Meeting Grief Together: Creating a Compassionate Response Plan. December 3, 2025.
 

A Note from the

Executive Director

 

NEO-RLS had a fantastic time connecting with library staff from across the state at our Expo Booth during this year’s OLC Convention & Expo, held right in our own backyard of Cleveland, Ohio! Hearing directly from so many of you about how NEO-RLS impacts your work is incredibly rewarding and energizing. These conversations are always a highlight, offering valuable insights into your needs while allowing us to share how we support libraries through continuing education, active learning communities, consulting, and more. 

We were also excited to showcase our Health Literacy Kits in the Gadget Gallery and appreciated the enthusiastic response from attendees. Throughout the week, our team attended a wide range of informative and inspiring sessions, bringing back fresh ideas and perspectives to continue strengthening our services. 

 

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the booth to learn more about NEO-RLS or simply to say hi. We’re already excited about next year’s Convention & Expo and can’t wait to see you there! 

 

Ragan 

Exciting Events & CE You Can’t Miss!

 

December

TODAY! Meeting Grief Together: Creating a Compassionate Response Plan (I)

12/3/2025

You’re Not Alone: The Power of Peer Support in Management (I)

12/4/2025

Technical Services and Collection Development Active Learning Community Meeting

12/4/2025

Outreach Active Learning Community Meeting

12/9/2025

The Power of Storytelling and Empathy-Centered Communication (I)

12/10/2025

Special Libraries Active Learning Community Meeting

12/10/2025

Life Art: A New Horizon, Library Edition (I)

12/11/2025

 A Deeper Dive Into the Science of Reading

12/11/2025

Excel Drop-in Q & A (Excel Nerds and Novices welcome)

12/16/2025

Chair Yoga for Library Workers: Reconnecting (F)

12/17/2025

 

January

NEW! HR and Legal Update: Recent Changes in the Law and Trends Impacting Public Libraries (I)

1/7/2026

Strategic Leadership (I)

1/8/2026

Cultivating Well-Being: Creating a Supportive and Thriving Library Workplace (I)

1/13/2026

NEW! Children's Summer Reading Workshop: Unearth a Story (I)

1/14/2026

NEW! Top 25 Titles of 2025 (F)

1/22/2026

NEW! Teen Summer Reading Program: Unearth a Story (I)

1/28/2026

NEW! The AI Advantage: Next-Gen Project Management (I)

1/29/2026

 

February

Don’t Go There: How to Avoid and Disengage from Controversial Conversations with Patrons and Staff (I)

2/4/2026

Leading From the Middle: Managing Up and Down Simultaneously (I)

2/11/2026

NEW! Adult Summer Reading Workshop: Unearth a Story (I)

2/12/2026

NEW! It’s About Time: Supporting Neurodivergent Employees with Time Management in the Workplace (I)

2/24/2026

View Full Calendar
 
Here's what happened in November: 9 events provided; 282 registered for live events; 174 registered for the archived webinar library
 

Summer Reading Workshops are Open for Registration

 

Registration is now open for all summer reading workshops which will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Twinsburg.  More details will be added daily with speakers and sessions.  Register today to ensure your seat to Unearth a Story.

 

Children's Summer Reading Workshop: Unearth a Story
1/14/2026
Teen Summer Reading Program: Unearth a Story
1/28/2026
Adult Summer Reading Workshop: Unearth a Story
2/12/2026

 
Our 2025 membership survey is live! Take the survey now!
 

Announcing Winners of the 2025 Buckeye Children's and Teen Book Awards

 

The Buckeye Children's and Teen Book Award Council is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Buckeye Children's and Teen Book Awards:

  • Grades K-2: Mr. Fox's Game of No! by David La Rochelle, illus. by Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick, 2024)
  • Grades 3-5: They Call Me No Sam! by Drew Daywalt, illus. by Mike Lowery (Clarion Books, 2024)
  • Grades 6-8: Heroes by Alan Gratz (Scholastic Press, 2024)
  • Teen: The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson (Delacorte Press, 2024)


Each of these books won the highest number of votes out of the five nominees in its category in an online voting process by young readers across Ohio. Nominations for the 2025 Buckeye Children's and Teen Book Awards were accepted from March 15, 2024 to March 10, 2025.  Eligible books are those published in the United States in the previous two years and not part of a series that has previously won the award. Voting was held between September 1 and November 10, 2025.

The Buckeye Children's and Teen Book Award program is designed to encourage children in Ohio to read literature critically, to promote teacher and librarian involvement in children's literature programs, and to commend authors of such literature. The program was established in 1981 through a collaborative effort of the Ohio Educational Library Media Association, the Ohio Council of Teachers of English and Language Arts, the Ohio Library Council, the Ohio Literacy Association, the Kent State University School of Information, and the State Library of Ohio. It is one of the few statewide readers' choice awards in which students nominate titles as well as vote for the winners.

A copy of each winning book, with the BCTBA seal, will be added to the BCTBA archives, housed at the Kent State University School of Information's Reinberger Children's Library Center in Kent, Ohio.

 
December 2025 Active Learning Community Meetings
 
New to Libraries Network Loo

Join the New to Libraries Network Buddy Program

 

The New to Libraries Network Buddy Program is designed to match you with a fellow library newbie to join you as you navigate through the next year. You can share your wins, challenges, resources, and maybe even form a friendship to last years to come.

 

Buddies will be matched based on interests and experience. Participants applying through December 12th, 2025 will be matched with a buddy no later than December 31st.

 

Learn more and apply here.

 
Library Spotlight

Santa and Reindeer visited Reed Memorial Library During Midnight Madness

 

One of the longest running annual events in Ravenna is the annual Midnight Madness event held each year during the holiday shopping season. The 2025 event took place November 28, and Reed Memorial Library participated with live reindeer on the library lawn, storytime with Santa, a pop-up craft market, and holiday photos. In addition, gingerbread houses were on display that attendees could view while sipping on hot chocolate and vote for their favorite house!

 

Email our Marketing & Engagement Coordinator Jill at jill.grunenwald@neo-rls.org if you have a story from your library you want to share. 

 

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