A Note from the

Programs and Services Associate

We have some exciting news to share! We are launching the next phase of our message boards roll out, and they are now available for all Active Learning Communities. We’ve also added a few new groups, including the Workplace Well-Being Active Learning Community, Middle Management Active Learning Community, and the Cross Collaboration Message Board.

The message boards will be replacing the NEO-RLS Discord servers. Our hope is that these new boards create a welcoming and accessible space for everyone to connect and share. These communities are open to anyone working in a library or currently in library school, no matter where you are located or what your membership level may be. We believe the more voices included in the discussion, the better the conversations will be.

The message boards are hosted on the NEO-RLS website and can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. They are email enabled, so you can participate either by logging into the website or by replying to post notifications via email. From the website, you can share links, upload documents, attach images, and exchange ideas. The message boards are a great place to ask questions, share programs or flyers, and get feedback on services or software.

To access the message boards, you will need a member profile on the NEO-RLS website. If you have attended any NEO-RLS events in the past, you likely already have one set up. If you are not sure, please feel free to reach out and we can help you check.

Improving functionality and accessibility in the membership portal of the website is a primary focus for the NEO-RLS team in 2026. In addition to the message boards, you can expect to see a redesign and additional features added to the portal in the coming months. We hope the message boards and additional improvements will help make the membership portal a useful space for connection and collaboration. The space will grow and improve with your participation, and we welcome your questions, ideas, and feedback as we go. See you on the message boards! 

Best wishes,  

Hillary

Click HERE for instructions to join an Active Learning Community and View its Message Board or reach out to Hillary Brown at hillary.brown@neo-rls.org for assistance.  

Exciting Events & CE You Can’t Miss!

December

Chair Yoga for Library Workers: Reconnecting (F)

12/17/2025

January

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

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

1/14/2026

NEW! Don’t Just Shake it Off: Using Debriefing Tools to Support Front-Line Library Staff (I)

1/15/2026

Top 25 Titles of 2025 (F)

1/22/2026

Teen Summer Reading Program: Unearth a Story (I)

1/28/2026

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

NEW! Library Funding 101 (F)

2/10/2026

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

2/11/2026

Adult Summer Reading Workshop: Unearth a Story (I)

2/12/2026

NEW! Make Presentations with Canva (I)

2/19/2026

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

2/24/2026

NEW! New Supervisors' Academy

2/25/2026

AI’s Environmental Impact (I)

2/26/2026

March

Library Programming with AI: Using AI to Help Create Impactful and Memorable Library Programs (I)

3/3/2026

NEW! AI & Information Literacy: Building Critical Evaluation Skills for Generative AI

3/10/2026

Thank You for Returning Your 2026-2027 Letters of Intent!

Thank you to everyone who has already submitted their 2026-2027 Letters of Intent! Your continued partnership ensures that we can deliver the services and support your library needs. If you haven’t had a chance to return your Letter of Intent yet, there’s still time! Please submit it by December 31, 2025.

If you have any questions or need a copy of your letter, don’t hesitate to reach out to Ragan Snead.

Still In Need of a Few More Palooza Presenters

Each summer reading workshop will include a program palooza.  The program palooza is where one or two people share their program at a table for about 8 minutes and then those at the table have 5 minutes to ask questions. The attendees then move to another table and the person sharing presents again.  We do about 6 rounds of this with a break in-between.  We will do our best to have a Zoom session with all presenters so that they have opportunity to hear one another.  

If you are interested in sharing your unique program for either the children, teen, or adult summer reading workshop please email Melissa Lattanzi at your earliest convenience. 

Apply Now for a COBAA LSTA Grant

The State Library of Ohio invites libraries to apply for a Celebrating Ohio Book Awards & Authors (COBAA) LSTA grant to support collection development and collection-related program initiatives for their communities. The COBAA grant enables libraries to purchase books by Ohio authors and books recognized by Ohio-based book award programs, as indicated within the grant's Book Selection Tool. This unique initiative allows libraries to expand collections and support literacy by connecting Ohio readers to Ohio authors and Ohio book award winners. The COBAA grant is made possible with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The maximum COBAA grant award is $2,000 per eligible institution. No local matching funds are required. Grant applications must be submitted online via the State Library website by 11:59 PM, January 12, 2026.

Beloved: A Statewide Toni Morrison Celebration

Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison is a year-long, statewide initiative to celebrate the life, literature, and legacy of Toni Morrison, Lorain, Ohio native and the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Across all 88 counties, organizations will be creating spaces for people to read, talk, learn, and celebrate her impact together. As part of this work, her novels will be read in the order of the eras they represent — tracing American history from 1680 through the 2000s through her storytelling. It’s an approach designed to spark deeper reflection, open new conversations, and create the kind of shared understanding that can shift how we see ourselves and each other.

From February 18, 2026, to February 18, 2027, communities across Ohio will be creating spaces to read, discuss, perform, teach, and celebrate her work in ways that fit their own local stories.

Libraries, schools, and other organizations interested in participating, or already planning to participate, are encouraged to email Project Manager Brittany "Britt" Lovett who is in charge of supporting the statewide network and help bring programming ideas to life. 

Learn more about Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison here.

Portage County Pop-Up Pantry Connects Rural Communities with Food Assistance

In November and December, Portage County District Library partnered with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank to provide Pop-Up Food Pantries in the Garrettsville and Randolph service areas as SNAP benefits lapsed and the holidays approached. Thanks to this initiative, they have served over 250 families and provided fresh produce & shelf-stable grocery items for community members.

Learn more by visiting our website.

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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Northeast Ohio Regional Library System | P.O. Box 1021 | Twinsburg, OH 44087