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DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261112T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261112T150000
DTSTAMP:20261007T200851Z
CREATED:20260914T213218Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T200851Z
UID:10000019-1794492000-1794495600@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:Read Local BC BookBlast! Adult titles
DESCRIPTION:The Read Local BC BookBlast! is back and this presentation will focus on brand new and upcoming adult titles (fiction and nonfiction) published here in BC. \nSarah Felkar (Executive Director of Books BC) is our host and will provide a CataList resource for easy book ordering details while publisher reps provide a whirlwind of book talks. \nWhether you are involved in collections development\, recommending book titles\, or simply love to read\, this should be a fun and informative session. \nRegister Today!\nThis event is free of charge thanks to a partnership with the Association of Book Publishers of BC (Books BC). \n 
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/read-local-bc-bookblast-adult-titles/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Collections
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/BCBookBlast-graphic-2-1.png
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261119T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261119T150000
DTSTAMP:20261007T201757Z
CREATED:20260914T213721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T201757Z
UID:10000020-1795096800-1795100400@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:Read Local BC BookBlast! Kids & Youth
DESCRIPTION:The Read Local BC BookBlast! is back and this presentation will focus on brand new and upcoming children & youth titles (fiction and nonfiction) published here in BC. \nSarah Felkar (Executive Director of Books BC) is our host and will provide a CataList resource for easy book ordering details while publisher reps provide a whirlwind of book talks. \nWhether you are involved in collections development\, recommending book titles for children & youth\, or simply love to support BC books\, this should be a fun and informative session. \nRegister Today! \nThis event is free of charge thanks to a partnership with the Association of Book Publishers of BC (Books BC). \n 
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/read-local-bc-bookblast-kids-youth/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Children's Services,Collections,Teen Services
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Book-blast-kids.png
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261202T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261202T120000
DTSTAMP:20261020T205142Z
CREATED:20260728T183158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261020T205142Z
UID:10000007-1796207400-1796212800@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:Misinformation: Can you stop it?
DESCRIPTION:Misinformation spreads quickly – sometimes faster than the truth – and libraries are often the first places its impacts show up. This session provides language\, framing and approaches participants can use to support library users\, friends and family members in navigating the often-overwhelming challenges associated with misinformation.  \nThe session introduces key content from the BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner “Misinformation Minibites.” These virtual learning sessions focus on what misinformation is\, why it is sometimes difficult to identify\, how it impacts human rights and democracy\, and what we can all do to identify and stop it’s spread. The Minibites are on offer as resources for library workers to utilize and share with library patrons. \nThe session also highlights projects developed by community amplifiers to raise awareness of and take action on issues related to misinformation. It was originally offered at the 2026 BC Library Conference and is part of the Conference Virtual Reboot series. \nCost: Free of charge thanks to the BCOHRC\, offered virtually on Zoom \nRegister Today! \nWho should attend: Library workers interested in tools for handling misinformation and supporting their patrons\, whether in programs\, reference conversations or front-of-house dialogue \nPresenters: Joel Harnest & Jocelyn Wong of BCOHRC \nNote: The BCOHRC will be hosting this event on Zoom through their own platform\, but BCLA’s Online Community Guidelines still applies.
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/misinformation-can-you-stop-it/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Misinformation
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/bcothrc-logo.png
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261209T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261209T111500
DTSTAMP:20261007T172338Z
CREATED:20260811T195204Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T172338Z
UID:10000012-1796810400-1796814900@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:What's Ahead in AI: Signal\, Noise and the Coming Year for Libraries
DESCRIPTION:Every few months brings a new wave of AI announcements\, and it can feel like the ground shifts before you’ve had a chance to stand on it. This keynote takes a breath. Avery Swartz looks back at how AI has changed libraries over the past few years\, separates the developments that mattered from the ones that didn’t\, and offers her read on what’s coming in the year ahead. Expect a candid look at the hype cycle\, a few predictions to keep an eye on\, and a reminder that a library’s judgement about what serves its community is still the most valuable thing in the room. \nOutcomes: \n\nLearn to tell the difference between a capability shift in AI and marketing noise\nLeave with a short list of things to watch in the year ahead\, and the reasoning behind each\nBuild confidence in evaluating your library’s AI use\n\nRegister Today!\nCost: We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Housing & Municipal Affairs\, which enables us to offer our BCLA Year-End Keynote speaker free of charge. \nWho should attend: Library workers at any comfort level with AI\, including skeptics \nPresenter bio: Avery Swartz is an acclaimed tech educator and best-selling author. She is the founder and CEO of Camp Tech\, which has been delivering practical tech and AI skills training since 2012. She is also co-lead of AI Skills Lab Canada\, a national program bridging the AI gender adoption gap for women and non-binary entrepreneurs. Avery works with arts and culture organizations\, public libraries\, museums\, and nonprofits across Canada\, including the National Arts Centre and the Stratford Festival\, to adopt AI with confidence. Avery is the resident tech contributor on CTV Your Morning and is regularly heard on CBC Radio. She also hosted the AI Meets World podcast from Microsoft and The Globe and Mail Content Studio. \nBCLA events are all Pacific Time\, hosted online via Zoom\, which includes closed captioning. If you have any accessibility needs to attend these sessions\, please contact Natalie Porter\, BCLA Professional Development Coordinator in advance and BCLA will do our best to support you. \nBCLA expects anyone attending to honour the Online Community Guidelines\, to help create a positive environment that values accountability\, respect\, and a willingness to learn from each other.
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/whats-ahead-in-ai-signal-noise-and-the-coming-year-for-libraries/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Artificial Intelligence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Avery-Swartz-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20270113T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20270113T151500
DTSTAMP:20261021T194256Z
CREATED:20261009T185557Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261021T194256Z
UID:10000025-1799848800-1799853300@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:Beyond Burnout: Brave Conversations around Resilience and Sustainable Librarianship
DESCRIPTION:Popular advice for avoiding burnout often involves a focus on personal care actions outside of work. But if the workplace is what’s getting you down\, are there ways to continue to enjoy the activities that drew you to the profession in the first place? \nThree librarians from vastly different work contexts\, offer possibilities for library workers to try\, drawing on their experiences building professional community and connection outside of their daily duties\, workplace constraints\, and politics. In the process\, they’ve increased resilience\, support\, and joy in their jobs\, even though difficult workplace realities continue. \nJoin Caitlin MacRae (Adult Programming Librarian\, New Westminster Public Library)\, Lisa Nathan (Professor\, University of British Columbia)\, and Rebekah Adams-Brush (Supervisor\, Children’s and Teens Department\, New Westminster Public Library) to learn from their experiences and contribute to the conversation. \nRegister Today!\nThis workshop was originally offered at the 2026 BC Library Conference.
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/beyond-burnout-brave-conversations/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Mental Health & Wellness
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Beyond-Burnout.png
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20270120T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20270120T110000
DTSTAMP:20261021T175717Z
CREATED:20261021T175717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261021T175717Z
UID:10000036-1800439200-1800442800@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:When Programs Go Wrong: Being Adaptive in Difficult Situations
DESCRIPTION:How do I handle a presenter who’s using my session as a sales campaign? What happens when barely any people show up to my big event? Should I cancel if my equipment breaks? Help! I didn’t schedule enough staff for the amount of patrons here! There are many great resources that help design the best programs for your library. But what happens when things go wrong during the program? \nThe nature of running programs is that eventually one will have a disruptive problem\, whether it be minor issues such as equipment malfunctions\, or major such as severely unmanageable participants. This session speaks to what to do then; tricks\, tips and tools that can help salvage programs in difficult situations. This is not a presentation on how to avoid problems designing programs\, but an education on accepting that problems come up\, and how to manage them. The presenters will speak to problem program experiences they’ve had\, what they did\, then open up the discussion to the audience. Attendees will also be invited to share and all kinds of public programs will be discussed. \nJoin Kelsey Waggener (Librarian\, Programming and Community Connections – Coquitlam Public Library) and Tanya Rogoschewsky (Director\, Community Engagement and Programming – Regina Public Library) \nRegistration coming soon! \nThis workshop was originally offered at the 2026 BC Library Conference.
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/when-programs-go-wrong-being-adaptive-in-difficult-situations/
CATEGORIES:Programming,Public Library Training
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Programs-go-wrong.png
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20270421
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20270424
DTSTAMP:20261022T232418Z
CREATED:20260813T172659Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261022T232418Z
UID:10000013-1808265600-1808524799@bclaconnect.ca
SUMMARY:2027 BC Library Conference
DESCRIPTION:BCLA is proud to offer the annual BC Library Conference\, which has a long history of progressive\, nuanced and inspiring speakers and presentations. We strive to provide engaging opportunities to learn from and contribute to the important work being done in the library sector\, focusing on our province but including important and emerging ideas and practice at the national and international levels. \nOur conference theme for 2027 is Forecast Unclear: Libraries Carry On. \nWe are living through a period of significant change: new technologies\, funding challenges\, political polarization\, social upheaval\, and much more. Amid so much uncertainty\, the future of libraries can sometimes feel unclear. \nRecently\, as we were looking through BCLA’s historical files and documents\, we were struck by a reassuring reminder: since BCLA was formed in 1911\, libraries have weathered many profound changes. \nWe have faced challenges that\, at the time\, seemed existential: the rise of the internet\, repeated waves of censorship\, and countless changes in formats and technology. Through it all\, libraries have persevered. We adjust\, we adapt\, and we carry on. As a profession\, we have the knowledge\, skills\, and experience to navigate change while continuing to serve our communities. \nThere is no question that this is a challenging time\, and sometimes it can feel as though we are in the midst of a storm. But we know from our history that libraries endure. The forecast may be unclear\, but when this storm is over\, libraries will remain. \nThe 2027 Conference will take place at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel\, on the territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and other hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (hun-ki-meen-um) speaking people\, in Richmond. \nDelegate registration will open in early 2027 \nConference Website \nRegister to Sponsor \nRegister to Exhibit
URL:https://bclaconnect.ca/event/2027-bc-library-conference/
LOCATION:In-Person
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://bclaconnect.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2027-conference-w-border-5002-x-2684-px-4900-x-2684-px-scaled.png
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
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