GLMA Summer Institute 2025: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

7:00am EDT

BREAKFAST on your OWN

Tuesday June 17, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am EDT

Hey there, why not treat yourself to a tasty lunch solo or with your pals? Don't forget to check out the awesome vendors in the area, too! Happy browsing!

Tuesday June 17, 2025 7:00am - 8:30am EDT

8:30am EDT

Morning Keynote with Author John Schu

Tuesday June 17, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am EDT

Ballroom AB

Join us for an exciting keynote with author, John Schu! It will be a wonderful way to kick start your day with inspiration and lots of learning.

John Schu has made a career out of advocating for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, and the people who connect them. He is the children’s librarian for Bookelicious and the New York Times best-selling author of Louder Than Hunger; This Is a School, illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison; This Is a Story, illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Lauren Castillo; Ruthie Rose’s Big Idea, illustrated by Holly Hatam (publishing in March 2025); and The Gift of Story: Exploring the Affective Side of the Reading Life. John Schu lives in Naperville, Illinois

Presenters

John Schu

Tuesday June 17, 2025 8:30am - 9:15am EDT
Ballroom AB

Keynote Session

9:15am EDT

Vendor Hall & John Schu Book Signing

Tuesday June 17, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am EDT

Vendor Hall

Presenters

John Schu

Tuesday June 17, 2025 9:15am - 10:30am EDT
Vendor Hall

GLMA Summer Institute

10:35am EDT

More Than Words: Creative Expression for Secondary 21st Century Learners

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Ballroom AB

Today’s students need more than just the ability to read and write—they need to create, communicate, and think critically in a rapidly evolving digital world. More Than Words dives into the power of creative expression as a catalyst for deeper learning in secondary classrooms. This session will showcase innovative strategies and digital tools that allow students to demonstrate understanding, voice perspectives, and engage with content through multimedia, visual storytelling, podcasting, video production, and other 21st-century formats. Educators will leave with practical ideas to foster creativity, support diverse learners, and elevate student voice in any subject area. Join us to reimagine what meaningful expression looks like beyond the traditional essay.

Presenters

Amanda Hunt

School Librarian

Amanda Hunt, aka TheNextGenLibrarian, is a 6th-8th middle school librarian in Texas and is the Secondary Lead Librarian for her district. She’s been a librarian for 14 years at both elementary and secondary campuses and an educator for years before that. She was the chair for the... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Ballroom AB

Digital Resources/Tech Tools, Student Engagement

10:35am EDT

Findability: The Art of Access

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Sloane

Findability enhances students' ability to discover engaging texts or new books in their areas of curiosity or passion. Participants will receive examples of organized non-fiction sections, ideas for integrating findability into Dewey, structured action plans, classification suggestions, vertical approaches to findability, and examples of effective signage and labeling.

Presenters

Nicole Solanki

Library Media Specialist

Amanda Fox

Library Media Specialist

Carrie Card

Library Media Specialist

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Sloane

Reading/Literacy, Student Engagement

10:35am EDT

Soft Censorship: Identifying Its Impact Across School Levels

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Vernon

Soft or self-censorship is when we modify our book choices based not on our selection policy but on our school or community climate. Join us as a panel of elementary, middle, and high school librarians discuss soft-censorship. We will go over how to identify soft-censorship and how each of us handles it.

Presenters

Robbie Barber

Teacher Librarian, Tucker High School

Dr. Barber is an electrical engineer from Georgia Tech who wandered into a school library. As a teacher-librarian, she works with high school students and teachers to find the best resources, use technology, and locate the perfect book. Dr. Barber teaches classes on using research... Read More →

Dr. Sarah Sansbury

Library Media Specialist

Nan Trowell Brown

Library Media Specialist

Nan Trowell Brown is a library media specialist in metropolitan Atlanta with 22 years of school library experience, including 15 years in middle school. Nan has served as an advocacy coordinator for GLMA since 2010, including presentations to state legislative committees and GLMA... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Vernon 2 W Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401, USA

Reading/Literacy, Student Engagement

10:35am EDT

Storytelling Reimagined: iMovie & Clips in Action

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Percival

Participants will learn to enhance student engagement through storytelling and technology. They’ll gain strategies for guiding students in creating a digital interpretation of Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears using Apple Clips or iMovie, integrating textual evidence, visuals, and narration to analyze key ideas and foster creativity.

Presenters

Dr. Darcel Hogans

Media Specialist

Dr. Hogans is an Apple Learning Coach, media specialist, and instructional technology consultant with over 25 years of experience in K-8 education. She played a key role in helping her school become the first Apple Distinguished School in Metro Atlanta and specializes in storytelling... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Percival

Reading/Literacy, Digital Resources/Tech Tools

10:35am EDT

Junior Librarians to the Rescue!

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Verelst

With the ever growing list of duties and tasks, how do School Librarians successfully check off their to-do list? With the assistance of Junior Librarians! Learn how to recruit and train students to assist with library duties. **Primarily elementary level but can be implemented across grade levels.*

Presenters

Tiffany Brown

School Librarian, FCSS

Ms. Tiffany Brown is an innovative educator and lead collaborator in the educational field, with over 18 years of experience in the K-12 educational setting. She currently serves as a Media Specialist with the Fannin County School system, in which she was nominated as Teacher of the... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Verelst

Student Engagement, Instructional Strategies

10:35am EDT

Smooth Sailing with Stress-Free Author Visits

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT

Scarbrough 5

Join best-selling author and veteran teacher, McCall Hoyle, and veteran elementary library media specialist and winner of the GLMA Elementary Judy Serritella Exemplary Media Program, Tracy Scaglione, for a deep dive into hosting stress-free author visits guaranteed to engage students, satisfy teachers and administrators, and promote schoolwide literacy initiatives. Attendees will leave with resources, including suggested timelines, tips and tricks for success, lists of Georgia authors, and more.

Presenters

McCall Hoyle

Author/Educator

McCall Hoyle is a best-selling author, a middle school reading teacher, and a former school librarian. Her books have been nominated for state and national awards, including the ALA Schneider Family Book Award, and are the recipients of awards such as the William Allen White Children’s... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 10:35am - 11:20am EDT
Scarbrough 5

Student Engagement, Reading/Literacy

11:25am EDT

Control Your Destiny

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT

Scarbrough 5

Participants will leave with increased comfort and skills with the Destiny online catalog system.

Presenters

Darryl Paul

Media Specialist

Darryl Paul just finished his 12th year in the Northview High School library. Darryl transitioned to the library following two years teaching Social Studies at Greene County High School. Darryl holds dual passion for reading/research and the technology that facilitates access to the... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT
Scarbrough 5

Digital Resources/Tech Tools, Reading/Literacy

11:25am EDT

Curate, Collaborate, Create, Communicate: Transforming Learning with Wakelet in the Library

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT

Verelst

Explore how Wakelet empowers students and educators to harness the 4 Cs of future-ready learning through seamless organization, collaboration, and creativity in the library.

Presenters

Deborah Zeman

High School Librarian, Hebron HS/LISD

Deborah Zeman is a High School Librarian in DFW. She is the TxLA Publisher Liaison, Chair of the SPOT Reading Committee, former ALA CORE - SF Notables Committee, former Cybil Award YA Reading List Committee member 2023 & former member of the 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children List... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT
Verelst

Digital Resources/Tech Tools, Instructional Strategies

11:25am EDT

GPB and GALILEO Proudly Present: All the Write Stuff! Write Here in Georgia! Topics, Tools, and Techniques for Inspiring Writing Skills

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT

Vernon

GPB and GALILEO provide a comprehensive collection of free online resources that help educate students throughout the writing process and empower them to share their unique perspectives and competencies via the written word. You’ll definitely want to write home about this session, during which we will share our favorite free resources for supporting aspiring authors everywhere and model how GALILEO and GPB can help you foster a passion for writing in your own schools and media centers.

Presenters

Russell Palmer

Exhibitor/Vendor

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT
Vernon 2 W Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401, USA

Digital Resources/Tech Tools, Reading/Literacy

11:25am EDT

Stitching Connections: Weaving Sewing into Your Makerspace

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT

Percival

Unlock the magic of sewing in your MakerSpace! Discover creative programming ideas, collaborate with community experts, and inspire service learning. Transform your library into a hub where students develop lifelong skills, foster creativity, and connect through hands-on projects that make a lasting impact.

Presenters

Meggan Ford

School Librarian, Johns Creek HS

Meggan Ford is a high school media specialist in the Atlanta metro area. She is a national speaker with a passion for creativity and innovation. Currently, she serves as the President-Elect for Georgia Library Media Association. She is an ISTE-certified educator and Adobe District... Read More →

Lindsey Keown

Media and Educational Technology Instructor, Fulton County Schools

Lindsey Keown has dedicated the past decade to public education, spending seven years as a middle and high school classroom teacher and three in the middle school library. Her librarianship centers around fostering a love of reading, sparking creativity and innovation in both students... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT
Percival

MakerSpace, Student Engagement

11:25am EDT

BYOBF: Build Your Own Book Festival and Author Centered Events

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT

Ballroom AB

Presented by the co-founder of NTTBF, Dr. Rose Brock shares a snapshot of the ALA award winning North Texas Teen Book Festival and offers how-to advice for school librarians interested in designing and developing a youth centered festival or author centered events of their own.

Presenters

Rose Brock

Professor of Childrens's and YA Literature and School Library Studies, Sam Houston State University

Dr. Rose Brock is an associate professor at Sam Houston State University where she teaches children's and YA literature in the Library Science and Technology Department and the cofounder of NTTBF, the North Texas Teen Book Festival, the largest library run book festival for young... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT
Ballroom AB

Reading/Literacy, Student Engagement

11:25am EDT

Design on a Library Dime!

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT

Sloane

Discover innovative strategies designed to draw a range of students into your library spaces. Expand the reach of your programming with varied approaches to librarianship. Gain practical tools to take into your library in August, transforming libraries into inclusive, dynamic spaces that inspire creativity, connection, and learning.

Presenters

Trona Peoples

Library Media Specialist, Henry County Middle

Trona Peoples, Library Media Specialist at Clayton County Public Schools, discovered her passion for education after a stint in bilingual sales post-graduation from The University of Georgia. Known as Peeps, The Library Lady, she fosters a love for reading, writing, and learning in... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 11:25am - 12:10pm EDT
Sloane

Student Engagement, MakerSpace

12:15pm EDT

Lunch at the Hyatt Sponsored by Mackin

Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT

Ballroom AB

Sponsors

Mackin

Gladys Autry - gladys.autry@mackin.com

Tuesday June 17, 2025 12:15pm - 1:15pm EDT
Ballroom AB

1:15pm EDT

Vendor Hall

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:15pm - 1:35pm EDT

Vendor Hall

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:15pm - 1:35pm EDT
Vendor Hall

GLMA Summer Institute

1:40pm EDT

Adobe: Picture This: A Mini Photowalk Into Generative AI & Visual Literacy

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT

Ballroom AB

Step outside the library and into the creative wild. In this interactive session, we’ll hit the streets of downtown Savannah (briefly!) for a mini photowalk, capturing images that will serve as composition and style references in Adobe Express’s Generative AI tools. Along the way, we’ll explore how visual storytelling and photography can build deeper connections to content areas. We’ll also unpack strategies for teaching ethical and responsible use of generative AI - because school librarians are key to helping students navigate creation with care. You’ll leave with hands-on experience, a curated prompt bank, and ideas for replicating this with your own students using just a phone, a story, and a lens. *All smartphone users welcome but make sure to download the Adobe Express app ahead of time*

Presenters

Amanda Hunt

School Librarian

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT
Ballroom AB

1:40pm EDT

21st Century Skills: Media Literacy in the Age of AI

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT

Scarbrough 5

Media Literacy is an essential skill in today's fast-paced world, empowering students to critically evaluate information, recognize bias, and engage responsibly with the digital content they encounter. Through real-world examples and approachable techniques, educators will explore digital media, often influenced by artificial intelligence, shapes information consumption and behavior - and discover ways to guide students in navigating these complexities.

Presenters

Christopher Heintz

Exhibitor/Vendor

Chris began his career in education as a high school Social Studies teacher in Chicago. Since then, he's served in various roles in education management helping teachers navigate the complex world of assessments, data, and curriculum & instruction. Throughout it all, he's been dedicated... Read More →

Sponsors

Britannica Education

Christopher Heintz - cheintz@eb.com

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT
Scarbrough 5

Digital Resources/Tech Tools, Instructional Strategies

1:40pm EDT

GALILEO K-12 Update

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT

Vernon

Attendees will learn of the latest updates and expected changes to the K-12 interface of GALILEO. This includes authentication, design and UI, user testing with students, ebooks and other resources, training and more.

Presenters

Joy Woodson

Assistant Director, Marketing Communications, GALILEO

Joy joined GALILEO as an assistant director in charge of marketing communications efforts in 2019. At GALILEO, she also leads an ambassador committee and a K-12 advisory group. Joy has an MBA in marketing and MPA in nonprofit management both from Georgia State University. She also... Read More →

Sponsors

Galileo

Joy Woodson - joy.woodson@usg.edu

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT
Vernon 2 W Bay St, Savannah, GA 31401, USA

Digital Resources/Tech Tools, Reading/Literacy

1:40pm EDT

A "Specials" Media Center

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT

Sloane

Are you a School Library Media Specialist who is on your school's specials rotation? I would like to share some resources and ideas that have worked for me in my media center over the last 3 years.

Presenters

Jennifer Harrison

School Librarian, Griffin-Spalding County Schools

Jennifer Harrison was born and raised in Griffin, GA. She is married and has been married for 20 year and has two children, a 13 year old son and a 17 year old daugther. She has been teaching for 19 years. 16 of those years were spent in the classroom in grades second, fourth, and... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT
Sloane

Instructional Strategies, MakerSpace

1:40pm EDT

Multimodal Literacy Experiences in the Media Center

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT

Verelst

With a renewed emphasis on multi-modal literacy experiences and applications, it is imperative we bridge literacy and technology in meaningful ways. In this session, participants will leave with innovative ideas of how to implement media experiences, literacy choice boards, reading incentives, and literacy leader sessions in their own school.

Presenters

Amy Zock

Director of Instructional Technology

Samantha Palmer

Media Specialist, DECATUR COUNTY SCHOOLS

Samantha Palmer serves as an Instructional Technology leader and Media Specialist coaching teachers and students in the new Media Hub and STEM center at Hutto Elementary in Decatur County, GA. Having earned her Specialist degree in Instructional Technology and Library Media she balances... Read More →

Tuesday June 17, 2025 1:40pm - 2:25pm EDT
Verelst

Reading/Literacy, Digital Resources/Tech Tools

2:30pm EDT

Closing Session & Door Prizes

Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT

Ballroom AB

How well did you do on your Goosechase adventure? Come say your farewells and collect BIG prizes as we disembark this year's "Cruisin' with Librarians"!

Tuesday June 17, 2025 2:30pm - 3:00pm EDT
Ballroom AB

GLMA Summer Institute