PLA Conference Information and Deadlines

 

Registration for the PLA 2026 conference is now open.  The conference will be in Minneapolis from April 1-3, 2026.  Please note that these dates overlap with both Good Friday and Passover.  

https://www.placonference.org/registration

The application deadlines are 

      PLA members January 2, 2026.

      ALA members and non-members  February 6, 2026.

Staff interested in attending the virtual PLA events should apply by February 13, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact SD&T for assistance.  

The LMS is currently unavailable due to the AWS issue.

The LMS was affected by the AWS outage today, so you may not be able to log in to the program.

From Docebo's website:

Our upstream provider, AWS, is currently experiencing an outage affecting multiple services in all the regions, which is causing a broader impact on Docebo's system — specifically on intra-service authentication.

Customers located in US East 1 are experiencing long load times or errors when attempting to access or navigate their sites due to ongoing issues with AWS recovery. We are actively reviewing our possible mitigation paths and will update when additional information is available.  

We'll update you if we hear anything.

25 Signs You’re Not Tough Enough to Live in Baltimore - We're #4

25 Signs You’re Not Tough Enough to Live in Baltimore

By Ankita Rawoorker

September 19, 2025

Maryland, Real Estate

4. You treat the Enoch Pratt like a rainy-day plan

It’s a civic cathedral—free internet, job help, story time, and history you can hold in your hands. The library is where futures quietly change, and where the city gathers in ways no app can replace. If you’re not a cardholder, you’re skipping Baltimore’s most generous open door.

https://www.homestratosphere.com/signs-youre-not-tough-enough-to-live-in-baltimore/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Sep+22+-+Signs+Not+Tough+Enough+for+BALTIMORE+-+/signs-youre-not-tough-enough-to-live-in-baltimore/&fbclid=IwZnRzaANAHzBleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQBqyebnqM0iwEe5ciOT2vB1QzQDrOclU4Dw6bsc22Nwqgvgz7tBgXSQU5QGnaShUuYMqDr-VY_aem_8pxLbxMYxxG0psOAP4gOJQ&utm_id=120233357410870203&utm_content=120233357436260203&utm_term=120233357410960203

Understanding Inclusion

 

Call for Proposals for ALA Annual in Chicago

 

Present a PLA Program at ALA 2026 Annual The Public Library Association (PLA) invites you to submit an education program proposal relevant to public libraries for the ALA 2026 Annual Conference, which takes place June 25–29 in Chicago.   The conference explores key challenges and opportunities facing libraries, with professional development rooted in timely research, innovation, and best practices. It will also celebrate the American Library Association's (ALA) 150th anniversary! Proposals from a broad variety of perspectives that celebrate, commemorate, or educate about the impact that ALA and our affiliate partners have made on the profession and on libraries nationally and internationally over the last 150 years are encouraged.   PLA program proposals are due by September 22.   Learn More & Start a Proposal

Public Library Association www.pla.org • (800) 545-2433 x5PLA     American Library Association 225 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60601 | pla.org | Review the ALA Privacy Policy

Program Proposals Now Open: MLA|DLA 2026 Annual Conference

Proposals for 2026 MLA/DLA conference sessions can now be submitted.  If you are interested in participating in May's conference in Cambridge, you can submit a proposal for pre-conference sessions (Wednesday) or regular conference sessions (Thursday and Friday).  If you prefer to do a short presentation, you can submit a proposal for an Ignite session or a Poster session. 

Pratt always has a strong presence at the conference, and I look forward to seeing what our staff has to share with the MD library community.

Links for the online form and the proposal submission guide are below, or you can email Paula Mitchell for assistance.  Terrible puns for session titles are encouraged. 

Dear Maryland Library Community, 

We’re excited to announce the call for program proposals is now open for the 2026 MLA|DLA Annual Conference! Join us May 6-8, 2026, back at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Maryland, as we explore this year's theme: "Our Stories, Our Shelves."

We look forward to seeing the programs you'll propose for what promises to be an unforgettable conference celebrating the power of stories in our communities and the library collections that reflect those communities.

Submission Guidelines
All proposals must be submitted through our online form. Proposals should clearly demonstrate relevance to library professionals across all sectors. Review our program proposal submission guide for a preview and descriptions of the form's questions. 

Proposal Submission Period: August 25 - October 17, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: December 2025

Program Proposal Form »

Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to a conference that celebrates the diverse narratives within our library community. 

We're Seeking Proposals For: 

• Pre-Conference Sessions
• General Sessions 
• Ignite Sessions 
• Poster Sessions

Questions? 
Contact the Conference Director, Paula Mitchell, at md.la.conference@gmail.com or check out our proposal submission guide. 

Sincerely,
The MLA|DLA Conference Planning Committee

This email was sent on behalf of Maryland Library Association located at 1401 Hollins St., Baltimore, MD 21223.

Staff Training grant renewed for FY 2026

We are happy to share that the Maryland State Library Agency's federal award, through the Library Services and Technology Act, has been level-funded and certified by the Institute for Museum and Library Services for fiscal year 2026.

SD&T will receive the same funding as last year, which will help with program and conference registration for all staff.  As always, we'll use the funding for a variety of activities and events as outlined in the grant regulations.  

Thanks to MSLA and the IMLS for this assistance.