Travel Grant Opportunities

Registration is now open for the joint 2026 OLA/PNLA Conference, which will take place from April 22 to April 24 in Portland, Oregon. If you are interested in attending the conference but require financial assistance, and you are a new or existing PNLA member, you are encouraged to apply for a PNLA travel grant. Five travel grants, each valued at $150, will be awarded to attendees planning to participate in the 2026 conference. Of these, three grants are designated for members who have maintained continuous membership for three or more years, while two grants are reserved for members who have maintained continuous membership for at least one year but no more than two years.

Application Process

To apply for a travel grant, please complete the grant application and email it to the PNLA Grant Committee at debkramerpnla@gmail.com by March 5, 2026. Grant recipients will be notified by March 10th, so they may register for the conference using the early bird discount. The grant funds will be distributed once the recipient has completed and emailed the Travel Grant Report to the PNLA Grant Committee.

Thinking about attending this year?  Here are some highlights we’re happy to share:

Joint Conference:   The Oregon Library Association and the Pacific Northwest Library Association has joined together to offer a joint conference this year.  Attendees will be from throughout the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) and western Canada (Alberta and British Columbia).  Sessions are being presented by individuals from a variety of locations, libraries….  What a great opportunity to get to know colleagues from within our region and just not from our states or provinces.

Conference Structure:  OLA has returned to the offerings of either 60 minute or 90 minute sessions, with an occasional longer session if requested.  Those like timed sessions are together so it should allow you to plan your attendance on specific start and end times. Again, this year there will be a great deal of supporting material available in Whova during the conference and Northwest Central after the conference.  Presenters were asked at the time of session submissions if they would be interested in pre-recording their presentation to allow for virtual attendance or for registered attendees to have the opportunity to view a presentation you are unable to meet.  Presenters are being contacted for conformation of doing so.

Keynote Sessions:  Again this year, we are excited to provide two keynote sessions.  Our opening keynote is Mychal the Librarian, scheduled for April 22, 12:30 pm.  He is a librarian, author, and media personality celebrated for his joyful advocacy of literacy and mental health. Our Friday, April 24, keynote is with Ellie Alexander, bestselling author of more than forty cozy mystery novels.  She is the founder of the annual Ashland Mystery Festival and a frequent guest at library programs and author events throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond, including the popular Northwest Authors series and independent bookshops across the region.

President’s All-Conference Reception:  We will again combine the all-conference reception and president’s party into one event on Wednesday, April 22, 5 – 7pm.  Join us for desserts and a no-host bar along with the opportunity to meet up with birds of a feathers at various round tables.

Special Events:  Looking to connect with your colleagues around the Pacific Northwest?  Join us for the President’s All-Conference Reception on Wednesday evening, the OLA/PNLA luncheon with individual organization business meetings after lunch on Thursday, the OLA/PNLA Awards Luncheon on Friday, and the OLA Public Library Division’s dinner on Thursday evening.

Sensory Space / Quiet Room:  Need a break?  Visit our quiet room to retreat from the hum of the conference.  This space will be available by noon on Wednesday through the beginning of the final round of sessions on Friday.  Please use headphones/earbuds for all media while kicking back in this low-light, sensory-sensitive area.

Social / Craft Room:  Join us for some hands-on, self-directed activities and conversation in this dedicated creative and social space for the duration of the conference.

Questions?  Reach out to the planning committee via email to, Shirley Roberts, ola@olaweb.org or Debbi Kramer, debkramerpnla@gmail.com.

Register Now:  https://ola.memberclicks.net/ola-pnla-conf-registration-2026

Conference Schedule and Sessions info Now Available, if you would like to take a look before registering:  https://oregonlibconference.org/2026/programs/

Also checkout the OLA 2026 Conference Webpages:  https://oregonlibconference.org/2026/

Hope to see you in Portland.

Shirley Roberts, OLA, and Debbi Kramer, PNLA, Conference co-chairs.

The April 23-25, 2026 joint OLA/PNLA Conference in Portland is only a few months away!

The call for Posters Session proposals is now open. The theme for this year is “Get Loud for Libraries.” Share your best ideas, work, and design skills by creating a poster on any topic relevant to librarianship. The submission form is live at 2026 Joint OLA/PNLA Conference Poster Session Proposal Form.

The deadline is 5:00pm on February 15. Notifications will be sent to applicants by February 20.

Poster sessions are a great opportunity to gain presentation experience by sharing on a research topic that interests you or an innovative library program/project that you have been involved in. Poster sessions can be less stressful than the more formal solo presentations and panel discussions.

 

Some other conference poster session examples:

Poster Sessions at #ALAAC25: A Smorgasbord of Ideas! - ALSC Blog

Poster Sessions | AMIA 2025 Association of Moving Image Archivists conference

 

We welcome the set-up of accepted posters on Wednesday, April 22 and ask that they remain up until 2pm Friday, April 24. If you are only going to be attending one day, you can set up the morning of the day you attend.

 

For any questions about poster session submissions, contact the Conference Poster Session Coordinators, Victoria Campbell at vcampbell@beavertonoregon.gov or Melanie Reaveley at director@klf.bclibrary.ca 

 

We look forward to reading your poster session proposals!

Upcoming PNLA Officer Elections

PNLA is seeking engaged and dedicated individuals to fill three upcoming elected officer positions: Vice President-President Elect, Second Vice President/Membership Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer. These roles are essential to the ongoing success and leadership of the association.

Election Timeline

The elections for these roles will take place in May 2026. Officers elected during this cycle will begin their terms in August 2026.

Position Details and Terms

• Vice President-President Elect: This is a three-year commitment. The individual will serve the first year as Vice President, the second year as President, and the third year as Past President, ensuring continuity and strong leadership within PNLA.
  
  
• Second Vice President/Membership Chair: This position is a two-year term, focused on supporting membership engagement and organizational growth.
  
  
• Secretary-Treasurer: While this role is typically a two-year term, due to the resignation of the current Secretary-Treasurer, the upcoming term will be for one year only, spanning from August 2026 to August 2027.

Opportunities to Serve and Support

Serving in one of these PNLA officer positions is not an overwhelming time commitment. If you or someone you know has an interest in contributing to the association’s success, please consider reaching out. You may nominate yourself or suggest someone who would be a great fit.

To express interest or for further information, contact Debbi Kramer, PNLA Executive Director, at debkramerpnla@gmail.com.

These roles offer an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills within a supportive environment. Unlike state and provincial organizations, PNLA does not handle legislative matters, allowing officers to focus on organizational leadership and service. As Executive Director, I am committed to guiding and assisting you throughout your term. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference.

President

serves a one-year term that begins at one annual conference and ends at the next conference

Duties

•  for general duties see the Constitution, Article 4, Section 2
•  sets date, place and agenda for all Board meetings
•  represents PNLA to other organizations, e.g., CFLA, ALA
•   appoints committees as needed
•   signs contracts for future conference sites
•   represents PNLA at state and provincial conferences, or names an alternate
•   informs all candidates of election results
•   administers President’s Distinguished Service Award

Past President

Duties

•  oversees election nominations
•  attends all Board and conference meetings, with expenses paid, through the end of the third year of service to aid in transition of Board leadership and the overall effectiveness of the organization

Second Vice President

serves a two-year term, taking office at the annual conference in odd numbered years

Duties

• maintains membership records
• explores ways to recruit and expand membership

Membership Renewal Procedures

• maintains the automated membership renewals
• sends welcome letters to members
• conduct annual elections along with Past-President and Secretary

Secretary

serves a two-year term, taking office at the annual conference

Duties

• keeps official record of minutes of Executive Board and annual membership meetings
• distributes draft minutes to the Board, within a month of each meeting, for revision and approval
• notifies Board members that they have seven days to submit corrections and alterations to the draft minutes
• ensures that the minutes are approved at the next Board meeting
• collects and compiles annual reports from Committee Chairs and state and provincial representatives for distribution to the membership at the annual meeting
• provides a summary report regarding the election at the annual membership meeting
• submits approved minutes for posting on the Web site
• handles correspondence as directed by the President and Board
• distributes lists of Board, committee and interest group members
• produces minutes from and archives Board email motions
•  conducts the election (see below):
• • In the early spring, consult “Election Procedures,” and set the timeline for the balloting and election.
  • Secretary works with the Past President to secure candidates’, statements for the ballot.
  • Secretary forwards the candidate information to the 2^nd Vice-President.  The secretary tallies election votes via the membership software at end of voting period

Treasurer

serves a two-year term, taking office at the annual conference

Duties

Monthly:

• Works with the Executive Director to review the PNLA’s financial statements, bank reconciliation statements, current paid bills, deposits, Affinipay statements and any other financial information provided by Executive Director
• Ensure that reports are received, monitored, and distributed correctly.
• Signs Executive Directors monthly paychecks
• Oversees the organization’s internal controls, including Executive Director compliance with applicable policies and procedures and risk management

Annually

• Works with the Executive Director and President to present the yearly budget to PNLA Board at the January meeting 
• Reviews the final accounting for the annual conference when applicable
• Preserves all official papers and uploads them to Google Drive or other electronic storage as directed by the Board.
•  Reviews the organization’s procedures for reporting problems
•  Reviews the annual 990 non-profit forms for accuracy
•  May be delegated other authority and/or duties as determined by the board

The Winter 2026 PNLA Newsletter is available. 

The second round of submissions is open for the 2026 joint Oregon Library Association (OLA) / Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) Conference program sessions.

2026 Conference session proposal form

The deadline for program session submissions is Friday, December 5. 

This year’s theme is “Get Loud for Libraries,” a galvanizing call to action to unify libraries for mutual support and deep collaboration.

This round, we specifically seek submissions that focus on academic and special libraries; however, all are welcome to submit proposals. 

We received a large number of submissions in the first round and will not be able to accommodate everyone. We are identifying opportunities for some sessions to become posters and/or be pre-recorded only.

Lead presenters will be notified of their session’s status by January 6.

Great sessions inform, inspire, and empower. Great proposals identify the target audience and expected takeaways. We will prioritize providing a wide variety of learning opportunities, including sessions that model a flipped-classroom approach, offer opportunities for sharing experiences, and encourage participants to tell their stories. Note there will be no pre-conference sessions.

Consider the following categories when submitting your proposal:

• Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies in Libraries

• Building Inclusive and Diverse Communities

• Collaborative Strategies for Lifelong Learning

• Strengthening Library Partnerships: Local to Global

• Sustainability, Advocacy, and the Future of Libraries

• Mutual Aid for Libraries and Library Communities

• Legislative and Social Activism and Advocacy

• Have an out-of-the-box idea? Let us know!

Sessions will be reviewed by a committee using an EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism) lens. Presenters who submit similar proposals may be asked to combine sessions. Session reviewers may reach out for clarifications or requests regarding proposals.

Tips for a great program proposal.

The 2026 OLA/PNLA Conference will be held in Portland from Wednesday, April 22 through Friday, April 24.

The 2026 Oregon Library Association/Pacific Northwest Library Association Joint Annual Conference will be held April 22-24 in Portland, Oregon. 

Join your colleagues in Portland, Oregon for three days of workshops, presentations, and networking.

The conference theme is Get Loud For Libraries.

Check out the conference's evolving website. 

Welcome to the Fall 2025 issue of the PNLA quarterly newsletter.

The Fall newsletter is filled with upcoming conference information, state and province news, a great letter from our President, banned book week info, as well as other great articles.

We’re happy to announce that submissions for the 2026 joint Oregon Library Association (OLA) / Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA) Conference sessions are now open!

2026 Conference session proposal form

The deadline for program session submissions is Monday, October 20. 

This year’s theme is “Get Loud for Libraries,” a galvanizing call to action to unify libraries for mutual support and deep collaboration.

Proposals from all library types are encouraged. 

Great sessions inform, inspire, and empower. Great proposals identify the target audience and expected takeaways. We will prioritize providing a wide variety of learning opportunities, including sessions that model a flipped-classroom approach, offer opportunities for sharing experiences, and encourage participants to tell their stories. Note there will be no pre-conference sessions.

Consider the following categories when submitting your proposal:

• Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies in Libraries

• Building Inclusive and Diverse Communities

• Collaborative Strategies for Lifelong Learning

• Strengthening Library Partnerships: Local to Global

• Sustainability, Advocacy, and the Future of Libraries

• Mutual Aid for Libraries and Library Communities

• Legislative and Social Activism and Advocacy

• Have an out-of-the-box idea? Let us know!

Sessions will be reviewed by a committee using an EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism) lens. Presenters who submit similar proposals may be asked to combine sessions. Session reviewers may reach out for clarifications or requests regarding proposals.

Lead presenters will be notified of their session’s status by January 6. 

The 2026 OLA/PNLA Conference will be held in Portland from Wednesday, April 22 through Friday, April 24.

The 2026 OLA/PNLA Joint Conference will be held April 22–24, 2026, at the Holiday Inn Columbia Riverfront in Portland, Oregon. Mark your calendars!

The theme, "Get Loud for Libraries," is a call to action to unify libraries through mutual support and deep collaboration.

A call for session proposals will open in mid-September, with more details about the theme and guidelines. Now is a great time to brainstorm ideas, connect with colleagues, and start shaping potential presentations. The program committee looks forward to reviewing your proposals and showcasing your creative contributions.