R10 2026 Library Conference

TBD

Your library has a story to tell — and your patrons are already scrolling. Learn how to build a library brand and connect with readers using today's most active platforms: Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, YouTube Shorts, and more. Walk away with a content framework, platform-by-platform strategies, and a ready-to-use posting plan for promoting your library, your programs, and the books your students can't put down. 

In the spirit of “Beyond the Cape – The Power of School Libraries!”, this session highlights how thoughtful organization can transform the nonfiction section into a dynamic, student-friendly space that empowers independent learning. Organizing nonfiction can often feel overwhelming—for both librarians and readers. Traditional classification systems, while effective for cataloging, don’t always align with how students naturally search for and engage with information.

In this session, Tiffany Matlock shares an innovative, reader-centered zoning system designed to simplify nonfiction organization and enhance accessibility. Developed and refined in Princeton ISD libraries, this approach groups nonfiction titles into intuitive “zones” based on reader interests and real-world topics, making browsing more natural, engaging, and meaningful for students.

True to the conference theme, this system demonstrates the “power” of school libraries to go beyond traditional structures and create spaces where students feel confident exploring, discovering, and learning. The system has also been carefully adapted to align seamlessly with vendor genre settings, ensuring that implementation is both practical and scalable without requiring extensive recataloging.

Attendees will gain insight into the development process, practical strategies for transitioning from traditional shelving, and tips for maintaining consistency across collections. Whether you're looking to increase circulation, foster student independence, or reenergize your nonfiction space, this session will provide actionable tools and inspiration.

Across all grade levels, this session provides practical insight into how author visits and writing workshops can be thoughtfully designed to create meaningful connections in school libraries.

Angela Henderson Smith will share a full range of Pre-K through 12th grade ideas for librarians to bring engaging literary experiences into their libraries. For early learners (Pre-K–2), author talks center on colorful, engaging picture books that spark imagination and build early literacy connections. For upper elementary and middle school students, interactive writing workshops provide hands-on opportunities to strengthen writing skills, explore voice, and build confidence as storytellers through TEKS-aligned instruction. For high school students, sessions focus on creative nonfiction essay writing for college applications (Common App and Apply Texas), helping students shape authentic personal stories that stand out in college admissions and scholarship processes.

As a newly accepted artist on the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) Texas Touring Roster, Angela will share how librarians can access grants that may cover up to half of a performing artist’s fee. Participants will learn about funding opportunities for author visits, storytellers, musicians, and other touring artists, along with practical steps for planning, booking, and following up on visits in ways that are collaborative, budget-conscious, and impactful for students.

The real magic happens when librarians create opportunities students may never have outside of their library—the chance to connect with performing artists, especially authors, discover their own creativity, and begin seeing themselves as readers, writers, and creators with stories worth telling. Participants will leave with practical tools, planning strategies, and adaptable ideas for building stronger partnerships that bring energy, creativity, and authentic connection into the school library space.