In this Month’s News and Updates…
- Register for the 2026 Member Annual Meeting
- Fall 2026 MLS Workshop Lineup
- Fall 2026 Member Webinar Schedule
- Save the Date for Teen Summit
- Introducing Middle Manager Community Chats
- Our Future Memory Project
- The Signing of An Act Regarding Free Expression
- The Boston Public Library’s Excel Online High School Program
- Join Us at MHEC’s EXPO 2026
- A Visit to the Montserrat College of Art
Register for the 2026 Member Annual Meeting
Registration for the 2026 Massachusetts Library System (MLS) Member Annual Meeting is now open! Join us on Wednesday, November 4 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Leominster for this free event.
Registration is available on the MLS Learning Hub for all staff at MLS member libraries, automated networks, and other Massachusetts library support organizations.
If you don’t already have an account, sign up for free before registering.
We’re holding this year’s event at a different venue to accommodate more attendees. Please be sure to note the new address:
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 99 Erdman Way, Leominster, MA 01453
On the morning of the event, registration will be open from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. The event is from 9:30 a.m – 3:30 p.m.
If you have any questions, please contact MLS Learning Events & Grants Manager Sarah Donnelly (sdonnelly@masslibsystem.org).
We’re excited to welcome Dr. Michaela Kerrissey as this year’s keynote speaker!
About Dr. Michaela Kerrissey
Professor Michaela Kerrissey, PhD, MS, is on the faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She conducts research on how teams and organizations innovate, integrate, and perform, with a focus on team climates and psychological experiences at work.
Dr. Kerrissey has authored over 30 publications on team and organizational topics. She publishes in leading academic journals, such as Administrative Science Quarterly, and in popular outlets, such as Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and NEJM Catalyst. She has received numerous Best Paper awards, including from the Academy of Management and the Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research. She is listed on Thinkers50 Radar, a global listing of top management thinkers, and was shortlisted in 2023 for their top award.
Dr. Kerrissey designed the Organization Science course at the Harvard School of Public Health and co-teaches an online Teaming course across Harvard Business School and Harvard Medical School. She also teaches in multiple executive programs across Harvard University and received the Bok Center award for excellence in teaching.
Dr. Kerrissey holds a PhD from Harvard Business School, an MS from Harvard School of Public Health, and a BA from Duke University. She has been a Robertson Scholar, a Hart Fellow, and a Reynolds Fellow. Prior to academia, she was a consulting team leader at The Bridgespan Group, which was launched out of Bain & Company.
Fall 2026 MLS Workshop Lineup
We’re excited to announce the MLS learning lineup for fall 2026! Join us for workshops on library-related topics throughout the season.
You can now earn IACET CEUs by successfully completing these workshops. You’ll receive a certificate documenting your completion and the CEUs awarded by MLS, an IACET-accredited provider.
Visit the Learning Hub to register for any workshop and view our full lineup below:
Manager Essentials: Managing People Challenges
With Andrew Sanderbeck
Tuesday, September 29 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Thursday, October 1 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Stronger Customer Service, Stronger Library
With Martha Meacham
Friday, October 2 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Monday, October 19 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Leading Musical Storytimes: Tools and Techniques
With Jessica Cheung
Tuesday, October 6 from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Wednesday, October 7 from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Speak Up: Public Speaking and Presentation Skills for Library Workers
With Jane Stimpson
Wednesday, October 14 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Thursday, November 19 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Manager Essentials: Managing Decisions and Staff Communication
With Andrew Sanderbeck
Wednesday, October 28 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Thursday, October 29 from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Discover, Listen, Plan: Needs Assessment for Library Strategic Plans
With Michelle Eberle
Friday, November 6 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Friday, November 20 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Strengthen Your Library Through Effective Policies
With Katherine Adelberg
Tuesday, November 17 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Thursday, December 3 from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Weeding Basics: Curating Collections for Community Benefit
With Christi Farrar
Monday, November 16 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Northampton Office
Wednesday, December 2 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., MLS Marlborough Office
Please contact Learning Experience Program Manager Hillary Washburn (hillary@masslibsystem.org) with any questions.
Fall 2026 Member Webinar Schedule
We’re pleased to announce the Fall 2026 MLS Member Webinar series.
MLS member library staff will share their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics in a series of four webinars taking place October 8, October 21, November 12, and December 1.
Visit the Learning Hub to register for a webinar and check out the lineup below:
Starting a Library Pollinator Garden: Plants, Programming, and Partnerships
October 8, 2026 from 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Dorrie Karlin and Laura Mills
Fowler Branch, Concord Free Public Library
Building Belonging: Inclusive Library Programs for Neurodiverse Adults
October 21, 2026 from 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Darshana Merchant
Morrill Memorial Library, Norwood
Your Library Needs a Substack
November 12, 2026 from 2 – 3 p.m.
Jeremiah Rood
Greenfield Public Library
Growing Your Seed Library
December 1, 2026 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Tom Jorgenson
Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield
For full webinar descriptions, check out the MLS Member Webinars LibGuide or the Learning Hub, where registration is open for all webinars.
MLS Member Webinars will be recorded and posted to the MLS Vimeo channel.
Contact MLS Consultant Jane Stimpson (jane@masslibsystem.org) with any questions.
Save the Date for Teen Summit
Please save the date for the 2026 Teen Summit: Friday, November 13, 2026. Teen Summit is a free, virtual, daylong event full of presentations and sessions for library staff working with teens in any type of library.
This year, we are excited to announce that Cynthia Leitich Smith will kick off our day as the keynote speaker.
Cynthia Leitich Smith (Mvskoke Nation) is the 2026 Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature Winner, a two-time American Indian Youth Literature (Young Adult) Award winner, a 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award Candidate, a NSK Neustadt Laureate, Southern Miss Medallion winner, Texas Literary Hall of Fame inductee, and the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperChildren’s. Cynthia also has been named to deliver the 2026 ALSC Children’s Literature Lecture. She’s a New York Times bestselling author, and her latest titles include “Here come the Aunties!,” “Firefly Season,” and “Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories” (which is a Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award nominee!).
Registration link and speaker schedule will be available in October.
Introducing Middle Manager Community Chats
A new Community Chat for middle managers is launching on September 24! Supervisors, department heads, assistant directors, and other middle managers from all library types are welcome. Join MLS Consultant Katherine Adelberg each month for discussion and connection with others in similar roles.
Like other MLS Community Chats, the focus will be on informal sharing and learning. Use our Padlet to add or vote on discussion topics, or send them to katherine@masslibsystem.org.
Come ready to share what works for you and help colleagues navigate the challenges and rewards of middle management.
Register for Middle Manager Community Chats.
Our Future Memory Project
At their August 2026 meeting, the MLS Executive Board voted to join the list of signatories for the Our Future Memory project.
From their website: “Our Future Memory provides a way for memory institutions and others who support them to sign the statement and join a global community focused on Protecting the Past to Power the Future.”
The Signing of An Act Regarding Free Expression
Governor Healey signed An Act Regarding Free Expression into law on August 10, 2026. MLS Executive Director Sarah Sogigian, Communications Manager Jack Martin, Executive Board President Shannon Compton, and Board Member Alex Scarelli-Smith joined hundreds of colleagues and supporters at the Franklin Public Library for this historic event.
We send out thanks to Governor Healey and her office, Senators Cyr and Oliveira, Representatives Garballey, Moran, and Scanlon, the Massachusetts Library Association Legislative Committee, the Massachusetts School Library Association, and our colleagues and collaborators from across the state and profession.
The Boston Public Library’s Excel Online High School Program
The Boston Public Library reports that their Excel Online High School program saw 110 graduates from over 45 communities across the Commonwealth.
This exceptional program was shared statewide through the Library for the Commonwealth and MLS collaboration in 2022. Sarah Sogigian attended the graduation ceremony at the Boston Public Library on August 1, 2026.
Join Us at MHEC’s EXPO 2026
A message from our friends at MHEC:
When it comes to purchasing, having the right resources can save time and money. That’s where MHEC comes in.
MHEC is a New England purchasing consortium that helps organizations access publicly awarded contracts and cost-saving opportunities. Through MHEC, MLS members have a strong resource for navigating purchasing and connecting with suppliers.
MHEC’s Annual EXPO will be held Thursday, September 24, at the DCU Center in Worcester, featuring more than 200 exhibitor booths, educational opportunities, and resources designed to help organizations make informed purchasing decisions.
We hope many of you will join us at the event.
Please see the attached flyer for additional details. Registration is free and includes breakfast, lunch, and parking.
We’re excited to continue supporting MLS members and look forward to seeing you at EXPO.
A Visit to the Montserrat College of Art
On August 19, members of MLS’s Learning Services Department visited the Paul M. Scott Library at the Montserrat College of Art in Beverly.
After touring the library and college, the department had a great conversation with Assistant Dean of Academic Services Catherine Robertson. Catherine described the unique needs of a special academic library and shared how the library supports its students.
Thank you for a great visit, Catherine!
