News

New deadline: May 15th

Presented during the Annual Conference, the APLA Merit Award honours an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to library services in the Atlantic Provinces.

Some of the contributions that might be considered in selecting a person for this award are: leadership in library associations at the local, regional and provincial levels; contributions to the development, application and utilization of library services and library systems; significant contribution to library literature.

If you know someone who you would like to nominate for the APLA Merit Award, please submit nominations, including documentation of the nominee’s achievements and letters of support, to APLA’s Past President, past-president@apla.ca.

Using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to Create Safer, More Welcoming Library Spaces
A Library 2.0 Service, Safety, and Security Webinar with Dr. Steve Albrecht

Libraries are among the most open, accessible, and inclusive public spaces in any community. But those same qualities can also make them vulnerable to safety and security concerns. From poor sightlines and inadequate lighting to design choices that unintentionally create opportunities for disorder, many libraries face challenges that can be addressed not with more rules or restrictions, but with smarter design. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) offers a practical, evidence-based framework for making libraries safer while preserving the welcoming character that defines them.

This webinar introduces library staff and leaders to the core principles of CPTED and how they apply specifically to library environments. Participants will learn how thoughtful adjustments to lighting, layout, sightlines, furniture placement, landscaping, and staff positioning can deter unwanted behavior, increase natural surveillance, and foster a greater sense of safety for both patrons and employees.

Led by Tad Twidwell, a CPTED Professional Designation (CPD) instructor with over two decades of combined experience in public safety and library leadership, this program provides actionable strategies that can be applied immediately. Tad currently manages physical security and integrated safety systems for a public library system, giving him a distinctive, practitioner-level perspective on how design and daily operations intersect.

Whether your library is planning a renovation, looking to improve its current space, or simply wants to better understand how the built environment affects patron and staff behavior, this webinar will provide a solid foundation in CPTED principles tailored to the unique needs of public libraries.

Learning agenda:

  • Introduce the core principles of CPTED – Natural Surveillance, Natural Access Control, Territorial Reinforcement, and Maintenance – and discuss how each applies to library interior and exterior spaces.
  • Examine common library design vulnerabilities and how small, cost-effective changes to lighting, sightlines, landscaping, and furniture layout can improve safety outcomes.
  • Discuss the role of staff visibility and positioning in creating safer environments and how CPTED strategies can support and empower library employees.
  • Explore how to conduct a basic CPTED walk-through survey of your own library, including what to look for and how to document findings for facilities and leadership teams.
  • Discuss community engagement and partnerships with local agencies, social service providers, and volunteers as part of a comprehensive CPTED approach.

Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 pm US – Eastern Time

Cost:

  • $99/person – includes live attendance and any-time access to the recording and the presentation slides and receiving a participation certificate.
  • To arrange group discounts (see below), to submit a purchase order, or for any registration difficulties or questions, email admin@library20.com.

To register:

Click here to register and pay. You will receive an email within a day with information on how to attend the webinar live and how you can access the permanent webinar recording. If you are paying for someone else to attend, you’ll be prompted to send an email to admin@library20.com with the name and email address of the actual attendee.

If you need to be invoiced or pay by check, if you have any trouble registering for a webinar, or if you have any questions, please email admin@library20.com.

Note: Please check your spam folder if you don’t receive your confirmation email within a day.

Special group rates (email admin@library20.com to arrange):

  • Multiple individual log-ins and access from the same organization paid together: $75 each for 3+ registrations, $65 each for 5+ registrations. Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.
  • The ability to show the webinar (live or recorded) to a group located in the same physical location or in the same virtual meeting from one log-in: $299.
  • Large-scale institutional access for viewing with individual login capability: $499 (hosted either at Library 2.0 or in Niche Academy). Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.

 

 

This free two-day event is for library workers, lab managers, research / ethics personnel, and research computing / IT specialists who offer research data management (RDM) support in Atlantic Canadian post-secondary institutions. The program features case-study presentations and facilitated design sessions that will provide opportunities for training, collaboration, and networking. Participants will gain job-specific knowledge, local connections, and adaptable materials to help support RDM as a service in their own institutions.

Attendance is by application only, and limited funding is available to support travel and accommodation for participants from any province in the Atlantic region.

Date: September 22 – 23, 2026
Venue: Halifax Convention Centre, Halifax, NS
Audience: RDM practitioners at Atlantic academic institutions, such as library workers, lab managers, research office / ethics personnel, or computing / IT specialists.

Visit https://atlantic-rdm.github.io/ for more information and to submit your application.

Just a friendly reminder that the deadline for proposal submissions for the upcoming NLLA conference is this Friday, May 1st – and we’d love to hear from you!

Taking place on Friday, June 5th, Overdue but Not Lost: Renewing Our Community will be a hybrid event, with options to present in person in St. John’s or online from anywhere in Newfoundland & Labrador. It’s our first time gathering as a community since 2019, and we’re excited to reconnect, share, and celebrate the incredible work happening in libraries across our province.

We welcome proposals from library workers in all sectors on any library-related topic, either practical or theoretical. Whether you are sharing a successful project, a challenge you’ve navigated, an emerging technology, or a fresh idea, we want to hear your voice.

Possible session formats include:

  • Presentation (30 min.)
  • Mini Workshop (45 min.)
  • Lightning Talk (7 min.)
  • Something Else (have an idea that doesn’t fit the categories above? Tell us about it!)

To submit, please use our online form (https://tinyurl.com/LetsRenew), and include your session type, delivery format, title, abstract, contact details, and a brief bio.

If you have any questions, please contact Janet Goosney (jgoosney@mun.ca).

We hope you’ll join us as we renew our community – see you in June!

We are just 50 days out from our first in-person conference since 2019!

A reminder that the OGM will take place on the last day of the conference (June 17). Resolutions concerning the policies and practices of the association will be formally considered at the Resolutions Session. Resolutions affecting the policy of the association may come from committees, interest groups, workshops, or any member of the association. They may be submitted directly to Lisa Marshall, VP/President Elect, Convenor of the Resolutions Committee, c/o of the Conference Registration Desk. The latest time the Resolutions Committee will receive resolutions is 9:00AM EST, Tuesday, June 16 at the Registration Desk. A computer will be available at this time for the use of movers and seconders of resolutions.

To this end, please note this official call for members for the Resolutions Committee. Membership of this committee shall be two to four members attending the OGM. The membership should include persons fluent in the official languages.

 

Are you an APLA member and a musician? We’re looking for performers to be part of the upcoming APLA Conference entertainment!

We are seeking individuals or groups interested in performing on Monday, June 15th as part of the conference evening programming.

Date: Monday June 15th, 7-9pm
Event: APLA Conference, Delta Dartmouth Hotel
Compensation: A stipend will be provided

If you’re interested, please reach out to conference@apla.ca

The early bird rate for the APLA 2026 Conference has been extended to Friday May 8th at 11:59pm

View the conference schedule

Register to attend

This year’s theme is “Together we thrive: Sustaining libraries and communities”

Dates: June 15 – June 17, 2026

Location: Delta Hotel Dartmouth

Accommodations: APLA conference attendees can book accommodations at a discounted rate at the Delta until May 14 at 11:59pm.

APLA is seeking nominations for the following positions:

 

Vice President / President Elect

The Vice President / President Elect serves on the APLA Executive and plays a key leadership role in guiding the Association’s strategic direction. This position is part of a three year leadership cycle, serving first as Vice President / President Elect, then as President, and finally as Past President.

Responsibilities include participating in Executive meetings, convening and serving on standing committees, supporting advocacy and governance activities, and helping to ensure continuity and effective leadership within APLA. The Vice President / President Elect also serves as an important connection between the Executive and the membership, particularly at the annual conference.

Nominees must be APLA members in good standing and able to commit time to Executive and committee work as part of the multi year leadership cycle.

The term begins at the end of the 2026 annual conference.

 

VP Membership

The Vice President Membership serves on the APLA Executive and is responsible for leading membership recruitment and retention across the Association. This role plays a key part in strengthening member engagement and supporting the ongoing vitality of APLA.

Responsibilities include convening the Membership Committee, maintaining the APLA membership database, preparing and presenting membership statistics and reports, and supporting outreach and renewal efforts. The Vice President Membership also serves as an important connection between the Executive and the membership, particularly at the annual conference.

Nominees must be able to commit time to Executive and committee work.

This is a two year term that begins at the end of the 2026 annual conference.

 

VP Nova Scotia and VP New Brunswick

The Provincial Vice President represents their province on the APLA Executive and ensures that provincial library issues are communicated and addressed at the regional level. This role acts as a key liaison between APLA, provincial library associations, and members.

Responsibilities include participating in Executive meetings, serving on standing committees, supporting advocacy and membership engagement, preparing provincial reports for the APLA Bulletin, and promoting APLA programs, awards, and activities.

Nominees must be able to commit time to Executive and committee work.

The Provincial VP role is a two year term that begins at the end of the 2026 annual conference.

 

Please submit nominations for any of these positions to president@apla.ca by May 22, 2026

What does the future hold for libraries? This is the theme for the Li-Sci-Fi (Library Science Fiction) short story competition hosted by the International Federation of Library Associations as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2027 (IFLA100)! The submissions deadline is 1 September 2026, with winners to be chosen by our celebrity judge, Mary Robinette Kowal.

Libraries for the future

Libraries have always had a focus on tomorrow. They serve current and future generations, through collecting and safeguarding content and developing the skills and outlooks necessary to help everyone face what comes next with confidence.

They are also early adopters of technology, acting as test-beds for new ideas and contributing to development of the internet through digital library tools. In doing so, they have combined new tools with long-standing values in order to find ways of advancing towards key public interest missions.

The future for libraries

As we look to the next century of libraries and international librarianship in the context of IFLA100, we have been asking: “What are the skills and attitudes required to approach the future with confidence?”

The answer to this question depends on technological advances and what these advances might mean for libraries and the societies they serve.

This is where your imagination and creative writing comes in!

Science fiction has long played a role in helping to imagine alternative worlds, either extrapolating out from current trends, or speculating about what the world might look like if key assumptions fail or change. Now we want you to speculate about the future of libraries in our Li-Sci-Fi short story competition.

The competition

We welcome entries in two categories, with each author limited to one story per category:

  • flash short story (up to 1000 words)
  • short story (between 1001 – 2500 words)

We will be looking for:

  • Insight: say something interesting and on theme. We want stories that make us stop and think!
  • Engaging writing: draw us in with believable and memorable characters, good structure (e.g., strong beginning and ending), and internal consistency.
  • Originality: apply your creativity! Any use of AI must be disclosed and limited to translation and minor editing.

How to submit:

You can submit stories in any official IFLA language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian and Spanish), but if using a language other than English, please either provide an English language translation or be aware that the jury may be working with an automatic translation of the text.

Email a PDF or MS Word document to ifla100@ifla.org before September 1, 2026, with Li-Sci-Fi in the subject line. Include a word count and story title on the first page. Do not include your name in the document or filename.

There is no submission fee but entrants are limited to one submitted story in each category.

Your entries will be blind-reviewed by a jury, and then winners will be chosen by our celebrity judge, Mary Robinette Kowal.

We reserve the right not to select a winner.

The selected winner may choose one of the following prizes:

  • a contribution of up to €500 towards a full year of paid IFLA membership,
  • free registration for IFLA WLIC 2027 in London, United Kingdom,
  • a €500 cash prize.