In October, I had the chance to attend and present at the 2025 NCLA Conference, and it ended up being one of the most rewarding professional development experiences I’ve had so far. I co-presented “Redefining the Librarian Role: Advocates, Designers, Marketers, and More” with colleagues from the NCLA Intellectual Freedom Committee and the Library Advocacy and Legislation Section. Together, we shared the story of how all of us with very different skillsets—marketing, design, web development, advocacy work—came together to build Read Free NC. Read Free NC is a statewide library advocacy organization offering a confidential helpline for library workers who are facing censorship issues or harassment, along with toolkits, resources, and a blog covering current issues. Standing next to colleagues I’ve grown close to and admire felt incredibly meaningful, and it was energizing to talk about how “non-traditional” library skills can make a real difference and help expand what librarianship is and can be.

I also presented a poster with Will Ritter on ZSR’s Wellness Collection: “Beyond Books: Supporting Student Well-Being with a Library Wellness Collection.” We focused on how the collection has developed over time and where it’s going next, including the addition of Sensory Kits. The response surprised me in the best way. Multiple attendees told me they came to the poster session specifically to see ours, and I had so many great conversations about wellness materials, outreach, and creative collection development. Seeing how other libraries are supporting well-being sparked even more ideas about how we can continue growing this project.

This was also the first conference where I attended as a section member who helped plan promotion, tabling, and logistics behind the scenes. Getting to see the amount of coordination and creative labor that goes into a large professional event gave me a new appreciation for the role NCLA plays in building community: not just in advocacy, but in professional development, communication, and connection for library workers.

The emotional cherry on top of all these great conference experiences was seeing a sea of people wearing the Read Free NC shirts I designed. I’ve been a part of Read Free NC from the beginning, so seeing that work out “in the wild” was a moment I’ll be carrying with me for a long time. (And yes, if you need a shirt, let me know!)