized Profession
  • November 6: More Than a To-Do List: Reimagining and Restructuring Graduate Student Labor in Digital Projects
  • November 11: Developing an AI Chatbot for the Library: The Rebecca Crown Library Experience
  • November 13: Librarianship at a Crossroads: Using AI as a Catalyst for Cross-Campus Collaboration
  • November 13: Leading Librarians: Fostering Growth and Development
  • November 13: Popping Up All Over: An Interdisciplinary Library Outreach Strategy for Unexpected Spaces
  • November 18: Enchanting Escapes: Romantasy Readers′ Advisory for Libraries

To register, visit the CARLI Event Calendar.

Recordings of past CARLI-sponsored PDA events are available on the Professional Development Alliance website when permitted by the presenter. 

Are you interested in presenting a topic for CARLI members and the Professional Development Alliance? Or would you like to moderate a follow up discussion for an upcoming program? to become more involved in CARLI's continuing education efforts!

ADA Title II Toolkit for Libraries Series: Accessible Presentation Slides 
New Day & Time: September 25, 1:30–2:30 p.m. 

Join Mark McCarthy, University of Illinois, in this second webinar of our ADA Title II Toolkit for Libraries series and learn how to confidently create and remediate your PowerPoint slides (or other formats) to meet the latest accessibility standards.

In this session, learn:

  • accessibility barriers in common presentation formats
  • tips to build accessible presentation slides from the start
  • techniques for remediating PowerPoints (or other slide formats)
  • tools and resources available to streamline your work

ADA Title II Toolkit for Libraries Series: Website Accessibility
September 30, 1:00–2:00 p.m.

Join Tim Offenstein, University of Illinois, in this third webinar of our ADA Title II Toolkit for Libraries series and learn how to quickly spot accessibility issues on your website. We will look at easy techniques and tools that will help you identify and fix things to make your site accessible and user-friendly for all audiences.

Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries
October 1, 1:00–2:00 p.m.

How can your library use data stories not just to survive, but to thrive? In this interactive session, Dr. Kate McDowell introduces key ideas from her forthcoming book Critical Data Storytelling for Libraries (ALA Editions, 2025), designed to help all library workers—whether data experts or story experts—craft ethical, evidence-based narratives for advocacy and impact. 

Participants will learn how to:

  • Reach diverse audiences with stories that inform persuasively
  • Leverage classic and emerging narrative structures for true stories that connect emotionally
  • Increase the resilience of libraries through mindful approaches to conflict

Based on McDowell′s 30 years of library work and national consulting, this session shares insights from the IMLS-funded Data Storytelling Toolkit for Libraries. In an era of rising censorship and shrinking budgets, critical data storytelling offers a powerful response—one that supports library workers from the smallest rural branches to the largest academic institutions. This session is for anyone who wants to use data to tell the story of why libraries matter—truthfully, powerfully, and strategically.

Education Justice Project's Reentry Guides 
November 3, 1:00–2:00 p.m.

The Reentry Resource Program at the Education Justice Project (EJP) publishes practical guides for people returning home from prison and for those being deported from the US. These 200-page guides, published in English and Spanish, offer empowering information and resources for individuals going through often-traumatic transitions. Lee Ragsdale will discuss the resources, how to access them, anticipated updates, and more. In addition, Lee will talk about EJP′s Reentry Guide Project through which the organization provides a year of technical and financial assistance to organizations to create their own reentry guides. 

Collaborating with Stakeholders to Support Underserved Communities with Reparative Collections: Benefits, Challenges, and Emerging Best Practices
November 5, 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Anne Marie Hamilton-Brehm, Dr. Pamela Smoot, and Juniper Oxford at Southern Illinois University Carbondale discuss how opportunities to develop reparative archival collections emerged and have been pursued in collaboration with underserved Black and LGBTQ+ communities in the southern Illinois region. The panel reflects on expected and unexpected benefits and challenges of coordinating initiatives and building collections with internal and external partners and stakeholders and offers thoughts on best practices based on their experiences.

Developing an AI Chatbot for the Library: The Rebecca Crown Library Experience 
November 11, 1:00–2:00 p.m. 

In this webinar, Zach Claybaugh, Dominican University, walks through the process of developing an AI chatbot as a tool for library patrons. Zach discusses the origin of the project, cross-departmental collaboration, student involvement, and AI anxiety. By the end of the presentation, participants will have an understanding of some of the challenges of developing an AI chatbot, as well as finding ways to address the concerns of library personnel and students who are anxious about the impact of AI technology. 

Librarianship at a Crossroads: Using AI as a Catalyst for Cross-Campus Collaboration
November 13, 12:00–1:00 p.m.

This webinar will introduce the fundamentals of AI and share strategies for using it as a springboard to move beyond the traditional "one shot" instruction model. Drawing from real-world experience, Atticus Garrison, Black Hawk College, will show how AI became an entry point for new collaborations with instructors and departments across campus.

Participants will consider how AI can expand instructional reach, highlight the librarian′s role in teaching digital literacies, and spark critical conversations about disinformation, academic integrity, labor, and environmental impacts. Attendees will leave with both a broader perspective on AI in higher education and practical approaches for positioning the library as a key partner in this evolving landscape.

Preservation Tip 

Preservation Outreach and Engagement
Patti Gibbons, University of Chicago Library

The CARLI Preservation Committee is excited to announce a new blog series for FY 26. The central theme is "Beyond Paper" and the group will explore preservation needs and care issues related to some of the untraditional materials that are often found in library collections.

The new blog series is the result of our members' responses to the Preservation Committee's 2025 Preservation Survey, which was sent out earlier in the year. This survey was conducted, in part, to identify CARLI members′ top preservation concerns and interests. Members voiced a clear call for instruction and support in caring for the various types of non-book materials they are challenged with in their collections. From scrapbooks, audio recordings, moving pictures, textiles, photographs, to a suite of different types of digital materials, libraries across Illinois make these types of items available for research. 

The complete schedule of topics is still evolving, and the Preservation Committee is excited to address CARLI members′ top preservation interests through this series. First up, in October, we will talk about preserving scrapbooks!

The committee also looks forward to publishing the final 2025 Preservation Survey report that details preservation activities and interests at member institutions. 

Other upcoming outreach highlights include two "Ask a Preservation Expert" virtual office hour sessions on November 12 and May 1, 1:00 p.m. and a webinar led by U. of I.'s Will Schlaack and Jessie Knoles on December 11, 2025 about the Illinois Digital Newspaper Collection project

Be sure to bookmark the Preservation Resources webpage, a fabulous resource maintained by the committee that gives CARLI members access a growing list of links to practical preservation and collection care information along with links to the Preservation Committee's projects from previous years. 

Other Library News

Offer to CARLI Members from Library Juice Academy

Library Juice Academy is pleased to offer CARLI member libraries a 20% discount on online courses for librarians, archivists, and library staff. Course topics include cataloging, social media, controlled vocabularies, technology, metadata, digital curation, OER, instructional design, digital humanities, artificial intelligence, and more.

Please contact to obtain the discount code that you can use at checkout. Thank you to Library Juice Academy for supporting our professional development goals!

Upcoming CARLI Events and Meetings

Consult the CARLI calendar to view the current list of meeting times and locations.

Contact Us

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