MSLA 2025 Conference: Full Schedule

9:30am EST

AI and the Re-Search Process

Sunday March 2, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST

In this session, participants will explore AI tools that help support student research skills, such as generating research questions, selecting sources for readers of varying levels, and discussing citations and copyright law. We will look at tools like ResearchRabbit, Diffit, plagiarism detectors, and some policy considerations for their use.

Speakers

Laurie Taylor

Nashoba Brooks School

Molly Wong

Milton Academy

Sunday March 2, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Digital & Info literacy

Audience MS, HS, ES

10:30am EST

Hot Topics in Law for Libraries

Sunday March 2, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST

Room 104

This session will cover First Amendment issues facing libraries and also touch on privacy and general legal information using case studies nationally and locally. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of free speech, limited public forums, and how best to manage procedure and policy to work within the law while promoting the library mission. Come with questions!

Speakers

Jennifer Guerin

W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School in Great Barrington, MA.

Andrea Fiorillo

Chair MLA, Intellectual Freedom/Social Responsibilites Commitee, Head of Public Services, Reading Public Library

Tricia London

School Librarian, Abington Middle / High School Library

This is Tricia London’s fourth year at Abington Middle/High Library serving students in grades 5-12. Tricia is also the advisor to the National Honor Society and S.A.M. (the Student Art Magazine.) Prior to working in Abington, she spent 13 years at the Avon Middle High School Library... Read More →

Sunday March 2, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Advocacy & community

Audience MS, ES, HS

12:30pm EST

Hot Books in 2025

Sunday March 2, 2025 12:30pm - 1:20pm EST

Room 104

Great books to look for this year

Speakers

Bindy Fleischman

Executive Board Member, United States Board on Books for Young People

Bindy Fleischman, School Liaison at Wellesley Books and English teacher at German International School Boston, has been an active member of USBBY since 2002. In that time she has served many of the board committees, including being Massachusetts State Ambassador, chairing the Outstanding... Read More →

Sunday March 2, 2025 12:30pm - 1:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Vendors

Audience MS, ES, HS

1:30pm EST

Removing Roadblocks to Reading

Sunday March 2, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST

Room 104

Many students don't see themselves as readers, they pass by the library doors saying "there's nothing in there for me". There are many privacy compliant tools that can be used with both print and digital books that make them accessible to all readers. This session will just introduce you to a few and crowdsource others so that you can leave with a toolbox full of resources to offer your readers.

Speakers

Barbara Johnson

Librarian, Colchester Public Schools

Information Literacy Coach and Teacher Transitioning to a Gr. 3-5 Library

Sunday March 2, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Technology integration

Audience MS, ES, HS

2:30pm EST

Demystifying AI: The Cans, Can'ts, Coulds, and Shoulds

Sunday March 2, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST

Room 104

What's real? What's hype? How do I keep up?! We'll dive into the current AI boom, exploring how generative models work, current abilities and limitations, hidden human intelligence that keeps things running, and unintended side effects that range from silly mistakes to life-altering consequences.

Speakers

Zak Kolar

Waltham Public Schools

Sunday March 2, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Digital & Info literacy

Audience MS, ES, HS

9:30am EST

Screens and Teens

Monday March 3, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST

Room 104

No more blame and shame; let's get curious about teens and screens. We'll discuss mental health, sleep, distraction, the importance of boredom, and how we can help kids and teens have more TRUE FUN by looking at 8th grade survey data. Participants will brainstorm strategies they can take back to their own school communities to start productive conversations with students around screen time, social media, and more.

Speakers

Laura Gardner

Teacher Librarian, Dartmouth Middle School

Laura Gardner, a National Board Certified Teacher in Library Media, is Teacher Librarian at Dartmouth Middle School in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Laura was awarded the School Library Journal (SLJ) School Librarian of the Year Co-finalist Award in 2016 and the AASL Reader Leader social... Read More →

Ella Stocker

Librarian, Amherst Regional Public Schools

Ella has been the high school librarian at Amherst Regional High School since 2018. Her primary goal as a library teacher is to instill in all her students that libraries are spaces for them and to provide them with the knowledge and skills to be confident and committed lifelong library... Read More →

Monday March 3, 2025 9:30am - 10:20am EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Digital & Info literacy

Audience HS, MS

10:30am EST

Redesigning Curriculum Units with Inquiry, Breakout Boxes, Narrative Storylines, and Maximum Engagement

Monday March 3, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST

Room 104

Join an elementary Library Teacher, a Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator, and a Science Curriculum Coordinator as we share how we completely revamped two traditional units: the first grade National Symbols unit and the second grade Rocks, Landforms, and Mapping units. We incorporated inquiry elements, Breakout Boxes with specifically designed puzzles that align with the unit, and video challenges all tied together with a narrative story that anchors the learning and generates excitement and engagement. Presenters will share both of these units and give participants time to try some of the Breakout Box puzzles.

Speakers

Laura DElia

Library Teacher, Westborough Public Schools

Laura Beals D’Elia is currently the Library Teacher at the Armstrong Elementary School in Westborough, MA. She has been an elementary school librarian since 2002. She has a BA in English and Children’s Literature from Framingham State University and a MLIS from the University... Read More →

Tara Gestrich

Westborough Public Schools

Merideth Ekwall

Westborough Public Schools

Monday March 3, 2025 10:30am - 11:20am EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Collaboration & co-teaching

Audience ES

1:30pm EST

How a Year-Long Nonfiction PLC Promoted and Celebrated Nonfiction

Monday March 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST

Room 104

In 2024, two groups of Massachusetts school librarians participated in a nonfiction-focused personal learning community that met monthly via Zoom. In this panel presentation, discover how they supported one another as they curated their collections and implemented new programming to increase student awareness of and access to a broad array of nonfiction books. We will share our ideas, projects, goals, and a few of our favorite nonfiction read-alouds!

Speakers

Laura DElia

Library Teacher, Westborough Public Schools

Melissa Stewart

Author, Children's book author

Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than 180 nonfiction books for children, including Seashells: More than a Home, Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs, and Can an Aardvark Bark. She is the co-author, with Nancy Chesley, of Perfect Pairs... Read More →

Rachel Small

Teacher Librarian, Burlington Public Schools

Pine Glen Elementary Teacher Librarian

Zoan Stokes

Teacher librarian, Fayerweather Street School

Liza Halley

Library Teacher, Waltham Public Schools

I am a K-5 library teacher with a particular passion for graphic novels, poetry, and folklore.

Kristin Moses

Boyden Elementary, Walpole

Monday March 3, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Books & reading

Audience ES

2:30pm EST

Creator Connection - How you can bring an author to your school

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST

Room 104

There is nothing like the experience of hosting an author or illustrator at your school. Students (and teachers!) are inspired by connections with book creators, and a visit brings a surge of vitality and visibility to your library program. Let's talk about planning, preparing, and funding a visit to your school - even if you think you can't afford the price tag!

Speakers

Sheila Magovern

Library Media Specialist, Westford Public Schools

Librarian for 2 public elementaries, K-2 and 3-5. I teach library classes, but also something called Innovation Lab, which is partly a STEAM makerspace and partly research skills. Trying to learn more about guided inquiry and project based learning. Also trying to be more organized... Read More →

Monday March 3, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm EST
Room 104 Four Points by Sheraton Norwood

Books & reading