Building Resilient Libraries: Responding to Changing Patron Needs Through People, Programs, and Partnerships

Public libraries are increasingly serving as trusted community anchors, responding to a growing range of patron needs and behaviors while supporting staff in an increasingly complex service environment. Many libraries seek practical, sustainable approaches that both strengthen patron service and support employee well-being.

Focusing on people, programs, and partnerships, library consultant and researcher Beth Wahler will present evidence-based strategies for effectively improving outcomes for patrons while fostering healthier, more resilient library workplaces. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for supporting themselves and their colleagues and renewed optimism about the library's unique role in strengthening communities.

Consultant, trainer, and researcher Dr. Beth Wahler helps libraries apply trauma-informed principles to better support patrons, reduce behavioral problems, strengthen staff well-being, and foster healthy organizational cultures. Through Beth Wahler Consulting LLC, she partners with public libraries, library systems, and state library associations across the United States and internationally to provide customized training, conduct needs assessments and program evaluations, and develop practical strategies for meeting the evolving needs of patrons and staff. Dr. Wahler has published and presented extensively on trauma-informed librarianship, library patron and staff needs, and library/social work partnerships. She is the author of Creating a Person-Centered Library: Best Practices for Supporting High-Needs Patrons and co-host of the podcast Surviving the Stacks, both focused on offering practical support for library staff.

An electronic system for tracking issues and incidents in their system had long been on Marion County Public Library System's wish list. This presentation will show how they're using different forms, permissions, and tags in Springshare's Incident & Issue Tracking to track a variety of different issues from inception to closure.

🛠️ Springy Tools Covered: Incident & Issue Tracking

Larissa Cason is the Library Director for the Marion County Public Library System in West Virginia. Prior to becoming director, she was the Circulation Manager and then Assistant Director of the library system. Larissa has been working in libraries since 2016 after a long career in another field. She enjoys reading genre fiction (fantasy, mystery, science fiction, romance), cross-stitching, watching major league baseball games, Star Wars, and enjoying food & drinks!

When it came time to update their library website for compliance with WCAG standards, Berwyn Public Library decided to rebuild from the ground up. They chose to use LibSites since their library was familiar with Springshare and already used LibCal. Their team of library staff had no experience using LibGuides and little experience with website design before they began. However, working with Springshare's Consulting and Support Team made it possible to launch a sharp, brand-new website in May 2026.

🛠️ Springy Tools Covered: LibSites

After a long career in teaching, Christine Lojewski shifted gears to library science. Starting in public libraries in October 2019 was an exciting shift – only to have the COVID-19 pandemic change the landscape everywhere. However, Christine remains in public libraries, focusing on outreach, marketing and community engagement. In addition to being a lifelong avid reader, Christine is a plant nerd who enjoys gardening, DIY and crochet.

Christine DeAlba works at the Berwyn Public Library in the Community Engagement Department. She has worked in Adult Services at the Elmwood Park Public Library and the Forest Park Public Library. She also worked in Youth Services at River Forest Public Library. Some of her favorite activities at the library include Trivia Night, storytime, and talking about library resources at community events.

Have you heard the news about SirsiDynix's exciting partnership with Springshare? Join Eric Keith to see how Springshare and SirsiDynix can help your library find new ways to curate resources, share knowledge, and engage patrons.

Read about this partnership >>

Great ideas don't always arrive at convenient times. Sometimes they show up while you're stacking 600 cups of hot chocolate, and if you want to make them happen, you have to move quickly.

At Worcester Public Library, a spontaneous idea to use those cups to promote library resources became a real outreach campaign in just 15 minutes. LibGuides made it possible to create a useful, polished resource on the spot, without waiting for a web development queue, a lengthy approval process, or a project that might not happen until next year. A few weeks later, the same idea led to a partnership with a local coffee shop and thousands of opportunities to put the library directly into the community.

For Jason Homer, the lesson isn't really about hot chocolate, coffee sleeves, or even LibGuides. It's about what happens when libraries have the tools and permission to act on good ideas while they're still fresh.

Drawing on Worcester Public Library's experiments with quick-turnaround outreach, Jason will explore how reducing friction can unlock creativity, encourage staff to take chances, and turn "What if we tried this?" into "We just did it." Because sometimes the difference between a great idea and a great library program is simply having the ability to act on it.

🛠️ Springy Tools Covered: LibGuides

Jason Homer is the Executive Director of the Worcester Public Library, serving the second largest city in New England. Since 2020, he has led efforts to expand access, strengthen community partnerships, and reimagine the role of public libraries as civic infrastructure. A 2025 Library Journal Mover & Shaker (Change Agent), Jason created WPL’s Community Resources Department, integrating social services, digital inclusion initiatives, security, workforce support, and community outreach into library operations. Under his leadership, the Worcester Public Library has received national recognition for innovation, marketing, accessibility, and public service, including being named a finalist for the IMLS National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Jason is a frequent speaker on library leadership, intellectual freedom, community engagement, and equitable access to information, and he advocates nationally for the evolving role of libraries in supporting diverse community needs.

A look at how public libraries remain essential community anchors with Springy Natalie, plus a live demo of Careershift: enterprise-grade career research at a fraction of the typical database cost.

In this presentation, Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) will share how the 27-branch system has leveraged a 5-part Welcome Series as a key part of its email marketing strategy to reach library users in Northeast Ohio. By converting to a digital welcome campaign, CCPL promotes core services while retaining the ability to pivot quickly to highlight new offerings as needed. As part of this campaign, CCPL has also integrated a reading recommendations campaign that has driven users to CCPL’s collection.

🛠️ Springy Tools Covered: Patron Point

Shawn Turner is the digital marketing coordinator for Cuyahoga County Public Library. A storyteller at heart, Shawn connects CCPL’s core services and 27 branches to the 47 communities it serves in Northeast Ohio via a diverse mix of channels and platforms. When he’s not tracking website analytics, you can find him reading, hiking trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and trying to keep his cat Potato from destroying the house.

Join two Texas public librarians as they explore how their library systems utilize Springshare’s LibAnswers and LibChat platforms to provide virtual reference service both locally and globally. This presentation will highlight each library’s unique communities and service models, while sharing how collaboration, training, scheduling, and internal processes support a successful chat reference program. Attendees will also explore service data, practical techniques for supporting staff, and lessons learned from working within a global cooperative group.

🛠️ Springy Tools Covered: Patron Point

Hannah Norman is a Branch Administrative Services Librarian with Harris County Public Library (HCPL), serving more than 2.2 million residents. With nearly 10 years of public library experience, she has worked her way from the circulation desk to branch management and now supports systemwide services and staff training. She is passionate about expanding access to information, strengthening library services, and finding new ways libraries can connect with and serve their communities. Hannah remains committed to helping libraries grow beyond being simply a “third place” and into spaces that inspire connection, discovery, and opportunity for everyone. Please reach out if you have questions about HCPL or would simply like to connect with her!

Elizabeth Meyers has been the Electronic Resources Librarian at Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) since June 2023, and manages databases, eBooks, eAudiobooks, and other online content for the library. Before that, she worked in many different types of libraries over the past two decades, including academic libraries, law libraries, and public libraries, providing reference services to widely varying communities. She is thrilled that technology now offers ways for community members to connect with librarians wherever and whenever they need help. In her spare time, you’ll likely find her playing video games or retrieving cat toys from under the furniture.

Join us live for a spooky (and silly) storytime you won’t forget!

How do you improve the customer experience of a vendor platform without rebuilding the platform itself? Denver Public Library approached its LibCal homepage as a UX problem rather than simply a visual customization project. In this presentation, Pauly Bonz will share the thinking behind the redesign, highlight the key changes made to the customer experience, and demonstrate how DPL used LibCal's built-in tools alongside custom CSS and JavaScript to create a more intentional experience. Attendees will learn how to approach LibCal customization from a customer-centered perspective and identify opportunities to improve their own library's LibCal experience.

🛠️ Springy Tools Covered: LibAnswers

Pauly Bonz is a User Experience Researcher and Designer on the IT Digital Solutions team at Denver Public Library. Her work focuses on improving digital experiences through user research, accessibility, content strategy, and service design. At DPL, she works across platforms including Drupal and Springshare products, helping library teams translate customer and staff needs into more usable and accessible digital experiences.