Thursday, December 11, 2025
The Universities at Shady Grove, 9638 Gudelsky Dr., Rockville, MD 20850
Location Details
8:45 – 9:30 a.m.: Coffee, Pastries, and Networking
9:30 – 9:40 a.m.: Welcome and Opening Remarks
Opening Keynote
Dr. Sheena Erete
Dr. Sheena Erete is an associate professor in the College of Information at the University of Maryland, College Park and the Associate Director of Research for the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM). She is also the founder and director of the Community Research, Equity, and Design Collective (CREED).
Breakout Sessions
Helping to Prepare Homeschool Students for College Level Research
Marcey Jastrab, Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine
Homeschool students lack access to the library resources and databases available to public school students. This can lead to college bound homeschoolers being unprepared for higher level, academic research. What can librarians and parents do? Let’s discuss how to help and share free resources and ideas.
Marcey’s journey in librarianship has included public libraries, special libraries, and academic libraries. Currently you can find her working with her med students at the Meritus School for Osteopathic Medicine.
An Introduction to Privacy Literacy
Amy Swackhamer, University of Maryland Libraries
This session will provide a high-level overview of personal data privacy vectors of concern like web browsers and search engines, mobile apps and location data, ads and trackers, password management, social media, email and messaging services, and “internet of things” devices. We’ll look at some key steps individuals can take to improve their data privacy. We’ll also tour resources that can assist library staff help users become informed about data privacy. The presenter will share an annotated resource list.
Amy Swackhamer, Web Services Librarian at the University of Maryland, has worked in academic, public, and special libraries for a couple of decades. Through her work with technology, she’s developed an interest in promoting data privacy.
Smart Libraries: Harnessing AI to Empower School Libraries
Naomi Gelfand, Sherri Massey, and Paige Pagley; Montgomery County Public Schools
This session will cover practical applications of AI in the Media Center (Destiny, reports, promotional materials, and content creation), teaching AI and digital literacy (evaluation of sources, teacher collaboration, AI framework, and critical thinking), and challenges and ethical considerations (bias, privacy, equity and access).
Naomi Gelfand, Sherri Massey, and Paige Pagley are all HS media specialists with MLS degrees from University of Maryland and work for Montgomery County Public Schools. We have all been integrating various AI tools in our practice to better serve our students, staff and communities. AI is a powerful tool that when used properly can be an effective tool to help promote and benefit our library programs.
The Library as Leader in Our University’s AI Community: Activating Primo Research Assistant at UMGC
Robert Miller and Colleen Quinn, University of Maryland Global Campus
The UMGC Library strives to engage with and help lead our university’s AI community! One way we’ve done that is by activating Research Assistant, the generative-AI component of our discovery service, Primo. Our session will cover how our library tested Research Assistant pre-launch to determine its strengths and drawbacks; how, through webinars and guides, we teach students and faculty to use Research Assistant effectively and ethically; and how we gather user feedback with a survey. Our session will be interactive, with a workshop flavor, to help participants begin brainstorming how they might introduce generative-AI library tools to their community!
Robert Miller is Information Literacy Librarian at UMGC. With other librarians on the Reference Team, Robert presents a series of webinars for UMGC students and faculty, including a webinar on Primo Research Assistant.
Colleen Quinn is the Reference Services Librarian at UMGC. Colleen leads the Reference Team and coordinates library reference services including chat, email, phone, and Zoom appointments.
A Public Library Partners with a State Archives: The story of Prince George’s County Memorial Library System and Maryland State Archives working together
Hannah Erickson, Heather Jackson, Paul Moreno, Dan Ramirez, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System; Corey Lewis, Maryland State Archives
Starting in 2024 and continuing into 2025 staff at the Hyattsville branch library started to work with staff at the Maryland State Archives on a variety of projects including community digitization days where the general public could bring in personal papers to digitize, oral histories of local community members, including local elected officials, and the lynching history of Prince George’s County. This session will encourage public libraries in the state of Maryland to utilize partnership opportunities with the Maryland State Archives to further their community outreach.
Creating a Narrative Dentistry Database for Oral Health Connections
Eileen Harrington, Priddy Library at The Universities at Shady Grove; Michelle V. Moncrieffe, University of Maryland, College Park
Can sharing stories change the narrative on how people access and receive oral care? The Narratives and Medical Education (NAME) Project seeks to answer this question. This presentation will focus on one aspect of this collaborative project involving academic and public libraries, as well as university programs (dentistry, English and journalism): in the creation of an open-source narrative dentistry database. Attendees will learn details about the process of creating the database and its potential uses in public and academic libraries, K-12 schools, and universities. We will also explore other types of narrative databases that libraries could create in their own communities around themes such as other health conditions, local history, and veterans.
Eileen Harrington is the Assistant Director and Health & Life Sciences Librarian at the Priddy Library, a branch of the University of Maryland Libraries at The Universities at Shady Grove. She has been a formal and informal educator in both the U.S. and Latin America. Her research interests include libraries and health literacy, informal science education, and alternative food systems.
Michelle V. Moncrieffe is a senior lecturer and multidisciplinary researcher at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is the director of the NAME project. As well as being a certified health education specialist (CHES), Moncrieffe has worked as an independent health journalist for over two decades.
Multimodal Access and AI Literacy for a More Equitable Future
Keith Delk and Brandt Van Unen, Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library
As society shifts toward voice-first and AI-driven technologies, multimodal access and functional equivalence are essential for equity. Deaf communities are experiencing exclusion from audio-only platforms that lack access. This session explores inclusive design strategies like ASL video support, real-time captioning, and gesture-based tools and examines both the potential and the risks of AI. From empowering note-taking tools to AI-generated scam calls, we’ll discuss why Deaf-centered input, digital literacy, and functional equivalence are vital to shaping accessible futures.
Keith Delk is a digital media professional and accessibility UX researcher, currently serving as Program Specialist for the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library. His work bridges innovation, accessibility, and community empowerment through inclusive design and media strategy.
Brandt Van Unen is the Library Coordinator for the Maryland Deaf Culture Digital Library, where he works to empower the Deaf community through accessible information services. He holds an MS in Information Studies and an MA in History, and previously served as an instruction librarian in Texas before relocating to Maryland—though he’s still on the hunt for a good breakfast taco.
Cricut Craft classes with or without a Makerspace
Christine Biglin and Emma Rawlinson, St. Mary’s County Library
Unlock your community’s crafting potential with Cricut die-cut machine classes! Learn everything you need to know to start offering Cricut Craft Classes at your library, whether you have a Makerspace or not! Empower your community to overcome the hurdles of using electronic die cut machines with an inviting learning environment. Find out how to get started, costs for initial investment and crafting supplies, the skills you’ll need to teach classes, and how you can offer access to Cricut machines as a fun new service.
Emma Rawlinson and Christine Biglin are librarians with St. Mary’s County Library who are committed to fostering an inclusive learning space for the community that draws people to the library and makes DIY technology more accessible.
Emma, a youth services librarian and assistant branch manager at Charlotte Hall Library, first used the Cricut to create felt board materials for story time and other youth programming, but in 2019 began offering classes to the public covering a wide variety of materials including paper, vinyl, felt, and even sublimation.
Christine, an adult services librarian, has been teaching Cricut Craft classes monthly for the last three years in addition to other technology classes in the Makerspace and Computer Lab at Leonardtown Library.
Artificial Intelligence in the Library Landscape
Maddie Hines Schellhardt, Montgomery County Public Libraries
“Artificial Intelligence in the Library Landscape” explores how AI transforms libraries through automation, personalized user experiences, and enhanced data management. The presentation highlights AI applications such as intelligent cataloging, virtual assistants, and predictive analytics to improve service delivery, streamline operations, and foster digital innovation. It also addresses ethical considerations, challenges, and future trends, emphasizing AI’s role in revolutionizing access to information and supporting lifelong learning. This session aims to inspire librarians and information professionals to leverage AI technologies for a more efficient, inclusive, and innovative library environment.
Maddie Hines Schellhardt is the head of Digital Transformation at Montgomery County Public Libraries.
AI at Your Fingertips: Using ChatGPT to Power Library Programming
Karen Earp, Wicomico Public Library
Discover how ChatGPT can support children’s librarians in planning programs, from drafting event blurbs to creating worksheets and book lists. This session will highlight practical applications, tips for effective prompts, environmental considerations, and free resources to help you get the most out of generative AI.
Karen is the Youth Services Manager in Wicomico County. She’s worked in youth services for eight years and has a background in IT.
Closing Keynote
Candace Birger, Exploration Commons Manager
Libraries continue to cement themselves as dynamic hubs for collaboration with community stakeholders, entrepreneurs, local businesses, guest presenters, and more. As libraries evolve and offer more services in the tech field, their innovative programming fosters connection, learning, and growth for their local community and beyond.