Links to presentations/recordings may be made available in the program after the Conference if approved by speakers.
** Note some edits have been made to the digital program which may not be reflected in the printed version.
Day 1 – Tuesday 25 March | 8.30am – 5.00pm
| Time | Session |
| 8.30am – 1.30pm | QPLA/SLQ Library Leaders Program Wrap Up and Tours (Library Leaders Program delegates + invitees only) |
| 1.00pm – 4.00pm | Registration Desk open – Townsville Stadium LUNCH WILL NOT BE PROVIDED FOR AFTERNOON CONFERENCE ATTENDEES |
| 1.30pm – 2.15pm | Regional Digital Development Officers Update | PRESENTATION Includes Digital and You, My Digital Skills program and RDDO update |
| 2.15pm – 2.45pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 2.45pm – 4.45pm | Implementing the Public Library and IKC Roadmap | PRESENTATION Louise Denoon, Executive Director Community Partnerships and Katie Edmiston, Manager Public Libraries, State Library of Queensland ABSTRACT In this workshop, the State Library team will examine the recent annual reporting statistics and how they are contributing towards progressing shared priorities, as outlined in the public library and IKC Roadmap of Places and Programs, Collections and Resources, and People and Partners. This workshop will provide an opportunity to reflect on the outcomes and impacts of public libraries now and consider what services, processes, and programs may be required in future to achieve the collective aspirations of the Road map. |
| 4.45pm | Workshop Closes |
| 5.30pm-8.30pm | TropicALIA Dinner Join ALIA CEO Cathie Warburton and Engagement Manager Emily Wilson for an informal dinner, to welcome them to Townsville and the chance to share what’s happening in the regions. Dinner will be at your own cost. Open to all library workers, you do not need to be a member of ALIA. LEARN MORE AND REGISTER When: Tuesday 25th March, 2025 6:30pm – 8:30pm AEST Where: Palmer’s Bar & Kitchen 12 Palmer Street, Townsville 4810 Cost: ALIA Members – Free. Dinner at own cost. Non-Members – Free. Dinner at own cost. |
Day 2 – Wednesday 26 March 8.00am – 7.00pm
| Time | Session |
| 8.00am – 9.00am | Registration Desk open – Coffee and Tea |
| 8.30am – 12.00pm | The IFLA presentation has been cancelled due to facilitator illness – this will form part of the 2025 QPLA LEaD PD event in October. Using research process to explore challenging patron behaviours Dr Jane Garner ABSTRACT This workshop will take participants through a live research process focussed on understanding challenging patron behaviours. Attendees will co-design a research activity that will explore the nature and prevalence of these issues. They will then contribute their own anonymised data to the study, and be part of the data analysis process leading to research findings. Participants will learn some basic research techniques that they can use in their workplaces to gather data and to get that data to tell informed stories that can be incorporated into funding applications and reports to stakeholders. Please bring a device such as a smart phone, tablet or laptop. |
| 12.00pm – 12.15pm | LUNCH – Grab & Go lunch |
| 12.15pm – 3.00pm | Library Tours (Bus departs 12.15pm) 12.45pm-1.30pm Eddie Koiki Mabo Library, James Cook University 1.45pm-2.45pm Citylibraries Riverway includes Afternoon Tea, hosted by Townsville Citylibraries |
| 3.00pm – 3.45pm | Trove Partners Resource Sharing – a new era | PRESENTATION Giang Pham, Project Manager – National Resource Sharing and Deanna Cronk, Product Owner, National Resource Sharing – National Library |
| 3.45pm – 4.30pm | ALIA Update | PRESENTATION Cathie Warburton, ALIA CEO |
| 4.30pm – 5.00pm | Lightning talks Creating a Trail of Discovery for Cairns Libraries Customers | Mikki Rhoades – Cairns Libraries | PRESENTATION Leadership Design: Drawing with all the colours | Tracey Swann and Lisa Keogh – Redland City Council | PRESENTATION Words Out West: Western Downs Readers & Writers Fest | Sheridan Edgar, Leesa Hodgson, Jacinta Ward, Western Downs Regional Council | PRESENTATION |
| 5.00pm – 7.00pm | Welcome Reception and Trade Exhibition Launch – Sponsored by BFX Furniture Meet the vendors, browse and purchase local gifts from a range of artisans, network with other professionals, along with some exciting announcements. Presentation by Sponsor – BFX Furniture Cheryl Haughton Scholarship 2024 announced 2025 QPLA LEaD Professional Development announced Performance by: Melaleuca Strings |
Day 3 – Thursday 27 March 8.00am – 5.00pm
| Time | Session |
| 8.00am – 9.00am | Registration Desk open – Coffee and Tea |
| 8.45am – 9.00am | Official Opening Welcome to Country presented by Bindal Elder, Aunty Dorothy Welcome to Townsville – Jacqui Cowell, General Manager, Community & Lifestyle Welcome to the Conference – QPLA President, Nicole Hunt |
| 9.00am-9.15am | Sponsor Presentation Principal Sponsor – Local Buy Daniel O’Donnell |
| 9.15am -10.30am | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Beth Wahler (online) PRESENTATION PDF Caring for ourselves and one another: supporting sustainable practice for library staff |
| 10.30am – 10.35am | Sponsor Announcement – Dinner Sponsor – Solus |
| 10.35am – 11.00am | Morning tea |
| 11.00am – 11.05am | Sponsor Announcement – Speaker Sponsor – James Bennett |
| 11.05am – 12.00pm | SPEAKER | Tui Raven Indigenous knowledges in library spaces Abstract: This presentation and yarning sessions explore the intersection of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights (ICIP) and Indigenous knowledge systems within library spaces. I advocate for practices that prioritise respect, reciprocity, and relationality. Drawing on my work as the Guidelines for First Collection Description author, I will discuss practical strategies for embedding ICIP principles in library practices, including culturally appropriate cataloguing, descriptive standards, and access protocols. I will address the ethical complexities of the re-use of Indigenous knowledges held in collections. And the innovative solution being used in open-access environments to record ICIP. Yarning sessions that honour Indigenous cultural respect and relational approaches will be used to encourage open and meaningful discussions. This will be an opportunity to discuss what does or does not work within your library space. |
| 12.00pm – 12:30pm | Lightning talks QPLA Cheryl Haughton Scholarship 2023 Report – Anna Kinney, City of Moreton Bay | PRESENTATION QPLA/ALIA Mentoring Program 2024Report – Caitlyn Anchen, Townsville Citylibraries and Robyn Gattera, Brisbane Libraries | PRESENTATION |
| 12.30pm – 1.30pm | Lunch (View the new Townsville Citylibraries Mobile Van) |
| 1.30pm – 2.15pm | SPEAKER | Margaret Warren, State Library of Queensland | PRESENTATION AI & Public Libraries – Collections |
| 2.15pm – 2.45 pm | Lightning talks Managing Unacceptable Behaviours | Cheryl Pye & Gail Seeney, Ipswich Libraries PRESENTATION + SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Culture Counts Case Study – Townsville Citylibraries | Georgia Moore, Culture Counts + Caitlin Single, Townsville Citylibraries |
| 2:45pm – 3.45pm | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Martin Heppell The Resilience Project |
| 3.45pm – 4.00pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 4.00pm – 4.55pm | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Jules Allen |
| 4.55pm – 5.00pm | Wrap Up – QPLA President |
| 4.30pm – 5.30pm | VENDOR + SPONSORS TOUR with a Cowboy – Queensland Country Bank Stadium Tour |
| 6.30pm – 11.00pm | Conference Dinner Function – The Beach House Join us at The Beach House, down on The Strand in your best beach-themed attire! Prizes to be won for best dressed! 70 The Strand, North Ward with Emcee Steven Oliver Presentation of Awards QPLA Multicultural Excellence Award 2024 QPLA Innovation in Heritage Services Award 2024 Dinner event and Entertainment kindly sponsored by SOLUS |
Day 4 – Friday 28 March | 8.30am – 5.00pm
| Time | Session |
| 8.30am – 9.00am | Registration Desk Open |
| 9.00am – 10.00am | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Pauline Nguyen The War Chest of a Modern Leader |
| 10.00am – 10.15am | Morning Tea |
| 10.15am – 10.45am | State Library of Queensland Update | PRESENTATION Louise Denoon, Executive Director Community Partnerships, State Library of Queensland ABSTRACT Louise Denoon will share an update on the programs and initiatives being delivered by State Library to strengthen our partnership with local government. This will include an exploration of the role of libraries in the digital economy and sharing some of the insights of the Digital Inclusion project currently being delivered in in remote and rural Queensland. Using the First 5 Forever 10th anniversary to celebrate our collective impact in local communities and consideration of the next decade. The update will frame our work through the Road Map and our shared effort to be future focused, adapting to change and embracing of innovation to create sustainable and resilient services. |
| 10.45am – 11.30am | SPEAKER | Dr Jane Garner | PRESENTATION Beyond Individual Resilience: Addressing Workplace Trauma in Public Libraries as an Industry-Wide Challenge |
| 11.30am – 12:30pm | 2024 Library Leaders Program Wrap Up | PRESENTATION Facilitated by Kaley Schelks, Coordinator Capability, State Library of Queensland ABSTRACT In 2024-25 State Library in partnership with QPLA offered 13 library staff from across Queensland the opportunity to build on their individual capability and drive innovation across the library sector. Each Library Leader participated in significant professional development opportunities including attendance at IFLA Information Futures Summitt, and the QPLA LEaD conference. The participants nominated a locally relevant project to work on and were matched with an industry mentor to support them with their project. A number of Library Leaders will present their diverse project outcomes including topics such as Bereavement Support in Libraries, Digitization and Local Studies in RLQs, Trauma Informed Early Literacy Programs, Psychosocial Hazards and Wellbeing Support for Library Staff, and Sustainability through Library of Things. |
| 12.30pm – 1.30pm | Lunch |
| 1.30pm – 2.00pm | GOLD SPONSOR PRESENTATION | Bolinda Digital PRESENTATION |
| 2.15pm – 2.45pm | Lightning talks Diversifying the Load of Library Programming | Delveen Icardi, Mackay Regional Council | PRESENTATION Change Management Strategies | Meaghan Brown, Redland City Council | PRESENTATION Using research and community knowledge to develop disability support programming | Kathleen Davison, Narelle Jackson, City of Moreton Bay | PRESENTATION |
| 2.45pm – 3.00 pm | Afternoon tea |
| 3.00pm – 3.45pm | SPEAKER | Donna Leech, Co-Convenor, RDCoP and Librarian (TMR Library Services – Operational Support Services) | PRESENTATION Reparative Description Community of Practice ABSTRACT Hosted by the Australian Library and Information Association Community on Resource Description (ALIA ACORD), the Reparative Description Community of Practice (RDCoP) seeks to address biases in traditional cataloguing and metadata practices. This presentation explores the impact of conventional cataloguing on Indigenous communities and the significance of reparative description in library and archival work. The session will cover practical steps for implementing reparative description, engaging with library communities, and securing organisational support. Join us to understand our collective responsibility in ensuring inclusive metadata and promoting equitable, diverse library services. |
| 3.45pm – 4.45pm | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Tracey Spicer |
| 4.45pm – 5.00pm | Conference Close – QPLA President |