SWAN Expo

When: Friday, August 21, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  

Where: NIU Naperville   Conference and Events
1120 E Diehl Road
Naperville, IL 60563
United States 
View on L2 Library Learning

Cost: $45 per attendee
Registration closes August 14th.

Register

Library of Things Petting Zoo

The Expo will include an interactive Library of Things exhibit showcasing fun and unique items from our libraries' collections. We are looking for volunteers to bring in items from their library! If you are interested in showcasing one or more items, please fill out this form: Library of Things Petting Zoo Submission Form. If you are interested in Library of Things but are unable to showcase an item, you can use the form to share what you hope to learn or hear about.

Session Preview

Below is a tentative session schedule and descriptions for this year's Expo. Times may be subject to change.

11am-11:45am 

Beyond Books: Launching, Expanding, and Marketing a Successful Library of Things

Presented by Margaux Morrone & Ellen Anderson, Geneva Public Library

Area libraries are launching Library of Things collections, but many struggle with where to begin, how to scale, and how to manage these unique materials. Geneva Public Library’s Library of Things offers everything from digitization tools to crafting equipment, board games and puzzles, to laptops and iPads, tech gadgets and cameras, and more. Drawing from years of hands-on experience developing, marketing, and maintaining a high-circulating Library of Things collection, this session will walk attendees through practical, replicable steps to build or strengthen their own collections.

How to Become an Illinois Approved Professional Development Provider

Presented by Molly Blitstein & Samantha Zimmerman, Tinley Park Public Library

Want your library to provide professional development opportunities? Join Tinley Park Public Library staff as they share the application process through the Illinois State Board of Education. This overview will highlight what is required, how to be approved, what the next steps are, and how it impacts patrons and school personnel.

Preparing for Web Accessibility and Conducting a Manual Audit

Presented by Cindy Khatri, Downers Grove Public Library

As libraries prepare for ADA Title II web accessibility requirements, it can be hard to know where to start. This presentation will share information about what these new requirements mean for libraries and how to identify areas of your digital footprint that need attention. Learn how to audit your library website for 14 key accessibility features that will be mandatory by 2027/2028, and identify steps for remediation.

The Watercooler Gang: Why Fun is Essential

Presented by Karen Christiansen & Sara Youngs, Glen Ellyn Public Library

In an era of mission creep and increasing emotional labor, library workers often find themselves serving as information gatekeepers, social connectors, and storytellers all at once. While the work is deeply meaningful, it can also lead to burnout, a state that engagement is specifically designed to counteract.

This presentation explores how intentional joy and workplace play can transform library culture from a place of vocational awe into a sustainable, creative environment. We will discuss how fostering a sense of fun boosts staff morale and community impact. Join us to learn how high levels of engagement not only support staff well-being but also directly enhance the quality of service provided to our patrons.

Tracking Patron Payments at the Circulation Desk: What's Working at Your Library? 

(Jaime Wesley, Worth Public Library District)

Collecting money from patrons, whether for fines, fees, printing, or other services, is a daily reality at most public libraries, yet there is surprisingly little shared guidance on how to manage it well. This roundtable invites library staff to have an honest conversation about the challenges of tracking patron payments, reconciling circulation desk cash, and maintaining accountability without a dedicated finance system. Worth Public Library is actively working through these same issues, and we believe the best insights will come from the room. Come ready to share what your library does, what has failed, what you wish you had, and what questions you haven't been able to answer yet.

1pm-1:45pm 

Bringing Joy to Adult Seasonal Reading Programs

Presented by Molly Bitters, Eisenhower Public Library

Kids aren't the only ones who get to have fun with Summer Reading (and Winter Reading!) Learn how Eisenhower Public Library launched a Summer and Winter Reading Adult and Teen program that has grown steadily over the last four years and gets rave reviews from patrons. Turn book donations and collection deletions into free incentives, show off your makerspace tech, and learn about options to scale the program to both your physical space and budget. Eisenhower hosts a seasonal "book shop" where patrons earn tickets by reading (or watching, or listening - it's up to you) to spend on books, movies, crafts, and items leftover from other programs. Use staff creativity and skills to pull it off for dirt cheap, or save time and effort with targeted purchasing to set up your book shop. Find out what we've learned from repeatedly running this multi-month event, and get tips on how to make this program work for your library.

Building your Dream Team

Presented by the Circulation Working Group

Libraries are only as strong as the people who staff them, making intentional hiring, training, and mentoring practices essential to success. This panel of Circulation managers will talk about the key traits to look for when evaluating potential staff, including adaptability and problem-solving skills. Panelists will also discuss effective onboarding strategies that set staff up for success, including training, as well as ways to develop staff through goal-setting conversations and ongoing learning opportunities. Following this session, attendees will leave with practical ideas they can apply to help strengthen their own hiring, training, and mentoring practices.

It Takes a Village: Building a Collaborative Collection Committee

Presented by Ann Marie Lindsey, Glen Ellyn Public Library and others

Managing nontraditional collections can quickly become overwhelming without strong communication and teamwork. Join staff from multiple departments as they discuss how forming a Collection Committee improved organization, decision-making, processing, marketing, and overall staff engagement for their Library of Things and special collections. Attendees will leave with practical strategies, workflow ideas, and inspiration for building collaborative partnerships within their own libraries.

Pre-built Reports and How People Use Them

Panel Discussion

In this session, library staff will present different ways they use pre-built BLUEcloud Analytics reports to perform daily collection-related tasks. This panel is still in development.

IT Roundtable 

(SWAN Staff)

We are planning a roundtable on information technology in libraries, but it is still in the works. Stay tuned for a more specific topic.

2pm-2:45pm

Discovery Disconnect: Auditing Your E-Resource Access and Fixing What's Broken

Presented by Olivia Montolin, SWAN

Users who can't find or access your e-resources might as well not exist — and yet broken links, missing metadata, and misconfigured authentication issues quietly erode the value of every dollar spent on electronic collections. This session guides participants through a practical access audit: identifying discovery gaps, diagnosing common authentication failures (proxy, SAML, IP ranges), and building a workflow for ongoing maintenance. Attendees will leave with a checklist they can apply at their own institutions right away.

Making the Most of Purchase Suggestions in Aspen Discovery

Presented by Tara Wood, SWAN

In this session, discover how to implement and optimize Aspen Discovery's purchase suggestions feature. Learn configuration best practices, explore customization options that align with your library's unique workflows, and streamline the journey from patron request to a hold waiting for them. Whether you're just getting started or looking to refine your current setup, walk away with actionable strategies to improve your workflows and engage your patrons.

Mindfulness: It's Good for Your Core!

Presented by Cynthia Romanowski, SWAN

This session is designed for participants at all levels of mindfulness practice, from beginners to experienced practitioners. Attendees will learn practical, adaptable mindfulness techniques that can be easily integrated into daily routines, supporting both personal well-being and a healthier work–life balance, and strengthening their mental core.

Modernize Your ILL: Streamlined Processes Using Spreadsheets and Reports

Presented by Tim Candlish, Downers Grove Public Library

Learn how the Downers Grove Public Library interlibrary loan staff increased efficiency and went (mostly) paperless with their non-SWAN ILLs! ILL Coordinator Tim Candlish will explain how he went about transitioning DGPL's ILL processes, from an old-school paper filing system to tracking with spreadsheets. You'll learn to identify the minimum amount of information you actually need from those WorldShare ILL request forms for pulling and processing Lending requests, and what you can safely ignore. You'll also hear how Tim worked with DGPL's Cataloging Librarian to create a bibliographic load report in Symphony, which allows him to create multiple brief title records at once, before the items have even arrived! Finally, learn what changes were made to how non-SWAN items are tracked internally, and how they're checked out to patrons with the minimal amount of friction necessary for a much more seamless patron experience!

Roundtable Discussions

More Than Checkouts: Expanding Community Reach Through Circulation Outreach (Jasmina Lapo, St. Charles Public Library)

This roundtable discussion will bring together library staff to explore the role of a Circulation Outreach Specialist and how outreach work can be thoughtfully integrated into circulation services. Participants will discuss how meeting patrons where they are—at community events, partner organizations, and public spaces—expands access to services such as mobile library card registration while supporting core circulation workflows.

Through facilitated conversation, real‑world examples, shared experiences, lessons learned, and practical considerations, attendees will evaluate whether a similar outreach‑focused role could work in their own library.