Westchester Library Association

03/20/2026

03/01/2026

Thank you to all who attended this year’s Mid-Winter Conference at The Ossining Public Library.

We are extremely grateful to our guest speakers Mark Aaron Polger, Janet Donat, and Catherine Graybosch, and our local legislators Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky, Assemblywoman Amy R. Paulin, Matt Slater, State Senator Shelley Mayer, and Assemblyman Steve Otis.

Special thanks to Westchester Library System for supporting the event and to the Ossining Public Library for hosting us.

Stay tuned for more details about our Annual Conference in the spring.

02/23/2026

Don't forget to register for WLA's Mid-Winter Conference taking place on Friday, February 27, from 9 am to 1 pm at The Ossining Public Library. Our keynote speaker Mark Aaron Polger will address “Intentional Outreach: Connection, Collaboration, and Community.”

Details are available on our website - https://www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org/mid-winter-conference/

01/05/2026

Save the date! WLA's Mid-Winter Conference is taking place on Friday, February 27, 2026, at 9 am at the The Ossining Public Library.

Check our website for registration details at https://www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org/

06/14/2025

Thank you to all the amazing presenters and sponsors who made our Annual Business Meeting and Conference a success!

Here are highlights of the day.

Stay tuned for more information about future events.

06/07/2025

Here is the final agenda for WLA's Annual Business Meeting and Conference (6/12/25) at Westchester Community College (The Gateway Center/75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595) from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Members, non-members, students, and retirees, are all welcome!

Register at https://lnkd.in/eijzdp37

Attend and earn Continuing Education Units.

WLA CONFERENCE 2025 AGENDA

8:30 am Doors Open: Check-In and Walk-In Registration

8:30 am - 9:30 am Breakfast, Vendors, Exhibits, Networking

9:30 am - 9:45 am WLA Annual Membership & Business Meeting
9:45 am - 10:30 am Keynote Speaker - Nate Hill/Director of METRO Council NY

10:30 am - 11:30 am Session 1: 2 Options
(1) The Importance of Staying Focused during an Age of Distraction with Motivational Speaker Greg Dwyer

(2) Library Roles - Academic, Public, and Archives
with Anthony Reda, Justin Weber, and Daniel Frett

11:30 am - 12:30 pm Session 2: 2 Options
(1) Lead from Self, Not Stress: Wellness for Library Workers with Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia University and Rutgers Business School Young Mi Park

(2) Civil Service Revisited with Library Directors Jessica Pacciotti, Karen LaRocca-Fels, and Eugenia Schatoff

12:30 pm – 1:30pm Lunch and Vendors, Optional Tour of WCC Library & Native Plant Garden

1:30 pm – 1:45 pm Legislators’ Session

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Session 3: 2 Options
(1) An introduction to the Westchester County Historical Society's Resources and its New Digital Collection:
Experiencing the Neutral Ground of the American Revolution: The McDonald Interviews, - WCHS Librarian Patrick Raftery and Project Archivist Monica Genuardi.

(2) Librarians as Social Workers with Antonia Bruno, Social Work Fellow at the New York State Library

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Professional Development & Bonnie Katz Awards and Closing Remarks

06/03/2025

Don't miss this Breakout Session with Greg Dwyer, Former Illusionist, Communication Strategist, and Focus Expert, at our Annual Conference on Thursday, June 12, at WCC.

Register for the conference at www.westchesterlibraryassociation.org

The Magic of Focus — How to Stay Present in a World Full of Distractions

In today’s libraries, staff are pulled in multiple directions—answering reference questions, managing technology, supporting community programs, and helping patrons from all walks of life. Focus isn’t just a luxury—it’s a superpower. In this eye-opening, energizing 60-minute breakout session, Greg Dwyer blends the art of magic with the science of attention to help library professionals regain control of their mental space and serve with greater clarity.

You’ll discover:
✅ How to stay centered and calm—even when patrons aren’t
✅ The illusion of multitasking and the truth about mental bandwidth
✅ Simple tools to train your mind to focus (yes, it can be trained!)
✅ How to use "magical" thinking to boost presence and communication

Greg’s unique background in stage magic and communication consulting delivers a session that’s not only practical—but unforgettable.

🧠 “When you master focus, you elevate service.”
Come learn how to serve better, feel less drained, and bring more of your best self to your library every day.

📚 Ideal For:
Front-line staff
Reference librarians
Program coordinators
Managers
Anyone who juggles competing demands in public service

06/02/2025

Earn up to 6 hours of Continuing Education units at WLA's Annual Business Meeting and Conference on Thursday, June 12, 2025.

Join us at Westchester Community College's Gateway Building in Valhalla for a day of professional enrichment and networking.

Register at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7sw536k/lp/c00a1400-f542-4cf2-ae1f-74a5cdb589a2?source_id=0aa9bdbc-14f8-4577-9884-261a97b19741&source_type=em&c=kxB4PpSoIamae3uF9IswCASt2c4zjS6M3Rok6WcoSK-eb2c_DtJiKQ==

04/15/2025

WLA's next Meet & Greet event is coming up this Thursday, April 17, at 6 pm at the Croton Free Library. Our featured speaker Kenji Kaneshiro will discuss "How to Build Community through Board Games."

Admission is free.

04/04/2025

Our next Meet & Greet event will be held at the Croton Free Library on Thursday, April 17 at 6 pm. Admission is Free!

Kenji Kaneshiro will be giving a talk on how to build community through board games. Light refreshments will be provided.

You can register at
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeA781WoUCuphJWrwT2C-nF0ZjuWKikx4uaPTdOX8vhBbINvQ/viewform?usp=header

03/21/2025

Celebrate National Library Week with WLA at the Harrison Public Library on Friday, April 11, at 4 pm when we will be screening Free for All: The Public Library.

Admission is free.

More details are available at www.harrisonpl.org.