Session Speakers
Charlotte Anderson (she/her) Charlotte is the Emerging Technologies Librarian at the Grande Prairie Public Library. She has her MLIS from Dalhousie University and a passion for integrating new trends into GPPL services. She currently oversees GPPL’s website, newsletter, and other marketing tools, and also helps to promote the Library through social media, posters, and more. Presenting Canva Creativity: Graphic Design Made Easy.
Marci Banack has been with the Grande Prairie Public Library since 2009. She is passionate about the patrons and loves being able to offer many different types and styles of programs to meet the community's needs. In her spare time she loves to go camping, play guitar and cook with family and friends. Presenting Programming Perfection.
Kel Banks (they/them) Kel is the Accessible Document Quality Assessor for the Government of Alberta’s Public Library Services Branch. Their role entails ensuring public-facing and internal documents are accessible, providing accessibility assessments of existing documents, and assisting with training government employees and stakeholders on creating accessible documents. In their free time, they enjoy knitting, reading, collecting house plants, playing accessible video games, and drinking tea. Presenting Accessible Communications 101 with Camelia Campbell.
Michelle Boyle (she/her) is the Library Co-ordinator at Beaverlodge Public Library. With a background in Event and Conference planning for Government Agencies in Ireland, the logical next career step would obviously be planning adult events in a library in rural Alberta. Michelle’s gift of the gab partnered with a little organizational OCD have resulted in entertaining, well-run events. When asked to apply her skill set to running adult events, Michelle had only one proviso – there had to be a bar! Presenting Loud in the Library with Tracy Deets.
Camelia Campbell is the Digital Information and Accessibility Advisor. Her role entails coordinating training and supporting government staff in creating born accessible content. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, boxing, and attending music concerts. She also tends to get a good laugh out of people’s reactions after trying to scare them. She prides herself on her unique style, her middle name is the name of a continent, and most importantly, she loves to make hearts smile. Presenting Accessible Communications 101 with Kel Banks.
Tracy Deets (she/her) Tracy has been the manager at the Beaverlodge Public Library for just over ten years and thinks she has finally found what she wants to be when she grows up. With a love for events that rivals her allergy to children, Tracy has found her library niche providing fun evenings for adults. Really, all it took was an easygoing and forgiving Board, and someone to be in cahoots with. Presenting: Loud in the Library with Michelle Boyle.
Ginette Gagnon: In her role as Sector Support Manager, Ginette Gagnon exemplifies the transformative impact that dedicated leadership can have in fostering thriving, inclusive communities. Her contributions continue to shape the landscape of volunteerism and community development in Grande Prairie. As the Sector Support Manager at GPRAVO, Ginette Gagnon embodies dedication, growth, and unwavering support for the organization and her team. Presenting Capacity Building through Diversity and Inclusion.
Ryan Goff (he/him) Ryan is the IT Manager with Peace Library System. He graduated from GPRC (now Northwest Polytechnic) with a Diploma in Computers Systems Technology in 2008, and has spent the past 15+ years in various roles in the IT industry. He is passionate about automation, machine learning, and AI. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his three daughters, as well as staying active with disc golf and basketball. Presenting:Lightning Talk: AI and Marketing in Libraries.
Tenille Holm (she/they) Tenille is the Head of Customer Services at the Grande Prairie Public Library. She graduated in 2023 from the University of Western Ontario with a Masters in Library Studies. Following the completion of her degree, Tenille relocated to Grande Prairie to assume the position of Community Services Librarian at GPPL. She was recently promoted to the role of Head of Customer Services.
She is passionate about promoting the library, and creating new and creative links throughout the community to best serve Grande Prairie. She loves reading all books, but particularly fantasy. She is an avid knitter, proud auntie, and thriving cat lady! Presenting Nerf Fights and Tea Parties with Kate Renfree.
Kim Johnson (she/her) Kim works for the Government of Alberta as a Library Network Advisor, with a focus on accessibility in public libraries. Kim also works on an accessible government documents initiative, where her team trains and supports Government of Alberta staff in creating accessible documents and publications. Presenting Accessible Library Services 101 with Colette Poitras.
Tim Kuelker (he/him) Tim is a champion of technology services and has worked with dozens of public libraries across Western Canada to improve access to technology and increase innovation. He is currently the Manager of Technology Services and Infrastructure at the Northern Lights Library System. Presenting From Click to Card: Promoting Library Memberships Through Digital Outreach with James MacDonald.
Margaret Law is a library consultant, working with small libraries in Alberta to help optimize their operations to meet the needs of their communities. She is a librarian with experience in regional library systems, rural public libraries, and consortia, as well as senior management experience in the University of Alberta Library. She has been an instructor in the Library Technician program at MacEwan University, and is currently an instructor at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta.
This summer she will be teaching an Advocacy course for future librarians. As well as a library degree, she has advanced studies in business administration and organizational behaviour. She is the author of a book on managing staff in libraries, called Cultivating engaged staff, and is a frequent trainer and speaker in the areas of library governance, management and finance.
Presenting Why Don't They Love the Library?
James MacDonald (he/him) James is the Executive Director of Northern Lights Library System. James’ library experience ranges from public and private to academic libraries. He is a certified digital archives specialist and professional librarian. Presenting From Click to Card: Promoting Library Memberships Through Digital Outreach with Tim Kuelker.
Miranda Maguire is a Library Legislative Advisor with Public Library Services Branch (PLSB), Alberta Municipal Affairs since 2018. As a Legislative Advisor, Miranda works with library boards and libraries to understand their roles and responsibilities under the Libraries Act and Libraries Regulation, and supports boards in good governance practices. Presenting Working Together: Library Board Relationships.
Colette Poitras (she/her) Colette is the Indigenous Services Advisor, Public Library Services Branch, Government of Alberta. She has been working in libraries for almost 25 years and is a proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta. She believes that equitable access to library services and collections is a human right for all Canadians. Presenting Accessible Library Services 101 with Kim Johnson.
Sheryl Pelletier (she/her) Sheryl Pelletier has been manager of two different small libraries. First at the High Level Library from 1989 to 2006, then at Sexsmith Shannon Library from 2007 to present, for a total of 36 years of gray hair. She is looking forward to retirement in about 500 days (give or take). Watch for her lemonade stand in fall of 2025. She has also made it through five PLS Directors with minimal scarring of either party. Presenting Library Promotion as a Way of Life.
Kate Renfree (she/her). Kate has been the Children's Programming Co-ordinator at Grande Prairie Public Library since early 2023. She had planned on a life hoarding artifacts in a museum, but jumped into the library scene when she discovered we had more dragons. Presenting Nerf Fights and Tea Parties with Tenille Holm.
Ken Sawdon (he/him) Ken is the Collection Services Manager at Peace Library System as well as PLS’ representative to, and current Chair of, TRAC’s Bibliographic Services Group. He received his MLIS from the University of Alberta and worked as a Metadata Specialist for Dissolve.com and the Head Librarian for the Fort St. James Public Library, in Northern BC, before joining Peace Library System. Presenting Lightning Talk: Homosaurus Terminology and Usage.