South Dakota Library Association

09/01/2026

Kristi Tornquist, dean of Hilton M. Briggs Library at South Dakota State University, announced her retirement Monday after more than 15 years leading the library.

09/01/2026

The New Issue of Book Marks is Here!

Read about: Conference keynote speakers, Pre Conference, conference updates and reminders, SDLA fundraising and volunteer opportunities, ALA councilor report, federal library issues, and updates from around South Dakota!

https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.sdlibraryassociation.org/resource/resmgr/book_marks/2026_vol_77_no_3.pdf

08/27/2026

South Dakota became the first state outside of Tennessee to launch a statewide branch of the free book-gifting program. Aided by a partnership with local United Way chapters and a fundraising concert at the Washington Pavilion.

Parton came to South Dakota to help raise funds for the United Way and her Imagination Library. The program has gifted millions of books to children from birth to age five across the country.

“The children seem to think that I bring the books personally and put them in the mailbox, and they know that I’m involved in it, so they call me the book lady,” said Parton in a 2002 interview with KELOLAND News.

South Dakota became the first state outside of Tennessee to launch a statewide branch of the free book-gifting program

08/26/2026

The Sit-N-Sew group of the Sioux Falls Quilters Guild are loyal meeting room guests here at Siouxland Libraries. Members of the group presented us with a custom quilt to say thank you for use of the space. It's beautiful, and we plan to display it on the public floor for all to admire soon! 🤩

Interested in a meeting space for your nonprofit or community group? Stop into any library branch or visit our website for more information. 🔗 bit.ly/4rx7ydR

08/25/2026

The Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has gifted 300,000,00+ books since its inception 31 years ago, with 3,000,000+ given to children each month in FIVE COUNTRIES. Her wildly successful literacy initiative is a tribute to her father, whose inability to read "probably kept him from fulfilling all his dreams."

Dolly is a true librarian, and we salute her; she lived the truth through her Imagination Library-- "you can never get enough books into the hands of enough children."

Rest in Peace, Dolly. You made a big difference to a lot of us.

08/25/2026

Stop into the library and grab a copy today!

08/25/2026

Have you ever thought about presenting at a conference but felt a little intimidated by the idea? A poster session is one of the easiest, most welcoming ways to share your work with others. It’s informal, conversational, and a great opportunity to connect with colleagues who are interested in the innovative and exciting things happening in libraries today.

We encourage you to consider submitting a poster proposal! Posters can showcase a wide variety of projects and initiatives, including:

—Innovative programs or services at your library
—Creative instruction or outreach efforts
—Assessment projects and their results
—New technologies or tools you’ve implemented
—Collaborations with faculty, students, or community partners
Research projects and findings
—Lessons learned from successful (or even challenging) initiatives

You do not need to be an experienced presenter to participate. Poster sessions are designed to encourage conversation and the sharing of ideas in a relaxed environment. If you’re doing something interesting in your library, chances are your colleagues would love to learn about it.

We hope you’ll consider sharing your work and contributing to an engaging exchange of ideas among library professionals.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Best regards,

Lynn M. Klundt

https://www.sdlibraryassociation.org/page/Conference2026Poster

08/25/2026

Have you ever thought about presenting at a conference but felt a little intimidated by the idea? A poster session is one of the easiest, most welcoming ways to share your work with others. It's informal, conversational, and a great opportunity to connect with colleagues who are interested in the innovative and exciting things happening in libraries today.

We encourage you to consider submitting a poster proposal! Posters can showcase a wide variety of projects and initiatives, including:

--Innovative programs or services at your library
--Creative instruction or outreach efforts
--Assessment projects and their results
--New technologies or tools you've implemented
--Collaborations with faculty, students, or community partners
Research projects and findings
--Lessons learned from successful (or even challenging) initiatives

You do not need to be an experienced presenter to participate. Poster sessions are designed to encourage conversation and the sharing of ideas in a relaxed environment. If you're doing something interesting in your library, chances are your colleagues would love to learn about it.

We hope you'll consider sharing your work and contributing to an engaging exchange of ideas among library professionals.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Best regards,

Lynn M. Klundt

https://www.sdlibraryassociation.org/page/Conference2026Poster

08/24/2026