BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH PRODID://NEOL//530271 BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260820T082125 VTIMEZONE:America/New_York DTSTART:20260929T133000Z DTEND:20260929T193000Z UID:530271 SUMMARY:Back to the Book XXV: Elevating Book Clubs, Inclusive Romance, and Author Connections LOCATION:Hilton Garden Inn, 8971 Wilcox Dr, Twinsburg, OH, 44087 DESCRIPTION:Back to the Book XXV: Elevating Book Clubs, Inclusive Romance, and Author Connections\n\n09/29/26 09:30 AM EST\n - 09/29/26 03:30 PM EST\Description:\nThis is our 25th year for Back to the Book.  We are excited to continue our tradition for diving deep into everything we love about reading.  We’re kicking off the morning with mastering the art of the book discussion. You’ll gain practical insights on evaluating your current groups, followed by a fast-paced "lightning round" showcasing unique, adaptable book club models. After lunch you will be treated to an engaging session on Inclusive Romance with Jessica Pryde, author of Black Love Matters.  We will end the day with local author and librarian, Cari Dubiel as she shares her Librarians Guide to Authors.  Don’t miss this milestone event packed with fresh ideas, professional inspiration, and great conversation!\n\nThe Next Chapter: Giving Your Book Discussion New Life\n \n\nIs your book discussion group thriving, or just going through the motions? This interactive presentation will help book discussion leaders evaluate what's working, identify what's no longer engaging members, and discover practical ways to refresh and strengthen their existing groups. We'll explore how to assess group dynamics, meeting formats, book selection, participation, and member satisfaction, while sharing strategies for fostering meaningful conversations, welcoming new ideas, and keeping your book discussion vibrant and relevant. Whether your group has been meeting for years or is simply ready for a reset, you'll leave with actionable tools and fresh inspiration to help your book discussion flourish.\n\n \n\nPresenter:\n\nNoelle Tagliarini has been working for Cuyahoga County Public Library for the last 11 years where she started working in circulation and then quickly promoted into reference. Prior to working in the library, she worked in Television, Sports Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Restaurant Management. She finally figured out in her forties what she wanted to be when she grew up after she started working at the library. Getting a master’s degree of any sort was never on her radar until she fell in love with her job, so she decided to get her MLIS from Valdosta State University at the same time her daughters were in college.  2026 has proven to be a great year so far as she was just recently promoted to the Head of Adult at the Brecksville Branch as well as Grandma to her first grandchild.\n\n\n\nLove For All, By All: Changing Lives One Inclusive Romance Novel at a Time \n\nWhile romance has always been a popular genre, the increase in both interest and exposure since the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown has made it more popular than ever. Not only are more people reading romance books, but a record number of people writing them as well. This explosion in the genre means we’re seeing books from more points of view, more stories by and about people from historically and systemically excluded and marginalized groups, and more expanded concepts of what a happily ever after (HEA) looks like.\n\nLearning Objectives:\n\n\n \n Attendees will be able to clearly define the genre requirements of a romance novel and the common tropes, subgenres, and genre expectations of the modern reader.\n \n \n  Attendees will have the tools to help maintain a practice of considering representative experiences when sharing one or multiple romances with peers or patrons.\n \n  Attendees will be capable of using library and external resources to discover romances by authors who share the representative lived experience of their characters, and clearly understand why those should be presented before or alongside romances written by authors who do not.\n Attendees will receive a starter list of romance authors, publishers, and titles to explore and share, as well as resources to discover new ones as they emerge.\n ​\n\nPresenter:\n​Jessica P. Pryde is a reader, writer, editor, and curator currently living in Tucson, Arizona. After over a decade as a support services librarian for Pima County Public Library, she left to pursue life away from the Big Light and now works independently from a low-lit cave home office. As a Professional Book Person, she utilizes the tools born from a hard-won Humanities degree and a handy MLIS to revolutionize her little part of the world one inclusive romance novel at a time. She is the editor of the essay anthology Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters and is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot, where she formerly co-hosted the When In Romance podcast and continues to write about romance, libraries, and occasionally some other bookish things. In 2025 she actualized a decade-long dream and founded Why Choose: A Romance Bookstore, which centers and celebrates romance written by historically and systemically excluded and marginalized groups. Somewhere in the midst of that, she also co-founded Pink Plaid Literary, an editorial company focused on Cultural Accuracy and Sensitivity Editing (CASE). During the rare moments in which she is not actively pursuing books and romance as a special interest, you can find her exploring the various tea shops in Southern Arizona and following her favorite performers around the Desert Southwest. Read more about her at www.jessicapryde.com. \n\n\nThe Librarian's Guide to Authors\nEvery community is home to authors. Whether independently or traditionally published, authors are out there wanting to connect with you. We’ll explore the relationship between authors and librarians, including the unique ways each group is attracted to books and how to use those attractions to work together.\n \nParticipants will also receive a free copy of Cari’s short ebook, THE LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE TO AUTHORS.\n \nPresenter:\nCari Dubiel is the Assistant Director at Twinsburg Public Library. She brings many years of experience to both her author and library careers. Leveraging her unique perspective, Cari speaks to both authors and librarians about the ways they can partner with each other. She has written both THE LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE TO AUTHORS and THE AUTHOR’S GUIDE TO LIBRARIES.\n\n \Details:\nWho Should Attend:  Anyone interested in learning more about elevating book discussion, inclusive romance, and connecting with authors\nCompetency:  Readers' Advisory and Programming\n\nNon-Member Cost:      $160\nNEO-RLS Bronze Member Cost:  $120\nNEO-RLS Silver Member Cost:   $80\nNEO-RLS Gold Member Cost:    FREE\nNEO-RLS Individual Member Cost:  $80\n\nThere is an additional $40 surcharge for facility use and amenities.\nLunch will be provided.\n\nWe encourage you to register a minimum of three (7) days in advance for this event in order to ensure that we can accommodate your full participation in terms of seating, hand-outs, food, etc.\n\nThis event is supported by the State Library of Ohio with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.\n\nIt’s never too late to save your library money. NEO-RLS Memberships are pro-rated! Call us today to join.\Location:\nHilton Garden Inn\n8971 Wilcox Dr\nTwinsburg, OH 44087 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:Back to the Book XXV: Elevating Book Clubs, Inclusive Romance, and Author Connections

09/29/26 09:30 AM EST - 09/29/26 03:30 PM EST
Description:
This is our 25th year for Back to the Book.  We are excited to continue our tradition for diving deep into everything we love about reading.  We’re kicking off the morning with mastering the art of the book discussion. You’ll gain practical insights on evaluating your current groups, followed by a fast-paced "lightning round" showcasing unique, adaptable book club models. After lunch you will be treated to an engaging session on Inclusive Romance with Jessica Pryde, author of Black Love Matters.  We will end the day with local author and librarian, Cari Dubiel as she shares her Librarians Guide to Authors.  Don’t miss this milestone event packed with fresh ideas, professional inspiration, and great conversation!


The Next Chapter: Giving Your Book Discussion New Life

 
Is your book discussion group thriving, or just going through the motions? This interactive presentation will help book discussion leaders evaluate what's working, identify what's no longer engaging members, and discover practical ways to refresh and strengthen their existing groups. We'll explore how to assess group dynamics, meeting formats, book selection, participation, and member satisfaction, while sharing strategies for fostering meaningful conversations, welcoming new ideas, and keeping your book discussion vibrant and relevant. Whether your group has been meeting for years or is simply ready for a reset, you'll leave with actionable tools and fresh inspiration to help your book discussion flourish.

 

Presenter:
Noelle Tagliarini has been working for Cuyahoga County Public Library for the last 11 years where she started working in circulation and then quickly promoted into reference. Prior to working in the library, she worked in Television, Sports Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Restaurant Management. She finally figured out in her forties what she wanted to be when she grew up after she started working at the library. Getting a master’s degree of any sort was never on her radar until she fell in love with her job, so she decided to get her MLIS from Valdosta State University at the same time her daughters were in college.  2026 has proven to be a great year so far as she was just recently promoted to the Head of Adult at the Brecksville Branch as well as Grandma to her first grandchild.



Love For All, By All: Changing Lives One Inclusive Romance Novel at a Time 

While romance has always been a popular genre, the increase in both interest and exposure since the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown has made it more popular than ever. Not only are more people reading romance books, but a record number of people writing them as well. This explosion in the genre means we’re seeing books from more points of view, more stories by and about people from historically and systemically excluded and marginalized groups, and more expanded concepts of what a happily ever after (HEA) looks like.

Learning Objectives:
Presenter:
​Jessica P. Pryde is a reader, writer, editor, and curator currently living in Tucson, Arizona. After over a decade as a support services librarian for Pima County Public Library, she left to pursue life away from the Big Light and now works independently from a low-lit cave home office. As a Professional Book Person, she utilizes the tools born from a hard-won Humanities degree and a handy MLIS to revolutionize her little part of the world one inclusive romance novel at a time. She is the editor of the essay anthology Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters and is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot, where she formerly co-hosted the When In Romance podcast and continues to write about romance, libraries, and occasionally some other bookish things. In 2025 she actualized a decade-long dream and founded Why Choose: A Romance Bookstore, which centers and celebrates romance written by historically and systemically excluded and marginalized groups. Somewhere in the midst of that, she also co-founded Pink Plaid Literary, an editorial company focused on Cultural Accuracy and Sensitivity Editing (CASE). During the rare moments in which she is not actively pursuing books and romance as a special interest, you can find her exploring the various tea shops in Southern Arizona and following her favorite performers around the Desert Southwest. Read more about her at www.jessicapryde.com. 


The Librarian's Guide to Authors

Every community is home to authors. Whether independently or traditionally published, authors are out there wanting to connect with you. We’ll explore the relationship between authors and librarians, including the unique ways each group is attracted to books and how to use those attractions to work together.
 
Participants will also receive a free copy of Cari’s short ebook, THE LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE TO AUTHORS.
 
Presenter:
Cari Dubiel is the Assistant Director at Twinsburg Public Library. She brings many years of experience to both her author and library careers. Leveraging her unique perspective, Cari speaks to both authors and librarians about the ways they can partner with each other. She has written both THE LIBRARIAN’S GUIDE TO AUTHORS and THE AUTHOR’S GUIDE TO LIBRARIES.

 
Details:
Who Should Attend:  Anyone interested in learning more about elevating book discussion, inclusive romance, and connecting with authors
Competency:  Readers' Advisory and Programming

Non-Member Cost:      $160
NEO-RLS Bronze Member Cost:  $120
NEO-RLS Silver Member Cost:   $80
NEO-RLS Gold Member Cost:    FREE
NEO-RLS Individual Member Cost:  $80

There is an additional $40 surcharge for facility use and amenities.
Lunch will be provided.

We encourage you to register a minimum of three (7) days in advance for this event in order to ensure that we can accommodate your full participation in terms of seating, hand-outs, food, etc.

This event is supported by the State Library of Ohio with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

It’s never too late to save your library money. NEO-RLS Memberships are pro-rated! Call us today to join.
Location:
Hilton Garden Inn
8971 Wilcox Dr
Twinsburg, OH 44087 PRIORITY:3 TRANSP:TRANSPARENT BEGIN:VALARM TRIGGER:-PT5M ACTION:DISPLAY DESCRIPTION:Reminder END:VALARM END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR