Academic, public, school and specialty librarians and library staff representing 13 states gathered at Vanderbilt University for the fifth Southern Library Support Staff Conference hosted by the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries May 29–31.
“Embracing Change and Forging the Future of Libraries” was the theme of the 2024 meeting, which included presentations, panel discussions and tours of the Heard Libraries and campus centers as well as opportunities for professional development and networking among the 75 participants.
Vanderbilt University Librarian Jon Shaw, Georgia Institute of Technology Dean of Libraries Leslie N. Sharp, and Associate Director of the Sarah Shannon Stevenson Science and Engineering Library at Vanderbilt Alex Carroll delivered keynote talks, and Tiffeni Fontno, director of Vanderbilt’s Peabody Library, and Elaina Norlin, professional development coordinator for the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries, gave the first- and second-day closing addresses, respectively. The three-day event featured more than 20 sessions on topics such as envisioning the libraries of tomorrow, embracing innovative technologies, engaging library patrons in new and novel ways, and supporting the mental health and professional well-being of library staff.
Machelle Keen, user services coordinator at Vanderbilt’s Science and Engineering Library, has organized the conference since its inception in 2019. The 2024 gathering was a partnership among Heard Libraries, the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries and the Tennessee State Library and Archives, with generous scholarship support from Vanderbilt University Community Relations. This year’s attendees came from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
“The Southern Library Support Staff Conference is an excellent opportunity to convene with our colleagues from across the country to share experiences, exchange ideas and plan for the future of our profession,” Shaw said. “My deep thanks to Machelle Keen for guiding the conference’s steady expansion over the last five years, and to all the organizers who made this year’s event such a phenomenal success.”
